HM Chapter 16

Translator's note:

Hi! I know picking up another novel probably isn't the best idea, but I love this novel to bits and I actually have motivation to translate because I'm reading as a translate (compared to ATIS).

this novel is also a lot easier to translate in general because it doesn't use as much slang (and has no internet posts so far). I already have a stockpile, so don't sweat the update rate!! updates will probably be fridays, or more often if I have some to spare. given that it's been 2 years since last update, I think I'm in the clear!

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Bad luck.

Drawing the bad lot was unfortunate, and choosing this game mode was also unfortunate.

Gold stared at the dark underground passageway, trying hard to maintain a calm expression on her face, but the corners of her eyes betrayed a hint of unease.

The long-sealed basement was opened. The heavy copper chains hanging on the door clanged loudly and sharply, like a thick python being drawn out, and once piled on the ground, the massive iron door revealed an entrance just wide enough for a person to pass through.

The iron door was covered in dust, and the deep and thick grime underneath was congealed in patterns reminiscent of dried bloodstains. Gold stared at that point, and her heart gave a slight thump.

The servants in charge of leading the way and opening the door were silent, like humanoid dolls carved out of stone. Once the chains were removed, they stood on either side, silently watching the three remaining players.

Gold felt as if she could hear a silent urging.

Taking a deep breath, she was about to step inside when Curly stepped into the entrance ahead of her, hands in pockets.

Gold's impression of Curly wasn't great—to be precise, she was wary of players whose abilities far exceeded her own. But this one action brought her a surprising sense of reassurance.

Following Curly was Yuan Yuxue.

Yuan Yuxue’s skin was so pale that even in the dim light, his wrists and neck seemed washed by moonlight, with a cool white complexion. It seemed as though you could almost see the faint blue veins beneath his skin. Walking ahead, he was inexplicably eye-catching, like a lamp in the dark. Gold was momentarily stunned before silently following behind him.

In front of them lay unknown fears, while behind them was the exit. This position brought Gold a peculiar sense of safety.

The servants watched them from behind but didn’t immediately lock the basement door as one might have expected. Instead, their cold mechanical gaze remained fixed on them, pushing the trio deeper into the pitch-black corridor. Gold felt those eyes on her back and didn't turn around.

Curly, though talkative, irritable, and noisy, found his shortcomings turning into specific strengths in this environment.

At the very least, while Curly criticized the basement's dust, poor air quality, outdated decor, and compared the architectural equipment to a condemned building in need of immediate renovation, any trace of horror in the atmosphere was dispelled entirely by his chatter.

The path clearly sloped downward, and the corridor was equipped with antiquated lighting.

Brass lamps lined the walls, burning what seemed like ancient oil, and the flames flickered faintly within the lampshades, as if they might extinguish at any moment. The lights were spaced far apart, casting weak light, so visibility was low. Once they left the entrance, it became difficult to see anything. Curly casually remarked, "This path is really hard to walk, with such dim lights, I can barely see a thing..."

Although no one responded, Curly was adept at self-conversation and seriously contemplated before saying, "If you’re worried about tripping, you can hold onto me."

Curly was only a couple of steps away from Yuan Yuxue, and after saying this, he withdrew his hand from his pocket and extended it toward Yuan Yuxue.

Perhaps because he had just taken it out of a cotton pocket, Curly’s hand was warm, carrying the unique heat of youth. His fingers were long but stiff, slightly damp with sweat. Curly, with a reluctant expression, added, "…Special circumstances. I’ll make an exception and not mind too much. Let you hold my hand. After all, teammates should help each other."

Gold, standing nearby: “……”

She was generally of a serious and reserved nature, but Curly’s unexpected gesture made her want to laugh. She impulsively asked, “And what about me? Whom should I hold?”

For a moment, Curly's face likely showed thoughts like “What does this have to do with me?” But recalling his own reasoning, he reluctantly said, “You can hold onto Yuan—oh, forget it, hold onto me instead. But since it’s a man and a woman, it might not be proper. You can just grab my shirt to guide yourself.”

Gold: “……”

Yuan Yuxue only seemed to realize what Curly was discussing at this point. The hand extended in front of him was already cooling in the air of the corridor, yet he didn't take it, merely asked curiously, "Is it too dark to see?"

Curly mumbled an acknowledgment.

So, Yuan Yuxue took a couple of steps to the side, finding a hidden switch nearly camouflaged with the engraved patterns on the wall, and flipped it. Instantly, the entire corridor lit up with warm yellow incandescent lights, though still dim, far brighter than the sporadic brass lamps.

Yuan Yuxue calmly explained, "I didn't realize you couldn’t see before."

That’s why I didn’t turn on the lights.

