Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 179
Under the gray, fog-like sky, inside the massive and eerie cage.
Zhou Qian lifted his hand and glanced at the number “21” on his card. Then he looked toward the Peach Blossom Legion only to meet Ke Yuxiao’s slightly mocking gaze.
His eyes glanced to the side and saw another god-tier player named Ren Yi.
Ren Yi, along with Shan Sheng and Yu Huang, who had already been shot dead by Ke Yuxiao, were all god-tier players and team leaders under Ke Yuxiao’s command, directly following his orders.
At this moment, Ren Yi stood with his hands clasped together, looking very much like a chanting monk.
His eyes were closed, lips moving silently, making it obvious he was using a skill.
A god-tier player using his skill right next to Ke Yuxiao was clearly no coincidence.
Zhou Qian asked Bai Zhou beside him, “Ren Yi’s skill, it’s some kind of prediction ability, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I heard Shan Sheng mention it. But his predictions only work within a limited range, and under these restricted conditions, he can only use it once,” Bai Zhou replied. “Judging by Ke Yuxiao’s expression, he probably guessed a range of numbers and pinpointed yours. Now that he’s sure he’s right, well…”
“Exactly. He’s gloating now. But—”
Zhou Qian smiled faintly. “The more I see him, the more I think he’s an idiot. He saw that this round’s King was a killer from their side and immediately tried to use that to kill me. What he doesn’t realize is that any info they’ve gathered, Shan Sheng has already shared with you. Since you know it, I naturally know it too.”
With that, Zhou Qian didn’t waste time and strode toward the cage’s gate.
As soon as he turned, he felt his wrist being grasped by Bai Zhou.
He looked back and met Bai Zhou’s concerned gaze. “Be careful.”
“Mm. I will.” Zhou Qian smiled and waved at him before turning back and walking toward the gate.
Outside the gate stood a pale, frail woman.
Her skin was sickly yellow, her protruding cheekbones sharpened by extreme thinness. Dark circles hung heavy under her drooping eyelids, as if she hadn’t slept properly in ages.
At a glance, she seemed like nothing more than an overworked housewife or factory worker.
No one would imagine she was a ruthless serial killer.
Zhou Qian’s team hadn’t investigated any location tied to her.
But according to intel from Shan Sheng, he knew her name: Wei Dajie.
Wei Dajie had worked for years as a nanny, enduring hardship with diligence, earning praise from many employers.
She would care for elderly clients until their death, then even help their busy children handle funeral arrangements before moving on to her next job.
Over the years, she had tended to countless elderly people.
Eventually, it was believed she grew tired of her transient nanny work and chose the stability of a nursing home job.
There, she continued to care for the elderly until their passing, once again taking responsibility for their final arrangements.
People universally lauded her. She was even named “Employee of the Year” multiple times.
But the truth was chilling: most of the elderly she cared for as a nanny hadn’t died naturally but had been poisoned by her.
And at the nursing home, her crimes escalated.
It was the perfect hunting ground, filled with her targets.
One by one, she coldly killed them. In real history, her crimes eventually came to light, leaving everyone in disbelief. Over and over, people asked her: Why did you kill them?
But here, in this shadow world, she had crossed time and space to escape justice.
Zhou Qian couldn’t allow her to win, nor let this shadow world replace the real Blue Harbor City.
Following the killer out of the gate, Zhou Qian soon felt that strange pull again, like wind dragging him into another dimension.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the lobby of a nursing home. A sign at the front desk confirmed it.
Seeing the words “Nursing Home” made him feel momentarily dazed.
He had visited a nursing home once before…
Back when he hadn’t known that the “elderly man” he met there was Bai Zhou.
This thought made Zhou Qian smile faintly.
His luck had never failed him, especially when it came to things connected to Bai Zhou.
Strictly speaking, this nursing home had no real link to Bai Zhou…
But Zhou Qian felt it was connected, and that was enough. He firmly believed it was a good omen.
Soon, three attendants appeared, pushing a medical cart toward him.
One man spoke first. “You must be the new hire Dajie mentioned. We’re leaving early today. Go make the rounds and check in on the residents and remind them to take their meds.”
A young woman added, “And don’t forget, Mrs. Zhang needs an insulin shot. Convince her! She keeps sneaking candy from the lounge even with her diabetes!”
When Zhou Qian didn’t move, they grew impatient.
“Hurry up already!”
“Yeah, get going!”
“Go, go!”
For people claiming they were leaving early, they lingered conspicuously, nagging Zhou Qian to start administering meds.
Their intent was too obvious.
