What malicious intent could NPCs possibly have? C33.2

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Chp33. part2

The bracelet also vibrated.

A new mission must be coming, Ning Ge thought. The Puppet-Making Competition is tomorrow. Could it be asking us to win first place?

But the bracelet showed no mission, only a single line of text:

[Eat well, sleep soundly, and enjoy the final moments of your life.]

Owen studied the message. “So it wants us to rest? But it’s only a few hours past noon.”

Outside, birds squabbled as they returned to their nests in the trees. The setting sun streamed through the window, bathing the hallway in a golden-red glow—the very picture of evening.

Pei Han said, “This dungeon will ensure we have plenty of food and sleep. If it’s telling us to rest now, it must be because we won’t be able to later. We should obey and seize this chance to recover.”

Everyone prepared to return to their rooms.

As they turned the corner, they noticed numerous Wooden Puppet Servants bustling about, carrying various items up and down the stairs.

Ning Ge asked Iris, “What are they all so busy with?”

Iris replied, “We’re setting up the venue for tomorrow’s Puppet-Making Competition. Would you like to see it first, my Lady?”

The competition site was also on the top floor, in a large hall on the shaded side of the main tower. Hundreds of Wooden Puppets were busy with the final preparations, and the setup was nearly complete.

The hall resembled a theater, with rows of plush velvet chairs arranged in a circular pattern. A golden seat in the center was clearly designated for the Queen.

In front of the seats lay a stage.

The stage’s decoration was peculiar. Small wooden birds stood on racks on either side, occasionally singing a line in unison, while large wooden flowers bloomed and closed in time with the singing.

Toward the back of the stage sat a massive, uniquely designed chair, constructed entirely from puppet joints and parts. Countless threads radiated outward from it.

Most peculiar of all was a transparent dome covering the entire stage.

The Wooden Puppets were operating switches, testing the dome’s ability to open and close smoothly.

Pei Han asked Iris, “What’s the purpose of that transparent dome?”

“Thought Silk Isolation,” Iris replied. “It’s the best material for isolating Thought Silk—durable and effective. Before the competition, my Lady’s already loaded enough instructions into the puppets. During the match, they’ll have to perform entirely on their own. My Lady can’t use Thought Silk to control the puppets, which makes it fairer.”

Owen asked curiously, “What does the Puppet-Making Competition test? The cleverness of the Wooden Puppets? Can Little Husky participate?”

Iris smiled. “It tests many things, like appearance, intelligence, and agility. Little Husky can certainly participate, but he might not win. At least in terms of looks, he can’t compare to me. My materials are better and make me look more realistic.”

Owen felt indignant on Little Husky’s behalf and muttered, “Why does it have to be realistic? Isn’t Pinocchio’s nose perfectly fine?”

Pei Han asked Iris, “Will the winning puppet sit on that chair?”

Iris glanced over and nodded, her voice tinged with pride. “Yes, that’s the throne of the Puppet Servant. I’ve sat there once before, winning a Gold Medal for the Viscountess.”

After the tour, everyone returned to Ning Ge’s dining room for a hearty meal.

During dinner, Ning Ge quietly revealed Mosh’s poisoning and how he had manipulated Little Husky into jumping to his death.

She meticulously recounted every detail, knowing that any seemingly insignificant detail could be crucial information related to the Anchor Point.

After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms to sleep.

Iris followed Ning Ge. “I’ll assist my Lady with changing and resting.”

Pei Han blocked his path. “You may go. I’ll handle it.”

Iris glanced at Pei Han, then at Ning Ge. Seeing no objection from her, he finally replied, “Very well,” and left with Little Husky.

With everyone gone, the Viscountess Suite was suddenly empty except for Pei Han and Ning Ge.

After washing up, Ning Ge entered the inner bedroom and moved to close the door.

“No need for that. You fell asleep immediately after collapsing yesterday. I was the one who tucked you into bed. The door was open all night,” Pei Han reminded her.

So it was him who had been so gentle and thoughtful last night.

“It’s easier to talk with the door open,” Pei Han added.

He was right. Ning Ge felt that the end of the dungeon couldn’t be far off. She needed to sort through her thoughts with him.

