In the afternoon, Zhou Qi’an, seeking peace and quiet, used a blind date as an excuse to go out. In reality, he was heading to Ying Yu’s place to collect props.
Along the way, Zhou Qi’an kept his eyes half-closed, resting.
His head started to ache again.
He wasn’t sure if it was a sequela from the anesthesia three years ago or due to the severity of that injury. Every time he tried to force himself to recall what happened before he was sent to the operating room, he would get a migraine.
Finally, he decided not to torment himself and emptied his mind.
The laboratory was as busy as ever.
Unexpectedly, Shen Zhiyi was there too, sitting on the guest sofa, looking refined and gentle.
Upon seeing Zhou Qi’an, he smiled ambiguously, “Third-generation files, I believe Mr. Ying can help.”
However, before he finished speaking, his smile faded. Zhou Qi’an’s face was a bit pale; he clearly hadn’t slept well.
Ying Yu, dressed in simple work attire today, sat opposite them. “What third-generation?”
Zhou Qi’an knew Shen Zhiyi was teasing him and waved his hand, indicating it was nothing.
To collect props, they had to go to the archive room and sign for them personally. He had originally thought the archive room was a cushy job, but after following Ying Yu there, Zhou Qi’an discovered it was another scene of intense activity.
The archive room was divided into four sections, each with different responsibilities.
In Zone A, many people gathered under thousands of screens, simultaneously watching surveillance footage, while others were doing portrait simulations.
Zone B was mostly people typing on keyboards.
The remaining two zones were quite far apart, only visible as vague outlines. Ying Yu simply said, “To prevent certain things from running out through the channels.”
Zhou Qi’an knew he was referring to the laboratory’s traitors.
Without dwelling on that topic, Ying Yu changed the subject.
“This time, two props have been approved. You can decide which one to choose.”
Since only two props were approved, their value was self-evident. Zhou Qi’an carefully examined the two props Ying Yu placed on the table. Both had very distinctive designs. One was a small figure kneeling and holding an ancestral tablet. The moment he touched it, he was slightly startled.
[Substitute Grave: A stand-in for death.
Usage Guide: None.
Quality: Five Stars.]
The name and description were both very straightforward. Zhou Qi’an couldn’t help but touch it a couple more times. Good stuff! Vikas only survived the biogas explosion thanks to a substitute death prop. He immediately had high expectations for the other prop and reached out his hand towards the straw hat-style toy.
[Novice Protection Period: One-time prop. Select a rule, and you will have an 80% chance to be immune to it within a limited time.
Usage Guide: Use directly.
Quality: Five Stars.]
Zhou Qi’an looked at Shen Zhiyi. Shen Zhiyi actually wanted him to take both, but knowing Zhou Qi’an would refuse, he settled for, “You choose first.” Zhou Qi’an fell into contemplation. A moment later, he took the small straw hat.
The substitute death prop could only be used once. If one died without knowing the cause, reviving would be futile. But rule immunity was more flexible and could be very useful if used well, though the activation probability was a bit tricky.
Zhou Qi’an said, “These two props, judging by their descriptions, don’t seem to be developed by the laboratory.”
The Red Hood had mentioned that props produced by the Hidden House Laboratory would not have usage guides or quality ratings.
Ying Yu nodded. Of course, the laboratory couldn’t develop such heaven-defying items. He seemed to remember something.
“By the way, regarding what you asked me yesterday about whether there’s anything that can change appearance…”
“Cough cough.” Zhou Qi’an interrupted him with a series of dry coughs.
Shen Zhiyi’s gaze deepened.
Ying Yu was silent for two seconds, glancing at the opposite side. He was extremely perceptive and immediately understood that what Zhou Qi’an was inquiring about was related to Shen Zhiyi.
However, he had already spoken, and Shen Zhiyi must have already guessed. In the end, Ying Yu simply glossed over it: “I confirmed again later, the answer is the same.”
Next, the topic of props was actively moved past. Ying Yu adjusted his glasses. “Have you seen the hot posts on the forum?”
Shen Zhiyi had only checked private messages all day, still thinking about how to deal with Mu Tianbai.
