Shackles

Everything returned to normal, Peaceful Sleep Inn seemed to have restored sleep to its guests.

The unseen forces of the rules subsided, and almost instantly, Yu Xing sensed that the rule of "lying down" had temporarily disappeared.

The higher one's level of power, the easier it is to sense abstract concepts such as rules, illusions, and reality. The power of curses has a natural advantage in this regard.

Yu Xing rolled out of bed, removed the branches binding Zhang Yu, and pushed open the door to leave.

The corridor was spotless, just as he had "seen," without a trace of cruelty. But it wasn't truly empty—the predictor, now a bloody ghost, wouldn't necessarily come back to life.

The system spoke again the moment he stepped onto the corridor floor.

[You have triggered the Side Quest: The Last Warmth]

[This Side Quest is area-triggered; all deducers currently at the Peaceful Sleep Inn will receive a notification.]

[Punishment for mission failure: Unknown]

[Rewards for successful mission: calculated separately for each participant's contribution to the mission]

As the system stated, this announcement was simultaneously sent to all seven predictors.

Perhaps anticipating that some people would find out the fate of the Dark Star members through various means and thus dare not get up, the system added a separate sentence—

[Special Note: This is a safe time]

[All participants who have received this task, please assemble in the corridor.]

Since the system had said so, footsteps of different frequencies could be heard coming from each room.

Before long, the doors opened one after another, revealing faces with different expressions.

"Captain!" Zhang Yu spotted Yu Xing the empty corridor at a glance. He immediately jogged over, his eyes lighting up. "Captain, you just saved me!"

"I didn't want to save it, but I had no choice. Struggle Level isn't enough to deal with this kind of thing." Yu Xing spoke the truth. He wanted Zhang Yu to get some experience in the activity, and this was originally Zhang Yu's assessment for joining the team.

However, the difficulty of the Nanshui Town event requires at least the Despair level to be suitable. The system's initial statement that there was no level limit for joining the event seemed to him to be nothing more than recruiting low-level cannon fodder for high-level players.

The Peaceful Sleep Inn wasn't particularly dangerous. He had originally thought that if it were a test of the strategist's sensitivity to rules—such as whether they could open the door, get up, or respond, or what methods to use to deal with things they might attract...

Then he would let Zhang Yu do it himself.

However, he could not have imagined in advance that the Peaceful Sleep Inn would allow people to directly observe the process by which the deducer transforms into a flesh-and-blood ghost.

A mental illusion powerful enough to freeze one's mind is beyond what Zhang Yu's level can resist.

Hua Subai and Lan Wu soon arrived as well. The remaining three, realizing that one of their people was missing, guessed what had happened to that person.

No matter how unwilling or worried they were, faced with this regional task that was by no means easy, they could only silently assemble.

Once the three approached, the system issued a prompt for the next step.

[The mysterious occupants of the Peaceful Sleep Inn have already put on a good show right before your eyes.]

The system didn't care whether they witnessed the chaos firsthand or merely heard it through a door; it summarized the events in a single sentence.

The cold, emotionless mechanical sound channel:

The cold is a fear etched into their souls; they always repeat their final struggle over and over again.

[Task Description: Every hour, the mother's plea for help will be triggered again. When triggered, the player must remain on the wooden bed in the room and lie down immediately, pretending to be asleep. Failure to appear asleep will be considered a violation.]

[During the interval between the end of one scene and the triggering of the next, the player can move freely, enter various rooms to search for clues, deduce the background of the scene, and find a way to prevent the scene from repeating.]

[This task will continue until 6:00 AM. If it is not completed by then, the task will be void, and the penalty is unknown.]

[Note: As long as one player ends the loop of the scenario, the mission is considered a success for all members.]

"So, it doesn't really matter if we don't participate," the remaining member of Dark Star said hesitantly.

He noticed the looks he was getting and quickly explained, "I mean, if I don't participate in free activities, and just pay attention to the scene cycle every hour, I won't compete with you for the contribution points to complete the task, and your rewards will be higher."

His friend looked at him with a hint of disapproval. "When... did you become so timid?"

"If you had known it would turn out like this, why did you sign up for this event? Chen Run and I both warned you."

"At first, I didn't expect so many guild leaders to participate!" the man said, glancing warily at Yu Xing. "I initially thought it would be similar to other live-streamed simulations, but as you saw today, the danger in Nanshui Town is much higher than we imagined!"

