Chapter Summaries

Zhao Xun led the players into the secret chamber to escape the crows and insects, then used Earring Woman’s reaction to Bald Scorpion Man’s death to identify her as an Assassin. He left her unaware of his suspicions while Cloaked Man began watching her, and the group remained sealed inside with no way to hear what was happening outside.

• Crows gathered at the study window as countless insects skittered outside, so Zhao Xun ordered everyone into the secret chamber.
• Zhao Xun found the mechanism and shut the chamber door, cutting off all sound from the study.
• After lighting candles, Zhao Xun recalled that Earring Woman alone had looked wary when he killed Bald Scorpion Man, leading him to conclude she was an Assassin.
• Zhao Xun questioned Earring Woman about standing near the Princess, then pretended to accept her explanation.
• Cloaked Man grew suspicious of Earring Woman and moved closer to the Princess, while Zhao Xun was satisfied that another veteran player would keep watch over her.
• Earring Woman asked Twin-Tails about the noises outside, but Twin-Tails said the chamber’s soundproofing prevented her from hearing anything.

Cloaked Man questioned the two princes to determine which one was the impostor, but both gave consistent answers and the interrogation failed. The players considered searching the study again tomorrow, while Cloaked Man hesitated over how they could rest without leaving the Princess vulnerable to the Assassin.

• Zhao Xun assigned Twin-Tails to monitor the chamber entrance for sounds from outside.
• Crew-Cut Man found the jeweled dagger in the dressing table, and the Prince of Water Country and the Prince of Mountain Country resumed accusing each other.
• Cloaked Man questioned both princes about their histories with the Princess and their kingdoms, but neither gave inconsistent answers.
• Cowboy warned that questioning them might not work because both princes were NPCs with established backgrounds.
• Cloaked Man agreed to try searching the study again tomorrow, while Earring Woman suggested taking turns keeping watch as the players rested.
• Cloaked Man hesitated because the players needed rest, but the Assassin might use that chance to attack the Princess.

Zhao Xun proposed rotating short sleep shifts so the players could rest while guarding the Princess, and the group stayed inside until daylight. As Earring Woman finally fell asleep, Zhao Xun and Cloaked Man discussed their suspicions of her and considered searching beneath the Princess’s sheet.

• Zhao Xun suggested that the players take turns sleeping for an hour and a half while most of them remained awake to protect the Princess.
• Zhao Xun, Cloaked Man, Slightly Plump Woman, Cowboy, Crew-Cut Man, and Twin-Tails each took a short sleep shift while the others kept watch.
• After Twin-Tails woke near dawn, she and Crew-Cut Man urged the group to wait until sunlight filled the area before going outside.
• Earring Woman went to sleep, and Zhao Xun told Cloaked Man that her wary look after he killed Bald Scorpion Man had made him suspect her.
• Zhao Xun asked Cloaked Man whether they should search the Princess’s bed, and Cloaked Man suggested checking beneath the sheet.

Zhao Xun found the Princess's diary, which revealed the true history of her romance with the Prince and showed that both Princes were impostors. Cloaked Man killed the two Princes, leaving the group without either suspect alive.

• Zhao Xun searched the Princess's bed and found a diary hidden in her dress.
• The diary revealed that the Princess first met the Prince when he saved her from a wolf, and that they later exchanged the Feather Fan, the Dagger, and Engagement Rings.
• Zhao Xun and Crew-Cut Man concluded that the Mountain Kingdom Prince and the Water Kingdom Prince were impostors because their accounts contradicted the diary.
• Zhao Xun suggested killing the impostors, and Cloaked Man stabbed both Princes with his Bone-Cleaving Knives.

After the two fake Princes died, Zhao Xun led the group to search for secret rooms and decided they should bring the sleeping Princess with them. Earring Woman challenged Cloaked Man’s trustworthiness, and he accused her of being the Assassin; Zhao Xun appeared to accept her explanation, leaving Cloaked Man unsure of his motives.

• Crew-Cut Man asked whether the group should search the study or look for secret rooms, and Zhao Xun chose to search for the Prince first.
• Slightly Plump Woman worried about leaving the sleeping Princess behind, so Zhao Xun decided they should bring her along and asked Cloaked Man to carry her.
• Earring Woman objected to entrusting the Princess to Cloaked Man, arguing that any player could be an Assassin, while Crew-Cut Man, Slightly Plump Woman, and Twin-Tails defended Cloaked Man.
• Cloaked Man accused Earring Woman of being the Assassin and cited her wariness when No. 014 killed Bald Scorpion Man as evidence.
• Earring Woman said she had reacted instinctively before realizing Bald Scorpion Man was the Assassin, and Zhao Xun appeared to accept her explanation.
• Cloaked Man doubted Earring Woman’s excuse and wondered why Zhao Xun seemed to believe her.