As for Zhou Qi’an, needless to say, he only searched for posts with a specific purpose, ignoring all red and pinned ones. Seeing their expressions, Ying Yu knew the answer. “Take a look.”
Shen Zhiyi moved closer to Zhou Qi’an. “My phone’s dead.” So the two looked together. They clicked in and it was titled “Did Bro Cannon blow up the instance today?” The post was made on the day Zhou Qi’an recruited teammates, and the forum opened a discussion thread debating whether he would blow up the instance.
[Playing is playing, joking is joking, don’t mythologize a newcomer too much.]
[None of your business. I feel like he definitely blew it up. Ask me why, and I’ll say it’s behavioral inertia.]
A few days passed, and the post spanned several pages. What truly made it a hot topic was a reply posted yesterday:
[He blew it up, blew up the altar. If you don’t believe me, you can private message me. For a small amount of points, I’m willing to swear by a contract prop.]
Once this reply appeared, the post immediately became a hot topic.
[Quick, tell us, how did Cannon blow it up!]
[An altar, wow. It sounds ominous. Is our Bro Cannon still alive?]
…
Because the replier disappeared after dropping that one line, people were still asking questions in the post. Zhou Qi’an’s eyelids twitched. Clearly, everyone, without exception, believed he was the one who blew it up.
Ying Yu subtly reminded him, “It’s the next post.”
Zhou Qi’an pursed his lips and exited. “The next hot post is also about me.”
“The one after that.”
“Still me.”
“…”
The forum posts about the Newcomer King were quite popular.
Besides coming from players’ entertainment-to-death gossip, there was more curiosity about what secret he held. After all, the posts mentioned instance levels.
A newcomer repeatedly escaping high-difficulty instances unharmed simply defied logic.
If it weren’t for the extremely heaven-defying instance-blowing element, and the official deliberate misdirection of the hot topic, he might have long been associated with the Holy Artifact.
Zhou Qi’an scrolled down, finally finding what Ying Yu wanted him to see, located at the very bottom of the first page. Because he himself occupied a large amount of space, it was almost pushed off the homepage by reply count. Gradually, his expression became serious.
[Zinan New Village Library – Elevator Hall: The Mystery of Dozens of Elite Players Vanishing?]
[417 Provincial Road – Huagu Bus Station: Bodies are Piling Up.]
Zhou Qi’an had an impression of Zinan New Village Library. After the Holy Artifact appeared, it was one of the newly opened instance entrances.
He looked at Ying Yu, his tone serious, “I’m illiterate; please explain.” The amount of information about the game was vast, and Han Li’s experience summary skipped many details. Shen Zhiyi also looked illiterate, a perfect ten for his disguise.
“…” Ying Yu slowly began, “There are two ways to enter a instance. One is to take the staff bus through the misty tunnel. The second is to actively search for an entrance, which requires taking certain risks in advance, like Huagu Bus Station. All the bodies appearing on the highway mean they failed to successfully enter the game.”
Zhou Qi’an asked, “What’s the benefit?” Willingness to take risks implies a driving interest.
Ying Yu slowly said, “Staff.”
After waiting a moment with no continuation, Zhou Qi’an blinked, curious why he stopped mid-sentence, and couldn’t help but ask again. Ying Yu patiently answered completely, “Avoiding the staff.”
Zhou Qi’an still held his breath, waiting for more.
A minute passed, then two. In the third minute, he finally realized, saying incredibly, “That’s it?” What kind of benefit was that? Zhou Qi’an almost put on a “shocked beyond belief” emoji.
Shen Zhiyi poured him a glass of water to calm him down. Zhou Qi’an sipped the rim of the cup. As the aroma of tea filled his mouth, he chuckled dryly, “I didn’t mean to discriminate against the staff.”
He just accidentally ignored them. In fact, he should have felt fear towards the staff.
In the first instance, Mr. Si’s goal was the Holy Artifact, and then he disguised himself as an NPC, attempting to turn the Holy Artifact holder into a puppet.
In the second instance, Zhou Qi’an still didn’t know he was being monitored by the Minotaur to analyze his thinking habits. Miss Shen, even more so, had extremely high participation in the instance, wanting to dictate things as a person in charge. His starting point was too high, with three major mountains constantly pressing on him, making him somewhat slow in this regard. After stabbing Mr. Si once with the golden trident, Zhou Qi’an had completely “broken the myth” about the staff.
