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Ping An Asylum [End]
Chapter 190: Backhand [Supplement]
Wen Jianyan stood alone in the dark room. His clothes were still half-wet, with large patches of blood splattered from the neckline, diluted by water. His hair was casually swept back, revealing a clean forehead.
In front of him stood the motionless “priest,” now turned into a dried corpse.
It stood rigidly on the altar, its skeletal face staring fixedly into the darkness.
The air was thick with moist vapor, carrying a faint yet unsettling smell of blood.
Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes, casting a deep shadow with his eyelashes.
He was contemplating.
Having undergone the first two sacraments, Shao Yao had become a clergy member and had lost the qualification to complete the final sacrament. Additionally, she was the only female member of the team, so their situation had become particularly dire.
As Shao Yao left the altar to exchange positions with other teammates, Wen Jianyan speculated that Blond would likely take her place. After all, his combat strength was not high, and his replacement would not significantly impact the overall situation.
Regardless, all his conjectures and theories related to the final sacrament would have to wait until his task partner arrived to verify them.
If they were lucky, the ceremony might not require a specific gender, allowing it to be completed smoothly.
But if luck wasn’t on their side…
Wen Jianyan would be left with only one option: to “deceive” the recognition mechanism of the instance, making it mistakenly believe that one of them was female.
However, the mechanism of the instance was unclear. He could purchase all the props that might interfere with the system’s judgment and try each one. Since completing the previous audience reward task, his point balance has been ample, and with the ongoing backstage tips, these small expenses were negligible to him.
But the problem was…
They were running out of time.
Wen Jianyan glanced at the countdown, lips pursed.
Their margin for error was too low.
Although exhaustive enumeration was feasible, the cost was too high for him to bear.
Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes. Pausing for a moment, he pulled out the thin piece of parchment from his pocket.
As if sensing his consciousness, lines of black ink appeared on it, resembling the silent whispers of a demon.
The choices before him were fraught with danger, yet there were no other options.
He took a slow, deep breath.
Just as Wen Jianyan was focusing on the paper in his hand, suddenly, he heard an unfamiliar noise from outside the darkroom—it was completely different from the sounds of the recent undead attack.
There was a momentary silence.
The scratching sounds made by the undead through the thin walls and the half-open door had completely vanished, and even his teammates hadn’t made a sound.
“…?!”
Wen Jianyan was startled. He quickly closed the system panel and turned his head toward the door of the dark room, his instinct for danger buzzing in his ears, sounding an alarm.
Had something happened?
Or…
Was there an unexpected situation?
A strange, ominous premonition gripped him.
Wen Jianyan felt a strong sense of unease.
He squinted, his expression solemn as he pondered for a moment before ultimately lightening his footsteps and cautiously moving toward the entrance of the dark room.
***
In the underground tomb.
Su Cheng, Luce, and several others gradually recovered from their shock and stupor, slowly digesting the current situation.
Obviously, Wen Jianyan’s plan had worked. The instance had indeed begun the process of “creating a god.”
As the Ouroboros took shape, the entire “Ping An Asylum” began to connect from start to finish. These high-risk patients were also the core of the entire plan, the crucial “7”. Therefore, as the progress advanced, they would appear in the core area of the instance. Although unexpected, it was logical—even though the situation was supposed to develop like this, each of them was unwilling to think in that direction.
With the appearance of several high-risk patients, the scratching sounds of the undead outside the door suddenly quieted down.
The tattered wooden door that was broken into several pieces hung loosely on its hinges and was loosely open behind them. Inside the dark and deep tunnel, there was dead silence, as if the ferocious undead had vanished into thin air.
In a sense, this was also a blessing in disguise amidst misfortune.
However…
This eerie silence didn’t reassure them.
It was like the brief calm before a storm, where beneath the seemingly peaceful surface, there lurked unseen surges, waiting for a moment to come.
Suddenly, Su Cheng’s gaze fell on Shao Yao not far away.
He first froze, then instantly realized something, his heart skipping a beat —
Wait, isn’t the last sacrament marriage?
Shao Yao being here now meant that only Wen Jianyan was left in the dark room.
Whether in the real world or in this instance, “marriage” required at least two people—had something unexpected happen with the last sacrament? Was that why Shao Yao had to leave the dark room?
And… what was she shouting just now?
The scene just now flashed through his mind. Su Cheng was startled, and his eyes fell on Blond beside him. He saw the other party standing blankly, with black and red blood still on his face, looking stunned.
Let Blond enter the dark room? But why?
At that moment, one of the high-risk patients spoke up, breaking the current silence.
“So, do you know where we are?”
Mars turned his head, staring at Dr. Reese not far away with those gray, emotionless eyes.
“Of course.”
Dr. Reese stepped out of the coffin, leisurely adjusting his glasses. His snake-like green eyes scanned around the room through the lenses. “But it’s not just me. You all know where we are.”
