I’m A Little White Flower In An Escape Game ☆ 10

Arc 1: 《Mermaid Village》 Ch2-ch14

[BTW, I'm wondering if any of you have already read this story with MTL and now reading again, or is it your first time? Comment below!] Ruan Bai had endured an unbelievable amount of hardship in an incredibly short period of time. With her mind awash with countless thoughts and emotions, she gradually felt her strength ebbing away. As she reached into her pocket, she felt the mermaid bell through the thin fabric of her clothes, its warmth a comforting presence even in the icy water.

Curling up in the frigid pool, Ruan Bai drifted into a deep slumber. She was jolted awake the following day by a searing white light. Blinking in confusion, she surveyed her surroundings and realized it was already daylight. The sun's rays streamed through a window in the distance, revealing the place's true nature.

It was an underground cellar with four separate pools of water. In one of them, Ruan Bai spied a little girl who looked to be about seven or eight years old. The child had a vacant expression and lay motionless in the water. Upon closer inspection, Ruan Bai saw that the girl had no legs; in their place was a grotesque mass of flesh that resembled a fishtail adorned with unsightly scales. It was far from the alluring beauty of the mermaids depicted in movies and television shows.

Ruan Bai's intuition told her this was where the villagers kept and raised their mermaids. She made sure not to make any noise that might alert the inhabitants of her presence. Tiptoeing, she rose from the water and darted toward the door. Climbing up the stairs, she tentatively grasped the door handle.

It was locked.

Ruan Bai felt a sense of profound disappointment wash over her. She had already given up hope that Gu San would come to her rescue. But how could she escape from her captors? Would the villagers who had imprisoned her even care about her here?

Lost in thought, Ruan Bai suddenly heard faint footsteps outside the door. Startled, she hastily retied the ropes that bound her ankles and wrists, pretending to look like she had just awakened and was panicking.

The door creaked open. Two men strode in, carrying trays of food. Wang Wen Wen trailed behind them.

Surprised that Ruan Bai was still alive, the men turned to Wang Wen Wen and asked, "Nan Nan, how did she survive the clutches of the Ghost Hand?"

Ruan Bai's survival left Wang Wen Wen dumbfounded, and she struggled to compose herself when the NPC interrogated her. "I'm not certain," she replied, her face contorted with unease.

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"Are you not her classmate? You lured them all to this cursed village," the villager accused, "and now we're all trapped by the Ghost Hand."

Wang Wen Wen deftly redirected the conversation, "How could I know? Perhaps she's simply fortunate. She vanished here, and her companion is bound to cause trouble. Furthermore, the mermaids won't be pleased if she persists in stirring up chaos. It might be best to dispose of her."

Ruan Bai inwardly sneered at Wang Wen Wen's direct attack. She could not keep her temper in check, especially when someone was trying to kill her. Last night, she had only fallen into the other's trap due to her carelessness. If she did not fight back, would Wang Wen Wen think she was a fool, easily manipulated without a plan?

Without hesitation, Ruan Bai promptly exchanged 100 points for a "dumbing down" aura that only affected male NPCs. She had thought such an item would be superfluous in this game, but it had become clear that NPCs could play a crucial role in an Escape Game.

After completing the purchase, Ruan Bai opened her mouth to speak but faltered. Eventually, she shut her eyes, exhaled deeply, and said, "I won't be able to escape, so let me...stay here." A bitter smile twisted her lips, and she added, "Or you can kill me. It would be a mercy."

Two tears slowly trickled down her pallid cheeks. Ruan Bai put on a pitiful and helpless expression, akin to a beautiful lotus floating in crystal-clear water, causing the two men present to falter.

Wang Wen Wen observed Ruan Bai's behaviour and the sudden change in the villagers' attitudes with confusion. She couldn't understand what was happening and was taken aback when one of the men spoke to Ruan Bai.

"What's wrong, little girl?" he asked, concerned. "Isn't it better to be alive? Why seek death?"

Feeling sorry for Ruan Bai's state, his voice softened. But Ruan Bai was not surprised by the sudden change in the villagers' attitudes towards her. She had resorted to feigning pitifulness in real life to earn a higher ranking. For two whole years, she had diligently honed her crying skills and defeated countless scheming and seductive women in the first four worlds with this tactic.

No matter how severe the accusations against her or how strong the evidence was, she knew that as long as she played her role convincingly, everyone would believe she had a reason for her actions. And the primary reason this tactic had worked so well was that Ruan Bai had immediately recognized these two villagers as immature, straight men.

'What do immature men like to do the most? They like to persuade women to follow the right path!'

"Why would I want to die? If I have to stay with Gu San, what's the point of being alive for me?" Ruan Bai laughed softly, her voice trembling and her tears falling heavily. "I was sold like goods to that kind of place, constantly toyed with, and the humiliation and pain have made me numb. I'm dirty now; I'm no longer pure..."

