Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

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Chapter 21

Near the door of room 701, the smell of blood was growing stronger. Three corpses lay nearby, each with a hole torn through their chest. Thick blood flowed from their wounds, gradually creeping towards the door of room 701, even showing signs of seeping into the room.

The side quest “Checks and Balance” seemed like a puzzle about identifying a pattern. The game designer had vividly displayed the puzzle before everyone using the corpses of these three janitors.

On a circular plane, room 701 was at the center. Surrounding it, 12 rooms formed a perfect circle.

Now, the three janitors were labeled as A, B, and C.

Janitor A entered room 12 and died.

Janitor B entered room 1 and died.

Janitor C first went into rooms 6 and 7 safely but died upon entering room 2.

The hints for passing the level were two sentences written on a piece of paper that Zhou Qian obtained by touching a black-and-white photograph. After him, Gao Shan, Yun Xiangrong, Lu Mengmeng, and He Xiaowei also tried touching the photo in succession, but they couldn’t gather any more clues. The only one who hadn’t touched the photo from the beginning was Situ Qing.

“Arithmetic sequence? Geometric sequence?” He Xiaowei, frustrated, exclaimed in room 701 after scribbling down some calculations. “Damn, I can’t solve this puzzle! Also, what do those two sentences mean?”

Beside him, Yun Xiangrong was also drafting calculations on a piece of paper on the floor. While He Xiaowei attempted to find a pattern among the numbers “1” through “12,” Yun Xiangrong drew a diagram of the rooms, trying to connect specific points and draw diagonals. However, in a short span, she couldn’t identify a reliable pattern and frowned in frustration.

Seeing Yun Xiangrong frown, Gao Shan grew concerned. “Even if we can’t find the pattern quickly… rooms 6 and 7 are safe. Let’s check them first for clues, maybe we can find some evidence. We only have one hour left… I’m afraid time is running out.”

He Xiaowei’s eyes lit up. “That’s right, we can go check!”

Yun Xiangrong shook her head, stopping them. “Wait. Let me think…”

She didn’t elaborate further, deeply engrossed in thought, seemingly searching for the key solution, and not yet ready to discuss it with the others.

Lu Mengmeng, who looked pale and frail, slightly opened the door to room 701. “It’s so confusing. Are there any clues outside this room? Should we go out and check?” Upon hearing this, He Xiaowei glanced outside and noticed a faint mist. “What the hell?”

Situ Qing, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke. “This is a common tactic of side quests inside the game, just to distract the players. The side quest is to find evidence inside the rooms. When we open one of the 12 rooms, the mist will flow in and hinder our vision. But apart from that, the mist has no other significance.”

“Wow, you really are worthy of being a Rank C player! Miss, not only are you beautiful, but you’re also so skilled! What do you think about this? Why didn’t you touch the photo earlier? What do you think the pattern is?” He Xiaowei’s barrage of questions came to an abrupt halt under Situ Qing’s cold gaze.

With an arrogant tilt of her chin, Situ Qing stated, “My leveling method involves rapidly completing a large number of instances, accumulating experience points in a short time to level up quickly, enhance my combat capabilities, and earn coins. I don’t care about so-called hidden achievements and item rewards. Hence, I usually focus on the main quest and can give up on the side quests depending on the situation.”

She nodded towards the corridor. “If we can’t find a definite pattern, opening any room out of the 12 might lead to us getting shot. On the other hand, if we don’t open any rooms, we won’t die. The side quest is probably related to a hidden achievement. But, as I said, I don’t care. Don’t ask me about ‘identifying patterns’; I’m not interested in math problems. The secret exit from this space might be hidden somewhere on the corridor walls or beneath a floor tile. I’ll go look for it. I only focus on the main quest.”

What Situ Qing said indeed somewhat shook the morale of everyone to a certain extent.

The time limit for the clearance was only an hour, and if the wrong pattern was identified, people could die. But if they held their forces and did nothing, the players would always be safe.

Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong exchanged glances, both seemingly detecting hesitation in each other’s eyes. But remembering Zhou Qian’s performance in the previous instance, they both turned to look at him.

It would seem out of place if Zhou Qian didn’t do something unexpected.

And indeed, Zhou Qian made a move.

His actions were still eccentric and baffling to the onlookers.

He left Room 701 and headed into the corridor. Surprisingly, he walked towards the cleaning tools casually left on the ground by the three janitors.

Mops, brooms, towels, disinfectants, stain removers, scissors—all sorts of tools were available.

Zhou Qian was rummaging through these tools as if he was searching for something.

Watching him, Uncle He Xiaowei’s eyes lit up.

He Xiaowei immediately approached Zhou Qian and said, “Smart move, bro! Why didn’t I think of that? Right, these tools were brought by NPCs! They must be useful for this side quest! Hahaha… So, did you find any useful tools?”

“No. This blood is really annoying,” Zhou Qian replied. “I just want to clean up.”

He Xiaowei: “…”

Gao and Yun: “…”

After selecting his cleaning tools, the first thing Zhou Qian did was actually spray detergent on the floor and then mop it up.

However, after cleaning the blood off the floor, Zhou Qian found three deformed bullet casings near the three bodies. The casings were badly deformed, with significant cracks in some places, and the broken fragments were nowhere to be found.

After a sniper took a shot from a concealed position, the casing would fall near the muzzle of the gun. Typically, to avoid revealing their location, the sniper would toss the casing elsewhere.

It seemed the gunmen in these 12 rooms had the same trait as snipers. When the bodies were removed from the rooms, they also threw out the bullet casings.

After collecting the three casings, Zhou Qian took out a new towel and squatted next to one of the bodies.

Undoubtedly, Zhou Qian’s actions attracted many people’s attention.

Under their gaze, he carefully pierced the victim’s chest wound with scissors. The body was still warm, and the blood hadn’t cooled.

Blood spurted out as Zhou Qian made the incision. Frowning, Zhou Qian wiped the blood with a towel while pushing the scissors further into the chest.

“What… What are you doing?” He Xiaowei blinked and asked.

After a moment, before Zhou Qian could answer, He Xiaowei saw it.

Zhou Qian extracted a bullet from the victim’s chest.

He kept frowning throughout, only relaxing once he had cleaned the blood off the bullet and sprayed it with disinfectant. It turns out that his frown wasn’t because he was dealing with a corpse but because he despised blood.

Once the bullet was cleaned, the engraved symbol on it became very clear.

It was the letter “S”, a mark resembling a snake.

He Xiaowei, who was close enough to see it, exclaimed, “S?! What does that mean?”

“In Jiang Yuqing’s room, everything is related to ‘7’. Their troop number must also be related to ‘7’. So, this ‘S’ might refer to his enemy, but in any case, it’s not from the same unit as his.” Zhou Qian theorized, then with a smile, he added, “Why don’t you help extract the bullets from the other two NPC corpses and see if their bullets also have an ‘S’?”

“Sure,” He Xiaowei readily agreed. “You hate blood, right? Leave it to me.”

With such a ready agreement, He Xiaowei completely thwarted Zhou Qian’s plan to coax him into helping. Zhou Qian paused, then smiled, holding the bullet with the “S” engraving and heading back into Room 701.

Of the other players, many seemed curious about what Zhou Qian intended to do, and Gao Shan quickly followed him. He Xiaowei, on the other hand, took the cleaning tools selected by Zhou Qian and started extracting bullets from the two other bodies in the corridor.

Standing near the room door was Yun Xiangrong, who didn’t immediately follow Gao Shan into the room but observed the other two people in the corridor.

The first one she looked at was Lu Mengmeng. Curious about the bullet, Lu Mengmeng slowly walked over to He Xiaowei to observe. He looked pale and frail, not at all resembling the typical assassin.

Afterwards, Yun Xiangrong looked towards Situ Qing.

In the rather quiet corridor, Situ Qing’s footsteps were very clear. She was pacing back and forth, seemingly trying to find if any of the tiles were hollow, wondering if there might be an exit to leave this space hidden underneath.

At this moment, Yun Xiangrong noticed that Situ Qing took out a bell from her bag and tightly held it in her hand.

This bell must be her weapon. But what does she want to do with it?

She once said she didn’t care about the side quests, so she wouldn’t directly confront those snipers with a 100% accuracy rate. If so, this weapon wasn’t meant to deal with NPCs.

Who is she aiming for? The players?

A chill went down Yun Xiangrong’s spine. She closed her notebook and entered room 701.

……

Inside room 701.

Gao Shan and Zhou Qian stood in front of a seven-tiered bookshelf.

The range of books there was vast.

First, there were medical books covering bandaging, first aid, pharmacology, and even acupuncture and massage. Next, there were many books on physics, mathematics, and mechanics, some even discussing airplanes and train engines. The last section was filled with literature, including ancient texts and modern prose and poetry.

Gao Shan casually flipped through a few books and commented, “Could the clue be hidden here? Every book here is complex! And we only have an hour. If the clue is in one of these books… it’s like finding a needle in a haystack!”

Yun Xiangrong’s voice came from behind him. “Given the limited time, could the clue be related only to the titles? We don’t need to look inside; perhaps the secret lies in the titles?”

“Just looking at titles might not be enough.”

Zhou Qian responded, scrutinizing the bookshelf before adding, “However, you two can search the shelves. Focus on finding something other than books.”

“Something other than books… What do you mean?” Gao Shan inquired.

“Literally what I said.” Zhou Qian blinked at him, intending to leave the room.

“Hold on—” Yun Xiangrong called out to him.

“What is it?” Zhou Qian paused.

Glancing at the corridor outside, Yun Xiangrong approached and closed the door. She then addressed both Zhou Qian and Gao Shan, “I have a feeling… something’s off with Situ Qing. We should be cautious. None of us can match her one-on-one. Let’s avoid being alone with her.”

Curious, Zhou Qian asked, “How did you figure it out?”

“Just intuition. Her aura is too strong. She even blatantly carried her weapon, not hiding her murderous intent at all! I always feel…”

Yun Xiangrong shook her head and continued, “But, a barking dog seldom bites. If she really wanted to kill, she wouldn’t display her aggression so openly. Maybe I’m overthinking.”

It might not be an overthought on Yun Xiangrong’s part. From the earlier group details, Zhou Qian also had suspicions about Situ Qing. If Situ Qing was so openly aggressive, her accomplice could hide their intent.

One in the open, one in the shadows; it was a common strategy.

The one in the open was Situ Qing, so the hidden one was either He Xiaowei or Lu Mengmeng.

Zhou Qian said, “In any case, it’s never wrong to be cautious. Don’t trust anyone, not just Situ Qing. Stay together and don’t split up. It’d be tough for anyone to take down both a tank and a healer in a few moves.”

“Alright, understood,” Gao Shan replied, then asked Zhou Qian, “Earlier, Situ Qing said we could skip side quests. I’ve been considering it since she might have a point. I don’t have a talent for puzzle-solving. Should I consider her approach? Given the game’s current mechanics, coasting through main quests is easier, albeit with lesser experience. But if I grind more than others, leveling up quickly and earning gold, that’s also viable.”

“No. I don’t agree with her,” Zhou Qian answered firmly. “Remember the [Seed of Fire] we obtained? It’s currently useless. But if we achieve hidden achievements from similar quests, obtaining other items, its value might skyrocket. If one can clear the game through sheer combat power, then why design so many plots? I believe we should aim for key hidden achievements to get closer to the game’s ultimate secret. But of course, this is just my suggestion—”

Gao Shan pondered for a moment and said, “Alright. Let me think again… No, there’s no need to think anymore. I’ll listen to you.”

Hearing this, Yun Xiangrong couldn’t help but look at Gao Shan with surprise.

Meeting her gaze, Gao Shan patted her head. “Before coming here, didn’t we discuss this? Zhou Qian is quite reliable. We can join his team—”

Turning to Zhou Qian, Gao Shan continued, “We think that although you might be a potential psycho… you indeed have the capability to lead a team. Going solo in this game won’t work. We’re willing to follow you. Since you’ve decided to take the side quests, we can assist you. We’re near the bookshelf now, let’s look for that ‘something other than a book’ you mentioned.”

“Thank you.” Zhou Qian waved at them and walked out. “I’ll go take a look outside and be back soon.”

…..

