If those who had accidents before were truly dead, why was no one looking for them?
So many people watched the streams; surely someone would notice those people never appeared again.
Didn't anyone find it strange?
Wouldn't their families and friends search for them?
From Nan Yue's perspective, this was definitely a dangerous mission where people died, but if it wasn't that way for the NPCs, then the role NPCs played in the mission was very subtle.
"That Daoist Qingfeng actually has some ability."
Zhu Xi Ning glanced indifferently at the lake behind them.
"But her power is quite ordinary. She only saw that the barren mountain was problematic, but she didn't find the truly most dangerous place."
Ordinary scavengers would feel a sense of repulsion toward the lake, as no one knew what exactly was inside.
But Zhu Xi Ning could feel more. "The barren mountain is indeed a problem; I can feel the danger."
"But the truly most dangerous thing, the one making my intuition scream..."
Zhu Xi Ning's gaze settled on that small Lake-center Pavilion on the water's surface.
Even from a distance, the exquisite and complex craftsmanship of that pavilion was evident.
"That pavilion is extremely dangerous."
The pavilion was too far away. Even with their excellent vision, they could only vaguely see its redwood pillars and the faded, tattered curtains.
As for what was inside the pavilion, they didn't know.
"This house gives me a strange feeling as well." Zhu Xi Ning frowned deeply. "There isn't a single place that's clean."
Wen Xiang Yuan's eyes widened in surprise. Was it that fierce?
Even in Antswamp Village, there was at least some pure land.
"Unless this is an extreme mission, it shouldn't be so unfriendly to scavengers. I'm leaning toward it being related to the so-called streaming mechanism."
Nan Yue pondered for a moment before comforting everyone. "Don't worry too much for now."
"Let's also take a look around."
The stream hadn't started yet, and since it was the very beginning of the mission, it should be relatively safe.
So, they split into pairs. Nan Yue had Jiang Siyan follow Zhu Xi Ning while she acted alone.
Jiang Siyan didn't say much. Although he had joined the team for Nan Yue, he also knew that since they were a team, having personal motives was fine, but those motives couldn't override the team's interests.
However, he once again had a new understanding of Nan Yue.
She was indeed someone very confident in her own abilities.
In a place like this, even he wouldn't want to act alone. It wasn't that he was afraid of life-threatening danger, but simply from a human physiological perspective, one didn't like being alone in such a gloomy place.
Nan Yue turned and walked toward the main hall.
This Zhou Family Compound was generally built according to the traditional style of ancient buildings, with the gate, front hall, and main hall aligned on a symmetrical central axis.
This lake, however, broke the layout of the most important second courtyard.
On the eastern side of the lake was a barren mountain, and directly facing the Lake-center Pavilion was the Zhou family's main hall, with the east and west wing rooms and the eldest son's room on either side.
It was a twenty to thirty-minute walk just from the front courtyard to the main hall. Although it was troublesome and time-consuming, it was the only way to reach the main hall.
The main hall was grand. Even though it was covered in a thick layer of dust, the exquisite craftsmanship was still visible, and there were even Western clocks, which must have been rare at the time.
Two gold-silk nanmu high-backed chairs faced the main door, with two glass screens of a hundred Buddhas placed on the left and right. Six chairs were arranged on both sides. The main hall alone was enough to show the family's immense wealth.
The bedrooms were filled with antique treasures, preserved exactly as they were under the thick dust.
If one were visiting here as a tourist, they would be struck by the weight of history.
But now, Nan Yue's attention wasn't on these old pieces of furniture that could tell stories. She tilted her head back, and the flashlight on the streaming equipment overhead cast a solid beam of white light.
In the beam of light, she could see dust dancing in the air, and...
Something on the roof.
The roof of the main hall was densely packed with statues of gods and Bodhisattvas.
On the rafters and under the eaves, statues of various gods were crowded together. The statues were exquisitely crafted, and despite the passage of time, one could still see the vibrant colors and lifelike details.
There were others in the main hall at this time. Many people wouldn't wander around such a gloomy place at night, and since the stream hadn't started, no one wanted to risk their lives.
But scavengers were different; they knew that not a single place could be overlooked.
At this moment, there was also a tall man in the main hall. He hadn't noticed the things on the ceiling at first because these statues were cleverly hidden in the shadows of the rafters when they were built.
If one didn't look up, they wouldn't find them.
But now, Nan Yue's light allowed him to see. The man's expression changed as he saw the scene on the roof, and he walked over to Nan Yue's side.
"How could it be like this..."
The man had a pleasant scent of ambergris on him, which smelled expensive. A look at his clothes and hairstyle confirmed that he wasn't a low-level scavenger struggling to survive.
He had delicate features, and because he stood close, Nan Yue could see that he had skillfully used makeup to maximize his natural handsomeness.
And Nan Yue recognized this man.
He was You Teng, ranked 10th on the Beauty Rankings.
To be honest, Nan Yue didn't quite understand the scavengers' obsession with these beautiful stars. At first, she thought that everyone loves beauty and it was normal to have someone to look up to.
But later, Nan Yue learned that many so-called fans actually wished to enter missions with their idols, feeling that if they could die for them, it would be for the best.
Nan Yue was shocked when she heard this.
Is someone who isn't a relative or friend, and who doesn't even know who you are, worth giving your life for?
But Jiang Siyan had explained it later. Scavengers were like tools maintaining the operation of the world.
No matter how well a tool was maintained, it would wear down and be consumed. Everyone knew their end would be dying in a mission one day.
No one would remember them.
In this hopeless, day-after-day life, faith would bring them hope and a sense of self-worth.
If one could give their life for someone they loved, then death would have a bit more value.
This was the thought of many fans.
"Of course, there are also many scavengers who firmly believe in the Scavenger Project. That is also a form of faith. They feel that giving their lives for the purification of the world is worth it."
Jiang Siyan's expression had been very indifferent at the time. When looking at this kind of psychology in others from an outsider's perspective, it felt tragic as well as ridiculous.
"You recognize me."
You Teng saw the slightly surprised look in Nan Yue's eyes and knew she recognized him.
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