Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 25

Zhou Qian claimed that his strategy for clearing the level required him to sequentially visit rooms 4, 7, and 8, where he would have three gunmen each fire a bullet. He would first try room number 4.

If he failed to use his time-slowing skill to dodge the bullet, he would undoubtedly die. At that point, he would need He Xiaowei to save him with the Tick Tock Clock and then completely abandon this sub-quest.

However, if he succeeded, he could consecutively use his time-slowing skill three times to clear the level.

Now, Zhu Qiang discovered that Zhou Qian was lying.

He doesn’t have enough mana to use the skill three times!

He hasn’t even successfully obtained the Tick Tock Clock from Qi Liuxing!

Furthermore, when players opened unsafe rooms, they were invariably shot at, and the gunman’s accuracy was 100%! This meant that Zhou Qian shouldn’t be able to dodge the bullet in Room 4…

All in all, Zhou Qian wouldn’t enter Room 4. All of this was his deception!

From the moment Zhou Qian was accused by Situ Qing of being the murderer who killed Gao Shan, he didn’t even defend himself. He kept emphasizing that the game’s time limit was nearing its end and that everyone should focus on clearing the level.

Pretending to be a fanatical lunatic only concerned about clearing the level, he appeared not to care about Gao Shan’s life, Yun Xiangrong’s hatred, being misidentified as the killer, or even potentially being shot…

He Xiaowei and Lu Mengmeng… were all deceived by him. Zhou Qian even took a long time explaining the principles of this level, trying to convince them of his method. To further appear genuine, he pretended that he needed He Xiaowei’s, and even Lu Mengmeng’s, cooperation and help.

But what if all this was just a ruse Zhou Qian put on?

Everyone believed he would enter Room 4, but in reality, he wouldn’t.

Since he wouldn’t actually walk into this dangerous room to face the bullet, what was his real purpose in slowing down time?

It could only be to commit murder.

Who would he kill?

It had to be Lu Mengmeng, who possessed extremely fast speed.

Thus, the real purpose of slowing down time wasn’t to decrease the bullet’s speed but to decrease Lu Mengmeng’s speed!

Zhou Qian’s range for slowing down time was limited to an area of 10 square meters. If he openly expressed his intention to kill Lu Mengmeng, he would be on guard and escape in advance.

But with Zhou Qian’s series of deceits, Lu Mengmeng thought that the time-slowing skill was only to dodge the bullets. He wouldn’t run away; instead, he’d approach Room 4 out of curiosity to see the outcome.

So… Lu Mengmeng was likely doomed.

In the bathroom of the luxury suite, realizing this, Zhu Qiang’s hand trembled, and his phone dropped to the floor. His face went pale, and his body started shaking.

He shouldn’t…

Shouldn’t have gone against Zhou Qian.

From the beginning, when Lu Mengmeng discussed this matter with him via video call, he should have persuaded him to cooperate with Zhou Qian. But he was afraid. He trusted Lu Mengmeng, Situ Qing, the mysterious man advising Situ Qing on the phone, and even himself.

He thought he knew Zhou Qian well enough after observing one of his games. With the information he got from Yu Xian and combined with Situ Qing and Lu Mengmeng’s input, he believed he could defeat Zhou Qian.

But he was terribly wrong.

In the game, Lu Mengmeng followed He Xiaowei to the front of Room 4, watching intently as Zhou Qian approached the door. The fog made it hard to see clearly, so he took another step forward, eager to understand Zhou Qian’s actions. He was incredibly curious—could Zhou Qian genuinely dodge the bullet by slowing down time?

At this moment, Yun Xiangrong was crying beside Lu Mengmeng, but he seemed oblivious. It seemed he had even forgotten that he was the one who killed her true love.

Lu Mengmeng was obsessed with clearing the level.

In this game, every time a player exited an instance, the system would restrict the time for their next entry—typically 7 to 10 days. If a player didn’t enter the instance within this time frame, they would instantly die.

However, Lu Mengmeng never cared about these time constraints. After each exit from an instance, he would rest for just one night and immediately enter the next one. Although he didn’t achieve any significant feats, at least he always managed to complete the dungeon with just a sliver of health left.

