Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

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Chapter 33

Xiao Pang was killed, implying that the hidden S Army was about to launch a roundup plan on the few remaining members of the Falcon Squadron.

On the eastern side of the long street, there was a bank. It was the tallest building on this block. After Zhou Qian received a message from the system, he quickly assessed the situation of the entire street and then swiftly directed the other players to take cover inside the bank.

At that moment, Situ Qing was still struggling emotionally, but after Zhou Qian tapped her on the shoulder and asked, “Do you really want to die here?”, she finally wiped away her tears and quickly entered the bank.

Meanwhile, everyone received another message from the system.

[Player Zhou Qian: Conversion Rate 80%, Conversion Direction—Bei He]

[Player He Xiaowei: Conversion Rate 80%, Conversion Direction—Dong Shui]

[Player Yun Xiangrong: Conversion Rate 80%, Conversion Direction—Xi Jiang]

[Player Situ Qing: Conversion Rate 60%, Conversion Direction—Nan Hu*]

*South Lake.

Except for Situ Qing, who was slightly behind, the other three players were at the same rate. Zhou Qian estimated that by the end of this task, the three of them would directly reach 100%.

As for the subtask he triggered by gifting the mooncake, he probably had to find Jiang Yuqing to complete it.

Among the four, Zhou Qian was the last to enter the bank. As he was quickly figuring out the next move in the game, he took out an item from his bag.

[Item: Snail Transmitter]

[Function: Made up of snail brothers. Only the size of a real snail, but it’s great at picking up sounds! Stick the younger snail somewhere discreet and place the older snail in your ear. Whatever the younger hears, the elder will relay to you!]

After sticking the younger snail on the lamppost behind Xiao Pang’s body, Zhou Qian didn’t immediately enter the bank. He scanned the surroundings, then sent out the small dragon he always carried with him.

After giving it an item and whispering a few words to it, Zhou Qian felt that he was adequately prepared. Only after completing these two tasks did he finally enter the bank.

Upon entering, Zhou Qian immediately closed the door and went straight up to the top floor, the seventh floor, via the stairs. Looking out of the window, he was vigilant for any signs of the S Army.

At this moment, He Xiaowei approached him, crouching. “Hey… Could the S Army possibly plant bombs, seeing us hide here, encircle us with them, and blow us up?”

Narrowing his eyes and looking around, Zhou Qian accessed the system’s map to check something, then said, “It’s certainly possible.”

He Xiaowei: “What?!”

Zhou Qian continued, “But remember, this isn’t a real war setting; it’s a heavily scripted game. The shot that hit Xiao Pang indicates the onset of the S Army’s rampage, yet the hidden sniper hasn’t acted against us right away.”

He Xiaowei realized. “Right. So, the game gives us some prep time to find cover.”

Zhou Qian responded, “Exactly. Knowing this, I sent my dragon out covertly to accomplish a task during this brief window.”

He Xiaowei curiously asked, “What task?”

“Let’s wait until it succeeds before I tell you.”

Zhou Qian added, “However, what you mentioned earlier could indeed happen, so we definitely can’t stay here for long.”

As they spoke, Yun Xiangrong and Situ Qing approached, each holding a large box. Inside were two guns and three grenades.

Yun Xiangrong said, “While you were coming up, we searched the ground floor and found a basement. It seems to be an intelligence agency’s hideout. Look, these guns have a ‘7’ symbol on them.”

“Good find.” Zhou Qian looked at them and asked, “But among you, who knows how to shoot?”

After a moment of silence, Situ Qing took the initiative to pick up a rifle. She skillfully changed the magazine and then just as expertly attached the silencer. Her movements were clearly professional.

“Damn, how do you know how to use a gun?” He Xiaowei looked at her in surprise.

Situ Qing walked to the window and looked out, saying indifferently, “I worked at a shooting range and often played with the guests. They liked to challenge people. I usually let them win.”

A little later, He Xiaowei and Yun Xiangrong went into the building to look for more usable weapons.

Situ Qing stood by the window with her rifle, acting as a temporary sniper.

Zhou Qian continued to study the city map. The city was well planned, with several main roads crisscrossing, leading everywhere. Buildings neatly lined both sides of the roads, connected by countless small alleys…

In such a big city, where could Jiang Yuqing be hiding?

With the limited information they had, it was hard for the players to decide. Searching inch by inch was clearly impossible, especially with countless S Army troops possibly about to flood the city.

After a while, Yun Xiangrong and He Xiaowei returned. As expected, He Xiaowei brought back a can of oil from the kitchen. However, they didn’t find much else.

While Zhou Qian was deep in thought, studying the map, Situ Qing whispered, “Two people are coming!”

Zhou Qian looked out the window and saw two armed figures in the streetlight, looking similar to the gunmen from the 12 rooms.

They walked over and glanced at Xiao Pang. Using the snail tool, Zhou Qian easily heard their conversation.

One asked, “Are you sure it’s here?”

The other replied, “Yes. A scout killed this kid and reported seeing members of the Falcon Squadron nearby. At the time, only the scout was here. The Falcon Squadron members are all skilled, so he only killed the kid and fled, not daring to act rashly against the others.”

“Then they’re probably hiding around here. Send people to search every house!”

“Yes.”

“And see if Jiang Yuqing is hiding on this street too!”

“Yes.”

“I’ll remind you again, Jiang Yuqing has something very important… He’s too cunning. He hasn’t left a single draft! All the formulas are in his head! We must capture him alive. Don’t harm him.”

“Understood, boss.”

Having overheard this, Zhou Qian quickly relayed their conversation to his teammates. He Xiaowei immediately frowned. “Damn, this level is hard. We’re just four, but the S Army is countless! It’s already hard to escape under their noses, let alone searching the whole place for Jiang Yuqing. It’s impossible! This mission is impossible!”

Zhou Qian said, “That’s why I think—searching for Jiang Yuqing isn’t our job. We should let others do it for us.”

He Xiaowei: “Huh?”

Zhou Qian continued, “Didn’t they say? They want to capture Jiang Yuqing alive because of the important data he has. So, it’s not wise for us to search the city for him. The real way to pass the level is to let them find him. We follow them discreetly, and once they find him, we rescue him.”

“Although the S Army outnumbers us, we have the advantage of surprise.”

In reality, He Xiaowei didn’t feel that his group had much of an advantage. The enemies had guns and cannons, and to exaggerate a bit, they might even have poison gas grenades. But his own group only had two rifles and three hand grenades.

At this moment, Zhou Qian coldly watched the two men on the street, continuing to eavesdrop.

The commander said, “Search this street quickly! If Jiang Yuqing isn’t here… I don’t care where the Falcon Squadron is hiding. Just plant explosives and blow up the entire street!”

“Yes.” One of the subordinates pulled out a walkie-talkie, said something, and quickly entered a nearby three-story building. He came out a minute later.

By this time, over ten more S Army troops had arrived, beginning their door-to-door search.

Having taken in the entire scene, Zhou Qian glanced at the time displayed on the system panel, saying, “They’ll find our building in about five minutes. So, listen closely to my deployment plan—”

“Situ Qing, you’ll take one minute to teach He Xiaowei how to use a gun. I don’t need him to be precise, just to be able to fire the bullets.”

“He Xiaowei, after you’ve learned how to shoot in one minute, leave this building first. The street runs north to south, and the S Army is searching from south to north. Therefore, exit the bank building through the back door and run north through the alley outside. After passing four buildings, find an appropriate sniping position. You must complete this within three minutes.”

“Three minutes later, Situ Qing will snipe from our current position. He Xiaowei’s task is to shoot from a building four buildings to the north, covering her.”

“He Xiaowei, just shoot freely. If you hit someone, great; if not, no worries. Our real sniper is Situ Qing. Just cover her and protect yourself.”

“Yun Xiaorong will leave with He Xiaowei. Follow him to the sniping position four buildings away, and within three minutes, set up an ignition mechanism using this barrel of oil. The fuse must be placed just right. When He Xiaowei shoots, time it right and ignite the fuse to explode the barrel.”

“If the trap works to its full potential, it’s best to trap the enemy army when they try to enter the building to shoot He Xiaowei.”

“Of course, even if it doesn’t kill the enemy, it’s okay. Its primary purpose is to help you and He Xiaowei escape. Once the building catches fire, they will be blocked and can’t directly pass through that building to the alleyway where you’re escaping.”

“So, I need to emphasize, measure the fuse correctly. It shouldn’t explode before you and He Xiaowei leave the bank. Time it perfectly. If it doesn’t kill, it’s okay; the primary goal is to ensure your escape.”

After listening, the three of them asked Zhou Qian in unison, “What about you?”

You’ve planned for us meticulously; what about yourself?

Zhou Qian said, “This city has three main roads. The street we’re on is on the outermost layer. I guess the S Army will close in layer by layer, searching every house for Jiang Yuqing and us. By the way… have you played PUBG*?”

*PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. A battle royale game in which up to one hundred players are parachuted onto an island where they scavenge for weapons and equipment to kill other players while avoiding getting killed themselves.

He Xiaowei immediately responded, “Yes! I have!”

