Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 79
The weather was fine, with clear blue skies stretching for miles.
The medium-sized minivan wound around the mountainous road in loop after loop. Throughout the journey, Zhou Qian leaned on Bai Zhou’s shoulder, appearing to nap, but his eyes were constantly observing the outside.
Ke Yun’s villa was situated at the mountain’s peak. Along the route, there was a desolate view, with no signs of surveillance cameras. This kind of place was perfect for nefarious deeds, where a body thrown into the water might not be discovered immediately.
Inside the virtual game hall, gamblers were discussing—
“Is Zhou Qian really asleep?”
“I don’t think so. He’s probably studying the terrain.”
“But those four guys from the ‘Invincible Legion’, after seeing Zhou Qian sleeping, also went to sleep.”
“Have you guys ever met people in school who claimed to always be playing around, even when they were obviously studying? Then, when others naively followed their lead and played instead of studying, they got poor grades, while the one who claimed to be playing topped the class?”
“Oh? So Zhou Qian’s planning to secretly prepare and then impress everyone?”
“Well, maybe not everyone, but for those four idiots who once threatened him, Zhou Qian might want to have a bit of fun. He loves playing with villains.”
“Yeah, I remember how he toyed with Zhu Qiang. If I were Zhu Qiang, I’d be infuriated.”
“So, based on Qian Ge’s previous implication, does he intend to recruit those four as his underlings?”
“But who knows what those four are really thinking? Wallflowers are the least trustworthy!”
“Right, Qian Ge will have to test them.”
“I’d advise them not to try any tricks. Otherwise, I’m looking forward to watching them seal their own fate.”
……
Starting from Ke Zheng’s house, the van drove for a full three hours before it brought the six players to their destination.
The villa was indeed built on top of a mountain, three stories high. It wasn’t luxurious in style but rather resembled the popular bed and breakfast of the time. The middle part of the first floor was suspended in the air, with the entire building supported by columns at its four corners, somewhat reminiscent of stilt houses.
Living here, one could enjoy the view of green mountains and clear waters at any time, making it a perfect vacation spot. According to the driver, Ke Yun built this house to relax on weekends and during vacations.
After the car stopped, the driver let the “children” choose their rooms freely. He helped everyone bring in their toys and clothes and mentioned that the cook would arrive shortly.
Zhou Qian was the first to get off the van, and he went into the house with Bai Zhou to explore the elegantly furnished residence.
There had been a murder at Ke Zheng’s home, and Ke Yun was very suspicious of Wang Mei. With the police frequently visiting Ke Zheng’s home for investigations, Ke Yun decided to bring the children to her own residence for some peace.
She didn’t dare to let Wang Mei, Ke Di, or anyone else visit. Only the children’s mother, Ruan Mei, was allowed to come and take care of them.
But what Ke Yun never expected was that Ruan Mei was the murderer. Nor did she expect that this vacation home she had purchased would become a prime murder scene.
By the time Zhou Qian had finished touring the entire building, the cook had arrived.
Catching a glimpse of the cook heading to the kitchen, Zhou Qian quickly followed her downstairs.
Bai Zhou joined Zhou Qian in the kitchen, while the remaining four members of the “Invincible Legion” cunningly stood by the door, listening to their conversation.
When they first arrived in this “instance” the day before, Ruan Mei was cooking, Ke Zheng and others hadn’t returned home yet, and the players had 20 minutes to explore.
At that time, Zhou Qian and the others looked everywhere but didn’t find any particularly significant clues. Zhou Qian’s only discovery was a photo album he had seen in Ruan Mei’s room.
The album contained photos of ten players, from their infant years to childhood.
Zhou Qian flipped through it from back to front, and when he saw Bai Zhou’s photos, he stared a bit longer, remarking on how Bai Zhou looked as a child.
The order of the photos in the album was strictly from “ten” to “one”.
However, pages before the section labeled “Ke Yi” were mysteriously empty.
Zhou Qian then wondered if the role Bai Zhou was playing as “Ke Yi” wasn’t actually the eldest. Perhaps there was an older brother or sister ahead of him.
The previous night, Zhou Qian had tried to inquire about this. While waiting in line for Ruan Mei to help everyone get washed up, Zhou Qian asked her.
Ruan Mei hesitated and said nothing, merely patting his head, which only fueled Zhou Qian’s suspicions further.
