What malicious intent could NPCs possibly have? C23.1

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Chp23. part1

The palace was like a grand labyrinth.

Crystal lamps cascaded in layers, flowing like waterfalls from the center of the spiraling staircases.

Everywhere Ning Ge looked, the walls of the corridors were lined with gold-rimmed mirrors and portraits. Velvet curtains hung heavy with tassels, and each window was adorned with stained-glass mosaics of floral patterns.

Beautiful, yes, but so enchanting as to cause confusion.

Arched corridors crisscrossed in every direction, connecting to one another. Spiraling staircases wound upward or downward, leading to unknown destinations.

At intervals, Ning Ge would see one or two wooden puppets.

They resembled the ones that had served her meal earlier, though their clothing differed—they wore crisp guard uniforms. Some stood motionless at their posts, while others patrolled the corridors.

Upon seeing Ning Ge, they bowed deeply and retreated, clearing a path for her with respectful deference.

Unfortunately, when Ning Ge asked them “Where is the sewing workshop?”, they could only move their eyes—they didn’t know how to answer.

Ning Ge ran while trying to memorize the way, and after a long time, she finally encountered a living person.

It was a woman in her late thirties or early forties, her hair pulled up in a high bun, her neck long and slender. She wore an elegant ivory-white gown.

She had been gazing at a painting on the wall. Hearing the sound, she turned her head and smiled faintly in Ning Ge’s direction.

“Xiya, why are you running around in such a panic?”

It turned out this was a Role-Playing Dungeon, and she recognized the character Ning Ge was playing.

“I have something urgent. Could you tell me where the palace’s sewing workshop is?” Ning Ge asked quickly.

The woman paused, then smiled.

“Go straight ahead, turn right at the second corner, then left at the third corridor. Take the golden staircase to the next floor, turn right again, and you’ll see a black iron elevator. Take it down two floors, then walk to the end of the corridor on the right, turn left, and you’ll find it.”

Ning Ge repeated the directions. “Right twice, left three times, down right, down, down, right, left. Thank you.”

The woman’s lips curved slightly. “Xiya, the ball is about to start. Don’t be late.”

“Okay,” Ning Ge replied, clutching her skirt and running off.

The ball… and the task description mentioned a dance partner. It looks like I really have to dance.

Ning Ge could guess who this woman was.

The long corridor was lined with portraits of her in various poses and outfits, many wearing crowns—she was undoubtedly the mistress of this palace.

But the countdown was ticking rapidly, leaving no time for conversation.

Muttering the directions, Ning Ge navigated the maze of corridors without incident until she reached the first descending spiral staircase. The handrail was made of wood, and the iron balusters were shaped into floral patterns, painted gold.

A young woman was running up the stairs.

She had long, straight hair, wore a light blue dress, and a black pearl necklace around her neck. A black bracelet was clearly visible on her wrist.

She looked slightly older than Ning Ge and had a refined appearance, though her hurried run had disheveled her hair.

Having come from the floor below, Ning Ge casually asked, “Excuse me, is there a black iron elevator down there?”

The young woman immediately noticed the black bracelet on Ning Ge’s wrist, recognizing her as a player.

“Yes, there is,” she confirmed. “After you go down, you’ll see two windows. One has glass panes arranged to form a little bird with a yellow head and green wings, and it’s topped with a pointed roof. Head that way, and you’ll find the elevator.”

She then asked, “Do you know where the Painting Studio is?”

“I don’t,” Ning Ge replied. “But go upstairs, turn left at the end of the hall, then right. In the third corridor ahead, turn left—there’s someone there who can give directions.”

The young woman hesitated. “Upstairs, turn left at the end of the hall…”

She couldn’t remember.

Everyone has different ways of remembering things. This young woman was clearly a visual learner. Even in her rush, she had noticed the details of the window’s pattern and colors.

Ning Ge changed her approach.

“Go upstairs to the end of the hall, near the jasmine pots. You’ll see a painting of a pond in the distance. A few steps away is a painting of a garden. Stand in the direction of the garden painting, and you’ll find someone who can give you directions.”

“Jasmine pots, pond painting, garden painting. Thank you.” She dashed off.

The young woman and the woman giving directions were both right. Ning Ge smoothly found the black cast-iron staircase and rushed down the spiral stairs.

Further down, there were no more paintings, carpets, or crystal chandeliers—not even windows. Everything became noticeably plainer, and the light grew dim.

At the bottom of the stairs, a man in coarse clothes was being blocked by two Wooden Puppets.

He argued furiously with them, “I need to go upstairs! It’s urgent! Why won’t you let me pass?”

The Wooden Puppets remained silent, their black-lacquered eyes fixed on him.

When they didn’t budge, he lost his temper and threw a punch at one of their heads.