"I don't even need to knock on the door; I know he must be dead inside." The man pointed to the silent door opposite Yu Xing, clearly indicating that his decision was largely due to his deceased companion.

"I don't even know what tickets are, and I don't want to fight for them, so maybe you shouldn't take me." After saying that, he didn't wait for anyone's reply and hurriedly returned to his room.

As he walked, he kept glancing at Yu Xing and the other three out of the corner of his eye. He breathed a sigh of relief when he entered the room without being stopped.

The sound of the door closing reached the ears of the remaining people, and the two independent members who had a good relationship with the Dark Star members looked at each other awkwardly.

They agreed to stick together before coming to the inn, but in such a short time, one of them died and another was scared away. How are they going to handle the next mission?!

Since they were all working in groups of four, their efficiency in investigating clues shouldn't be too different, which gave them leverage to cooperate.

Now there are only two of them left, which is not only unsafe, but also makes them vulnerable to being isolated by the other four people in terms of information.

Isn't it all because the Dark Star members are traumatized by being used as cannon fodder that they've maintained a "no interference" stance from the very beginning with the captain of the Broken Mirror team? Now, some people are saying they don't care and just ignore it.

"Well, I see..." The man called Chen Run coughed and turned to Yu Xing, saying, "We all have the same task. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can sleep peacefully. How about we cooperate and discuss whatever we find?"

The other person behind him nodded hurriedly.

Yu Xing pushed up his thin-rimmed glasses, remaining silent. Hua Subai smiled enigmatically, "You guys certainly know how to think things through. Why are you suddenly deciding to cooperate with someone you avoid like the plague?"

"No, there's nothing like snakes or scorpions..." Chen Run wanted to mutter a few words, but for some reason, he couldn't speak under the gaze of the man in front of him.

Lan Wu often saw this scene—some people swayed inexplicably, first holding prejudices out of self-righteousness, and then turning around and fawning over Medusa or begging for mercy when forced to act.

Under normal circumstances, Medusa would not bother with such people. It's not that she was petty or held grudges, but rather that there was no need to trust them, not even for a short time.

These kinds of people are already biased against us, so how can we expect them to do anything sincerely? They're only approaching us because of the current situation; if the crisis is over soon, won't they just pack up and leave?

Even if offered a great deal of benefits, Medusa would not accept them. But when it came to Yu Xing, the other party even mentioned the word "cooperation" under conditions that were already unequal.

Should we discuss the information we found together?

One side has more people and is more capable, while the other side only has two people. This is a situation where they want to back out but also get something for nothing.

How could anyone treat everyone else like fools?

Even Dark Star knows that if he doesn't participate, it won't affect other people's contribution points. But these two are different; they still want to get free contribution points.

Lan Wu stood quietly in place, curious to see how Po Jing would handle this situation—would he respond with sarcastic remarks or simply ignore it?

Zhang Yu was pondering the faint sounds he had heard from the corridor when he was frozen. He quickly realized the atmosphere that filled the air.

He immediately understood. This was a live broadcast, and once it came to matters of "cooperation," it couldn't be Yu Xing who responded.

Only someone of Yan Li's Medusa could negotiate cooperation with Yu Xing as a leader of a certain force. These two independent individuals in front of him were rather unrealistic. Putting aside the necessity of cooperation, he felt that the captain didn't take these two seriously at all.

If one doesn't take prejudice seriously, then one naturally won't take current proposals seriously either. If one wants to gain "attention," then one should seriously reconsider the previous undisguised distancing and avoidance.

I really don't know whether to admire their keen awareness of different roles when it comes to being cannon fodder, or their lack of understanding of the concept of role when it comes to cooperation.

"Sorry, both of you, but I don't think there's any need for cooperation at the moment." Zhang Yu forced a obviously fake smile. "Let's keep to ourselves, okay? We won't hinder or bother you, and please don't insult our intelligence."

His companion tried to plead his case, Chen Run quickly pulled him back, forcing a smile. "Sorry, but I wish you all the best in completing your mission soon. Haha, I might even be spared the mission penalty and get some rest thanks to you guys."

The two finally left, heading towards the corridor where Hua Subai and Lan Wu's rooms were located, deciding to earn some contribution points on their own.