According to the driver, Ke Yun had invited her household cook.
This cook had been with Ke Yun for over a decade, so Zhou Qian thought she might know something. Hence, upon her arrival, Zhou Qian specifically approached her for information.
As Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou entered the kitchen, the cook smiled and asked, “Is there anything special you’d like to eat? If you don’t tell me, I’ll just whip up something on my own!”
Zhou Qian replied naturally, “I don’t eat onions, ginger, garlic, parsley, fennel, star anise, and the like. Please go light on salt and oil and make it bland overall. For fish, I prefer it boneless, and for shrimp, please peel them for me. Also—”
The cook looked taken aback. Then, from behind Zhou Qian, a player with the name “Ke Er” above his head said, “Maybe… just a touch of garlic could be okay?”
Ke San added, “Yeah, I saw scallops. How can you eat seafood without garlic?”
Zhou Qian turned around, looking surprised, and asked them, “Do you want to eat garlic, or do you want to stay alive?”
Ke Er and Ke San immediately responded, “Whatever pleases you, Qian Ge! Light and bland is good!”
After a moment, the cook said with a smile, “Alright, I got it. I’ll make sure you young masters are satisfied!”
Zhou Qian gave her a particularly sweet smile. “Thank you for your hard work!”
“It’s no trouble at all,” the cook replied. “It’s what I should do!”
Zhou Qian took a few steps forward and asked her, “Auntie, do you know what happened in our family before?”
“Previous events? You mean…” The cook looked a bit confused.
“I just can’t quite remember. Do I have an older sister or brother?” Zhou Qian asked.
“Ah? Oh, yes, you do. You have an older sister,” the cook replied, letting out a sigh. “When I was previously working at the young madam’s house… your parents brought you all over for a visit, and I saw her once. It’s such a pity.”
“What happened to my sister?” Zhou Qian inquired. “Auntie told me my sister became a star in the sky, but what does that mean? I count stars every night, and I can’t find her.”
With his emotive words, Zhou Qian was naturally persuasive.
As he asked this, his eyelashes fluttered, and his eyes shone brightly. The cook, clearly moved, with tears in her eyes, began, “Stars, stars mean…”
“Dad told us that children shouldn’t lie. So, adults shouldn’t lie either,” Zhou Qian continued. “What really happened to my sister?”
The cook sighed deeply and said, “Your sister, Ke Ling’er… She had a sudden epileptic seizure when she was young. They couldn’t save her in time, and she died. Your mother was devastated. I heard she fainted right there in the hospital. Afterward, the young madam came to your home and helped take care of all of you for quite a while. You were so young then, I thought you might not remember.”
“I see…” Zhou Qian, feigning innocence, looked at the cook for a while before asking, “Auntie, one more question. After already having so many children, why did my parents adopt others?”
“Oh, I heard the young madam talk about it,” the cook began. “Your mother is truly kind-hearted. Once, the Ke Corporation went to an orphanage for charity work. Your mother accompanied them and felt pity for two children, so she brought them home. It’s fate! Even without blood ties, they can still be family.”
“Did my dad fully support my mom’s decision to adopt children?” Zhou Qian asked.
“Your dad might have a bad temper and act like a young master, not liking house chores, but he truly loves your mother and is kind-hearted. When your mother brought it up, he agreed without objection. At least, that’s what the young madam told me,” the cook recalled with emotion. “That’s why the young madam always praises your mother in front of me. She often says that even though your mother might not have had the best upbringing or experiences, she’s a good person at heart.”
……
Ten minutes later, the cook continued preparing food in the kitchen, while the driver left again in the van, presumably to pick up Ruan Mei. Meanwhile, Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou entered a bedroom on the third floor and stepped out onto its balcony, gazing at the scenery outside.
From their vantage point in the three-story villa, the main living spaces were spread across the second and third floors. Both floors had the same design, with a corridor splitting the living spaces into two sections: the west side facing the mountain and the east side facing the water.
Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou were on the water-facing side. At that moment, looking up, they could see distant mountains reflected in the shimmering lake, bathed in sunlight. Such a serene view seemed entirely out of place with the impending slaughter.