Inside the presidential suite of a five-star hotel.

Several large draft papers lay in front of Yu Xian, each displaying the floor plan of the 13 rooms he had drawn. Not long after, he gave up, threw his pen away, and took a big gulp of beer.

“Darn it, I can’t figure it out. Qian Ge didn’t even take out a pen; I wonder if he noticed anything… Hey, Qiang Ge, do you have any idea what those two clues mean? What does ‘the lowest ranked cannot kill’ mean?”

“I don’t get it either.” Zhu Qiang opened a bottle of beer for himself.

With a disappointed look, Yu Xian lamented, “Before entering the game, I promised Zhou Qian I’d help him solve the riddles!”

Zhu Qiang: “But this pattern is too complicated. We’re both bad at math, what can we do? Why not… let him try rooms 6 and 7? They must be safe. That male janitor already checked.”

Yu Xian snapped, “You said that two minutes ago! I tried that! I’ve already sent that hint to Zhou Qian! He saw it and didn’t respond!”

Zhu Qiang shrugged. “Then there’s nothing we can do.”

“I… Oh!” Before Yu Xian could finish, he suddenly jumped up and ran to the restroom. “My stomach hurts so much. Was there something wrong with the hot pot today? I’m going to complain…”

Zhu Qiang remarked, “This is your second trip to the restroom. I’ll go to the pharmacy to get some medicine for you… I’ll be right back!”

As Yu Xian headed to the bathroom, Zhu Qiang’s expression turned solemn. He soon left the suite and went into his room next door. Taking a deep breath, he returned a call he had missed earlier.

Before entering the game, Zhu Qiang had secretly made contact with Lu Mengmeng behind Yu Xian’s back. At that time, Lu Mengmeng told Zhu Qiang they had to kill Zhou Qian. Killing Zhou Qian was something Lu Mengmeng had no choice but to do, or else he feared he’d be silenced by Peach Blossom. And if he died, Zhu Qiang would be in deep trouble too.

Recently, Zhu Qiang had been spending recklessly, even visiting the casino. Not only did he not save money, but he also accumulated debt. He had to make sure Lu Mengmeng survived this round. Otherwise, he’d never be able to pay off his debts.

Back then, during their video chat, Lu Mengmeng gave Zhu Qiang a phone number, stating it was from a high-ranking member of Peach Blossom, and that this person would be giving instructions to Zhu Qiang.

At this moment, the call connected, and Zhu Qiang heard a deep magnetic voice, yet it sounded youthful.

Swallowing hard, Zhu Qiang felt a hint of nervousness, then said, “I’ve tried as you instructed, attempting to use Yu Xian to guide Zhou Qian into rooms 6 and 7. But Zhou Qian didn’t fall for it!”

After a few seconds, the man on the other side instructed, “Find a way to get Yu Xian’s phone and send Zhou Qian a message in Yu Xian’s name, saying—

[Qian Ge, my good buddy Qiang Ge, the one you’ve met, is also playing ‘Last Wish’ and is on the same level as you all. They found a hidden clue in a hallway wall, indicating that rooms 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are the lowest rank. So, all five rooms are safe!]

While on the phone, Zhu Qiang received the message. His hand trembled. “All five rooms are safe… This clue, you made it up, right?”

The man laughed. “Of course I did.”

After a brief pause, the man went on to further explain to Zhu Qiang, “The hint from the handsome man in the Republic era picture is, ‘The lowest ranked cannot kill’ and ‘Balance of power is the only solution’.”

“These lines can be interpreted easily. There are 12 gunmen in 12 rooms, and their ranks are not equal. The lowest ranked among them cannot shoot and kill. Therefore, his room would be safe. The challenge then is to determine which room that is.”

Zhu Qiang pondered and said, “I see…”

The man continued, “So, I’ll have my player create a false clue related to ‘rank’ to mislead others. Of course, she will pretend that the clue was found inside a fake wall or hollow floor tile in the hallway. The false clue will suggest, metaphorically, that the ranks of the five rooms are very low. These rooms are 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The cleaner had personally tested rooms 6 and 7 and confirmed they are safe.”

“Therefore, first, there’s the false clue in the corridor; second, the NPC’s personal trial; and third, false external information provided by gamblers. With these three combined, they’re bound to fall for it.”

Zhu Qiang swallowed hard. “Wait, I have a question.”

The man said, “Go ahead.”

Zhu Qiang nervously asked, “You’ve prepared the fake clue… So, have you already discerned the real ‘pattern’ of those 12 rooms?”

The man confidently replied, “Of course. I’ve figured it out.”

After hesitating a bit, Zhu Qiang said, “You might not be aware, but Zhou Qian is really clever. Even if he doesn’t show it, I feel like he might have figured it out just like you did. So, if I send this fake clue to him, he will be suspicious! He will doubt either Yu Xian himself or me! Then, not only will we fail to kill him in this side quest, but we’ll also alert him. It’ll be difficult to kill him afterward because he won’t fall for false information anymore!”

“Hmm. You, rookie gambler… quite interesting.” The man chuckled but didn’t refute Zhu Qiang’s words. After a while, he said, “Alright, don’t send the message to Zhou Qian. Tell me first, what did Gao Shan, Yun Xiangrong, and Zhou Qian do in the room?”

Zhu Qiang then recounted the entire conversation between the three.

The man responded, “Understood. So, they’ve indeed formed an alliance. In that case, forward the fake message and clue I sent you to your player, Lu Mengmeng.”

“Lu Mengmeng? How can I lead him to his death?” Zhu Qiang exclaimed in distress; his back soaked in sweat.

The young man responded, “Of course, we’re not leading Lu Mengmeng to death. Tell him it’s a fake message. Then, have Lu Mengmeng make Gao Shan believe it’s real, leading him to any of those five rooms, say room number 6.”

“You… you want to kill Gao Shan?” Zhu Qiang’s face turned pale.

“Yes. Killing a healer isn’t very beneficial. She can only heal so much, and she seems clever enough not to fall for it easily,” the man said. “I anticipate danger in the later stages of this instance. It’s best to get rid of Zhou Qian, the main tank, first.”

Zhu Qiang remained silent for a long while. Finally, he asked, “You figured out the ‘pattern’ so quickly just by looking at a mobile screen? How did you determine which rooms are ‘lowest ranked’?”

The man replied, “Exactly. This challenge can be difficult or simple depending on how you view it.”

Zhu Qiang said, “I have no idea how to clear it…”

The man smiled. “Then you have to trust my abilities, trust the capabilities of our Peach Blossom. Believe that you haven’t chosen the wrong side and that following us is the right choice.”

For reasons he couldn’t fathom, Zhu Qiang felt a chilling sensation. Trembling, he said, “Who are you gambling for? He Xiaowei doesn’t seem like it… It must be Situ Qing, right?! You are Si Tu Qing’s gambler!”

“Yes, Situ Qing’s role is to attract all suspicions on the surface. When everyone is wary of her… the one striking in the shadows will be Lu Mengmeng. We will coordinate well. Furthermore, you should know that I am the puppet master behind all of you.”

Holding the receiver tightly, the man’s voice slithered into Zhu Qiang’s ear like a venomous snake.

“I control you through the phone, control Situ Qing through the gambler system, and indirectly control Lu Mengmeng through both of you…”

“All of you must follow my orders.”

“Zhu Qiang, don’t feel guilty. Get rid of your conscience completely. Otherwise, you won’t be able to handle it.”

“Remember my instructions. Guide Gao Shan to Room 6 as I taught you.”

……

Inside the game.

Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong were flipping through books in front of a bookshelf, while Zhou Qian went out and took another round around room 701.

Starting from room 12, which was directly opposite the door of room 701, Zhou Qian walked at a rather slow pace, eventually returning to room 12, as if calculating something in his mind.

After completing a round, Zhou Qian returned to room 701.

Inside, Yun Xiangrong and Gao Shan were still flipping through books.

Zhou Qian casually asked them, “Did you find anything?”

They both responded quickly.

“Judging by the titles, Jiang Yuqing seems to be a physicist. I skimmed the physics books here; they are filled with his notes and formulas. These notes are very specialized. If you don’t study this, you can’t understand.”

“In addition, he seems to have read medical books quite seriously, making many notes. But compared to the physics books, his medical notes seem a bit naive; he seems like a layman in the field of medicine.”

“His math notes are still very professional. Of course, if he’s a physicist, he would need to be proficient in mathematics.”

“Furthermore, he seems to be good at mechanics, especially in areas like kinematics.”

“Wait a minute—” Zhou Qian interrupted. “Did you find any clues apart from the books?”

Yun Xiangrong replied, “No, I flipped through the books and let Gao Shan search around. There are really only books on these shelves. Even after flipping through many books, there were no postcards or any letters.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qian looked around the room. The room’s layout was rather simple. He went forward and casually opened a bedside table, only to find it empty.

“There probably isn’t anything in this room. Apart from the bookshelf and two bedside tables, everything can be seen at a glance. What exactly are you looking for?”

Just as Yun Xiangrong finished speaking, He Xiaowei’s voice came from outside.

“Damn, I finally dug out two bullets! It was so hard. Searching around someone’s corpse… I never want to do such a thing again; it’s too disgusting.”

“Let’s see if those two bullets are also marked ‘S’?” Yun Xiangrong looked at Gao Shan and Zhou Qian.

Zhou Qian said, “You guys go first. I’ll be right there.”

Thus, Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong left together.

Zhou Qian stayed in the room, continuing to search for clues.

However, after opening both bedside tables, he found nothing.

As Yun Xiangrong said, the room’s layout was simple, and apart from the two cabinets and bookshelf, there was no place to hide anything.

But then…

Zhou Qian turned his head to look at Jiang Yuqing.

The elderly man had only three days to live.

At the moment, he was deep asleep on the bed, completely unaware of the outside world.

Zhou Qian looked at him, stepped closer, bent down, and closely examined his wrinkled face.

Despite his old age, he wasn’t unattractive, making one wonder how handsome he must have been in his youth.

So, could the thing I’m looking for be hidden on you?

Approaching the bed, Zhou Qian bent down, reached over Jiang Yuqing, and lightly touched the space beside his pillow.

He gently patted the empty space beside Jiang Yuqing’s pillow, as if trying to wake up a sleeping child. With no response, Zhou Qian patted several more times and then lightly pushed his shoulder.

This action was effective.

Jiang Yuqing stretched out his hands and quickly waved them towards the other side of the pillow, as if playing a game in his dream. With this movement, he slowly turned to his side and curled up, freeing up most of the bed and half the pillow.

Zhou Qian immediately sat down on the vacant spot on the bed, moving his hand back and forth on the bedding.

After finding nothing, he lifted the pillow.

This time, he was rewarded.

“Thankfully, it was hidden under the pillow and not on you. Otherwise, having to strip you down and wake you up might have caused trouble.”

Zhou Qian muttered to himself while staring at Jiang Yuqing, then quickly reached under the pillow and pulled out the object he had been searching for.

It was also a bullet. But a complete bullet with its casing intact.

There was a letter engraved on the bullet, still the letter “S”.

Finding this, Zhou Qian could confirm—he had indeed found the pattern to crack this level.

He pocketed the bullet and took a deep look at Jiang Yuqing, who was lying on the bed, before exiting the room.

After leaving Room 701, Zhou Qian noticed that the mist in the corridor had become much thicker.

He could barely see the bodies of three cleaners nearby.

At this moment, the other five players were busy in the corridor, seemingly searching for other clues.

Zhou Qian overheard He Xiaowei saying, “I can’t see clearly… Did Zhou Qian come out? I cleaned the other two bullets. They both have an ‘S’ on them.”

“Mm. I know.” Zhou Qian walked past the crowd and turned left.

“Hey, where are you going?” He Xiaowei asked.

Zhou Qian simply replied, “I’ll try Room 7. If I succeed, I’ll tell you how to pass this level.”

“Damn, bro, impressive! You’re going for results before explaining. Good on you! Hahaha.”

He Xiaowei, while praising Zhou Qian, followed him. “I’ll come with you. If you get shot and die, I’ll take care of your body!”

Of course, after saying this and getting a cold glare from Zhou Qian, He Xiaowei immediately refrained from joking around.