“That’s right. In PUBG, there’s the shrinking play zone, right? 100 players drop onto a map, shooting at each other, and the safe zone keeps changing, getting smaller, forcing the remaining players into a tiny point for a final showdown…”

“It’s similar for us now. We can consider these three main roads, along with their surrounding alleys, as three safe zones.”

“Currently, we’re in the outermost zone. The S Army will probably spend less than half an hour checking this entire area. Once they confirm Jiang Yuqing isn’t here, they’ll bomb this place. By then, this initially safe zone will no longer be safe, and we have to flee to the next zone, the second main road—Changjiang Road.”

“The enemies will keep increasing. During our escape, we take down whoever we can. So, I’ve devised this plan, especially since a few of their leaders seem to have emerged. We must eliminate them first.”

“Let me reiterate the overall plan—Situ Qing will try to shoot as many S Army soldiers as possible. He Xiaowei will provide cover from the building four structures away. Once he attracts the enemy, Yun Xiaorong ignites the fuse, and they both retreat. Situ Qing, remember to withdraw in time. Don’t expose your position. If you don’t hit anyone, it doesn’t matter; first, preserve your life and run.”

“Remember, your retreat location is Changjiang Road.”

At this point, Zhou Qian pointed towards the east, where a cross faintly appeared, signaling a church.

“The church is located on the second main road, Changjiang Road. That’s our next safe zone. Do you see the tall building next to the church? That’s our rendezvous point.”

“That building is the tallest on the second main road. It’s similar to this bank and is an excellent vantage point.”

“After all, this is just a game. If all the tall buildings are filled with snipers, it becomes too hard for us. So, I assume, like this bank, that tall building hasn’t been occupied by the S Army.”

“The idea remains the same. The S Army is encircling from the outskirts of the city, layer by layer searching inwards, bombing buildings, until they locate Jiang Yuqing. Hence, there probably aren’t any enemies inside that building for the time being.”

“But this is just my initial guess. It may not be 100% accurate. There might still be snipers hidden inside. So, while you all move, I’ll act immediately.”

“You just asked me, ‘What about me?'”

“Now, I’m telling you. I’ll reach that tall building first to check if there are any ambushes from the S Army.”

“If I die, He Xiaowei—” Looking at He Xiaowei, Zhou Qian said, “Please persuade Yun Xiangrong to use the Tick Tock Clock to save me. If I’m alive, I’ll message you through the system, instructing you to regroup here.”

To save time, Zhou Qian explained everything swiftly. Given the urgency, hardly anyone had time to doubt or discuss better options. In such situations, absolute obedience was the most efficient response.

Zhou Qian was the first to descend the building. Exiting from the bank’s back door, he went through an alley and hid behind garbage bins, peeking out to observe the street’s situation. After a little over half a minute, he heard movement behind him. As expected, He Xiaowei and Yun Xiangrong followed.

Utilizing the sparse light from the street, He Xiaowei gestured to Zhou Qian, then quickly moved into another alley, heading to the northern four-story building. Yun Xiangrong, carrying an oil barrel and moving slower, tried to keep pace.

The layout of Cypress City was clear. The sea lay to the west of the city, hence the name West Pier. The first main road from West Pier to the east was the very street the S Army was sweeping. The bank where Zhou Qian and the others were located was near the main city area, on the eastern side of the street.

This meant they could avoid crossing the main road during their escape and could directly reach the tallest building on Changjiang Road through a maze of alleys.

At the moment, many S Army soldiers had gathered on the main street. They searched house by house, swiftly clearing each alley, moving from south to north. After clearing a building, they planted explosives, intending to blow everything up soon.

Witnessing all this, Zhou Qian hoped that the explosion Yun Xiangrong would cause with the oil barrel might ignite the bombs the S Army placed prematurely, inflicting heavy casualties. But that was quite an idealistic hope. If everything went according to plan, just reaching the next rendezvous point after killing some S Army soldiers would be great.

Three minutes later, a gunshot was heard. It was Situ Qing acting punctually. Without any bravado, she shot the leader’s head. A dozen S Army soldiers instantly raised their guns, rushing out of various buildings, looking for the shooter. Another shot was fired by He Xiaowei from the outskirts of the four-story building, shattering a streetlight, drawing the soldiers’ attention.

“Over there! Throw grenades at that building!”

“Yes!”

After this command, three soldiers with grenades moved towards He Xiaowei’s location. However, four crisp gunshots rang out from Situ Qing. All her shots found their marks. The three grenade-bearing soldiers fell before reaching He Xiaowei’s building, and the commander who ordered the grenades was also killed.

[Situ Qing, you might be exposed. Run now. Saving your life is most important.]

Upon receiving this message from Zhou Qian, Situ Qing immediately fled. Just as she left the building and hid in an adjacent alley, shouts were heard on the main street. “Wrong! The real sniper is in the bank! Move in quickly and eliminate them! This Falcon Squadron is too cunning!”

At this very moment, Situ Qing, who was desperately running for her life in the darkness, felt her heart skip a beat.

He’s different. Zhou Qian really… is different from Mu Sheng.

Upon reflection, she thought she should have realized this earlier. Most people in this world weren’t like Mu Sheng.

Mu Sheng was an anomaly—a demon dragging her down with him. She should have… should have left him long ago.

Elsewhere, Zhou Qian quickly sent messages to He Xiaowei and Yun Xiangrong.

[Successfully took out two of their minor leaders. Without a leader, they’ll be more chaotic; the mission is accomplished. Run now.]

After sending the two messages, Zhou Qian dashed toward the tallest building near the second main road.

He estimated that it was unlikely for an ambush to be there, but he wasn’t completely sure.

As he ran, Zhou Qian pulled out a second dragon scale, quickly summoning another small dragon.

After giving the dragon its orders, it flew from his embrace, heading straight for the tall building.

The dragon carried Zhou Qian’s life essence and would be treated as if it were a human.

It could test if there was a sniper hidden in the building.

After the dragon left, Zhou Qian stopped momentarily in a small alley far from the main street.

He stood with his back against a tree, blending into the shadows of the night. His gaze remained fixed in the direction the dragon had gone, not wavering in the slightest.

However, just a minute later, “Bang”—

From a distance, the sound of a gunshot echoed, and something fell, motionless.

At this very moment, Situ Qing, Yun Xiangrong, and He Xiaowei had split into two groups, each rushing towards that tall building. They had temporarily hidden in secluded spots, waiting for a definite message from Zhou Qian before converging at the building.

But they all heard the gunshot unexpectedly.

He Xiaowei almost shouted, but Yun Xiangrong covered his mouth just in time.

“Qian… What if something happened to him?” He Xiaowei’s voice shook uncontrollably. “Even if you guys had disagreements, objectively speaking, he’s not the main culprit. Without him, we might not get through the next level. This—”

Yun Xiangrong’s voice was also grave. Her dark eyes stared intently at the building, trying to locate the sniper.

She whispered, her voice hoarse, “Don’t worry. After all, he is Zhou Qian. I don’t think he’d die so easily. Let’s wait for further updates and not panic.”

As Yun Xiangrong spoke, a loud noise erupted behind them.

It was an oil drum trap set up by Yun Xiangrong, now detonated.

The resulting fire spread rapidly, engulfing the entire building in moments.

Among the flames, distant shouts of the S Army could be heard.

“We should retreat to the perimeter!”

“Right, retreat! We’ve set up so many bombs; the fire will surely set them off!”

“Jiang Yuqing is definitely not here; otherwise, they wouldn’t cause an explosion!”

“Retreat to the pier! Then blow this place up! We have many men… after the explosion, let them all come down, and we’ll push towards the city center!”

“Right! They won’t have anywhere else to run!”

Hearing this, He Xiaowei said, “Qian was right! The safe zone is shrinking… we have to keep moving towards the city. And did you hear? They’re getting reinforcements from the west pier! Isn’t their army on the ships? Did I hear it wrong?”

“You heard right,” Yun Xiangrong replied. “Their main forces are at the west pier.”

He Xiaowei exclaimed, “But our mission is to escort Jiang Yuqing to the west pier to board a ship! Do we really… have to take them all out as Qian said? How can we do that? With our mana, we could run out at any moment… How can we fight so many soldiers?! This mission is impossible!”

On the other side, Situ Qing had similar thoughts.

Zhou Qian turned out to be different from what she had imagined. Mu Sheng always pushed her to take risks. But although Zhou Qian was the team leader, guiding everyone’s actions, he also took risks himself. But…

Is he dead?

This mission was like facing a hundred enemies with just one person.

Can we really succeed?

Zhou Qian, the man everyone was worried about, was standing beneath a tree.

He watched as the dragon he had dispatched fell in the darkness. Its body slowly became transparent until it turned into a dim dragon scale, impossible for him to find.

Upon hearing the loud explosion, Zhou Qian turned around emotionlessly, looking at the building behind him that was engulfed in roaring flames.

The reflection of the fire in his unfathomably cold eyes made them seem as if they were ablaze.

He faintly felt that this time… he might actually be a little angry.

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

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

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Chapter 32

By the wharf, on the strip.

The moonlight was like water, and hundreds of ghosts surged out like waves from various alleys.

