The story of a bullied daughter's rise to power

"My name is Gusu, and I'm my father's daughter. Girl, apart from that, there's nothing else." Gusu's voice was low, with a hint of grievance and fear.

"I think this is not the first time someone has asked about the relationship between you and your father. Gusu, this is not the first time you have brought people here, but this is the only time you have followed in, right?" Situ Yaorao looked at Gusu with a slightly cold look in her eyes.

Gusu couldn't help but laugh when she heard this, and she laughed very happily: "Miss Situ, you are really smart. I knew I couldn't hide it from you."

"Your acting is terrible. You came to me so abruptly and told me about the treasure. I'm afraid your original intention was just to get me to accompany you here," Situ Yaorao said. Although she guessed the truth, her brows were furrowed tightly. This feeling of being used was not pleasant at all.

"You're right, girl. I really wanted you to bring me here. I'm sorry for taking advantage of you."

"I'm very curious. There should have been many people who could bring you in here before. Why do you have to let me bring you here?" Situ Yaorao stood at the entrance of the cave and continued to ask.

If she didn't get everything clear, she would never go down with this woman.

Seeing Situ Yaorao's persistent questioning, Gusu's eyes darkened slightly. "I...at first, I thought maybe someone would come out. Then, Daddy's wish could be fulfilled, and I wouldn't have to take any risks. But over the years, no one Daddy has sent down has ever come back up. If I don't go down, maybe Daddy's wish will never come true."

"Are you afraid of what's down there?" Situ Yaorao asked in confusion.

"Girl, you're joking. If there were a place where you would lose your loved ones if you went in, would you be afraid?"

"Of course I'm afraid," Situ Yaorao said. If she went into a place where she would lose Madam Situ, she would be afraid.

Gusu squatted beside the stone tablet: "I don't know who I am. When I wake up, I live in a dark place. There is no one there, and I will not die. But every day when I wake up, someone will bring me food. At that time, I thought, maybe I was kept in captivity by someone. This kind of life is terrible. I don't know what I will face the next day. I can only wait silently for others to judge my future. Those people gave me many books, and I read a lot. But after gaining knowledge, I became more afraid. Later, I found a way to dig a hole little by little, when no one was watching me. I dug the hole for a whole year, and dug such a big hole. And it was at that time that my father found me. He seemed surprised, and then took me home and raised me.

I've always been afraid of going back to that place. If I didn't go back, I could still consider myself a person in this world, but...if I go back, everything will go back to square one."

The woman's eyes were filled with tears as she spoke.

After hearing this, Situ Yaorao fell silent. She didn't know what to do.

It was obvious that this woman was someone who lived in the treasure world. Although I didn't know who she was, her words proved that there might still be someone managing this dark cave.

After going down, you might risk your life, just like those thousands of people.

"Can you take me down with you? As long as you can help me, I can promise that I will not let you die." Gusu grabbed Situ Yaorao's sleeve and begged.

"Why me?"

"Maybe... because you, young lady, consider me a family member." Gusu smiled bitterly: "I am really despicable, right? After knowing that Miss Situ considers me a family member, I am happy, but I also want to use you."

Situ Yaorao looked at the woman like this and sighed: "Call me sister."

"You...?" Gusu looked at Situ Yaorao in surprise.

"Since you want to fulfill your father's wish, then I naturally have no reason to refuse you." Situ Yaorao said with a smile. Then, she jumped down first.

Gusu stood at the entrance of the cave, looking at the black hole with a complicated expression. After a while, he gritted his teeth and jumped in.

The cave was not as dark as she had imagined. Situ Yaorao entered the cave, only to discover that this underground world was actually bright, with gurgling streams all around.

It can be said to be a different world.

"Is this where you lived before?" Situ Yaorao walked in front, holding the fire starter carefully to prevent any insects from falling.

"I don't know." Gusu shook his head. "Where I used to live, there were a lot of bamboos, but other than that, there was nothing else."

"Oh? Apparently, we're not in the place where those people are watching you." Thinking this, Situ Yaorao glanced around and took out the map again. The contents of the underground palace seemed to have been handed down from ancient times, and the map itself was a yellowish color. The corpse the old man wanted, along with the Ganoderma lucidum, were right in the center.

At the entrance, there were four water platforms, each containing a chessboard. After opening the four chessboards, one could reach the center. Situ Yaorao looked around and asked, "Gusu, do you know how to play chess?"

"Yes," Gusu said, and then jumped up first, and then, very quickly, he cracked the chess game on it. This surprised Situ Yaorao.

Seeing Situ Yaorao's surprise, Gusu smiled slightly: "I have learned these since I was a child. Later, when I escaped, I also experienced such a place, so I understand. Sister Situ, do you want to learn? I can teach you."

"Let's keep going." Situ Yaorao smiled. She had to admit that it was the right decision to bring Gusu down here.

Because of Gusu's presence, Situ Yaorao's journey was very smooth.

"Sister, look here." After walking across the water platform, what comes into view is a huge chessboard with some mechanical wooden figures standing on it.

As Situ Yaorao and Gusu went up, they saw the sixteen wooden figures around them suddenly move. Holding ice blades in their hands, they rushed towards Situ Yaorao and Gusu, as if they were going to kill them.

"Be careful!" When the wooden man was about to stab Gusu, Situ Yaorao hurriedly pulled him aside.

Gusu's face turned pale, and she looked at the wooden figures with lingering fear. "Oh my god, how scary! Are these things actually going to kill people?"

"It seems that the owner of this place doesn't want anyone to break into this underground world, so it's difficult to get in." Situ Yaorao thought thoughtfully.

"Sister Situ, the positions here should be arranged according to the chessboard. As long as we destroy the three red wooden men, we can break the formation." said the woman.

"Huh?" Situ Yaorao asked in confusion.

Gusu quickly continued to explain, "Sister Situ, look, the wooden figures around here are two colors, black and red. Just like chess pieces. But normal chess pieces are black and white, so, knocking down the red wooden figures is like knocking down the white ones. Three consecutive knockdowns should break the chess game."

"Is that so?"

Situ Yaorao was half-believing and half-doubting, but the next second the wooden man rushed over with a knife raised. Situ Yaorao looked at him and quickly dodged.

"Sister, be careful. These pieces of wood are made of nanmu. They are very strong." The woman continued. Upon hearing this, Situ Yaorao's eyes became fierce and she kicked the wooden figure fiercely.

No matter how strong it is, can it be stronger than a human?

If she couldn't even handle a pile of wood, those old guys in modern times would have expelled her from their sect long ago.

Situ Yaorao quickly knocked down the three red wooden figures. Sure enough, three white wooden figures emerged from the gap. A bridge appeared where the bar was broken.

There are four words written on the bridge: Anyone who enters will die.

"This is the Bridge of Life and Death," Gusu whispered. Touching the bridgehead, he seemed to be nostalgic. "Here, life and death are decided. Sister Situ, follow me."

"Okay." Situ Yaorao narrowed her eyes slightly. A hint of vigilance appeared in them. If she had escaped as Gusu had said before, she must have known the layout of this place a little too well, didn't she?

Or, even if she escaped, her status in this underground place is definitely more than just a prisoner. So... what does she want?