The Sealed Family

After entering the escape room, the heavy door slammed shut instantly.

Ren Lingxi instinctively moved closer to Su Yang, reaching out to grab his arm.

"Brother Su Yang, it's so dark in here~"

"It's fine. An NPC should appear any moment now."

As soon as Su Yang finished speaking, a sudden flash erupted in the pitch-black room. A figure in a white robe stood not far ahead of them.

"Ah!!" Ren Lingxi screamed at the sight and threw herself into Su Yang's arms.

Su Yang held her, squinting slightly as he said calmly, "It's okay. This is probably a guide NPC."

Just as he spoke, eerie background music began to play in their ears. Faint lights flickered on, barely illuminating a small area around them.

The figure ahead was now fully visible—a middle-aged man who looked to be in his thirties or forties.

He had a goatee on his chin and wore a white robe, resembling a Taoist cultivator.

The visible surroundings were of an old rural path from the 1970s or 80s.

The two of them were currently standing outside the gate of a dilapidated courtyard. The set design was incredibly realistic and immersive.

If someone were to wake up here after falling asleep, they might easily think they had traveled through time.

The NPC stood at the courtyard gate and waved to them. "Welcome to the Abandoned Village~"

By now, Ren Lingxi had gotten a clear look at him. She let out a sigh of relief and followed Su Yang toward the NPC.

Su Yang looked at the man and smiled. "Since it's called the Abandoned Village, are you human or a ghost?"

The man gave an awkward laugh. "Haha, you're quite the humorist, young man. Please, follow me~"

Ren Lingxi asked, "What about the two people who came in just before us?"

The man tilted his head. "They're on a different route. Don't worry about them. Focus on completing your own task first."

The man led Su Yang and Ren Lingxi into the old courtyard before them.

The moment they stepped inside, the lights on the path behind them dimmed, plunging the area back into the same darkness as when they first entered.

Su Yang looked at the man and asked, "What role are you playing?"

"I am the Guide. Now, let me briefly explain the rules to you."

"Go ahead."

The man looked at Su Yang and Ren Lingxi, stroking his goatee with a faint smile. "Please take out your respective pouches."

"Alright." The two agreed and produced their pouches.

The man continued, "Inside each of your pouches, there are eight talismans."

"Talismans?"

"Mhm, listen first. Your main mission here is to find a hidden treasure located within the Abandoned Village. Of course, you'll need to discover the treasure's exact location yourselves. Completing specific tasks will provide you with clues."

"The talismans are used to seal the wandering spirits scattered throughout the village. Each talisman can seal a spirit for two minutes. You each only have eight, and they cannot be reused. So, use them judiciously in the upcoming stages."

"How do we seal them?" Su Yang asked.

"Just stick the talisman on any part of the spirit's body. But you'd better use them sparingly, because you'll also need them to seal the families."

"What on earth is 'sealing the families'?"

"That is your current task. Don't rush, let me explain in detail."

The NPC stroked his beard and continued, "Within the Abandoned Village, there are six major families. But due to some strange event, everyone in the entire village vanished overnight."

"The incident was so bizarre that the city specially dispatched an investigation team to look into the cause. However, after three days, all the team members died in the village. Only one man managed to escape."

"According to him, every night at 11 o'clock, many strange sounds would emerge from the six family compounds—crying, screaming, sounds of fighting..."

"In short, the investigation team members who entered these family compounds never came out again. Only the young man who didn't go in escaped."

"Later, many Taoist priests, feng shui masters, and the like were invited. The final conclusion was that the vengeful spirits of the six families needed to be sealed before midnight."

"And after they're sealed?"

"After the sealing, you will receive clues to the next step regarding the treasure."

"So, your immediate task is to go and seal one of the families in the Abandoned Village: the Zhao Family."

"How do we seal it?" Su Yang asked.

The NPC smiled and replied, "With the talismans! Inside each family compound, there are four locations where talismans must be placed: the bedroom door of the master and mistress, the mirror in the toilet, the altar in the main hall, and the pigsty."

"The pigsty?" Su Yang asked.

"That's correct."

"Alright then. And then?"

"If you can complete the sealing quickly, you can then go find your other teammates to help them speed up their tasks."

"What if we don't finish sealing before midnight?" Ren Lingxi asked, looking at the NPC.

"Excellent question!"

"However, I cannot reveal that for now. I can only say that it will become very dangerous after midnight. You'd better hurry and proceed with the sealing~"

Su Yang turned to look at the courtyard before them. "Is this the Zhao Family you mentioned?"

"Of course not. You'll know once you pass through this courtyard. Go on now."

Whoosh!

As soon as the NPC's words fell, the dim, yellowish lights around them went out again.

"Ah~" Ren Lingxi shrieked and clung tightly to Su Yang.

Three seconds later, the faint lights returned. The NPC from moments ago had vanished without a trace.

"Brother Su Yang, where did he go?"

"He's done his part for now. It's our turn next."

"So what do we do now?"

"Find the Zhao Family!"

......