Zhou Qian’s gaze was chilling.

Turning his head, Zhou Qian continued walking. He found that the corridor had mysteriously lengthened, making his walk from Room 701 to Room 12 take longer than before.

As he walked, the mist got even denser.

He could sense He Xiaowei close by, but when he turned, he could barely see him. Moreover, although He Xiaowei, being a burly man, usually had loud footsteps, now his steps were as quiet as a whisper, almost inaudible.

The lengthened corridor and thickened mist were added challenges for this level.

Considering this, even without figuring out the “pattern”, searching all 12 rooms for evidence within an hour wasn’t easy.

After a long while, Zhou Qian finally stopped between Rooms 6 and 7.

……

Outside the game, in a presidential suite of a hotel.

After using the bathroom, Yu Xian returned to his room to find that Zhu Qiang was gone.

Assuming that Zhu Qiang went to buy some medicine, Yu Xian waited patiently with his phone. When Zhou Qian approached Rooms 6 and 7, Zhu Qiang finally returned.

As soon as Zhu Qiang entered, Yu Xian urgently called him over. “Come here quickly! Look! Isn’t it weird? We said before that the cleaner had been to Rooms 6 and 7, personally verified, and they’re totally safe!

“I even sent Zhou Qian a hint as you suggested! But he didn’t go!”

“He didn’t, and neither did anyone else… but now he’s trying to enter these two rooms!”

Zhu Qiang looked at the phone screen and saw Zhou Qian indeed standing in front of Rooms 6 and 7.

A moment later, Zhu Qiang’s expression changed. Yu Xian, sensing this, asked, “What is it? Did you think of something?”

Zhu Qiang said, “I just realized something crucial…”

“What is it?” Yu Xian asked impatiently.

Zhu Qiang continued, “In this floor’s 12 rooms, there’s a gunman in each one. From the hints the players received, the gunmen can only kill under specific conditions, when their rank is not the lowest.”

“But have you noticed the system’s level description?”

“Level description?” Yu Xian thought for a moment and exclaimed, “Yes! The system mentioned… in this level, all 12 rooms have evidence. Players need to collect all the evidence to clear the level!”

Zhu Qiang added, “Exactly. What does that mean? It means that the players have to visit all 12 rooms. And what does that imply?”

After a moment, Yu Xian realized. “Ah, I get it! This means that no room is ever completely safe! The safe rooms keep changing, right? The safe room, in some pattern, appears consecutively among the 12 rooms? Players need to find this changing pattern to go through all the rooms! Fuck, this is so difficult!”

In the 12 rooms, each one hid a gunman.

Whether the gunman would fire depended on whether his rank was the lowest or not. There might be some hidden conditions that would lead to a change in their rank. Once the rank among the gunmen changed, which one, or which rooms were safe, was no longer a constant but a variable.

Players needed to find the pattern related to this variable.

Zhu Qiang explained to Yu Xian, “Right. When the rank is the lowest, the gunman won’t shoot, making the room safe. But what causes their rank to decrease? That’s the key factor players need to search for. But… I haven’t figured out what this key factor is yet.”

“Holy shit! I don’t care what this factor is! All I know is, even if rooms 6 and 7 were safe before, they might not be safe now! But Qian Ge is about to enter! Fuck, I need to warn him!”

Yu Xian, with trembling fingers, picked up his phone. However, before he could send a message, he saw in the game that Zhou Qian walked straight to the door of room 7 and entered.

“God damn it, Qian Ge, please be safe!

“I’ve bet a million this time! If something happens to you, I’ll be in huge debt!!!”

……

Inside the game, Zhou Qian stepped into room 7.

Following him, the door closed on its own.

“1—”

“2—”

“3.”

Zhou Qian silently counted to three, and nothing happened.

The room was also filled with thick fog, and Zhou Qian could vaguely see a shadow in front of him holding a gun pointed at him.

But after three seconds, the gunman didn’t shoot; he lowered his weapon.

“Thank you.” Zhou Qian smiled at him and started searching the room.

He was looking for the so-called “evidence.”

The room was spacious with seemingly no obstacles, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find the evidence. If there was indeed no furniture in the room, the evidence might be just lying somewhere on the floor.

However, given the size of the room and the fog, it still took Zhou Qian quite some time to find it.

After finding the evidence, Zhou Qian examined it closely.

It was also a bullet.

But instead of an “S”, it had the number “7” engraved on it.

A force related to “S”, and one related to “7”…

Was there any gunfire incident between these two?

Before he could think further, Zhou Qian pocketed the bullet and approached the door.

Just as he was about to leave the room, suddenly—

“Bang!”

A gunshot echoed from a nearby room!

---

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

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

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Chapter 20

There was only one day left before Zhou Qian entered the game.

Late at night, Zhou Qian and Qi Liuxing sat on their respective beds, staring at the system panel that popped up from their watches, studying it.

Zhou Qian first opened the treasure chest he had obtained from the last instance via the system.

[Player acquired item: Bilingbiling’s Brush]

[Function: The system has sensed your obsession with cleanliness and has gifted you this amazing brush. After using a weapon, wipe it with this brush, and the weapon will be instantly renewed! Blood? Mud? Sweat? Dust? All gone with a single swipe!]

[Grade: D level]

Zhou Qian: “…”

Then, following the system’s suggestion, Zhou Qian lit up a group control skill.

[Player Zhou Qian acquired Common Skill 1: Bone Nightmare]

[Skill Description: Group control. Causes enemies within range to fall into a dreamlike state, reducing their movement and attack speed by 10%. There’s a 30% chance of backlash, causing the user to fall into the same dream state. Use with caution.]

[Player Zhou Qian acquired Ultimate Skill 1: Bone Kill]

[Skill Description: Can only be triggered when the player’s health is below 10%. It draws nearby death resentment to attack the enemy. The stronger the resentment, the stronger the attack. Consumes 1,200 MP.]

Without saying anything, Zhou Qian took a glance, and Qi Liuxing immediately frowned. “What? You can only use your ultimate when you’re severely injured? And there are conditions for using your ultimate. If there’s no death resentment nearby, you can’t even use your ultimate! Wait, this skill consumes more than 50% of your mana? This skill is so trolling!”

Zhou Qian: “Future Sword God, calm down. You’re ruining your image.”

Qi Liuxing: “…”

Zhou Qian took out the bone weapon and made a gesture with it, then put it away, smiling faintly. “It’s not about how the skill looks, but how you use it. I think it’s not bad.”

After preparing, Zhou Qian chose to enter “Last Wish”.

He then received a system prompt, informing him that he could video call his gambler.

Staring at the words “Yu Xian” in the system for a while, Zhou Qian initiated a video call request. He then saw two people—naturally, Yu Xian and Zhu Qiang.

“Hello.”

Zhou Qian adeptly showed a silly smile, like that of a naive rich young master, looking both innocent and sweet.

Yu Xian was momentarily dazzled, but then he quickly cleared his throat. “Haha, Qian Ge! It’s great to talk to you!”

Yu Xian’s reaction was like seeing his favorite celebrity. When he regained composure, he introduced Zhu Qiang. “Qian Ge, this is my buddy, Zhu Qiang. We’ve been watching you clear that last level. You’re amazing.”

Zhou Qian then greeted Zhu Qiang.

Unlike Yu Xian’s enthusiasm, Zhu Qiang seemed more introverted.

Zhu Qiang didn’t say much, and Yu Xian added, “When we watch you play, Zhu Qiang often predicts your strategies. I can’t do that. Haha, seems like I’m bad at gaming.”

“Oh?” Zhou Qian looked at Zhu Qiang with curiosity. “So, Qiang Ge is also a gambler? Do you have a player you’ve bet on?”

Before Zhu Qiang could answer, Yu Xian laughed. “Yes, but we want to keep it a secret for now and not reveal who that person is.”

“I see.” Zhou Qian looked at Yu Xian thoughtfully and didn’t say more.

Yu Xian added, “In any case, we’ll do our best to help you! We succeed or fail together!”

After ending the call, Zhou Qian didn’t take Yu Xian’s words to heart.

All this talk about “succeeding or failing together”? They were merely bound by mutual interests. People who come close due to interests might betray for the same reason. Zhou Qian understood this better than anyone.

Afterwards, Zhou Qian clicked on the “Ready” button on the system panel, preparing to officially log into the instance.

Inside the presidential suite of a five-star hotel.

Yu Xian turned to Zhu Qiang. “Hey, Qiang Ge, why did you say we should keep it a secret that your gambler, Lu Mengmeng, will be in the same instance as Zhou Qian? To give him a surprise?”

Zhu Qiang chuckled shyly. “Actually, I’m afraid Zhou Qian might look down on Lu Mengmeng and, by extension, me. It feels a bit awkward. Don’t mind it. I feel like a protective father toward Lu Mengmeng. He’s the player I’ve bet on, and you’ve bet on Zhou Qian. But Lu Mengmeng is nowhere near Zhou Qian’s level. I feel conflicted about that…”

“We’ve both struggled together to get to where we are now. How can there be any disparity between us? Strange.” Yu Xian yawned, speaking in a slightly drunken tone. “It’s a pity. This morning, when Lu Mengmeng contacted you, I took your advice and played the slot machine. Otherwise, I could have greeted him! How was your chat with him? What did you guys talk about?”

Zhu Qiang quickly changed the subject. “How did it go with the slot machine?”

Yu Xian replied, “I lost… I lost 300,000 by myself, and the 100,000 of yours was lost too.”

Zhu Qiang patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. I think they’re about to start another round. I’ll go buy you some food.”

“Alright.” Yu Xian collapsed on the bed. “I really can’t understand this game… Have you noticed that when we watch them play, time around us seems to slow down…”

Without answering Yu Xian’s question, Zhu Qiang turned to leave the suite, his expression becoming exceptionally solemn.

Yu Xian, I can’t get out of this anymore.

I’m sorry, don’t blame me.

……

Half an hour later.

[Player Zhou Qian entered the instance: “Last Wish”]

[Instance difficulty: Level 2; Pass rate: 60%]

[Hidden achievement completion rate: 7%]

[Number of players: 6]

Upon entering the game, Zhou Qian found himself standing in front of a building approximately seven stories high.

The building’s glass doors were tightly shut, likely waiting for all the players to arrive.

In front of the building were green trees and red flowers. A large lawn, its grass swaying gently in the breeze, spread out, touching the blazing afternoon sky.

After a while, two more people arrived.

They were Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong.

Zhou Qian noticed that as soon as the three of them entered the game, not only did they all have system-provided bags, but their outfits also looked similar—blue and white uniforms.

Glancing back at the sign in front of the building that read “Pastime Nursing Home”, Zhou Qian guessed that they might be playing roles like caretakers.

[3/6 players loaded]

[Waiting for 3 more players]

…

[4/6 players loaded]

After the system prompt, the fourth player arrived.

She was a woman, appearing a few years older than Yun Xiangrong, a typical cold beauty. She gave a brief nod to Zhou Qian, Gao Shan, and Yun Xiangrong as a greeting.

Through the system panel, Zhou Qian learned her name was Situ Qing, a high-ranking Rank C player skilled in long-range attacks and even capable of AOE attacks.

Monsters in “Apple Paradise” were tough due to its special instance. But Situ Qing, being skilled in AOE, meant she could deal damage to multiple targets at once.

After Situ Qing, a tall and burly man, around 35 years old, entered.

He greeted everyone with a cheerful demeanor.

[Name: He Xiaowei]

[Rank: D]

[Skills: Long-range damage; Group healing]

[Gambler system assessment: A growing pianist trying to cultivate two skills simultaneously. However, as the saying goes, if one tries to master everything, one ends up mastering nothing. Both of his skills are relatively weak. It is recommended to specialize in one in the future, either pure damage or pure healing.]

Unlike others, He Xiaowei’s gambler system evaluation seemed a bit derogatory.

After greeting He Xiaowei, Zhou Qian noticed another system prompt.

[6/6 players loaded]

[Loading storyline, please wait…]

The last player was a slender young man, around the same age as Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong. In contrast to Situ Qing’s cold demeanor and He Xiaowei’s friendliness, he struck a balance, politely greeting everyone before looking down, appearing contemplative.

