Hunger

Perhaps, no ghost would not want to truly become the person it imitates.

To replace that person, to possess everything about them—identity, appearance, abilities—and to live in the sunlight like a living person.

What a sweet and delicious pancake this is!

Yu Shiqi thought that if "he" wasn't "him"—if he hadn't inherited Yu Xing's memories, he might have been like many other ghosts, trying to kill real people in order to gain an identity.

Fortunately, he has a very clear understanding of this.

Even if we disregard the fact that his current intelligence wouldn't allow him to do such a thing, he would know, even in terms of sheer strength, that he would be utterly vulnerable in the face of the real Yu Xing.

After all, the level of this instance isn't high enough; even if you created one of him, it would only be enough to Yu Xing's teeth.

Yu Shiqi sat at the dining table of the strategists, observing each and every one of them.

Of the three candidates, the young girl seemed to be the calmest, perhaps because they had suffered from the aftereffects of being frightened during the many resets. The worst off was the middle-aged woman, who was already restless even though she hadn't seen the "person" who looked exactly like her at the cashier.

The Little Heavenly Master is quite enthusiastic. I wonder if this title will become "celestial master" when he grows up a few years later. His only shortcoming is probably that his strength is limited. In addition, the talisman decorations on the Little Heavenly Master reminded Yu Shiqi of the Luo family in his memory.

Maybe she's a newcomer from the Luo family?

The assassin's presence was very subtle, suggesting he possessed some special ability that prevented others from discerning his face when they looked at him.

Yu Shiqi was not Yu Xing, and he couldn't see the assassin's face clearly; he could only sense a cold, aloof aura emanating from him.

Besides that... this man in a suit, nicknamed "High-Rise," made him very uncomfortable.

It's not exactly uncomfortable, it's just that I disliked it at first sight.

That face revealed a subtle, strange shrewdness, a hidden fawning and resentment of being subservient to the Little Heavenly Master, while showing disdain and condescension towards others.

Yu Shiqi hadn't seen many such strategists in Yu Xing's memory; perhaps only in low-level games could one encounter someone with such lofty ambitions and fragile fate.

At this moment, the Little Heavenly Master was discussing countermeasures with Qu Xuanqing, who seemed to be the calmest person there. Little Heavenly Master, who was the strongest in the public eye, preferred to discuss with a taciturn woman rather than seek his opinion. His eyes were already filled with displeasure and darkness.

"Since there is one copy, it means there's a high probability that each of us also has a copy. My suggestion is that we find a copy first and test its attitude."

The Little Heavenly Master stroked his chin and suggested, "What do you all think?"

They've just entered the store, and apart from the greeter at the entrance, there are no other clues, nor has the storyline been triggered immediately. This suggests that this instance is more about free exploration, unlike the more straightforward, story-driven instances.

They can only figure it out themselves, little by little.

The candidates remained silent, naturally trusting the experienced ones. Qu Xuanqing shrugged, indicating he had no objection. The assassin nodded, and Yu Shiqi also hummed in agreement.

The Little Heavenly Master didn't really trust his own intelligence, but unfortunately, his teammates seemed even less capable than him this time, so he had to take on the role of commander. "Then we'll find a chance to leave later. The clones are definitely inside the barbecue restaurant. Let's divide into groups now--"

"We can't take that risk," the man in the suit interrupted him, straightening his tie with a serious and worried expression. "What if the clone attacks as soon as we meet? I don't care about myself, but there are three new recruits here who can't fight back at all. If the clone makes a move, they're doomed."

"So what do you want? To sit here and have some barbecue before you leave?" Qu Xuanqing seemed to dislike him as well, curling her already mocking lips into a slight smile and giving him a dismissive glance.

Gao Lou was instantly enraged by that look; he naturally hated that kind of gaze that seemed to say, "I've seen right through you."

"What I mean is, rather than taking this risk and putting the newcomers in danger, it's better to choose a safer method."

Yu Shiqi clicked his tongue twice in his mind.

He already knew what Gao Lou wanted to say.

This tactic, this sales pitch, it's so classic!

Even though he felt he had wronged others, he insisted on using the three candidates as a high-sounding excuse, as if his proposed solution was righteous and unavoidable.

"What method?" the Little Heavenly Master asked.

Gao Lou coughed lightly. "Isn't there someone who's already dealt with the clones? Why don't we have him dig out some clues from the clones and test their stance..."

"We'll extract as much data as possible from his clones to ensure the safety of all three candidates."

"Isn't this inappropriate?" Yu Shiqi said weakly before he could finish.

Yu Xing might still put on an act, but Yu Shiqi knew her life was only a short span of time, so how could she possibly have the patience to endure such a thing?

He turned to the tall building with an innocent look. "So I won't be in danger?"

"Danger is inevitable; what simulation is safe?" Gao Lou said calmly, even matter-of-factly. "Then why can't we maximize our profits?"

"Ah, you mean, making me a cannon fodder to pave the way for you is the best way to maximize your benefits?" Yu Shiqi lowered her head sadly. "And you're transferring the dangerous results of my dealing with the clones to 'us,' as if you made some contribution. How can you be so shameless?"

