Mo Yang sat on the bus, surveying the surroundings. Apart from Wan Mei sitting next to him, there were eight other tourists on the bus, consisting of five men and three women.
From their appearances alone, the oldest among the nine wouldn’t exceed forty. Upon observing their expressions closely, Mo Yang could confirm that they were all players from the dream world, just like himself.
While he was scrutinizing them, the others on the bus were also sizing each other up. The three female players’ eyes brightened when they saw Wan Mei and Mo Yang.
Mo Yang nodded and smiled at them, receiving friendly smiles in return.
“Tch, just another good-for-nothing pretty boy.”
Mo Yang heard a somewhat sarcastic male voice from behind him. He curled his lips and glanced backward, immediately understanding the situation. He chuckled lightly and then turned back around.
The man seemed provoked by Mo Yang’s reaction, and he angrily kicked the back of Mo Yang’s seat: “What are you laughing at?!”
Mo Yang didn’t even turn his head: “I’m laughing because you look good. Just giving you a smile.”
The man in the backseat blushed instantly. At the same time, the other three female players on the bus couldn’t help but laugh. This made the man feel like he was being laughed at by everyone. Just as he was about to roll up his sleeves for a confrontation, the female tour guide on the bus spoke up.
“Is everyone ready? Before getting off, I need to call out the names again. Then I’ll explain the precautions to everyone, so let’s not make a fuss for now.”
The man in the backseat suddenly fell silent. Then, he forcefully kicked the back of Mo Yang’s seat again, expressing his frustration.
Mo Yang: “…Tsk. Such a pitiful self-esteem. Probably entered the dream world because he’s too ugly, huh?”
Wan Mei, sitting next to him, remained unchanged. However, when the man in the backseat wanted to kick Mo Yang’s seat again, Wan Mei quietly turned his head.
His deep and indifferent eyes met the furious gaze of the man in the backseat through the gap between two seats, like a sudden downpour of icy water, instantly dousing the man’s anger.
“!!!”
It felt as if he was being stared at on an autopsy table, a chilling and horrifying sensation.
“F*ck! What kind of look is that…” The man muttered softly, lowering his eyes and abandoning his intention to kick the seat for the third time.
At that moment, during the roll call by the female tour guide, Mo Yang learned the names of the other players on the bus.
When the guide called out the name “Xu Shuai,” the gentleman sitting behind him responded vigorously, almost causing Mo Yang to burst into laughter. That appearance matched with that name was simply too fatal.
Obviously, there was more than one person on the bus who shared the same thoughts as Mo Yang. Xu Shuai received another scan of glances from the other players on the bus, and his expression became very unpleasant.
However, since these people were also players like him and he didn’t have a red card to use against them, he didn’t dare to confront them directly. Xu Shuai, though, had already memorized the faces of those who had mocked him and was determined to make them regret it when he had the chance in the game.
Then, the names of Sun Buguai, Liu Meiren, Li Da Ye, Zhou Api, Chen YuanYuan, Murong Feng, Zhang XiaoYao were called out one by one by the female tour guide. It was obvious that everyone felt a slight sense of embarrassment about the names they had chosen for themselves.
However, when they heard the names of the last two people in the group, they didn’t think their own names were a problem anymore.
“Are Mr. Yang Heigou and Mr. Mei BaiWan here as well?”
Mo Yang looked at the surprised and somewhat amused expressions on the faces of the three women on the bus and cleared his throat: “Yes, we’re here.”
Wan Mei leaned his chin on his hand and looked out of the window, showing no intention of turning around.
“Oh my, that handsome guy is actually called Yang Heigou. It sounds so cute…”
“No, this name doesn’t quite match his appearance, but no matter what, I feel like even the strangest name would become adorable when paired with his face.”
“Haha, yes, I thought our names were already strange, but I didn’t expect…”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“In the next few days, I will take you to see the most beautiful scenery in Phoenix Village, making sure that this trip is worthwhile. Trust me, Phoenix Village will be a beautiful village that you will remember for a lifetime.”
“Everyone who has visited here will want to come again, but the villagers of Phoenix Village won’t receive visitors for a second time. So, you only have one chance in your lifetime to enter Phoenix Village. Make sure to seize this opportunity.”
At this moment, a chubby guy sitting diagonally across from Mo Yang raised his hand with a smile on his face.
“Zhu Zhu, little beauty, I heard that Phoenix Village is a village of romantic encounters, where every man and woman is unbelievably beautiful. There are hardly any unattractive people in the whole village, is that true?”
Zhu Zhu smiled and replied: “It seems like Zhou Api, you did your research before coming, huh? You’re absolutely right. There are no ugly people in Phoenix Village.”
“Moreover, the people in Phoenix Village are very warm and hospitable. Although you only have one chance in your lifetime to enter Phoenix Village, my single friends, if you have the ability to make a man or woman in Phoenix Village fall in love with you and decide to marry you, then you will be recognized as a ‘family member’ of Phoenix Village. You can come and vacation in this beautiful place every year.”
“However, now I want to talk about something important.”
“While the people in Phoenix Village are warm and hospitable, there are some taboos that you need to know.”