His skin was pale, and the sunlight illuminated the fine hairs on his face, making him look as though he might slowly fade and disappear.

[Name: Lu Mengmeng]

[Rank: D]

[Skills: Close combat, assassin abilities, high mobility]

[Gambler system assessment: Always completes games with just 1% HP remaining. Please keep working hard and stay safe.]

Haa. The gamblers are quite harsh.

Moreover… such a frail figure, and he’s an assassin?

Zhou Qian took another glance at Lu Mengmeng and saw that the system had finally sent a plot prompt.

[Identity of the six players: Former nursing home caretakers, responsible for taking care of an old man named Jiang Yuqing.]

[Jiang Yuqing is nearly a hundred years old and is expected to pass away in three days.]

[Player mission: Help Jiang Yuqing fulfill his last wishes within three days.]

[One of the main quests has been activated: Jiang Yuqing resides in room 701. Please proceed to room 701 within 5 minutes to care for him.]

[Note: The second to sixth floors are under maintenance and are not open to the public.]

[For a smooth clearance, players should actively seek clues. Good luck!]

After the system prompt disappeared, the glass doors of the building opened.

They weren’t automatic doors. Instead, an NPC resembling a security guard came over, unlocked the iron chain in front of the door, and ushered the players in.

Upon entering the lobby, they saw another NPC at the reception desk—a woman in her 30s wearing high heels and a welcoming uniform. Seeing the players dressed as caretakers walk in, she waved and greeted, “You must be the new caretakers? Mr. Jiang is in 701. Please go straight ahead.”

Zhou Qian, sensing something from her words, immediately asked, “Yes, we’re the new caretakers. Where are the old ones?”

The receptionist sighed. “Only two of the old caretakers are left, and they’re currently in room 701. I wonder how much longer they can endure.”

“Why? Is Mr. Jiang difficult?” Zhou Qian inquired.

“Yes. Taking care of him is no easy task, which is why he requires so many caretakers. And Mr. Jiang has a temper; he often gets angry and breaks things!” The receptionist added, “It seems that the caretakers couldn’t stand it anymore and left. But what’s strange is that none of them came to settle their wages. They all just disappeared. Hmm, it’s so weird. Who doesn’t like money these days?”

Hearing this, Zhou Qian raised an eyebrow, and both Yun Xiaorong and Gao Shan exchanged quick glances.

Could it be that those caretakers didn’t just leave because of Mr. Jiang’s temper but instead met a more sinister fate?

After pondering for a moment, Zhou Qian continued, “So today we can only go to the seventh floor? Why can’t we visit the other floors?”

“Huh? How did you know the other floors are off-limits?”

The receptionist looked at Zhou Qian in surprise, then explained, “Currently, this nursing home only has Mr. Jiang as its sole resident. Since there are no other guests on the other floors, we’re renovating them, so the security has sealed them off.”

Only Jiang Yuqing lives here?

From the receptionist to the security guard and all these caretakers, everyone is working around just one person?

“Oh yes, the two old caretakers are called Lao Tie and Lao Yu. You should go up quickly and listen to their handover. Be diligent, as I’ll be monitoring your attendance!” After urging the players to head to the seventh floor, the receptionist got busy with her work.

As Zhou Qian approached the elevator, he overheard her mumbling, “I heard that Mr. Jiang was a very handsome man in his youth. It’s a pity he’s old now…”

……

There were two elevators, A and B. The six players randomly chose elevator B and soon arrived on the seventh floor.

The corridor on the seventh floor had a light wooden floor, beige walls, and some luxury-style paintings, making the entire floor feel relaxed and cozy.

Given the time constraint of the main storyline, the players didn’t dally and went straight to room 701. But before they could enter, two NPCs dressed similarly to them opened the door and walked out. They were probably Lao Yu and Lao Tie, the two old caretakers the receptionist had mentioned.

The two spoke in turn, addressing the players.

“Mr. Jiang insists on eating [Wang’s Osmanthus Cake] every afternoon, or he gets moody! We’ll take a cab to buy it and be back in about an hour. Please take care of Mr. Jiang during this time.”

“Mr. Jiang had a nightmare about fighting someone last night. He seems to be in a bad mood today. Please be cautious. Taking care of someone isn’t easy. It’s your first day, so you’ll need to adjust!”

After delivering their lines, the two headed for the elevator, taking elevator B to leave. Just as they left, a “ding” sounded from elevator A next door. The doors opened, and three NPCs in blue cleaning uniforms stepped out, carrying brooms and cleaning tools. They appeared to be janitors.

Walking straight towards room 701, a janitor said, “Mr. Jiang loves cleanliness, so we came to help clean his room. Once we’re done with his room, we’ll help clean up for you new caretakers!”

With that, three janitors, plus six caretakers played by the players, entered room 701 together.

Upon entering room 701, Zhou Qian was immediately drawn to a wall on one side.

There hung a framed black and white photo that took up a third of the wall’s area.

The photo had an overall hue of dried maple leaves, yellowish-brown in color. It should be dry, as there was no sign of moisture, yet the people and scenes in the picture seemed blurred and distorted, possibly due to some kind of smudging effect. From a distance, it appeared as if the photo had been soaked in water.

Straining his eyes, Zhou Qian managed to identify seven individuals.

All seven were in military uniforms, which were tattered and stained with blood and mud, as if they had just come out of a battle. Their heights, body shapes, and sizes varied, and due to the severe damage to the photo, their genders couldn’t be distinguished. However, they seemed close, with their arms around each other.

The seven had two things in common.

First, their facial features were all blurred, resembling water damage, making it impossible to identify any of them.

Second, even though their uniforms were worn out, they all had a clear emblem—”7″.

The two caretakers had mentioned that Jiang Yuqing had dreamed of warfare the previous night. It seemed that he used to be a soldier. He was likely one of the seven in the photo, and their unit number had something to do with “7”.

Drawn by curiosity, Zhou Qian approached the photo and reached out to touch it.

For a split second, he felt a peculiar sensation—as if his fingers were dampened by the moisture from the photo.

Upon closer inspection, Zhou Qian realized the scene in the photo was likely a rainy day.

Through his eyes, he felt the rain dropping, as if it were overflowing from the picture, and then filling the room…

An intense, ominous aura enveloped Zhou Qian, and he felt as though the seven blurred figures from the photo were sliding out and staring down at him.

A chill ran down his spine, and he instinctively retracted his hand and stepped back. By averting his gaze from the eerie photo, everything else returned to normal.

Apart from this strange picture, the room had a cozy, homelike feeling.

For the moment, Zhou Qian turned his attention from the picture to the rest of the room’s furnishings.

The walls were powder blue, with most furniture made in a light-colored wood style. The bed was in the center of the room, with dried flowers on nightstands on both sides. One vase was made of celadon, and the other was semi-transparent crystal glass.

On one side of the room stood a bookshelf, lined with many books. In front of the shelf were two soft couches and a small coffee table, with pastries and water.

On a coat rack by the bed hung a brand new military uniform.

After glancing around, Zhou Qian’s eyes were firmly drawn to this uniform.

It also bore the number “7”.

Did this uniform belong to Jiang Yuqing?

Its design looked quite old, definitely not something a current soldier would wear.

Considering the era of the black and white photo, Jiang Yuqing’s time in the military was likely long ago. Yet why did his uniform look brand new, without a single wrinkle?

Many thoughts ran through Zhou Qian’s mind.

Finally, his attention settled on the number “7”.

The building had seven floors, there were seven people in the photo, and the uniform had the number “7”…

Was there anything else related to seven?

Zhou Qian quickly glanced at the nearby bookshelf filled with various titles. Counting, he found that the bookshelf indeed had seven shelves.

At this moment, Jiang Yuqing, the key character in this scenario, finally spoke.

He was leaning on the bed with half-closed eyes, looking quite relaxed.

Seeing so many people enter the room, he didn’t even bother to open his eyes fully, but in a very hoarse voice, he asked, “Osmanthus cake… Did you buy it?”

Answering him was the tall and burly man, He Xiaowei.

“Not yet, Mr. Jiang. Is there anything else you’d like us to do for you?”

Jiang Yuqing muttered some inaudible words and then repeated, “Osmanthus cake. I want osmanthus cake. I want to eat…eat osmanthus cake…”

During this, Zhou Qian remained silent, recalling that the front desk had mentioned that Mr. Jiang was very handsome when he was young. Hence, he took a few more glances at Jiang Yuqing.

Indeed, he looked like a nearly hundred-year-old man, so old that the wrinkles on his face had folded all his facial features together. It was impossible to tell what he originally looked like.

Yet even so, he didn’t appear repugnant. He possessed a special noble aura, which didn’t allow anyone to look down upon him. One couldn’t help but wonder; he must have been a breathtakingly handsome man in his youth.

A moment later, after trying to communicate with Jiang Yuqing but achieving no results, He Xiaowei scratched his head and whispered to the other players, “I think Mr. Jiang seems a bit out of it. Does he have dementia?”

Lu Mengmeng, who hadn’t spoken much during the journey, remarked, “Our mission this time seems related to fulfilling Jiang Yuqing’s last wish. What if… he’s forgotten his own wish, and it’s up to us to find it? But how do we go about that?”

“Hey bro, you’re quite sharp,” He Xiaowei genuinely complimented him. “But what should we do next?”

Yun Xiangrong took over the conversation. “Didn’t the system say that we need to actively look for clues? We should start now since there’s nothing else going on. However, considering both the receptionist and the elderly caretakers said we should take good care of Jiang Yuqing…”

She pointed to a red button beside the bed, adding, “Although there’s a service call button here, if he needs something and we don’t attend to him in time, there might be issues.

“So, it’s better if we split into two teams. One group stays in the ward to watch over Jiang Yuqing, and the other goes to explore the other places on the seventh floor. Later, we can share our findings.”

Yun Xiangrong was indeed an intelligent girl; her suggestion was very prudent and reasonable.

But for it to be fully effective, there was a prerequisite—the players splitting into teams should trust each other and share all the information.

Zhou Qian, Yun Xiangrong, and Gao Shan knew each other. The other three seemed to be strangers.

From Yun Xiangrong’s perspective, if she reluctantly trusted Zhou Qian and didn’t want to be separated from Gao Shan, the best choice would be for her and Gao Shan to be in one group, with Zhou Qian in the other; after the two groups finished their exploration, they could exchange information.

As expected, Yun Xiangrong’s gaze subtly shifted towards Zhou Qian. “Gao Shan and I will stay in the ward. The rest of you…”

Picking up on her hint, Zhou Qian was the first to turn and walk out. “Alright, I’ll search the other rooms for clues.”

When opening the door to room 701, Zhou Qian didn’t immediately leave but kept an eye on the situation behind him.

That was when he heard He Xiaowei’s voice. “I’ll also go outside and look around. There’s not much in this room, and it’s boring to just stare at an old man who’s out of it.”

“Then… I’ll go too. I’m quite curious about how the other rooms in this corridor look,” Lu Mengmeng chimed in.

He Xiaowei said, “Alright, the three of us will go out and explore, while the three of you stay in the room with Jiang Yuqing, waiting to see if there’s any special plot or story. This works perfectly—three people in each team!”

Hearing this and casting a subtle glance behind, Zhou Qian’s pupils shrank slightly as he continued to open the door. So, the ones exploring with him were Lu Mengmeng and He Xiaowei, while Situ Qing chose to stay in the ward.

According to Yun Xiangrong’s grouping, either Lu or He might know Situ Qing.

Why would they pretend not to know each other?

The astute Zhou Qian naturally showed no sign of suspicion on his face.

At this moment, something unexpected happened—three janitors rushed over and opened the door before him.

As they left, the three janitors chatted among themselves.

“Mr. Jiang’s room is fine. Not much cleaning needed there.”

“Right, let’s clean some of the caretakers’ rooms instead.”

“Let’s hurry. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can clock out!”

The sudden appearance and departure of the janitors were somewhat odd.

Zhou Qian quickly observed them and noticed that one of the female janitors was holding Jiang Yuqing’s military uniform.

“Why are you taking Mr. Jiang’s clothes?” Zhou Qian asked without hesitation.