Due to the frequency of his instance runs, Lu Mengmeng, who was otherwise average in performance, managed to ascend to Rank D.

After clearing each level, Lu Mengmeng felt profound satisfaction. Clearing these levels touched a raw nerve in him, evoking an indescribable sensation.

It reminded him of something he did half a year ago.

About six months ago, Lu Mengmeng saw the list of graduate students selected for research in his department. Upon checking, he found his academic points were just one rank below his roommate’s, causing him to miss out. One night, in a fit of rage, he climbed onto his roommate’s bed with a knife and stabbed him in the chest…

Now that you’re dead, I can move up a rank and qualify for the department.

Blood spurted as he pulled out the knife, covering Lu Mengmeng’s face. Chaos erupted in the dormitory, with roommates screaming, calling the police, and trying to restrain him. But he didn’t react. Holding the knife, he felt an indescribable thrill. He believed he had cleared the “Research Qualification” level.

In the present, reminiscent of the night when he had suddenly awoken and reached for the knife in his drawer, Lu Mengmeng felt the excitement of nearing another level completion, so much so that his eyes turned red. He moved closer, watching as Zhou Qian was about to open Room 4.

To him, the scene of Zhou Qian pushing the door seemed infinitely slow because time around him had decelerated. Everything became distorted, and he anxiously waited. Suddenly, he was caught off guard by a piercing cold gaze. Zhou Qian had turned to look directly at him.

Sensing danger, Lu Mengmeng stepped back. But his feet felt heavy. He wanted to activate a skill to increase his speed but couldn’t. As Zhou Qian approached, the malice in his eyes intensified. At that moment, Zhou Qian seemed like a god about to punish a sinner.

Panicking, Lu Mengmeng activated a skill to boost his speed by 80% and tried to flee. Many times, this skill had saved him from monsters or bosses. He believed he could escape. He told himself it would definitely work; he must escape!

But suddenly, time slowed even further. The effect negated all his speed boosts, leaving him running only slightly faster than a jog.

At the same time, he felt that Zhou Qian behind him wasn’t affected by the slowing of time. He stood outside of time like a god, looking down on him with a mocking gaze, as if watching a clown, seeing him run hopelessly in a cage he couldn’t escape from.

In the next moment, Lu Mengmeng’s nape was forcefully gripped by a hand.

Soon after, he was flipped over by the person behind him, with his neck being held. As he was forcibly turned around, out of the corner of his eye, Lu Mengmeng noticed he was now at the location of Room 9.

Directly in front of him, Zhou Qian’s eyes, filled with murderous intent, magnified immensely.

A sharp pain emanated from his neck as Zhou Qian pressed a dagger against it. Lu Mengmeng’s heart trembled violently, and his pupils dilated rapidly in fear…

With one hand holding the pale and frail neck of Lu Mengmeng, Zhou Qian used the other hand to wield a common dagger he bought from the trading house, pinning him against the door. It seemed that with just a gentle push, Lu Mengmeng could be thrown directly into Room 9.

The blade of the dagger pierced the surface of Lu Mengmeng’s neck; tiny beads of blood rolled out, almost casting a dark red shade in the depths of Zhou Qian’s eyes.

With those deep red eyes, Zhou Qian coldly stared at Lu Mengmeng.

“You… You want to kill me…”

Due to the slowing of time, Lu Mengmeng’s voice sounded incredibly stretched, as if the playback speed was lowered. Even the tremors of his body and the fluttering of his eyelids were slowed down, making him look somewhat comical.

Zhou Qian’s mouth curled into a derisive smirk. “You swapped the number plates, leading to Gao Shan’s death, didn’t you?”

Lu Mengmeng immediately denied. “I… I didn’t! It was…”

Zhou Qian whispered, “Swapping plates multiple times, drawing misleading symbols on doors, and just now using your major skill to come here… Out of mana, are you? Otherwise, I’d have to be wary of your assassin abilities. Even if affected by time slow, your dagger would stab slowly, but I can’t be careless.”

Lu Mengmeng panicked. After using his skills so many times, he indeed had no mana left. His already pale face now looked utterly bloodless, trembling in front of Zhou Qian.