“Furthermore, in the Phoenix Village, you can take scenic photos and even selfies, but it’s absolutely forbidden to take photos of the people in the village. If you happen to take such photos, you must delete them as soon as possible. Otherwise, something bad might happen.”
Curious, round-faced Zhou Api asked again: “What do you mean by something bad might happen? What’s wrong with taking photos?”
Zhu Zhu glanced at him and her expression turned serious: “Taking photos of the residents could result in death.”
Silence fell inside the bus.
Wan Mei also looked up at Zhu Zhu.
“I’m not fear-mongering here because the Phoenix Village is blessed by the ‘Phoenix God,’ and their appearance is one of the gifts bestowed upon them by the Phoenix God. They are protected. If you take their photos and spread them, you will face punishment from the Phoenix God.”
“As far as I know, four people who secretly took photos have already met an untimely demise.”
Mo Yang frowned; this Phoenix God sounded quite domineering and mysterious.
“Alright, everyone, let’s not be so serious. As long as you don’t take photos recklessly or use your phones, the Phoenix Village is still a fantastic place. Trust me, you will be so happy here that you won’t want to leave.”
“Ah, the bus has stopped, we have arrived. Now, everyone look ahead, can you see two beautiful red flowering trees?”
Mo Yang followed the voice and looked out the window, indeed seeing the large trees with green leaves and almost enchanting red flowers.
“This is the first marvel of Phoenix Village, the thousand-year undefeated Phoenix Flower Trees.”
Mo Yang widened his eyes, and someone asked the question that was on his mind: “Wow, have these two Phoenix Flower Trees been blooming for a thousand years?!”
As Zhu Zhu gestured for everyone to disembark, she nodded proudly: “Yes, it’s quite miraculous, isn’t it? These two Phoenix Flower Trees at the entrance of Phoenix Village have been blooming for a thousand years, defying winter and blooming exuberantly in summer.”
“Legend has it that these two trees were planted by the Phoenix God as a symbol of their love, which moved heaven and earth. That’s why these trees have been blooming undefeated for a millennium.”
“Everyone, quickly get down and take pictures. This is a rare sight you won’t find outside!”
Mo Yang and Wan Mei quickly got off the bus with the others. When Mo Yang noticed that he was carrying the pink pig-head backpack, the New Year’s gift package reward, he cursed 006 a thousand times in his mind.
But in the end, he calmly walked to the Phoenix Trees to take photos, despite the astonished gazes of others. He looked up at the two trees that covered the entrance of the village, their fiery red presence commanding attention. As a gentle breeze blew, the red flowers swayed lightly on the trees, seemingly carrying a delightful fragrance.
“I’ve… never seen such Phoenix Flower Trees before. They are incredibly… dazzling,” Mo Yang murmured to himself.
Beside him, Wan Mei’s composed voice could be heard: “In reality, it’s impossible for trees to grow like this, defying the laws of nature. If you want to extend the blooming period of ordinary trees and make them endure, these two trees must have undergone genetic changes at the fundamental level.”
“And there must be some strange substances serving as their nutrients. If we were to dig up their roots and take a look, we might discover something.”
Wan Mei was halfway through his sentence when Mo Yang covered his mouth. Wan Mei felt the dry and hot temperature in the palm that covered his mouth, causing his pupils to slightly dilate.
“Shut up, Doctor. We are here to travel and solve mysteries, right? Not to have you dig up tree roots and study the unnatural phenomena. Even if these two Phoenix Flower trees are unusual, as the tour guide mentioned, it could be the power of love, you know?! Do you have to attribute everything to genetics?”
Wan Mei furrowed his brow and blinked, reaching out to grab Mo Yang’s wrist and pull it away.
“In my opinion, all myths and unexplainable non-scientific powers are just people’s ignorance. They are simply unanswered questions that humans label as ‘divine powers.’ Pfft.”
Mo Yang rolled his eyes and pushed Wan Mei’s chest.
“Enough of your blabbering. Take a picture of me. I think my red coat matches perfectly with these two Phoenix trees. It will definitely be the best picture of the day.”
Following Mo Yang’s gaze, Wan Mei noticed that the two female players in were staring at his black dog with sparkling eyes. He suddenly felt a sense of dissatisfaction, as if his own pig had caught the attention of other cabbages.
With a click of his tongue, he stepped back and took out his camera from the backpack to capture a photo of Mo Yang.
In the photo, Mo Yang stood under the two fiery red Phoenix trees, his confident and flamboyant figure contrasting with the vibrant Phoenix flowers, igniting the hearts of those who saw it.
Wan Mei glanced at the photo and quickly looked away, as if his eyes and heart had been burned. When Mo Yang approached him to see the photos, suddenly the other players exclaimed one after another.
Mo Yang and Wan Mei simultaneously looked up and saw five people slowly walking out from the gate formed by the two Phoenix trees.
These five individuals consisted of one man and four women, all dressed in embroidered long robes unique to the Phoenix Village. Amidst the picturesque landscape of green mountains and red trees, they appeared as the most beautiful painting.
“Oh my god!”
“I have never seen such beautiful people!!”