“Shh!” The female janitor anxiously glanced at Jiang Yuqing, relieved to see him staring blankly, seemingly unaware. She then glared at Zhou Qian and said, “Hey, we all work hard for our living. We should understand each other. This uniform must be worth quite a bit. He has dementia and amnesia, so he won’t know if we take it. At most, I’ll share the money with all of you later, okay? Please don’t report me!”

Zhou Qian remained silent for the moment, just waiting for the three janitors to leave. However, he noticed that after they reached the corridor outside the door, the three of them suddenly froze.

Zhou Qian guessed that they originally came to clean the room. But after seeing the military uniform, they stole it, and without even cleaning the room, they hastily tried to escape with the stolen item.

However… if they were in such a hurry to leave, why did they freeze in the corridor?

What did they see?

As the thought crossed his mind, Zhou Qian decisively stepped out of the room, only to find himself momentarily stunned.

Seeing the three janitors and Zhou Qian all standing frozen in the corridor, the other players in room 701 sensed something was amiss. One by one, they came out, and soon, everyone was frozen in the corridor.

The corridor outside wasn’t the same as when they arrived. When they first came, the corridor was straight with a total of 12 rooms, 6 on each side of the elevator.

Room 701 was located at the very end of the corridor near elevator B, and its opposite room was 702. But now, coming out of room 701, the room directly in front was no longer 702. Instead, there was a sign reading “12”. The once straight corridor had transformed into a circular shape.

After a brief pause, the three janitors were the first to move.

Among them, the two women walked to the left, and the man went to the right. However, a few minutes later, they all met again in front of room 701.

Seeing this, Zhou Qian left the door of room 701 and tried walking to his left. After a full circle, he returned to room 701, now having a clearer understanding of the layout.

Opening his mouth, Zhou Qian explained to the other players, “Both elevators have disappeared. The corridor has become circular. There are 12 rooms in this circular corridor, numbered ‘1’ to ‘12’. That means…”

Pointing to the room still marked “701”, Zhou Qian continued, “That means there are now 13 rooms on this floor. There are 12 rooms forming a circle around the 13th room, numbered 1 to 12. Jiang Yuqing’s room, 701, is now in the center, making it the 13th room.”

“When we arrived, the building was square! How could there be a circular floor?

“What’s going on?” He Xiaowei exclaimed in shock.

His voice was very deep, but probably because of his humorous appearance, the fearful shout seemed funny—like a rugged man whining.

“So, room 701, along with its walls, moved to another space as a whole?” Yun Xiangrong frowned. “Is this some kind of supernatural instance? Or some… alternate dimension?”

Hearing her say this, Gao Shan quickly looked inside 701 and then came out. “Jiang Yuqing is asleep. Nothing else has changed. Everything in the room is as usual.”

Here, a few players quickly discussed the current situation.

Meanwhile, the three NPC janitors were also discussing with fearful expressions.

“What’s going on? Why is this happening?”

“I don’t know. Should we… try opening one of the doors to see?”

“Yeah, maybe opening a door will reveal the elevator or some other way out?”

Hearing this discussion, Zhou Qian immediately looked at them.

The female janitor, who had stolen Jiang Yuqing’s uniform and was now wearing it, acted first.

She went straight to room 12, opposite room 701.

The door was unlocked. She pushed it, and with a “creak”, it opened, and she went inside. Shortly after she entered, the door closed on its own with a “click”.

About three seconds later, something unexpected happened.

A gunshot rang out from room 12!

The gunshot, like a thunderbolt on a clear day, jolted everyone present.

Gao Shan quickly shielded Yun Xiangrong, who held onto his collar tightly in return. He Xiaowei turned and leapt, practically hanging onto the door of room 701, looking like a clumsy, large koala. Lu Mengmeng also seemed terrified, closely following He Xiaowei and quietly grabbing the hem of his clothes.

Zhou Qian remained motionless. He propped up one leg and stood leaning against the wall next to room 701’s door, squinting towards room 12.

At that moment, he noticed that Situ Qing didn’t run away; instead, she took a step closer to the door of room 12.

Following the sound of a gunshot came a scream. It came from inside room 12, presumably let out by the female janitor in military attire just before her death.

With a loud bang, the door to room 12 was thrown open, and the janitor ran out.

There was a large bloodstain on her chest, the result of the gunshot she had just received. Not far behind her, a dark figure was raising a gun towards her, but no subsequent shot was fired.

It was a swift, ghost-like silhouette with no discernible features or expressions.

Zhou Qian took a step forward, seemingly trying to see the face of the mysterious person.

However, just then, the door abruptly closed on its own.

As for the janitor, she fell face down on the cold corridor floor, never to breathe again.

He Xiaowei: “What the hell is going on? Why are there gunmen? Is this game supernatural? Fantasy? Sci-fi? Damn it, is it set in a gunfight scenario? We don’t have any guns!”

Gao Shan: “Rongrong, you go back to room 701 first. I’ll stay in the corridor to check.”

Yun Xiangrong: “No way. What if something happens to you? I’ll stay to heal you.”

He Xiaowei retorted, “Damn it, don’t single dogs have rights? I can heal too! Why isn’t anyone teaming up with me?!”

Beside them, seeing their coworker killed like this, the other two janitors were clearly panicking.

One of the women said, “What… What’s happening… We need to get out of here quickly, or we’ll be trapped until we die! I need to go pick up my daughter from school!”

The male janitor responded, “Ah, I told her not to take someone else’s military uniform! This might be karma! We’ll be fine!”

“Right, you’re right… Then… I’ll try another room.”

Swallowing hard, the second female janitor glanced left and right, then chose to enter room 1 next to room 12.

Seeing her move, all the players immediately focused on her. Under their watchful eyes, she entered the room.

Shortly after, the same thing happened as with the previous janitor: a gunshot followed by a scream, and she ran out with an obscured figure with a gun behind her. Finally, the door to room 1 closed, and the second janitor fell into a pool of blood.

“What’s going on…? Can’t we open any doors on this side…?”

The third male janitor murmured.

Seeing the incidents in rooms 12 and 1, he paced back and forth, seemingly on the verge of a breakdown.

“Is this… some kind of endless loop*?”

*Ghost hitting the wall (鬼打墙吗) Idiom describing a phenomenon where a person feels like they’re walking in circles and can’t find their way out (AKA going in circles).

“What the hell is happening…?”

“I need to get out of here. This is too terrifying… Am I going to die too?!”

Muttering to himself, the male janitor ran halfway around the circular corridor to the other side.

Zhou Qian quickly followed, and the other players figured that as long as they didn’t enter those 12 rooms, they wouldn’t be attacked. Since the gunmen in the two rooms didn’t chase anyone into the corridor, everyone else followed as well.

Before their eyes, after hesitating between rooms 6 and 7, the male janitor finally decided to enter room 6. After the door closed, the six players moved closer to get a better view, waiting in silence. But nothing happened this time. No gunshots.

A minute later, the janitor emerged from room 6, looking much more relaxed.

“It’s safe! No one tried to kill me! But there’s no way out in there. I need to keep searching.”

After muttering to himself, he immediately opened the adjacent room 7. Room 7 opened and closed, yet no gunshots ensued. Another minute passed, and the janitor came out again.

“It’s strange. There’s no exit in this room either… How can I get out…”

Holding his head in despair, he slowly made his way back to the opposite side of room 701, with the players in tow.

As they passed by the bodies of the two female janitors, the male janitor sighed, seemingly lamenting their deaths. He then looked up, his gaze drifting from one room to another in confusion.

“A’Hua went into Room 12 and died; Xiao Wang went into Room 1 and died; I went to Rooms 6 and 7 and didn’t die… but I also didn’t find the way out. I can’t die trapped here…” Mumbling these words, he approached Room 2.

“Room 12, Room 1… people died in both. It can’t be that there are killers in three consecutive rooms, right?”

Having said this, the male janitor pushed the door open and entered Room 2. The door slammed shut. But three seconds later, a gunshot rang out swiftly! The same thing that happened to the previous two female janitors happened to him. It seemed he saw something terrifying and tried to escape from the room. Unfortunately, he was shot in a vital spot and died in the hallway.

Three mysterious gunshot incidents happened so quickly, right before the players’ eyes. After the brutal killings, three janitors lay in the corridor. The air was thick with an unpleasant smell of blood.

Zhou Qian always despised blood. He frowned slightly, standing in front of Room 701, glanced inside through the open door. An elderly Jiang Yuqing was sound asleep, seemingly oblivious to the three shootings outside.

He Xiao Wei roared with a deep voice. “What’s going on? What the hell is this?”

Yun Xiangrong calmly said, “The game designer arranged this plot. Perhaps they want us to find a pattern based on the janitors’ entry and exit from the rooms. It’s a puzzle for us. Among the 12 rooms, some are safe, some are not. We need to find the pattern and explore accordingly.”

Gao Shan seriously added, “But it seems difficult; I can’t discern any pattern.”

Just as Gao Shan finished speaking, all six players received a system notification:

[Players triggered side quest ①: “Checks and Balance”]

[Time limit for completion: One hour]

[12 rooms contain 12 important pieces of evidence. Players must find all evidence to clear the stage.]

[Note: Once the bullets in the rooms are fired by the killer, they have a 100% hit rate】

He Xiaowei: “What does this mean? Side quests? Does that mean we can skip this task?”

Gao Shan: “But if we don’t take the side quest… will we be trapped here forever?”

Yun Xiangrong raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhou Qian, who was heading into Room 701. Shaking her head, she said with a smirk, “Even if we don’t want to do the side quest, Qian Ge will probably force us to.”

He Xiaowei, who was unfamiliar with Zhou Qian’s methods, innocently asked, “Huh? What do you mean?”

A few seconds later, sure enough, Zhou Qian’s voice echoed from the room. “Just observing the manner of death of those three janitors won’t help us find the pattern. We probably need to search Room 701 for more clues. Let’s all come in and look for hints.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Shan looked at Yun Xiangrong and gave her a wink. Yun Xiangrong responded with a “I told you so” look.

Inside the room, Zhou Qian approached a black and white photo. Looking up, he gazed at the seven blurry faces on it. “Will you give me information?”

Reaching out, Zhou Qian touched the photo again. Enduring the unsettling, cold aura, he tried to stay focused to see what would happen next.

Usually, players wouldn’t face a risk of death without any logic or hint at the very beginning. Now they had activated a side quest, and the risk of death was the 12 rooms. So, everything in this room should be safe for the time being.

Yun Xiangrong, Gao Shan, and the others indeed followed Zhou Qian into the room. But they kept their distance, waiting to see what would happen to him.

The black and white photo, looking as if soaked in rain, began to fog. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t the photo itself that fogged up but rather the images of the seven individuals, as if spirits were converging within the figures, ready to emerge. Seeing this, Yun and Gao tightly held each other’s hands with a tense expression.

But Zhou Qian was closest. He touched the photo and felt an overwhelming sadness. This sensation was very strange for him. Zhou Qian had been emotionally numb for a long time. Although he wasn’t completely void of emotions, his emotional reactions were extremely muted. But now, it was as if the heart of someone in the photo was directly placed into his chest, making him feel an indescribable sadness deep within.

Directly in front of Zhou Qian, a strange scene suddenly appeared.

It seemed to be inside an old house from the Republic of China era. A man was bent over a table, writing poetry beside a white candle.

The man was tall and had an exceptionally refined and calm demeanor. Through a mist of clouds and fog, Zhou Qian couldn’t make out his facial features clearly, but he could vaguely see that the man was very handsome.

Zhou Qian silently watched him finish a poem—

“You ask of my return, yet there’s no set date; rain falls on the Bashan mountains, filling the autumn pond.”

“When shall we together snip a candle at the western window and talk of the rain on Bashan at night?”

His handwriting was in a neat regular script, both elegant and bold. Zhou Qian’s own handwriting resembled chicken scratch, but Bai Zhou’s handwriting was excellent. Thus, Zhou Qian always had a soft spot for those with good penmanship.

In the scene, after finishing the poem, the man let out a deep sigh. Instead of sending out the poem, he surprisingly burned it in the flame of the white candle.

Zhou Qian felt as if his heart was beating in tandem with the man’s. Now, his heart felt as though it was being squeezed, as if it was being consumed by the flames with the poetry lines, causing waves of burning dull pain.

