The excuse isn't much better than the previous supernatural old woman's.
Rushing to attend a wedding banquet? If she'd said she was rushing to a funeral feast, I might have pretended to believe that.
While the live stream comments were collectively complaining, the red-dressed woman, noticing the hesitation inside the vehicle, added another compelling argument. With a sincere expression, she said, "I know the paths through this forest. I'm willing to guide you. Even with this fog now, if you follow my directions, you won't get lost."
"This... we need to discuss it among ourselves." Tan Xingyun pretended to look apologetic as he spoke to the red-dressed woman.
The red-dressed woman said nothing, nor was she as aggressive as the previous supernatural old woman. She simply nodded and stepped back to the roadside, though her face still showed anxious impatience.
Xu Xiuman withdrew her observing gaze and turned her head to speak in a low voice as she voiced her considerations to the group: "Regardless of whether what she says is true or false, the mist in the forest is indeed very thick. Visibility is terrible. If we charge in recklessly, we'll likely get lost inside... Furthermore, we don't know if there are other dangers lurking in the forest."
"Correct." Tan Xingyun first affirmed Xu Xiuman's viewpoint, then added his own analysis, "But after experiencing that old woman blocking our way earlier, it doesn't make sense that we'd encounter a similar road-blocking tactic. So, I'm more inclined to believe this woman can actually help guide us, though the danger might come from elsewhere."
Li Kang, unusually applying his brain, joined the discussion: "Maybe it's exactly what the instance intends! After we suffered from that old woman's trick, encountering a woman using a similar tactic, we'd definitely avoid being fooled again, and thus end up missing the hint meant for us!"
Hey, this kid's little brain is getting smarter too!
Don't say that, it sounds quite reasonable, like a trap the instance would set.
Ultimately, it's a gamble. This instance doesn't seem to focus much on puzzles; it appears to emphasize the players' choices more.
Tan Xingyun and the others gradually realized this point as well.
Starting from when they encountered the funeral shop, they've mostly been making choices.
If they choose wrong, death awaits them.
Xu Xiuman lowered her head as if pondering for a moment, then quickly raised it again and said seriously, "My suggestion is, we can let her get in the car, but..."
"But we still need to test her further." Tan Xingyun understandingly added the latter part of the sentence.
Li Kang looked left and right, genuinely not understanding where the rapport between these two came from. Weren't they all meeting for the first time?
Is this the rapport between smart people?
Xu Xi didn't quite understand either. He was hesitating about whether to speak up and ask, otherwise, with everyone actively discussing, him saying nothing made him seem like he was just coasting along.
But he truly didn't know whether they should let that red-dressed woman into the car.
Li Kang's words made sense, but what if the instance precisely predicted they would think that way?
Before Xu Xi could speak, Tan Xingyun had already preemptively asked for his opinion.
"Brother Xu, what are your thoughts?"
Xu Xiuman and Li Kang simultaneously turned their gazes towards him.
Xu Xi was momentarily stunned. He always felt his teammates seemed a bit overly expectant of his opinion.
He thought for a moment, then shook his head: "I have no objections."
Leaving aside the unknown dangers potentially hidden in the forest, just based on that thick white fog where you can't see your own hand in front of your face, they shouldn't charge in recklessly.
The appearance of a red-dressed woman who can guide them at this moment feels very coincidental.
Furthermore, looking at the beer-bellied uncle and the denim skirt woman, those two clearly already have a definite plan.
Just follow their plan then.
The worst outcome is just dying and trying again.
Xu Xi silently thought to himself.
For him, death and reloading was the shortcut to clearing the instance. However, he hadn't yet figured out the usage rules and limits of this ability, didn't know its ultimate constraints, so he didn't dare rely on it completely.
Although he kept muttering that it's best to avoid dying if possible, when truly faced with a difficult decision, he wouldn't refuse dying once to test the rules.
But Tan Xingyun and the other two were genuinely staking their one and only life, making this choice with determination.
Yet Xu Xi noticed that after he said those words, his teammates' expressions visibly relaxed significantly.
Even Xu Xi agrees to let the red-dressed woman in the car, seems there's not much danger.
Although I also have significant faith in Xu Xi, the dangers within the instance are countless, we can't let our guard down.
Tan Xingyun rolled down the car window, took out the pre-prepared paper money, and handed it to the red-dressed woman, his tone carrying apology: "Sorry, miss, my companions and I are in a hurry to get somewhere, it's really not convenient to give you a ride. Take this money, wait for the next vehicle."
If he had felt somewhat apprehensive before, after that Brother Xu didn't oppose his and the denim skirt woman's testing plan, he felt less nervous, and had a bit more confidence in his heart.
Judging by the other's sharp performance in handling crises earlier, their probing probably wouldn't involve great danger; otherwise, the other definitely wouldn't be so calm.
The red-dressed woman looked quite dejected after hearing this. Unlike the previous supernatural old woman who showed greedy desire for the paper money, she instead seemed indifferent about the paper money in Tan Xingyun's hand. She waved her hand and said, "I was the one asking you for a favor, how could I possibly accept your money?"
"You go on ahead, I'll wait and see if another car comes."
Just as the red-dressed woman, looking utterly disappointed, was about to turn away, Xu Xiuman promptly called out to her: "Please wait a moment."
"This place is so remote, who knows when the next car will come." This sentence was directed at Tan Xingyun as she turned her head, "Besides, she can guide us. How about we just give her a ride?"
"This..." Tan Xingyun appropriately showed a hint of hesitation.
Li Kang, finally understanding the meaning of their earlier conversation upon seeing this, cleverly joined in persuading: "Yeah, Uncle Tan, plus it's the wilderness, a young woman alone could easily encounter bad people. Even though we're in a hurry, at worst we can just drive faster later to make up time."
The red-dressed woman also didn't expect this sudden turn of events and looked expectantly at the middle-aged man in the driver's seat.
Tan Xingyun hadn't expected this kid to be so quick on the uptake. He immediately put on an expression of being persuaded, sighed, and said, "Alright then, get in the car."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" the red-dressed woman said joyfully.
"..." Xu Xi, who had observed the entire process, didn't even blink.
Good grief, this acting.
He felt rather out of place with his teammates.
The red-dressed woman ended up sitting to Li Kang's left, while Li Kang quietly shifted closer to Xu Xi.
Anyone would panic sitting next to a supernatural being!