Walking out of the Cauldron of Hell ran shop, Yuki patted her exposed midriff, accentuated by her crop top style. Her face radiated deep satisfaction, as if she’d just completed a marathon.
"It’s been ages since I ate sothing this good. Truly, spiciness is the ultimate justice that ignites the soul!"
Beside her, Ren didn’t comnt. He simply walked to a vending machine in front of the ran shop, bought a can of cold yogurt, and sipped it slowly. The sweet-sour taste helped neutralize the lingering spice on his tongue, though it wasn’t a big deal for him.
"Where to next?" Ren asked, glancing at Yuki, who was still brimming with excitent.
"Guess~"
"A love hotel?"
"Oi, oi, oi, Ren, are you seriously saying that? You’re even more shaless than I thought. No guy openly says they’ll take a girl to a love hotel, right?"
"Don’t lump in with the hypocritical guys out there." Ren replied, shrugging indifferently.
"Tsk. As if you’re not a hypocrite." Yuki muttered under her breath, just soft enough that Ren couldn’t hear clearly. She overestimated herself in front of a Campione, though, of course, she didn’t know that.
"Did you say sothing, Yuki?" Ren gave her a sharp look.
"Nothing. You must’ve misheard." Yuki flashed a sweet, entirely unconvincing smile. "Anyway, let’s head to the next place. You’ll find out when we get there."
With a mysterious, unexpected smile, Yuki turned and led Ren away from the bustling ran shop.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Twenty minutes later, their journey continued.
Yuki led the way, but she wasn’t in a hurry. Her hyperactive, childlike nature was on full display. Every ti sothing caught her eye, she’d abruptly stop.
Whether it was a shop displaying unique trinkets, a stall selling colorful candies, or even a poster for the latest ani on a building wall, Yuki would pause.
Without asking Ren’s permission, she’d step inside, examining every corner with sparkling eyes. Ren followed behind, occasionally letting out a resigned sigh, letting her enjoy every little detail she found in busy Shinjuku.
What should’ve been a short trip turned into a slow, distraction-filled exploration, but Ren showed no significant signs of impatience.
Truthfully, Ren was enjoying his ti with Yuki.
After all, doing the sa monotonous things every day would get boring sooner or later, and even sex was no exception.
Living a ’healthy’ life for a change—strolling without hidden agendas, browsing random shops, enjoying small things like Yuki did—was quite pleasant for him, a refreshing break from his usual lust-filled routine.
Finally, they stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary building amidst a row of other shops. Its facade was dominated by dark gray with dim blue neon accents around a minimalist entrance. There was only a simple logo of a crossed key and question mark, with the words "Tokyo Real Escape Ga" above it.
"So the place you ant is an escape room?" Ren raised an eyebrow, observing the building.
It was a branch of SCRAP, Shinjuku’s most famous escape room developer, known for its intricate thes and imrsive narratives, often drawing long lines on weekends.
"Disappointed it’s not a love hotel like you ntioned?" Yuki chuckled, ignoring the odd looks from passersby who overheard her bold remark.
"Not at all. There’s no disappointnt when there’s no expectation. From the start, I never thought a brocon like you would take to a love hotel." Ren said indifferently, shrugging.
After a brief but teasing exchange in front of the building, Yuki grinned with enthusiasm. "Alright, let’s go in."
"Mm." Ren replied curtly, nodding. He didn’t object, his curiosity piqued.
They entered the lobby of Tokyo Real Escape Ga, which was much brighter and more modern than its exterior. The walls were adorned with posters of past puzzles and gas, with groups looking either excited or exhausted after completing (or failing) their missions. After buying tickets, a friendly young staff mber greeted them and explained the basic rules.
"Welco to ’The Curse of the Twilight Temple,’" the staff began cheerfully. "Your mission is to solve the mystery of the Twilight Temple, hidden deep in the forest, find an ancient artifact, and escape before the temple’s guardian spirit locks you in forever. You have 60 minutes. Don’t damage the props, and if you’re truly stuck, you can request a hint, but it’ll deduct from your final score. Have fun!"
Ren and Yuki were given a small flashlight, a walkie-talkie to communicate with the staff, and a pen with a notepad. They were then led to an old wooden door carved with strange symbols.
As the door opened, they stepped inside, and it closed behind them with a soft creak.
Darkness enveloped them. The air in the room felt cooler, carrying a scent of moss and aged wood.
Ren switched on his flashlight, sweeping its beam around.
They were in a room resembling the entrance to an abandoned temple. The walls were made of imitation stone that looked authentic, covered with artificial ’moss’ and ’roots.’
In the center of the room stood a small altar table with several miniature statues lined up. In one corner was an old-looking wooden chest, tightly locked.
"Okay, so ’The Curse of the Twilight Temple,’ huh?" Yuki whispered, her voice slightly echoing. "This is way darker than I imagined! So, Ren, what’s the plan? We need to find the first clue, right?"
Ren swept his flashlight across the room. "Usually, the first clue isn’t too hidden. Let’s check the corners and anything that seems out of place."
They began moving. Yuki approached the altar, examining the small statues. "These statues—why are there six? Shouldn’t there be five siblings in the temple’s folklore?"
She tried moving one, but nothing happened.
Ren focused on the walls, shining his flashlight on every detail. "Check out the inscription on that wall, Yuki. There’s so ancient writing carved there."
Yuki moved closer, Ren’s flashlight helping her read. "The letters are so weird... ’Six souls... one fate... the key lies hidden... behind the dancing shadows...’"
"Six souls? That matches the statues on the altar. But why six if the story is about five siblings?" Ren muttered, pondering the connection. "Dancing shadows... it might have sothing to do with light or movent."
He then noticed an ancient lantern hanging in the corner, just above the inscription. Approaching it, Ren saw it seed movable. He tried pushing it to the side.
*CREAKKK...!*
Suddenly, a chanism clicked, and a small panel in the wall slid open, revealing a tattered paper scroll.
Reviews
All reviews (0)