Douluo Continent: Little Huo Niang Taken Away by Di Tian

Chapter 210 Top Priority

Mirror Red Dust Mansion, Study.

The afternoon sun slanted across the Soul Guiding Light Screen, making the large pink artistic characters—"Laughing at the World's Top Secret Love Operation Plan"—seem particularly dazzling.

"Brother, sit up straight!"

Meng Hongchen adjusted his decorative frameless glasses, clicked the electronic pen in his hand to open the next page, and said with a serious expression as if he were presiding over a top-secret meeting of Mingde Hall, "At this moment, the most important matter is the one that will determine the future rise and fall of our Hongchen family!"

On the sofa, Xiao Hongchen's body was stiff and his mouth twitched; while Jing Hongchen next to him had a kind expression that said, "I'll just watch the show quietly."

"Target locked: Huo Yutong!" Meng Hongchen waved his electronic pen, drawing a circle on the screen with the laser pointer. "Xiao Hongchen, don't try to deny it. Your little schemes are easier to dismantle than the Soul Guidance Core Array."

"Nonsense!" Xiao Hongchen snorted coldly, though her ears turned slightly red. "I just want to surpass her in the skill of soul tools—purely an academic competition!"

"Oh dear," Jing Hongchen interjected at the opportune moment, blowing away the tea foam, "Laugh out loud, academic pursuits are important, but so are people. Otherwise, if one day they get snatched away by those little wolf cubs from Shrek Academy, don't be crying under the covers."

"Exactly!" Meng Hongchen immediately pulled up a data report. "I just got information from Ning Tian and Xiao Xiao: Shrek Academy is sending a ton of love letters to Yu Tong every day!"

Xiao Hongchen couldn't help but ask, "...And then?"

"Rejected them all!" Meng Hongchen snapped his fingers triumphantly. "What does this mean? It means we still have a chance! After this period of investigation, I have extracted all of Yu Tong's 'core parameters for choosing a partner'."

She turned the page, and a line of large characters appeared on the screen: Mature and steady, exuding a strong sense of security, gentle and reliable senior type.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hongchen subconsciously straightened his back, trying to make himself look...more mature.

"Brother, don't be so serious," Meng Hongchen waved her hand dismissively. "Grandpa named you 'Xiao Hongchen' (meaning 'Smiling Red Dust'), not 'Cold Red Dust' (meaning 'Cold Red Dust'). Smile more; your icy face is likely to scare away young girls."

"I..." Xiao Hongchen took a deep breath, finally stopping her stubbornness, and lowered her voice a few decibels, "I admit, she is indeed... dazzling."

"That's more like it!" Meng Hongchen's fingers flew across the screen. "I'm organizing a game this weekend! Murder mystery? Board games? Or Werewolf?"

No, the werewolf kills aren't enough. I need to devise a simpler scenario so you have a chance to show off your 'tiny bit' of mature charm in front of her!

Looking at his two lively children, Jing Hongchen silently took a sip of tea, thinking that he could just wait and watch the drama unfold.

On weekends, sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the fourth floor of the Mingdu Plaza, lazily illuminating the solid wood floors of the "Locking Hearts Pavilion" murder mystery game shop.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of fruit tea and woody fragrance.

Inside the VIP room, Hongchen and his sister, Huo Yutong, Ning Tian, ​​Xiao Xiao, and He Caitou, who was "casually" brought along by Meng Hongchen to make up the number of people, were sitting around a large octagonal table.

In order not to expose her ulterior motive of "being close to the water tower and getting the moon first", Meng Hongchen went to great lengths.

Like an over-energetic commander, she not only personally selected the scripts but also forcibly distributed snacks to everyone: "Murder mystery games are all about having a lot of people and having a good time!"

Considering that everyone present except for her, a "veteran player," was experiencing this new "question mark decryption" gameplay for the first time, Meng Hongchen specially chose an introductory-level modern romance novel—"The Forgotten Time."

"Has everyone received their scripts?" Meng Hongchen put on a pair of black-rimmed glasses, trying to look like a professional DM (host). "I'm organizing a gathering this weekend, so everyone better perform well!"

Huo Yutong sat by the window, quietly listening to the discussions and complaints from those around her who were unfamiliar with the rules.

Ning Tian and Xiao Xiao huddled together and whispered to each other, clearly still struggling with the role assignments; He Caitou, on the other hand, looked honest and focused on reading the script.

Sitting opposite Huo Yutong, Xiao Hongchen seemed somewhat distracted. His gaze kept drifting past the script and landing on Huo Yutong.

To conceal his focus, he picked up the fruit tea in front of him and took a big gulp, but frowned slightly because it was too hot.

[Start Game]

As Meng Hongchen (DM) pressed the remote control, the room lights dimmed, leaving only a few streaks of purple ambient light to outline the figures.

"Welcome to 'The Forgotten Time'. In the winter of 1999, heavy snow blocked the roads, and the five of you were stranded in a remote hot spring resort for different reasons..." Meng Hongchen's voice became ethereal.

The game quickly broke the ice.

During the evidence-gathering phase, Xiao Hongchen was given the role of "the dignified senior," while Huo Yutong was given the role of "the young lady who had just returned from abroad."

While others were concealing clues from each other, Xiao Hongchen awkwardly tried to get closer to Huo Yutong under the guise of "role-playing".

"Yutong, here's a clue card about the car accident from back then." Xiao Hongchen leaned forward slightly. "I remember your character... seems to really need this."

Huo Yutong looked up and said, "Really? Then I'll trouble you, senior. But my character seems to be more concerned about that unsent love letter."

In that instant, Xiao Hongchen felt the air around him heat up.

Meanwhile, Meng Hongchen, standing to the side, was secretly delighted to see her brother looking so aloof yet so flustered.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the heated debate and back-and-forth.

When Meng Hongchen announced that the "real culprit" had successfully escaped, the game ended, and the streetlights outside the window were already on.

Everyone ate snacks and drank beverages, reviewing the plot of what had just happened, and the private room was filled with laughter.

"We had a lot of fun this time. Let's get together again next week?" Xiao Xiao suggested.

"Okay, next time let's get a more challenging, hardcore laptop." He Caitou nodded.

Everyone agreed and made plans for the next gathering.

Just as Meng Hongchen was about to announce the end of the event and enjoy the fruits of victory, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open by an external force.

The relaxed and pleasant atmosphere froze in that instant.

A tall and imposing figure stood at the entrance—the Third Prince, Xu Tianming.

He wasn't wearing elaborate royal attire today, but rather a well-tailored white suit, holding a bouquet of vibrant red roses in his hands, and sporting his signature, flawless smile that could charm countless young women.

He walked straight in, as if this were his home turf.

Target locked.