Zhou Qian pressed him further. “So there’s no point in denying it. It was you. But I want to know, did Situ Qing direct you?”

Lu Mengmeng murmured, “You… I don’t know…”

The dagger in Zhou Qian’s hand advanced mercilessly. The pain caused Lu Mengmeng to wince, tears streaming down instantly. He stared at Zhou Qian in horror. “What… What are you…”

“Killing a mere pawn like you would only dirty my hands. It’s not worth it,” Zhou Qian whispered seductively in his ear. “Tell me, what do you know? Who’s behind you and Situ Qing?”

Lu Mengmeng’s voice quivered uncontrollably. Yet the cold blade kept pressing deeper, forcing him to speak, “It… It’s a legion…”

Jingle, jingle, jingle.

The sound of bells approached from behind, accompanied by a chilling frosty aura. It felt as if an immense snowstorm was about to engulf the world. Though powerful, due to the slowed time, it hadn’t reached Zhou Qian yet.

Ignoring the creeping cold from behind, Zhou Qian moved the knife, lifting Lu Mengmeng’s pale chin, forcing him to look straight into his eyes.

From this superior stance, Zhou Qian demanded, “Tell me the name of that legion. Or I’ll give you two choices: have your throat slit by me or be thrown into Room 9 to face bullets.”

“I… I…” Tears streamed from Lu Mengmeng’s terrified eyes, his body shaking uncontrollably. He felt the encroaching cold. Whether he answered or not, death seemed inevitable.

Zhou Qian’s voice resonated close to his ear. “Speak. You’re merely a tool, controlled and ordered around. You’re not my real enemy. If you talk, I might spare you.”

But on the other side, the approaching snowy aura hinted that if he spoke, he might be silenced permanently.

“I’ll spare you.”

“Not just that, I’ll also help you clear the game.”

“The condition is, you need to tell me—what’s the name of that legion?”

The words “clear the game” seemed to stimulate Lu Mengmeng. At the mention, his eyes reddened. He opened his mouth, seemingly about to confess. But suddenly, a crystalline snowflake floated by, sealing his lips.

Then, the bell sound grew louder, as if time, slowed down earlier, was returning to its normal pace. Lu Mengmeng felt an immense blizzard approaching rapidly. Overwhelmed by fear, his pupils contracted. But it seemed like his entire body was immobilized by the frost, with no escape.

In the corridor, time indeed resumed. With Zhou Qian’s mana almost depleted, visible only to him and Yu Xian, his skill bar had dropped to 5%.

Using the last 4% of his mana, Zhou Qian slowed down time once more, stepping outside its bounds. He quickly retreated, escaping the blizzard. Lu Mengmeng, drained of mana and unable to use any skill to evade, was enveloped by the blizzard and harshly thrown into Room 9.

Three seconds later—”Bang!”

A gunshot echoed, and Lu Mengmeng died inside Room 9. He didn’t even make it back to the corridor like the others who were shot.

At this moment, only 7 minutes remained until the one-hour time limit to clear the level.

Turning around, through the thick fog, Zhou Qian saw the hazy figure of Situ Qing, who was known as the “Ice Queen”.

She stood far at the other end of the corridor with a cold and composed expression.

Time slowed down, and her movement speed was reduced to a crawl.

Yet, with her powerful long-range attack capability, even from that distance, she could kill Lu Mengmeng.

Expressionless, Zhou Qian said to Situ Qing, “Even under my time-slowing effect, you managed to come here to silence him. Did you guess what I was up to?”

“In this game, players can see each other’s health but not their mana. Also, no one should know what my skill’s special feature is. So, no one should know that my mana isn’t sufficient to slow down time thrice and guess that my real target was Lu Mengmeng.”

“So, you shouldn’t be here.”

His eyes filled with scorn, Zhou Qian disdainfully looked at Situ Qing. “So, even though you silenced Lu Mengmeng and prevented him from telling me who’s manipulating you all from behind, your actions now reveal one thing—the group backing you is powerful, so powerful that you fear them deeply.”

