In the front seat, second row.
Xia Zhi leaned against the back of the chair, her neck half severed, her pale face pointing directly at the ground. Her eyeballs protruded, almost falling to the floor, as if she had experienced something terrifying before death.
In front of her, a masked figure extended a withered hand and took the remaining coins from Xia Zhi’s pocket.
Blood dripped continuously onto the ground like beads, flowing towards a pair of old cloth shoes. The tips of the shoes were soaked with blood, pointing in another direction, as the owner of the cloth shoes slowly began to walk.
With every step, a clear bloody footprint was left on the ground.
Seventh row, Zhou Qi’an listened carefully.
“The sound-blocking effect isn’t as obvious now.”
When Xia Zhi first screamed to mislead them, her voice was distorted, likely with the aid of some amplification tool. The second time, it was much clearer.
The flat-top’s death clearly alleviated the unfavorable situation for the players, but unfortunately, the most troublesome ghost wall remained.
“Could there be two killers?”
Zhou Qi’an seemed to understand something.
The flat-top chose to kill him first but failed.
Under the general identity of law-abiding citizens for players, if the first killer didn’t kill anyone, it meant the opening of “Coach Murder Case II” failed, and a second killer would inevitably appear.
Damn, is this a relay race?
“But Xia Zhi is dead, why hasn’t the detective appeared?”
Zhou Qi’an’s gaze paused, and he thought of two possibilities. One, Xia Zhi was the detective; she deliberately cooperated with the flat-top, intending to reap the benefits. Now that the detective was dead, the killer would continue killing.
The other possibility was that there was no detective. After all, the story background didn’t explicitly mention all identities, and it was possible the game was misleading them with a similar background.
In the act where his mother was the killer, there was a setting where there was a killer but no detective.
No matter which possibility, it was all disadvantages and no benefits for the players.
“Only self-preservation.”
Putting away the holy artifact, Zhou Qi’an glanced at the college student beside him. The living preservation only lasted for ten to fifteen minutes; if they couldn’t get out before then, he would truly be dead.
His fingers unconsciously gripped the camera. Zhou Qi’an tried to think of how to get ironclad evidence of the second killer as quickly as possible and swiftly end this act.
Contrary to his wishes, the invisible drowsiness became heavier, making his brain feel rusty.
He could only barely think of the simplest questions, and in the end, he simply gave up thinking and focused on a violent solution.
The [Novice Protection Period] had an 80% chance of immunity to one game rule.
This probability definitely wasn’t solely tied to luck; it was more likely related to the difficulty of the rule.
“If I directly choose to activate an item to immunize against the penalty of counter-killing the killer, it will 100% fail.”
“What about a second-best option…”
For example, trying to immunize against the ghost wall.
First, rush out and find Shen Zhiyi, use his hypnosis-like ability to launch a preemptive strike, and take a picture of the killer’s face in the chaos.
The risk was somewhat high; the mist would still be there after breaking the ghost wall.
Perhaps he would encounter the killer before finding Shen Zhiyi, and then his head would be gone.
The carriage grew colder and colder. The coach passed through the tunnel for what felt like the umpteenth time. Zhou Qi’an moved his limbs slightly.
He looked at the college student and silently prayed, “God bless, let the killer find my mom first.”
If he didn’t hear the snake’s hiss within a minute, he would charge blindly!
…
Thump, thump.
A strong desire converged in his heart. This willpower even made the Nightmare Heart, still in its dormant period, do a sit-up.
Several rows away, Shen Zhiyi looked calm, seemingly sensing something.
This mist was very unfriendly to him.
After Shen Zhiyi sealed his power to enter the instance, he was prone to drowsiness. In addition, the forced manipulation of the pocket watch hands in the previous round, reversing the flow of time, further strained his body.
At this moment, Shen Zhiyi and Zhou Qi’an had the same thought.
Let the killer find Mother Zhou.
