The two of them stepped through the door, and as soon as they entered, the system prompt echoed in their ears.

[Stage One Mission Objective Completed]

[Stage Two Mission Objective: Inside the Hiratsuka Family Residence, find the special scissors to remove the Shimenawa barrier of the Relationship Sealing Shrine]

The mission was updated.

Li Ang and Wang Congshan exchanged a glance and shared the update—they heard the same message.

"Find the scissors that can break the barrier,"

Li Ang said, "which means the source of the barrier’s power sealing the shrine entrance is indeed that shimenawa rope,

and the Hiratsuka Family happens to have a way to break the seal—maybe they set the barrier themselves, or maybe it was set by their enemies."

"That’s possible."

Wang Congshan nodded slowly, "The mission description mentions special scissors, meaning any random pair of scissors in the building won’t suffice.

It must be a very special pair of scissors.

But the good news is, since the system mentions special scissors, they’re likely placed in a prominent room or location,

saving us from thorough searching."

"Yeah."

Li Ang nodded, placed the Heart Monkey Staff behind his neck, rested both hands on its ends, and adopted the classic posture of that monkey, moving with a cocky swagger along the gravel path.

The overall architectural style of the Hiratsuka Family Residence resembles a blend of "shoin-zukuri" and "sukiya," with many residences, minimally painted buildings, large garden areas integrated with both artificial and natural landscapes.

Walking through it feels like viewing a scenic garden.

Unfortunately, the two players have no leisure to admire the scenery and quickly surveyed the distribution of the buildings, heading straight to the main hall.

The main hall doors were wide open, and no sooner had they stepped inside than Li Ang felt the light dim, a cold chill surrounding them from all directions, like invisible hands grasping at their ankles, reaching for their necks.

"Tsk, setting the air conditioning low doesn’t worry about catching cold."

Li Ang swung the Heart Monkey Staff as a warm-up, face unchanged.

"Are you cold?"

Wang Congshan hesitated for a moment; in theory, both players were wearing characters’ thin shirts, but Wang Congshan was wrapped in a bulletproof vest modified by the Axis Cube, providing some thermal insulation, so it wasn’t too cold.

"Want me to give you the bulletproof vest?"

"No need, you wear it."

Li Ang waved his hand, "Ten years of iced drinks, blood still runs hot.

Such meager cold can’t bother me."

Indeed, he didn’t feel very cold,

his training in Psychic Abilities making his mind and spirit resilient, and the current chill didn’t affect combat or thinking abilities.

Moreover, the Secondary Creation Technique of the Psychic Creation System could create clothes,

once Spiritual Power replenishes, he could create a warm jacket.

Besides, the surrounding chill could serve as an early warning—maybe when danger approaches, the temperature would drop again,

wearing too much could affect judgment.

"Hmm... This house seems unoccupied."

Li Ang glanced around,

at the forefront of the main hall was a screen with a gray bottom and yellow top, printed with cherry blossom patterns,

four red lanterns hung from beams supporting the hall’s four main pillars,

the wooden floor held little dust, no footprints or bloodstains, nor battle marks.

"There’s a staircase to the second floor on the right side of the main hall; each end of the hall also has a corridor."

Wang Congshan observed, "Three paths, where should we go first?"

"Hmm..."

Just as Li Ang was about to decide,

a creak, unmistakably footfalls on a wooden plank, sounded from the second floor.

Both players were on the first floor,

the noise from the second floor was extremely eerie and abrupt.

Li Ang’s pupils narrowed, he sprang onto the staircase, rushing to the second floor,

to see a figure covered in black hair turn into the corridor on the inner side of the second-floor platform, only leaving Li Ang with a view of its back.

The corridor on the inner side of the second-floor platform was relatively narrow and dim,

numerous hemp ropes hung from the ceiling above,

distributed densely along the corridor, purpose unknown,

"Stop!"

Li Ang shouted, instantly deploying his most practiced Psychic Enchantment System abilities, Dizziness Spell and Distraction Technique,

meanwhile, he threw the Heart Monkey Staff from his hand,

aiming to strike the black-haired figure to block its escape.

Li Ang specialized in the Psychic Enchantment System, even if his attributes were suppressed to normal levels by the system,

the released Dizziness Spell and Distraction Technique could still cause briefly severe debility or even unconsciousness, incapacitating trained warriors.

The black-haired figure trembled visibly, its legs buckling, almost collapsing.

Unfortunately, its thick fur led to misjudgment,

the Heart Monkey Staff didn’t fully hit, brushing across the figure’s fur, hitting part of its arm, then against the corridor wall.

Thud!

The black-haired figure’s right arm was brushed by the Heart Monkey Staff, twisted slightly,

but seemingly unfazed by pain, quickly recovering from psychic disturbance and the broken arm,

re-stabilizing its stance, it dashed into the rope-filled corridor,

disappearing from Li Ang’s view.

Bam!

Wang Congshan arrived in time, pulling the trigger,

the bullet from the gun struck the edge of the figure’s fur, leaving a mark on the wall at the corridor’s end, failing to hit the target.

"Comrade, hold on!"

"Interested in swimming and fitness, sir?"

"Hey buddy, you dropped your money!"

Li Ang shouted at the rapidly retreating figure, but couldn’t make it stop.

Cover me.

Li Ang rushed forward while signaling Wang Congshan,

after years together they had an unspoken understanding,

Wang Congshan leapt up, feet springing off walls, shifting left, aiming the pistol to cover the rope corridor,

Li Ang applied the Psychic Teleportation System Level-One Superpower [Speed Burst] to himself, tailing the black-haired figure, hurrying to the rope corridor.

Step.

The moment his foot landed on the corridor floor,

alarm bells rang in Li Ang’s head, a grim premonition enveloped him, stopping him mid-motion.

Countless hemp ropes from above seemed to sense an intruder,

writhing like snakes, swirling towards him,

with lightning speed, they entangled Li Ang’s neck and wrists,

suspending him like a hanged ghost.