The Cloaked Man’s accusations exposed the Earring Woman as an Assassin, and she escaped through a window in the form of a black cat. The group prepared to continue searching for the real Prince, then found that insects had eaten the bodies in the study, likely drawn by the smell of blood.

• The Cloaked Man challenged the Earring Woman’s explanation, convincing the other players to distrust her.
• The Earring Woman threw a lump of iron at the window, transformed into a black cat, and escaped the Cloaked Man’s attacks.
• The Cloaked Man warned that other Assassins might remain, then led the group to prepare to move with the unconscious Princess.
• Zhao Xun advised the Cloaked Man to guard the Princess while the others searched hidden rooms, and the Slightly Plump Woman felt reassured.
• Twin-Tails opened the hidden room’s door, and the group found the study’s bodies gone, leaving only bloodstains and bone fragments.
• The Crew-Cut Man and the Slightly Plump Woman concluded that blood had likely attracted the insects and crows.

The group searched the castle for the real Prince while racing against nightfall and the final day of the game. Twin-Tails discovered a hidden chamber containing a tortured, conscious man dressed as a Prince, and the group chose it as their shelter for the night.

• Cloaked Man led the group out to resume searching the castle and warned them to avoid traveling at night.
• The group searched rooms for hidden mechanisms and found several secret chambers, but none contained the real Prince.
• As darkness approached, the group agreed to finish searching the ballroom and hide overnight in the spacious secret chamber in the Master Bedroom if needed.
• Twin-Tails tugged on a ballroom curtain, opening a hidden chamber that held a conscious, tortured man dressed as a Prince.
• The group considered whether the man was the real Prince, entered the chamber, and chose it as their shelter for the night.

Zhao Xun and the others found a prince whose appearance and story matched the princess’s diary, then freed him by pressing four switches together. As the prince crawled away from his chains, a spiked iron whip struck Crew-Cut Man and the chamber door began opening through an unexplained mechanism.

• Zhao Xun checked the prince’s blond hair and green eyes against the diary, and Cloaked Man questioned him about his courtship with the princess.
• The prince said werewolves had imprisoned him for his blood, and Zhao Xun and Cloaked Man judged his story plausible.
• Cowboy explained that four people had to press the chamber’s corner buttons simultaneously to release the prince’s chains.
• Crew-Cut Man organized the group to press the buttons, and the prince fell to the floor after his shackles opened.
• A spiked iron whip struck Crew-Cut Man, while the chamber door began to open and Twin-Tails found its mechanism sunk into the wall.

Earring Woman entered the secret chamber and attacked Twin-Tails while Cowboy used his metal-controlling ability to obstruct the other players. After Earring Woman killed Twin-Tails, she advanced on the Princess, and Cloaked Man blocked her with a defensive barrier while the terrified Prince failed to kiss the Princess.

• Earring Woman transformed into a black cat, slipped through the opening chamber door, and attacked Twin-Tails with a watermelon knife.
• Zhao Xun deduced that Cowboy controlled the metal torture implements and had opened the chamber door for Earring Woman, then drew the Reaper's Scythe.
• Earring Woman wounded Twin-Tails, knocked her unconscious, and slashed her neck before turning toward the Princess.
• Cloaked Man tried to make the terrified Prince kiss the Princess, but the Prince only begged for his life.
• Cloaked Man placed the Princess behind him and used his Defensive Barrier to stop Earring Woman, who could not break through.

Zhao Xun broke through Cowboy’s metal torture devices and went to help Cloaked Man, but Earring Woman used Goddess's Wings to charm everyone and approach the Princess. Zhao Xun resisted the item’s effect, killed Earring Woman with an axe, and earned ten points for identifying and killing an Assassin as the Knight.

• Zhao Xun threw the Reaper's Scythe at Cowboy, then used the distraction to conjure an axe and cut through the torture devices blocking him.
• Zhao Xun ran toward Cloaked Man to help protect the Princess and Prince from Earring Woman.
• Earring Woman put on Goddess's Wings, whose holy effect made those who saw her feel admiration and struggle to feel hostility.
• Earring Woman floated past Cloaked Man and Zhao Xun toward the Princess, intending to kill her with her watermelon knife.
• Zhao Xun struck Earring Woman from behind with his axe, killing her, and removed her wings.
• Zhao Xun earned ten points for identifying and killing an Assassin as the Knight.