In terms of control, that woman’s ability would be a sure kill. Otherwise, if he overused his ability, he could easily accidentally kill the killer in his dream.
Unfortunately, his luck wasn’t good either; footsteps in the mist were approaching.
It was an NPC.
Shen Zhiyi immediately concluded.
Like the security guard, only an NPC would immediately seek him out because of the pocket watch on him.
When the footsteps drew a little closer, Shen Zhiyi’s tone was light, but every word clearly materialized in the mist, reaching the newcomer’s ears.
“Go find a woman.”
Due to rule restrictions, Shen Zhiyi didn’t make it too clear, only giving a basic gender hint.
In the aisle, the footsteps of the cloth shoe owner seemed to pause slightly, as if enchanted. The machete, which was originally aimed to the left, turned towards another row.
A woman sitting by the window was yawning.
In the eyes of the cloth shoe owner, the woman’s skin glowed faintly in the mist, and her face and figure were well-maintained. If not for the slight crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes, it would be hard to tell her age.
And the driver’s license and actor’s qualification certificate hanging on the woman’s chest further indicated limitless prospects.
The cloth shoe owner was successfully provoked, swinging the large knife towards the curly-haired woman’s head.
Her speed was fast, but something was faster. A sea snake first burrowed out of her pant leg, its unique icy coldness making the cloth shoe owner stumble, and the knife accordingly swung off target.
Mother Zhou was still yawning. More sea snakes danced wildly around her head, all automatically aiming at the cloth shoe owner, a dense mass, indescribably terrifying.
“Old woman, who are you?”
“…”
After two snakes wrapped around the cloth shoe owner’s arm, she actually bit through the snake’s body with her teeth.
Her gums were covered in blood. The cloth shoe owner raised her head, just revealing a fierce expression, when the person who had been lurking in the back seat heard the hissing of the snakes and rushed over.
“Please choose to immunize against a rule.”
“Ghost wall.”
“[Novice Protection Period] successfully activated. You will be temporarily immune to the ghost wall.”
Zhou Qi’an ran at extreme speed in the narrow aisle.
“Mom—”
Mother Zhou bypassed the cloth shoe owner and looked at the person rushing over: “What are you doing here?”
Zhou Qi’an whispered: “I was worried about you.”
This statement was only 50% true… mainly he was worried that she or Shen Zhiyi would directly kill the killer, triggering the death rule.
His gaze shifted to the cloth shoe owner. As the mist thinned, he could make out some things:
White hair, and from her body curves, she was an elderly woman.
As Zhou Qi’an observed the killer, the cloth shoe owner’s neck suddenly twisted 180 degrees, turning directly to face Zhou Qi’an’s face.
A putrid smell came almost face-to-face.
“!”
No one expected this sudden scene.
The cold mask clung tightly to Zhou Qi’an’s skin.
The mask had no traditional eye, mouth, or nose holes, but it itself emitted a damp, unpleasant odor.
The texture was also strange, a mix of hardness and softness.
To describe it, it was like a layer of human skin placed over ceramic.
The mask indented towards Zhou Qi’an’s side, showing a tendency to fully merge his face into the mask.
Zhou Qi’an’s pupils dilated. Just as he was about to use the white ribbon, an extremely thin sea snake burrowed into the cloth shoe owner’s ear canal first.
“Hiss—”
The hunched body of the cloth shoe owner trembled violently. Zhou Qi’an took the opportunity to break free.
Under inertia, Zhou Qi’an stumbled backward. He didn’t forget the main task even then. After stabilizing himself, he immediately stretched out his arm and pulled off the other party’s mask.
He summoned the holy artifact to provide light and pressed the shutter at the same time.
“It’s you?”
It was the passenger he had met on the coach on the first day. He remembered that this old woman had a granddaughter and later provided testimony.
The camera clearly captured the old woman’s face. Zhou Qi’an gasped for breath, his skin slightly red from the previous “copy-paste,” feeling a burning sensation.
