Congratulations — you have found the “Real Key.”

So then: will you share it with your companions?

And will your companions share the “Fake Keys” they’ve found with you?

The fewer players who clear the game, the richer the reward — who among them will become the traitor? Who harbors a hidden blade?

Hua Jiang stood quietly watching the shifting expressions on Yu Yaqing’s face.

In this moment, every strand of inner turmoil — the doubt, the struggle, the remorse, the anguish — became, for him, a savory seasoning for his delight!

Women…

Self-absorbed, greedy, vain, foolish! However independent, however strong they became — they were always destined to become playthings in the end!

Women! Either overwhelm them with force and make them submit — or ensnare them with tenderness and make them lose themselves!

They would always, in the end, hang on a man’s every word!

And so: which bride should he visit next?

He could hardly wait to go and savor their suffering…

Hua Jiang left the room and made his way unhurriedly along the corridor.

Passing one of the rooms, he glanced inside and saw Zhu Shu standing on her tiptoes, straining to reach a decorative painting mounted high on the wall.

He walked in, prepared to offer his help in a friendly tone. “May I help you…”

Before he could finish, Su Man came from the other side, reached up in one smooth motion, and took down the painting. “You’re too short,” she said to Zhu Shu. “Careful the frame doesn’t fall and hit you on the head.”

“I’m 163 centimeters — not that short. It’s the painting that’s hung too high…” Zhu Shu looked at the back of the canvas with a disappointed expression. “No key. When I used to hide things, I’d always put them behind paintings.”

“There are a few more paintings over that way — you can take those down and check.” Su Man turned around and spotted Hua Jiang standing in the doorway, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “What are you doing here?”

Hua Jiang offered his warm smile. “Is there anything I can help with?”

“Strange…” Su Man furrowed her brow, stepped closer, and looked him over. “I can’t help but feel like you look like… hmm, you look a bit like Li Li?…”

“You think he looks like Li Li?” Zhu Shu looked at Su Man in surprise, then at Hua Jiang. “I don’t see it. Which part?”

Hua Jiang gave a slight bow. “The sun is about to set. I need to return to the torture chamber — if the Duke finds me out, I’m afraid there’ll be trouble. I hope you find the key soon.”

He turned and left, leaving the two women looking at each other with uncertain expressions.

“This NPC is very strange…”

“Oh well, never mind him. Let’s keep searching! Goodness, where would the Duke have hidden the key? What a headache…”

……

Hua Jiang continued along the corridor. He glanced back over his shoulder, a faint vexation crossing his face.

He had clearly told them to separate and search — yet those two were still together.

Which bride was alone now?

He narrowed his eyes slightly — and spotted Bai Youwei ahead.

She was sitting in her wheelchair, all by herself, stationed quietly at the entrance to the spiral staircase. Her eyes were fixed somewhere below, seemingly watching nothing — or perhaps deep in thought.

No family. No friends. No whole and functioning body — and a nature both proud and sensitive. Was there any woman better suited for him to “approach” than her?

Hua Jiang walked toward her.

“Why are you here alone?” he asked with a smile. “Everyone is looking for the key — aren’t you?”

Bai Youwei furrowed her brow and closed her eyes.

Hua Jiang stepped closer, and asked tenderly, “Do you need any help?”

“The thing I hate most,” Bai Youwei said, opening her eyes to look at him with displeasure, “is people talking to me when I’m trying to think. Would you kindly get lost?”

Hua Jiang: “……”

After two seconds of silence, he rephrased his approach:

“Perhaps a thorny exterior can protect you from being hurt — but it tends to wound oneself just as much. Sitting here alone: once the key is found by someone else, you’ll be at a serious disadvantage. Is that the kind of situation you want to be in?

Haven’t you had enough of feeling passive? You’re clearly intelligent — yet because of your body, you’ve had no choice but to passively accept every arrangement handed to you. No one ever asks whether you like it, whether you’re happy, whether you’re willing… Now you’ve finally had a taste of having control. Are you really going to give it up?”

Bai Youwei looked at him with a blank expression.

“I said — get lost.”

—