Only the most hopeless fool wouldn't understand the hidden meaning behind the octopus "Ka's" words.

This aperitif...

Definitely had major problems.

After drinking it, one would most likely exhibit behaviors like "weeping, cursing, and damaging tableware."

Clearly, no fools were present at the table.

This was both an explanation of the rules and a well-intentioned reminder.

"Snatching glasses" wasn't the only challenge during the aperitif segment—this dungeon was far from being just a simple 'Competition' between players.

Lin Yu stared at the wine in his glass, feeling a headache coming on.

But as 'Fluoxetine'...

Lin Yu had no choice but to put on an air of confidence and keen interest.

"How fascinating!"

He chuckled lightly, being the first to raise his goblet and drain it in one gulp.

The wine from a "deity's" banquet—one named after the god of "fine wine" no less—was truly extraordinary.

Cool, slightly sweet, with the aroma of fermented grapes gliding across his taste buds, its deliciousness surpassed any beverage Lin Yu had ever tasted.

And yet...

This wine contained something beyond human "taste"—an experience that literally struck straight at Lin Yu's soul.

Just as Ka had introduced it as "Mourning Wine"...

The component in the crisp wine that went beyond "flavor" was "emotion."

An emotion called "grief."

These emotions violently swallowed Lin Yu whole, then conjured up the most "mournful" images from the depths of his heart.

That was...

A great fire and explosion.

Roaring flames, buildings on the verge of collapse.

People wailing in grief knelt on the ground, their cries carried by billowing smoke that pierced the sky like an accusation against the gods.

In his daze, Lin Yu saw this long-buried memory.

In the previous dungeon, to deceive the monster called 'Chate', he had fabricated a tragic past and identity—a boy whose loved ones perished in an explosion and fire during his childhood.

But this wasn't entirely a lie.

Though Lin Yu's father wasn't a miner and didn't die in an explosion...

Long ago, Lin Yu did indeed lose a loved one in a fire.

He silently watched the flames, their flickering light reflected in his eyes.

This was probably the most "grievous" event he had experienced in his life.

"No wonder that octopus said what it did..."

Lin Yu murmured to himself.

Drinking this wine seemed to forcibly make people relive their most sorrowful scenes and memories.

Even knowing they were just phantoms of the past, maintaining complete emotional control... was incredibly difficult, wasn't it?

"Bang!"

"Damn it, this accursed wine!"

Lin Yu faintly heard a curse—seemingly from 'Fish'.

And she seemed to have punched the table for good measure.

There were also faint "sobbing" sounds... someone had clearly failed to hold back their tears.

"Some people really fell for it, huh."

Lin Yu mused.

Though everyone present was highly skilled...

Being emotionally affected by painful memories wasn't really related to skill level.

Like right now...

Lin Yu still had plenty of capacity to observe others.

That explosion and fire that took his loved one did make his heart palpitate slightly when recalled.

But...

Mastering one's emotions was an actor's most fundamental skill.

Seeing this scene recreated, Lin Yu could still clearly remember his feelings from back then.

There was both "shock" and "grief," but the predominant thought...

Was precisely why Lin Yu still remembered those feelings so clearly.

"I need to remember these 'intense emotions'—they might be useful for acting."

In fact, after calming down, Lin Yu even began observing the grief-stricken expressions of others who had also lost loved ones.

This was exactly why the memory's imagery remained so vivid.

People collapsing to the ground, wailing loudly, trying to rush into the fire, trembling uncontrollably...

Thus, Lin Yu didn't need to put up any resistance against this sorrow from his past.

Even if he had been emotional at the time, after repeatedly and calmly dissecting and analyzing his state of mind, he had nearly grown accustomed to it.

So Lin Yu simply watched everything unfold with perfect calm, as if granted a rare opportunity to review and carefully observe this memory once more.

It had to be said—after professionally studying acting theory and performing on stage for two years, revisiting these rare life experiences as material did indeed bring deeper understanding.

"My acting skills actually improved a bit from this."

Lin Yu reflected inwardly.

Then, the memories before his eyes dissipated, and Lin Yu felt his vision clear again.

Though his alcohol tolerance wasn't bad, he didn't feel the slightest effect from drinking now, as if he'd never touched the wine.

"Truly miraculous!"

He marveled, then looked around.

Fish appeared to be in terrible shape—the young girl's face was dark, her killing intent almost tangible.

Next was Radish;

the simple old farmer had seen something that left him choking back tears, completely unable to control himself.

The others were doing slightly better, though their eyes were reddened, expressions tinged with sorrow.

Phantom was pinching himself hard.

Li Hua gazed up at the distant sky.

Mosin-Nagant took out a pocket watch from his coat, seemingly looking at a photo.

Robin changed her sitting position—hugging her knees with her head buried between them.

The atmosphere at the table was intensely oppressive.

Only Lin Yu's expression remained perfectly normal.

In fact, Lin Yu couldn't help but ponder:

"Should I pretend to be sad too?"

"I'm playing Fluoxetine—how would she act in this situation..."

As he thought this, Lin Yu belatedly realized something and sighed slightly.

If 'Fluoxetine' were here, she would probably also be dazed and sad for a while.

An uncomfortable truth presented itself to Lin Yu:

"Perhaps in this aspect, I'm even more abnormal than that universally acknowledged lunatic Fluoxetine."

Realizing this, Lin Yu shook his head.

Then reluctantly forced out a somewhat sorrowful expression.

Fortunately, his acting skills were superb and his expressions changed swiftly—even without an ounce of real grief, he could flawlessly display the perfect amount of melancholy befitting Fluoxetine's identity.

The octopus "Ka" spoke with a smile:

"It seems everyone thoroughly enjoyed the delicious 'mourning' brought by the aperitif..."

"Mourning is the most important emotion—the foundation of revelry. It's precisely because people seek reconciliation with grief that they often choose banquets and celebrations, using 'rituals' and 'remembrance' to soothe their pain."

"However... though you all indulged freely, some inevitably committed acts of rudeness. But the host's rules cannot be altered!"

As Ka spoke, it produced two waterproof-wrapped red buttons from the pool.

"Snap!"

After slamming the buttons down hard with two tentacles, a faint sound came from the air.

"Snap!"

The ropes on Fish and Radish's chairs abruptly snapped.