Shen Zhiyi looked at Ying Yu, casually asking, “Besides that, are there no other benefits?”
Ying Yu, “Not really a benefit, but during the mission, the activity map won’t be restricted.”
Zhou Qi’an, “Can I run wild all over the world like a monkey?”
Ying Yu felt he was implying Miss Shen, but had no evidence.
“More or less. For example, if the mission location is a school, you can also go to places outside the school, but…”
Ying Yu narrowed his eyes, saying somewhat meaningfully, “It’s hard to say if you can come back after going there.”
The places you go might be haunted, you might encounter supernatural events, or it might be very safe. “Also, no matter where you go, you must return to the system-designated location before midnight.”
Zhou Qi’an generally understood. “I see.”
After explaining the basic questions, Ying Yu pressed a button on the table, and the driver who drove him brought two documents. Zhou Qi’an first read about the Zinan New Village Library.
The library would be covered by mist three times a day. When the mist descended, one could reach the instance by taking the elevator from the library. This instance was initially explored by the Black Demon Society.
At that time, they hadn’t been abandoned by the laboratory for breach of contract. It wasn’t until two days ago that news broke out about more than thirty members of the Black Demon Society going down, with no survivors.
“So many people died, and they’re still sending players in,” Zhou Qi’an sensed something unusual. The other one was even more absurd. At least players entered the instance at Zinan New Village Library.
On Provincial Road 417, after each heavy fog dissipated, only a pile of bodies remained. The documents included photos of the cleared bodies. All the deceased had uniformly wide eyes, their despair seemingly frozen in that instant.
The strangest thing was that the expressions of death on these players were strikingly consistent, and there were no wounds found on their bodies. It was as if their lives were instantly stripped away. This defied logic. Under normal circumstances, even with the greatest terror, players would put up some defense before dying.
Zhou Qi’an asked, “Are we supposed to team up to clear the instance?” Otherwise, there would be no need to show him these.
Ying Yu shook his head. “I have other matters recently; I’m just giving you a heads-up.” Just restarting the traitor investigation was enough to overwhelm him.
“So far, the instances you’ve entered are numbered [0814], [12814], [33814], and [42814].” The instance numbers were in inconspicuous places on the ticket, and Zhou Qi’an hadn’t paid much attention to them before. However, he wasn’t surprised that Ying Yu knew all his instance numbers. The Red Cloak had proactively brought a message, and both of them had entered two instances together. As for the instance where the Holy Artifact’s number was revealed, it had already been exposed on the forum.
“These two instances wouldn’t happen to also end in 814, would they?”
Ying Yu nodded, “One of them definitely is. The Black Demon Society once sent a distress signal through a special method. The other one is highly likely.” Both were newly opened instance entrances and appeared abnormal around the same time. The probability of it being a coincidence was small.
Mid-sentence, the driver who had just delivered the documents whispered a few words. “Please wait,” Ying Yu left for a moment. With only the two of them left, Zhou Qi’an suddenly said while looking at the documents, “The Holy Artifact just happened to be hidden in the only low-difficulty instance.” It felt a bit like an invitation.
Shen Zhiyi calmly changed the subject. “Strange things aren’t limited to just one. With Ying Yu’s strength, he should have finished his evolution by now, yet he’s still in the lab.”
Zhou Qi’an’s attention was caught. Once evolution begins, a prolonged interruption can lead to the degeneration of other organs. Ying Yu was young and strong, unrelated to degeneration. How did he manage to have his cake and eat it too?
Twenty minutes later, Ying Yu returned. Zhou Qi’an thought for a moment and didn’t ask too many questions. Everyone has their privacy; it’s normal for everyone to have reservations. He pulled out the second document, related to Provincial Road 417. “Can I take it?”
Ying Yu nodded. His specific reminder implied he anticipated Zhou Qi’an choosing to enter the instance during the holiday to ensure he could return to work on time. Based on the previous numbering pattern and the uniqueness of the Holy Artifact holder, Zhou Qi’an would likely be matched with these two instances even if he didn’t choose.