After the others recovered from [Goddess's Wings], Crew-Cut Man killed Cowboy, who was gravely wounded. Zhao Xun accepted Cowboy's supplies and a strand of his hair in exchange for telling the other Volunteers about the game, then killed him and earned ten points.

• The others returned to normal after Earring Woman died, while Cowboy tried and failed to attack the Princess with the metal torture instruments.
• Crew-Cut Man struck Cowboy with his iron whip, then attacked him with spikes and left him fatally wounded.
• Cowboy asked Zhao Xun to pass the game's information on to the other Volunteers, offering his supplies in return.
• Zhao Xun took a strand of Cowboy's hair and promised to share the information, while Crew-Cut Man treated his own wounds with supplies from Cowboy's backpack.
• Zhao Xun chopped off Cowboy's head and earned ten points for killing an Assassin as a Knight.

Zhao Xun gained Cowboy’s Metal Control ability, and the players completed the main quest by awakening the princess, earning 50 points each and triggering a hidden quest. Before they could read its details, the princess attacked and killed Crew-Cut Man, leaving Zhao Xun, Cloaked Man, and Slightly Plump Woman facing her.

• Zhao Xun replaced Blade Transformation with Cowboy’s Metal Control and stored Cowboy’s supplies.
• Slightly Plump Woman confirmed Twin-Tails was dead, and the prince apologized for freezing during the fight.
• The prince kissed the sleeping princess, completing the main quest and earning every knight 50 points.
• The players triggered the hidden quest, “The Thorny Road to Escape.”
• The princess woke, stabbed Crew-Cut Man through the heart, and turned on the remaining players.

The Princess and Prince revealed that they had made deals with a Witch and Werewolves to survive, and now planned to kill every player inside the castle. Zhao Xun read the hidden quest’s rules, and he and the Cloaked Man silently exchanged a look as the players faced their next move.

• The Prince and Princess said a Wizard had warned that their love would destroy the world, and people had tried to separate and kill them.
• The Prince explained that a Witch’s spell let the Princess revive after death, while a deal with Werewolves kept him alive.
• Zhao Xun read the hidden quest rules, which required players to escape beyond the thorn thicket or hide in the castle until the game ended.
• The Princess said she and the Prince had to kill everyone in the castle to secure their happiness.
• Zhao Xun and the Cloaked Man looked at each other while the Slightly Plump Woman fell silent.

Zhao Xun and the Cloaked Man rescued the Slightly Plump Woman from the Princess and Prince, then hid with her in a secret room inside the Master Bedroom. They planned to wait until daylight before escaping the castle, and Zhao Xun began discussing what they would do next.

• Zhao Xun carried the Slightly Plump Woman and the Cloaked Man out of the secret room while the Cloaked Man held back the Princess and Prince with a defensive barrier.
• The Cloaked Man created a second barrier around the group and used his sound-blocking ability as Zhao Xun ran across the covered walkway toward the Master Bedroom.
• Zhao Xun brought the Slightly Plump Woman and the Cloaked Man into the secret room hidden in the Master Bedroom's Dressing Room.
• The Cloaked Man explained that escaping at night was too dangerous and that they could not remain hidden until the game ended because the Princess and Prince might search the room.
• Zhao Xun told the Slightly Plump Woman that they needed to discuss their next move.

Zhao Xun learned that the Slightly Plump Woman could replenish other players’ mental energy and agreed to take her along with the Cloaked Man. They prepared for the next day’s escape while reviewing the hidden quest’s warnings about the Prince and Princess.

• Zhao Xun asked the Slightly Plump Woman to reveal her special ability, and she explained that she could replenish other players’ mental energy until her own ran out.
• Zhao Xun recognized how her ability could support him and the Cloaked Man, while the Slightly Plump Woman said she had not yet tested how much energy she could provide.
• Zhao Xun agreed to take the Slightly Plump Woman along and ordered her not to direct his actions, to obey his instructions, and to replenish his mental energy promptly.
• The Slightly Plump Woman recommended that she replenish their energy before they were nearly exhausted, and Zhao Xun and the Cloaked Man agreed.
• The Cloaked Man asked about the hidden quest, and the Slightly Plump Woman confirmed she had read it before Zhao Xun carried her away.
• The Cloaked Man warned that killing the Princess could make two of her base attributes berserk when she revived, while killing the Prince would double all of her base attributes.