She bit her lip lightly, her complexion pale and weak, and her eyes were devoid of light when she looked at the two villagers. "Even Gu San...he..." her voice trailed off at the end of her sentence, and her slender, weak body trembled as if unable to bear the shame any longer.

Wang Wen Wen was stunned. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She wondered, 'Wait a minute, this is too much! Is she playing the victim card? Does she think we're fools? Who would believe her?'

[TN: If you are not reading this novel on puukkiss.wixsite.com/inkydragon, please support the original translator by visiting my website. Thank you! :D]

However, what caught her completely off guard was that a nearby villager sighed and walked over to help Ruan Bai with a look of pity on his face!

"You can't decide a fate like this," he awkwardly patted her shoulder and comforted her, "Life is still beautiful. Look at how poor our village is, but we never give up hope." The other villager nodded in agreement. "Yes, little girl. You're so beautiful. There are plenty of people who would want to be with you. You have a good heart, and no one will care about your past."

Wang Wen Wen "......"

How did they see that Ruan Bai was "kind-hearted" at first glance????

Unable to tolerate the conversation any longer, Wang Wen Wen directly interrupted, "She's clearly lying! Don't believe her; hurry up and get rid of her!"

If Ruan Bai were to leave, her identity would be exposed, and her mission would be over!

Ruan Bai obediently said, "Yes, you can kill me." She turned her head, wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and said calmly, "I'm not worth much. Wen Wen, as for Gu San... I'll trouble you to take care of him in the future."

"Sister, what's worth it or not is for one to decide for themselves," the villager interjected, visibly vexed by their quarrel. He shot Wang Wen Wen a ferocious glare before moving to untie Ruan Bai's binds. "You're young and have a bright future ahead of you. Why waste it on someone like Gu-whatever-his-name-is? There are plenty of men out there!"

Another villager snickered and sneered at Wang Wen Wen. "Let's not talk about the sordid affairs of young girls. Nanny, how could you be so cruel as to lay hands on an innocent child?"

Wang Wen Wen remained silent, reflecting on how the situation had devolved into such a mess. 'Weren't you the ones who wanted to offer them as sacrifices to the ghosts yesterday?' she mused, perplexed by their sudden change of heart. Were these two villagers mentally unstable?

Ruan Bai gazed at Wang Wen Wen's contorted expression with a smug grin. Although Wang Wen Wen was at a loss for what had transpired, Ruan Bai, having traversed four different worlds and interacted with countless NPCs, knew precisely what was afoot.

Even if Wang Wen Wen hadn't been so forceful, the villagers likely wouldn't have heeded her words. The reason was straightforward: players like Wang Wen Wen rarely saw NPCs as sentient beings and seldom engaged with them in meaningful conversation. Their manner of speaking was often aloof and cold.

Upon Wang Wen Wen's arrival, Ruan Bai immediately noted that this attractive sixteen-year-old girl had an unfamiliar association with two men in their twenties. Straight men typically treated younger, attractive women better. Still, Wang Wen Wen's cool relationship with them suggested that her standing in the NPCs' eyes was less favourable.

Ruan Bai also understood that Wang Wen Wen was assigned such a role by the game and was probably somewhat anxious and resistant to play along. However, even though NPCs were NPCs, they still had emotions like humans, and some NPCs were even brighter than players. How could these two villagers not notice Wang Wen Wen's resistance? The villagers had a particular fondness for Wang Wen Wen because she was from their village. However, their hearts were drawn to a woman with striking beauty, a gentle demeanour, and a tragic history.

Upon hearing the system prompt in her ear, Ruan Bai's lips curved into a smile, [Congratulations, host. You have completed the random task. You have been awarded 1000 points!]

She contained her excitement, not wanting to arouse suspicion.

"Thank you, brothers. It was a pleasure to meet you," Ruan Bai's voice trembled with emotion as she held back her tears. "I, Softie, will find a way to repay your kindness." Now that she had achieved her objective, leaving without overstaying her welcome was best. She did not wish to cause any trouble for the villagers.

Nevertheless, despite her gracious words, Ruan Bai couldn't resist taking a subtle jab at Wang Wen Wen, "Little sister Wen Wen, don't worry. I won't return to Brother Gu's side. He belongs to you alone. I am not worthy of him."

'What about your horse?!' Wang Wen Wen's youthful anger boiled over, causing her to curse, "She will only bring us trouble. Don't let her go!"

The more Wang Wen Wen acted out, the more irritated the two villagers grew. They believed she was targeting Ruan Bai because of Gu Sancai. What harm could a weak and fragile woman, who wished for death, bring to them anyway? After considering Gu San's handsome appearance, they did not mind Wang Wen Wen's behaviour.

Ultimately, Wang Wen Wen, a high school girl with no physical strength, was no match for two young men in their prime. She could only glare at Ruan Bai with resentment as she was released and led out of the basement. The villagers even provided her with money and food to ensure her safe departure.

——— Translator's Notes ———

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