ICSST CH67: Twin Carvings

Zhou Qi’an remembered the night he went looking for offerings—the air-dried meat was still hanging at the cafeteria entrance.

The poison in the meat soup likely originated from that.

As they were discussing which toxin might be more potent, Shen Zhiyi suddenly looked up toward a certain spot. But when Zhou Qi’an followed his gaze, there was only a patch of empty shrubbery.

“What is it?”

Shen Zhiyi: “Vissa is damned.”

“…You mean Vikas.”

With memory like that, he still claimed he wasn’t a poor student? And was the last syllable even pronounced correctly?

Bai Chanyi suddenly warned, “Be careful. He might try to harm you in secret.”

Zhou Qi’an fell silent for a moment. It wasn’t a “might”—it was a certainty. The guy had already instigated other players to report him.

In the end, Zhou Qi’an smiled faintly. “Let him do what he wants.”

As if he no longer cared about it. “Let’s find a place to talk about the background of this instance.”

The girls all stayed in the right half of the dormitory building. If anything needed to be said, now was the time.

The main hall wasn’t suitable for discussion. Eventually, they all gathered behind the dorm to whisper, and Bai Chanyi even cautiously used an anti-eavesdropping device.

On a bleak and rainy night, the college studentshuffed warm breath into his hand, praying for his wounds to heal quickly.

Shen Zhiyi stood in the direction of the wind, silently blocking some of the cold breeze for Zhou Qi’an.

Zhou Qi’an’s voice was a little hoarse: “The school is a staff incubation base…”

Just hearing the first sentence made Bai Chanyi’s expression subtly shift.

As Zhou Qi’an gradually explained everything, the group’s instance background exploration progress steadily increased. However, reaching 92% like before would be difficult—they still had to check in at the infirmary.

Still, it was a new path forward, and they had also gained insight into the game’s secrets.

It didn’t take long to list all the summarized clues. In the end, Zhou Qi’an’s gaze landed on Shen Zhiyi.

Based on his exam scores, his only options were the scholarship route or the “green escape” path. Since Zhou had already scoped out the infirmary, it should be easy for Shen Zhiyi to check in there with the information he had.

His former boss could kill monsters barehanded, and Zhou Qi’an had a hunch Shen Zhiyi was at least as strong, if not stronger.

The logic was simple: both had obsessions, but Shen Zhiyi remained rational.

Zhou Qi’an pressed a hand to his chest. “Only the world where ordinary people are injured has been completed.”

Some were slaughtering their way through enemies, while others were bleeding and breaking bones.

Ordinary people?

Though they didn’t fully understand what he meant, hearing Zhou Qi’an refer to himself as an “ordinary person” made everyone’s expressions shift—just like the weather.

Zhou Qi’an suddenly straightened up, but it tugged at his wound, and he hissed in pain.

“As for the final check-in point…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but that trailing tone seemed to suggest an idea had formed. “I’ll try to trade for some information first.”

He was in a dangerous state. His health wasn’t good, and he couldn’t afford to use the relic again.

If something uncontrollable happened again in the bathroom, he might not survive it.

The safest route was to gather intel first—to understand the potential dangers in the bathroom before triggering anything.

The college student, drained from blood loss debuffs, could barely keep his eyes open and returned straight to his dorms. Bai Chanyi couldn’t accompany Zhou Qi’an to the men’s dorm either. Since the dorms were split, it was better not to wander around.

As they went upstairs, the shadows under Shen Zhiyi’s eyes seemed to deepen. “No matter what happens, I can help you.”

As long as you ask.

Zhou Qi’an sighed. “It’s just information gathering. What could you help with?”

Help me knock on doors?

“…” Shen Zhiyi: “Which door should I knock first?”

Zhou Qi’an’s peripheral vision caught that Vikas’s door wasn’t fully closed. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he bypassed it and walked straight to Ying Yu’s door.

“Do you need something?”

Coincidentally, Ying Yu had just returned from the washroom on the other side.

Zhou Qi’an was startled.

Why did this guy walk without making any sound?

The lid on his thermos was open, with some unknown tea leaves steeping inside. There was something out-of-place and mature about Ying Yu that didn’t match his age group.

Zhou Qi’an nodded. “I want to discuss some clues about the instance’s background.”

He had a feeling that if he mentioned trade outright, Ying Yu would likely ask him to leave.

To be honest, Zhou had really profited from their last deal—Ying Yu’s props were extremely valuable. Even if the others also traded some items, they didn’t match up in quality.

If Zhou directly asked for more now, anyone would think he was greedy.

Ying Yu’s expression didn’t visibly change, but his naturally sharp features looked a little less cold than before.