Zhou Qian stood with his back to the crowd of ghosts, leaning slightly against a streetlamp. The light illuminated his long and beautiful eyes, making him appear calm and composed but also cold and ruthless.

Silently, he pulled out a snow-white and eerie object—it was the Rib of God.

He then raised his eyes and calmly gazed down the long street, the corner of his mouth curling up with a determined smile.

Ahead of him, Yun Xiangrong and He Xiaowei saw the message he sent. Pretending to walk towards Situ Qing, they slowed down after a few steps and quickly moved away from her.

Situ Qing was oblivious to what was happening behind her.

She just shivered all over and took a long breath. The sensation of the ghosts crawling on her just now was terribly uncomfortable, reminding her of eels. That cold and chilling sensation seemed to penetrate her soul, making every cell of hers tremble, completely different from her own icy aura.

By comparison, Da Shou standing next to her felt much warmer. Now, she just wished for a living person to come closer.

With that thought, Situ Qing took a few more glances at Da Shou. She found his appearance and demeanor reminded her of Mu Sheng when he was young.

When they were both young, there was no rift or conflict between them. They were of the same status—neighbors, childhood friends, closer than real siblings. She was two years older than Mu Sheng. They went to school together, and she helped him with his homework. However, Mu Sheng was so smart that he soon didn’t need her help, sometimes even solving problems faster than her.

Back then, he often cheerfully called her “sister” without any mockery. His innocent and kind expression was exactly like Da Shou’s just now.

Outside the game, separated by a screen, Mu Sheng saw Situ Qing actually walking with Da Shou. He shook his head slightly and quickly sent her a message: [Stay away from this kid. He will hurt you.]

But Situ Qing didn’t see it in time because Da Shou had grabbed her wrist.

In the game, Situ Qing felt a vibration at her wrist, but Da Shou’s position blocked her view of her watch panel. She didn’t push him away immediately, partly because she longed for the warmth on her wrist, especially after being surrounded by the coldness of the ghosts. She was desperate for the warmth of a living being.

However, after just thirty seconds, she tried to pull her hand back but found that Da Shou had a firm grip on her, making it hard for her to break free. Realizing something was amiss, she pushed Da Shou away, quickly accessed her system panel, and saw Mu Sheng’s message.

But it was already too late. Before she could turn and run, she saw Da Shou take action—he removed his jacket, revealing explosives strapped to his waist. He intended to take both of them down!

Situ Qing heard him say, “Sister, I’m sorry. But if I don’t do this, I won’t be able to see my mother. I just want to see her… I miss her so much!” Then with a click, Da Shou triggered the explosives.

Situ Qing’s heart sank.

She knew she couldn’t escape. In theory, her special ability might be able to freeze everything, including the explosives that hadn’t detonated. If Mu Sheng had sent the message earlier, she would have had time. But all her skills had a long casting time, and she would be blown to pieces before her icy powers took effect.

She knew she couldn’t make it. Mu Sheng’s message came too late, and she saw it half a minute too late.

She knew she was going to die in this instance.

Despite knowing she couldn’t survive, her survival instinct made her turn and try to run back. At that moment, she saw Zhou Qian standing under a nearby streetlight—under its illumination, he was holding up a bone and seemed to be murmuring something.

Then, the entire street, including the reflected moonlight and streetlights, started to warp. The explosion behind her didn’t happen immediately, and her running became extremely slow.

Zhou Qian has slowed down time!

Did he use such a massive amount of mana just to save me?

Why would he waste mana to save me?!

Wait, he only slowed down time. He didn’t stop it entirely.

Just as Situ Qing realized this, she heard a massive “boom” behind her.

The bomb had exploded!

A heat wave suddenly rose, and the entire back of Situ Qing was engulfed in flames, causing her so much pain that she couldn’t help but scream.

At that moment, she realized that there was not an inch of good skin left on her back.

[Player Situ Qing’s HP has dropped to 50%]

By the time she saw this prompt, Situ Qing was drenched in cold sweat.

But she knew she wasn’t dead yet. She was only slightly hurt by the outermost layer of the explosion.

Immediately after, time slowed down even more, so much so that the truly life-threatening shockwave was still delayed.

Biting her teeth hard, Situ Qing trembled from the pain. She then looked up and saw Zhou Qian slowly approaching her. He looked like a demon about to slay her, but at the same time, like a god who could save her.

Zhou Qian was smiling.

In Situ Qing’s eyes, that smile was endlessly mocking.

Situ Qing knew Zhou Qian was toying with her.

If he wanted to kill her, he wouldn’t need to slow down time.

But if he wanted to save her, why did he wait until after she was hurt by the outermost shockwave to further slow down time?

Does he want to save me or send me to my death?

The intense pain from her back made Situ Qing’s mind a bit foggy. She could even smell her burnt skin. Cold sweat had completely soaked her forehead, neck, palms, and back.

“What do you want?” Situ Qing managed to ask him, her voice hoarse.

She wasn’t even sure if she had actually said the words.

Because her time was also slowed down, perhaps she never got the words out.

But Zhou Qian seemed to have understood her.

Holding the Rib of God, he walked step by step towards her, looking down on her, and said, “Of course, I want you to beg me. Beg me, and I might consider saving you.”

“Don’t you see? Who pushes you into hell, and who saves you?”

“You… you…” Situ Qing wanted to argue, but she had to admit that Zhou Qian was right.

Considering Mu Sheng’s intelligence, he should have known that the child was problematic, so why didn’t he tell her sooner? Why wait until the very last moment?

Suddenly, Situ Qing looked at her watch again, as if trying to question Mu Sheng through the system panel, who was watching her in danger.

From this action, Zhou Qian saw right through her.

Walking up to Situ Qing, he placed the Rib of God on her shoulder.

And with that, Zhou Qian took Situ Qing out of time.

Unable to bear the pain on her back, Situ Qing almost collapsed.

Zhou Qian chuckled softly and said in a deep voice, “He pushes you into grave danger, and just before that danger strikes, he sends you a warning to save you. This way, you’ll become more and more reliant on him.

“He’s the one who sets the trap for you, but he’s also the one who rescues you. It’s like him slapping you and then offering you candy… Gradually, you can’t break free from him. Not only can you not leave him, but you might even begin to feel sympathy for him, empathizing with him to some extent…”

“Situ Qing, this isn’t love. You’re sick. This condition is similar to Stockholm syndrome*. He’s the kidnapper that trapped you. How can you fall for him?”

*Condition in which hostages develop a psychological bond with their captors.

“I guess he’s used this method many times. But if you walk in the night too often, you’ll eventually encounter ghosts*. Maybe the previous times he saved you at the last second. But just now… seems like he made a mistake. If he had warned you a bit earlier, would you be in this situation?”

*Idiom referring to if one constantly engages in risky or dubious activities, they will eventually face negative consequences or run into trouble.

While gasping in pain, Situ Qing asked Zhou Qian, “Putting me in extreme danger and then saving me at the last moment… Zhou Qian, isn’t what you’re doing now the same?”

Zhou Qian laughed again, looking into her pain-filled eyes. “Of course not. I’m not asking you to love me.”

“There’s no emotional entanglement between us. If there is any, it’s just hatred. After all, you killed a good man named Gao Shan.”

His tone turned cold as he looked into her eyes. “Situ Qing, I’m just trying to wake you up. You’re in an extreme emotional state because of him. How can I wake you up if I don’t use extreme methods?”

“Come on, Situ Qing, grab this bone and come see the light with me.”

No, I cannot be swayed by him.

How can there be any light on him?

I’m just stepping from one abyss into another.

The constant pain in her back reminded her that if she didn’t hold onto that bone, she would die. She would definitely die.

“Come, Situ Qing. Look behind you.”

Zhou Qian pressed the bone against the side of her head, forcing her to turn and look behind her.

Immediately, Situ Qing saw a sight that filled her with unspeakable terror.

A mushroom cloud from an explosion was just a stone’s throw away from her.

The mushroom cloud almost illuminated the sky, blindingly bright yet seemingly having the power to obliterate everything.

If… If Zhou Qian were to release that bone, she would be instantly blown to smithereens.

Situ Qing shivered uncontrollably, her survival instincts overtaking her rational mind and any mental defenses, making her swiftly grab the bone pressed against her head.

Seeing this, Zhou Qian gave a faint smile, turned, and ran with her out of the explosion’s range.

Then he deactivated his skill, and time returned to normal.

“Boom—!” The mushroom cloud bloomed, like the most magnificent flower.

But apart from the explosion’s epicenter, no one died.

Watching this from a distance, sweat poured off Situ Qing as if she had been drenched in water countless times.

The boundless terror and never-ending pain had completely sapped her strength, and she collapsed onto the ground.

After catching her breath for a moment, she looked up at Zhou Qian beside her. “What did you—”

Unexpectedly, Zhou Qian had used an ordinary skill on her.

[Bone Nightmare]: Induces the target into an illusion, with a 30% backlash chance.

This ordinary skill of Zhou Qian had a unique feature.

If the target’s mental and physical conditions were good, the induced illusion would be extremely basic, similar to seeing an elf in water when drinking. It would be neither harmful nor particularly offensive.

