After lunch, Xiao Lou and Yu Hanjiang arrived at Tang Ci's residence. The teammates had already arrived, and after a few hours of rest, everyone had regained their energy. Tang Ci looked at Xiao Lou and asked, "Next, do you want to stay in Sun City to continue investigating Bai Jinyu, or do you want to go straight to the next level?"
Xiao Lou said, "I suggest we move on to the next level. Bai Jinyu is definitely on guard now, and we might not find any clues even if we continue investigating. Besides, Ninth Brother's identity has been exposed, and Hunter could come knocking at any time. Staying here isn't safe."
Lu Jiuchuan agreed with Xiao Lou's opinion. He walked up to Tang Ci, looked at the pale-faced man in the wheelchair, and said in a low voice, "Let's go to the next level first and heal your leg. Once your leg regains its mobility, we'll have a better chance of winning even if we encounter Hunter again."
Upon hearing the word "heal the leg," Ye Qi interjected, " The Bug King Card can only be used in Spade and Plum Blossom Secret Chamber, so shall we go to Spade Q or Plum Blossom Q next?"
Yu Hanjiang said, "Let's go to Spade. Anyway, survival and challenges are both difficult."
After discussing and agreeing on their plans, everyone entered the Personal Space.
With all four Guardians present, the little diamond girl continued eating her cake, completely ignoring their presence. Plum Blossom Youth said expressionlessly, "You're about to face an S-rank locked-room mystery. Are you prepared?"
"Yes." Xiao Lou took out the skip card he had obtained from the Weekly Secret Chamber from the contract book and said, "We've decided to use the skip card to skip the secret chambers in this row [J].
Plum Blossom A said, "Are you afraid of encountering a cat-and-mouse game with Plum Blossom J?"
Lu Jiuchuan shrugged and readily admitted, "That's right. I've been through the cat-and-mouse game before, and I don't want to go through it again. Being the mouse and being chased and beaten by a cat ten times your size is not a pleasant feeling."
Plum Blossom A said, "S-level escape rooms are not repeated. Your previous team entered Plum Blossom J, which was a 15 vs. 150 cat-and-mouse game. This time it may not be the same."
Lu Jiuchuan raised an eyebrow: "Even if the game situation has changed, we still have to directly confront Hunter, right?"
Plum Blossom Youth did not deny it; instead, he countered, "If you're not allowed to fight the Hunter in the challenge room, do you expect to fight the four Guardians directly?"
This rhetorical question left everyone speechless.
The true strength of the four Guardians is unknown, but they can manipulate the flow of time at will and even monitor the Challengers ' every move. Lu Jiuchuan's casual remark in the ancient tomb labyrinth that the little girl Diamonds was a pervert was overheard by this little loli. Clearly, everything in the Secret Room World is under their control.
Going against these four people? That's practically suicide.
Xiao Lou skipped over that topic and said, "For the next round, we'll choose Spade Q."
Wearing sunglasses, Ace of Spades smiled slightly as he looked at Xiao Lou: "Actually, you have another option. Remember the Tenth Stage?"
Yu Hanjiang frowned as he recalled the organ transplant case from back then: "You mean, a four-in-one hidden chamber?"
Ace of Spades said, "Yes. You all performed exceptionally well in this week's World Weekly Routine, ranking first among all Challenger teams. So, as a reward, hidden rooms have been created in both Q and K levels. I don't need to elaborate on the benefits of going to the hidden rooms, do I?"
Everyone has been to the Tenth Stage before, and of course, there are many benefits.
First of all, the four-in-one escape room is the most time-saving, and since it has the same background, it's equivalent to passing four levels at once.
Secondly, the rewards for the hidden room are extremely generous. After clearing it, each person is likely to be rewarded with an S card. However, clearing Hearts, Spade, Plum Blossom, and Diamonds separately will yield different rewards. Hearts usually rewards 2-4 cards, Spade and Plum Blossom often don't reward any cards, and Diamonds usually rewards 2-4 cards. In total, the rewards obtained from clearing each level separately are definitely not as much as those from clearing the hidden room.
Having already skipped level J, choosing the hidden room with the higher reward is the more sensible option.
However, hidden rooms also have a downside—they increase the difficulty.
tenth stage Shao Qingge's adoptive mother turned out to be the final boss. Xiao Lou and the others were kidnapped and almost had their organs harvested. Moreover, the teammates were old, weak, sick, disabled, and pregnant, all with various mobility issues. Just thinking about it is terrifying.
