Rules of Horror: Survival Begins in the Haunted Harem - Chapter 4

Xie Nuange followed Cheng Luo’s gaze. The third bed from the back was empty.

She looked away and down at Cheng Luo’s hand. Slowly, she reached out and gave it a light pat.

“No need. Don’t worry about me.”

Cheng Luo did not seem to notice the touch. She merely arched a brow. “Are you sure? Do you have a lifesaving ghost item or skill too?”

Xie Nuange withdrew her hand and sat up straight. She shook her head. “I’m sure. I won’t switch.”

“You should. Every use of a ghost item is one less use you have left.”

Cheng Luo refused to give up.

Xie Nuange shook her head again, a faint smile on her lips. “Thank you, but I like this spot. I’m staying here.”

“All right, then.”

Cheng Luo shrugged and headed toward the back of the room. Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled at Xie Nuange.

“Good luck tonight.”

Silence returned to the room.

Xie Nuange lowered her eyes to her hand. When she touched Cheng Luo, she had activated her skill: Datafication.

It was useful, but possessed no combat ability whatsoever.

Then again, calling it useless would be equally wrong. Time and again, it had shown her the key to clearing a scenario.

The skill could turn anything into data.

It could read people and retrieve their memories.

It could read objects, identify paths to survival, reveal their former owners, and more.

With her current level of mental power—her so-called mana bar—she could perform three extractions and three inspections, for six uses in total.

Anything beyond that would drain her life force after her mental power ran dry. Her mind would be depleted, and the rest of her body would suffer with it.

Cheng Luo’s history and profile had already been processed into clean data.

Xie Nuange chose to inspect her faction. A line of small text appeared across her retina.

[Cheng Luo’s Faction: Noble Consort]

Relief came first, followed quickly by confusion.

Had Cheng Luo already chosen the Noble Consort faction?

Had she rejected the Prince?

Was that why the Prince had disappeared from the display?

Xie Nuange’s gaze settled on Meng Shi, the cold beauty resting against the wall with her eyes closed. She hesitated.

Should she inspect Meng Shi’s faction too?

But if she exhausted all her mental power now, and something happened during the night, she might not have enough left to find a way out.

“Dinner has arrived…”

A palace maid’s voice drifted through the door, the final syllable drawn out.

Without permission from the palace candidates inside, the maids remained beyond the threshold.

They delivered four identical meals in food boxes. Rice, greens, a piece of meat, a bowl of soup, chopsticks, and a spoon were arranged neatly on the long table opposite the beds.

“Enjoy your meal, Your Ladyships.”

Only after dinner arrived did Ye Wan finally return from her long stroll outside.

“You’ve got some nerve,” Cheng Luo said, staring in surprise as Ye Wan sauntered in with a sway of her hips. “Weren’t you scared at all?”

“Scared of what?”

Ye Wan lifted a brow, her foxlike eyes narrowing. “Little sister, if we don’t look around and find clues, how are we supposed to clear the scenario? How are we supposed to find an opening?”

Xie Nuange studied the food, then picked up her bowl and ate only a few bites. If she ate too much, she would get thirsty. If she drank too much, she would need the toilet.

And if danger found her then, she would be in trouble.

The sky slowly darkened. When the palace attendants came to collect the dishes, young eunuchs followed behind them carrying two buckets of hot water and two of cold.

“In every palace drama I’ve watched, palace candidates had servants waiting on them.”

Cheng Luo pulled a basin and washing cloth from her cabinet, muttering in dissatisfaction.

Xie Nuange mixed herself some warm water. The four women washed their faces, then sat together and soaked their feet in comfort.

As for bathing, that could wait.

“Big Sister Ye, do you have a skill? If anything happens tonight, you have to help Big Sister Xie.”

Cheng Luo chattered at Ye Wan, probing for information while using Xie Nuange as her shield.

Ye Wan looked up at Xie Nuange and smiled.

“Well, well. When did you two become so close? What is this—same faction?”

Xie Nuange raised her head. “Then why don’t you tell me which entrance you used, Big Sister Ye? We might belong to the same faction too.”

Ye Wan gave a soft laugh. She smoothed one hand over her brush-shaped coiffure and tossed Xie Nuange a flirtatious look.

“Entrance C.”

The others glanced at her in surprise.

“See? I tell you the truth, and none of you believe me.” Ye Wan clicked her tongue. “It’s so hard to find someone as sincere as me these days.”

She examined her skin in the mirror. “They won’t even let us bring skincare products into the scenario. My face is losing its softness already.”

Cheng Luo went over, hugged Ye Wan’s arm, and began to wheedle.

“Big Sister Ye, since we’re all from Entrance C, why don’t we form a temporary alliance?”

“We may be rivals, but we’re roommates too. Let’s work together against everyone else for now. Once we reach the final palace selection, we can each rely on our own abilities. What do you say?”

“Sounds good.”

Ye Wan agreed without much concern, then turned to Meng Shi, who had not said a word.

“What about you, ice queen?”

Meng Shi looked up and nodded. “Fine.”

Xie Nuange watched them.

She had used Entrance C and belonged to the Noble Consort faction. But she still did not know whether everyone who entered through that gate was automatically assigned the same faction—or whether any of these women were telling the truth.

As she poured out the wash water, she wavered between Meng Shi and Ye Wan. Which one should she use her skill on?

In the end, she chose Meng Shi.

At least Ye Wan claimed to have used Entrance C. There was a one-in-three chance she was telling the truth.

Datafication activated.

[Inspect Faction: Meng Shi]

[Meng Shi’s Faction: Noble Consort]

Xie Nuange released a long breath.

Including herself, three people in this room belonged to the Noble Consort faction.

It was almost time for lights out. She glanced through the window. Outside lay a solid wall of darkness.

The world beyond was utterly still. No voices. No footsteps. Not even an insect’s chirp.

She secured the window, then checked the door. Only after making certain the crossbar was firmly in place did she turn around.

The other three women were already in bed. No one had undressed. They had not even removed their shoes.

“I’m putting out the light.”

[Palace of Gathered Elegance, Rule One: Lights out and sleep at the Hour of the Boar. Rise at the Hour of the Rabbit. Do not be late.]

Cheng Luo nodded. She had buried her face in the blankets, leaving only her eyes exposed.

“Okay. Thank you, Big Sister Xie.”

Meng Shi and Ye Wan murmured their assent.

Xie Nuange drew a deep breath and blew out the oil lamp on the table.

Nights inside scenarios were exceptionally dangerous, especially the very first one. Participants never dared relax completely. They stayed alert even in bed.

And yet, the first night was often the safest.

But no one dared bet their life on “often.”

Xie Nuange lay down with her feet toward the door. If anyone came in, she would be ready to defend herself at once.

Sleep… Did the rule mean she actually had to sleep?

Once she closed her eyes, every sound grew sharper: the shallow breathing of the other women and the hiss of sand through the hourglass.

She did not know how much time passed before her eyelids began to grow heavy.

After a full day of tension, she knew she should not sleep. She should keep her eyes closed and remain awake.

But she was exhausted.

Hiss. Hiss. Hiss.

Her awareness started to blur.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Xie Nuange snapped awake, her heart hammering. She fought the instinct to open her eyes.

“Open the door… I haven’t come in to rest yet…”

A tearful voice sounded from outside.

“Please… Open the door and let me in…”

Xie Nuange’s breath stopped.

She knew that voice.

It belonged to Fang Yule.