“Yu Yaqing took the others down there. Zhu Shu was worried about leaving you alone, so we came back to check on you first.” Su Man asked, “Do we all go to the basement now?”

Bai Youwei thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Never mind — to save time, let’s check the courtyard. If Yu Yaqing finds a clue, she probably won’t hide it from us.”

She felt that Yu Yaqing was a completely straightforward person — irritating, yes, but scheming and manipulating? That was surely beneath her.

The sky was growing darker. The sun was sinking in the west faster than any of them had anticipated.

Everyone instinctively picked up their pace.

On the first floor, aside from the seven bridal chambers, every other room was empty.

The second and third floor rooms were all packed with gold and jewels.

The basement was cluttered with odds and ends and dust — nothing suspicious to be found.

The courtyard held nothing but flowers, and flowers, and more flowers — equally devoid of any discovery.

They had spent an entire day and come away empty-handed, while the light outside grew dimmer and dimmer…

At last, all seven brides regrouped in the great hall.

Zhao Lanfen collapsed onto the sofa in exhaustion, gasping for breath. “You all keep looking — I can’t go on. I can’t take another step!”

Her hair had come loose, her back was soaked through, and her white bridal gown clung to her like a pale, damp spider’s web.

Cheng Qian was in equally wretched shape, drenched all over.

Neither of them had ever been through a game or a labyrinth before. Their constitutions were the weakest of the seven, and running back and forth across a manor this size had been more than they could bear.

Bai Youwei looked out at the sunset tilting toward the horizon and said quietly, “I remember there’s a room on the second floor with some weapons. Everyone should go pick something out — we can’t have empty hands if something goes wrong tonight.”

The game didn’t allow players to bring weapons in, but it did allow them to use items found within the game.

Yu Yaqing and Hu Ya rose to go select weapons.

Cheng Qian and Zhao Lanfen, exhausted as they were, gritted their teeth and stood as well.

In the end, all of them — except for Bai Youwei — took a knight’s broadsword each.

When the dinner bell rang, the Inspector watched these women file grimly into the dining room, every one of them dragging a heavy iron sword, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Are you certain about this? Bringing weapons to dinner with the Duke — you look like you’re planning to murder your husband. Aren’t you afraid of angering him?”

At those words, the women’s expressions all shifted — unsure whether to keep holding their swords or set them down.

Zhu Shu looked at everyone, then said softly, “The Duke won’t be angry. We’re just worried he’s out so early and back so late, so we wanted to give him a sword for self-defense. Everyone, please hide your swords under the table — this is our surprise gift. We can’t let the Duke see it ahead of time.”

What she said was perfectly plausible. Even the Inspector couldn’t help giving her a second look.

The women had barely hidden their swords when a massive *boom* suddenly erupted at the front door!

Without any warning, an enormous silhouette appeared in the doorway!

The appearance was so sudden that everyone startled, turning to look — and then every face changed color!

Including Bai Youwei — even she was genuinely shaken!

“WHERE IS MY DINNER?! ARE YOU TRYING TO STARVE ME?!!!”

The man’s voice was deep and thunderous, his furious roar reverberating through the entire great hall!

As he drew closer, they gradually made out his features — or rather, calling him “he” seemed inadequate. The word “it” might be more fitting, because… the Duke was unmistakably wearing the face of a beast!

He was dressed in a gentleman’s formal attire, but his build was enormous as a great bear, and his face was covered in dense, black-violet bristling fur! Caught in the lamplight, it shimmered with a blue sheen!

Blue Beard!

*He was Bluebeard!*

Everyone’s hearts trembled with dread as they stared at him.

Then — another tremendous crash!

A blood-soaked water buffalo materialized from nowhere and slammed down onto the dining table, shattering the dishes and startling every woman in the room.

The Duke seized the bull by the horns and hooves, and with little effort, tore its head clean off. Then he opened his mouth and sank his teeth into the bull’s leg — with a tearing sound, he ripped away a great chunk of bloody red flesh and chewed it down.

“My brides,” the Duke said, his cold gaze sweeping over each of them, “why aren’t you eating?” His voice was glacial. “Or perhaps… you don’t wish to dine with me?”

—