This unique empathetic force from the photo brought Zhou Qian a long-lost sadness. He squinted and continued to watch the man in the scene, attempting to ask, “Why did you burn it? Who did you write this poem for?”

Affected by the sadness, Zhou Qian’s voice was unusually hoarse and heavy. The man in the scene seemed to hear him and looked up at him.

“It’s you, you all came! You’re really here!”

“Am I seeing this right?!”

“It’s great… even if it’s an illusion… I can see you in my lifetime. It’s wonderful.”

Who does this “you all” refer to? Is it referring to our group of players? Can you in the photo see the “us” in this room?

With a thoughtful squint, Zhou Qian saw the man quickly write two more lines and handed the paper to him.

Taking the paper, before he could read it closely, a sudden downpour obscured the scene. In no time, the man, furniture, candlestick, the antique room… all were drenched, distorted, and blurred, becoming a yellow-tinted black and white, finally merging with the color of the photo.

After a brief moment of realization, Zhou Qian looked up to see the same strange black and white photo. He was back in room 701. Everything that just happened seemed like an illusion he experienced by touching the photo. However, he now held a tangible piece of note.

Beside him, Gao Shan, Yun Xiangrong, He Xiao Wei, and Lu Mengmeng quickly gathered around to see the two lines written on the note.

Yun Xiangrong: “This must be a clue!”

He Xiaowei: “Definitely! These two lines must hint at the pattern of those 12 rooms!”

The peculiar feelings inside Zhou Qian faded, and his sensations became blurry, indifferent to joy or sorrow. He then looked at the note. The two lines the man in the photo wrote to him were—

[The lowest ranked cannot be kill!]

[Balance of power is the only solution!]

……

Outside room 701, looking at the players inside, Situ Qing raised her wrist and glanced at the system panel popping up on her watch. Her disabled younger brother, also her gambling partner, sent her a message.

[Your main task is to kill Zhou Qian. No need to focus on completing the side quests.]

[You can try persuading the other players to give up on the side quest. It’s best to win over Yun Xiangrong and Gao Shan; otherwise, they’ll cause trouble.]

[If necessary, deal with the couple first.]

---

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

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

---

Chapter 19

Zhou Qian truly was a man of his word.

The very next morning, he took action.

After his rounds, Zhou Qian ordered a large box of tiramisu cake and delivered it to a familiar young nurse, trying to persuade Qi Liuxing to stay. The two laughed heartily, as if they were the naive sons of the landlord. They then managed to get three hours of outdoor time.

Leaving the hospital and hailing a cab, the two went to the New Dragon Cemetery.

New Dragon Cemetery was very far from the city and was poorly managed. Of course, because of this, the plots are quite cheap. Zhou Qian speculated that Bai Zhou was buried here partly because of his family’s modest means and couldn’t afford a more expensive plot, and partly because his parents’ affection for him was quite average.

After many years, Zhou Qian found that the management of New Dragon Cemetery was still chaotic. When he reached the reception hall of the management building, all the staff were playing mahjong.

Zhou Qian had prepared plenty of red envelopes in advance. He directly approached each person and handed them out.

“For good luck, for good luck!” he said while distributing the red envelopes, stating his request to change his brother’s tombstone.

Being a poorly managed cemetery, the staff didn’t verify Zhou Qian’s identity. After accepting the red envelopes, two of them happily left their mahjong game, where they had only won or lost a few yuan all afternoon, and led Zhou Qian to Bai Zhou’s grave, immediately removing the tombstone. Zhou Qian then saw the rectangular urn underneath.

The urn was wooden with a simple design. It was only about the size of two adult hands—unbelievably small.

After cremation, only a small portion of the remains were placed in the urn. Zhou Qian found this very regrettable.

In Zhou Qian’s memory, Bai Zhou was always tall. Now only this small amount remained. He vividly imagined the scene at the crematorium—Bai Zhou’s body being cremated, and afterward, his parents probably just casually chose some ashes to put in this small box.

Beside him, one of the workers, who had moved the tombstone, patted his bulging pocket, seemingly pleased with the amount in the red envelope. He smiled at Zhou Qian and said, “Actually, there was no need to remove the old tombstone today! The new one will take some time to make. You can order it today and replace it later.”

The other added, “That’s right. We’re understaffed, and tombstones take a while to make. But if you’re willing to pay more, we can hire more workers to expedite the process—”

The cemetery was located on a hillside, shrouded in mist from a recent drizzle, making the air damp.

Hundreds of tombstones lined up row by row, somewhat orderly. But due to poor management, most of the graves were overgrown with weeds. Leftover offerings from tomb-sweepers, like joss paper and candles, lay scattered on the ground, blending in with the grass, adding to the unique scenery of the cemetery.

Qi Liuxing, who had never been to such a place, looked around curiously.

At the same time, he occasionally shot glances at Zhou Qian, trying hard to keep a straight face. The two workers were also curious about Zhou Qian but were too lazy to inquire further. After realizing Zhou Qian was an easy target, they hoped to extract more money from him.

All three of them stood behind Zhou Qian, so no one saw the grim expression on his face. But when Zhou Qian turned to face them a moment later, his expression was back to normal.

Zhou Qian smiled and said, “The reason I removed the tombstone is mainly that I wanted to replace the urn. Last night, I dreamt of my brother. He said his home was leaking. I was worried that the wooden urn might have been damaged by insects, so I hurried over to check. Now that I see it’s fine, I’m relieved. But since I’m here, I might as well replace the urn.”

After saying this, Zhou Qian turned and squatted down, lifting the urn. He then stood up and asked the two workers, “Will the new tombstone be ready in a week?”

The workers grinned, rubbing their fingers together in a gesture that meant everything was negotiable with money.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay enough. The tombstone must be made of the best materials. It should be taller, more magnificent, and more luxurious than the others around. Xiao Qi—”

Zhou Qian looked at Qi Liuxing. “I don’t have cash on me. Can you pay for me? Let’s give these two gentlemen a generous tip for their hard work.”

Qi Liuxing: “…”

What kind of weird competitive mentality is that?

Wait a minute? Why am I the one paying? Are you being casual? Not everyone is a second-generation rich kid like you!

Zhou Qian only said to the staff, “Add me on WeChat. Update me anytime. I’ll transfer the money to you whenever?”

The staff quickly replied, “Don’t worry, as long as the payment is settled, we’ll work overtime… Guarantee it will be done in a week!”

“Okay. Then I’ll come to rebury my brother in a week.”

Zhou Qian smiled at the staff holding the urn, slightly nodded towards Qi Liuxing, and then left with him.

Leaving the cemetery, the two hailed a ride towards the city center.

Qi Liuxing thought to himself that this trip was much smoother than expected.

At least they didn’t have to sneak in in the middle of the night and dig the grave themselves.

Those workers were really irresponsible.

Of course, when he sat in the back seat with Zhou Qian, Qi Liuxing’s expression became more and more speechless.

Because he watched as Zhou Qian opened the urn.

Though Qi Liuxing really didn’t want to look, curiosity got the better of him.

Inside the urn were mostly ash-colored powder and some small bone fragments that weren’t fully burned.

Zhou Qian reached in, picking out a small piece of bone to examine closely, even smelling it.

Afterwards, for better light, he even held the bone up to the window.

Looking sideways, Qi Liuxing saw the sunlight shining through the window, illuminating both the bone and half of Zhou Qian’s face.

Under this light, Zhou Qian’s expression looked dreamy. His eyes were intensely focused, with a crazed look.

Then he muttered to himself, “Hmph, is this really human bone?”

Qi Liuxing: “…”

The driver in front: “…”

The driver must have been shocked that he drove in an S-shape.

After a while, Qi Liuxing asked him, “Want to know what I think?”

“Oh?” Zhou Qian turned his gaze, looking at Qi Liuxing curiously. “What’s on your mind, Xiao Qi?”

Qi Liuxing: “I think you’re really insane.”

Zhou Qian: “Oh, I’ve always been that way.”

Qi Liuxing: “…”

Zhou Qian laughed, put the bone back in the urn, and closed the lid.

Then he asked Qi Liuxing, “What’s the deal with the ghost you mentioned earlier? Tell me in detail. What’s your relationship with him?”

Qi Liuxing thought deeply, holding his chest as if holding an invisible sword.

After a while, he began. “What if I told you… I grew up with a ghost. You wouldn’t believe me, right?”

Zhou Qian: “Go on.”

When Qi Liuxing was six, he watched a cartoon.

In it, two brothers were very close.

He envied that and wished for a brother, so he told his parents he wanted a younger brother.

When he said this, his parents looked sad. They told him that he did have a younger brother who died shortly after birth. Qi Liuxing was only two at the time, so he didn’t remember.

Strange events started happening after that.

Qi Liuxing often saw a child two years younger than him who called him “big brother” and was very dependent on him. He felt that he was his real younger brother.

His brother grew up with Qi Liuxing, reading with him, doing homework, attending classes…

Except that no one else could see him, their relationship seemed just like normal brothers.

Qi Liuxing said to Zhou Qian, “I originally thought he was the ghost of my brother, but logically, ghosts don’t grow up. So… I don’t know what’s going on.”

Zhou Qian seemed to understand. “But your parents think it’s your imagination? Or you have schizophrenia?”

“Yes. They thought my condition was getting worse, so they sent me to a psychiatric hospital,” Qi Liuxing said. “When entering this game, the system said… you can exchange gold coins for what you want. I wanted my brother to truly come alive.”

Hearing this, Zhou Qian thoughtfully looked at Qi Liuxing. “So your brother now…”

Qi Liuxing: “Sometimes he comes out, sometimes he doesn’t. Now… Ah, he’s here! Let me introduce you!”

Zhou Qian: “…”

Qi Liuxing sat in the middle of the back seat. He raised his hand and gestured towards the empty seat on his right. “Brother, let me introduce you. This is Zhou Qian. He’s impressive. Thanks to him, I managed to get the hidden reward. Mhm? Okay, I understand.”

Qi Liuxing turned and smiled at Zhou Qian. “My younger brother says he wants to thank you.”

Zhou Qian waved at the empty seat, narrowing his eyes and smiling warmly. “Hello. No need to be polite.”

Suddenly, a sharp, jarring friction sound abruptly rang out.

Accompanied by an emergency brake, the car violently stopped by the roadside.

Qi Liuxing was about to ask the driver if something had happened, like a tire blowout. But he saw the driver stretching out a trembling hand from the front seat. “You should leave. I won’t continue this job.”

“Um, sir, there might be a misunderstanding—” Qi Liuxing realized something and tried to explain.

“No, no, no. Just spare me! I beg you! I have a family!” The driver’s voice was on the verge of breaking down. “It’s hard for me to take ridesharing jobs in my free time! I will never take jobs near the cemetery again! Not even in the daytime!”

Moments later, Qi Liuxing and Zhou Qian stood on the deserted asphalt road at the foot of the hill, feeling the cold wind.

Zhou Qian calmly held an urn against the wind. Occasionally, passersby would see him and immediately keep their distance.

Qi Liuxing shook his head and involuntarily stepped back.

After a while, seeing Zhou Qian making a phone call, Qi Liuxing asked with a strained voice, “Who are you calling? Where are we going now?”

Zhou Qian replied, “When in trouble, we should seek help from the police. So, we’re heading to the police station to find Officer Chen. Let’s see if he can help us identify this or find out how Bai Zhou died.”

……

Two days later. Semi-open instance A711.

The so-called semi-open instance mainly served as a lobby for players and gamblers to discuss matters. It was also known as the game hall.

Only players and gamblers of a certain level could enter, hence the “semi-open”.

At this moment, all the people in the hall were Rank S players with various skills and gamblers with “Senior Gambler” badges.

They held phones or tablets, displaying numerous scenes of players below Rank S tackling different challenges.

In this game, players below Rank S were considered novices. When these novices played, only their respective gamblers could watch live.

But once they finished, their gameplay could be viewed by Rank S and above players and Senior Gamblers.

This way, other players and gamblers had no real-time interference in the novices’ gameplay.

They periodically review novices’ play videos to scout for potential apprentices or recruits for their teams.

For gamblers, it was about selecting future betting subjects to earn more money.

Players like Zhou Qian, being a novice, of course, couldn’t enter such semi-open instances.