Zhao Xun, the Cloaked Man, and the Slightly Plump Woman began their escape from the castle, evading the Princess’s vines with the Cloaked Man’s barrier and Zhao Xun’s knife. They broke free of the vines, but the Princess and Prince caught up and blocked their path.

• The three agreed to avoid fighting the Princess and Prince unless they had no other choice, then spent the night safely in a secret room.
• On the morning of the 9th, Zhao Xun, the Cloaked Man, and the Slightly Plump Woman descended from the fifth floor using an Escape Rope and safety equipment.
• The Prince spotted them on the Lawn, and the three ran toward the Castle Hall while the Princess and Prince pursued them.
• Vines blocked the group’s way, so the Cloaked Man used [Defense Barrier] to protect them as they moved.
• The Princess controlled the vines, which coiled around the barrier and threatened to exhaust the Cloaked Man’s mental energy.
• Zhao Xun used a Bone-Cleaving Knife to cut an opening in the vines while the barrier was down, then the three escaped through it before the Princess and Prince caught up and blocked their path.

Zhao Xun used [Metal Control] to ambush and kill the Princess, then wounded the Prince, revealing that he had never intended to follow the Cloaked Man’s plan to escape without killing them. With the Princess dead, Zhao Xun hoped the group could finally flee.

• Zhao Xun taunted the Prince and Princess to distract them while secretly guiding the Bone-Cleaving Knife toward the Princess.
• Zhao Xun drove the knife into the Princess’s back, causing her vines to collapse and killing her.
• Zhao Xun pulled the knife free and cut both of the Prince’s legs before the Prince could reach the Princess.
• The Cloaked Man challenged Zhao Xun for breaking their agreement, while the Slightly Plump Woman realized Zhao Xun had planned to kill the Princess and Prince all along.
• Zhao Xun explained that killing the Princess was their only chance to escape and left the [Defense Barrier]’s protection.

Zhao Xun killed the Princess, gained her Resurrection and Frenzy ability, and used the injured Prince to slow her pursuit. The Princess caught up as the players reached the main hall’s gate, leaving them still fleeing from her.

• Zhao Xun knocked out the Prince, killed the Princess, and took a strand of her hair while the Cloaked Man and Slightly Plump Woman prepared to flee.
• Zhao Xun chose Resurrection and Frenzy from the Princess’s abilities, replacing Strength Enhancement, then ran toward the main hall with the others.
• Zhao Xun explained that he had injured the Prince’s legs so the Princess would have to carry him and be hindered while pursuing them.
• The three players entered the main hall and ran for the Angel-Relief Iron Gate as their safety period dwindled.
• The Princess caught up and roared that she would kill them all as Zhao Xun pulled the gate open.

Zhao Xun distracted the berserk Princess with repeated Bone-Cleaving Knife attacks, then killed her by hurling a detached iron door at her. He and the Cloaked Man and Slightly Plump Woman escaped down the castle stairs and raced toward the exit, leaving the story with just over five hundred meters to their destination.

• The Princess attacked the players with vines while the Cloaked Man maintained a [Defense Barrier], and Zhao Xun distracted her with attacks from the Bone-Cleaving Knife.
• Zhao Xun used [Metal Control] to detach an iron door and hurled it at the Princess after turning her toward the doorway, killing her.
• Zhao Xun slashed the Prince's eyes with the Bone-Cleaving Knife, then led the Cloaked Man and Slightly Plump Woman away.
• The Cloaked Man shielded the Slightly Plump Woman so she could roll down the stairs, and Zhao Xun and the Cloaked Man followed, reaching the bottom in ten seconds.
• The three ran through the front courtyard, and Zhao Xun cut apart the vines on the iron gate and floated its leaves behind him as they approached their destination.

Zhao Xun and his companions fled the Princess through the thorn thicket, where she used vines to trap them and attack their defenses. Zhao Xun finally shot her with a handgun, leaving her fallen as the vines went limp.

• Zhao Xun led the Cloaked Man and the Slightly Plump Woman out of the castle grounds and into the thorn thicket while the Princess pursued them with the Prince in tow.
• The Cloaked Man cast a [Defensive Barrier], and the Slightly Plump Woman replenished his mental energy as the Princess blocked their path with vines.
• Zhao Xun used the iron-barred gates and Bone-Cleaving Knife to pressure the Princess and threaten the Prince, forcing her to summon a mass of vines that strained her.
• Zhao Xun extended his arm beyond the [Defensive Barrier] and shot the Princess in the head before she could dodge.
• Zhao Xun explained that he had found the handgun in the Cowboy's hiking backpack and had used his other attacks to create an opening for a single shot.