Nightmare in a Cage

[The following lists the information for this deduction game]

As usual, lines of bloody small text appeared before Yu Xing's eyes.

[Mini Deduction: Nightmare in a Cage]

[Type: 80% Role-Playing Type]

[Analysis: In role-playing type deductions, the deducer will take over an existing character in the absurd world, inheriting that character's identity, relationships, etc. In 70% role-playing games, the deducer does not inherit character abilities and uses their own body (carrying items belonging to the character). Their actions are influenced by the character.]

"Oh? It's 10% more than last time~" Yu Xing looked at the prompt, his heart stirring.

[Due to the role-playing ratio reaching 70%, this deduction will enable Stamina and Vitality stats]

[Stamina: The character the deducer plays has their own thoughts. Each key action requires stamina. When stamina drops to 10 points, the deducer must stop and rest. When stamina is depleted, the deducer can only choose to sleep.]

[Vitality: The character the deducer plays has limited life. Vitality is quantified. Vitality decreases when taking damage. As long as it is not depleted, the concept of "vital points" is removed. When Vitality reaches zero, the deducer dies.]

[Note: This deduction does not allow the use of words related to the system or deduction, nor does it allow players to refer to themselves as players. Violators will receive severe punishment.]

[This deduction is a three-player game]

[This deduction occupies real-world time. Please set aside 24 hours (the flow of time in reality and within the game is different, and the game duration is unknown)]

[Sacrifices are disabled in this game. Your Sacrifice "Tears of the Underworld Candle" cannot be used. Your Sacrifice "&#|^" (Data Error) -- Data Error, can be used normally]

"Sacrifices disabled?" Yu Xing, who had read from beginning to end, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

He felt like this one was very strict, and it sounded dangerous just hearing about it. He liked it!

[Your items cannot be carried into this type of deduction]

[Entering Game]

Auroran Town is a small town nestled against the mountains. Its people are simple and honest, possessing pure and enthusiastic qualities, their faces always adorned with bright smiles, as if each of them had won a grand prize from Haishuiwei Company—although I can't empathize with their happiness, after all, I'm not simple, and I haven't won any prizes.

Oh, my goodness, do you know? In fact, ever since I was transferred to the police station in this town, I haven't had a single peaceful day!

I don't think Auroran Town is as wonderful as the police chief promised me. Petty theft is common. In two months, there has even been a vicious assault here, the reason being that two men were damn fighting over whose wife was more attractive! Oh, you know, attractiveness in bed.

As a female police officer, I really want to beat both of them up and make them stay in the town's hospital for a whole month.

Hey, old friend, I think I'm getting off track, I apologize in advance.

I asked you to come this time because of a matter concerning a wealthy family in town. Hmph, rich people are so troublesome. I know I shouldn't say that, but I'm having a headache over this now and can't afford to maintain my composure.

The specifics will be explained when you arrive in Auroran Town. I'll tell you in person. Oh, and this matter is very strange. I remember you said you knew friends who could perform exorcisms, right? If possible, quietly bring them along. I've been reassuring the townspeople and my subordinates to believe in science, and they'll mock me if they know I'm wavering.

By your best friend: Lucia

The above is the content of the letter in Yu Xing's hand.

He emerged from the darkness and, when he opened his eyes again, found himself sitting on a common roadside bench, with the police station across the street.

Several young girls in chiffon skirts were scattered around the seats, occasionally casting curious glances at him before shifting their gaze amidst their companions' teasing, bursting into loud laughter.

These girls, as well as the passersby who walked past Yu Xing, some had blonde hair, some red, some brown—and regardless of gender, they all had amber eyes and distinct, three-dimensional features different from those of the East.

Yu Xing immediately realized that the setting for the "Nightmare in a Cage" deduction did not seem to be China.

The surrounding architectural style also supported his idea. He felt like he had arrived in a quaint English town, with brick buildings, rounded dormer windows, some in rows, featuring prominent shutters, corner towers, deep entrances, and wide porches.

But he couldn't discern the era here; the various elements seemed mixed, not belonging to any specific time.

—Perhaps it wasn't Britain either, but a fictional world, as anything is possible in the absurd.

He didn't seem to have any teammates beside him, and the deduction prompt introducing his identity hadn't appeared immediately. He could only see two and a half lines of semi-transparent text in the upper right corner of his vision.

[Stamina: 85]

[Vitality: 100]

These were new stats provided by the deduction before the game started.

"I haven't done anything yet, and my stamina is already eighty-five. I'm probably still a glass cannon."

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Yu Xing felt a shiver. Even in a role-playing game, he couldn't be strong and robust. This was truly defying heaven and earth!

So, he quickly lowered his head to examine himself and his belongings.

"...So formal?" Seeing the black three-piece suit and matching leather shoes on himself, Yu Xing subconsciously loosened his tie.

Then, his fully restored sense of touch made him aware of the black top hat he was wearing on his head.

Catching his reflection in the window of a restaurant, he saw his appearance clearly—his body was his own, and he was wearing that Eastern face that women envied, topped with a round hat, dressed in a well-fitting suit that accentuated his figure, with his long legs crossed... commonly known as crossing his legs.

Like a young and not-too-serious gentleman.