If I'm not mistaken, as they passed the door of that Dark Star member's room, the two of them simultaneously glared at the door.

It seems their close-knit friendship isn't very solid when it comes to self-interest.

Yu Xing didn't want to comment on things he didn't care about. He wasn't a saint, and he didn't have to rush to give others a reputation that was utterly useless.

He turned around and said, "Let's search all the rooms together before one o'clock. If you're worried about getting the exact time, you can check the clock in the lobby."

"Did you sense anything while you were in your respective rooms?"

Zhang Yu's smile this time was much more genuine, "I could feel the captain protecting me."

Yu Xing: "..."

Lan Wu also smiled, "I can feel Boss Hua protecting me."

Yu Xing:

Well, these two are only Struggle Level; it's normal that they can't find anything.

Hua Subai almost laughed at his expression, but said seriously, "I have noticed something, but as you know, our abilities... are quite similar in some ways, so there probably won't be any additional discoveries."

Yu Xing put her hands back in her pockets and said quietly, "You're too modest, Boss Hua."

What are these riddle-solving figures talking about?

[You're too modest, Boss Hua.]

[So what did those two realize? Why don't I know anything! I only heard a woman knocking on the door, then talking to a child, then what seemed like an argument, and then suddenly a whole bunch of people appeared?]

[Whether they are actually people is still unknown. The live stream's perspective is fixed on the participants, so we can't get a real-time view of their unique perspective gained through special offerings!]

[Huh? You mean, while Sachi and Boss Hua were lying in bed like corpses, they already saw what happened in the hallway? How did they manage that?]

[Is the person upstairs a newbie? Many experienced players can do this. There's nothing they can't do, only things you can't imagine. Of course, I can't do it either o(╥╥)o]

Fortunately, not everyone on the screen is a big shot.

Zhang Yu listened for a while, and despite his exceptional sensitivity to information, he felt a pang of anxiety for having missed something. "Captain, what exactly happened outside?"

"I haven't been sleeping well. I woke up as soon as the system settled everything at midnight. Then I heard a woman banging on your door, so I stayed in bed. Who knew I'd almost freeze solid a short while later?"

Zhang Yu's handsome face showed a hint of lingering fear. "I was terrified. I thought I had unknowingly triggered the death conditions. My mind was all foggy. Luckily, Captain, you arrived in time and made me realize it was just a hallucination."

Yu Xing briefly recounted what had happened in the corridor, including the fact that someone had become a bloody ghost. He casually pointed to the door opposite. "That piece of flesh should still be inside. Do you want to come with me to take a look?"

"No, no, Captain, I'll go look for information in other rooms." Zhang Yu shuddered at the thought of the ghost he'd encountered in the backyard; even the mute man with the Soul-Suppressing Spirit had died at its hands!

"These rooms should contain information about the heavy snow in Nanshui Town, or perhaps those would be more suitable for me."

"I want to go in and take a look," Lan Wu suddenly said.

Unlike Zhang Yu, his abilities are the same as most people's, used to deal with supernatural situations. Danger is commonplace for him. He needs to improve and can't always rely on President Medusa.

Hua Subai spread his hands, indicating that he would also wait in the corridor for a while. Yu Xing then pushed open the door opposite his and went in with Lan Wu to check.

The Dark Star members' rooms were exactly the same as theirs, empty and simple. At first glance, the only difference between them and empty rooms was a travel bag placed next to the bed.

Those were the travel bags carried by members of Dark Star, which they placed within easy reach before lying down.

In addition, the air in the room was filled with a fresh, lingering smell of blood, which became stronger the closer you got to the corners.

The only corner that can't be seen at a glance is the one hidden by the table.

Yu Xing went straight forward, with Lan Wu close behind. The two of them only missed each other by a small angle, and they saw a pile of bloody things behind the desk.

The thing wasn't completely rotten, since it could still huddle in a corner, but it didn't look very good either; you couldn't tell its head, body, or limbs at all.

The flesh and blood kept writhing in place, and the pores on the flesh opened and closed, as if it were still breathing.

Lan Wu frowned slightly.

This scene reminded him of his time in college, when the four of them in his dorm got along very well. However, because the school dorms were really poor, they moved out to rent a place together in their second year.

The Third Brother in the family is a very good cook. I heard that his father is the head chef in a restaurant. After they moved out, unless they really wanted to order a certain takeout, the Third Brother usually cooked, while the other three took turns buying groceries.