However, if the target’s mental state was compromised, Zhou Qian could exploit it.

He remembered the detailed skill description mentioning that his current level was too low to maximize this skill’s potential. If he tried, he might suffer a backlash that could even threaten his life.

But when he reached a higher level with stronger base attributes, he could create and control the illusion.

Currently, Zhou Qian couldn’t craft or control an illusion to make Situ Qing completely lost in it.

But given her current fragile state—pain from the explosion, fear of death, threats from Zhou Qian, combined with her feelings of disappointment, fear, love, and hate towards Mu Sheng—all these negative emotions were overwhelming her.

In such a state, Zhou Qian could show her the illusion she feared the most.

……

The intense pain on her back made Situ Qing drift in and out of consciousness.

The moment the bone passed before her eyes, she felt a weight on her head and fell unconscious.

She felt like she was back in her childhood, with scenes from her past fast-forwarding before her eyes. At first, she was an observer, but eventually, she merged completely with her past self, reliving her life.

Situ Qing’s mother was named Situ Xue, who, to many, seemed as pure and beautiful as snow*.

*[Xue] (雪) means snow.

Situ Xue raised Situ Qing by herself. When Situ Qing was nine, they moved into an apartment where she met Mu Sheng. They were neighbors, living door-to-door.

Situ Qing and Mu Sheng weren’t siblings, but their bond was even stronger. She was very kind to Mu Sheng, largely because Mu Sheng’s mother was kind to her and her mother.

Mu Sheng’s mother, feeling sorry for the mother-daughter duo, always invited them over whenever she made something tasty.

Thus, the two families got along very well.

But no one expected Mu Sheng’s father to end up with Situ Xue.

They claimed they were in true love. Mu Sheng’s mother went through immense emotional pain, eventually falling into depression.

One day, while she was driving to pick up Mu Sheng, her mental state was compromised. It was unknown if it was due to a momentary lapse or if she wanted to end both their lives. Regardless, a tragic accident occurred.

After the accident, Mu Sheng’s mother passed away, and Mu Sheng was left with a lifelong disability.

At his bedside, Situ Qing was consumed with guilt. She kept apologizing to Mu Sheng, saying she would dedicate her life to make up for it.

Finally, Mu Sheng said to her, “Then let’s run away. I can’t stand being in this house, even for a moment. How can I face my father and your mother? They are murderers. Maybe I’ll lose control and kill them.”

And so, Situ Qing really took him with her.

No one had ever told her that the mistakes of adults should not be something a child should bear.

Yet, she felt so guilty towards Mu Sheng. Because of her mother, his entire life was ruined.

In reality, Situ Qing’s life trajectory had also been completely altered.

Back then, Situ Qing was only in her second year of high school.

To pay for Mu Sheng’s school fees and their living expenses, she dropped out of school early and worked various jobs, doing loads of work every day.

She was tired and resentful but bore it silently. Even when Mu Sheng’s temper was extremely bad, even when he dragged her into a bottomless abyss with him.

There was one incident that Situ Qing remembered particularly well.

One day, she was working at a milk tea shop. As it was close to the end of the year, many office workers from nearby buildings were working overtime and having lots of meetings. Hence, the demand for milk tea was particularly high.

That afternoon, Situ Qing made almost 300 cups of milk tea. She was almost exhausted to death and didn’t finish work until midnight.

She was so worn out that she could barely walk. She texted Mu Sheng that she wouldn’t come home that night and would spend the night at the milk tea shop and return the next morning.

After sending the message, Situ Qing laid down on the shop’s sofa to rest.

But she barely rested before deciding to return home.

She was worried about Mu Sheng being alone at home. If she didn’t cook dinner, Mu Sheng might not eat at all, especially given his mobility challenges.

Dragging her exhausted body, when Situ Qing arrived home, she encountered something she’d never expected.

Below their rented apartment, she saw Mu Sheng’s father’s car.

The next day, Situ Qing asked Mu Sheng, “Did your father find us?”

Mu Sheng replied, “Sister, how can you be so naive? We’re two minors. Is it hard to find us? They reported it to the police and found us long ago. It’s just that you were working that day, so only I met them.”

Situ Qing asked, “Didn’t they ask us to go back?”

“Of course they did. But I told them if they dared to force us, I’d not only kill myself but also take you with me. They got scared and let us stay out for the time being.” Mu Sheng chuckled. “My father foolishly believes… in at most half a year, I’d cool down and be willing to return. Who does he think he’s driven to death?”

Situ Qing, puzzled, inquired further. “Then… What was your father doing here last night?”

Mu Sheng’s gaze became inscrutable. “He came to see me and brought some money. I told him to just transfer it to my bank account in the future.”

Situ Qing frowned. “If he knew where we were all along, has he been sending money before?”

Mu Sheng nodded, “Of course. They’re afraid we won’t have enough to eat or wear.”

“Why then… Why…” Situ Qing clenched her fists. “I could have continued studying and not worked. Why did you…”

Interrupting her, holding Situ Qing’s hand, and looking into her eyes, Mu Sheng said, “Because I love you, sister.”

Situ Qing found herself unable to understand Mu Sheng’s actions. “What… What did you just say?”

“I said I love you.” Whispering into Situ Qing’s ear, Mu Sheng continued, “Without seeing you willingly sacrifice for me, how would I know you love me? I just wanted… you to prove your love for me.”

“Sister, I’m disabled. How can I be sure you’ll stick with me for life?”

“I just wanted to make sure… you were truly willing to sacrifice everything for me.”

“No, Mu Sheng… my mother wronged you, but I have my own life. I could’ve—”

“Sister, I just love you too much. Maybe I’m young and don’t know how to handle our relationship. After all, I hate your mother, and you resemble her… but I truly love you. Can you forgive me? I was just too afraid you’d leave me.”

“Mu Sheng…”

“If you knew my father would give us money, you might just abandon me.”

Situ Qing didn’t know what to say. Her grievances turned into tears.

But she couldn’t push Mu Sheng away.

She’d rushed to the scene of the accident and saw Mu Sheng’s mother in a pool of blood, her eyes staring at her as if Situ Qing had committed an unforgivable sin, owing her too much.

“Sister, don’t cry.” As Mu Sheng wiped her tears, he said, “I don’t want to use my father’s money. It feels dirty. Only what you give is good. I just want to love you.”

When this incident first happened, Situ Qing was deeply shocked. However, as similar incidents occurred more frequently, she seemingly became accustomed to it, even becoming numb.

What could she do even if she felt terrible? How could she leave such a Mu Sheng? She already owed him, so how could she really abandon him with his disability?

For a long time, Situ Qing had been having a recurring nightmare. After preparing breakfast for Mu Sheng, she forgot to turn off the stove and hurried to work. A fire indeed broke out at home, but since she was out working to earn money, she knew nothing about it. Poor Mu Sheng, due to his physical disabilities, couldn’t escape and perished in the flames.

In her dreamlike state, Situ Qing never imagined that this dream would come true.

Dragging her tired body, Situ Qing returned to the entrance of her building only to see her rented apartment engulfed in flames. Thinking of the helpless Mu Sheng, she felt she had once again failed him—because she was busy working and couldn’t attend to him at all times, leading to this disaster.

Fear and guilt surrounded Situ Qing, and she recklessly tried to rush into the fire.

“It’s dangerous, young lady!”

“Don’t go! The firefighters are here!”

Such voices continuously echoed in her ears, and she was held back by the crowd.

After an unknown period of worry and anxiety, when guilt and concern nearly suffocated her, two firefighters carried out Mu Sheng. However, by that time, Mu Sheng had turned into a charred corpse.

Mu Sheng was dead, completely and utterly.

“No—!”

Situ Qing knelt on the ground, completely devastated. The person she loved the most, who also tormented her for a lifetime, was now dead. Her world suddenly felt empty. It seemed like she couldn’t feel anything.

It seemed like Situ Qing and Mu Sheng had been intertwined for a long time. Both were young, but they seemed to have been entwined for countless days and nights. Love or hate between them was indistinguishable. Who owed whom was also blurred.

All Situ Qing knew now was that all her guilt, concern, secrets, heaviness, and twisted love and attachment had abruptly left her before she could thoroughly understand it, before she was prepared.

Her world used to be colorful and sweet. Back then, the boy next door was adorable, her mother was beautiful, and the neighboring aunt and uncle were friendly… Later, after a sudden change, she lived alone with Mu Sheng, working tirelessly. Her world turned black and white.

Now… Staring at the charred corpse, where even the facial features were indiscernible, Situ Qing felt her world was empty. It seemed like she lived in a world where nothing existed. No Mu Sheng, no parents, no one. That world was void of even black and white.

This emptiness lasted for a long time until Situ Qing gradually regained her senses. She realized she was kneeling on the street with many kind-hearted people around, seemingly comforting her. They must have been doing it for a while, but she felt deaf to it all.

It was only then that her senses gradually returned, and Situ Qing started feeling the pain in her heart. It felt as if someone was tightly squeezing and crushing it, the pain even surpassing the severe injuries on her back.

Wait… 

Where did the injuries on her back come from?