Yu Xing didn't particularly like wearing suits. Except for formal social occasions, he rarely wore such attire that made him feel restricted and somewhat constrained.

However, his character didn't seem to be a very proper person either. The deep blue tie that Yu Xing's well-defined fingers were holding had cartoon patterns, and even his gold cufflinks looked exactly like the shape of a pink hairdryer head...

Subtly flamboyant.

He muttered the word, then realized he was describing himself.

"Still subtly flamboyant," Yu Xing mumbled, and then checked the briefcase he had placed beside him again.

The handbag felt very good to the touch. Upon opening it, he found a mess of identification documents and papers, a cigarette case, an old-fashioned lighter, a letter, and a box of beautifully and perfectly packaged chocolates.

Leaning against the handbag was a silver-inlaid cane.

The moment he saw the identification, Yu Xing took it out and examined it carefully.

Finally, the character introduction arrived, and the deduction prompt appeared before his eyes.

[Your name is Roy, and you are a detective. You have been invited to Auroran Town to help your friend Lucia, who works at the police station, solve a problem. She sent you a letter, but it didn't specify the exact issue, only mentioning exorcism.]

[You brought two friends who can perform exorcisms to town. Feeling a bit tired, you decided to rest on a bench for a while. Your two friends, Masha and York, have gone to get iced tea and will be back soon. You are going to visit Lucia together.]

Masha and York. Judging by the names, it sounded like a man and a woman. Yu Xing guessed that in a small three-person deduction, the deducers wouldn't meet too late and there wouldn't be multiple factions, otherwise the game's variables would become too large, making it impossible to showcase the theme of deduction itself.

His two teammates should be coming to find him soon.

While waiting, he opened the letter that had already been unsealed from his bag – it was the one Lucia had sent him.

Yu Xing got a general idea of the game's background from the letter: After Lucia was transferred from another town to Auroran Town, she was somewhat dissatisfied with the place. Especially recently, there seemed to have been some incidents of ghosts and monsters causing trouble, which had given Lucia a big headache. So, she wrote to her old friend Roy, who was a detective, and also asked Roy to bring along two... exorcists?

After waiting for five minutes, just as Yu Xing let out a yawn out of boredom, his two teammates finally came to meet him.

"Hi, Brother Roy, we're back!" The crisp, sweet voice from behind made Yu Xing turn his head in slight surprise, and he almost burst out laughing.

It wasn't for any other reason, but mainly... his two teammates were too bizarre.

One was a petite loli who seemed to be only about 1.5 meters tall, around fourteen or fifteen years old, with a slight baby fat on her face. Her black twin ponytails were tied high, yet she wore a very neat ladies' chiffon shirt, khaki high-waisted trousers, and a pair of long boots.

She had a large bag slung over her back, looking bulging and full like a sack of explosives.

The other was a young man, not yet thirty, with a rather handsome face, fair skin, and slightly long, slightly curly bangs that gave him a touch of a sunny smile.

However, his attire was the complete opposite of his smile. He was completely covered in a large black robe, with the hood pulled up, shrouding most of his face in shadow. He was very tall, standing on the street like a walking black phantom, drawing many curious glances from passersby.

The loli and the little phantom were both Chinese.

This...

Yu Xing looked at himself again.

Were the three of them, Roy, Masha, and York, confirmed to have come together? Judging by their attire, they looked like they came from three different timelines. It was simply... full of points to complain about.

"Ah!" The loli should be Masha. Seeing Yu Xing turn his face, her eyes lit up, and she immediately suppressed her excitement, expressing her happiness in another way. "Brother Roy and Brother York are both dressed so handsomely today. As the only lady on the team, I'm so happy I could faint~"

Her tone didn't sound like a little girl at all. Instead, it was like a mature woman complimenting men. This point, however, was consistent with her style of dress, well, the style below her head.

"You're very cute too~"

York winked at Masha, then turned to Yu Xing, who had already stood up, and said, "Roy, are we interviewing Lucia now?"

Yu Xing glanced at him, recalling the last sentence in Lucia's letter.

--If possible, bring them quietly. I've been reassuring the townsfolk and my subordinates to believe in science. If they know I'm wavering, they'll definitely laugh at me.

He shook his head and pointed at York's black robe: "Your outfit is too exaggerated. Doesn't Lucia care about her reputation? How about... taking it off first?"

[Lucia's Favorability +10 (She is very grateful for your consideration, trusts you more, and provides more comprehensive information)]

The sudden notification made Yu Xing exclaim "Oh ho" in his mind.

There were even NPC favorability points. This deduction was truly like a game.

York was taken aback, seeming a bit reluctant.

"Hahahaha, I told him this when we were drinking iced tea just now. He said this outfit made him look more like an exorcist. I said, 'You look like a demon yourself, what kind of exorcism are you doing?'!" The loli burst into unrestrained laughter beside him, gloating.

Only then did York reluctantly nod and whisper, "Aww~ I was just actively sealing away my uncontainable handsomeness. You guys are really misunderstanding me..."

With that, he pulled down his hood, and his slightly long hair was tied into a bun at the back of his head.

Untying the strings, York was wearing a black suit underneath. His hands were empty, not holding any packages. He draped the black robe over his arm and said with a friendly smile, "Okay, can we go in now?"