Chapter 25: [World 1] Castle Stories 25 : Before

“Explain the rules to me.”

“Move one square horizontally, vertically, or diagonally…”

Li Hua briefly summarized the rules.

“Got it.”

Xunian walked up to the chessboard and, without hesitation, moved a white chess piece.

“Xunian, you…” Li Hua’s pupils trembled. He rushed into the room, reaching out to stop her, but it was too late.

The chessboard shook violently, and the room trembled along with it.

The floor wobbled beneath their feet; all of them nearly lost their balance.

Fu Ruxue had been prepared and steadied herself against the wall.

A flash of light appeared on the chessboard as a black chess piece moved, capturing Xunian’s white piece.

Sensing something wrong, Xunian grabbed Fu Ruxue, who was closest to her, and shouted, “Duck!”

Suddenly, black thorns pierced through the walls, shooting in from all directions.

Li Hua failed to dodge in time; one of the thorns plunged into his calf. Cold sweat broke out as he doubled over in pain.

“Maybe I should take the next move…” he said, clutching his leg, his face twisted in agony.

If this happened again, he feared he might die right here.

“No need.”

Xunian gave him no chance, grabbing the table leg to pull herself up.

After a moment of thought, she moved another piece, capturing one of the opponent’s.

The three of them watched their surroundings warily. The room was deathly silent, their own frantic heartbeats the only sound.

This time, nothing happened.

Under an unseen force, a black chess piece moved again.

“Glug, glug…”

What was that sound?

A flowing tide of fresh red blood seeped into the room through the cracks.

Soon, the floor was soaked, blood pooling around their shoe soles.

Xunian ignored the blood spreading across the room, focusing intently on the chessboard.

After brief calculation, she reached out to move another piece.

“Stop playing!”

Li Hua raised one hand to block her, his injured leg bent awkwardly, hair disheveled, desperately shielding the board.

“Why?” Xunian asked, confused.

“You’ve never played chess before. How can you be sure every move you make is correct?”

The blood kept flooding in; in just a few seconds, it was already above their knees.

“I only move when I’m sure.”

She explained calmly, her composure completely unaffected by the blood.

She reached out again for a piece, but Li Hua held the chessboard firmly.

“I don’t want to die!”

A flash of irritation surged through Xunian’s heart. Furious, she grabbed Li Hua by the collar, intending to slap him awake.

Before her hand could strike, she hesitated and pulled it back.

Li Hua glared at her fiercely, clearly unwilling to let go.

“What are you two doing?! If you won’t play, step aside—I’ll take over!”

Fu Ruxue panicked, rushing forward to snatch the chessboard, pushing against Li Hua’s stubborn hold.

Xunian looked down at her own hand and noticed something was off.

“Wake up. You’re both affected.”

She waved her fingers in front of Li Hua and Fu Ruxue.

They snapped out of their strange behavior, blinking in confusion, subconsciously smoothing their clothes.

Embarrassed, Li Hua backed away from the chessboard. “I wasn’t trying to snatch it. This room affects the mind.”

The blood inside the room surged past his thighs, soaking his pants. It climbed over the table, and the chessboard floated on the water’s surface.

Xunian quickly pulled the chessboard into her lap, protecting it. She sat on the table and moved another piece.

The moment she placed the piece where she wanted, the black side moved immediately.

The blood’s rise accelerated rapidly. In no time, half the room was filled with blood.

Fu Ruxue and Li Hua each grabbed one side of a cabinet, floating on the water, waiting for Xunian’s next move.

Li Hua clung tightly to the cabinet, his brows furrowed deeply.

The blood stung his wound, and his face contorted in pain as he watched Xunian, who was clutching the chessboard and deep in thought.

He didn’t believe in Xunian, but now she was their only hope.

“Ah! What is that?!”

Black waterweed appeared from nowhere, wrapping tightly around their ankles, trying to drag them underwater.

Fu Ruxue kicked fiercely while holding the cabinet, but the waterweed clung stubbornly.

As time passed, the black waterweed absorbed the power of the blood and its grip tightened, nearly pulling her into the water.

“Cough, cough, ugh—Xunian, ugh—are you done yet?”

She choked on a mouthful of water, fighting against the waterweed while spitting out blood, relieved she was already used to these disgusting things; otherwise, she’d have vomited the breakfast she just ate.

Li Hua’s leg throbbed unbearably.

Xunian and the black pieces moved faster and faster, the blood inside the room rising ever higher.

The table beneath her floated up, lifting her body. Just as her head nearly hit the ceiling—

A sudden loss of weight hit them. The three of them fell, startled for a moment, collapsing onto the floor.

The painting remained, soaked by the blood but perfectly intact.

In the painting, the Duchess’s gentle smile looked even kinder, like a warm older sister.

Who would have guessed that playing chess with her was so dangerous?

The little girl in the Duchess’s arms sneered coldly at Xunian, clutching a teddy bear.

The cross necklace hanging from the Duchess’s neck caught the light, flickering and then suddenly turning solid, dropping down.

Xunian caught the cross and saw jagged edges on the bottom, confirming it was a key.

Li Hua’s eyes drifted to the cross in her hand. “A key?”

“Yes, a key,” she said, turning toward the door. “No time to waste. Let’s get out of here.”

If they didn’t leave soon, they’d be done for.

Whether Fu Ruxue and Li Hua would survive, she didn’t know, but Xunian herself was certain she was done for.

“Where are we going?”

Fu Ruxue looked confused. She didn’t know where the exit was and could only follow Xunian.

Xunian opened the door.

In an instant, she felt herself swept up by a powerful force, the world spinning wildly as black mist rushed in.

Clack—

The key dropped to the floor.

……

Duke’s Daughter’s Room.

On the bed.

A beautiful young girl with delicate features lay spread-eagle, her hands and feet shackled by iron chains.

Back here again.

The chains jingled crisply as her arms shifted slightly.

Her dark eyes scanned the iron chains, which this time had thick rings at least two centimeters wide, heavy and unyielding.

Looks like there was no escaping.

Xunian’s eyes were dull. She gave up, numbly waiting for the Duke’s Daughter’s next move.

The Duke’s Daughter emerged from the bathroom, wiping her freshly washed, moist fingers, and slowly approached the bed.

Xunian turned her head away, not wanting to see those slender, clean, perfectly manicured hands.

Memories of the several nights they had spent together flashed before her eyes.

Her ears tingled faintly, and her tightly closed lips trembled slightly, already expecting what tonight held.

The Duke’s Daughter tied up her hair, revealing a fair neck.

She leaned over and pinched Xunian’s soft chin, forcing her to meet her gaze.

Panic flickered in Xunian’s eyes before she closed them tightly.