“Earlier, you did everything to protect Lu Mengmeng, not letting him spill your alliance’s secrets. But now, you’re scared. You fear revealing the group’s secrets and facing punishment, so you attack Lu Mengmeng. Moreover—”

“From your actions now, I’m sure that your group can identify my real identity and my gambler status, right? The secret of my skill should only be known to my fellow gambler. So how did it get leaked?”

Without looking at Situ Qing, Zhou Qian’s gaze shifted to a certain point in the void.

Coincidentally, through the phone screen, Yu Xian saw Zhou Qian’s cold gaze as if they were making eye contact. He shivered involuntarily.

“Yu Xian, is Qiang Ge next to you?”

“You have two choices: either kill him or hide so far away that you never see him again in this lifetime. Otherwise, once I leave this game and return to reality, the first thing I’ll do is deal with you. Got it?”

“Your Qiang Ge, in collusion with Lu Mengmeng, wants to kill me. Did you even realize that?”

“Forget it, I guess you can’t do it. So, listen to me and run. Now.”

At the phone screen, Yu Xian was stunned.

It took him a full ten seconds to come to his senses.

Grabbing his phone, he rushed to the bathroom of the suite, but he pulled back just before his hand touched the door.

Should I listen to Zhou Qian and leave immediately, or should I talk to Qiang Ge?

Yu Xian was truly torn because he couldn’t believe Zhu Qiang could betray him like this.

It was Zhu Qiang who brought him to this city when he didn’t know where to find work.

Finding jobs, renting a place… Zhu Qiang had always taken care of him.

When he first arrived and wasn’t accustomed to the new environment, falling sick often, it was always Zhu Qiang who took him to the hospital.

He couldn’t believe that Zhu Qiang would betray him so easily.

At that moment, inside the bathroom.

Zhu Qiang sat on the cold tiles, looking at the luxurious bathroom. The shower space alone was bigger than the rented room he used to live in.

Zhu Qiang laughed—a laugh filled with self-mockery and despair.

He realized he was crying when he felt the wetness on his face.

He didn’t yearn for wealth and luxury when he didn’t have them.

But once he experienced them, he couldn’t let go.

His phone kept vibrating.

It was messages from the System.

[Gambler Zhu Qiang, the player you bet on, Lu Mengmeng, is dead.]

[Lu Mengmeng failed the challenge. You are no longer qualified for the two million.]

[The System will deduct your bet amount of 1 million.]

[Gambler Zhu Qiang, your bank balance is insufficient. Please recharge within three days. If the debt exceeds ten days, you will die.]

[If you recharge within three days, you can choose another player to bet on.]

[We hope your choice of players gets better. If your player reaches Rank S, you can become an advanced gambler.]

[Advanced gamblers can enter the main game hall. Then, you will have a chance to approach the gods.]

I still have a chance…

As long as I get one million within three days… I have another shot…

I can repay all the money I lost outside!

If I win just once more… I can repay all the money.

After that, I’ll quit and never touch this game again!

But where can I get the money for these three days…?

In a moment of hesitation, Zhu Qiang heard the hoarse voice of Yu Xian from outside the door. “Qiang Ge, can I… Can I ask you a question? Are you… are you…”

He already knows.

Then there’s nothing I can do.

Zhu Qiang’s gaze finally rested on the razor at the washbasin. Rising from his seat and moving towards the washbasin, he said to the door, “It’s not what you think, Lao Yu. Listen to me… I’ll explain to you. I’ll be right out…”

…..

Three minutes later, Yu Xian lay in a pool of blood. He stared at Zhu Qiang, seemingly unable to believe what had happened.

Zhu Qiang’s hand holding the razor trembled. “I’m sorry, Lao Yu… I took the money I earned from this game to the casino, and I lost it all, racking up a lot of debt. Now that Lu Mengmeng is dead… I can’t repay it. I have to keep going…”

Extending his other hand, Zhu Qiang took a bank card from Yu Xian’s pocket. “I’m sorry. I just… just wanted to take the money when Zhou Qian wins, and the prize money arrives in your account. I just… just wanted money… Yu Xian, I… No, that’s not right!”

Suddenly, Zhu Qiang’s expression changed. He glared angrily at Yu Xian and said, “No, it’s not my fault! It’s yours! I warned you about this game. I told you not to start! But you insisted on continuing! I only continued because I saw you doing it!”

