Chapter 74: Cornelia Becomes a Great Detective (part 1)

Chapter 74: Cornelia Becomes a Great Detective (part 1)

Several men and women had gathered in the living room of the villa.

They were mostly in groups of two or three, standing relatively apart from each other.

Neither the pitch-black night sky, the magnificent snowscape, nor the howling cold wind could move them.

That was because the situation in the living room was far from harmonious.

In the center of the living room was a half-foot-high mini stage covered in shiny black flooring.

On the stage was a classical grand piano and a leather piano chair that radiated a dim light.

On the stage, apart from the piano and the chair, there was a person.

Or rather, a body that had not completely gone cold yet—

A lean middle-aged man lay face down on the piano keys, dressed in luxurious attire.

He appeared as though he had just played a heart-stirring piece of music and had then fallen into an extremely tired slumber.

What was horrifying, though, was that a winding trail of fresh blood seeped out from beneath him, forming an almost circular bloodstain on the stage's floor. On top of it lay a wicked little knife, smeared with fresh blood.

Crimson blood trickled along the edge of the middle-aged man's clothes and the piano keys, and the breast pocket handkerchief peeking out of his left chest had turned a deep shade of red.

This pool of blood reflected the piano's light brown lacquer bottom and the emaciated body of the performer, revealing an eerie, dark essence.

Meanwhile, the notifications continued to update, and everyone was holding their breath, focusing on them.

[Each challenger has a key that can unlock a blessed bedroom.]

[Each bedroom can accommodate a maximum of two challengers; exceeding this number will nullify the blessing.]

[Solving the mansion's puzzles has significant meaning for regular challengers.]

[Among the regular challengers, one is a detective.]

Dekan and Cornelia both couldn't help but pat their pockets and found that there was indeed a key inside.

Furthermore, their clothes seemed to give them a slightly uncomfortable feeling.

It wasn't because they didn't fit.

It was just that they were dressed messily.

It was as if they had just rushed down from their beds and hastily changed their clothes.

This was definitely related to the plot background.

In general, they didn't care much about the plot.

But...

Cornelia's attire this time was very special.

She wore a detective's deerstalker on her head and a beige woolen coat.

Even without doing anything, she had already attracted the attention of everyone in the room.

Dekan, using both hands to pat his cheeks, seemed to be trying to wake himself up.

The weather did make it easy for people to feel drowsy.

"What's going on?"

He noticed Cornelia's attention, met her gaze, scanned the surroundings, and instantly understood Cornelia's predicament.

She was confused and had no idea what was happening.

"Say whatever you want to say, just go with the flow. Treat me as your assistant."

Dekan slightly tilted his head and whispered in her ear.

"Okay."

Cornelia nodded.

Then she looked at everyone sincerely and said, "I haven't thought of anything, please don't expect much from me."

"Phew."

Upon hearing this, an elegant and graceful girl smiled.

It seemed that Cornelia's words had slightly eased the tense atmosphere in the living room.

"Anyway, let's start by discussing things."

This girl took over the conversation.

She appeared to be around 16 years old, had a slender figure, and possessed exceptional beauty. It was easy to guess that she was a noble in the real world.

"I'm Lilith, a sophomore at Philoen Academy, and I'm good at solving puzzles and detective-themed Shadow Worlds."

Having said that, she looked at Cornelia, smiling as she asked, "Miss Detective, if you're clueless, do you mind passing your job to me?"

Cornelia hesitated.

All the challengers present knew that Cornelia, having the role of a detective, essentially acted as the leader of the group. Her words carried weight.

Just when she was about to look at Dekan, seeking guidance from him, Dekan lightly patted her back.

She instantly understood Dekan's meaning - to improvise, not to look at him.

So, Cornelia nodded in Lilith's direction.

She had become a detective somewhat haphazardly and didn't want to burden the other challengers.

But now, someone who appeared clever was willing to take over her role. It was quite a relief.

Lilith's lips curled into a slight smile.

"Thank you for your trust, Miss Detective."

Although the content of her words was humble, Lilith's tone didn't conceal her underlying arrogance.

It seemed like she was proud to regain the identity that rightfully belonged to her.