Stockpiling Supplies&Raising a Child in a Post-Apocalyptic World by DrawingCards

Chapter 122

When Lin Ran woke up, she found herself in an endless rose garden. The roses were in full bloom, their vibrant red color dazzling and almost sinister.

"Hello, Player Lin Ran. You have entered the Rose Manor. To enter the manor itself, you must find the owner's invitation within 20 minutes, or you will be eliminated."

A cold mechanical voice echoed in her ears. Lin Ran looked around and saw an old building not far away, resembling a European castle.

As Lin Ran pondered how to find the invitation, the roses behind her began to move, as though they had been given life. Their petals split open, revealing gaping mouths.

The green, thorny vines slithered up, trying to bind Lin Ran from behind and swallow her whole.

Sensing the threat behind her, Lin Ran wasn't about to wait for formalities. She knew this wasn't a typical rules-based game; everything seemed to revolve around the castle up ahead.

In an instant, a Tang sword appeared in her hand, and she quickly turned, slashing at the roses.

Her blade moved swiftly, slicing through the thorny vines and the roses with their gaping mouths. Amid screams, the roses around her were soon in shambles.

"Stop! Stop cutting!"

"Ah! It hurts! Please stop, sister!"

"I know where the invitation is! Who has it? Bring it to her quickly! I give up!"

"Over here! Over here!"

T/N: Its kinda funny how Lin Ran solves her problems with a bit a violence (just like the ghost from past dungeons)

In the distance, one of the roses raised a black invitation with its vines. As it lifted the invitation, the surrounding roses helped pass it along until the ornate black card was placed in Lin Ran's hand.

At her feet, a rose that had been cut in half whimpered, "Sister, hurry into the castle. If you're late, you won't make it."

"Yes, yes, go quickly."

The roses around her whispered, eager for Lin Ran to leave.

But Lin Ran wasn't in a rush. She pointed her sword at one of the roses nearby. "What's going on here? Why are you all planted here?"

"We were once dying people. Some are randomly chosen to enter the Rose Manor. The people who come here must complete various tasks. If they fail, they die on the spot, and their souls are planted in this rose garden. But if they succeed, they will be rewarded with a healthy body in the real world."

The rose's vine tilted as it spoke, and its petals slumped to the side. "But you've probably noticed by now... there are so many roses here. I've lost track of how long I've been here, and I've never seen anyone make it out alive..."

Before it could say more, something seemed to stuff its mouth. No matter how much it struggled, it couldn't say another word.

A nearby rose quietly whispered to Lin Ran, "The master here doesn't let us reveal anything about what's inside. Just be careful, or you'll end up like us."

Lin Ran nodded, gazing into the distance. The rose garden seemed endless—how many lost souls were trapped here?

Her eyes shifted to the card in her hand. It was made of black, stiff paper, with a line of golden script on the back: To my esteemed guest, welcome to Rose Manor.

With the invitation in hand, Lin Ran walked toward the castle gate under the watchful eyes of the roses.

On the other side, Wei Qingxue woke up at the entrance to Rose Manor. She didn't see Lin Ran or Ding Tong, but she remembered Lin Ran mentioning that the dungeon might separate them upon entry. As a result, Wei Qingxue remained calm.