He suspected they’d be planted witnesses, bribed or deceived by Wei Dajie to incriminate him.
He couldn’t let them see him visiting any rooms.
Also, Zhou Qian had never explored this nursing home before.
That meant, strictly speaking, he hadn’t left any evidence here. Unless he deliberately touched something now…
And so he did, brazenly.
He ripped open gauze and rifled through medical instruments, the clatter echoing loudly.
Among the supplies, he saw vials labeled “insulin”, while others had no labels at all.
He guessed some had been swapped with poison, or perhaps even an insulin overdose would be fatal. Maybe Mrs. Zhang wasn’t diabetic at all.
After examining every vial, he picked up a large glass bottle, opened it, and sniffed. His lips curled into a satisfied grin.
Great, they have something like this here.
Disinfectant alcohol. Perfect.
Meanwhile, the attendants urged him relentlessly. Zhou Qian turned back calmly and casually said, “I’ll go soon. But since you’re leaving, I need directions first.
“I’m new here, so—where’s the pharmacy room? Some residents hate meds and shots. If things get messy and medicine spills, I won’t even know where to get more.”
One attendant quickly pointed him the way, asking no questions.
Zhou Qian extended a hand. “The pharmacy isn’t open access, right? I don’t even have an ID badge yet. How do I sign in?”
They exchanged glances before one handed him their badge. “Use mine. Staff won’t stop you.”
“Much appreciated.”
Zhou Qian smiled, took the badge, and pushed the cart toward the pharmacy.
At the end of the hall, he turned right and entered the pharmacy. Beyond the door was a locked iron gate with shelves of medicine behind it.
A bored staffer sat outside, yawning and idly twirling the gate keys.
Zhou Qian approached and smoothly had him unlock it.
He signed in using the attendant’s name and badge number and retrieved a generous amount of alcohol.
He donned gloves beforehand to avoid leaving prints.
Once stocked up, Zhou Qian summoned Gao Shan’s spirit, handing most of the alcohol to him.
Invisible, Gao Shan silently drifted out of the pharmacy unnoticed. He passed through the waiting caregivers and arrived outside the nursing home.
Unbeknownst to anyone, he had already, as Zhou Qian instructed, sprinkled alcohol all over the wooden doors, the picture frames in the hallway, and other surfaces.
“Why isn’t he back yet?”
“I’ll check!”
“We need to help Dajie!”
“Wait… do you smell alcohol?”
“Of course, idiot. This is a nursing home. They must’ve disinfected recently.”
“Fine, let’s just find him!”
They moved to look for him, but it was too late.
Boom!
Flames erupted, roaring up walls and down halls at terrifying speed.
The attendants shrieked and spun toward the exit, but a burning cabinet crashed down, blocking the door in an inferno.
They were trapped!
The three of them thought terrified, they would burn to death here!
The old wooden nursing home had almost no fire protection. With flammable floors, carpets, and frames, it was like a tinderbox.
In a fire like this, no one would escape.
Suddenly, a dragon burst from the pharmacy, water droplets shielding its body as it smashed through a window, carrying someone on its back.
Moments later, the nursing home was engulfed in a blazing sea of fire.
Outside, Zhou Qian leapt off the dragon’s back, landing steadily. He patted its head. “Good job, son.”
“Yip!”
The dragon nuzzled his palm before dissolving into a scale and vanishing into his hand.
Zhou Qian pocketed it, then grasped the Rib of God in his right hand to recall Gao Shan’s spirit.
In his left hand, he held two items: the attendant’s badge and the pharmacy’s sign-out sheet he’d seized from the clerk.
With his back to the inferno, Zhou Qian’s stance was relaxed, almost lazy. His eyes gleamed faintly in the firelight, and his smile was unmistakable.
He tossed the badge and sheet behind him, peeled off his gloves, and flung them into the flames.
All evidence and witnesses would burn with the nursing home—
Except for those two damning pieces of proof he retained.
Facing the fire, Zhou Qian’s black eyes burned like the blaze itself, his expression filled with unrestrained delight.
Yes. Fire thrilled him still.
This game was endlessly exhilarating.
When the flames hadn’t even faded, he was back under the gray sky.
Before him stood Wei Dajie, fists clenched, trembling with rage.
“Yes, I know everything about you,” Zhou Qian said with a smile. “I passed your little illusion test, didn’t I? So don’t expect me to take the fall for you.”
Minutes later, Zhou Qian returned to the massive cage.
Ke Yuxiao was waiting by the gate, clearly expecting to see him dead.
As he passed, Zhou Qian shot him a look of pure disdain. “You think something this simple could kill me? You really don’t understand me at all.”
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