Everyone put down their wine glasses. While others were still immersed in fear, He Xuexing looked at the red wine in his hand, licked his lips, and reluctantly placed it back on the dining table.
For someone who particularly loves red wine, the red wine from the castle, with just its color and aroma, could awaken his cravings, and he held great expectations for its taste.
Seeing that the Guest had no intention of drinking further, Cai Xiaohong did not press the issue. He continued his meal as if nothing had happened, occasionally glancing at Yan Changqing.
Soon, everyone finished their meal. Cai Xiaohong stood up and took a napkin to wipe his hands.
“As I said before, there are Guest rooms on the second floor. You can choose for yourselves, but I hope you clean your rooms every day and keep them tidy.” Cai Xiaohong turned to leave, then suddenly stopped, looked back at Yan Changqing with a half-smile, and said, “Oh, right, this is my order as the host today. Of course, you can refuse.”
After he finished speaking, he didn't pause again and went upstairs alone.
“Then, I wish everyone a pleasant meal.” Mrs. Cai smiled and nodded in greeting, then followed him up.
The remaining Cai Lijun, seeing the two leave, seemed to be freed from restraints. She no longer had her previous ladylike demeanor. She sprang directly from her seat, landing lightly on the floor.
“Seven people?” She looked at the Guest and let out a chilling “hehe” laugh. Her originally cute face now had an indescribably sinister feeling. Beneath her malicious smile, two sharp fangs were revealed, and the shadow beneath her feet rapidly expanded. The overwhelming shadow even covered the restaurant's lights. “I just don't know how many will be left tomorrow.”
Some frowned, some turned pale, and some covered their mouths to stifle a scream.
Cai Lijun took in everyone's expressions. Her lips weren't moving, yet the demonic, chilling laughter echoed continuously in the restaurant, and obscure, incomprehensible whispers intertwined in their ears.
“You should have drunk the red wine.” The shadow returned to her, and the lights made the restaurant bright again. “At least then you wouldn't feel despair.”
Her figure directly merged into the darkness, disappearing right before their eyes.
“I've had enough, I've had enough!” The short-haired girl cried out. She was the youngest of the seven remaining people and also the most timid. When danger struck, she would always be terrified and want to hide behind everyone.
Her name was Dan Lingting. She was just a university student, dressed ordinarily, and very introverted with almost no presence. At this moment, she was crying hysterically out of fear, continuously shouting “Mom,” her mental state extremely unstable.
“It's okay, it's okay.” Ning Xiaona's face was also not looking good, but she still stepped forward and placed her hand on Lingting's shoulder to comfort her, saying, “As long as everyone works together, there will definitely be a way.”
“Yes, that's right.” He Xuexing also chimed in, his face pale and his forehead covered in cold sweat. Clearly, he was also quite scared.
“Crying and whining, making a racket, will it ever end?” A cold voice broke the atmosphere. Ai Haoming sneered at them, “A bunch of disorganized people, licking each other's wounds here, wasting time.”
“Hey, you, since we met, you've only been sarcastic. A girl suddenly finds herself in such a strange place, of course she'll be scared!”
The speaker was an adult woman. She wore gold-rimmed glasses, dressed in an OL outfit, and her hair was tied in a ponytail. Compared to the other women present, she had a bit more courage. Her name was Fu Suyun.
She glared at Ai Haoming and said, “It's one thing for a big man like you not to take care of women, but you're also kicking them when they're down. You really have no manners at all.”
Hearing Fu Suyun's words, Ai Haoming just sneered.
“You still haven't figured out what kind of situation this is. Everyone here is facing the threat of death, and it has nothing to do with whether you are male or female.”
“You!” Fu Suyun's chest heaved with anger, making a sound like a bellows. “How can there be such a cold-blooded person like you?”
“How can there be such a foolish person like you?”
Dropping that remark, Ai Haoming ignored her and walked toward the stairs alone.
“You jerk!”
“Let it go, let it go.” He Xuexing advised, “The young man is full of youthful vigor, don't stoop to his level.”
“More importantly, we should introduce ourselves and get to know each other. Since arriving in this inexplicable place, we've been passive. We should have communicated earlier.”
Yan Changqing and the other six had no objections, and they quickly exchanged names and professions.
Ning Xiaona was a nurse, Ji Tingting was an accountant, Fu Suyun was an office worker, Dan Lingting was a university student, and He Xuexing was a taxi driver.
Their professions were varied, with no common ground.
“Wait, you said you were a paralyzed patient, so why are you fine now?”
Fu Suyun quickly found a blind spot.
“I'm not sure either. By the time I realized it, I was already like this.” Yan Changqing shook his head, not mentioning that he was normal in his dreams.
Since the day he became paralyzed, he had been having the same dream scenario for twelve consecutive years.
This was his deepest secret, one he hadn't even told his closest relatives.
If he told them now, it might cause unnecessary trouble.
“I can prove this.” Ning Xiaona, fearing a misunderstanding, quickly stepped forward and explained, “Coincidentally, I am his caregiver.”
“You two know each other?” Ji Tingting was a bit incredulous.
“That's great. At a time like this, having someone you know nearby must feel very reassuring.” Dan Lingting's emotions were much more stable now. She looked at the two with some envy, her eyes red from crying.
“Are there any others here who know each other?” Fu Suyun quickly asked.
Aside from Yan Changqing and Ning Xiaona, the rest of them shook their heads.
They could only attribute this to coincidence.
“By the way, do you remember how you got here?” Yan Changqing suddenly asked.
“I think I was sleeping at home.”
“Me too.”
“I'm not sure, maybe I dozed off in a taxi?”
Yan Changqing listened around and found that indeed, everyone's common point for coming here was related to sleep.
“Could it be that this is our dream?” Ning Xiaona also seemed to realize this and raised the question.
Yan Changqing's eyes flickered, but he didn't reply, a thought gradually forming in his mind.
Could this be an alternate space with dreams as its entry point?
This would also explain their current predicament. After all, if it were just their own dreams, the manor and animals wouldn't disappear for no reason, and it would be unlikely for so many unfamiliar people to appear.
And the fact that he transformed from a paralyzed person into a normal person, and possessed the pendant given to him by the Serpent, suggested that he might have entered this space as a spiritual consciousness from his dream.
Then, conversely, could his continuous twelve-year dream also be a form of entering a certain alternate space?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but tremble, cold sweat pouring down, with only one thought in his mind.
Perhaps, from the moment I became paralyzed, I was drawn into some kind of scheme.