Chapter 40: Sanctuary

Back in the carriage, Qian Gongyu remained silent, her gaze toward "Jiang Shi" flickering with words left unsaid, lingering emotions, and a complex web of hesitant longing.

"If there’s nothing else, I’m going out to train. I saw a practice field outside."

"You’re going out again? What if you run into Luo Weijin and his lot? Even if they beat you to death, all they’d have to do is pay a fine!"

"Oh."

Seeing "Jiang Shi" so calm, Qian Gongyu instantly felt a pang of regret. She muttered, "I’m not blaming you... you only offended Luo Weijin because of me. I just don’t want you to be in danger..."

She paused. "Don't fight back next time. If they say a few things, it doesn't matter; I’m used to it. The Qian family is currently in a period of bearing humiliation to endure; as the head of the family, I should be the one taking this pressure—"

"There won't be a next time."

"Huh?" Qian Gongyu started, her spirits instantly plummeting as she wondered what he meant. "I suppose so. Fourth Miss Shang values you so much, able to exempt you from the punishment of entering the Mansu Woods and offer you a better future. By comparison, the Qian family is indeed too small... I have no reason to stop you from pursuing a better path. We’ve only known each other for a day... If I were Fourth Miss Shang, I would certainly recruit you too. You were so sharp just now, showing no fear even when surrounded by so many imperial guards..."

Qian Gongyu fell into a long, rambling monologue. Although Yan Qing wanted to explain that he had no intention of joining the Shang family, he felt that doing so would only create unnecessary expectations, especially since he planned to ditch once the Mansu Woods instance was cleared. However, Qian Gongyu was difficult to communicate with in this state. Fortunately, he had already mastered how to handle her.

"Young Miss, shut up."

Qian Gongyu immediately fell silent, looking at "Jiang Shi" with a pitiful expression, much like a chick begging its mother hen not to leave.

"Introduce the Mansu Woods. Why is entering it considered a punishment?"

"The Mansu Woods..." Mentioning business made Qian Gongyu’s expression turn serious. She gathered her thoughts and said slowly, "Since ancient times, the Mansu Woods has been a trial ground for the Jiangnan region. It was monopolized by two or three families until the founding of the Great Liang, when Emperor Taizu designated it as a national secret realm. Anyone can come to participate in the trials in the middle of every March."

"However, high-ranking nobles rarely participate. The main participants are children of prominent clans and their attendants. To think that Fourth Miss Shang and the eldest daughter of the Jie family actually came this time... Once word of this spreads, the number of people here will likely double in a few days."

Yan Qing found this strange.

"Isn't it said that anyone can come to the Mansu Woods? Why only prominent clans and noble families? What about the commoners?"

"Commoners wouldn't even know about the Mansu Woods." At this, Qian Gongyu proudly raised her chin. "Even newly elevated blue-ribbon noble families might not have the channels to know about it. It is only because my Qian family has spanned thirty-three generations—we are not some nouveau riche without a foundation—that we know the situation regarding the Mansu Woods."

*Even if my Qian family is only a blue-ribbon noble house, we are the very top tier among them!*

Yan Qing didn't care at all whether the Qian family were beggars or emperors among the blue-ribbon nobles; he urged Qian Gongyu to spill the intelligence she possessed.

According to Qian Gongyu, the Mansu Woods was a three-day continuous instance. The earliest entry time was the 15th, and the latest was the 24th; after the 24th, no new entrants were accepted.

Once someone entered the Mansu Woods, two leaderboards would appear on the perimeter: the "Individual Scoreboard" and the "Total Scoreboard."

Each person could stay in the woods for six hours a day. One could leave early, but they had to enter for three consecutive days; otherwise, it would be considered forfeiting, and they would not be allowed to enter again even if it wasn't the 24th yet.

The reward mechanism was also unique, settled in two phases. The first was after a participant completed the three-day trial, generating a chest reward based on individual scores. The second was after the entire event concluded on March 24th, when ten grand chests would be generated based on the total scoreboard.

According to the rules set by the Liang state, individual chests belonged to the participants, but the ten grand chests were shared among all the children of the noble clans—note, only the children of the noble clans. Black-belt guards like "Jiang Shi" had no right to a slice of the pie. While this rule appeared discriminatory at first glance—and indeed it was—its essence was to encourage the noble youth to participate actively rather than sending guards or servants to do the work for them.

Yan Qing guessed that in the game, the ten grand chests generated by the total score were likely the PVP content of the limited-time event; whoever grabbed them first kept them. But in reality, there wouldn't be a PVP phase; the imperial court and the noble clans had already negotiated a distribution plan, and they wouldn't let a stray dog on the roadside take a share.

As for the most important content of the secret realm, Qian Gongyu was forthcoming:

"I don't know the specific details," she admitted honestly. "Because I've never been."

