Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

Chapter 169: Chapter 161: I Have Elders to Support and No Children Yet, Please Let Me Go Back

"A con artist? I’ve met plenty of fortune-tellers just like him."

Lin Qingfeng, however, seemed to ignore the crowd’s doubts. A profound, inscrutable expression surfaced on his perpetually lazy face.

He strolled over to a wooden window with his hands behind his back, as if about to lean against the sill and strike a pose of looking down on all creation.

He slowly lifted his leg...

Then, the motion abruptly froze mid-air.

Su Ling’er’s pupils contracted instantly!

’She saw her Eldest Brother’s gaze fixed on the windowsill, and was that a flicker of... apprehension in his eyes?’

’What’s going on?’

’Is there a trap there?!’

’Did Eldest Brother sense some kind of restrictive spell powerful enough to threaten him?’

But Lin Qingfeng was just staring at the years of accumulated dust on the windowsill. He silently lowered his raised leg.

"Ahem!"

He turned around nonchalantly, flashing the crowd a smile that sent a chill down Su Ling’er’s spine.

"This trial ground is the Curse of the Shen Family. You newbies are really in luck. Your first time in, and you get such an easy trial."

"Even if you die, it should be a very easy death."

The words had barely left his lips when the scholar in the long robe could no longer contain himself. He pointed at Lin Qingfeng, trying to use his imposing manner to overwhelm his unknown fear.

"K-Kidnapper! You must be some kind of kidnapper!"

"I’m telling you! Let me go at once! Otherwise... Hmph! My family has connections!"

"I have people in high places! Real, actual people!"

"If you don’t let me go, you’d better think carefully about the consequences!"

This speech made the undercover agents in the crowd suck in a cold breath.

’He’s crazy! This mortal is completely insane!’

’How dare he threaten such a moody and unpredictable demon lord!’

’Does he have a death wish?!’

Su Ling’er subconsciously tightened her grip on her Wooden Sword.

She was afraid that in the next second, the scholar would be reduced to a pool of flesh and blood at her Eldest Brother’s fingertips!

’I can’t let this happen!’

’As a disciple of the righteous path, I can’t just stand by and watch a mortal die a horrible death before my eyes!’

’I... I have to save him!’

Su Ling’er quietly shuffled half a step forward, the Spiritual Power within her surging covertly. She prepared to strike first, to knock the scholar unconscious with the spine of her sword before her Eldest Brother could make a move.

’If I can just shut him up, maybe... maybe Eldest Brother will cool down and spare his life.’

However, Lin Qingfeng merely glanced at him, waiting to see what other threats the scholar would come up with.

THUD!

The scholar’s legs gave way and he dropped straight to his knees, grabbing onto Lin Qingfeng’s thigh and starting to wail.

"Big Bro! Kidnapper Big Bro! You’re my real big bro! I have elders to care for and no children yet, I’m begging you, please let me go back!"

"I still have to pass the imperial exams and bring honor to my ancestors!"

"My family is really broke! Even if you kill me for the ransom, you won’t be able to squeeze half a copper coin out of me! I’m begging you, Big Bro!"

This shocking reversal completely shattered the solemn, heroic atmosphere Su Ling’er had built up for her death-defying rescue.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Lin Qingfeng looked down at the scholar clinging to his thigh, snot and tears streaming down his face. The corner of Lin Qingfeng’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.

’Seriously, what happened to that arrogant "I have people in high places" attitude from just a moment ago?’

’How could you just drop to your knees like that?’

’I really thought you were some imperial relative traveling incognito!’

’Too bad I don’t have a Desert Eagle.’

So, he fished a [Ghost Fire Talisman] out from his robes.

"Kid, do you think I’m playing games with you?"

"Huh? Big Bro, I wasn’t!"

With a casual flick of his wrist, he sent the [Ghost Fire Talisman] flying. A jet of flame shot out with a WHOOSH, striking a potted plant in the corner of the hall.

The flame wasn’t large, but its flickering, ghostly shadows and chilling special effects made it look quite eerie.

"Do you want to try dying? Can you... imagine infinite terror?"

"I’ve been through three trials."

Lin Qingfeng began to improvise. His gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Su Ling’er as if he were speaking to her.

"The first time, the opponent was some ugly-ass guy with scissor hands. There was a whole bunch of people participating then, you know?"

"There were two veterans there, too. Do you know how it ended? They were all killed in their dreams!"

"Only I... and one other person survived."

As Lin Qingfeng spoke, he caught a glimpse of "Ji," one of the guides, squatting in a corner. It looked like he was sorting a deck of Sanguo Sha cards, getting ready to play with the President later.

"Hey! Stop crouching over there! You can play later!"

"Ji" froze upon hearing this and looked up, completely bewildered.

"Huh?"

’President, what are you talking about?’

’And why do the President’s lines sound so familiar?’

’Let me check... Ah, but it doesn’t look like there’s a part for me to jump in here!’

’Whatever, I’ll just play along with the President.’

So, "Ji" chimed in with a serious expression:

"Ahem, Eldest Brother is right. The previous trials were incredibly dangerous!"

Lin Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction and continued reciting his lines to the scholar:

"Do you want to know what it feels like to be killed by a completely absurd dream?"

"Do you want to watch everything around you turn into writhing, rotten flesh, to witness your own body being... slowly crushed by a pair of scissors? You piece of shit! Do you want to die?!"

Lin Qingfeng read the lines by rote, his murderous intent so unconvincing that Su Ling’er relaxed and loosened her grip on her Wooden Sword.

She understood that her Eldest Brother didn’t see the scholar as a threat at all. He was simply... enjoying the fun of frightening his prey.

And the few people in the crowd who had wanted to follow suit and stir up trouble were too scared by the eerie Ghost Fire Talisman to act out.

Only the scholar was desperately clinging to Lin Qingfeng’s thigh, crying even harder now:

"Big Bro! I already told you I don’t want to die!"

"I know you’re a badass! I believe you! But my family really doesn’t have any money! Please, be merciful and let me go!"

"...Just get the hell away from me for a second!"

Lin Qingfeng shook his leg with a look of disgust.

"Stop hugging my thigh, it’s disgusting, okay?!"

Hearing this, the scholar let go as if he’d been granted amnesty, but he didn’t dare stand too far away from Lin Qingfeng.

Seeing her chance, Su Ling’er gathered her courage, sidled up to her Eldest Brother, and asked in a low voice:

"Eldest Brother, what... what is going on? How did we get here? What are we supposed to do?"

"And... what’s the deal with these ordinary people who have no Cultivation?"

"Oh, that."

Lin Qingfeng also lowered his voice.

"Basically, your mission is to explore this haunted mansion and... survive!"

Lin Qingfeng thought about the exploration progress aspect and, wanting to motivate them, continued.

"The more you explore, the more you understand, the more likely you are to survive. Oh, and... there really are ghosts in here."

"Then... what about the ordinary people?" A mysterious smile played on Lin Qingfeng’s lips. "What if I said I don’t know either? Would you believe me?"

Su Ling’er immediately shook her little head, her face clearly spelling out the words, "Like hell I believe you."

"Fine,"

"I knew you wouldn’t believe me."

’Since you don’t believe me, I might as well make it sound even more mysterious!’

"Perhaps they, too, are part of this cruel game."

"Everyone who enters this place, be they mortal or Cultivator, is merely a pawn on the chessboard."

At these words, a chill shot through Su Ling’er’s heart.

’Pawns?’

’Eldest Brother sees everyone as pawns on his chessboard?!’