“It’s your fault! You forced me into this debt; you made me a murderer…”

“You used to always be less than me, why… Why is your player better than mine? Why can you win effortlessly…”

Yu Xian couldn’t answer any of Zhu Qiang’s words because he had stopped breathing.

After a while, Zhu Qiang stood in the pool of blood, closing his eyes exhaustedly. Suddenly, he heard the doorbell ring.

Zhu Qiang jumped up, panicked, glancing in the direction of the door, then hastily tried to clean the bloodstains. Just then, he received a text message.

[Gambler Zhu Qiang, I know what you did. Let’s talk.]

A minute later, Zhu Qiang opened the door to let in a refined and elegant-looking man. He had a gentle yet stern demeanor, giving off a somewhat old-fashioned vibe. He looked like a doctor, or perhaps a lawyer.

The man walked straight into the house and sat on the sofa. Passing by Yu Xian’s body, he didn’t even blink an eye, as if he were used to such sights.

When he sat down, Zhu Qiang immediately asked, “Who are you? You…”

The man replied, “I’m also a player in this game. You can call me the [Priest].”

“Priest? Game? What do you mean? What the hell is going on…”

Priest succinctly said, “You acted too impulsively. Killing is a crime. With such a crude method, I predict the police will arrest you within 48 hours. By then, you won’t be able to gamble anymore. Your phone will be confiscated.”

Stunned, Zhu Qiang’s back was drenched in cold sweat. “I…”

After watching the game for a long time, he seemed to believe he was a player in the game. Players often fought and killed with their skills. As a result, he forgot that he was in reality and that he shouldn’t have acted this way.

At this point, Zhu Qiang vaguely felt that somehow, while watching the game, he had been influenced. He wouldn’t have acted so impulsively, so recklessly, and so cruelly before. But now, his mental state was off. He seemed to have turned into a madman.

The Priest continued, “The police will arrest you within 48 hours. I can get you a lawyer, and even arrange for… a mental evaluation.”

“Mental evaluation? What does that mean?” Zhu Qiang clenched his hands together.

“I’ve already reserved a bed for you at Spring Hill Mental Asylum.” Priest stood up. “I met you today just to give you a heads-up, so you’re not too scared when the police arrest you. Don’t worry, you won’t go to prison. Farewell, see you at Spring Hill Mental Asylum.”

“Wait, what do you mean by mental asylum? Explain yourself!”

“You have two options now. First, wait to be arrested by the police, be unable to continue as a gambler, owe a huge debt, and be killed by the system in ten days. Second, come to Spring Hill Mental Hospital, become a game player, and earn coins to repay your debt. You’re smart; you should know which option to choose.”

Zhu Qiang collapsed to the ground, seemingly devoid of a soul. As Priest left, Zhu Qiang heard him say one last thing.

“Welcome, player, to the game. I hope you enjoy it.”

……

Inside the game.

The temperature in the corridor had dropped below zero.

The sustained cold temperature couldn’t decrease the health of living players, but it severely affected their condition.

Zhou Qian, sensitive to both summer heat and winter cold, immediately opened the trade house and bought a down jacket to wear. As he leisurely buttoned up his jacket, he looked at Situ Qing and said, “Earlier, you only threw Lu Mengmeng into Room 9, but you didn’t actually try to kill me. Why? Because you want me to help you clear this stage, right?”

“There are only 6 minutes left to clear the level. Now, perhaps you are thinking of pushing either me, He Xiaowei, or Yun Xiangrong, one by one, into two rooms. You want to sacrifice us to pass the level?”

Situ Qing replied indifferently, “You figured out my intention, yet you’re not planning to flee?”

Zhou Qian laughed. “Why should I? You aren’t attacking me now.”

Situ Qing frowned and stayed silent. Zhou Qian continued, “Killing us might be easy for you. But, to throw two living people into two specific rooms to trick the bullets and do all this within 6 minutes… That’s tough.”

Situ Qing remained silent.

Buttoning up, Zhou Qian said, “See, you just admitted something: you are interested in the side quests. So… the person behind you forbids you to play them, right? You should really consider breaking free from his control. I can help.”