“Our eldest sister is named Ke Ling’er. Her name ‘Ling’ actually corresponds to the number ‘0’*. This is a small trap set by the game designers, trying to mislead players into not realizing that there is a number before ‘1’, hinting that there was another child in this family,” Zhou Qian started. “Moreover, the cook just mentioned that Ke Ling’er had an epileptic seizure. Therefore—”
*Clarity: Her name is Ke Ling’er (柯玲儿). The [ling] (玲) in her name is a homonym of zero [ling] (零).
He looked at Bai Zhou and continued, “In relation to the exhibition hall, she should be Ke Xue, the girl in Exhibit 2 who was foaming at the mouth.”
“Yes, Ke Xue had foam in her mouth, consistent with the symptoms of a childhood epileptic seizure,” Bai Zhou said. “Perhaps in reality, Ke Xue, who corresponds to Ke Ling’er in our game, wasn’t killed by Ruan Mei. If it were poisoning, it would easily be detected, and it doesn’t match the ‘accidental death’ pattern seen with the other victims.”
“So Ke Xue died from epilepsy, a natural death unrelated to the murders. In our game, she’s represented as Ke Ling’er. After her, Ruan Mei began her killing spree. Meaning…
“This ‘0’, besides hinting that there’s another child before ‘1’, likely has another meaning: after ‘0’ died from illness, Ruan Mei began her slaughter, targeting us players starting from ‘1’.”
“Corresponding to reality, after Ke Xue’s death, which seemed like opening Pandora’s box, Ruan Mei began to gradually kill all the remaining children. But why?”
In a flash, Zhou Qian grasped Ruan Mei’s motive for the murders. However, he narrowed his eyes and didn’t delve further into that topic.
Pointing to the distant lake, Zhou Qian shifted the topic. “Next, we should try to predict the possible ways players could die. The suffocation death in Exhibit 1 already occurred yesterday. But this method might repeat, given that there are pillows in the house.”
“Besides that, there are now multiple ways to die, such as drowning. If I remember correctly, drowning is in Exhibit 5, right?”
Bai Zhou nodded. “Yes. From Exhibits 1 to 7, the causes of death are: 1. Suffocation; 2. Epileptic seizure; 3. Blunt trauma to the back of the head; 4. A hole in the forehead, possibly caused by a sharp cylindrical object; 5. Swelling suggestive of drowning; as for the last two—”
As Bai Zhou spoke, Zhou Qian recalled the conditions of the child corpses in the last two exhibits.
They were a boy and a girl.
The girl had wet hair and numerous swollen lumps on her forehead. The most peculiar thing was the scratch marks all over her face, arms, and thighs, which seemed self-inflicted.
However, the exact cause of her death remained uncertain. As for the boy, his hair was slightly wet, his face was flushed, and he was sweating profusely. Fresh blood oozed from his nostrils, still warm to the touch.
Regarding the causes of death for these two children, Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou were still somewhat unclear.
The exhibition didn’t provide further details, and players could only infer from what was presented. After all, they weren’t forensic experts, and even if they were, they couldn’t conduct autopsies under those circumstances to find deeper clues.
“It’s actually quite challenging to throw a child directly into the lake from this villa. After all, the lake is quite a distance away,” Zhou Qian remarked.
“Therefore, as long as we decline when Ruan Mei suggests taking us to play by the water, we should be able to avoid the risk of ‘drowning’. Instead of water, we should be more wary of the causes of death in Exhibits 3 and 4, namely protecting our foreheads and the backs of our heads, especially avoiding ‘falls from high places’.”
“However, the villa is situated on a mountaintop, unlike a pillow that can be hidden. This geographical condition is ever-present and cannot be avoided by the players. We’ll have to come up with strategies as situations arise. As for the last two methods of death… I haven’t figured them out yet.”
“We’ll see when the time comes. But for now, it seems safer to stay in rooms facing the water at night.”
This so-called idyllic vacation spot by the mountain and water was practically a slaughtering fest for Ruan Mei. The seven corpses in the exhibition hall correspond to seven causes of death.
Even if they excluded the epileptic seizure from Exhibit 2, there were still a whopping six potential causes of death that players are about to face.
What everyone needed to do was avoid these six deadly risks entirely, especially when they couldn’t use any skills or props.
……
On the other side, the two players labeled “Ke Er” and “Ke San” met in a room on the mountain-facing side.
Ke San said to Ke Er, “Brother, we were lucky to have listened to you last night. Ruan Mei came straight to our room after leaving Ma Luoluo’s. If you hadn’t told me to hide the pillow, we’d be dead!”
