This Wave, I'm on the Fifth Floor

The matter regarding Mu Qiansè was by no means an isolated case.

In the subsequent investigation into several of Bai Zhi's other ex-girlfriends, Xia Wen discovered several identical examples.

Ultimately, by piecing together the clues she had gathered, Xia Wen managed to reconstruct the entire truth in her mind.

First of all, Bai Zhi, who could casually carry a million in his bank card, was not short on money; therefore, the speculation that he was a "Pretty Boy" relying on his looks to live off women did not hold water.

Would a guy with a million in his bank card scam people for a few hundred bucks? Honestly, that sounds like a joke from the last century.

Once this biggest stain on his reputation was removed, the other "scandals" naturally ceased to exist. After all, aside from the alleged money-scamming, he hadn't done anything truly heinous.

Forget about first kisses or anything of the sort; the guy who spent his days holed up in an internet cafe had barely even held his girlfriends' hands.

Of course, his unreasonable behavior was also a black mark—things like intentionally standing people up, flaking on plans, skipping dates, or using money from his girlfriend's wallet to top up his game account...

But if one were to frame this unreasonable behavior within the context of an Anomaly Incident, everything suddenly became logical.

He was there to eliminate anomalies, not to date. Once the anomaly was resolved, he would break up without a hint of hesitation, even choosing to shoulder the infamy himself. There was a certain sense of detachment and freedom in that.

Consequently, by the end of her investigation, Xia Wen herself had developed a considerable amount of curiosity about him.

After all, he was handsome, mysterious, acted with such nonchalance, and did good deeds without seeking credit... He practically embodied every possible merit. It was no wonder her bestie had fallen for him.

--Xia Wen suddenly understood Lin Xiaoyi a little better.

"Based on the experience I've gained from years of browsing all types of doujinshi, Xiao Yi, if you really want to win him over, the methods you used before simply won't work."

Solemnly holding up a finger, Xia Wen wore an expression of grave seriousness.

"You keep saying you want to chase him, but do you actually understand him? He isn't short on money, nor is he lustful. What merits do you have that could possibly attract him?"

"Uh..."

Stunned by Xia Wen's stern and righteous words, Lin Xiaoyi began to feel a lack of confidence.

"So, Xiao Yi, if you want to pursue Bai Zhi, you must first fully understand his preferences. To give you a simple, easy-to-understand example: most students in school know that Bai Zhi grew up in an orphanage, but do you know which orphanage it is? Or, on a smaller scale, do you know what he likes to eat and what he hates?"

"Wuu... I don't know."

A mournful cry escaped her lips, and Lin Xiaoyi looked utterly dejected.

"I almost forgot he was an orphan..."

"That's why I said it. You only saw the side of him hidden beneath the light, but you failed to see the side hidden beneath that side. You think I'm on the first floor while you're on the second, but in reality, I'm on the fifth floor. What I see is far more than what you see. We must learn to look past the phenomena to see the essence."

Reaching out to pat Lin Xiaoyi on the shoulder, Xia Wen looked earnest and well-meaning.

"In doujinshi, a Male Protagonist with such a peculiar personality almost always suffered some major trauma in his childhood, which gradually led him to become who he is today. So, if you really want to win him over, you must first understand his past."

"Then what should we do next?"

Lin Xiaoyi looked at Xia Wen with wide, expectant eyes.

"Hmph, who do you think I am? I am the self-proclaimed 'Best Partner,' Xia Wen. Your business is my business, so just leave everything to me."

Smiling mysteriously, Xia Wen pulled two tickets out of her pocket like a magic trick and waved them in front of Lin Xiaoyi.

"I've already found the orphanage where Bai Zhi stayed as a child and planned to go there this weekend to investigate. I've even bought the tickets. When the weekend comes, you and I will... Hey, hey, don't pounce on me! It's hot, you know!!!"

Although the government had been strictly controlling information online, there were always rumors and various life-risking videos of the scenes circulating in major QQ groups. Coupled with the recent increase in slogans regarding safety awareness, those who were more sensitive could already sense that a storm was brewing.

Because of the incident at the Teaching Building a few days ago, the students who had been affected were still lying in the hospital, unconscious. As a result, the students in class had been feeling quite restless throughout their studies these past few days.

Bai Zhi, however, remained unaffected. After the three days he spent preparing for his Novice Quest, he had returned to attending classes on time every day.

If he became too detached from the crowd, he might fail to notice if another Anomaly Incident occurred at school. After all, he was currently in need of Experience Points, and he was no longer the shut-in who only knew how to play games in an internet cafe all day.

If he continued to stay cooped up like before, his physical condition would deteriorate daily. His so-called Base Attributes were not set in stone; even if his Constitution had reached an astonishing 14 points—nearing the human limit—it would decline if he spent a month at home without exercising.

Therefore, physical training was still very important.

Players and common people were indistinguishable, and there was no "Player Radar" to identify them. So, unless a player voluntarily revealed their information, no one knew exactly how many players were hidden in this school.

However, Bai Zhi was certain that he was definitely not the only player hiding in the school.

"I need to find time to visit the hospital. The key to waking up those students who haven't regained consciousness yet might lie in that Title Deed of the Shadow Realm..."

Resting his head on one hand while looking out the window, Bai Zhi pondered in his heart.

"Also, since I have money now, I need to move to a bigger place. I also need to find time to go back to the orphanage to pack up my things. I remember there are quite a few scandalous histories stored there... though they aren't mine."

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