The old woman glared furiously at the person who had ruined her plans, her eyes wishing to tear him into a thousand pieces.
[You have successfully identified the killer in this case]
With irrefutable evidence, the mist in the carriage gradually dissipated. The old woman instantly collapsed to the ground, like a soft-bodied creature drained of support.
This was a good sign.
The only bad thing was that the system prompt still hadn’t arrived.
The moment the mist completely dissipated, the expressions of nearby players were all quite remarkable.
Following the bloodstains to see Xia Zhi and the flat-top’s bodies, Dong Li almost stood up immediately. The next moment, upon seeing something else, an uncontrollable terror appeared on his face.
Not just him, a hint of surprise also flashed across Zhou Qi’an’s face when his vision suddenly cleared.
The passengers in the mist one by one revealed their true faces.
When they boarded, it was just an ordinary coach, but now the entire bus seemed to have no end, with seats densely packed together.
All the residents of the ancient city, travelers from the bus station… even the deceased Miss Thief, her body pieced together in fragments, was sitting in a seat.
Miss Qi was in the foremost position, looking over with a professional smile, just like on the first day.
Clap.
Clap, clap, clap.
Led by her, everyone clapped in unison, louder and louder, their emotions becoming more and more excited, their palms almost red from clapping.
The driver also left his seat and walked over, clapping.
Only the unmanned coach remained, driving alone on the highway.
The scene before them was more than just horrifying.
Bertram and Wen quickly stood up and moved to the left side where there were more players.
After the initial tension, Zhou Qi’an’s brows remained furrowed. Time was running out; he had to end all this within five minutes.
“I thought it would be simpler…”
When chasing the killer in the first act, the game emphasized that quantitative change leads to qualitative change; seven clues could be converted into key evidence to identify the killer.
Later, after each act ended, the system would issue a clue. He naturally assumed that seven acts meant seven clues, which would directly lead him to the King of Drama and end the performance.
But this final act ended without issuing a clue.
As if misfortunes never come singly, the system’s cold prompt descended:
[Congratulations on successfully participating in the entire ‘Bell Toll’ play]
[Please quickly find Mr. King of Drama, he will personally present rewards no less valuable than a pocket watch to the chosen individual actors]
[This round adopts a majority vote system. Each person has only one voting opportunity]
[Voting countdown: twenty minutes]
A bus full of people, with no clear end in sight. Some passengers had their heads down, others intentionally pulled their hat brims low… giving the impression that they had fought to get their roles.
Wen’s voice suddenly came, abandoning his usual conformist demeanor and taking charge: “No need to rush. Let’s try to interact with these NPCs; we’ll definitely have opportunities to get information.”
In short, it meant triggering side quests.
Dong Li forcibly recovered from the fact that two teammates had died and did not object.
Twenty minutes was enough to do a side quest. The next step was undoubtedly their time to shine.
As players who received invitations, the eyes of Wen, Dong Li, and Bertram all dimmed slightly.
The prompt emphasized “individual actors,” further indicating that the spots were limited, and they might even face infighting.
The surging blood, however, showed a faint excitement.
After all this effort to get here, with the final mysterious grand prize within reach, how could they not be excited?
Zhou Qi’an took in the expressions of these people, and when he looked at the college student, his gaze paused.
The college student’s aura was even weaker. His previously vibrant face now had a slightly graying appearance.
He simply didn’t have time for side quests.
“Who could it be…”
Miss Qi, who had been watching the show, the “resurrected” thief, even the security guard… For a moment, a million possibilities flashed through Zhou Qi’an’s mind.
Before his brow furrowed even deeper, a slender, powerful hand suddenly rested lightly on his thin shoulder.
Shen Zhiyi had risen at some point and walked to his side.
They exchanged glances, seemingly having thought of the same thing.
Sure enough, the next moment Shen Zhiyi said, “Choose someone you’ve interacted with.”