If level Q were to become a hidden secret room, how difficult would it be?
Xiao Lou walked over to his teammates and quietly asked for their opinions: "What do you think? Do you want to go through each level one by one, or go straight to the hidden room?"
Lu Jiuchuan said, "I suggest we go to the hidden room. Going through each of the four suits one by one is too troublesome, and each of the S-level rooms is very difficult. Spade and Plum Blossom could die at any time, Hearts might be a serial murder case, and Diamonds has already taken us to a messy maze. Rather than going through four times in a row, we might as well get it over with in one go."
Tang Ci looked at him and said, "Our previous team had never been to the hidden chamber before. The difficulty of the four-in-one challenge is no less than that of the individual Plum Blossom and Spade challenges... Are you sure you want to go to the hidden chamber?"
Chu Huaying said nonchalantly, "I'm fine with going anywhere."
Gui Yuanzhang said, " Xiao Lou is the captain now, so Professor Xiao should make the decision."
Xiao Lou was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Ace of Spades: "A four-in-one escape room, cards aren't banned, right?"
Ace of Spades nodded: "Of course."
The fact that Tang Ci's leg can be treated as soon as possible means that he can receive treatment without any further complications.
Xiao Lou then asked, "What about the rewards? Is it still the same as last time, one S card per person?"
With a flick of his finger, Ace of Spades conjured 12 gleaming treasure chests before the group. He said calmly, "As is customary in hidden chambers, if you successfully complete the dungeon, each of you will receive a treasure chest. What card you draw depends on luck. There is also an extra reward: an SS-rarity card, [ Time Reversal ], which can turn back time by up to 5 hours."
Everyone: "......"
Time travel?! This card is outrageous!
If they can turn back time by 5 hours, that means if they clear the Q Secret Room and arrive at the K and SS Secret Rooms later, and if they can't beat them and the whole team is wiped out, they can turn back time by 5 hours and try again.
It's like failing to defeat a boss in a game, reloading the save 5 hours earlier, and leveling up again? Or even if someone dies, you can rewind time 5 hours to prevent your teammates from dying?
Such a powerful card made everyone make a decision almost instantly.
Everyone chimed in, "Let's go to the hidden room!" "Everyone gets a card reward, plus an extra [ Time Reversal ], which is much more rewarding than going through the four-suited rooms alone!" "That's right, it'll save time by getting it all done at once."
Although the tenth stage was difficult, it wasn't impossible to complete. In the end, everyone managed to obtain 8 S-rank cards and an extremely rare team revival card without any major incidents.
With the addition of Ninth Brother, Mr. Tang, Sister Huaying, and Senior Gui, the team's combat power has been greatly enhanced. In terms of reasoning, in addition to Yu Hanjiang and Xiao Lou, Mr. Tang also has strong logical thinking ability, and he is also a top hacker. If they encounter a modern version of a locked room mystery, Tang Ci can even hack into other people's computers to search for information...
Therefore, there is no need for everyone to worry too much.
Thinking of this, Xiao Lou said, "Then let's go to the hidden room."
The four Guardians asked simultaneously, "Have you made up your minds?"
The mature female voice of Hearts, the loli voice of Diamonds, the aloof boy voice of Plum Blossom, and the deep adult male voice of Spade were mixed together, with every syllable uttered in sync. The strange mixing made everyone's scalp tingle, as if these four Guardians were asking with pity: Are you ready to die?
Xiao Lou coughed lightly: "If you've made up your mind, then go to the hidden chamber."
All four Guardians simultaneously play a card.
Hearts Q, Diamonds Q, Plum Blossom Q, and Spade Q rapidly overlapped and merged together in mid-air.
The card was surrounded by a soft glow of interwoven black and red. Xiao Lou stretched out her finger and gently tapped the card.
The next moment, everything went black before everyone's eyes.
When I woke up again, a notification popped up in the floating window for everyone at the same time.
[Star Calendar 3000, Stellan Federation]
[This escape room has no time limit, no special tasks, and you can even stay here indefinitely.]
Best of luck to you all!
Xiao Lou was taken aback when she saw the message.
No tasks, no time limit—it sounded easy, but it made him even more worried.
Without a specific mission, it means that clues about Hearts are difficult to find in a targeted manner. The phrase "stay here forever" is a huge trap; it means that if they can't escape the locked room, they might not only fail to return to reality, but also die here?