At that moment, Situ Qing abruptly woke up from the most terrifying dream and found herself in tears. She hadn’t cried when she was close to death or when her back was severely burned by the explosion wave. But she was utterly shattered because of a dream.

Instinctively touching her face, feeling as if it had been repeatedly drenched in rain, Situ Qing took several breaths and opened her eyes, seeing Zhou Qian looking down at her. His eyes were cold and cruel. He was mocking her—the most ruthless and terrifying devil in the world!

With all her strength, Situ Qing reached out and tightly grabbed Zhou Qian’s shirt.

“Zhou Qian, I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill you!”

Zhou Qian’s face remained calm. He looked at Situ Qing with deceptive eyes while speaking in a soft voice. “Situ Qing, tell me, what was your most genuine feeling just now? Face me honestly and face yourself honestly. When you saw his corpse, what was your first reaction?”

“I…”

Seemingly recalling a feeling of emptiness, as if everything was drained from her, Situ Qing was left speechless.

The deep voice of Zhou Qian continued, “Situ Qing, be honest. You’ve felt it, haven’t you? Let me see if there’s any hope left for you.”

“I… I…”

Tears streamed down Situ Qing’s face once again. She couldn’t help but break down. Unconsciously, she let go of Zhou Qian’s shirt, which she had been gripping. She covered her face and began to sob uncontrollably.

Ever since the day after Mu Sheng’s mother died, she started suppressing herself, holding back all the pain, even the longing for her mother. And now, for the first time in so many years and countless nights, she cried her heart out.

Amidst this emotional breakdown, she answered Zhou Qian with sobs. “I felt… relieved, as if a weight had been lifted. I feel liberated. I feel free now. I feel like I should be happy… I feel like I can have a normal life. I… Zhou Qian…”

“When I saw him die, my first reaction was… relief. So, Zhou Qian…”

“Are you satisfied?!”

“Are you satisfied now, Zhou Qian?!”

Zhou Qian waited quietly for her to cry for a full minute. Then, he extended his hand and patted her shoulder. “This proves there’s still hope for you. Remember this feeling, Situ Qing.”

“Remember this feeling of freedom, liberation, and relief.”

“Now you can let him go.”

“Forgive yourself and live for yourself.”

Outside the game, in front of the tablet screen.

Mu stared as Zhou Qian looked up. His cold gaze seemed to pierce through the screen, staring right at him. With a malicious, mocking tone, he said, “Did you hear that? Seeing you dead, her first reaction was relief.”

“The thing she feared most in her life was causing your death due to her negligence.”

“But what she most looked forward to was also—to see you die.”

Later on, this game video of Zhou Qian was watched countless times, garnering the highest attention and eliciting numerous comments.

[Holy shit, that’s next-level strategy! I’ve never seen such a crafty move! He’s so skilled at winning people over!]

[I don’t get it. He expended so much mana, just to anger Situ Qing and turn her against her gambler? So, what’s Zhou Qian planning for Situ Qing next?]

[I don’t know about later, but in this instance, his move was worth it.]

[Right? Among the four of them, who could deal normal damage? If he doesn’t win over Situ Qing now, then when? There’s a tough fight coming up!]

[I kind of feel sorry for Situ Qing.]

[To the person above, there’s something hateful in every pitiable person!]

[That might be true… She was forced into this. Let’s see if she can make amends in the future. Maybe she’ll work hard to earn gold coins and finally trade them to Yun Xiangrong to get Gao Shan back?]

[I think you guys are missing the point. Why would a low-level player like Situ Qing, who seemingly has no past grudge with Zhou Qian, attack him? Whose orders?]

[Peach Blossom Legion, perhaps? I heard they gave her a pass to enter this hall…]

[Why would Peach Blossom want to kill Zhou Qian? Didn’t their senior retire?]

[Didn’t Priest analyze for us last time? Zhou Qian caught the eye of a Rank God player, who wants to train him as his “shepherd”!]

[Is Zhou Qian caught in a struggle between Rank God players? I heard there are factional struggles among high-level players… Could that be true? I’ve heard rumors that Rank God players are selecting who can truly stand beside the gods!]

[Yeah, isn’t it a contest between [Scholar] and [Blood Demon] for the top spot? Whoever’s on top will rule the game and lead all of us!]

[I’ve heard the same. They’re even forcing players to pick sides. There’s a big battle brewing between them! It’s unclear which side the Peach Blossom Legion is on. High-level players are currently vying for powerful [Shepherds]. For someone like Zhou Qian… it’s better to kill him if they can’t have him!]

[Having only completed two dungeons, Zhou Qian is already the most watched newbie, currently ranking first. So being pursued is the treatment for the top newbie? I really don’t envy that!]

[Yeah, high-level players, please don’t give me the same attention as Zhou Qian! Leave me be; I don’t want to be your [Shepherd]. Let me be free, thank you!]

[The two above are so narcissistic. Do you see anyone paying attention to you?]

Inside the private room, Priest silently observed everyone’s comments and, for some reason, sighed softly.

Then he opened a letter he had received, bearing a distinct peach blossom mark at the corner.

……

At this moment, in the game.

Dark clouds approached, obscuring the moonlight.

The long street became even darker.

Situ Qing broke down in tears, while Zhou Qian looked towards the street.

Not long ago, Da Shou, with explosives strapped to him, wanted to drag the players to death with him. However, he failed in the end, and only he died.

On the other side, Xiao Pang ran swiftly down the entire street, scattering dog’s blood everywhere and sticking talisman papers.

As a result, all the ghosts that were in groups vanished one after another.

After receiving a message from Zhou Qian, Yun Xiangrong and He Xiaowei not only quickly distanced themselves from Da Shou but also quickly paid attention to Xiao Pang’s movements.

When Zhou Qian used the “Bone Nightmare” skill on Situ Qing, Xiao Pang had just dealt with a horde of ghosts. Seeing that Da Shou blew himself up without taking any players with him, Xiao Pang rushed towards the players again.

He Xiaowei’s eyes widened instantly. “Fuck, does he also have a bomb on him?”

Yun Xiangrong said in a deep voice, “Quickly, use the guqin to control him!”

As soon as Yun Xiangrong spoke, He Xiaowei took out his guqin and began to play it.

The system didn’t provide any warnings about the danger of Xiao Pang and Da Shou. This meant that they were not the “monsters” that needed to be defeated in the instance. Their attacks were covert, without any special skills, which also meant they were vulnerable.

Sure enough, when He Xiaowei plucked the strings aimed at Xiao Pang’s feet, Xiao Pang immediately tripped.

As he fell, Yun Xiangrong swiftly attacked, with willow catkins falling, precisely targeting Xiao Pang’s arms.

Yun Xiangrong’s damage output was mediocre, but it was enough to handle Xiao Pang, an NPC that wasn’t even considered a monster.

Once Xiao Pang was incapacitated, Yun Xiangrong quickly brought out a rope, first tying his hands behind him to prevent him from triggering the explosive. Once the explosive risk was neutralized, she tied up his feet.

He Xiaowei rushed forward to help, and in the end, together with Yun Xiangrong, they tied Xiao Pang to a lamppost.

After staring at Xiao Pang for a while, He Xiaowei heard footsteps and turned to see Zhou Qian.

“Qian’er, I don’t understand. What’s happening?” He Xiaowei nudged Zhou Qian’s arm and glanced at the still-crying Situ Qing.

Zhou Qian said, “Using some mana now is worth it. Otherwise, it’ll be troublesome later. With Situ Qing around, things are a bit easier.”

He Xiaowei glanced at Xiao Pang again and couldn’t help but ask Zhou Qian, “So… what’s going on? Why did they want to harm us? Are they children? The ghosts… don’t pose a threat to us?”

Zhou Qian counter-asked, “Did you see any ghost hurt you?”

He Xiaowei rubbed his hands. “Well, not really.”

Zhou Qian continued, “It’s all easy to deduce. Think about it, what’s the background of this city?”

He Xiaowei replied, “The S army invaded… The Seventh Army protects the civilians!”

“Right,” Zhou Qian said. “Now, think about it, what did the old lady ask us to do when she saw us?”

“Aha, I get it,” He Xiaowei exclaimed. “She said there are many traitors in the city lately and warned us not to reveal our identities. She asked us to take off our military uniforms. In a way, she was protecting us!”

“Exactly,” Zhou Qian replied. “Additionally, remember when you were about to get married as Dong Shui, the young Jiang Yuqing appeared. In his perspective, he didn’t see those people as ghosts. He looked at them the same way he looked at us.”

“Don’t forget, we deduced early on that young Jiang Yuqing would protect us and is on our side.”

“So, his appearance, besides introducing a subplot, was also a hint from the game—that the ‘ghosts’ in this level are actually on the good side.”

After a brief pause, Zhou Qian added, “Recall not long ago when we were surrounded by those young beggars. They didn’t intend to harm us. They didn’t know they were dead and continued to rob, just like when they were alive. But when they saw me take out the uniform of the Seventh Army, they immediately stopped and were overjoyed. They spread the word that the Seventh Army had arrived. They thought… they could be saved.”