From the conversation in the church with the priest, it could be confirmed that the King of Drama’s targeting of Zhou Qi’an was not because the latter had cursed his work as trash. On the contrary, judging by the actor’s role, this targeting represented more screen time, more akin to a form of appreciation.
This meant that no matter what role the King of Drama played, he would definitely proactively interact with Zhou Qi’an.
Shen Zhiyi also informed him of the clue given in the sixth act: the King of Drama pursues individuality and must have unique elements in any performance.
Despite being a slightly drowsy voice, it inexplicably had a calming power. Zhou Qi’an, who had been standing stiffly, took a gentle breath and calmed down again.
Six clues, among which the effective identification clues were only: the King of Drama is an excellent actor, he can play any role; he likes to pursue unexpected endings; he is very poor, and always likes to play straightforward roles.
…Poor person.
Zhou Qi’an quickly recalled the NPCs he had interacted with, automatically excluding Miss Qi, the vegetarian restaurant owner, and so on.
On the first day they met, the diamond ring on Miss Qi’s hand almost blinded him.
…Can play any role.
That means it could be anyone, male, female, old, or young. And the King of Drama likes to pursue unexpected effects, so he might play a transgender or cross-generational character.
As he progressively eliminated faces from his mind, Zhou Qi’an narrowed his eyes, as if he had thought of something seriously incongruous.
He didn’t do anything else, looking at Shen Zhiyi first.
“Help…”
Before his words fell, Shen Zhiyi’s eyes, half-closed and full of drowsiness, moved with extreme swiftness. Without warning, he suddenly launched an attack, directly grabbing Dong Li’s arm.
Experienced players who had struggled through the game instances all had real combat skills.
Dong Li immediately tried to retaliate.
However, just as he raised his hand, a chill penetrated his arm, almost freezing his entire body.
He had only felt a similar degree of yin and coldness when encountering ghosts.
One of Shen Zhiyi’s fingernails became extremely sharp, almost pressing against a fragile artery.
“Do as he says.”
Dong Li subconsciously looked at Zhou Qi’an.
Zhou Qi’an said nothing superfluous, speaking in a low voice: “Vote, choose that black-spotted child, vote now.”
Up front, Bertram was talking to an NPC, showing signs of triggering a side quest. Hearing the commotion behind him and seeing Dong Li being held hostage, his expression was quite something.
The principle of the minority obeying the majority.
Once Dong Li made his choice, what difference would it make whether the remaining two of them voted or not?
Dong Li suppressed the chilling sensation, and while looking for an escape opportunity, he said hoarsely, “I trust Mr. Zhou’s judgment. To be safe, why don’t we do a side quest? It would be good for everyone to verify…”
Zhou Qi’an repeated coldly: “Vote.”
On the other side, Bertram and Wen exchanged glances. Zhou Qi’an’s judgment clearly had a hasty, rushed quality.
Wen glanced at the college student, whose face was pale with despair, and vaguely guessed that his life was about to be in danger. No matter how serious the injury, it could be healed once they left the instance, which was why that person was in such a hurry.
Anyone could take a hostage. Wen moved and was about to rush up and take the college student hostage.
Prepared early, even faster than Wen was the mama’s boy.
“Mom!”
Mother Zhou lazily lifted her eyes, showing no intention of moving. Wen’s heart lightened, and he smoothly rushed to the college student’s seat. The next moment, a sudden change occurred: a sea snake, which had inexplicably coiled on the adjacent seat, flicked its tongue and flew towards him.
Mother Zhou slowly stood up from her seat, walked through the aisle, and headed towards Wen.
As she passed Shen Zhiyi, her footsteps paused slightly, and she turned her head.
Shen Zhiyi seemed to sense something but made no move. The moment the murderous aura struck, he stood quietly in place.
Dong Li, whom he was holding hostage, suddenly went limp. At the same time, Mother Zhou retracted her hand and elegantly wiped her blood-stained nails: “You say my silly son, what’s he working so hard for?”