Unlike his previous subservient demeanor towards Zhou Qian, Ke Er now looked extremely cold.
Ke Er didn’t respond, prompting Ke San to ask, “So, what should we do today?”
Ke Er advised, “When choosing rooms, let’s stay on the water-facing side. The balconies there overlook trees, and the water is far away, making it relatively safe.”
“This side, however, if you look out from the balcony, has large rocks below. Falling would mean certain death.”
“Moreover, we saw several swings in the backyard earlier, right? I suspect Ruan Mei could use those for her schemes. If she suggests playing on the swings, we must decline.”
“Brother, you’re brilliant!” Ke San exclaimed, rubbing his hands. “I’ve always said that big brother is poor at judging character. This is the best proof. With Ma Luoluo dead, you can take his place.”
“The boss always looks down on me.” Ke Er narrowed his eyes. “I should show him what I’m capable of this time. I actually have an idea—”
Ke San curiously inquired, “What idea?”
Ke Er laid out his plan. “If we can kill Zhou Qian, we’ll do it and then present his death as a token of loyalty to the boss. If we can’t kill Zhou Qian… then, after we exit, in the next hall, we can use Zhou Qian to kill the boss. Once Zhou Qian takes out the boss, we can then kill Zhou Qian.”
“That’s brilliant!” Ke San exclaimed, clapping his hands. “This way, not only can you become the leader of our legion, but you’ll also gain fame and earn the rewards from the Peach Blossom Legion!”
Gazing out of the window, Ke Er added with an inscrutable expression, “With Ma Luoluo’s actions, it’s actually quite favorable for us. Zhou Qian and that Rank God player 137, must think our legion is filled with idiots. Their underestimation of me is the key to my victory!”
……
3 p.m., downtown. The backyard of the Ke family villa.
Ruan Mei was in a very bad state. Her eyes were red and swollen, looking as though she might faint at any moment. As Ke Yun was trying to usher her out, she tried to persuade, “I’ve already asked the cook to go over. If you’re still worried, I can hire another nanny. Given your condition, it’s best if you don’t go.”
At that moment, Ruan Mei staggered, and rushing to support her wasn’t Ke Yun but Ke Zheng, who was holding a thermos. Holding Ruan Mei’s arm with one hand and the thermos with the other, Ke Zheng frowned and said, “Yes, listen to elder sister. What’s the rush? You haven’t even drunk the soup I made!”
Ruan Mei, clutching her husband’s hand and looking at him with love-filled eyes, inquired, “Did mom and dad safely reach home?”
“They have. Don’t worry,” Ke Zheng replied.
Ruan Mei smiled weakly. “It’s such an inconvenience for them and Uncle to come all the way just for me…”
“What’s there to it? We’re family, and it’s only right for us to support each other. You don’t need to say all this; everyone knows you’re feeling distressed.” Ke Zheng advised, “Really, you should rest.”
Ruan Mei shook her head and said with red eyes, “I can’t. Such a major incident has occurred at home, and it’s good for the children to have a change of environment and stay there. I truly can’t be at ease…”
After much persuasion from Ke Yun and Ke Zheng, Ruan Mei finally managed to convince them to let her go and take care of the children herself. Despite that, Ke Yun still had her own driver personally take her.
As her husband Ke Zheng personally opened the car door for her and helped her in, then closed it, Ruan Mei waved to him and Ke Yun, and said “Thank you” to the driver. She then lowered her head, burying her face in her hands.
As the driver started the car, he glanced back at her, thinking she was crying.
Everyone actually thought Ruan Mei was crying.
But only she knew that she was smiling.
How wonderful.
Now, everyone’s attention… is all on me.
They all care about me.
Ruan Mei thought with a smile—What could be more satisfying and joyful than this?
In just about half a day, her in-laws, neighbors, her husband’s business partners, and the ladies from other wealthy families, all of whom usually looked down on her, came to visit her.
They spoke words of comfort to her that they had never uttered before, gave her many gifts, and showered her with care and consolation. Her heart felt profoundly fulfilled.
In her everyday life, Ruan Mei felt like an “invisible person.”
She tried her best to fulfill the role of a “wife”, vowing to be a good mother and a loving spouse.
In other affluent families, the ladies would indulge in flower arranging or appreciate famous paintings and writings. She wanted to learn these arts too, but she often couldn’t grasp them and was frequently mocked for it.