Lan Wu had never done much in his life, went to the market for the first time. When buying meat, he saw the butcher using a sharp boning knife to easily cut the desired part of a large, fresh piece of meat with just a few strokes.

That knife was so fast that when the chunk of meat was cut off, the clean surface was still pulsating violently, as if it were still breathing.

The pile of flesh and blood before him was exactly the same as the impression he had of that time.

The chunks of meat seemed to come alive, breathing rapidly and silently in pain as they were being chopped up, delivering a shocking, almost agonizing experience.

"Will it still move?" Lan Wu help but ask.

The one I saw in the backyard was similar to the one in front of me; that fleshy ghost was very agile and difficult to guard against.

This one, however, seemed like meat on a chopping board, offering no resistance.

Yu Xing examined the writhing mass of flesh, sensing a hint of hidden hatred. He chuckled softly, "Not only can it move, it probably has thoughts too."

The red-clad ghost on the second floor of the Never Forget Dwelling harbors intense hatred for the still-living diviner. That hatred stems from the injustice of life, which could not possibly have appeared out of thin air.

These alienated beings became the deducers of flesh and blood ghosts, and their thoughts may have been alienated as well. It's just that the flesh and blood blocks are too abstract, so people don't immediately realize that these things can still think.

"You mean... they still remember what happened?" Lan Wu's eyes narrowed for a moment. If that were the case, wouldn't that be even more terrifying?

One second you're a living person, the next you find yourself skinless and boneless, transformed into a hideous monster, yet still able to think and retain memories—this is far more cruel than simply dying.

Before he entered the simulation, he was just an ordinary college student.

No matter how much advanced knowledge and concepts he was exposed to by Medusa, or how many things he had never done before, that empathy could not be completely erased in less than half a year.

Yu Xing noticed his little scheme and glanced at him with some surprise.

"Don't worry, even if he can think and remember, he's not the same person he used to be. When his blood was altering his body, his thoughts couldn't escape it either. You probably can't understand..."

Yu Xing crouched down, getting closer to the pile of flesh and blood, her voice unconsciously softening. "When even thoughts become monsters, there's little longing for the days when you were still human."

"All the beautiful memories of being alive will vanish with the hatred and torment in one's heart. Even if the memory remains, the emotions of that time can never be found again."

"The only thing that sustains the monsters' existence is hatred and resentment. They attack us not because they envy that we are still alive, but because they hate us for not suffering like them."

"Can this kind of alienation be completed in an instant?" Lan Wu looked at Yu Xing's crouching back and vaguely felt that there were many things in Yu Xing's tone that he couldn't grasp right now.

That wasn't something he could delve into. He had just happened to meet a senior who, besides Medusa, was willing to talk to him about these things, so he could finally ask some questions that had been buried in his heart for a long time.

"Even if you wish your companions a good life in your last second, will you hate them without hesitation the moment you are transformed?" Lan Wu was stunned.

Yu Xing turned her head and met the gaze of the white-haired youth, who seemed to be seeking confirmation of something.

The young man was probably used to acting in a way that Medusa liked, and pretending to be calm and composed had become an ingrained habit.

But when he asked the question, the young man's face, beneath his white hair, finally revealed the confusion typical of a boy his age.

His thin body stood there like a wooden stake driven into place, his hands and feet bound by the questions he had asked, inch by inch driven into a deeper abyss.

Yu Xing smiled and gave the other party a definite answer, "Yes."

"The moment it became a monster, it was no longer the person you knew. You can think of it as... a ghost that possessed your friend's body. It not only controlled your friend's body but also tried to harm you under the guise of your friend's protection."

"Therefore, the change in attitude is not because the living regret it, but because the monsters after death betrayed the will they had while alive."

Lan Wu's eyes trembled, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed the feeling of something blocking his throat.

Yu Xing's tone was not gentle at all; instead, it carried a kind of resolute sharpness. But these were the gentlest words Lan Wu had ever heard.

And for some reason, every word Yu Xing uttered made people want to believe it, making them willingly refrain from looking for other possibilities.

Indeed, it was the Third Brother who made him keep this question buried in his heart for so long.

Since moving out of the dorm, the four of them have become even closer. None of them have girlfriends yet, so they spend all their time hanging out with their buddies. After spending so much time together, they've become almost like family.

