Farming in a Parallel World and Becoming a God
Chapter 403 - 342 There is a traitor among you_1

Chapter 403: Chapter 342 There is a traitor among you_1

"First, the manor opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. If there are still no winners by then, the challenge is considered a failure," Mr. Gaven recited seven rules in one breath, concerning the prohibitions after entering Ghost Manor.

"Second, given that this is a dangerous activity, children under twelve are not permitted to enter the manor, and each person may not enter the manor more than three times per day. If someone faints, they are prohibited from re-entering the manor for three days."

"Third, in the final challenge, there is a treasure chest. The first to obtain the proof inside is deemed successful in completing the challenge."

"Fourth, this is an Intelligence escape game; violence is forbidden within the manor. One may only solve puzzles or attempt to escape. Anyone trying to use force will be sent out of the manor and the challenge will be deemed a failure."

"Fifth, Clerics are allowed to participate in the challenge, but the use of Holy Spells is forbidden. Any attempt will result in ejection from the manor and failure of the challenge. Depending on the severity, punishments will be levied; lighter penalties include a challenge ban, while heavier ones may involve a fine."

"Fifth, participants are allowed to form teams, but each team must not exceed ten people. If participants remain in the manor for four hours without completing the challenge, it is considered a failure, and they will automatically be sent out of the manor."

"Sixth, the manor has limited space, and no more than one hundred people are allowed to enter at the same time. Once the limit is reached, entry will be prohibited until someone leaves. A friendly reminder: among every hundred people, there will be one of our staff members in disguise. If you can identify this staff member in advance, it will be considered a successful completion of the challenge."

"Seventh, challengers can quit at any time during the challenge. Simply shout the failure command, and someone will escort you out."

"That’s all for now. If any issues are discovered later on, updates and supplements will be made."

The importance of these rules was the safety of both sides’ personnel.

Not only was it about the safety of tourists who delved deep into Ghost Manor but also the staff inside.

"I knew it wouldn’t be so simple," someone commented. "Look, with a turn of the head, so many rules and regulations have appeared. No attacks mean if we encounter a ghost, we can only run away."

"This is blatant discrimination," another voiced, "What’s the difference between us Clerics without Holy Spells and ordinary people?"

"This isn’t really Ghost Manor. If you Clerics went in and purified it, there would be nothing left for anyone to play with. Haven’t you heard? They’re referring to the ghosts in Ghost Manor as staff members – huh, ghosts working for people is truly unheard of."

"What’s so strange about that? Controlling the Undead to serve themselves is what Undead Necromancers love to do the most, right? It’s just that they are not using them to wage wars, but to entertain the public," someone offered.

"You call this entertainment?" someone else questioned.

"Fear, when taken to the extreme, becomes excitement. Isn’t surviving a close call the greatest joy?" another explained.

"Be content. The fact that they allow Clerics to enter at all is already the biggest accommodation. Even without Holy Spells, you Clerics have advantages that we lack."

"What advantages? I’m not aware of any," a confused voice responded.

"Your understanding of various spiritual bodies and their prohibitions gives you an edge in escaping," someone clarified.

"Even if Holy Spells can’t be used, aren’t supportive spells still an option? Your repertoire in this area is the most extensive, which is also a form of advantage."

"Don’t be too optimistic. The Negative Energy in this manor is very dense, even denser than in the Shadow Plane. Do you understand what that means? It implies a strong magical predisposition here.

Spells and abilities related to shadows, including the strength of the ghosts themselves, will be enhanced.

However, Holy Spells will be severely weakened and suppressed, including those of a supportive nature."

The rules Mr. Gaven announced caused another uproar among the crowd.

The first wave of people who gathered were confident in their abilities, especially in dealing with spiritual entities. Among them, there was no shortage of Clerics.

Now, forbidding them from using Holy Spells was like cutting off one of their arms.

"We will now officially begin. Those who enter the manor first will have priority. When we reach one hundred people, we will stop," Mr. Gaven proclaimed.

No sooner had his words fallen than with a roar, the crowd surged forward, drowning out all discussions and dissatisfaction.

The demand was clear. There was only one manor and one reward, but hundreds of people wanted that reward. If you didn’t want to go in, there was a bunch of people who didn’t mind taking your place.

Mr. Gaven didn’t bother with any queueing ceremony, he simply opened the doors, releasing a hundred unrestricted entry spots.

He was collecting Fear Points, not trying to be a good person.

He didn’t need these people to collaborate earnestly to conquer his manor, but to compete against each other.

This method of entry directly disrupted many who came as teams.

Many who were slow were knocked back by an invisible barrier.

"The first group of a hundred has already entered," the manor owner said with a smile. "Either wait for the next group or wait for someone to be eliminated before entering."

Mystlock Locks.

The manor was shrouded in Mystlock Locks, now completely isolated from the outside.

Many in the know immediately recognized this.

Many who ran fast turned around only to find that their teammates had been left behind by the crowd and couldn’t get in. But looking to exit, they couldn’t even find the door.