“I recommend you choose the library,” Ying Yu glanced at the driver who had come in with him.
“All the players on Provincial Road 417 died at the entrance. The danger and strangeness are quite high,” the driver said directly. “And according to newly received information, some overseas players want to smuggle themselves into this instance and are contacting domestic associations. Not long ago, someone on the forum was recruiting for a high-point team, hoping to use props that lower their presence to be ignored by the strange entities and enter the instance directly at the moment the mist descends.”
“This is just a part of it. More elite players are expected to try entering this instance in the next two days.” Zhou Qi’an heard a sense of “each trying their own best” and frowned. “Just to avoid the staff?” Was he crazy, or had the world gone mad?
The driver shook his head. “It is said that some divination-type players figured something out, and the laboratory isn’t going to get involved this time.” The fact that players were flocking in suggested that what was divined was likely something that could greatly enhance individual strength, similar to the Holy Artifact. The laboratory never risked enhancing individual variables; they might as well explore other instances with that effort.
Divination? Zhou Qi’an slightly raised an eyebrow. There were probably other reasons. If something truly significant was divined, it wouldn’t become common knowledge.
Ying Yu then spoke again. “Currently, those attempting to enter Provincial Road 417 have made full preparations. You…”
Zhou Qi’an said, “I’ll have my mom drive me.”
“…” Ying Yu thought of the eighty-one sinkholes. Oh, then it’s fine.
Leaving the lab, Zhou Qi’an stretched in the mist. The world’s anomalies were becoming more intense. To be safe, he still needed to officially register his mother as a regular player.
Shen Zhiyi walked quietly beside him. He knew Zhou Qi’an would focus on other crises next, and suspicions about his own identity would be put aside. Human power is limited; sometimes, this is a good thing.
After stretching his limbs, Zhou Qi’an opened his forum private messages and muttered to himself, “Why hasn’t Mu Tianbai replied yet?” Shen Zhiyi’s expression remained unchanged, and he didn’t respond.
Suddenly, a faint voice came from beside his ear. “Why aren’t you asking me who Mu Tianbai is?” I was careless!
Shen Zhiyi’s footsteps paused. As he turned his head, three words were clearly written on Zhou Qi’an’s face: You’re done for. There had to be a connection between these two; otherwise, Shen Zhiyi would definitely have dug for answers about the name.
Shen Zhiyi thought of a perfect excuse and was about to salvage the situation, but Zhou Qi’an didn’t give him a chance to speak. He called the college student. “Get ready, we’re going to the instance the day after tomorrow.”
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Qi’an acted as if nothing had happened, smiling. “Do you want to come along?” After spending time together, the fox’s tail always shows. He wanted to see what Shen Zhiyi was hiding from him. Knowing the test within the invitation, yet unable to refuse the joy of entering the instance together, Shen Zhiyi nodded. “Yes.”
After his heavy hit on Shen Zhiyi, Zhou Qi’an left satisfied. Back home, Mother Zhou had returned and seemed to be in a good mood. Zhou Qi’an quickly walked over, meekly saying, “Mom, about that third-generation thing, ordinary people probably wouldn’t think highly of me. How about we look in places like that again… The local customs vary, and people there might not mind these things too much.”
Mother Zhou, who was taking care of her hair, stopped. “Places like that?”
Zhou Qi’an glanced at the portable oil barrel in the corner of the wall, hinting, “Just those kinds of places.” He began enthusiastically describing Provincial Road 417, of course omitting the game part. Recently, there had been frequent corpses on the highway, and there were already some discussions online. After recounting it, Zhou Qi’an said, “Let’s go for a stroll. Maybe we can even play hero and save a beauty along the way, settling my lifelong affairs directly.” Mother Zhou seemed to be swayed and meticulously reapplied hair cream. “Alright then.”
Thursday morning, a bright sunny day. The Rabbit Bus was cleaned very thoroughly, its two rabbit ears looking adorably clumsy. Sunlight streamed in through the transparent windows, and at first glance, the atmosphere inside the bus seemed very warm.