The nightmare began in the second semester of their junior year. A beautiful girl moved into their apartment building. She was supposedly a freshman at the same university, but was allowed to stay on campus during her freshman year due to special circumstances.

The junior student wasn't very outgoing; she was quiet and reserved, and didn't talk much. But every time she saw them, she would greet them with a smile. They lived in the same building, and there were only a few times after class, so they saw each other many times in just two weeks.

The Third Brother fell for this female student, but it was just talk; his feelings weren't strong, and he mostly admired her.

Because the junior's personality was just too good. Although she wasn't as bright and lively as many girls, her calm personality and slightly slender figure were exactly what attracted Third Brother.

After a month, the Third Brother finally realized that he wasn't just attracted to her. He discussed with his brothers that they should take the initiative to get to know the junior better before pursuing her, so as not to scare her away.

Lan Wu and her two other roommates said they would help Third Brother find out things, such as the junior's preferences, close friends, and behaviors she disliked.

But before they could take any action, they heard a piece of news from the class's gossipmonger.

A very beautiful freshman girl jumped off a building.

The gossip naturally escalated, and the group initially just listened in, offering a few words of regret. However, the more they talked, the more they realized that the girl others were talking about looked exactly like their junior from school.

They looked alike, dressed similarly, and even belonged to the same department. But the most definitive thing was that they were the only freshman allowed to live off-campus.

They then learned that several girls in the junior's class, along with her roommates and some male classmates, had spread rumors about her, and collectively ostracized her.

Her home and school were in several cities apart. Although her parents were still alive, they were so busy that they were practically dead. When they called, they only cared about her studies, how many awards she had won, and whether she could get a scholarship.

Having been constantly pressured to excel since childhood, the younger student felt suffocated. Because her parents couldn't see anything beyond academics, she had very little social time and experience interacting with people as a child.

Faced with bullying, she neither wanted to confide in her parents nor could she find a good way to cope, so she silently endured it all and attempted suicide once.

He attempted suicide by cutting his wrists, but failed to die.

The school approved the junior's application to live off-campus because she suffered from depression and used the excuse of needing treatment to leave the dormitory that made her feel hopeless.

The month and week that my junior lived in the apartment was the most relaxed period of her life.

Unfortunately, although her isolation ended with the bloody wrist-cutting incident, its effects will not disappear.

People who know her look at her as if to say, "Shh, this is the girl who attempted suicide. Be careful around her, don't upset her."

The junior student still hadn't come out; on the roof of the teaching building, she jumped off without warning.

Some people's grievances only become known and accepted by the public when it is already too late to make amends, which is a little bit luckier than those who die and still cannot change other people's minds.

After learning the whole story, Lan Wu and the others were filled with regret, especially the Third Brother. He regretted not knowing about his junior sister sooner; perhaps things would have turned out differently if he had.

They were all in a heavy mood that day, and silently returned to their apartments after the last class.

... They ran into the female student again in the elevator.

As usual, the junior greeted them with a smile, her usually clean clothes now stained with dark brown.

Her jet-black, straight hair was draped behind her head, but half of her face and body were twisted and crooked.

Lan Wu quite recall what expressions they had when they fled back to their room down the stairs. She only remembered that all her guilt, regret, and pity vanished amidst her intense heartbeat and fear.

That's a ghost! It's a ghost!

What is she coming back for...?

At 2 a. m., the female student jumped out of the upstairs window and landed on their balcony.

The female student, her body completely twisted, struggled to her feet, the blood staining their balcony a deep red.

She pressed her face against the transparent glass door of the balcony, speaking to them silently.

The Third Brother truly loved her, and she was truly a pitiful person.

Despite his fear, the Third Brother walked up to her step by step and, through the glass door, asked her what she wanted to say.

Unable to hear and too afraid to open the door directly, the Third Brother put his ear close to the door, a sight that terrified Lan Wu and his two other roommates so much that they didn't dare to breathe.

Not long after, the Third Brother straightened up in a daze. A gust of wind passed, and the junior sister was gone, leaving only the bloodstains to tell them that this was not an illusion.

"She said she likes me." The Third Brother's mental state was clearly off. "She likes me."

Later that day, the Third Brother roommate, who was liked by the female student, with the same expression as the female student, took a knife and slit the throats of his two other roommates.