“Come in and talk.”

Once inside, Zhou Qi’an immediately shared information about the instance’s background.

He deliberately watched Ying Yu’s expression. Except for a hint of surprise upon hearing about Mr. Si’s presence in the instance, Ying Yu didn’t seem shocked about the staff incubation base.

Well, that made sense—he was the one who had told Zhou Qi’an about the security guards and their alma mater.

Compared to the incubation base, Ying Yu seemed more focused on Shen Zhiyi: “Your aura is somewhat similar to the Exam God.”

Shen Zhiyi had recently absorbed the Exam God’s wish energy to recharge Zhou Qi’an with five-star “Fish Eye” energy. He replied flatly, “Is that so?”

Zhou Qi’an quickly redirected the conversation before Ying Yu could dig deeper.

“I’m here to ask for advice,” Zhou Qi’an said sincerely.

Ying Yu looked slightly surprised.

Zhou Qi’an smiled a little shyly. “I admit, I originally came for the check-in point, but…” The warmth in his eyes suddenly chilled like ice. “Now it seems I don’t need to anymore.”

Zhou Qi’an then seriously laid out his plan.

Ying Yu’s hand holding the thermos trembled slightly.

Suddenly, the tea didn’t taste so good anymore.

…

After Zhou Qi’an left Ying Yu’s room, any attempt by Vikas to eavesdrop was pointless.

Still, from Zhou Qi’an’s movements and his efforts to ask around, Vikas could already guess his motive.

“Almost finished the exploration?”

Vikas’s gaze darkened. If Zhou Qi’an reached 100% exploration first, he could escape the instance early, and Vikas wouldn’t get the sacred item.

Zhou Qi’an, having already visited the infirmary, definitely understood the story better than the others.

What he lacked was probably just the final check-in point.

Vikas himself still had two locations unchecked. That meant the other one had to be the infirmary.

The moon outside was so bright it was irritating. Vikas stood by the window, gently tapping the sill with his fingertip.

“Where would the last one be…”

——

That night, Zhou Qi’an was like someone rushing from scene to scene. After leaving Ying Yu’s room, he went to the dorm of the player who had previously collaborated with Vikas.

The player didn’t ask who it was—he simply aimed a stethoscope-like device at the door. A second later, a familiar voice came through:

“Open the door, I’m here to bring warmth.”

“…”

Trust between players was hanging by a thread. Only after using a contract item to ensure that Zhou Qi’an couldn’t do anything harmful did the man finally open the door.

“What do you want?”

If someone really had bad intentions, whether the door was opened or not, confrontation was inevitable. Using a contract item at least made the situation more controllable.

“Bringing warmth,” Zhou Qi’an said sneakily, glancing down the hallway to make sure no one else was around.

Warmth, my ass.

The player sneered.

He had spread rumors about Zhou Qi’an, even written a report to get him punished. No one would be stupid enough to repay that with kindness.

Zhou Qi’an got straight to the point: “I know one of the checkpoint locations.”

The player’s roommate had died during the exam, so there was no need to tiptoe around the topic. As for Shen Zhiyi, he hadn’t followed along—two people going door to door would only raise suspicion.

“I’m here to ask you to pass this information on to Vikas.”

The player’s eyelids twitched.

Zhou Qi’an smiled. “Of course, say you discovered it yourself.”

The player’s lips moved, about to launch into a barrage of questions.

Zhou Qi’an suddenly raised a hand—explaining things to unrelated people was a waste of time. And time was money.

“You can use another contract item. I’ll guarantee the information is real. As long as you do as I say, we’ll call off our previous grudges.”

That last line made the player waver.

He was sure Zhou Qi’an was up to something, but the malice was clearly aimed at Vikas. All he had to do was deliver a message, and he could get a free clue about the game in return. Why not?

Zhou Qi’an didn’t pressure him—he knew he’d get the answer he wanted.

Most players were opportunists. A deal this profitable wouldn’t be refused.

Sure enough, the player looked him in the eye and said, “Just delivering a message. No big deal.”

Even if he didn’t, Vikas would find out eventually.

After using another contract item to ensure the truth of the message, the player nodded. “Go ahead.”

“It’s in the bathroom,” Zhou Qi’an said bluntly, then explained the possible trigger conditions.

“Around five in the morning—deliver the message then.” He paused. “Alright, you can close the door now. I have more things to take care of.”

The player watched Zhou Qi’an walk up to another dorm room and knock carefully—just a small thunk every two seconds. “Open up. Bringing warmth.”

“…”

What was this, a rattle drum? Knocking one room after another!

