The Bank Card Was More Exquisitely Made Than Merch

While Zhu Yan was busy opening an account, the meeting at the police station had yet to end.

The officer at the front looked gravely at his colleagues.

"From our previous encounters and clashes with the suspect, we've determined that he has a strong awareness of counter-surveillance, considerable mental resilience, and a meticulous approach."

"Under these circumstances, we can't tip him off. That's also why I oppose sending out mass texts about a census and using it as a pretext to visit people's homes."

Guan En listened intently, a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead.

"At present, we've narrowed down several possible areas, focusing on the residential neighborhoods around the train station and several urban villages."

"According to Guan En's statement, the suspect is around eighteen years old and a freshman at Xishan University."

You owe your life to me...

Was he really a public enemy standing against humanity?

The officer at the front paused, then began assigning the next tasks.

"Tonight, Xiao Mo's team will stay behind and continue reviewing the North Station surveillance footage and further investigating the areas we've identified."

"Also, we strongly suspect that the suspect's ID number is correct, but the corresponding name simply can't be found in the system."

If both his aunt and the authorities in the other city had given them the same number, then there was hardly any doubt about it.

The officer picked up a small device from the table and held it up.

"Once we've narrowed down the exact area, our plainclothes officers will visit homes under the pretext of reading water meters or conducting anti-fraud outreach—"

"They'll check everyone's physical identification or household registration to narrow down the suspects."

It was a thoroughly crude method, but they had little choice.

The officer felt somewhat helpless. If the crisis this suspect posed weren't so severe, concealing his name and appearance really could have let him slip through undetected.

Unfortunately, this situation was no simple matter.

"Guan En, you're a player. Go into isolation at the designated location in the outer suburbs. Don't come into contact with anyone during that time."

"The isolation site has provisions and survival supplies, as well as a phone for communication."

"As soon as you hear the broadcast announcement, contact us immediately."

Guan En nodded and said, "I'll follow my superiors' instructions."

The officer continued.

"Go over it with Captain Huang again and take a look at the map. We'll take a team to the [Hall of Mourning] right away..."

Inside the [Hall of Mourning].

Zhu Yan rose from the soft leather chair, holding a gold card.

At the center of the card was a black bird in a cage.

The exquisitely carved bird actually moved. As Zhu Yan examined it, it fluttered its wings inside the cage, inspiring despair in anyone who saw it.

Zhu Yan wedged the card securely into his jeans pocket, making sure there was no chance of it falling out.

The Pseudo-human led him through the hall, which was filled with strange creatures. Until he stepped back onto the platform, Zhu Yan watched curiously as a bizarre corpse devoured a horse's leg.

The Pseudo-human girl stood on the platform, deep lines appearing around the mouth of her once-smooth face. She seemed terribly hungry.

"What happens if they attack players in the hall?" Zhu Yan asked it.

The Pseudo-human pressed the button by the wall, and the platform slowly began to rise.

"They'll get a full stomach," it said resentfully.

"Oh... there's no punishment, right?" Zhu Yan was completely oblivious.

"Survival of the fittest. What's there to punish?"

Zhu Yan understood and continued asking questions.

"I'm so weak. Why don't they attack me?"

The Pseudo-human slowly rolled its eyes upward.

But it still answered, taking the opportunity to mock Zhu Yan.

"At least you know your own limits. Those are the current rules of the [Hall of Mourning]."

"If it weren't for those rules, you'd have turned into a pile of mashed meat long ago, staying..."

The Pseudo-human rubbed its stomach.

"Hmm... staying right here."

...What kind of thing was that to say?!

"Food," the Pseudo-human muttered, its tone growing strange.

"Can't eat players, can't waste the effort..."

"The rules can only be changed after some time..."

Zhu Yan immediately seized on the important part of its muttering.

"How long is 'some time'?"

Would it be as long as the five or six months before [Flock Street] descended?

Or sooner or later?

The Pseudo-human knitted its brows.

"How should I know?"

This time, Zhu Yan asked no more questions.

What he had learned was enough.

Protecting players who opened accounts was probably no different from a pig farm not slaughtering its piglets.

The platform slowly rose into the café, where an unpleasant smell hung in the air. With a click, it fitted perfectly into place.

Zhu Yan looked out through the dim glass window. A mother was pulling along a little boy who wouldn't stop making a fuss. Everything was peaceful and lovely, with the comforting, down-to-earth feel of everyday life.

Zhu Yan left WE Café, filling his lungs with fresh, cool air from the air-conditioning.

It was a real pleasure to be in an air-conditioned mall with no strange smells!

Zhu Yan went to the milk tea shop next door and ordered an iced fruit tea. He watched the rowdy little boy hop over to the Pseudo-human, whose face was sagging, and grab its skirt.

The Pseudo-human immediately bent down and, smiling warmly, scooped the boy up and carried him into the shop.

The sweet iced drink flowed between his lips and teeth. Zhu Yan turned his head away and looked no more, having already foreseen the little boy's fate.

He picked up his drink and headed out. Sure enough, after only a few steps, he heard the mother scream in terror.

The next second, however, the female voice on the broadcast suddenly rang out, mingling with the scream.

Zhu Yan frowned and quickened his pace against the flow of people.

"Good evening, player. A dungeon you can enter has been detected."

Here we go again. The woman hadn't said "don't stop" for nothing before.

Still, things were better than last time. At least he had gotten enough sleep and eaten his fill.

The last time a new dungeon appeared, the police had been about to arrest him.

What was the reason this time?

Had the police finally come to the [Hall of Mourning]?

"Please leave Myriad Forms Plaza within three minutes, player," the woman said calmly. "Otherwise, you will lose the opportunity to choose to enter a specific dungeon."

Sure enough!

The police were very likely to arrive within three minutes.

If that was the case, this dungeon should have nothing to do with them.

Then what could it be?

In any case, Myriad Forms Plaza was no longer safe.

Zhu Yan jogged all the way to the escalator and rushed up it, looking back one last time before running onto the first floor.

Scarlet liquid was winding its way out of WE Café's bizarre storefront.

Sucking and chewing sounds mingled with the woman's distraught cries. A passerby mustered the courage to approach and look, then screamed and backed away two seconds later.

Zhu Yan paid it no further attention.

He ran toward the mall entrance and rushed out into the hot August air.

Across the street, Zhu Yan spotted several police cars in the distance.

"All right," the woman said. "Congratulations on holding on to your precious dungeon opportunity."

The light turned green.

Zhu Yan crossed the crosswalk and strode off in the opposite direction from the police cars.

"After the dungeon [Cat-and-Mouse Game] ended, you chose to use [Concealed but Unreleased]."

"Your information was concealed, drawing close attention from human institutions."

The woman made the announcement in a lilting voice.

Zhu Yan took a sip of fruit tea. The icy drink slid down his throat, calming his agitated heart.

He had seen death before. He was much calmer than he had been earlier, and his body was no longer so tense.

He already knew everything the woman had said. What came next?

"Human institutions believe that your ID number can be looked up, meaning that you do not have the ability to alter your physical identification."

All right, he really didn't.

But since [Merry Happy Land] had brought it up, did that mean he had a chance to change it again?

"Of course, this is an ability you can have."

Zhu Yan was startled, then delighted.

His steps faltered for a moment, and he focused more intently.

"In three hours, the dungeon [Devouring Villa] will begin."

"The dungeon location is Villa No. 12 in the outer-suburban isolation zone."

"Would you like to participate in the dungeon [Devouring Villa]?"