He Xiaowei paused, then said, “The old lady told us to change our clothes. But we were still exposed. We…”

After a brief moment of distraction, he said, “We’ve been exposed for a while! Hearing the suona sound on the way to the wedding, we wore our military uniforms. We were seen by people long ago. But, the people who saw us were… were…”

He Xiaowei’s gaze turned to the tied-up Xiao Pang. He furrowed his brow tightly, as if feeling that the truth he discovered wasn’t only saddening but also so incredible that it was almost hard to accept.

“In times of war, nothing is impossible,” Zhou Qian said. “When the S army invaded Baicheng, they slaughtered the civilians… Miss Zhang couldn’t wait for her Dong Shui to return and had already passed away.”

Thinking of the smiling expression in Miss Zhang’s eyes in the photograph and thinking of the piece of red wedding dress and the embroidered shoe found in the mass grave, tears welled up in He Xiaowei’s eyes.

“This is a world of mixed truth and illusion,” he continued. “What happened in that mass grave probably really happened. This city is empty because nearly everyone in Baicheng was slaughtered back then. As for the wedding of Dong Shui and Miss Zhang, it never really happened. This was Jiang Yuqing’s vision. He knew everyone was dead, but he hoped that even in ghost form, his comrade and Miss Zhang could have their wishes, so he created such an illusion in this conscious world.”

Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes and said, “Real memories and false visions together make up this world. We need to discern which parts are real and which are fake. For example, the malicious intent of those two children may be real.”

Jiang Yuqing’s memory couldn’t have possibly conjured the bones and mass graves from thin air. This was probably from what he had seen with his own eyes. The most logical guess was that after Dong Shui and Miss Zhang broke off their engagement, they left Baicheng, met up with the rest of the Falcon Squadron, and began the mission to escort Jiang Yuqing to Nancheng.

Perhaps during their escape, they passed through Baicheng and saw the desolation and emptiness left behind by the war. They came across numerous bodies, found many mass graves, and even discovered parts of Miss Zhang’s wedding dress and the embroidered shoe.

But entering Baicheng must have been extremely dangerous, as it would have been filled with S Army forces. So, what role did these two children play at that time?

Being locals and children, they would have easily gained the trust of the Falcon Squadron.

Perhaps at a moment of crisis, Xiao Pang and Da Shou appeared and said, “Big brother, big sister, follow us. We can save you.”

Maybe someone in the Falcon Squadron fell for it, and the children detonated the bombs they carried, sacrificing themselves in the process.

He Xiaowei looked at the tied-up Xiao Pang, struggling to find words, and then asked Zhou Qian, “But why? If the entire city was surrounded by the S Army, wouldn’t it be easy for them to exterminate the Falcon Squadron? Why would they force two children from Baicheng to do this? Why would the children agree?”

Zhou Qian’s expression turned cold. “The S Army is like their name implies—they are venomous snakes. Perhaps even more venomous than snakes. They not only wanted to kill the people of Baicheng but also wanted to watch them kill each other. Perhaps ordinary killing methods no longer satisfied them, so they forced two children from Baicheng to turn against those they originally looked up to in the Seventh Army.”

He Xiaowei’s eyes reddened, and he was rendered speechless. Zhou Qian walked towards Xiao Pang and asked, “Did they force or trick you by using your mother? Did they tell you that if you carried the bomb and led us into a trap, they would spare your mother?”

Looking up at Zhou Qian, Xiao Pang trembled and tears flowed. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to find my mom… I just wanted her to come back.”

Just then, there was a “bang”.

Xiao Pang was killed, lying in a pool of blood.

The S army had killed everyone in the city, leaving only Da Shou and Xiao Pang. When the Falcon Squadron entered the city, they were trapped, and the two children were tasked to kill them. If they succeeded, the S Army would have enjoyed a cruel spectacle of brethren killing each other. If they failed, the S Army would simply take care of the Seventh Army members themselves.

Now, the two children had undoubtedly failed, and the S army lurking in the shadows was about to emerge.

Zhou Qian stepped closer to Xiao Pang. Although Xiao Pang could no longer hear, Zhou Qian whispered, “You don’t need to apologize. You’re not our enemy, the S Army is.”

“Qian’er, we… we…” He Xiaowei swallowed hard, torn between fear and rage.

The system soon sent a message.

[Player triggered main plotline: Jiang Yuqing was captured by the S Army in Baicheng, where they tortured him to extract scientific research secrets; Jiang Yuqing would rather die than betray but was later saved by a spy from the Seventh Army hidden within the S Army inside Baicheng.]

[Player Mission: On behalf of the Falcon Squadron, locate Jiang Yuqing and take him to the western pier to escape by boat.]

“Xiaowei Ge—”

Suddenly hearing this voice, He Xiaowei turned to look at Zhou Qian.

At this moment, the clouds had dispersed, and the moonlight made Zhou Qian’s gaze exceptionally clear.

“What’s…what’s up?” He Xiaowei asked.

Unlike his usual comedic demeanor, affected by the plot, He Xiaowei’s tone was dull, lacking energy.

Then he saw Zhou Qian, with his shining eyes, say, “How about we go all out?”

“How do we go all out?” Seemingly influenced by Zhou Qian, He Xiaowei gradually became somewhat excited.

Zhou Qian said, “In reality, we can only be the villains. So, in this instance, let’s be… heroes.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Of course, to annihilate all the members of the S Army and avenge everyone!”

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

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

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Chapter 31

The bride as beautiful as a blooming flower, the enthusiastic old matchmaker, the kind and approachable parents, the guests chatting and drinking at the banquet…

All vanished in an instant.

He Xiaowei’s “husband and wife bow” ended up being made of thin air.

For a moment, he should’ve felt relieved, perhaps even exhilarated from narrowly escaping a dangerous situation. Yet, strangely, looking at the now-empty wedding hall, he felt a sense of loss, as if he had truly lost his bride.

After some time, He Xiaowei quickly took off his wedding clothes and ran to Zhou Qian. “Qian’er, what’s…”

But he saw Zhou Qian facing a direction, seemingly waiting for something. After a while, a little dragon climbed over the white wall and jumped into Zhou Qian’s arms.

Without turning his head, Zhou Qian said, “See? You’re so undesirable, even a ghost bride didn’t want to marry you.”

Unable to hold back, He Xiaowei retorted, “Damn it, Zhou Qian, your mouth is too poisonous! You weren’t like this when you needed my help!”

At this point, everyone had a question in their minds—was that it?

One player was forced to marry a ghost bride, while others were made to attend… Everyone was constantly on edge, thinking there might be some greater danger lurking.

But now, the ghosts just vanished out of thin air. The players, vigilant for so long, were unsure whether to relax or brace themselves for further risks. This game was so bizarre, keeping their nerves taut as if they had no room to relax.

Suddenly, a system notification sounded.

A new exclamation mark appeared on the map, instructing players to head to that location to trigger the next part of the storyline. It was a location everyone was familiar with—the wide street they had walked down twice when they first left the pier and entered the main city.

Having read the system prompt, He Xiaowei blinked twice. “So, should we go now?”

Zhou Qian petted the dragon’s head, saying, “You guys go first. I’ll catch up.”

Upon hearing this, Situ Qing was the first to ask, “Where are you going?”

Seeing that Situ Qing seemed keen to follow and fearing he might harm Zhou Qian, He Xiaowei immediately said, “Then I’ll come with you!”

If both of them were to accompany Zhou Qian, it seemed unreasonable for Yun Xiangrong to go alone to the street.

She said, “Then I’ll come see as well. For now, the system hasn’t set a time limit for us to trigger the next event. Before we go, it might be necessary to explore freely.”

Zhou Qian didn’t look at the two ladies and just nodded at He Xiaowei. He then left the wedding hall from the back door, went to the west chambers, passed its courtyard, and reached the back door of the house.

Pushing the door open, he found a narrow alley. Following the alley, he arrived at a large orchard.

“Why are we here?” He Xiaowei asked, pulling a powerful flashlight from his bag.

“When you changed into the wedding clothes, I explored the alley and had the little dragon help me find something.” Zhou Qian pointed ahead and continued, “There—”

Though the system stated that the little dragon didn’t have any special skills, was weak in offense and defense, and couldn’t heal, its advantage was that it had human-like life energy. It obeyed commands and could walk, jump, and search for things just like a human.

So, Zhou Qian had instructed it to find an open area like a lawn, wasteland, or garden. The more open, the better. If it found such a place, it was to dig. The dragon quickly located an open orchard and actually dug up something. It swiftly returned to Zhou Qian’s side and led him back.

At that moment, when the flashlight shone in the direction Zhou Qian was pointing, everyone could see that its beam was shaking erratically—because He Xiaowei’s hand was trembling violently. When he saw what was buried in the orchard, he was so terrified that he could hardly control himself.

Zhou Qian stepped forward, patting He Xiaowei’s shoulder to steady him and raising his arm for better illumination. With He Xiaowei serving as his makeshift spotlight, Zhou Qian moved closer to inspect what the light revealed—a vast pit filled with one skeleton after another.