"But as far as I know, the Mansu Woods is less of a secret realm and more of a trial. Everyone inside encounters terrifying hallucinations. Those with weak resolve quickly succumb to the pressure and withdraw, and the longer one persists, the higher the score."

"Unlike other realms, everyone is teleported to their own trial ground upon entering, so it's impossible to stick together. However, the trials aren't necessarily solo; as long as enough people enter at the same time, they can often form a four-person team to face the trial together."

"In our circle, the most important gain from the Mansu Woods isn't the reward chests, but the screening of talent. Anyone who scores high proves they have immense mental fortitude and great potential; any family would tilt resources toward cultivating them. Generally, those who can persist for three hours are considered elites worthy of the 'Dragon-Hidden List'."

"The imperial court uses this to filter out pillars of the nation and even awards corresponding contribution points to each family based on their scores."

"In the past, I probably wouldn't have participated. After all, I am the sole heir of the Qian family and don't need to prove my potential. But ever since... since the Qian family's situation turned sour, our contribution points have dropped year by year. If this continues, we might fall out of the ranks of the noble clans. I have to seize every opportunity to increase our contribution points and preserve our status."

At this, Qian Gongyu snuck a glance at "Jiang Shi," biting her lip and twisting her fingers together, clearly struggling internally.

"Sister Jiang Shi, go join the Shang family now and avoid the punishment," she said, head bowed. "The only reason I tried to recruit you was that I felt you would surely score high in the Mansu Woods, and the Qian family would gain contribution points because of it."

"If I hadn't intentionally used you, you wouldn't have offended the Luo family or been punished... It is I who harmed you."

The carriage fell into a long silence, save for the rustling of insects and birds in the jungle outside. Soon, Qian Gongyu saw "Jiang Shi" stand up; she lowered her head even further, wishing she could hide her face in her chest.

*Swish, swish, swish...*

Rhythmic sounds of air being cut filled the carriage. Qian Gongyu looked up to see "Jiang Shi" practicing martial arts in the clearing.

"You, what are you doing?"

"Didn't you say it's dangerous outside? So I’ll polish my fist techniques here."

"Aren't you going to join the Shang family? You don't have to worry about me, after all, I can't protect—"

"I'm not worrying about you, but I won't be joining the Shang family either."

"But without the Shang family's protection, how will you escape punishment? It’s Luo Weijin’s people in charge of the whipping; he won't let you off!"

"It's simple. I just won't give them the chance to punish me."

Qian Gongyu stared blankly at "Jiang Shi," who was practicing as if no one were there. She didn't know what to say. *Not giving them a chance to punish me* meant staying in the Mansu Woods for the full six hours—she didn't even know if anyone had ever achieved that theoretical record before.

Even the likes of Shang Xinlei or Jie Yuanshao wouldn't dare make such a boast.

Arrogance? Ignorance? Hubris?

She wanted to emphasize the danger once more, to let "Jiang Shi" know how delusional her thinking was. But whether it was because she couldn't bear to push away this treasure she had luckily stumbled upon, or because "Jiang Shi's" confidence—which transcended that of any noble—was too dazzling, she said nothing. Instead, she went to change into a training outfit.

"If you want to practice, I'll spar with you. Don't underestimate me; I switched to being a messenger based on my fist techniques!"

"Your strikes are quite mediocre. It seems you haven't practiced much. When I have time, I'll teach you."

"That was my carelessness. Again..."

"Progressing quite fast. It seems I'll have to get serious..."

"That was just luck! This time, I’m using my full strength!"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch—"

By the time the two returned to the carriage, Qian Gongyu was falling apart, covered in dirt from head to toe, having clearly been knocked down more than once.

"Jiang Shi, Jiang Shi, I accompanied you for training, now you accompany me to bathe!"

"Mm."

"Once we're washed, don't practice anymore, or you'll just sweat again. Hurry to bed; we have to enter the Mansu Woods early tomorrow morning. Come, let's sleep together; my bed can squeeze two."

"Mm."

"This is my first time sleeping with someone my own age. Hey, hey, what do you usually do, Jiang Shi?"

"Training."

"Let me tell you, the chicken from my hometown is delicious. You must come back with me to taste it."

"Mm."

"Shang Xinlei's outfit was so pretty. I want to make one when I get back. Should I order one for you too? What color do you like?"

"Young Miss, go to sleep."

"Oh."

Yan Qing set down his gaming console and looked at the notes on the Mansu Woods on his desk.

*A randomized four-person party instance, lasting three days, max stay of twelve hours per session, featuring hallucinations and mental pressure. Scoring is based on endurance...*

*I feel like this instance is... so boring.*

*After all, the player isn't actually running into the instance; the instance puts pressure on the game character via hallucinations. What does that have to do with the player? And this is supposed to be the annual limited-time instance for "Messenger"? This is the gameplay?*

*I suppose I'll have to enter to see the mechanics.*

...

