Xingwang Hotel
Chapter 304: The Strongest Medium
The sky outside the door was pitch-black and gloomy, with cold rain pattering down.
Inside the small building, three human-skin umbrellas leaned crookedly on the umbrella stand, while Chen Mo held the remaining one.
The air abruptly fell into a deathly silence.
The group stood in place without speaking, their gazes occasionally meeting, with emotions unreadable in their eyes.
A strange, suffocating atmosphere pervaded the small building, as if mocking undercurrents were surging, ready to erupt at any moment.
Until a voice suddenly broke the silence:
“In that case, why not send four people out first to search for the next painting?”
Everyone was stunned and turned their heads toward the source of the voice.
The girl in the white dress stood there, her hair and clothes half-wet, her face pale, appearing fragile and innocent. She looked at the group with her clear, light-colored eyes, seemingly oblivious to the eerie tension that had just pervaded the air:
“There are four umbrellas here because there are four people in the painting, right?”
“If that’s the case, as long as we find the location of the next painting, we can get more umbrellas, can’t we?”
Wen Jianyan said.
“…Of course.”
The Black Team captain slowly nodded and gave a smile.
The others also nodded.
Their faces showed no sign of unease, as if this had been their intention from the beginning.
Wen Jianyan turned and walked toward the umbrella stand, retrieving the remaining three human-skin umbrellas.
The moment he turned his back, his gaze darkened, and the innocent façade faded like melting snow, leaving only an inscrutable expression.
Just a moment ago… they had nearly fallen into the trap of internal conflict.
By now, he had begun to grasp the style and structure of the “Xingwang Hotel” instance.
Malice.
Not only were the rules laced with hidden traps and malevolence, but they also actively incited conflict and betrayal among the anchors.
A moment’s carelessness could lead to blind internal consumption of their own strength.
This time, the dark thoughts had been quelled with a few words, not just because Wen Jianyan’s analysis was highly plausible, but also because their interests temporarily aligned and they shared a common enemy. Even if he hadn’t proposed this solution, the likelihood of anyone actually acting out was not high.
Wen Jianyan picked up the three human-skin umbrellas and walked toward the others.
Soon, the group finalized their plan.
Each of the two teams would send two people out of the building, equipped with umbrellas, to search for the location of the next painting and more umbrellas. This was the simplest and most efficient solution.
While one umbrella could barely cover two people, this would significantly slow them down, make their movements less flexible, and complicate their escape if something went wrong. Considering their primary goal was to locate the painting, speed was essential for searching as much of the area as possible.
From this perspective, sending four people out with umbrellas was the optimal choice.
Although it might waste some manpower, it would greatly reduce the risk of a direct confrontation with the “residents.” Moreover, since the town wasn’t particularly large, returning to the wooden house after finding more umbrellas wouldn’t take much time.
“Alright, let’s do it this way.”
The Black Team captain nodded.
He turned to discuss the selection of the first team members with his group.
Wen Jianyan had already made his decision.
He turned to Bai Xue. “Why don’t you come with me?”
According to the rules of this instance, no crisis would occur until they obtained the painting. The real threat would appear only after they secured it. In other words, those staying inside the wooden house were likely safe during this time.
However, the other route was different.
This was their first attempt at exploring within the painting, leaving room for many unknown dangers and potential mishaps.
To locate the next painting quickly and uncover more clues, a spiritual medium was indispensable.
“…”
Bai Xue, with his brown hair hanging low, showed no expression. His face remained calm as he gave a small nod.
Soon, both teams finalized their selections.
It was clear the Black Team followed a similar logic to Wen Jianyan’s. They chose their captain and another experienced-looking anchor.
With little time to waste, they quickly set out.
The four opened their respective human-skin umbrellas and stepped into the rain.
The cold, sinister rain pattered down, striking the surface of the human-skin umbrellas, causing slight vibrations.
But this time, the rain did not penetrate the umbrellas. Instead, it flowed down the ribs and pooled at the edges, trickling away to the ground.
It seemed they worked.
Everyone exhaled in relief, feeling slightly reassured.