Suddenly, a Rank C player appeared at the entrance, undoubtedly drawing attention.

With a cold smirk, the gatekeeper said, “People below Rank S can’t enter.”

The Rank C player was a very beautiful girl.

With a cold beauty and a reserved demeanor, she resembled the typical ice queen.

Facing the gatekeeper, she confidently replied, “I was invited. In fact, without the special invitation [Pass] from the legion, I wouldn’t even know about this place or be able to get here, right?”

“Tsk… Nowadays, novices have no manners.” The gatekeeper sighed.

Having guarded the entrance for a long time, he was well aware of the rules.

Normally, only Rank S players and Senior Gamblers could enter. But legions, aiming to nurture and train novices, had the authority to distribute a certain number of [Pass].

Those novices who received this [Pass] were eligible to visit.

They were considered reserves for the legions, and if they grew appropriately, they could become the backbone of the legion.

Legions were entities formed by highly capable Rank S players who applied through the system.

They were somewhat like guilds in MMORPGs but more complex.

Of course, some highly skilled veteran players could also directly distribute [Passes] to their disciples on their own.

The gatekeeper, despite clearly knowing the person in front of him had a pass, still wanted to give her a hard time. He had no other intention but to get a little bribe from her. Gold coins, useful items, anything would do.

However, the icy beauty in front of him was clearly unbending. She directly took out her pass and slapped it down in front of the gatekeeper with a loud “slap”.

“If you fucking refuse a toast, you’ll be forced to drink a forfeit*. Believe it or not, next time I’ll have someone kill you in the game—”

*(敬酒不吃吃罚酒) Idiom referring to submitting under pressure after turning down the first request.

Before she could finish, the gatekeeper silenced. Because he saw that the pass she presented was issued by the Peach Blossom Legion.

The term “Peach Blossom” in the Peach Blossom Legion came from the famous ancient poem: “Last year at this door, the human face and peach blossoms reflected each other’s red glow*.”

*Line from a poem by Tang Dynasty poet Xin Qiji. It conveys a sense of nostalgia and the fleeting nature of time by juxtaposing the enduring beauty of peach blossoms with the transient beauty of a human face.

The founder was a legendary player known as the “Peach Blossom God”. It was said that when she had the opportunity to see the gods, she emerged from a scarlet peach forest. Her skills were also related to peach blossoms, hence the name.

While Peach Blossom was still active, the Peach Blossom God had been missing for a long time. Rumor had it that after a massive civil war between the game’s legions years ago, the Peach Blossom God disappeared, her whereabouts unknown. This resonated with the phrase: “The human face is gone, but the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze*.”

*Also another line. It refers to while the human is gone, the peach blossoms continue to bloom year after year, reflecting the importance of human life.

While the founder vanished, the legion was dormant. Only recently did they become active again, ranking second among all legions.

Just moments ago, the gatekeeper was betting with someone—

“That new player named Zhou Qian seems pretty strong. Do you think Peach Blossom will recruit him?”

“It’s hard to say. The Peach Blossom Legion has peculiar standards for recruitment.”

The gatekeeper soon realized the accuracy of the statement. After all this time, the Peach Blossom Legion was finally attempting to nurture newcomers. But this newcomer wasn’t the outstanding Zhou Qian, but this seemingly unremarkable girl standing before him.

Given that she was chosen by the Peach Blossom Legion, the gatekeeper didn’t dare offend her. He quickly stepped aside.

Before she entered, the gatekeeper accessed her game profile.

[Name: Situ Qing]

[Rank: C]

[Specialty: Long-range Damage; AOE]

[Gambler System Evaluation: Ice Queen; Snow Goddess; Potential DPS Queen]

……

Retrieving her pass, Situ Qing stepped into the game lobby. Despite her proud and cold demeanor, a touch of reverence was evident in her gaze. She had struggled for so long in lower-level instances and thought reaching Rank S was her limit in this game. But now, she realized that Rank S seemed to be just the beginning. This game was even grander than she had imagined.

On a panel in the center of the lobby was a list of the most recent newcomers and their rankings. At the top was the name “Zhou Qian”.

[Player Zhou Qian, Rank D, Overall Performance Score: 100]

[Skill Prediction: Agility-based, Team Control]

[Spiritual Potential: Infinite]

[Probability of Becoming a “Shepherd”: 99%]

Situ Qing was a classic “potential-type” player, meaning she needed to spend a lot of time leveling up initially, but her power in the later stages would be unimaginably strong, akin to a late bloomer.

Despite being informed of this, Situ Qing couldn’t help feeling a bit downcast. She had struggled for so long to reach Rank C, but Zhou Qian had advanced to Rank D after just one dungeon.

Scanning the lobby while meeting the curious gazes of others, Situ Qing began to explore the game lobby. This was her short-term goal. She hoped to come here in the future without needing a pass.

“Why did Peach Blossom choose her and not Zhou Qian?”

“Have you seen Zhou Qian’s performance? That guy obviously isn’t easy to control. He prefers to lead rather than be led. I guess Peach Blossom likes obedient members. Plus, Zhou Qian’s skills aren’t practical!”

“That makes sense. I remember Situ Qing’s previous system assessment. She’s a potential-type, just like Qi Liuxing. They might be average now, but in the future, they’ll be incredibly strong damage dealers.”

“By the way, has any legion shown interest in Zhou Qian? With his abilities, everyone must be fighting over him, right? He should get a lot of attention.”

“No way he’d be left out!”

“Those who scored nearly or at full marks during their novice phase are all currently legendary players! They’re the leaders of various legions! How can no one want Zhou Qian?”

“Those big shots before, when they were rookies and scored full marks, either had immense positive energy, persuading everyone to cooperate with their charisma; or they relied on unbeatable output and just did it! Otherwise, they were extremely evil, sacrificing teammates… But I haven’t really seen anyone as reckless as Zhou Qian.”

“Yes, that’s the point. People like Zhou Qian are too dangerous. People like him… if you can’t get them, you must kill them before they grow stronger. Otherwise, they will be endless trouble!”

“But strangely, it seems like there’s no news about him now! No one is competing for him!”

“Really? No one wants him??”

“In fact, there’s one thing that all of you overlooked.”

A deep male voice suddenly came from the direction of the hall’s entrance. A man in a suit and leather shoes with a refined demeanor walked over. Because he used a special item, no one could see his name. They only knew his codename was [Priest].

Priest’s rank seemed very high, and his background was mysterious; nobody knew which legion he belonged to. He knew many secret messages, often surprising everyone, like a prophet with a third eye. Thus, when everyone saw him coming, they all stopped talking, staring at him, waiting for his big reveal.

Priest directly took out two tablets and placed them side by side on the table. He turned on the left tablet, tapped a few times, and displayed a group of new players entering “Apple Paradise”. He fast-forwarded to when the players first met the Great God Epoh, paused, adjusted the angle, and zoomed in on Epoh’s face for a clear close-up. Then he turned on the right tablet, bringing up the moment Zhou Qian met Epoh, and similarly zoomed in on Epoh.

At this point, it was clear that the facial features and expressions of the two Epohs were identical. In fact, these players had seen different groups of players clear this instance many times before.

Facing the Epoh on the first screen, their feelings were no different than usual, just like seeing an ordinary NPC in a low-level instance. But when they looked at the Epoh before Zhou Qian, they felt something unusual… It was as if that Epoh wasn’t just game data anymore but a living being, as if he would crawl out of the screen the next second and stand before them.

Priest continued to operate the two tablets, trying to analyze the various attribute data of the two Epohs in detail. The left tablet quickly displayed the data of the Great God Epoh NPC, such as HP, MP, attack power, skills, and the like.

But on the right tablet, a message popped up:

[The relevant player has activated advanced permissions and will not publicly display specific attribute values.]

“What the hell? Advanced permissions?”

“I know what advanced permissions mean! That’s… it’s a privilege only for god-tier players! Wait, I think I’ve encountered this situation before. This is, this is…”

“Priest? Care to explain?”

“I got it! A god-tier player loaded their consciousness into the body of an NPC in the instance! Under these circumstances, he can’t control the NPC, can’t OOC*, and can’t interfere with the instance…”

*Out of character. Basically, they have to follow the plot.

“It’s as if he attached his mental consciousness to the NPC, watching regular players play the game without affecting the game!”

“They do this to select ‘Shepherds’ for themselves! So, which god-tier player did this?”

“He closed our query permissions because he was worried that his health and skills would also be displayed. He doesn’t want us to recognize him!”

Those who were in this hall, to put it nicely, were all Rank S, but they were the lowest level of Rank S players, always within the range of regular players.

Legends told that the most advanced players were the ones who really opened up the world of gods, stepping into that realm and gaining supreme power through deals with them. Hence, they were called “god-tier players” by regular players. The founders of several major legions were god-tier players.

But no one present had seen them, nor did they know what that supreme power meant.

They only knew that the highest-level god-tier players would occasionally upload their consciousness into the instance, becoming an NPC within, choosing a qualified [Shepherd] for themselves.

It was said that after achieving godhood, god-tier players sometimes experience a loss of mental control.

During those times, they need a qualified [Shepherd] to control them. No matter how powerful or invincible a god-tier player was, if they lost their sanity or went berserk in the instance, they might still fail to clear the level. But if they cooperated well with a [Shepherd], they would be unstoppable.

“Priest, are you suggesting that a god-tier player has chosen Zhou Qian as his Sheperd? Did he become Epoh for Zhou Qian?”

“Even though it’s just their consciousness that’s uploaded, if the NPC gets hurt, the player will feel it too, right? Playing as Epoh, who enjoys pain, how much pain and suffering would that entail!”

“Which god-tier player would do such a thing? Just to observe Zhou Qian? Isn’t this a bit too exaggerated?”

“Before ‘Apple Paradise’, Zhou Qian had already passed the tutorial. How did a god-tier player notice him and immediately turn into Epoh? That’s unbelievable!”

“I’m so curious. I’ve opened the player rankings. Who the hell is that god-tier player?”

“[Scholar], [Blood Demon], and [Hidden Blade]… All these god-tier players are on my list! Who? Who took an interest in Zhou Qian?”

In response to everyone’s queries, Priest’s expression was somewhat inscrutable. “I don’t know who this god-tier player is, but if you keep looking, you’ll be able to guess soon.”

“Why?”

“If Zhou Qian is someone a god-tier player is interested in, then if the other god-tier players can’t have him, they’ll likely resort to killing him.”

……

Having overheard everything happening in the hall, Situ Qing entered a private room in the tea area. Inside, a pale, thin young man with a somewhat gloomy look was sitting.

“Any initial thoughts on this place?” the man asked her.

“My worldview has been turned upside down. What will become of this game in the future?” Situ Qing inquired.

“All you need to know is that you’ll possess immense power and be able to achieve your desires.” The man chuckled. “So, how do you feel now? Want to join the Peach Blossom Legion?”

“For someone weak like you… You’re not even a player. Why are you part of the legion?” Situ Qing was puzzled.

The man laughed. “Because I’m smart. Through this period, with the help I provided for you in clearing the instances, you should have felt it, right?”

After a moment of silence, Situ Qing countered, “You said before, if I want to join the Peach Blossom Legion, there’s a condition?”

“Yes. There’s a player named Zhou Qian. Due to his high score, the system will open a special instance for him called ‘Last Wish’. Given his personality, he will definitely go directly to this instance. The Peach Blossom Legion will provide you with an entrance ticket for ‘Last Wish’. This type of instance is rarely open, and as long as you and he make choices around the same time, you’ll definitely be matched together.” With a stern look, the man said, “Kill Zhou Qian in ‘Last Wish’, and that’s the condition for joining the Peach Blossom Legion.”

Situ Qing frowned. She was somewhat aware of Zhou Qian’s capabilities.

Seemingly sensing her hesitation, the man said, “He’s only Rank D, with an HP of just 2,000. Your HP is twice his. Besides, you have my real-time assistance. Furthermore—I’ve found a great helper for you.”

“Helper? Who?” Situ Qing was suspicious.

“You just went to a newbie instance to farm experience, right? You’ve gained a little fan. You saved him, so he’ll listen to you.”