Later, she decided to focus on household matters and have many children, hoping to gain her husband’s affection and her in-laws’ respect. But for some reason, it seemed everyone looked down on her even more.
Her children took her sacrifices for granted, treating her as though she were merely their nanny. Every time Ke Yun saw her, she would say, “A woman shouldn’t just be stuck between her husband and children; you should have a life of your own.”
Why? Why was everything she did wrong?
She was genuinely trying!
Ruan Mei had once dreamt of becoming an actress as a child, wanting to stand in the spotlight and captivate everyone’s attention. But she didn’t become an actress and instead felt overlooked by everyone.
She couldn’t understand—
She carefully took care of her husband, children, and paid attention to every relative’s needs. She put in so much effort; why couldn’t anyone see it?
Then, half a year ago, Ruan Mei’s daughter Ke Ling’er died of juvenile epilepsy. After that tragic event, Ruan Mei unexpectedly received an outpour of care and affection from everyone.
Everyone perceived Ruan Mei as someone who put her children above all else. They believed that losing a child would be overwhelmingly painful for her, and she might succumb to depression or even consider suicide.
So, after Ke Ling’er’s death, they visited her, gave her gifts, and expressed concern and comfort. Her husband, Ke Zheng, also began to show unprecedented care and concern for her.
In the month following Ke Ling’er’s demise, Ke Zheng would make breakfast for her, brew her soup, and frequently console her, fearing she might fall into deep sorrow due to the loss.
However, people’s attention was fleeting.
It had been six months since Ke Ling’er passed away, and the care and concern that everyone showed began to wane. Ke Yun started being patronizing again, behaving as though she was above her.
Her husband, Ke Zheng, reverted to being cold and distant, showing more warmth towards his subordinates than to her.
And then there was Wang Mei, who continued to act haughtily and bully her.
No, this shouldn’t be happening.
They should treat me as they did before…
Should the “accidental death of Ke Ling’er” happen again?
I’ll be… very careful this time.
About half an hour into the drive, Ruan Mei lifted her face, her smile now gone. She looked at the driver and said, “There’s a supermarket ahead, right? Please wait, my sons like to play with mushroom tacks. I want to buy some of these toys.”
“Madam, you’re so thoughtful for your children,” the driver remarked.
“It’s my duty,” she responded, momentarily looking distant. “By the way, after dropping me off tonight, would you like to have dinner at the house in the mountains?”
“Thank you for the offer, Madam,” the driver replied.
Ruan Mei inquired, “After dinner, will you be driving back to the city?”
“Yes, I need to go home. I have family to look after. If you need the car tomorrow, I can pick you up early in the morning,” he responded.
Ruan Mei, with a deep gaze, said, “I fear I might need the car tonight. Can you arrange for a friend to bring another car? Both of you can have dinner at the house. After eating, you both can leave together in this car, leaving the other one behind.”
“I just want to have a car on standby there. My son had a medical episode last night… I’m terrified it might be too late next time.”
By the end of her sentence, tears flowed down Ruan Mei’s face. The driver quickly responded, “Don’t cry, Madam! I’ll take care of it. You go buy the toys, and I’ll make a call. I’ll definitely arrange a backup car for you!”
The author has something to say:
Some comments from the gamblers that I didn’t include in the main text.
“Have you guys noticed another issue?”
“What issue? Hmm?”
“What’s the deal with Bai Zhou? The relationship between him and Qian Ge seems a bit strange.”
“Oh, you mean… No way, no way. Didn’t Ke Yuxiao and the others joke about Qian Ge having a puppy love? Could it be true?!”
“Damn, is there really a gay scenario happening right beside me?”
“You’re missing the point. Regardless of whether his love interest is male or female… this is not acceptable! My idol Qian Ge should be focused on his career. How can he be dating?!”
“Exactly! If Qian Ge starts dating, I’m going to stop being a fan. This would definitely affect his leveling up speed!”
“You guys are so dramatic. You’ve invested so much into him; can you even pull away?”
“Do you think Qian Ge might be deceived by him? I’m kind of worried.”
“That’s impossible. I will always have faith in Qian Ge. He can only deceive and play with others; it can’t be the other way around!”
“No matter who he deceives, the bottom line is, he cannot be in a relationship!”
<<< || Table of Contents || >>>
Kinky Translations 