·

Others in the dorm might not have heard it, but for the person inside, even a faint noise was enough to notice.

Thanks to a brief period of cooperation, his interaction with Hao Nan went more smoothly.

Zhou Qi’an even greeted his roommate: “Yo, you’re still alive, huh?”

The roommate chuckled.

It was rare now to find a dorm still fully intact. With two people present, they weren’t too worried about Zhou Qi’an causing trouble and let him in.

Zhou Qi’an said to Hao Nan, “I’d like to ask you—and your roommate—for a favor. Of course, if you can bring in a few more people, even better. In return, I’ll share what I experienced in the school infirmary.”

He wouldn’t give away all the information to non-teammates for free.

Hao Nan didn’t immediately give in to temptation, rocking on his chair with one leg crossed. “What kind of favor?”

Zhou Qi’an said seriously, “Something simple.”

He had just gotten through two sentences when Hao Nan, due to his improper posture, nearly tipped over. Zhou Qi’an suddenly stood and grabbed his arm, saving his tailbone. “Buddy, please.”

Hao Nan gritted his teeth. “Who’s your buddy?”

Zhou Qi’an: “You won’t help with something this small?”

“Small?!” Hao Nan nearly raised his voice, but under Zhou Qi’an’s clear, sincere gaze, he found himself unable to argue.

Zhou Qi’an said, “Let’s not waste time. The intel from the infirmary nearly cost me my life.”

1 a.m., 2 a.m., 3 a.m.…

Tomorrow’s exam was scheduled for the afternoon. The morning was still reserved for physical testing. Normally, no players would be active this late at night.

But tonight, several suspicious figures had briefly appeared.

Around 5 a.m., the sky outside was faintly lit, but the hallway remained like a narrow path to hell—distorted shadows twisting along the walls and floor.

Only one door was open.

Just moments ago, the cooperating player had found Vikas.

Vikas slept poorly. The downside of his spiritual medium physique was that dreams often tangled him with dark forces. If he was lucky, he’d gain fragments of information, but it drained him tremendously.

“You said you made an unexpected discovery?”

The player didn’t explain right away. “There’s the physical test tomorrow. You’ll owe me one.”

Having a request made it more believable.

Vikas gave him a look and nodded. “Only if your information’s worth it.”

“Use a contract item first,” the player insisted.

After both sides made their promises, the player, still slightly shaken, maintained a steady voice: “Earlier, I had a bad stomachache. While I was at the bathroom, I unexpectedly discovered it was a checkpoint.”

“Luckily, the bathroom ghost is just scary to newbies…”

He hesitated, puzzled. “Strange though. I went at night before and didn’t see any ghost.”

Vikas asked sharply, “Were you alone that time?”

“Of course not,” the player denied quickly. “My roommate was still alive then.”

At night, no matter what you do, avoid acting alone.

It was about numbers.

But Vikas knew it wasn’t just that.

He had gone to the bathroom alone before.

“Stomachache…” He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. “What did you eat in the cafeteria?”

The player paused, realization dawning. Instead of answering, he asked, “You mean the meat soup?”

Vikas didn’t respond immediately. His suspicious nature made him carefully consider anything handed to him.

Food supplies had dwindled. After the physical test was added, players were burning more energy. Some had already eaten the meat soup—though not him.

So he could have missed this checkpoint.

The player’s eyes darted. “If you know any new ways to score high on the test tomorrow afternoon, I can tell you more about the bathroom ghost.”

He was answered with a cold laugh.

The player looked embarrassed.

Vikas’ words seemed to imply: Even someone like you could survive that challenge. What’s so hard about it?

Humiliated, the player snapped out of it only to find Vikas already heading downstairs—presumably to the cafeteria.

He’d even made up a few stories about the Toilet Ghost, but now there was no point. Suddenly, he realized that Zhou Qi’an had never mentioned any details about the Toilet Ghost. Was it because he wasn’t afraid of the player making things up and exposing himself? Or did he know that Vikas would verify the information personally?

“Whatever. Not my problem.” The player returned to his dorm and slammed the door shut.

Of course, Vikas was going to verify it.

But not just that—he was going to destroy the checkpoint entirely. The Toilet Ghost wasn’t particularly powerful. If he wiped it out, no one else would be able to complete that checkpoint.

Eliminating others’ chances was always a core part of competition in this game.

Zhou Qi’an wasn’t trying to leave early. He wasn’t just abusing bugs, either.

I’ll make him experience what it feels like to be stuck at 99% completion.

“If you can’t finish the checkpoint, just obediently head to the school clinic.”

Thinking of Zhou Qi’an’s pitiful state earlier that afternoon, Vikas smiled with delight. Given Zhou Qi’an’s current physical condition, he’d never be able to handle another part-time labor shift.