This place appeared to be a makeshift mass grave. Many corpses were discarded here, hastily buried under the soil, making it easy for the little dragon to unearth them. At this moment, the little dragon let out a couple of whimpering noises at Zhou Qian.

Zhou Qian looked at it and nodded, and the little dragon immediately jumped out of his embrace, then rummaged through the dirt for a while. In no time, the little dragon had found numerous clues.

As the group of curious onlookers approached, Zhou Qian put all the clues into his bag. He Xiaowei was taken aback. “Qian’er, what do you mean by this?”

Zhou Qian glanced towards Situ Qing and Yun Xiangrong. “My little dragon and I spent so much effort exploring, and you two just want to reap the benefits? If you want to see the clues, we can negotiate a trade. I’ll show you the clues, but in return, you need to promise not to backstab or harm me until this instance ends.”

Situ Qing frowned. “What if you want to kill me? If you attack me, shouldn’t I defend myself?”

“It seems you still harbor intentions to kill me. Even if you change your mind now, I won’t show you the clues. Xiaowei Ge, let’s go somewhere private to look.”

Zhou Qian didn’t need to look to guess that Situ Qing made an unpleasant expression. Knowing she was upset, he felt extremely pleased.

With a joyful smile, Zhou Qian indeed led He Xiaowei to another corner of the orchard.

Before leaving, he heard Situ Qing say to Yun Xiangrong, “No matter who you want to seek revenge on after the instance ends, right now you don’t have the strength to confront anyone. I think—”

“No need to consider. The one I want to deal with is Zhou Qian. He’s not completely evil and still has a shred of humanity. Because of Gao Shan, he won’t hurt me. But unfortunately, without him, Gao Shan wouldn’t have died. I will definitely seek revenge on him.”

Yun Xiangrong’s voice was cold and heavy. “I was willing to destroy all my skills at this stage. I fear nothing. And of course, you’re next. After Zhou Qian dies, if I’m still unsatisfied, maybe it will be your turn.”

“Your current skills are useless. We won’t need you for the next challenges,” Situ Qing told her. “Aren’t you afraid I might kill you now?”

Yun Xiangrong scoffed, “At least I have a brain, and it works better than yours.”

Situ Qing paused, seemingly not angered by this. “By damaging your skills like this, are you trying to show your allegiance to me? Showing that you have completely broken ties with Zhou Qian while also demonstrating that you’re presenting yourself to me defenselessly, so I should trust you? After all, in your current powerless state, you can only cooperate with me.”

Yun Xiangrong replied indifferently, “I see. You’re not that dumb after all.”

Situ Qing asked her, “What kind of grudge… makes you willing to cooperate with his enemy to kill Zhou Qian?”

“The love of my life is dead. From now on, I will live only for revenge. Is that reason hard to understand?”

Situ Qing pressed. “How can I be sure… you won’t seek revenge on me later?”

“As I said, I definitely will. But Zhou Qian is my top priority. You can cooperate with me, and after he’s dead, you can deal with me. Or, if you don’t trust me, you can kill me now. Consider which option is more beneficial for you. The only promise I can make is—” She took a step forward, looking directly into Situ Qing’s eyes. “During our cooperation, I won’t turn against you. I’ll plan my revenge meticulously.”

With that, Yun Xiangrong headed towards the mass grave. “Let’s also find some tools to dig. The little dragon might have missed something. There might be more clues here.”

On the other side, as He Xiaowei walked away with Zhou Qian, he overheard the conversation between the two women.

“Shit, they’re openly discussing a conspiracy against you!”

Zhou Qian seemed unconcerned. “So, are you going to team up with me or them?”

He Xiaowei decisively replied, “With you. Women… I can’t handle even one. The heart of a woman is like finding a needle in the sea… But, speaking of which, figuring out what’s on your mind is even harder than guessing a woman’s. That’s like finding a needle in the Pacific Ocean…”

Feeling the murderous glare from somewhere, He Xiaowei quickly changed the topic. “Oh, Miss Zhang, my heart belongs to her…”

Zhou Qian ignored his rambling and, feeling they had put enough distance between themselves and Situ Qing, stopped and took out the clues found by the little dragon. “Perhaps among these clues, there’s a story about your beloved Miss Zhang.”

Using a flashlight, the first thing the two of them saw was a black-and-white photo.

The people in the photo were easily recognizable—it was a photo of Dong Shui and Miss Zhang.

Both were dressed in school uniforms, indicating it was taken during their student days.

This couple truly were childhood sweethearts, deeply in love.

After Zhou Qian looked at the photo, He Xiaowei quickly took it, holding it as if it were a precious treasure, as if he really saw himself as Dong Shui.

Zhou Qian then looked at another photo.

It was a group photo of six people with the caption: [Falcon Squadron Memorial Photo, December of XX36.]

Upon seeing it, He Xiaowei exclaimed, “There are only six people in this? Eh? Jiang Yuqing isn’t in it!”

Zhou Qian pondered while holding the photo. “Jiang Yuqing never really seemed like a soldier. He should be a physicist.”

After thinking for a moment, He Xiaowei said, “Jiang Yuqing and us belong to the Seventh Army—the seven of us are comrades-in-arms. However, Jiang Yuqing isn’t a frontline soldier; he’s a researcher and not a member of the Falcon Squadron. Only the six of us here are squad members.”

“Yes, that seems about right,” Zhou Qian concluded as he put away the photo and found a letter.

The letter was signed “Dong Shui,” likely written to Miss Zhang.

“A’Hua, the Falcon Squadron has received a very important task, and I will be temporarily leaving Baicheng. A doctor surnamed Jiang has just returned from studying abroad. He possesses vital knowledge that might completely change our nation’s passive fate. However, he’s been targeted by the S Army. I heard that the S Army either wants to capture him alive and make him serve their country or kill him.

“The Falcon Squadron needs to escort him to Nancheng. The journey is perilous, and I can’t guarantee my return. Our engagement, merely a verbal joke from our parents, shouldn’t be taken seriously. I’m heading north to join the rest of the squad. If I don’t return within a year, find a good man and marry him. Don’t wait for me.”

After reading the letter, a part of the buried historical truth was truly revealed.

The “Dr. Jiang” mentioned must be Jiang Yuqing.

It seemed he indeed wasn’t part of the Falcon Squadron. He and the Falcon Squadron belonged to the Seventh Army and was an important researcher. To protect him from being captured by the enemy, the Falcon Squadron’s mission was to escort him to Nancheng.

Zhou Qian wondered—Yun Xiangrong said that Jiang Yuqing liked Bei He. Could it be that he fell in love with Bei He while the Falcon Squadron was escorting him? Did Bei He like him?

He Xiaowei, who took the letter, read it three times, then asked Zhou Qian, “If I’m understanding correctly, this…this…”

Zhou Qian replied, “You’re not mistaken. Dong Shui never married Miss Zhang. Neither the Falcon Squadron nor Jiang Yuqing came to Baicheng for the wedding. Judging from the beginning of the letter, Dong Shui wrote it after leaving Baicheng. When he wrote the letter, Jiang Yuqing might have been nearby. That’s why, deep in his consciousness, there’s the memory of this letter.”

He Xiaowei exclaimed, “So you’re saying…all of this might be Jiang Yuqing’s wish?”

“He must have visited Baicheng when he was young; otherwise, there wouldn’t be such a vivid city environment deep in his consciousness. So, what we’re seeing is probably a mix of reality and fiction. We need to keep investigating to understand the whole truth.”

After saying this, Zhou Qian looked at the last two clues found by the little dragon.

The first was a piece of red cloth, possibly torn from a red wedding dress.

The other was a red embroidered shoe, which also seemed to be worn during a wedding.

Upon seeing these items, He Xiaowei’s hands trembled. “Could this be…”

Without saying much, Zhou Qian handed him the items and headed down the street. “Let’s go to the next location marked with an exclamation point. By the way, where’s the military uniform you took off? Did you leave it at that house?”

“No! It’s in my bag,” He Xiaowei replied.

“Good.”

“Is the uniform…useful?”

“It is. Just wait. After so much foreshadowing… the climax is probably coming.”

……

A short while later, Zhou Qian and He Xiaowei arrived at the marked location first, with Situ Qing and Yun Xiangrong trailing behind.

When they first arrived at this street, it was close to dusk.

But now, the entire street was shrouded in darkness.

A crescent moon hung high, illuminating the road. Streetlamps stood silently on both sides of the street. From a distance, they looked like shining stars, echoing the moon in the sky.

In the curve of the moonlight, Zhou Qian once again saw the beggar he had glimpsed through the little dragon’s eyes. The little girl was still squatting at the street corner, holding a broken bowl.

But unlike before, when she was alone, this time there were many children behind her. These children, boys and girls of varying heights and weights, looked different in age. Some appeared to be in their late teens, around sixteen or seventeen, while others looked as young as six or seven.

They all had one thing in common: dirty faces, ragged clothes, and none of them had feet.

The group of children initially went about their own business, but as Zhou Qian and his party approached, their eyes immediately turned towards them.

Under the moonlight, the children’s eyes shone eerily, like a pack of hungry wolves spotting their prey.