Whether it was the man in the center with long red robes or the four exquisite women accompanying him on both sides, they possessed perfect appearances that made others feel inferior.
All the players and ordinary people present were stunned by their presence. Only two individuals stood out.
As soon as the five individuals appeared, Wan Mei carefully scrutinized their facial features, proportions, and symmetry of their faces. After examining each face, a faint trace of mockery and understanding flashed in Wan Mei’s emotionless peach-blossom eyes.
Mo Yang, on the other hand, after the initial shock, quickly turned his head to look at Wan Mei next to him. He took out a small mirror from his pink pig-head backpack and examined himself. After finishing, he let out a slow breath.
“I almost blinded myself.”
Wan Mei looked at him and asked: “What do you mean?”
Mo Yang looked at the people around him still fascinated by the beauty of the women in Phoenix Village, leaned close to Wan Mei’s ear, and whispered: “At first glance, they look extraordinarily perfect, but at second glance, something seems off.”
“However, when I turned to look at you and then at myself, I realized that both of us have our own distinct and handsome features. But those five…”
“They look like quintuplets.”
Wan Mei’s eyes flickered. He pushed away the guy who blew air in his ear and said: “Seems like your observations are not bad.”
Rather than saying these five people are quintuplets, it’s more accurate to say that their facial features—eyebrows, eyes, nose, and lips—were copied from the same template, with slight adjustments in size and spacing to avoid looking strange.
At this moment, the handsome man in the red robe standing under the Phoenix tree smiled and bowed to everyone outside the village.
“Welcome to Phoenix Village.”
“Please follow me to choose your residences.”
As Mo Yang’s footsteps passed through the two fiery red Phoenix trees and entered Phoenix Village, the game system notification, which hadn’t shown any presence for a long time, suddenly appeared before his eyes.
He noticed that everyone else also paused, indicating they had received the system prompt.
[“Phoenix Village” game completion requirements]
[1. Identify the traitor.]
[2. Identify the murderer in Phoenix Village.]
[3. Solve the mystery of the immortal Phoenix trees.]
[Solving one mystery and surviving until the end of the game will result in a C-grade evaluation.]
[Solving two mysteries and surviving until the end of the game will result in a B-grade evaluation. To achieve an A-grade evaluation, all three puzzles must be solved and you must survive until the end of the game.]
[Note: Completely solving the mystery of Phoenix Village will grant additional exclusive rewards. This unique item can be upgraded. Players, please strive to solve the mysteries.]
[Additionally: Frequent departure from the game world is not allowed. Players can only take a 30-minute break for meals. Exceeding the mealtime will affect the progression of the game world. Dream World is not responsible for any uncontrollable events.]
After Mo Yang finished reading these completion requirements and hints full of pitfalls, he took out a bottle of cola from his backpack, opened it with a pop, and took a big gulp.
As if awakened by his action, everyone looked at each other and entered Phoenix Village with serious expressions.
The chubby Zhou Api, who knows when he arrived next to Mo Yang and Wan Mei, poked Mo Yang and said: “Hey, Brother Yang Heigou, did you see the system prompt too? The completion requirements are a bit bizarre.”
Mo Yang glanced at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice! The first and second requirements about the traitor and the murderer are already deadly enough. And there’s a hidden requirement at the end, ‘survive until the end of the game’.”
“What does that mean? It means each one of us is in danger in this village! Brother, you have a handsome and extraordinary appearance. How about forming an alliance?”
“This is my second time playing suspense reasoning, what about you? Also, I never expected the game this time would be this challenging!”
Mo Yang looked at him and his interest piqued: “Oh? Is Phoenix Village game difficult?”
Zhou Api seemed willing to say anything to form an alliance. “Yes, yes! Don’t you check the Dream World forum? Although that damn forum doesn’t allow us to discuss game strategies, we can still share general information about the game environment and difficulty.”
“Currently, ‘Phoenix Village’ ranks among the most difficult in the suspense reasoning section! It’s been said that two teams have already failed, and only three individuals barely achieved a C-grade evaluation. Can you imagine how difficult it is?”
Mo Yang took another sip of cola: “Sounds quite challenging.”
So, did 006 and 009 team up to trick him and Wan Mei?
“Great, so let’s form an alliance, boss?”
Mo Yang looked at him, nodded, and figured this chubby guy probably knew quite a bit of information: “Alright, but let’s make things clear. This is my first time playing a puzzle game, so think it through.”
Zhou Api instantly wore an expression of disbelief, and two players who were about to join them stopped in their tracks upon hearing Mo Yang’s words.
The player behind them, Xu Shuai, couldn’t help but mock: “First time playing a puzzle game? Truly a newbie. Let’s not talk about anything else for now and just focus on surviving until the end of the game!”
Mo Yang: “…Oh.”
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Nah, you guys better not underestimate our newbie underdog. They’re gonna ace this game, I know! 乁( •_• )ㄏ
Our boss and crazy scientist will destroy you
Thank you for your translation 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
Oh indeed (◕ᴗ◕✿) thank you for translating 💐
I feel like the “uncover the secret of the immortal trees” probably immediately put our doctor Wan back on the “dig up the roots and soil and examine” track