I snagged a bargain in a melodramatic novel and became incredibly wealthy!

22:05

The villa, named Thorn Rose, emitted a faint light; Cai Yi and the others were still downstairs.

Jiang Li: "Shall we hide today?"

Caiyi was holding a painting in his hand, the very same oil painting he had seen in the room that day.

As night deepened, the faded colors in the oil painting began to come back to life, and the girl in the painting became vivid.

He Anyao touched her arm; she was so frightened that she had goosebumps.

"This thing looks really weird, let's put it back..."

Xiao Baihua: "We need to win this game."

After she finished speaking, she quietly went upstairs and carefully placed the painting in front of Shen Changfeng and the others' door.

The painting is the only portrait of the count's daughter, and also the only resting place for the count's soul.

Xiao Baihua: "This won't hurt them, will it?"

"They know the rules of the game and won't make a sound."

Caiyi: "Yes, that's why I wrote the words for the evil spirit to see."

Jiang Li glanced at the note Cai Yi had placed on the painting. The note was simple and clear: I know where your daughter is, but you need to help me deal with the people inside the door.

"Won't he kill us?"

"We don't know where his daughter is?"

Cai Yi: "Whether we know it or not is not important. What's important is that Shen Changfeng and the others are dead. We've won the game."

"Besides...do you really not know?"

Jiang Li: "...But this is just a guess."

He Anyao: "We'll know if we dig it up today."

While they were talking, Xiao Baihua was already standing by with her tools.

Before night had fully fallen, the four of them walked to the thorny rose bushes in front of the villa.

Everyone was holding a digging tool.

The color of the rose is no longer visible; only a patch of black remains.

Roses with thorns are difficult to handle even with tools; there are just too many of them.

The roses almost completely filled the front yard, leaving no gaps.

The four of them were stabbed quite a few times.

He Anyao's delicate face was deathly pale. She pursed her lips and silently dug.

The group didn't dare to use too much force, for fear of damaging what was inside.

22:59

The pale color was particularly glaring in the moonlit night.

He Anyao's hands trembled so much that she couldn't even hold the hoe properly. She covered her mouth tightly to prevent herself from crying out.

Caiyi patted her: "Be a good girl and stay here, we'll do it."

He Anyao calmed down, looked at her trembling hands, and stood obediently to the side, not daring to go too far away, as she was also afraid of other places.

They were afraid of damaging the body, so they didn't dare to use force or speed up; they were very careful.

After all, the count loved his daughter so much, and no one knew what would happen if the body deteriorated.

"Where is my daughter...?"

A cold, eerie voice sounded behind them.

Everyone was startled and turned around.

The count's eyes were dark and lifeless, his pale face bore faint, grotesque cracks, and blood and flesh clung between his white teeth. His black clothes reeked of blood, and dripped with deep red blood...

Cai pointed to the large pit that had been dug, swallowed hard, and said, "It's...it's here."

The others didn't dare to say anything.

The count's gaze fell on the pit in the rose bushes ahead.

The girl's eyes were closed, as if she were asleep, her hand clutching a withered rose tightly, just like the dried blood from the hole in her chest...

The next instant, the count appeared in the pit. He crouched down, his long, black fingernails extending out, about to touch the girl's fair, soft, cold skin, when he suddenly trembled and withdrew them. He pulled out his fingernails, wiped them on his clothes, carefully dug the girl out, held her in his arms, and stood up…

"Rose...your favorite..."

"I fed them lots of fertilizer... They're growing so well... Ya Ya, do you like them..."

The four of them watched the count's retreating figure, the image froze, and then began to crack.

They woke up.

Beside him were Wen Ye and his three companions, who were being controlled by Shan He.

He Anyao wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "How can this lousy game be so scary..."

Jiang Li: "Yes, but the count and his daughter are quite pitiful..."

Xiao Baihua: "It's not tragic, it's Ailiya who's tragic."

Cai Yi patted Xiao Baihua on the shoulder and said with a smile, "They were innocent and pitiful from beginning to end, except for Ailiya and the passersby who stayed at the villa."

"The count eventually found his daughter; how pitiful was that?"

Jiang Li blinked and smiled, "Yes, the Earl is not innocent."

She walked up to Wen Ye, looked at their angry expressions, and smiled, "You lost. Now, please keep your promise."

The mountains and rivers loosened their hands that were locked together.

Wen Ye glared angrily at Jiang Li, then said with a hint of shyness, "Very well, you've successfully caught my attention. I won't bully those students anymore."

"I agree to let you be my girlfriend."

Jiang Li: "???"

When did she say she wanted to be his girlfriend?

Caiyi: "..."

There are mentally ill people here.

Xiao Baihua grabbed Cai Yi, and He Anyao grabbed Jiang Li. The two said in unison, "Let's go, don't get infected by the lunatic."

Wei Yan and Shan He packed up their computers and the materials they had compiled during Caiyi's game, and then left.

Wen Ye was left behind, angrily cursing Shen Changfeng and the other two.

Shen Changfeng's brows furrowed with impatience: "If you weren't so timid, would we have lost so easily?"

Minghe: "Yeah, and you said you gave us an extra life, but the truth is, we were eaten alive by the evil spirits."

Tan Shaojie shuddered upon hearing Minghe's words: "What kind of crappy games are these, trying to make them look so realistic?"

"They're afraid we won't be scared to death."

Wen Ye: "This is ridiculous. This was developed by all four of our families together. How can it be my problem alone?"

The four parted on bad terms, and their relationship was completely broken.

With the addition of further evidence presented by Wei Yan, the holographic research project was forced to stop.

Because there really are people whose mental consciousness is trapped inside the game.

In pursuit of realism, the game's scenes are designed based on the experiences of living people.

If it doesn't exist, create it.

……

Cai Yi looked at Jiang Li with a puzzled expression: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Li: "I want to transfer schools."

Caiyi: "So suddenly, you're giving up your scholarship?"

Jiang Li: "The money I got from the ring Yao Yao gave me is enough for me to live on for a lifetime."

"I don't want to waste my time in this school. I want to see what the outside world is like."

Caiyi: "That's great, when are you transferring schools?"

Jiang Li: "Tomorrow."

Caiyi: "So eager?"

Jiang Li: "No rush, I reapplied to the military academy and have been accepted."

Cai Yi couldn't quite understand: "With your abilities, there's no need for you to choose a military academy, is there?"

Jiang Li: "I also want to be like you."

Caiyi: "...When did you find out?"

Jiang Li: "It hasn't been long, the day we moved in."

Financial fortune: "6"

"Then you should know that you can be admitted exceptionally, right?"

Jiang Li: "Taking the shortcut once is enough; I'll get addicted if I take it too often."

Caiyi couldn't resist pinching her plump, collagen-filled cheeks: "What Yaoyao gave you isn't a shortcut. If you really want to take a shortcut, you could just agree to be Wenye's girlfriend."

"Since you could guess that, then you should—"

Jiang Li: "But I'd rather get in on my own merit."

Caiyi: "Fine, fine, I got in through connections, sob sob sob..."

Jiang Li panicked a little and quickly waved her hands, "That's not what I meant!"

Caiyi made a face: "Hahaha, just kidding. I hope to see you at home soon!"

Jiang Li nodded: "I'll do it as soon as possible."

Caiyi couldn't resist pinching her cheek again: "You're still young, there's no need to work so hard, just have fun."

Jiang Li: "But I heard you're only 22 years old."

I'm a little disoriented about finances; it's been almost three years already.

That took a really long time...