He Xiaowei was the first to retreat. For him, ghosts were already terrifying, but ghost brides and ghost dolls, which were often featured in countless horror stories, were even more so. He never imagined he’d encounter both in such a short span of time.

He Xiaowei was the first to move back and was also the first to be noticed by the little ghosts. A child of about eight lunged at him. He let out a piercing scream and was immediately surrounded by seven or eight of them.

In no time, not just him but everyone was completely surrounded by these ghosts. He Xiaowei couldn’t scream anymore as one of the little ghosts had covered his mouth, making him feel like he couldn’t breathe.

Even Situ Qing took out her bell, summoning wind and snow to try to fend off the ghosts. But it was no use. These ghosts seemed to fear neither weapons nor the biting cold.

Zhou Qian glanced at the other three players and then at the children surrounding him. A very young child jumped onto his shoulder, his cold breath chilling Zhou Qian’s ear, feeling even colder than Situ Qing’s icy spell.

Another child hung upside-down from his neck, patting his chest. Ghostly hands swiftly moved over Zhou Qian’s waist and thighs. But soon, Zhou Qian realized that they were just searching for the pockets in his clothes.

It seemed their main interest was money, not causing harm.

With this realization, Zhou Qian calmly stood still, glancing in both directions of the street. He quickly spotted Xiao Pang and Da Shou, holding a variety of items, likely things like dog’s blood and talismans, presumably to exorcise ghosts.

They peeked out from behind a streetlamp, curiously observing Zhou Qian and his group, pondering their next move.

Pretending not to notice them, Zhou Qian shifted his gaze back to the other players. They were all being entangled by the ghosts, and the more they resisted, the tighter the grip became.

Among them, Yun Xiangrong was the calmest. Perhaps after experiencing the death of Gao Shan, she felt nothing could be worse. Still, facing this situation, her face turned pale. Unlike the previous wedding scene, where none of the ghosts touched her, these ghosts clung to her, their icy touch sending chills down her spine.

Beside her, the “Ice Queen” Situ Qing was also rattled.

It felt as though the gates of the underworld had opened, and every ghostly touch felt like an invitation to hell…

Zhou Qian momentarily pondered how he’d feel under normal circumstances, concluding he’d probably be afraid. But unfortunately, he was currently emotionally impaired and felt no fear.

Seeing that the three players were tied up by the little ghosts, Zhou Qian relaxed.

With the ghosts tugging at him, he slowly moved backward, then addressed the ghost child around his neck. “Trying to steal something?”

A ghost child skillfully replied, “If you want to pass through the West Pier, you have to pay the toll!”

“Oh? Quite young, but seems you’re quite seasoned in mischief,” Zhou Qian remarked, and from that, he had a rough idea of the children’s background.

It was a time of war and chaos, and there were too many people who were neither well-fed nor well-clothed.

Coastal cities, however, were relatively prosperous during that period. In places like the docks, there were many visits from high-ranking officials and aristocrats. As a result, homeless children gradually formed a small organization, often banding together to steal or rob at this place.

During the day, probably wary of the patrol guards, they would act discreetly, begging innocently or looking for opportunities to steal. But when it became dark and the streets were deserted, they would brazenly rob.

Zhou Qian couldn’t help but think, ‘This is Jiang Yuqing’s conscious world. Everything here isn’t fabricated out of thin air.’

The wedding of Miss Zhang and Dong Shui may not have actually happened, but it might be Jiang Yuqing’s hope and imagination. He wished for his comrade Dong Shui to find happiness in life; hence, the wedding existed in his consciousness.

As for the robbery by the young beggars… Zhou Qian doubted Jiang Yuqing would imagine himself being robbed. Thus, this scene likely stemmed from the real-life experiences of the scholarly Jiang Yuqing.

For someone like him, if he was harassed by a bunch of rascals, he probably wouldn’t know what to do. Imagining him trying to manage urgent matters while being bothered, but unable to harshly reprimand the hungry and cold kids due to his sympathy, Zhou Qian thought that the scene must be quite amusing.

However, Zhou Qian’s analysis wasn’t meant to mock Jiang Yuqing. He actually realized a crucial point— the presence of these kids in this conscious world indicated that they had a profound impact on Jiang Yuqing.

Zhou Qian thought that based on this judgment, he knew what he should do next.

Moments later, on a street facing away from his three teammates, Zhou Qian took out a military uniform from his bag. He deliberately displayed the part marked with the number “7” and made a “shush” gesture to the children.

Their eyes lit up immediately, and they quickly started to laugh. They seemed very happy, wanting to shout out loud but holding back after reminders from their peers.

“It’s the Seventh Army!”

“I can’t believe it’s someone from the Seventh Army!”

“You’re here to fight the S Army, right? I knew you’d come! Please drive them away!”

“This is great! I need to tell others! I need to inform everyone!”

“Me too! I want to tell the entire city!”

In an instant, the seven or eight kids surrounding Zhou Qian disappeared. He Xiaowei couldn’t handle it anymore. After being surrounded and freed repeatedly, he yelled out desperately, “Qian’er! Qian’er, help me! My Qian’er, where have you gone?”

Suddenly, He Xiaowei saw Zhou Qian standing alone under a streetlamp, not bothered by any ghost. He shouted, “Qian’er! How did you do that?! Teach me! Help me! I’m about to be eaten! Ahhh, little brats, where are you touching! Wuwuwu Qian’er—”

After his loud cry, Situ Qing and Yun Xiangrong also looked towards Zhou Qian, wondering how he always finds solutions so quickly. But before they could relax, they saw a more terrifying scene. Those kids had come back, and they brought a horde of ghosts.

Men, women, tall, short, elderly, children, and even crawling babies… a large group of ghosts surged towards the players like a tidal wave. Every ghost had a ghastly pale face, and when gathered together, they shone even brighter than the moonlight.

None of them had feet, but they floated swiftly towards the group of players.

He Xiaowei’s legs gave out, and he knelt down. “Now I’ve really seen what a ‘sea of ghosts’ looks like…”

Just then, he heard a child’s voice from behind. “Brother, sister, come with us. We can handle these ghosts.”

Turning around, He Xiaowei saw two children, one thin and one chubby. They looked normal and had feet.

Finally seeing humans, he let out a sigh of relief. The chubby child then sprinkled some black blood from a bottle around them, followed by the thin child placing some talismans. The surrounding ghosts vanished instantly.

Seeing the effectiveness of the two children, He Xiaowei laughed. “Damn, that’s impressive! Wait a minute. Zhou Qian mentioned there were exorcists outside the wedding earlier. Were you guys the ones?”

The two children nodded and then urged them to leave quickly.

Xiao Pang said, “There are too many ghosts here. We’re not sure if we can handle them. Anyway, you guys go with my elder brother first. I’ll stay behind and try to seal them as much as possible so they can’t catch up!”

Da Shou then took the hand of the nearest Situ Qing. “Yes, let’s go quickly, sister.”

The word “sister” seemed to make Situ Qing momentarily dazed.

Then she nodded, lifted a foot, and prepared to flee with the two children.

Not far away, a large group of ghosts was pouring out of the alleyway, heading their way.

If they intended to harm anyone, Zhou Qian would undoubtedly be the first victim.

However, with a bright moon overhead and street lights shining like stars, the mountain of ghosts surged forward… Zhou Qian stood motionless against such a backdrop, expressionless, as if he were a detached bystander.

He turned his back to the group of ghosts, looking distantly at the two living children.

Da Shou was leading Situ Qing and the others away, while Xiao Pang was sprinkling dog’s blood and throwing talismans along the way; both of their expressions were tense.

Squinting slightly, Zhou Qian raised his left hand, accessed the system panel, and quickly sent two messages.

Then a smile crept onto his lips.

Previously, he thought it would feel satisfying to kill Situ Qing in the side quest. He had to thank Yun Xiangrong for sparing her life. Indeed, what’s the use of killing a puppet?

Destroying all of the puppet’s beliefs, completely controlling it…

Then the master behind her would truly… feel enraged.

At that moment, outside of the instance, in Game Hall A711.

In a certain private room.

On a wheelchair, a pale and sickly young man named Mu Sheng was quietly watching on a tablet, but he hadn’t sent any messages for a long time.

Sitting next to him was an inscrutable figure, Priest.

Priest asked him, “Mu Sheng, you haven’t sent a message for a long time. Don’t you care about her?”

Mu Sheng pressed his lips together, not responding.

Priest continued, “Ah, I see. Do you want her to be in danger? Wait for her to fall into peril, then send instructions, rescuing her at the crucial moment… so she’ll be grateful and can’t leave you?”

Mu Sheng lifted his cup and took a sip, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. “She hasn’t improved at all. She can’t even see such an obvious trap.”

Priest laughed. “In my opinion, it’s not that she hasn’t improved. It’s probably that child’s calling her ‘sister’ that softened her heart.”

With that, he glimpsed a hint of amusement in Mu Sheng’s eyes as Priest added, “So you see, she cares about you. And you still care about her. I suggest you send her a message soon. Otherwise… I’m afraid Zhou Qian will beat you to it.”

“Zhou Qian…” Mu Sheng’s eyes turned icy. “Even if I have to use that thing, I… will make sure he dies in this instance!”

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