Lan Wu lucky; he woke up before the knife fell. He heard the Third Brother's voice, like that of a junior, saying repeatedly... They were the best people she had ever met, but she was too lonely down there, and she wanted them to come and keep her company.

Someone burst through the door, a beautiful woman with an air of nonchalance, and rescued Lan Wu from the clutches of the Third Brother.

Lan Wu later learned that the woman's code name was Medusa. At the time, he only saw the woman use some means to imprison Third Brother in place. She said that Third Brother had been corrupted and was beyond saving.

The junior student is not the core of this "deduction," she is only the eleventh, Third Brother is the twelfth. If the Third Brother is not killed, Third Brother will kill more people.

If the Third Brother dies, the "vengeful spirit" will only seek another body that can be corrupted, and will not attack a large number of ordinary people.

Moreover, this kind of inheritance helps women find the rules within and completely put an end to vengeful spirits.

The Third Brother regained consciousness at that moment.

He seemed to know what he had done while being controlled, and with tears streaming down his face, he put the knife to his own neck and said to Lan Wu, "I'm sorry, little brother."

Live on.

I won't be able to cook for you anymore.

I owe my eldest and second eldest brothers an apology; I'll tell them personally when I get down there.

He slit his own throat, dying next to his brother.

The woman named Medusa watched coldly, finally letting out a soft laugh and saying, "Not bad."

But the matter did not end there. Lan Wu, as the only person who had been in close contact with this incident, was protected by Medusa.

Only then did he realize that supernatural events really existed in this world, which Medusa called "deductive replays."

Medusa's level is too high; none of the deductions she participates in are simple. The junior and the Third Brother are just the tip of the iceberg in this nightmare.

More than half a month later, Medusa finally dealt with the vengeful spirit. She stared at Lan Wu's face for a long time before finally asking if she wanted to go with her.

She has a way to take people out of the simulation instance—to the real world.

Lan Wu agreed, because he couldn't stay any longer either.

He didn't tell Medusa that during the two weeks Medusa was gone, the amulet she left behind was working every day.

Every night, the eldest, second, and Third Brother would appear at his bedside, filled with deep resentment, looking at him with the eyes of an enemy, questioning him: Aren't you good brothers? Why is he the only one still alive?

They tried to kill him countless times, but he escaped unharmed only because of Medusa's amulet.

Lan Wu initial despair and fear to hiding under the protection of the talisman and beginning to contemplate.

He was wondering if he really should go downstairs and keep his roommates company.

However, although their relationship was good, it didn't seem to have reached the point where they would be forced to die together.

He won't go to his death; he wants to live.

Why did their roommates want him to come with them?

Did the Third Brother apologize to the eldest and second eldest brothers?

Their deaths were caused by the female student, but the female student's death was also caused by someone else.

It seems that even the principle of "the grievance has its perpetrator, the debt its debtor" cannot be traced back to

Lan Wu pondered this for half a month before realizing that in the eyes of the "deducer," he was actually just an NPC.

Medusa took him out of the instance, and due to some kind of transformation and wear, he lost some of his healthy color, his hair turned snow-white, and his body, which had been focused on exercise, became thin and frail.

He knew Medusa liked his face, and that she saved him simply to admire his beauty.

He was the only NPC from that "super dangerous world," and after becoming a deducer, he developed very special abilities, which made Medusa like him even more and often keep him by her side.

But aside from that, Lan Wu knew that he was just an ordinary college student. If he didn't strive to be a useful person, Medusa wouldn't look at him any differently.

Medusa had many handsome boys and girls, but Lan Wu had lost his world; he had nothing but Medusa.

Amidst his busy studies, he suppressed his thoughts about his roommates.

In the dead of night, the faces of his eldest, second, and Third Brother would suddenly appear, as if they had come to his bedside again.

Lan Wu just couldn't understand: were the three people he'd gotten along with so well, and the three hideous ghosts who wanted him to die with them, really the same people?

Does his leaving constitute betrayal?

He didn't tell Medusa about this.

Lan Wu never expected that asking Yu Xing a few questions would dispel his heavy sense of oppression.

He just needs someone to clearly tell him that he doesn't need to bear this shackle of confusion.

Coming to his senses, Lan Wu let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you." Lan Wu realized she often had to thank Yu Xing; it really was...

Etc.