This punch caused trouble.

The Wooden Puppet barely flinched from the fierce blow, only tilting its head slightly. It suddenly pressed down, pinning him to the ground.

Despite their seemingly agile and unassuming movements, the puppets’ strength far surpassed the man’s. In an instant, his face turned purple and blue.

Ning Ge had already noticed the black bracelet on the man’s wrist, likely indicating he was also on a mission.

“Let him go,” Ning Ge told the Wooden Puppet.

Hearing her command, the Wooden Puppet immediately released the man on the ground and obediently stepped back.

“You should stay put,” Ning Ge said hurriedly as she passed him. “There are more Wooden Puppets upstairs; you won’t be able to get past.”

Judging by his coarse clothes, he was likely at a lower stratum within this Role-Playing Dungeon. Ning Ge deeply suspected that once he reached the upper floor, he would be stopped by other Wooden Puppet guards.

“Stay put? For just ten minutes? Are you kidding me?”

The man scrambled to his feet, paid Ning Ge no mind, and rushed up the stairs.

Good advice falls on deaf ears. With the countdown ticking away frantically, Ning Ge had no time to care about him. She sprinted down the corridor, turned left at the end, and finally spotted a wooden door.

With a burst of energy, she threw the door open.

Inside was indeed a workshop.

Dozens of young men, all wearing simple coarse-spun shirts, were sewing clothes under the lamplight. Startled by the sudden intrusion, they all paused their work and looked up at her.

A middle-aged man, dressed slightly better than the others, sat at the front. The table before him was piled high with clothes he was sewing, making him look like their leader or perhaps an overseer.

The Peerless Beauty was indeed here.

He was holding a needle, curiously examining the ruffled hem of a skirt in his hand. When he saw Ning Ge arrive, he smiled slightly.

On his right wrist, he wore a wristband adorned with a fully bloomed light pink rose—likely transformed from the pink wristband Ning Ge had given him.

Upon seeing Ning Ge, the overseer quickly rose and bowed deeply, calling out, “My Lady,” before stepping aside.

Everyone else in the room also set down their work and rose to bow to Ning Ge.

Ning Ge, addressed as “My Lady,” took a breath, steadied herself, and walked toward Pei Han.

Pei Han had previously mentioned that finding someone usually required getting within a few meters of them.

As expected, as she approached Pei Han, the bracelet spoke: [Six minutes and thirty-seven seconds to complete. Not bad.]

Pei Han had already put down his needle and thread. After rising and bowing along with the others, he said, “I knew you’d come.”

He showed Ning Ge the bracelet.

His task read:

[You have a dance partner whose skin is as white as snow and hair as dark and lustrous as ebony. She has finally emerged from her two-meter by one-meter white coffin and is now enjoying a lavish feast in the Viscountess’s dining room, served by twenty servants.]

[Warm-up Task: Find each other.]

[Time Limit: 10 minutes.]

[Failure Penalty: Both dance partners will be executed together.]

The System knew Ning Ge had used her bracelet to access the transit station’s rest pod. Is it really okay to complain that our rest area looks like a coffin?

Besides, the one with snow-white skin and ebony hair wasn’t Ning Ge-it was Snow White.

The warm-up task was completed successfully.

Ning Ge and Pei Han both knew there was a hidden trap in this task.

The palace was too complex, like a labyrinth with multiple paths. If they both ran off to find each other, they might miss each other along the way.

The best approach was for one person to search while the other waited patiently in place.

“I slipped out earlier to check the situation. It seems the Wooden Puppets don’t stop girls,” Pei Han said. “I knew you’d come.”

And so he truly relaxed and waited for Ning Ge, studying his needlework.

“Aren’t you worried I might get into trouble on the way?” Ning Ge asked.

“How could that happen?” Pei Han replied confidently. “You couldn’t even finish a warm-up task?”

The Overseer had been secretly watching them, peeking over from time to time.

Ning Ge turned to him and suddenly asked, “Who am I?”

The Overseer’s old face flushed crimson. “You are Viscountess Nona, Her Majesty the Queen’s most trusted person.”

So she really did have a title.

The bracelet vibrated again.

[The annual Ball is about to begin! Where is Viscountess Nona’s favorite Wooden Puppet Servant? Find it quickly and have it select a beautiful gown for your dance partner. You wouldn’t want to dance with someone in a rough burlap, would you?]

[Task: Find the Viscountess’s favorite Wooden Puppet Servant.]

[Instructions: Time limit of 30 minutes. Hint: The puppet’s eyes contain the Viscountess’s image, and a purple Iris is painted on its left chest.]

[Punishment: The male dance partner without a gown will be whipped to death.]

This punishment seemed quite good, as it only targeted Pei Han.