Zhou Qi’an woke up early, sitting not too far from the driver’s seat. He was looking down at his phone. Not long ago, Ying Yu had sent him a message: [Several members of the Little Red Riding Hood Association once tried to enter the Provincial Road 417 instance. Their whereabouts are still unknown. Not only that, the number of missing people from various associations is far greater than the bodies found on the highway.]
The words “whereabouts unknown” truly resonated. The people were most likely dead. If the instance had already been cleared, then the entrance to Provincial Road 417 would have closed. Where did the missing bodies go?
Zhou Qi’an secretly kept this in mind. He looked up and said, “Mom, stop in the city center.” He carefully chose his words. “I have two friends waiting there, specifically to be atmosphere enhancers. If we meet suitable people, one can contribute the wedding money and the other can be the emcee.” Mother Zhou only cared if the city center was on the way; if it wasn’t, she wouldn’t pick them up, as it would waste gas.
“Of course, it’s on the way,” Zhou Qi’an guaranteed.
There weren’t many people in the city center. Zhou Qi’an had sent the meeting point early, and Shen Zhiyi and the others had already arrived. Shen Zhiyi was wearing black trousers and a light jacket today, looking exceptionally refined. The college student beside him kept glancing at the object in Shen Zhiyi’s hand, wanting to ask about it but afraid of being ignored.
“This is…” Finally, mustering his courage, he spoke, but before he finished, the college student’s pupils constricted in shock. Although Zhou Qi’an had told him that Mr. Si’s car was at his house when he asked him to steal oil, seeing it with his own eyes was another matter entirely. The bus driving towards them had too strong a visual impact, too shocking, causing him to forget how he even got on. Afterward, Shen Zhiyi also boarded.
Monsters possess an instinct to devour their own kind. Zhou Qi’an watched the doorway closely, ready to mediate immediately if his mother and Shen Zhiyi started any friction.
“Hello, Auntie,” Shen Zhiyi said after boarding, looking at the face that resembled Zhou Qi’an somewhat, and smiled gently. “Nice to meet you. Please accept this small token of my regard.” A red gift box was presented with both hands, the very object the college student had been curious about earlier. Mother Zhou opened the gift box and briefly looked… or rather, sniffed. After a moment, she naturally closed it again and put it aside. The gift box was sealed tightly once more, and Zhou Qi’an had missed the chance to see what was inside. However, the gift was clearly well-received. Mother Zhou’s usually self-moving, terrifying hair, which had been agitated upon seeing Shen Zhiyi, now returned to its normal state.
Zhou Qi’an could only ask Shen Zhiyi, “What did you give her?”
Shen Zhiyi, “Some nourishing supplements, suitable for all ages.” Shadow went to pick up the goods overnight.
“…” Don’t easily speak for the elderly and children.
The bus drove through the city center, heading west. The college student, sitting alone in the back, imagined a grand drama: Zhou Ge’s biological mother might be an old player, no wonder he dared to steal cars and rob tombs.
Outside the city, it became increasingly quiet, with no one in sight. Zhou Qi’an opened his phone’s navigation. They were less than two kilometers from Provincial Road 417. It was so quiet that the sound of the tires rolling on the ground seemed greatly muffled. This silence instantly made him feel as if he was back in Fengshui Village at night, with the clouds in the sky exuding a sense of solidified stillness.
“Only 1 kilometer remaining to destination,” his phone prompted. The entrance to the highway ahead was vaguely mixed with wisps of black smoke in the mist. As the Rabbit Bus approached, Zhou Qi’an faintly heard various sounds: joy, anger, sorrow, and crying, all turning into piercing screams in an instant. Mother Zhou remained unperturbed, accelerating the bus towards the intersection.
Author’s Notes (Irresponsible Mini-Theater):
Zhou Qi’an: What are you reading lately?
Shen Zhiyi: One Hundred Principles a Human Live-in Son-in-Law Needs to Understand.
Zhou Qi’an: …Who even writes this kind of stuff?
Zhou Qi’an: And what else?
Shen Zhiyi: On How a Couple Can Live a Lifetime Without Trust, Qi’an, it says it very well inside. Trust is always relative. Sometimes, concealment is an expression of deeper love.
Zhou Qi’an: …