He didn't leave Gao Lou any room to argue. "This isn't a team-based dungeon where if one person wins, everyone wins. You're just making a grand demand that I do what everyone else should be doing."

"The risks that everyone else was supposed to share have been concentrated on me alone. Ah, that certainly makes you maximize your own interests."

"Then the three new recruits will even thank you for thinking about their safety, and may even resent my refusal. If you say a few more words, they will feel that my sacrifice was expected."

The three candidates, who had already begun to grow anxious at his rebuttal, immediately looked away guiltily.

High-rise building. "..."

After being sharply rebuked and having all his hidden intentions exposed, the well-dressed man's face turned pale and then red.

He was used to the unspoken understanding in adult social interactions, the oppression of superiors by subordinates, and the subordinates' resentment that they dared not speak out. So when he saw "Unknown's" seemingly timid personality, he arbitrarily categorized him as someone who could be bullied.

Unexpectedly, the other party didn't buy it and gave him a hard slap in the face.

He retorted, "That's just your personal opinion. I didn't think that way. What I said was indeed the optimal solution, wasn't it? The welcoming clone at the entrance is the only anomaly we're seeing right now, so of course we should deal with it first."

"Then you should go and make contact," Yu Shiqi said pitifully. "He's not someone I can only talk to, you can do the same thing. Whoever suggested it should go."

Gao Lou: "..." He suddenly lost interest in looking for clues from the welcoming clone.

What's even more absurd is that he couldn't understand why the Little Heavenly Master just listened instead of agreeing with his suggestion. Wasn't what he said also beneficial to the Little Heavenly Master?

"Hmm, that makes a lot of sense." The Little Heavenly Master finally spoke up under his gaze. The boy rested his chin on his hand and said with great interest, "Why don't you go talk to the person greeting guests at the tall building? It's safer for you to go than for 'the unknown.' Even if this type of ghost is malicious, it's mostly malicious towards its other self, right?"

"You!" Gao Lou was a little annoyed.

He offered suggestions that were good for everyone, but was betrayed by everyone.

He vaguely thought he heard a mocking laugh coming from the assassin's side.

"First of all, you're wrong." Qu Xuanqing coldly, drawing everyone's attention.

"The welcoming replica isn't the only anomaly we can see; perhaps you're blind?"

Even though she couldn't interfere too much with the simulation because of system requirements, she only kept a low profile; it didn't mean her expression would soften.

"First, don't you have any thoughts about the animal-faced customers in the entire barbecue restaurant? The reversal of the status of animals and humans in this barbecue restaurant is clearly an important clue in this deduction."

"Secondly, see that tall supervisor? He has a name tag pinned to his chest; he's the one in charge of the entire front hall. He's clearly another point of entry."

Qu Xuanqing's sharp words were merciless and logical, her reasoning so clear that Gao Lou couldn't utter a single rebuttal. "Third, if you're not blind, you should be able to see who's at the cashier and who's the food runner two tables away from you."

"With so many clues, how did you come to the conclusion that the Welcomer clone is the only anomaly?"

The crowd stared blankly, turning their heads with each of his words.

The middle-aged woman saw herself standing behind the cashier, and the ordinary-looking man also found a face exactly like his own while serving food.

His human face stood out too much among the waiters with animal-like faces.

The two immediately tensed up. Seeing someone else's copy was completely different from seeing their own. Their current perspective was like that of bystanders watching themselves, which was eerie and unbearable.

In particular, they didn't know whether that "self" was good or bad, whether it was connected to their fate or a death god that would take their lives.

The Little Heavenly Master's eyes lit up, and his form of address instantly changed. "Sister, which route do you think we should take?"

Qu Xuanqing raised her eyes slightly.

"Three lines running in parallel."

"First, investigate the clone's stance; second, clarify the relationships between the named employees of the barbecue restaurant; and finally, figure out what the power struggle between humans and animals really implies."

In order to "not interfere," she didn't even mention the most crucial point about time reset.

However, this clear logic is enough to make the situation clearer.

The Little Heavenly Master completely ignored Gao Lou's embarrassment and quickly grabbed his leg. "Sister, you're right. I could tell from the moment I saw you that you're a very experienced person. So, we should still explore in groups, right?"

Just then, a waiter with a pig-like face came pushing a cart and brought them plates of meat.

The discussion paused for a moment as everyone cautiously observed the waiter who was serving the food.

Their attention quickly shifted from the waiter to the meat that was served. The meat was strange; it looked completely different from the meat they usually ate, giving off a creepy feeling.

It seemed to be an innate aversion; a voice in their heads was telling them, "This can't be eaten."

And isn't this meat a little too fresh?

The sliced meat was still breathing, stretching and contracting, just like fresh beef that had just been cut open by a butcher at the market.

The middle-aged woman shivered, her face turning extremely pale. She felt she would rather die than touch these things.

"I'll grill the meat for you," the pig-faced waiter said with a very friendly attitude.