“This is the place of our birth,” he paused, smiling. “…and also the land of death.”
The air fell into a brief silence, and each high-risk patient wore a pensive expression on their face. Even Edward, the simplest-minded among them, didn’t utter any arrogant words in response.
“…”
Nearby, the group of anchors exchanged glances, seeing the same uncertain expression in each other’s eyes.
Obviously, these high-risk patients didn’t attack them as they had in the Ping An Asylum before. 01 had just casually crushed a nearby undead, and their current attitude was more like… indifference.
Even their previous hostility had disappeared, leaving behind only pure indifference.
01’s actions were not motivated by altruism or a willingness to help; it just happened to see them and dealt with the nuisance.
Moreover…
Whether it was their imagination or not, there seemed to be a subtle change in the attitudes between these patients.
Although they still couldn’t be considered friendly toward each other, there was a strange sense of harmony and understanding, especially at that moment.
The expressions on their faces seemed to be carved from the same mold…
Although they had no similarities in eye color, hair color, or facial features, for some reason, both their gazes and expressions carried a strange sense of synchronicity.
This scene truly sent shivers down one’s spine.
***
Upon seeing the scene outside the dark room, Wen Jianyan’s scalp went numb.
F*ck.
Although he had considered the possibility of these people appearing during the process, the timing couldn’t be worse!
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[I can’t believe it!!! They’re all here!!!]
[This just got really interesting, hahahaha!]
[It seems like the anchor really can’t escape now. They’re all here, and it’s a closed space. Plus, he’s in the middle of the final sacrament process right now…]
[I really can’t guess how this will develop! Help!]
[Speaking of which, isn’t anyone curious why the anchor chose such an extreme path? This is about creating a god, not building a raft. Although this can definitely destroy the instance, it feels like there will be significant consequences. Isn’t he afraid of completing the mission but ending up dead himself?]
Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes, instinctively pursing his lips. The already pale color of his lips, due to blood loss, now seemed even paler.
His mind raced, trying to find a solution to the dilemma.
Perhaps… there was still a glimmer of hope for success.
Regardless, he had to try.
Wen Jianyan was always remarkably proactive. The moment he made a decision, he wasted no time getting to work.
Quick, methodical, and full of purpose.
As he was arranging and preparing for his plan, a familiar sound echoed behind him; it was the sound of dripping water.
“Drip, drip.”
In the darkness, it felt as though soft tendrils were seeping in through the cracks in the bricks, emitting eerie, sticky noises.
The sound was so familiar that even without turning around, he knew exactly what was happening.
“…”
Wen Jianyan’s spine stiffened.
He turned around slowly, casting his gaze toward his back.
In the dim light of the sanctuary, crimson neurons wriggled in the air, rapidly condensing to form the shape of a human figure. Soon, a familiar figure began to take form.
Tall, handsome, and broken—his body resembled a porcelain vase shattered from a height, revealing the contours of muscles and bones through the broken edges.
In the shadow behind him stood the stiff “priest,” resembling a corpse.
The sanctuary, darkness, the corpse-like priest, and the humanoid figure composed of neurons—what was once a sacred and devout religious ritual was now twisted and tainted, appearing like a scene from a nightmare.
05 stood before the altar, gazing fixedly at Wen Jianyan with his golden eyes. He slowly raised a completed hand, his thin, incomplete lips moving up and down.
Due to the lack of vocal cords, he made no sound.
However, Wen Jianyan vividly understood the intention behind his actions.
【MARRY】
***
“Since you remember, it’s easy to handle.”
Uris sat on the coffin lid, staring fixedly at Dr. Reese not far away, a faint casual smile playing at the corners of his lips. His dark chocolate-like eyes narrowed slightly, and his posture relaxed.
He leaned forward slightly, his voice deep and carrying a hint of an almost excited tremor:
“Where is he hiding?”
The identity of the “he” was self-evident.
Su Cheng’s heart skipped a beat.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer to that.” Dr. Reese regretfully shook his head.
He raised his hand and lightly tapped his temple. “I, like all of you, underwent some memory processing before coming here.”
With a meaningful glance toward Edward not far away, Dr. Reese added, “It’s just that my IQ is slightly higher than some people.”
“…”
The tall, blond man narrowed his eyes dangerously, looking like a restless beast about to pounce. The atmosphere tensed up again, thick with the smell of gunpowder.
Not far away, Su Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems these guys didn’t know about the dark room…
Which was one of the few good things in this situation.
As far as he remembered, the dark room was well hidden. Even Wen Jianyan had fumbled around for it for a long time when he was looking for it. Especially now, with the layout of the entire underground tomb becoming more complicated and shrouded in darkness, even he couldn’t accurately locate the hidden door from such a distance. He could only grasp the general direction.
“Well then, why don’t we ask our friend here?”