The next morning, the sky was clear. The imperial guards had already assembled at the entrance to the Mansu Woods. The noble youths, having finished breakfast, chatted in groups on the grass. When Shang Xinlei and Jie Yuanshao appeared, the crowd swarmed toward them, forming a social circle with the two as the core.

Qian Gongyu and "Jiang Shi" were naturally peripheral figures with no right to join in. Qian Gongyu was visibly nervous, her small hands rubbing together frantically.

"Jiang Shi, we're almost going in... Why don't you go find Shang Xinlei... If you can't hold on, don't force it. I heard some people went crazy from staying in the Mansu Woods too long... Should we just stay until the end and leave as soon as they go in? Anyway, Uncle Lin is on standby in the carriage; we can leave at any time!"

"Young Miss..."

"I won't say it, I won't."

Just then, Luo Weijin walked over, followed by his family's elderly guard, whose eyes—weathered but sharp—remained locked on "Jiang Shi."

"I’ve prepared a shark-skin whip. One lash and it’ll peel the flesh right off; it's quite a sight to behold," Luo Weijin said with a sinister grin. "You’d better pray you can last a while inside."

"It is you who should pray."

"Huh?"

"If I am forced to leave the Mansu Woods early, the first thing I will do is kill you. I will not be humiliated; I will only die."

"Hahaha, and you think you can—"

The moment "Jiang Shi's" left thumb pushed the white-iron straight sword out of its scabbard by an inch, the elderly guard behind Luo Weijin immediately pulled him back, gripping his own sword hilt with a grave expression. Luo Weijin chuckled dryly, realized the look in "Jiang Shi's" eyes was no joke, and fled after muttering "Madman."

Qian Gongyu, however, was nervous all over again.

"You were just joking, right?"

At this moment, the assembly horn sounded. The crowd gathered at the entrance. While it was called an entrance, it was actually just a jungle shrouded in dense fog; there was no specific gateway. Anyone who walked into the fog would enter the secret realm.

The official in charge of security gave a perfunctory speech of encouragement, then told them they had a quarter of an hour to enter the jungle. According to Liang state tests, as long as participants entered within that window, they stood a chance of being grouped together to resist the illusions; wait longer, and they might be "left out."

Though all intelligence indicated the grouping was random, when Shang Xinlei and Jie Yuanshao went in, countless people followed close behind—what better way to shorten the distance between them than by experiencing an adventure together? If they could team up with these two noble scions in the Mansu Woods, they would even be willing to marry them!

The only two exceptions were the Luo and Qian families. Luo Weijin seemed worried they might slip away, so he stayed until the very end. Qian Gongyu bit her lip and took "Jiang Shi's" hand, walking into the foggy jungle.

But such methods could not counter the instance's mechanics. As they stepped into the jungle, the fog parted Qian Gongyu's lingering, reluctant grip like flowing water. "Jiang Shi" walked for about five minutes through the mist before it finally cleared.

What appeared on the screen was a clearing in the jungle. A dilapidated wooden shack sat there, swaying and leaking, as if a single gust of wind would topple it.

"Jiang Shi! Come quickly!"

Qian Gongyu poked her head out of the shack and waved frantically, a look of undisguised, greedy joy on her face. Yan Qing thought the hallucinations had already begun, but upon entering the shack, he understood why Qian Gongyu was grinning with such avarice—besides "Jiang Shi" and herself, the other two teammates were familiar faces.

Shang Xinlei and Jie Yuanshao!

The two most prestigious connections in the entire camp were all in this team!

No wonder Qian Gongyu was practically drooling; she would probably be willing to take a whipping on "Jiang Shi's" behalf right now.

"So it's you," Jie Yuanshao said, already in the zone, sitting cross-legged on the ground calmly. "Then let's work hard together."

"Jiang Shi, feel free to look for me anytime," Shang Xinlei giggled.

Qian Gongyu walked up to "Jiang Shi" and whispered in her ear: "This is perhaps our only chance in this lifetime. As long as we become friends with them, the Qian family will be secure. Help me later—let me perform well, let them see the style of the Qian family head... Hey, hey, Jiang Shi, pay attention to me."

In everyone else's eyes, "Jiang Shi" looked like she was in a trance, standing at the door motionless, her eyes unfocused and staring into the void.

In the Rogue's Home, Yan Qing didn't have the energy to care about the thoughts of the three of them; he was fully focused on the new information appearing on the screen.

"Wooden Shack"

"Shelter Level: 0"

"Maximum Shelter Duration: 12 hours"

"Building Capacity: 0/6"

"Shelter Material Reserves: 0 Wood, 0 Stone (More resources must be collected to unlock; collect resources around the shack to add to the reserves)"

"Upgrades Available—"

"Shelter Upgrade · Stone House: Requires 15 Wood, 5 Stone"

"Defensive Structure · Wall: Requires 20 Stone"

"Offensive Structure · Wood Crossbow: Requires 10 Wood (Can be built multiple times)"