To maximize their search area, the four split into two teams, heading east and west respectively.
Their primary goal was to find more umbrellas, with the secondary aim of locating a painting containing only one “resident.” Among these objectives, finding the painting was the highest priority. Once discovered, they would immediately return to the small building to inform the others.
Wen Jianyan and Bai Xue chose the eastern path.
As soon as he confirmed they were out of the Black Team’s line of sight, Wen Jianyan hastily canceled his appearance.
While there was a risk of being seen…
With his anchor level, using an appearance in such a high-difficulty instance was so costly it made him feel faint.
Wen Jianyan glanced at the points deducted during this time and couldn’t help but clutch his chest. The pain was almost suffocating.
Expensive…
It was just too expensive!
Although canceling the avatar might bring some risk, it was better than completing a high-difficulty instance and walking away empty-handed.
Under the human-skin umbrella, the slender, ethereal girl in a white dress, so delicate and pitiful, transformed in the blink of an eye into a 1.8-meter-tall, lean and muscular, lively, handsome young man.
Bai Xue stared at Wen Jianyan for a few moments with a blank expression before silently looking away.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[I’m dying, instant transformation magic!]
[Hahahaha, Bai Xue: ‘I’ve truly never seen this before.]
[Hahaha, opening the doors to a new world!]
Earlier, when they were on the second floor of the small building, Wen Jianyan had already scouted the area from a vantage point, closely observing the surrounding terrain. Naturally, he had identified the buildings most likely to contain paintings. To save time, he headed straight for one of the locations he had pre-identified.
The first building…
Contained nothing.
No paintings, and no human-skin umbrellas.
Wen Jianyan had mentally prepared for this outcome.
If every building in the town contained a painting, this instance wouldn’t have been rated S-level. Even based on the number of rooms in the “Xingwang Hotel,” the number of buildings containing paintings in the town wasn’t high. With his luck, missing on the first try was expected.
After confirming there were no clues, Wen Jianyan beckoned to Bai Xue. “Let’s go to the next location.”
“…”
Bai Xue paused, lifting his eerily dark eyes once more to stare at Wen Jianyan for a few seconds.
Ultimately, he said nothing and silently followed.
In “Bai Xue” live broadcast room”
[Hmm, is it just me, or does Bai Xue seem unusually attentive to that newcomer in this instance? He seems to look up more often, and every time, it’s at that scammer anchor.]
[Nah, I think he’s the same as always—silent and reserved. He only speaks about important matters and never says more than necessary.]
[Classic Bai Xue, the epitome of a walking ice sculpture.]
[I’m a diehard Bai Xue fan, but I’m genuinely curious why the other side picked him. They don’t seem entirely clueless about Bai Xue’s ‘curse,’ yet they still chose him. It’s baffling.]
The two soon reached the second building.
Again, they found nothing.
Wen Jianyan ruffled his wet hair but didn’t seem discouraged. He turned to Bai Xue. “Let’s head that way. I noticed another house in that direction earlier—it seems promising.”
With that, he picked up the human-skin umbrella beside him and prepared to move again.
But before he could take a few steps, a cold, hoarse voice called out from behind:
“Why don’t you ask me?”
Wen Jianyan froze mid-step and turned toward the voice.
It was Bai Xue.
His hair remained plain brown, but it didn’t diminish the unsettling aura around him. His eyes, black as pitch, resembled bottomless voids, devoid of any emotion as they fixed unwaveringly on Wen Jianyan, sending a chill down his spine.
“What?” Wen Jianyan asked.
Bai Xue’s expression remained blank as he repeated the question in the exact same tone:
“Why don’t you ask me?”
Whether or not the so-called “curse” existed, Bai Xue was widely recognized as the most powerful spiritual medium in Nightmare, and the only one in the top ten rankings.
This alone was proof of his strength.
Therefore, Wen Jianyan logically should have made frequent use of this.
Yet, since entering the instance, Wen Jianyan hadn’t once taken the initiative to ask Bai Xue anything or requested him to use his abilities.
Even now.
In an instance like this, a skilled spiritual medium was invaluable—not only for foreseeing danger but also for uncovering clues.