The upgraded manor had become a Guaiyu, shrouded in a hazy gray. Although it wasn’t so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face, you also couldn’t see more than five meters away.

Even those who had entered with them were stained with this gray hue, as if the color had been stripped from their bodies.

Their gazes were somewhat stiff, and their smiles seemed to carry an invisible, eerie quality.

Many couldn’t help but take a sharp intake of breath. Damn it, were those beside them human or ghost?

The group couldn’t help but recall one of the many rules—their ranks included a member who was an imposter, arranged by the other side.

Before, they had secretly rejoiced at what seemed a shortcut to success.

Now, it appeared this was the greatest trap of all.

Had the other side ever said that this staff member was a normal human like them? Or was it a ghost in disguise?

Not only were they now unable to determine the identity of this staff member,

but looking at those around them, each one seemed like they could be the imposter.

This cast a shadow over the not-yet-begun cooperation.

"Let’s not move recklessly. While the game is still in its early stage and the difficulty isn’t too high yet, why don’t we share the information we have? I believe many people’s teammates didn’t manage to get in, so how about we form a temporary team?"

"A temporary team? How can you prove your identity under these circumstances?"

"We’re all newcomers here; what useful information could there be to share?"

"Who says there’s no useful information? Since I’ve started this, I’ll go first. I once had the honor of traveling the Shadow Plane with my teacher, so I’m slightly familiar with the situation there. Current conditions here don’t quite resemble the Material Plane but are more akin to the Shadow Plane.

In this place, there’s one major characteristic: infinite space. Don’t use real-world measures to judge the size of Ghost Manor, or you’ll seriously be at a loss later."

"The Shadow Plane? Are you suggesting that Ghost Manor is a portal to the Shadow Plane, and we’ve already been transported there? If that’s the case, wouldn’t we eventually face not just the staff of Ghost Manor but also various undead from the Shadow Plane? Who would ensure our safety then?"

"I said it resembles the Shadow Plane, not that it is the Shadow Plane. It’s very likely a demi-plane enveloped by the laws of the Shadow Plane, sitting between the Material and Shadow Planes, forming its own system. The ghosts from outside shouldn’t be able to enter, only those that naturally belong to the manor."

"If that’s the case, everything makes sense. Last time I was in here, I felt something off about the length of the corridor in the main building—more so when running away. No matter how I changed directions, it shouldn’t be possible to run for four hours straight in a manor before finally reaching the entrance. It turns out the space was continuously stretching."

"Mr. Dame? It’s the winner of yesterday’s prize, Mr. Dame!"

"So it’s him!"

"Mr. Dame is truly lucky, not only did he successfully clear the challenge and obtain an extra prize yesterday, but he also snagged a spot today."

"What’s with your tone? It was just a bottle of Ghost Grape Wine, is there a need to be so sour about it? Mr. Dame is the most experienced among us. With his guidance, things will be much easier for us!"

"I fear I won’t be able to help you much. Mr. Gaven made it clear yesterday that he would significantly modify the challenge. Not to mention, this gray fog didn’t exist yesterday."

"Even if it’s been adjusted, in such a short time, it’s definitely not possible to completely overhaul everything. They can only increase the difficulty based on the original set-up. There’s still value in referencing it. Mr. Dame, please share your experience. It’s better than nothing, after all."

"If you really want to hear it, I’ll share, but there’s not much to say about the first challenge, known as the Silent Courtyard. Apart from the sinister music and a certain tree that looks like a treant and seems quite frightening, there’s nothing else."

"That’s it?"

"That’s it. The problem is, the music hasn’t started yet, and that suspected treant is obscured by the black mist, so its exact location is unknown."

Thud... Thud... Thud...

Before Dame’s words concluded, a series of muffled drumbeats began to sound.

The rhythm, shifting from slow to fast, caused people’s hearts to involuntarily beat in tempo with it, getting faster and faster.

"I feel that the drumming is urging us to move forward. I have a premonition that if we do not proceed before the drumming stops, something might chase us, or we might be directly eliminated from the game."

"I think so too. Let’s move."

"You don’t really believe you can clear the challenge in one go, do you? Hahaha... So, there’s nothing to worry about. Take a run through, gather some experience, my goodness...!"

With a scream, that overly optimistic fellow, as if he had seen something bizarre and terrifying, took off running.

Following his gaze, the rest’s expressions shifted subtly, and they too broke into a run forward.

Behind them, the black mist was condensing; a giant skull made of fog with hollow eye sockets was staring at them, its mouth slowly opening, like a gateway to hell.

Unable to use holy spells, their only option besides running was unimaginable—as to what could combat such a misty existence.

"Hahaha..."

Gaven entered the third-floor grand hall of Weizemay Manor.

Regina, devoid of any image, was laughing uncontrollably. Opposite her, a huge screen made of black mist displayed the one hundred special guests who had just entered Weizemay Manor.

As the one hundred special guests were discussing their situation, the Shadow Screen had already completed their identification and labeling. A number appeared above each person’s head, then a miniature photo form appeared at the bottom of the Shadow Screen.