With the fitness test scheduled for the afternoon, Vikas had plenty of time to stop by the school clinic, take Zhou Qi’an out, and grab the Holy Artifact.

Above the campus, a bizarre pink sky loomed, like a magnificent birdcage inverted and enclosing the incubation base.

Vikas calmly walked toward the cafeteria.

The air-dried meat hanging by the entrance was still there. Any player bold enough could cut a chunk and make their own soup.

The meat soup was still placed where it had been during the day. There wasn’t even a need to interact with the cafeteria staff. The soup was already spoiled; it looked like the cooks intended to serve the leftovers as-is the next day. Vikas only took a small sip, but deliberately ate a large piece of rib.

Then he left the cafeteria again.

In this instance, any toxins from unknown meats activated very quickly.

By the time he returned to the dorm floor, Vikas was already feeling sick.

It wasn’t just a stomachache—it spread up to his stomach, a cold, raw pain surging inside. His internal organs felt like they were being yanked around. Even standing up straight was difficult.

Vikas didn’t take any medicine to ease the symptoms. He headed straight for the toilet.

As he opened the door, he froze.

The old faucet wasn’t dripping tonight. He turned it—no water.

That explained a lot…

Vikas covered his mouth and nose as the toilet reeked. The windows were shut tight. Something felt off—hard to describe, like the air had been forcibly compressed.

Just as he debated whether to leave, some of the old yellowed wall plaster began flaking off. A rotting stench slowly spread through the murky air.

A bone-deep chill crept over his exposed arm.

The ghost is here.

He smirked and calmly summoned his weapon.

At least with a visible ghost, it was much easier than dealing with cryptic death rules.

———

That same night.

Zhou Qi’an finally arrived at the college student’s dorm. While talking about Mr. Si, he rummaged around for scissors.

“He still owes my family some cooking oil! Make sure he gives it to you.” Just hearing that made the college student tremble like a quail.

“Brother Zhou, have you completed your exploration?”

“Just one checkpoint left,” Zhou Qi’an replied calmly. “In my current condition, even a low-level ghost could take me out.”

The student paused—those injuries wouldn’t heal overnight.

Zhou Qi’an yawned and lazily started cutting fabric, crafting something by hand. “No worries. Even if you rise early, someone rises earlier.”

He added cheerfully, “Right now, Vikas must be working so hard to eliminate the ghost, hoping I won’t be able to complete the last checkpoint.”

He was just waiting for Vikas to pave the way, weakening the ghost.

If he couldn’t get stronger himself, he’d just wear the ghost down.

The student blurted out, “What if he really kills the ghost…”

Zhou Qi’an half-closed his eyes. “Even the strongest can’t kill a ghost that easily.”

It’s not like everyone’s got a Holy Artifact.

“…I just hope Vikas makes a lot of noise while fighting it, preferably some serious friction. Even if not, it doesn’t matter. I already asked a physics genius to make the perfect trap. Shen Zhiyi is nearby keeping watch.”

“He’ll hit the timing just right.”

When Shen Zhiyi was silent, his presence was even lower than Mu Tianbai’s. Most people wouldn’t notice him at all.

The college student stared curiously at Zhou Qi’an’s crafting, still confused.

But the school didn’t allow the destruction of public property, so surely Brother Zhou wasn’t going to blow the place up…

Boom!

At that moment, the floor tiles suddenly shook violently.

The college student leapt up. After a few seconds, he looked at Zhou Qi’an.

Zhou Qi’an slowly stood, put on the freshly crafted mask, and gave him a look.

The college student cautiously opened the door—and an indescribable, gut-wrenching stench wafted in.

“Ugh.” The student held his breath.

He wasn’t the only one opening his door. Someone had even used a flashlight. In the glow, they spotted Vikas—completely filthy—coming into view. His dazzling golden hair was now matted with wall fragments and unknown liquids. The usual gentleness in his gem-like eyes was gone.

Splat.

Something foul slid off his polished shoes.

At the end of the hallway, the toilet was scorched black. Shattered tiles littered the floor, and foul water poured endlessly down the hallway.

At Vikas’ feet was a charred black doll—the [Substitute Doll], a life-saving item used at critical moments.

It wasn’t just players from this floor—others from the floor below cautiously came out as well. Seeing the scene, they covered their mouths and dry-heaved, exchanging confused glances. Eventually, they pieced together one likely explanation:

…a methane explosion.

---

Author’s Note:

Zhou Qi’an: Blew up the ghost. Blew up Vikas. Mhm, perfect.

College student: ……