Curly: “……”

He was bursting with silent complaints inside, wishing he could drag the mansion's owner, André, out to give him a piece of his mind.

What's with this nonsense? Didn't you say you didn't like it and sealed it off long ago? Why install light bulbs in the basement? Can't even maintain the original feel of the building.

This is embarrassing.

Curly struggled to maintain an expression of ease as he withdrew his hand, wiping it in his pocket. A lingering sense of regret surfaced within him, something he couldn't quite grasp.

Why should he feel regret?

Was it because he lost the chance to help a fellow player and showcase his noble character?

Curly frowned as he pondered.

With Curly falling silent, Gold seized the opportunity to carefully ask Yuan Yuxue, “Yuan Yuxue, have you seen the map of the basement?”

She asked tentatively, without much hope.

“…I’ve seen the general area divisions but am unsure about the functional areas,” Yuan Yuxue replied.

This wasn’t due to a memory issue; rather, the initial scan of the villa’s basement had been blurred by some interference, providing limited feedback.

Yet even this amount of information was a pleasant surprise. Gold appeared sincerely grateful and requested, “Could you draw it for me? A simple map would be fine, to prepare for emergencies… I have paper and a pen here.”

Gold habitually carried a plain notebook and a pen in a specially sewn pocket of her coat. But after making this request, she felt a twinge of uncertainty.

Sharing information was common among players, but asking for it one-sidedly was somewhat overstepping.

Gold was someone who knew her boundaries well. Her experiences in the game made her more cautious and alert than players with similar experience.

Yet this newcomer didn’t give off any sense of danger. Despite his taciturn nature, Yuan Yuxue exuded an aura that was reassuring and gentle, prompting Gold to make such an abrupt request.

“I’m sorry,” Gold quickly realized their relationship wasn’t close enough for such requests and promptly apologized, “Drawing it might be troublesome; you can just describe it verbally. I can exchange an item with you for the information.”

As she considered which item to offer, Yuan Yuxue had already extended his hand toward her.

His fingers were long and elegant, the skin smooth and fine. Thanks to the red medicine's healing, not a trace of the previous cuts remained.

Even in the dim lighting, his form retained a certain graceful charm.

“Paper,” Yuan Yuxue said simply, “drawing it out would be more straightforward.”

He added, “No need.”

Gold took a moment to understand Yuan Yuxue meant no need for an item exchange.

For Yuan Yuxue, sharing the map was a common practice, typically achieved through direct data transfer.

Only in extreme situations where data transmission was blocked, or to avoid enemy detection, would he resort to such primitive methods.

Like now, Yuan Yuxue took the notebook Gold handed him.

Finding a place to brace it wasn’t difficult. Yuan Yuxue turned to a blank page, pressing the spine against the wall and began to sketch.

Yuan Yuxue’s back was straight, presenting a striking silhouette with a narrow waist and long legs. His shoulder blades were prominent, inviting an almost irresistible urge to touch his back or waist. But this posture wasn’t exactly comfortable; it was hard on the arms and shoulders.

Curly almost suggested: Just use my back as a table, I can squat down and be your human desk. But before he could voice this thought, his gaze fell on Yuan Yuxue’s wrist—

The sleeve, pulled down by gravity, exposed a stretch of pale wrist, delicate and pearl-like. Curly couldn’t help but think: Yuan Yuxue must have weak strength; how could a guy have such thin wrists? They look like they could be encircled easily with one hand.

By the time Curly realized the absurdity of his musings—like how easily he could wrap his fingers around that wrist—Yuan Yuxue had finished the drawing.

He handed it to Gold, and Curly naturally leaned over for a look.

Yuan Yuxue had drawn quickly, so Curly expected a rough sketch… Though it seemed simple at first glance, the proportions and pathways were incredibly clear and intuitive. Apart from not labeling the rooms’ purposes, the map was practically a textbook cross-section illustration, neat and aesthetically pleasing.

Curly couldn’t come up with better praise; at most, he could only say the lines were impressively straight, as if drawn with a ruler.

There was some real skill here.

Curly asked, “Did you study art before?”

Yuan Yuxue replied plainly, “No.”

“I have no connection to art.”

Robots can never possess the sensitivity or creative passion needed for art, hence their disconnection from the subject.

Curly had only asked casually, not thinking much of it, and said, “Well, you have a knack for it,” before moving in to examine the map. He pointed to the central area and suggested, “Should we explore here first? It’s the largest section, must be hiding something. Plus, it’s connected on all sides, good for a quick escape.”

Gold: “……”

Can’t you say something more optimistic?

Translator's Note

I felt that leaving their names translated made more sense then having Gold, for example, as Ah Jin, because the players intended it to be anonymous in that way.

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