Upon witnessing Zhou Qi’an lead his group away, a player beside Vikas asked, “Should we follow them?”
Vikas remained expressionless and suddenly tossed an apple to that player.
The player was momentarily stunned, then immediately overjoyed.
Vikas said, “Don’t be too quick to celebrate. In return, you need to do two things for me. No need to worry—one of them only requires you to move your lips.”
The player hesitated.
Vikas suddenly smiled. “What’s the matter? Took the benefit but don’t want to do the work?”
“No, it’s not that,” the player mumbled. “Time is tight. I’ll go find the Exam God. I promise I won’t make an offering first. Let’s meet later at the teaching building.”
Splitting up would improve efficiency. As for whether to keep the apple for himself, that depended on whether Vikas could go to the cafeteria, get another offering, and leave unscathed.
Vikas saw through his little scheme but didn’t expose him. Instead, he turned and headed back toward the cafeteria.
Although he claimed he was looking for the Exam God’s statue, the player merely lingered in a certain area, searching for materials to make incense while secretly observing the people still moving around at this hour.
From the movement patterns of other players, he could deduce the statue’s location.
Just as he was feeling smug about his cleverness, his expression suddenly froze.
In the darkness, Vikas had returned, holding an even riper apple in his hand. He moved like a ghost.
He had taken noticeably less time than the player expected.
“Tsk…” Vikas’s voice was even colder than before—perhaps he had used some kind of item or spent points along the way. Either way, he was clearly not pleased.
The player controlled his shock and reported that the incense was ready. “The statue should be near the main building…”
His attitude had changed significantly.
As they walked toward the main building, Vikas suddenly glanced to the side. The player quickly asked, “What is it?”
Vikas’s lips curled into a smirk. “Someone’s trying to be clever, waiting for a rabbit by the tree.”
It took the player two seconds to process this. His muscles suddenly tensed—someone was lurking in the dark!
“Ignore them,” Vikas said as he kept walking. “They’re not waiting for us.”
“…The homeroom teacher emphasized that even the accompanying students have to take the exam. In order to help their relatives pass, those players who called their family members here must prepare two offerings—one for themselves and one for their relatives.”
With that hint, the player immediately thought of a possibility—robbery.
That was ruthless.
Gathering two offerings was no easy task. Once the target left the cafeteria, exhausted, if they ran into an ambusher on the way… tsk.
Zhou Qi’an was a true savage.
“Wasn’t he still trying to recruit people at noon?”
He had even actively disclosed the location for making phone calls.
“The situation changes in an instant,” Vikas said with a smile. “Zhou Qi’an has now formed a team of three. To gather three offerings, they’d have to take a huge risk.”
But if they robbed others together, they’d all be in the same boat.
Vikas continued, “He’s smart—knows how to drag people down with him. The first thing I want you to do is spread the word about his actions during tomorrow’s class.”
This would turn public opinion against Zhou Qi’an, making it easier to unite the others and eliminate him as a competitor under the guise of fair competition.
At the same time, it would make Ying Yu develop a negative impression of Zhou Qi’an and prevent him from offering help at a crucial moment.
The player instinctively asked, “Why don’t you just do it yourself?”
“I don’t want to be the one sticking my neck out.”
“…”
Just as Vikas finished speaking, there was movement in the bushes behind them. The player whipped around.
On the narrow path behind them, a young man and a young woman were walking toward the main building. Suddenly, a white silk ribbon shot out and wrapped around the woman.
“Xiao Nan!” The girl’s eyes widened in horror.
Hao Nan was about to activate his skill when he felt a slight sting on his neck.
Looking down, he saw the cold glint of a surgical scalpel reflecting light into his eyes. At last, he understood—his sister’s earlier shout wasn’t a plea for help but a warning about something behind him.
“Don’t move,” Bai Chanyi’s voice was icy, but her expression remained as gentle as ever. “If my hand slips, it won’t end well for either of us.”
Finally, Zhou Qi’an stepped out from the bushes, dusting off his clothes with a grin.
“After waiting this long, we finally have a target.” He looked at the tense Hao Nan and said, “If I were you, I wouldn’t even consider using an item to escape. You’re outnumbered. You have no chance of winning. Even if you manage to run, do you really want to leave your sister behind?”
Hao Nan stared at him and slowly spat out two words. “You beast.”
“I’m just not as naive as you.” Zhou Qi’an’s gaze fell on the two fresh fruits, his tone light and casual. “I won’t take everything. How about this—give me one fruit and five thousand points.”
His condescending tone of charity made Hao Nan’s eyes burn with rage.
“I…”
Zhou Qi’an tilted his head slightly, the white silk in his hand still wrapped around Hao Nan’s sister.
“I agree…”
Just as Hao Nan was about to compromise under the cruel and cunning gaze, Zhou Qi’an suddenly changed the topic: “Or, there’s another option.”
Within his field of vision, Vikas had already left after confirming the robbery.
It wouldn’t be worth it if he got implicated for standing by and doing nothing.