How did Yu Xing know that the person causing his hesitation and distress was someone he knew? Why was Yu Xing able to comfort him so precisely and touch upon his hidden past?

Couldn't this just be a question he asked out of curiosity?

"Tch, how old are you?" Yu Xing's gaze seemed to pierce through his soul. Her already stunningly beautiful face, which exuded an inherent aggression, made Lan Wu almost unable to look her in the eye. "When it comes to things they care about, young people will still reveal some flaws."

No matter how well you hide it normally, the moment your emotions fluctuate, I'll see everything you're thinking!

Lan Wu suddenly lowered her eyes, using her light-colored bangs to conceal the complex emotions within them.

Indeed, those at the top are truly terrifying. Even Yu Xing, who doesn't understand him, can do such a thing. Could President Medusa see right through him too?

No wonder President Medusa likes Yan Li's type; someone as capable as her probably wouldn't be interested in a boy whose true nature can be seen through at a glance.

That's why he needs to learn from Yan Li's personality when dealing with her...

"Alright, you've finished watching, now you can leave." While Lan Wu thinking, Yu Xing clapped her hands, stood up, and looked at him with amusement.

When I entered the room, I looked like I was eager to learn and improve, but now my thoughts have wandered off somewhere else.

He's quite an awkward yet interesting kid. Compared to his past self, he's become almost unrecognizable, except for the lingering artistic talent. He approves of Medusa's aesthetic sense.

Lan Wu asked, "They're leaving already?"

He looked hesitantly at the pile of meat; this time, it was just meat chunks in his eyes.

"You say they can think too, so shouldn't we get rid of them? And... why doesn't it run away?"

"I checked it. Its consciousness is still in a state of confusion, essentially a program with only a bunch of gibberish. It can't perceive anything we say or do when we approach it," Yu Xing explained, withdrawing the wisp of curse power he had just released to probe. "As for the solution, it all comes down to my new discovery."

"From a rules perspective, this thing is unsolvable because it hasn't killed anyone yet, hasn't evolved human skin, and the solution of tearing off its face doesn't apply to it."

"I see." Lan Wu nodded.

In other words, the monster mutated by the deducer was protected by strange rules before it harmed humans.

Is this a final act of kindness towards them, or the greatest malice that doesn't even give them a chance for a clean release...?

The room door wasn't closed, Zhang Yu was peeking in from outside, while Hua Subai leaned against the corridor wall—both were close enough to hear their conversation.

As Yu Xing stepped out of the room, she suddenly remembered a question, "Right, Lan Wu."

Lan Wu: "Hmm?"

What line are you on?

Yu Xing sensed that Lan Wu was a Mutation Path at first glance. Although his eyes were clear, the power flowing within him was very peculiar and difficult to explain.

But now, after spending time together, he was a little uncertain. Compared to the Mutation Path, which was more or less tinged with madness and had only a few anchors supporting its beliefs, Lan Wu seemed much better, more like—

"Right way."

Lan Wu blushed again, showing the same slight embarrassment he had when he was about to follow them; perhaps he himself felt he shouldn't have been assigned to this route.

"I don't know why, this is a decision made by the system, it doesn't seem right, does it?"

Zhang Yu, who was listening in, stroked his chin. "Actually, it's alright. I think you're a pretty good person. Maybe it's because your hair gives you a mysterious vibe, making you look like someone who's honest Righteous Path."

Yu Xing found it amusing. "Are you saying your Brother Zhao is straightforward?"

"No, no, no, Brother Zhao isn't honest at all! I was wrong, I was wrong! He's got a lot of bad intentions!" Zhang Yu immediately denied it, shaking his head like a rattle-drum. "I was just saying it offhand. It's a stereotype, don't believe it!"

Very few honest people survive on the Righteous Path.

Even if someone does something decent, they're not exactly straightforward in character—for example, Ren Yi, whose cunning surpasses that of ten Zeng Lai.

Take Zhang Yu himself, for example.

Yu Xing suspected that Zhang Yu had become stupid after learning from Carlos. Back in Fuhua City, this kid seemed quite clever, working as a librarian, with a meticulous yet tolerant personality.

A year later, he's become so eccentric. If it weren't for the fact that his abilities are all related to intense mental work, who would have thought that he was chosen and taken away because of his intelligence and his ruthless drive to explore the unknown world?