Xiao Lou cautiously observed her surroundings.
This is a closed room with a super king-size bed that is over 2.5 meters long in the center. The room is decorated extremely luxuriously, with crystal chandeliers, thick carpets, a separate walk-in closet, and a large bathroom of over 8 square meters, which contains a round bathtub that can accommodate three adults.
Xiao Lou was wearing loose loungewear. He walked into the walk-in closet and found that all the clothes in the room were very formal.
Tuxedoes, suits... even white tuxedos with gold trim and matching exquisite boots. There are many ties, bow ties and cufflinks on the table in the middle of the dressing room. Judging from the size of the clothes, they should be the right size for him. So, what exactly is his identity in this world?
Xiao Lou sat on the edge of the bed, trying to contact Yu Hanjiang via Telepathic Connection, but instead saw a message pop up in the pop-up window: "You are in a card- restricted zone and cannot use any cards."
Xiao Lou: "......"
Ace of Spades, you big liar! You just said there were no card restrictions, so why is there a "[ card restricted area]"? It's like being given an exam paper, then turning it over to find there are bonus questions worth a lot of points!
Since he couldn't use the card, Xiao Lou had no choice but to carefully search for clues inside the house and sort out his memories.
***
At the same time.
When Lu Jiuchuan opened his eyes, he found himself in a place that resembled a closed command center. He was sitting on a silver metal chair, with a virtual blue LCD screen in front of him displaying many star system symbols. A small green dot was flashing rapidly on the map, and following the dot, there was a detailed navigation path.
Directly in front of the LCD screen is a vast starry sky.
Countless stars dotted the dark sky, with the occasional shooting star streaking across it. The magnificent starry sky stunned Lu Jiuchuan. Remembering the year [Star Calendar 3000, Stellan Federation] he'd entered the secret chamber, Lu Jiuchuan suddenly realized and muttered under his breath, "Damn, is this the future interstellar era?!"
Just then, the door to the command room opened automatically.
Tang Ci, sitting in a wheelchair, calmly approached Lu Jiuchuan.
Looking up, I saw Lu Jiuchuan in a black military uniform, wearing a hat with a few gold stars on his shoulders. His belt was tightly cinched at his waist, making his legs look straight and long. His military boots were polished to a gleaming shine, almost reflecting the cold light from the roof.
male
The man was undeniably handsome, but a 5-centimeter-long scar on his cheek ruined what was once a flawless face. The scar wasn't unsightly; rather, it added a touch of menace to his features.
Her originally cold eyes suddenly softened with warmth when they met Tang Ci's eyes.
Lu Jiuchuan strode up to Tang Ci, his gaze gentle: "You're here too?"
Tang Ci stared at her for a moment, then said softly, "It seems like you haven't worn a military uniform in a long time..."
Lu Jiuchuan took off his cumbersome hat, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Don't you think I look handsome in my military uniform? Actually, our navy uniforms are much more handsome. This all-black outfit actually lowers my attractiveness."
Tang Ci ignored his vanity, moved her wheelchair to the interstellar navigation map, and asked, " Did Guardian implant an identity memory in you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a flood of memories about this world suddenly filled Lu Jiuchuan's mind. Lu Jiuchuan frowned and pressed hard on his temples to relieve the throbbing pain caused by the influx of information into his mind.
Tang Ci said calmly, "From the information I have, you are the commander of Arrow Legion, the youngest major general in the Locke Empire, and you have just finished a battle and are returning on the Arrow warship. I am your... adjutant, or rather, your strategist? In the previous battle, I was attacked by a warship while piloting a mech and was accidentally injured, losing both of my legs."
His voice was calm, as if he were telling a story that had nothing to do with him.
Lu Jiuchuan gently placed his hand on his shoulder. Guardian had altered the cause of Tang Ci's leg injuries without authorization. In fact, Tang Ci's legs were severed directly in the Nightmare Secret Room...
That must be the deepest scar in Tang Ci's memory that he least wants to reopen.
Lu Jiuchuan didn't bring up his legs again, but changed the subject, asking, "How much do you know about worldviews?"
Tang Ci opened a portable optical computer from his pocket. With a tap of his finger, a 50-centimeter-wide virtual LCD screen appeared in front of him, displaying a complete interstellar map. As he pointed at the map, he said, "The Strand Federation is a human alliance composed of several countries. Our country is called the Locke Empire, which is the largest country in the Strand Federation."