The blanket and pillow Iris had prepared for Pei Han were still there. He lay down on the sofa.

Ning Ge climbed into bed, propped a cushion against the headboard, and leaned back. The two of them were separated by the bed and the sofa, talking to each other across the distance.

“You mentioned an Imperial Brotherhood that opposes the Queen?” Pei Han asked.

“Yes,” Ning Ge replied. “Did you notice at the last Sacrificial Ball? A few people in the crowd started shouting about unfairness. In the end, everyone survived. Instead of condemning the Queen for her cruelty, they all cheered ‘Long live the Queen!’ I saw those people slip into the crowd and leave.”

“Mosh is clearly one of the Brotherhood,” Ning Ge mused. “Given how obvious this is, why does the Queen insist on protecting him?”

Pei Han was equally puzzled. “Too much clarity drives away the fish? Willful ignorance?”

“The Queen can’t possibly be unaware,” Ning Ge said. “If she keeps pretending to be clueless, he’ll end up killing her.”

“Or perhaps she likes him and can’t bear to kill him,” Pei Han suggested.

Ning Ge disagreed. “Beauty isn’t that rare. In an empire this vast, there must be plenty of handsome men. She could easily replace him. He’s not indispensable.”

Ning Ge stared blankly at the ceiling for a long time before suddenly realizing Pei Han hadn’t spoken either.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Pei Han’s voice drifted from the depths of the sofa, “So you don’t think a man’s looks are very important?”

His question was broad. After a moment’s thought, Ning Ge replied, “It depends on the situation. For example, if we’re collaborating on a project, as long as he’s responsible, doesn’t hold me back, and we work well together, I wouldn’t care if he had a dog’s head.”

Pei Han pressed, “What about… uh… a boyfriend? Does his appearance still not matter?”

Ning Ge answered generously, “It’s not that it doesn’t matter at all, but other qualities are more important—like being responsible, dependable, broad-minded, intelligent, and so on.”

Feeling tired, Ning Ge adjusted her pillow and lay down.

Pei Han understood. “So looks come after all those qualities?”

The bed was comfortable, and Ning Ge yawned. “No, they come before all those qualities.”

Pei Han: “?”

Ning Ge closed her eyes. “Being good-looking is the prerequisite. If someone isn’t attractive, I don’t care what other excellent qualities they have.”

Pei Han: “……”

Pei Han’s question kept circling back to “good-looking.” Mosh’s handsome face floated into Ning Ge’s mind.

An idea slowly took shape. Ning Ge concentrated for a while, but the drowsiness proved too strong, and she fell asleep.

She slept soundly until the middle of the night, when she sensed someone’s presence.

The mattress dipped as someone sat down beside her.

A hand gently brushed the hair from her face.

The sleeve carried a faint rose fragrance—she knew immediately who it was.

Ning Ge kept her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, her heart filled with curiosity. She wanted to see what he would do next.

He remained still and silent.

After a long pause, he suddenly said, “You’ve been pretending to sleep this whole time, waiting for me to kiss you?”

Ning Ge: “……”

Ning Ge opened her eyes to find Pei Han sitting beside the bed, a faint smile on his lips as he looked down at her.

Seeing that she had finally opened her eyes, he leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead.

Ning Ge:?

“You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to wake you, but we have to get up now.”

It was still night. The curtains were drawn low, the lights dim, and his voice was even huskier than usual. His words, like his kiss, carried an ambiguous undertone.

Ning Ge thought, being good-looking really does matter.

He was wearing only a classical silk shirt with lantern sleeves. The loose collar was half unbuttoned, and a small shell button hung against the soft fabric, brushing against his exposed collarbone.

In this moment, his appearance made it hard not to let her mind wander.

Seeing her lost in thought, Pei Han smiled gently and took her wrist, bringing the bracelet up to her eyes.

Ning Ge noticed that the bracelet had received a new message, but she had been sleeping so deeply she hadn’t even felt the vibration.

The message contained only one sentence:

[Get ready for the sprint.]

___

Author’s Note: The finish line is near. Get ready for the sprint! Go, girl!