Situ Qing simply said, “Don’t try to sow discord between us.”

Zhou Qian responded sarcastically, “Last time I told you, he doesn’t want you to get stronger because he wants to control you.”

“Now, let me tell you another harsh truth. Generally, when someone wants to control you, it’s because you’re useful to him. But have you ever thought about what happens when you’re no longer useful? Will he abandon you or… kill you?

“Just like… you had to kill Lu Mengmeng because he was no longer of any use.”

“Zhou Qian, let me tell you once again—” Situ Qing’s voice became colder. “You don’t understand our relationship. Don’t be so presumptuous!”

Zhou Qian just chuckled and walked towards a room.

Just then, He Xiaowei came running.

He was shivering from the cold and looked dazed. But when he saw the frost on the door of Room 9, he realized something. After a terrified glance at Situ Qing, he quickly distanced himself from her and found Zhou Qian.

“What the hell is going on?” He Xiaowei asked in surprise.

Zhou Qian replied, “Situ Qing pushed Lu Mengmeng into room 9. So, it’s clear who harmed Gao Shan, right?”

“Heck, that’s scary. Why did she kill Lu Mengmeng? Why didn’t she harm you?”

“If she hurt me, who would help her clear the side quest?”

“So, what do we do now? Fuck, Room 9’s gun is short of a bullet. How are we going to handle this?”

“It’s simple,” Zhou Qian said. “Now, the lowest rank is Room 6. Rooms 7 and 8, which were safe rooms, are no longer safe and need to be entered.”

“We will go into Rooms 7 and 8 in turn, making each lose one bullet. Finally, we return the ‘S’ bullet, which was found under Jiang Yuqing’s pillow, to Room 9.”

“You mean, you want to continue delaying and dodging bullets?” He Xiaowei asked uncertainly.

Zhou Qian sighed. “Ah, I ran out of mana.”

He Xiaowei exclaimed, “Fucking hell, what now?!”

Without speaking further, Zhou Qian quickly returned to the door of Room 12.

There were three dead bodies of the cleaners.

“You overlooked the NPCs provided by the game. Three NPCs began the game, and they can also end it. The only solution now is to manipulate these three bodies to enter the doors, using them to fire three bullets.”

“But, since Lu Mengmeng’s body already received one, we only need two now. So, Brother Xiaowei—”

Zhou Qian turned back to him. “Can your ability achieve this?”

There was one thing Zhou Qian was unsure about—whether the gunners would target bodies without vital signs.

If using bodies didn’t work, he would have to send his two dragons, both with his life signals, to cheat the bullets.

However, the actual situation showed that the bodies were indeed useful.

The game specifically set a scene where three cleaners ran back to the corridor before dying, instead of dying in their rooms directly, which seemed to have a hidden meaning.

Zhou Qian and He Xiaowei each carried a corpse and quickly ran to Rooms 7 and 8.

Immediately, He Xiaowei took out a guqin, raised his amusingly 八-shaped eyebrows at Zhou Qian, and then seriously looked towards the door of Room 7, saying, “Although my attack power isn’t high, I’m still a long-range attacker. Using the sound waves produced by the guqin, I can send corpses or bullets!”

He Xiaowei sat down cross-legged, holding up the instrument with one hand and plucking the strings with the other. As he played, the sound flowed, and an invisible soundwave instantly burst from the strings. A cleaner’s corpse was lifted by the sound wave and crashed straight into Room 7.

“Bang!” The corpse successfully drew a bullet.

Overjoyed, He Xiaowei used the same technique to send another corpse into room 8. In this way, rooms 7 and 8 each had one less bullet.

Up to now, on the entire abstract turntable, Rooms 12, 1, 2, 6, 9, 7, and 8 had each lost a bullet. Rooms 12 and 6, 1 and 7, 2 and 8 could, respectively, form three diameters. They were all lightened by the weight of one bullet, and their effects on the entire turntable canceled each other out. The only point that truly affected the imbalance of the turntable was now Room 9.

Room 9 was missing a bullet, making the center of gravity of the turntable at point 3. Just returning one bullet to point 9 will balance the turntable.

He Xiaowei took the bullet from Zhou Qian, plucked the string, and the bullet rose into the air, about to be sent into room 9.