Lu Jiuchuan stroked his chin thoughtfully: "An empire? A constitutional monarchy?"
Tang Ci said, "To be more precise, it should be a dual constitutional monarchy. His Majesty's power is above that of Parliament. All major laws require His Majesty's signature, and His Majesty can also appoint the Prime Minister and members of Parliament. He is the true first leader of the country. There is also a crucial piece of information: His Majesty is not in good health, and this time he urgently summoned us back to the palace."
Lu Jiuchuan sighed and rubbed his forehead: "Could it be another power grab?"
What they experienced in Red Heart 8 was like an ancient political and palace intrigue drama. Gui Yuanzhang was an elderly emperor, and Lu Jiuchuan was a general who had to help the emperor quell a rebellion...
He doesn't want to experience the interstellar world again.
Lu Jiuchuan gently rubbed his temples. Guardian had flooded his mind with a wealth of information, which he needed to digest and organize slowly, piece by piece. Just then, Tang Ci suddenly said, "Interestingly, this time His Majesty is not Old Gui. The royal family of the Locke Empire is actually surnamed Xiao."
Lu Jiuchuan's fingers, which were pressing on his temples, suddenly froze: "Xiao...Lou?"
A handsome young man in an elegant white suit appeared in her mind; it was Xiao Lou from her memories.
However, in this world, Xiao Lou is His Majesty's only son.
Lu Jiuchuan's lips twitched: " Xiao Lou is the eldest prince, the empire's only crown prince?"
Tang Ci replied calmly, "Yes."
Lu Jiuchuan yelled, "Damn it! What does my brother do?"
Tang Ci said, " Yu Hanjiang's military rank is also Major General. He is the captain of the Royal Guard and is responsible for protecting the Crown Prince."
Lu Jiuchuan: "...... Guardian really knows how to arrange things!"
***
At this moment, Yu Hanjiang was frowning deeply at his military uniform reflected in the mirror.
The Royal Guard wore white military uniforms. The man in the mirror had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. His perfect inverted triangle physique made him look even more upright, and he also had a sharp sword at his waist.
He tried to use a card, but a pop-up window appeared in front of him with a message: [Sorry, you are in the card restriction zone and cannot use any cards at the moment ].
Restricted area?
Yu Hanjiang pushed open the window and looked outside.
This must be the Imperial Palace. Rows of castle-like white buildings are arranged in an orderly fashion. The towering Gothic style looks extremely grand. The palace grounds are covered with spotless white marble bricks. In front of the palace, there are neat lawns and flower beds, as well as a circular fountain.
Not far away, Royal Guards, dressed in white uniforms like his, were patrolling back and forth within the palace. The guards stood tall and straight, their steps precise and their solemn expressions conveying the inviolable majesty of royalty.
Yu Hanjiang closed his eyes and carefully recalled the memories that the Guardian had instilled in him.
He joined the army at 18, graduated with honors from the Ninth Military Academy at 22, and entered the Royal Guard; seven years later, he became the captain, responsible for the safety of the Empire's only crown prince, His Highness the First Prince.
Long Sen is also a member of the Royal Guard, but his duty is to protect His Majesty. Qu Wanyue is his wife, and she is a dancer.
Lu Jiuchuan is Yu Hanjiang's cousin. He also graduated from the Ninth Military Academy and is currently the legion commander of Arrow Legion.
Tang Ci is Lu Jiuchuan's adjutant, a graduate of the mecha department, and a mecha piloting genius.
Apart from that, information about other people cannot be retrieved from memory.
The fact that the search results show that Yu Hanjiang doesn't yet "know" his other teammates, nor does he know what roles Guardian has assigned to them.
The most crucial thing right now is...
His Highness the Prince is named Xiao Lou, and he is the Crown Prince of the Empire.
This identity is both prestigious and dangerous; he must reunite with Xiao Lou as soon as possible.
Thinking of this, Yu Hanjiang immediately turned and went out. Just then, several royal guards who had finished their shift walked over. Upon seeing Yu Hanjiang, they stood at attention and saluted respectfully: "Major General."
Yu Hanjiang returned their greeting and asked, "Where is His Highness?"
The guard said, "His Highness has just finished lunch and retu
rned to Gemini Palace to rest."
Yu Hanjiang nodded and, based on his memory of the location, turned and walked towards Gemini Palace, where Xiao Lou lived.