Watching the tall figure gradually fade into the distance, Zhou Qi’an softened his voice slightly and smiled. “You don’t have to give up anything. You can just walk away…”
Hao Nan let out a cold laugh, clearly not believing him.
If that were true, what was the point of the robbery?
Zhou Qi’an continued, “Of course, if you still choose the first option, then…”
His tone wasn’t deliberately deceptive, nor was it inflammatory. He simply stated a few sentences in a plain, matter-of-fact manner.
During this time, Hao Nan couldn’t help but jerk his body.
Had Bai Chanyi not already sheathed his blade, that reflexive movement might have resulted in a slit throat.
Clearly, Zhou Qi’an’s words had shaken him deeply. The emotions in Hao Nan’s eyes were far more intense than when he was being threatened earlier.
“Make your choice…”
Zhou Qi’an’s tone returned to its usual coldness. “I don’t have much patience. There’s another target waiting for me.”
Hao Nan glanced at the two offerings in his hand. His gaze flickered several times before he finally made up his mind.
…
Late at night, after finishing the ritual to the Exam God, Zhou Qi’an returned to his dormitory.
The task panel updated:
【Successfully discovered a way to achieve a high score and checked in at the Exam God’s statue.】
【Current story background exploration: 18%.】
【Important check-in locations: 2/4】
【Go to more dangerous places! Strive to unlock the green escape route as soon as possible.】
Inside the dormitory building, the atmosphere remained bleak. There were no lights-out rules, no curfews, and the dimly lit corridors seemed to be soaked in absolute freedom.
The fewer explicit rules there were, the higher the chance of dying.
That was an iron law.
Shen Zhiyi hadn’t gone to pray to the exam deity. Something about the ritual must have struck a nerve in his brain, making him laugh mockingly twice.
But his reasoning was twisted yet logical: “I’ll always have your back.”
“…” Being dead last certainly made that believable.
Shen Zhiyi added, “There’s still one apple left. It can be breakfast.”
Qi’an, give up on the poisonous mushroom soup.
Zhou Qi’an smiled without replying.
Suddenly, Shen Zhiyi leaned in. His grayish-white eyes were strangely captivating up close, reflecting different worlds at every angle.
“You’re hiding something from me.”
This vague yet tantalizing feeling made him itch with curiosity.
Shen Zhiyi understood why Zhou Qi’an had lured him here, but up until now, the latter hadn’t shown even a trace of reliance on him.
From a long time ago, that independent streak had fascinated him—and tormented him.
Zhou Qi’an’s mind was elsewhere. “This game is too ruthless.”
He had asked a few extra questions earlier.
The Hao siblings were fraternal twins, and in fact, the sister had always been more academically outstanding, a high-intelligence individual. However, due to a childhood car accident, one of her arms was slightly impaired.
It seemed the game prioritized physical health and combat ability when selecting players.
“So physical strength is valued more than intelligence?” Zhou Qi’an let out a sarcastic chuckle. As he reviewed his points, he glanced at the task panel. “The first day required fruit as an offering. What about the second and third days?”
All entities classified as evil gods had insatiable appetites. It was hard enough to meet the requirement for a single person to pray to the exam god, let alone provide for an entire group.
He hated being led by the nose. He hoped tonight’s arrangements would allow him to gain some leverage.
Zhou Qi’an’s gaze fell on his points. His earnings were considerable.
Points: 33,447
The item he had been eyeing in the store—an amulet from a male sorcerer capable of predicting fortune and misfortune—cost 30,000 points. Zhou Qi’an considered whether he should buy it.
In a instance, fortune and misfortune were always relative. This item was expensive and somewhat situational.
However, the description mentioned that the male sorcerer possessed astrology abilities and had a certain probability of providing wise advice, which piqued his interest.
The right guidance at a critical moment could be life-saving.
In the end, he gritted his teeth and decided to buy it.
The next day, the sky was overcast, covered with thick, endless clouds.
After waking up, Zhou Qi’an ate an apple. He felt much better overall than the day before. But this sense of ease didn’t last long after he entered the classroom.
In the eerily quiet classroom, several unfriendly gazes were lurking in the shadows.
Before long, several players and their companions arrived. These companions looked terrible—faces haggard, eyes bloodshot.
High-difficulty instances naturally took a toll on players with weaker physical endurance.
But everyone knew there was another reason.
For a moment, more and more unreadable gazes fell on Zhou Qi’an.
Vikas smiled. “It seems you successfully prayed to the exam god.”
Zhou Qi’an nodded openly, looking every bit the detestable figure. “Murder and arson bring wealth. The ancients never lied.”
As the verbal sparring unfolded, the homeroom teacher arrived, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.
One of the lights near the door was broken. It was as if she had materialized directly from the shadows. Her figure was as thin as a reed, yet under the direct light, her shadow swelled like an overinflated balloon.
Zhou Qi’an stared at the unnatural shadow.
It really looked like… the silhouette of a pig.
Pigs were omnivores. Their true diet included more than just feed—it also included humans.