Its facial muscles were strangely contorted, as if it were displaying a bright smile unique to pigs.

Seeing that the pig had already placed a plate of meat on the sizzling grill, the Little Heavenly Master tried to stop him. "We can do it ourselves, why don't you go and help the other tables?"

The pig-faced man said apologetically, "This is the table I'm in charge of, I have to help you grill the meat, otherwise the supervisor will definitely blame me."

These strange pieces of meat cooked very quickly.

In just a few words, the fragrance began to waft out.

Despite their initial wariness, the group suddenly became incredibly hungry upon smelling the strong aroma.

Everyone couldn't help but urge him on, while simultaneously swallowing their saliva as they looked at the pieces of meat on the grill.

Yu Shiqi heard the candidate girl's stomach growl loudly. She wasn't embarrassed; instead, she clutched her stomach in fear, as if terrified by the sudden hunger.

Fear mingled with longing.

He was unaffected, but he knew it was probably just because he was a "ghost," different from humans.

As more and more cooked meat piled up on the grill, the waiter with the pig-like face took the cooked meat out and placed it on an empty plate. Having completed the necessary task of grilling the meat, the waiter finally left.

"Just call me if you need anything. I'll come back to grill more meat for you after you finish eating."

With the waiters gone, everyone's faces fell.

"You can't eat this, take it away..." The Little Heavenly Master frowned.

Despite her fear, the young candidate picked up her chopsticks as if out of control. "I'm so hungry, maybe I'll just try a piece... just to see if I can eat it..."

"Once you try, there's no turning back." The Little Heavenly Master's tone became more forceful. "Everyone, hold back, I'll throw this plate of meat away—"

He picked up the plate and was about to dump it into the trash can at his feet.

He succeeded.

No one ate the meat, but their complexions didn't improve.

"Strange, why do I suddenly have such a strong craving for it?" the middle-aged woman muttered to herself.

"This is the effect of the instance; it's tempting us to eat this meat, so we absolutely cannot eat it." Eager to save face, Gao Lou explained further to the three candidates, "If you eat it, you'll either die, mutate, or meet the conditions for death. In short, you absolutely cannot eat it!"

"How many more rounds can we last?" the girl asked, rubbing her head. "This is only one round!"

Yes.

There were seven or eight plates of raw meat on the food carts around them.

Can they endure the first game, and then the rest?

Only they themselves could realize how attractive that plate of cooked meat had been to them. The moment they smelled the aroma, their brains seemed to be clouded by something, and their appetite overwhelmed their thinking.

Seeing that the pig-faced waiter had noticed their meat was gone and was walking towards their table again, the Little Heavenly Master lowered his voice and said, "Anyone who lacks self-control must leave!"

The young female candidate took a deep breath, pulled the still-unresponsive middle-aged woman to her feet, and forced a smile, saying as if exchanging pleasantries with a friend, "She and I are going to the restroom first."

After saying that, he pulled the middle-aged woman toward the direction where there might be a toilet.

The Little Heavenly Master turned to the pig-faced waiter and said, "The meat is delicious, but it's not easy for a group of us from all over the country to get together. We'd like to chat a bit more. We just finished one plate, so come back later. You can grill all the meat yourself."

He's stalling for time.

They realized that the aroma of the barbecue was too strong, and the only way to resist it was to put it in the trash can as soon as possible.

If they just throw in one plate of meat at a time and grill it, they'll run out of meat quickly, and their meal might be considered finished, losing their time to explore as guests.

Therefore, we can only try to extend this time frame as much as possible; other details will be discussed later.

The pig-faced waiter didn't take another step forward; after hesitating for a moment, he retreated back to where he had started.

Those remaining at the table breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the assassin spoke up, "The cashier is gone."

What!?

They all looked in unison toward the cashier, only to realize that the cashier who had been standing there—a replica of the middle-aged woman—had vanished.

No one knows when she moved; no one noticed.

"Oh no," the candidate muttered, "Could it be that they went to kill someone?"

The middle-aged woman had just left her seat when the cashier also disappeared.

This is just like--

The cashier seized the opportunity of the middle-aged woman being alone and eagerly followed her.

"I'll go take a look." The Little Heavenly Master stood up. "You..."

His gaze shifted, finally settling on Qu Xuanqing: "Sister, would you like to come with me?"

Qu Xuanqing is a woman, so if something really happened in the women's restroom, it would be easier for Qu Xuanqing to go in.

Qu Xuanqing gave a nonchalant "hmm".

The two quickly followed the direction the girl and middle-aged woman had taken. As they walked, the Little Heavenly Master muttered to himself, "Strange, so many diners and waiters with animal faces on this street... it gives me the creeps."

"How could that girl be so bold as to just pull that woman away like that?"

Isn't she afraid?

Qu Xuanqing said quietly, "Maybe she really isn't afraid."

There have been seventeen resets so far, but in fact, after the eleventh one... she hasn't seen a copy of the girl again.

She vanished without a trace from the post she was supposed to be in.

What does this mean?