The entire process took only a few seconds, too fast for anyone to react.
A horrifying bloody hole appeared on Dong Li’s neck, and blood sprayed out wildly. The man’s lips turned purple, seemingly from poison.
Shen Zhiyi released his grip.
Dong Li thus fell lifelessly, and Wen and Bertram’s faces changed drastically.
Old players like Dong Li most likely carried life-saving items, but he died so directly, indicating that he didn’t even have time to activate them.
Was it because the toxins paralyzed his consciousness?
They looked at Mother Zhou with horrified eyes.
There was no time to think now. Wen was the first to react, immediately stepping away from the college student: “I’ll vote!”
Ignoring him, Mother Zhou didn’t even look at the items Dong Li dropped before dying. She looked at Zhou Qi’an, still drowsy, and said, “Now it’s fine.”
They could vote however they wanted.
Even setting aside the unconscious college student, they would always be the majority.
“I’ll vote,” Bertram also pointed at the black-spotted child’s position: “That child with the black spots on his face, I vote for him as the King of Drama!”
Since they all had to choose, it was better to speak first, and maybe there would be extra benefits.
Mother Zhou smiled at him, and Bertram couldn’t help but take a step back.
No one doubted that Mother Zhou, who had just killed a player, would attack Bertram again. However, while everyone’s attention was focused on Bertram, a finer, almost transparent snake wriggled in the blood pool, silently crawling towards Wen, who was near the college student.
“Good people are often bullied.” Mother Zhou casually adjusted Zhou Qi’an’s glasses, “Didn’t Mom tell you before, just having good grades isn’t enough.”
After saying that, she began to reflect herself, thinking that a rice cooker wasn’t fierce enough, and that she would have to consider finding a daughter-in-law who was fierce first to influence him.
Zhou Qi’an’s throat moved: “Okay.”
In less than half a minute, everyone had basically made their choice.
The system prompt descended again: [Are you sure?]
As if specifically cared for, the prompt actually asked Zhou Qi’an one last time, using the thief girl’s voice.
Waves of eerie echoes spread.
Are you sure? This was the security guard’s voice.
Are you sure? It was the priest’s voice.
Are you sure? …It became the driver’s voice again.
…
Countless voices overlapped and merged. On the coach, every passenger raised their head, looking at Zhou Qi’an with familiar yet unfamiliar faces, their mouths moving in unison:
Are—
You sure?
It wasn’t a matter of perspective; the passengers were all ominously looking in their direction.
Receiving such special attention, Zhou Qi’an tried to avoid their gaze.
Shen Zhiyi was right; the King of Drama had definitely put more focus on him.
He raised his eyes and said without hesitation: “I’m sure.”
In the King of Drama’s lair, there was only the manuscript of the first play, with a special note on it: This is the beginning of the story, what will be the end of the story?
Zhou Qi’an had a premonition that the King of Drama would absolutely not miss the beginning and end of the grand play.
On this coach, which was both the starting point and the end point, the NPCs he had multiple interactions with were limited: Miss Qi, the thief, the little boy, and this killer.
The first two had nothing to do with poverty.
The remaining two…
The old woman using a mask to peel off faces was very much like something the King of Drama would do, but Zhou Qi’an leaned more towards the little boy.
Up until now, all the NPCs he had encountered were constantly touching up their makeup, painting their faces pale white.
Even the second old woman chosen as the killer had signs of severe caked makeup on her face.
A child with flaws who didn’t bother to conceal them had an overly strong sense of incongruity.
Thinking of this, Zhou Qi’an accurately locked onto the little boy further back and coldly said, “Do you think your makeup is particularly excellent?”
__
Author’s note:
Mother Zhou: My son is soft-hearted.
Shen Zhiyi: My Qi’an is overly kind.
Zhou Qi’an: I’ve learned.
College student in Cloud Crystal preservation: …