Zhou Qian reminded him, “Remember the position I told you about? You must hit the shooter.”

Zhou Qian had already experimented; no matter what weight was added to the room, whether it was a corpse, a bullet, or even heavy weights, it didn’t affect the turntable. The only thing that could be abstracted into the turntable model, creating a “position” change, was the 12 gunmen themselves. Zhou Qian also found that anything that tried to stick or got added to the gunman’s body would fall off. Even strong adhesive didn’t work. According to the logic of this level, the only thing the gunman would accept is a bullet.

The difficulty of this level lay in finding an abstract model, analyzing from which rooms to cheat out bullets, and deciding which room should receive the bullet back. Without any additional information, the game shouldn’t make returning the bullet itself a new challenge. Therefore, as long as the bullet was shot back at the shooter, it should be enough.

The only premise was… He Xiaowei, who hadn’t entered the room, didn’t know the shooter’s location and was separated by a door panel. Could he accurately shoot the bullet based on Zhou Qian’s description and drawings?

“Come, He Xiaowei, look at my drawing again. You must aim accurately.”

When Zhou Qian’s voice came, He Xiaowei couldn’t help but glance at him, meeting his extremely serious gaze. He Xiaowei couldn’t help but complain, “Damn, you look like a teacher checking my homework! I graduated years ago. Stop it!”

Zhou Qian glared at him. “Hurry up, be quick and accurate!”

“Oh, I got it! Your gaze is murderous.”

He Xiaowei quickly plucked the strings, using the sound wave to send the bullet towards Room 9. The bullet, under the effect of the sound wave, pierced through the door, leaving a small hole, and continued into the room.

Then, without He Xiaowei needing to aim, the shooter inside opened his hands and directly caught the bullet.

[Side Quest ‘Checks and Balance’ Completion: 50%.]

[The 12 shooters’ ranks have been balanced. They cannot shoot to kill.]

[Hint: There are only three minutes left before the end of the level.]

Seeing the system’s message, He Xiaowei immediately started laughing, holding his guqin.

“Hahaha, great! We just need to quickly find the 12 pieces of evidence, and we can pass the level!”

“Yes. Remember what I said? The evidence is near the shooters. Once inside, don’t waste time elsewhere. Go straight to the shooter,” Zhou Qian said. “I’ll start from the left of room 9, you start from the right. We’ll split up.”

“Got it!” After saying this, He Xiaowei directly rushed into Room 10. The evidence from Rooms 7 and 8 had already been collected, which were two bullets marked with “7”, so Zhou Qian headed straight to Room 6.

At that moment, a girl suddenly appeared, blocking his path. It was Yun Xiangrong. Raising her flute, she said to Zhou Qian, “Give me the Tick Tock Clock. I need to save Gao Shan. If you don’t give it to me, I will temporarily join forces with Situ Qing and take it from your corpse. Right now, reviving Gao Shan is more important to me than revenge.”

Yun Xiangrong’s words had just fallen when an icy chill came over once again.

Approaching Zhou Qian step by step was Situ Qing.

Raising the bell in her hand, she said to Zhou Qian, “You were right earlier. When I killed Lu Mengmeng, I didn’t strike at you at the same time. There’s a reason for that. If I killed you, who would help me complete the side quest?”

“Whether or not I’m interested in the side quest, the opportunity to complete it is now right in front of me. Why wouldn’t I take it?”

“Zhou Qian, you’ve completed your task. You can die now.”

“I can kill you in just 30 seconds. The remaining two and a half minutes will be enough for me to gather all the clues.”

“Initially, I thought it would be better not to kill you directly in front of other teammates and instead quietly use the instance trap. But now… I think I should deal with you earlier, especially when you’re out of mana.”

“Perhaps you’re thinking of using that pill of yours to immobilize me? Fortunately, that gambler named Zhu Qiang informed me about it in advance. In fact, with such tools, as long as I’m prepared in advance and don’t hear your command, I can totally evade its effects.”

Taking out two items resembling earplugs, Situ Qing promptly plugged her ears. Then she raised her bell towards Zhou Qian.

“Zhou Qian, you can’t escape.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>