Chapter 89: The Rattle’s Secret (Part One)
Meanwhile, the little boy in Shen Yu’s arms suddenly changed.
His face bulged grotesquely from the surface of the tombstone, stretching toward Shen Yu until it pressed against his chin.
A long, purple tongue slithered out, slowly licking the side of his neck.
-10.
-15.
The favorability score plummeted.
Lucian’s expression changed.
"Emohan!"
"Can’t you help him?"
"Aren’t we supposed to clear this dungeon together?"
Emohan merely clicked his tongue.
"The answer’s obvious."
"Cut off a piece of flesh near your heart and feed it to the kid."
"What?"
Shen Yu frowned.
"Afraid it’ll hurt?"
Whether he was still irritated after being beaten by the villagers or simply wanted to see how Shen Yu would survive, Emohan wore a mocking smile.
Shen Yu ignored him and turned toward the kitchen.
Just then—
Tap.
Tap.
The bride in the crimson coffin slowly rose to her feet.
Her veiled face turned toward Shen Yu.
Although her features remained hidden beneath the red bridal veil, Shen Yu could clearly feel a pair of eyes watching him.
Bright.
Expectant.
"What..."
"What is she doing?"
The bride slowly raised one pale hand.
Her slender fingers pointed directly at Shen Yu.
Almost instantly, the skin on that hand withered into a dry, corpse-like texture.
A crimson paper crane fluttered into existence.
It gently landed on Shen Yu’s shoulder.
Shen Yu carefully picked up the paper crane.
"So..."
"It really is because of the forty-five favorability points."
"She’s helping me."
He unfolded it.
Inside, written in delicate blood-red handwriting, was a single poetic line.
Flowers fall helplessly...
Shen Yu’s pupils contracted.
"The next line..."
He instinctively completed it.
...yet the swallows return.
He slowly looked back toward the bride.
Beneath the veil, her lips curled into a faint smile.
"So you’re giving me another clue..."
The verse came from Huan Xi Sha.
It spoke of endings and beginnings.
Of things fading away...
Only to return once again.
Shen Yu suddenly noticed something else.
The bride’s finger was still pointing toward him.
More precisely—
Toward his arm.
Her corpse-like fingernail slowly traced circles in the air.
Round and round.
A spiral.
His gaze immediately dropped to the strange spiral-shaped wound carved into his arm.
A dull ache pulsed beneath the mark.
Everything suddenly began connecting together.
"Yun Han..."
"The adult Yun Han..."
"The child Yun Han..."
"Both of them have been pointing me toward this spiral."
"The poem."
"The missing memories."
"The overwhelming sense of déjà vu..."
Shen Yu’s breathing quickened.
"Could it be..."
"I’m not simply traveling through time."
"I’m repeating it."
"Again."
"And again."
"And every reset..."
"...erases my memories."
His eyes widened.
An endless cycle.
That was the true horror of this dungeon.
He slowly lifted his head and looked toward the silent bride.
Then, softly, he recited another line.
"Fate belongs only to those who meet."
"The cycle cannot be sought."
Ding.
Yun Han’s Favorability +5
Current Favorability: 50
New Favorability CG Unlocked.
Play now?
[Yes] [No]
A faint smile finally appeared on Shen Yu’s face.
"So I guessed correctly."
Although they couldn’t openly exchange information...
Their conversation had already continued through poetry.
Yun Han had confirmed his suspicion.
He was trapped inside a repeating cycle.
If he wanted to escape...
He had to leave clues for the next version of himself.
"Reciting poetry again?"
Emohan’s mocking voice broke his concentration.
"What?"
"You think you’re some famous poet?"
Meanwhile, the tombstone-faced child wrapped both arms around Shen Yu’s neck.
"Big brother..."
"You promised me food."
"If you won’t give it to me..."
"I’ll take it myself."
Cold air poured from the child’s mouth.
Without hesitation, Shen Yu folded the paper crane into several tiny pieces.
One by one...
He fed them into the child’s open mouth.
"Mmm..."
The child happily chewed.
Its horrifying face narrowed into a satisfied smile.
Favorability: -15 → +15
Shen Yu finally let out a quiet breath.
Returning to the table, he dipped a finger into the fresh blood on his arm.
Using the blood as ink, he began writing directly beside the spiral mark.
Every word was meant for someone.
Someone who would wake up here again.
Someone who would no longer remember any of this.
Which meant...
Himself.
He slowly wrote:
You are trapped inside a repeating cycle.
If you can read these words, your memories have already been erased.
Do not doubt the system’s favorability.
Yun Han is your ally.
During the day, she appears as a child.
At night, she becomes the bride buried alive.
Never sit in the fish-head or fish-tail seats during the burial banquet.
Trust the spiral.
Leave clues for your next self.
After finishing, Shen Yu quietly lowered his sleeve to conceal the bloody message.
If his memories truly disappeared after every reset...
Then preparing in advance was the only way to defeat the cycle.
"Shen Yu."
Luxian leaned over curiously.
"What are you writing?"
She hadn’t seen the words hidden beneath the table.
Shen Yu calmly rolled down his sleeve.
"Just organizing the clues."
"It helps me think."
Lucian blinked.
"But..."
"We’ve only just arrived."
"There aren’t many clues yet."
"And who exactly is the woman inside that coffin?"
Before Shen Yu could answer, Emohan narrowed his eyes toward the crimson coffin.
"Shen Yu."
"Why is she helping you?"
"Is it because of that poem?"
"Or is it your talent?"
"Tell me."
"How do I make her help me too?"
Shen Yu remained silent.
Seeing himself ignored, Emohan immediately tried imitating him.
He proudly cleared his throat.
"Ahem!"
"The east wind scatters blossoms from a thousand trees."
"It blows down stars like rain."
"Fine horses."
"Fragrant carriages."
"Their perfume fills the streets..."
The courtyard fell completely silent.
Not a single response.
The bride didn’t even bother looking at him.
Instead, she slowly lay back inside the coffin as though she had completely lost interest.
Emohan’s face instantly darkened.
"...Why doesn’t it work?"
He hurriedly began reciting another poem.
Shen Yu ignored the embarrassing spectacle.
His attention had already shifted to the newly unlocked Favorability CG.
Without hesitation...
He chose to play it.
Warm sunlight filled his vision.
The familiar pink bedroom appeared once more.
Little Yun Han lay quietly on her bed, gazing through the window at the children laughing and playing outside.
"Hanhan."
A gentle woman’s voice sounded beside her.
"Don’t you want to go outside and play with them?"
Sitting beside the bed was a graceful woman with long hair and round glasses.
Her smile was warm.
Filled with endless tenderness.