Let alone someone as powerful as Bai Xue.
The fastest way to find the painting would have been to consult Bai Xue and let him point out the next direction.
Instead, Wen Jianyan relied on his observations, searching each building one by one.
But this wasn’t due to distrust.
To be precise, Wen Jianyan understood every “suggestion” Bai Xue made with minimal thought. He never doubted or questioned him further, nor did he ask for additional reasoning. Instead, he acted on Bai Xue’s words without hesitation.
This wasn’t something someone who didn’t trust him would do.
Bai Xue stared steadily at Wen Jianyan, his face devoid of any superfluous emotion, as though waiting for an answer.
“Hmm…”
Wen Jianyan held the umbrella with one hand, tilting his head slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Soon, he spoke:
“Because you would speak up when you wanted to, right?”
Bai Xue was taken aback.
“If we encountered danger, or if you discovered something that needed to be… ‘felt,’ you would tell me on your own, wouldn’t you?”
The young man looked over.
Behind him, the sky was dark and gloomy, the forest dripping with rain.
But his eyes appeared calm and clear, like a pristine lake where one could see straight to the bottom, possessing a strange allure:
“You’ve always done that, so what need do I have to ask proactively?”
“And besides,”
Wen Jianyan’s gaze fell on Bai Xue, and he suddenly smiled, “either way, your talent shouldn’t be used too often… right?”
Every anchor’s ability drew from their own soul.
The higher-ranking the anchor, and the longer they survived, the more they consumed, with stronger side effects.
That was why anchors in the top ten seemed so strange and eerie in both appearance and personality.
“…”
Bai Xue’s eyes shifted slightly.
He seemed about to say something but ultimately remained silent.
It was only when Wen Jianyan opened the umbrella again and prepared to step out that a calm voice came from behind, almost devoid of any emotion:
“Eight o’clock direction, fifty-seven meters to the bungalow.”
“Got it.” Wen Jianyan blinked, smiling as he replied.
One after the other, the two walked back into the rain, umbrellas up.
Inside the small building.
Yun Bilan, Chen Mo, and the others stayed there, waiting anxiously.
Raindrops pattered heavily above, as if they would never stop. Though the roof shielded them from the rain, it also trapped them.
The wait dragged on unbearably.
Blond rubbed his face hard, instinctively glancing out the door.
He froze, then seemed to realize something and jumped up from his chair.
“…!”
The others were startled and turned to look. “What’s wrong?”
“Those two gaps in the rain… are gone,” Blond said, visibly unnerved.
Everyone was shocked: “What!”
And most importantly…
If they were gone, where had they gone?
The answer was obvious.
In an instant, everyone’s faces turned pale.
Although the four of them had umbrellas, shielding them from the rain so they could go farther… one umbrella wasn’t enough to completely block the rain. Some rain might drift beneath it, or a foot could accidentally step into a puddle.
And in that moment, they would be “discovered” by the guests.
Once they had found their target, they no longer needed to wait here.
“Quick, message the captain!”
They exchanged glances, all wearing equally grim expressions.
Following Bai Xue’s guidance, Wen Jianyan reached the bungalow.
As soon as he entered, he saw an umbrella stand at the back of the room with two umbrellas leaning haphazardly on it.
Wen Jianyan’s spirits lifted.
Their team had five people in total. Though there weren’t enough umbrellas for each person, squeezing together would be enough.
Just as he put the umbrella away, Bai Xue’s cold voice sounded again:
“Three o’clock direction, one hundred twenty-five meters, two-story building.”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Waaa, so this is what it’s like to latch onto the strongest medium’s coattails! Feels amazing!!]
[Bai Xue’s skill is seriously overpowered. Other mediums can sense danger or general directions at best, but this level of accuracy is insane…]
[This is fantastic; Wen Wen has always worked so hard, finally he gets to take it easy for once!]
“Alright!”
With a bright smile, Wen Jianyan nodded, shamelessly indulging in relying on his teammate:
“Let’s go there now!”
I love Wen Wen and Bai Xue interaction theyre kinda like sibling