“You mean… Lu Mengmeng?” Situ Qing furrowed her brows.

The man confirmed, “Yes. You both live in Spring Hill Asylum Zone 2. When you leave here later, find him and persuade him to cooperate with you. Tell him that if he performs well, he can also join the Peach Blossom Legion.”

“I don’t quite get it. That Lu Mengmeng is weak in every aspect.” Situ Qing asked with some surprise, “Why choose him?”

“Because his gambler is Zhu Qiang. Zhou Qian’s gambler is Yu Xian. And Yu Xian and Zhu Qiang are a pair of unemployed best friends. So…” the man grinned, “Are you ready to watch the drama of two brothers turning against each other?”

Situ Qing fell silent. She looked out the window. It was a false landscape constructed by virtual space—the moonlight covered the valley, making it look like a fairyland. The moonlight was breathtakingly beautiful. But every time she approached the valley, trying to reach out and grasp it, she always came up empty-handed.

“Don’t be afraid. I know, for my sake, you would surely kill Zhou Qian and survive.”

The man pushed the wheelchair forward toward Situ Qing, then leaned close to her ear, whispering the gentlest yet seemingly most cruel words.

“My dearest sister, I am your most devout gambler.”

……

Spring Hill Mental Hospital Zone 1, at the edge of the outdoor activity area, near the small river.

[Player Zhou Qian, you have not chosen the next instance to log into. The system reminds you to make a choice as soon as possible.]

[Due to your outstanding initial evaluation results, the special instance “Last Wish” with hidden rewards has been specially opened for you.]

[For players who have reached Rank E, some rules have been updated. Click to view the detailed introduction of the updated gambler system.]

[Currently, you and your gambler cannot enter semi-open instances and meet directly online. However, before the game starts, the gambler and player can have a video call to get to know each other better.]

[Whether the player passes or not affects whether the gamblers can receive rewards. Thus, gamblers can help players pass through their understanding of the game. During the game, gamblers can send message hints to players.]

[Please note that during the game, players cannot contact gamblers; gamblers can only send messages to players unilaterally.]

[At this stage, every game played by a player will be archived and can be searched and viewed by advanced gamblers; the higher your current score, the more likely you are to attract their attention; in the future, they will provide great help on your gaming journey.]

When Zhou Qian received this message, he was in the rest area, holding a binoculars, and preparing to climb a tree.

He casually asked Qi Liuxing, “So, at this stage, each player is only bound to one gambler, and the gambler can see our game performance in real-time. Players above Rank F can receive message hints from gamblers during the game?”

“Yes,” Qi Liuxing replied.

Zhou Qian asked, “But how come I see that Dong Xiang, you, Yun Xiangrong, and Gao Shan seem to not receive any hints?”

Qi Liuxing: “Perhaps our gamblers are too weak, weaker than us.”

“This system is quite strange. Think about it, gamblers just watch from outside, unlike us, who immerse ourselves in the game. How can they know more than us? Besides, while we risk our lives, they benefit from the sidelines… How is this fair? Something feels off.”

At this stage, each player had one gambler.

But a player’s performance could attract the attention of advanced gamblers.

In the future, when a player upgraded to Rank S, many advanced gamblers might bet on this player, realizing mutual prosperity and loss.

But as Qi Liuxing doubted, is it that easy for gamblers to reap without sowing?

Thoughts crossed Zhou Qian’s mind, but he temporarily set them aside.

As usual, he climbed the tree and began observing the building on the opposite side with his binoculars.

Qi Liuxing sat beneath the tree, bored, having kept watch for Zhou Qian for several days.

Yawning and looking up, he saw Zhou Qian with the high-powered binoculars, observing intently. Qi Liuxing joked, “If you were a woman, you’d turn into a ‘wife-waiting stone*’.”

*This is referring to a legend that tells of a devoted wife who waited for her husband to return from a journey. She waited for so long that she eventually turned into a stone statue, gazing in the direction her husband left. Nowadays, there are many stones that are labeled as this providing tourist attractions.

“Huh? Can’t a man wait for his husband?”

“??”

“Sorry, you’re too young.”

“…???”

Qi Liuxing: “So, did you see anything?”

Zhou Qian shook his head. “That person has been lying down. Nothing different from usual.”

Qi Liuxing, at a loss for words, changed the topic. “Hey, what about the ashes?”

Zhou Qian: “Chen Yangzhou said the results are still pending. We don’t know if those ashes are fake.”

“Okay…” Qi Liuxing asked again, “Where are you heading for the next instance? Do you want to go to ‘Last Wish’?”

“Yes.” Zhou Qian nodded. “This instance is also open to Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong. They replied that they are willing to team up.”

“So… have you chosen what to add to your skills?” Qi Liuxing inquired further.

Zhou Qian: “Team control.”

Upon noticing Qi Liuxing’s hesitance, Zhou Qian looked down to find an awkward expression on his face, even his ears turning a shade of red.

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Qian asked him.

Qi Liuxing remained silent, his ears reddening further. After a while, he finally said, “Promise you won’t laugh at me.”

Zhou Qian raised two fingers. “I promise I won’t.”

“Well… would you like to form a team with me?” Qi Liuxing asked.

Zhou Qian: “?”

Qi Liuxing blinked twice. “You know… um, ‘Sword’s Courage, Heart’s Tune*’ or something.”

*Courage of a swordsman and the soul of a musician (剑胆琴心). Metaphor referring to someone who’s courageous and sentimental. This is often used in old novels, mostly to describe talented scholars who are capable in writing and martial arts (thus why Zhou Qian replied like so below).

Zhou Qian laughed. “As expected, an ancient-styled, chuunibyou.”

Qi Liuxing looked irritated. “You just said you wouldn’t make fun of me!”

“Mm. But I couldn’t hold back.”

“…No, you’re lying! You’re obviously emotionally stunted!”

“Wow, you’ve become smart.”

“…………”

Watching as Qi Liuxing, trying hard to keep a straight face, became redder by the moment, Zhou Qian stopped teasing him. “What made you think of this?”

Qi Liuxing pointed to his system panel. “The system extracts gamblers’ opinions of me, combines them with my performance, and plans my development. The system suggested that I not go to the ‘Last Wish’ for my next instance but to a specially customized instance. The reward for that instance is a musical instrument that matches my skills very well. So if you’re willing, you can join me and then possess skills related to the musician.”

“What are the musician’s skills?”

“Probably a healer. I’m not sure.”

“Oh, then never mind.”

“…………”

Catching a glimpse of Qi Liuxing’s disappointed look, Zhou Qian said, “I’m not interested in the whole healer thing. But we can still form a small team in the future.”

“Mm… That works too!” Qi Liuxing quickly smiled. “Let’s also invite Yun Xiangrong and Gao Shan!”

Regarding Qi Liuxing’s proposal, Zhou Qian didn’t commit either way, but just gave him a few more glances. He could sense that ever since he blocked for Qi Liuxing, the young man’s attitude towards him had changed. Beneath the aloof and rebellious facade, he was genuinely naive.

Having grown up at that age himself, Zhou Qian understood the mindset of young people. At that age, it was easy to believe in forever. They often think that a promised lifetime means an actual lifetime and that a recognized friend can remain a friend for life.

In truth, Zhou Qian had been taking advantage of this. Playing this game requires teammates. Qi Liuxing was clearly a promising DPS. He might even become a Sword Master in the future. So Zhou Qian needed him on his team, preferably following his every command. Every move he made in the game, including every word he said to Qi Liuxing, had a purpose: to make Qi Liuxing grateful, feeling indebted, and ultimately become an obedient teammate.

Nevertheless, Zhou Qian asked, “Why are you willing to team up with me?”

“You’re strong. And… you’ve helped me. I’m grateful,” Qi Liuxing said.

Regarding his own schemes, Zhou Qian was blunt. “But you should know, I’ve been using you all along.”

Qi Liuxing was taken aback. “…”

Jumping down from the tree and looking straight into Qi Liuxing’s eyes, Zhou Qian continued, “The reason I shielded you was because I knew I wouldn’t die. Even if I wasn’t 100% sure, I had at least 90% certainty. I did that to make you wholeheartedly follow my orders and help me get the hidden achievement. Knowing this, would you still want to team up with me?”

“Why… Why are you putting it like this…” Qi Liuxing frowned.

Zhou Qian smiled at him. “Being so blunt?”

Qi Liuxing: “Yes, blunt… and what you said seems too opportunistic. I still don’t believe you used me entirely. Because at that moment, the most dangerous part was over. You didn’t actually need me afterward…”

Zhou Qian shook his head. “That’s uncertain. I might have guessed the general course of events, but not all of it. When the believers who ate the apple would be punished by Epoh and stop attacking us, I had no idea. So, from my perspective, we might still face a significant crisis. If you were genuinely moved because I blocked for you, I might ask you to take a hit for me later, maybe even die for me.”

Qi Liuxing fell silent, leaning his head against the tree trunk, his face slightly pale and his expression rigid. Zhou Qian asked, “So, do you no longer wish to team up with me?”

“I…” Qi Liuxing spoke softly. “I don’t mind. I mean… no, I still believe you’re not as bad as you say.”

He looked up confidently. “It was a level 1 instance. Although the hidden achievement is hard to get, they wouldn’t give us no chance at all. Those deified believers wouldn’t attack us endlessly. The last and strongest one was already Rank B, and it’s safe to say he was the final boss! So you must have calculated correctly. You didn’t use me.”

“You’re saying I didn’t use you then… but I might in the future?” Zhou Qian laughed again. “Like now, when you seem to trust me a lot.”

Qi Liuxing: “Why do you always paint yourself in such a bad light?”

“Because it’s essential to put the unpleasant words out first.” Zhou Qian stopped smiling and became serious.

“Qi Liuxing, I’m not a good person to begin with. You should assume that I am as bad as I say. If under these circumstances, you’re still willing to team up with me, I welcome it. If not, we can part on good terms—”

He paused, then added, “It’s better for you to see this side of me now rather than doubting my intentions in a critical in-game situation, refusing to follow my orders, and jeopardizing my plans. So—”

Staring deeply at Qi Liuxing, Zhou Qian asked again, “Are you willing?”

To Zhou Qian’s relief, Qi Liuxing didn’t agree immediately but pondered for a full ten minutes.

It seemed as if he was reviewing the entire game in that time.

In the end, he said, “I’m willing to team up with you, and I trust you. Not just about your character, but… your intelligence. Right—”

“I have one last question.”

“What question?”

“Why did Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong, who had already fled to the treehouse, come back to help me? You couldn’t have possibly foreseen that.”

“Oh, it’s simple. Because I threatened them,” Zhou Qian casually said.

Qi Liuxing: “?”

“I traded them some small items and gold through the market and left a message—that they shouldn’t think they’re safe there. I’ll attract the believers there. If one of us dies, we all die.”

“…”

Zhou Qian chuckled, climbed back up the tree, and peered through his binoculars.

However, his expression quickly changed.

With both hands, he gripped the binoculars tightly.

Room No. 03X87 was unexpectedly empty! When did the person inside leave?

Shortly after, Zhou Qian’s wristwatch vibrated.

He checked it and saw a message from a stranger.

The person’s name didn’t show up in the system.

He only had a title, which read [Hidden Blade].

Seemingly sensing something, Qi Liuxing on the ground below asked, “What happened?”

With a tone half mocking, half serious, Zhou Qian replied, “Someone wants to take me as an apprentice.”

“Holy shit, is a max-level big shot coming to our newbie village to recruit disciples?” Qi Liuxing was curious.

Zhou Qian hissed, “While we’re fighting tooth and nail in the game, low-level gamblers watch our moves in real-time. High-level gamblers watch replays afterwards. Then there’s a group of Rank S players watching, considering whether to invite us to their legions or take us as apprentices… Xiao Qi, doesn’t that piss you off?”

“It is infuriating. So, are you going to accept him as your master?” Qi Liuxing asked curiously.

“No,” Zhou Qian decisively replied.

“But I won’t refuse him outright. I’ll just leave him hanging.”

“A person who won’t even show me their name isn’t sincere. Who knows what kind of tricks they’re playing? I don’t get played by others. Hmm, [Hidden Blade]? That title is intriguing. I must find an opportunity… to turn the tables on him.”

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