The clear voice of the youth sounded.
Su Cheng’s heart skipped a beat, and he turned sharply toward the direction of the voice, meeting Niel’s clear blue eyes.
The seemingly harmless white-haired youth stood to the side, calmly and gently gazing in that direction. His smile was gentle but inexplicably chilling.
He smiled:
“I think they might know the answer.”
“!!”
A strong sense of crisis hit Su Cheng. His scalp tingled, and he almost felt the urge to retreat.
He suppressed his physiological reaction and forced himself to meet Niel’s gaze. He gritted his teeth, and prepared himself for defiance:
“Bah! I don’t—”
However, before Su Cheng’s voice fell, a burst of rapid and panicked footsteps came from the direction of the dark room, breaking the deathly silence in the entire underground tomb.
“! “
Su Cheng’s pupils shrank, and he subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound.
Along with the sound of debris being knocked over, a young man in a mess appeared in everyone’s field of vision. As if being chased by something, Wen Jianyan stumbled into the light.
At that moment, everyone’s eyes fell on him.
The air became stagnant.
“…”
Oops.
Su Cheng’s vision went dark for a moment, and he almost fainted from anger.
Why on earth would you come out now?!
Weren’t you supposed to be clever?! Why the sudden foolishness now?!
Now, even the anchors who are trying to reduce their presence and stay away from the dispute could feel the instant change in the atmosphere on the field.
It was like a drop of blood falling into a shark pool and spreading in the deep, ink-like water.
Hungry beasts smell the scent of blood.
A strong chemical reaction burned in everyone’s eyes, and the contempt and indifference shown previously were eliminated.
It was swept away, leaving only a rising and frightening enthusiasm.
Even though they knew this emotion wasn’t directed at them, the anchors still breathed heavily, captivated by their own biological instincts, subconsciously retreating backward.
“Shit.”
Not far away, the young man suddenly stopped.
He looked around, gritted his teeth, and cursed in a low voice. Then his expression became even more ugly.
His partially wet protective clothing was stained with blood, clinging to his body, revealing a hint of his solid chest and slender waist. Due to excessive blood loss, his complexion appeared particularly pale. With his hair swept back, his features were exposed. A few strands of damp hair, disheveled from the recent running, fell messily in front of his eyes. His pupils contracted as he stared at the underground tomb in front of him, his breathing irregular and rapid.
He seemed like an herbivorous animal that had wandered into a hunting ground—white, soft, completely defenseless, exuding a warm and sweet fragrance of vulnerability.
“Perfect for you.”
Mars, the one closest to Wen Jianyan, smiled. He walked towards Wen Jianyan, his gaze falling on the sudden change in the color of Wen Jianyan’s hair. He first seemed surprised, then his smile deepened.
“No one suits this color better than you.”
Pure, white, and holy.
Extremely…
Suitable for getting dirty.
Under such explicit sight, the other party took a step back as if frightened.
However, the next second, he stopped suddenly and glanced hastily into the darkness, as if he was wary of something.
Drip, drip.
The faint, vague sound of water came from the darkness, echoing between the stone walls.
As if sensing a presence strikingly similar to his own, the six of them narrowed their eyes and simultaneously looked into the darkness.
Drip, drip.
The sound of dripping water echoed in the vast space.
As the sound became clearer and closer, a tall, fragmented figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
It was 05.
The other anchors had never seen him before. At most, they had only heard a brief description from Wen Jianyan. But when they saw his appearance, everyone couldn’t help but take a breath.
This… was definitely not what normal humans should look like.
Like a puppet devoid of emotions and cognitive abilities, 05 scanned over his several “brothers” and “prisoners” expressionlessly. In the half-preserved eye, there was not a trace of emotion belonging to a normal living being.
The entire underground tomb fell into silence, the pressure from the confrontation filling the air, oppressive to the point of making it difficult to breathe.
Until suddenly…
Wen Jianyan moved.
Without warning, it happened suddenly.
Taking advantage of everyone’s attention being focused on 05, he seized the opportunity, like a rabbit desperate to escape, and rushed forward abruptly—
In that instant, everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.
However, whether it was due to being overwhelmed by fear or not, Wen Jianyan did not run toward the passage leading out of the tomb. Instead, he dashed in the opposite direction, away from the high-risk area!
His failure was almost inevitable.
“Are you really prepared to leave like this?”
The tan-skinned, brown-eyed 02 spoke with a smile, leaning in closer.
Using some method unknown to the others, he blinked and appeared in front of Wen Jianyan from his previous position, effortlessly blocking his path.
He made a wounded expression: “After what you did to me?”
Wen Jianyan: “What did I do to you?”
“Let me think…” 02 pretended to ponder, “You tried to kill me while claiming to cooperate…”
He raised two fingers. “Twice.”
02 blinked at Wen Jianyan.
“Does that count?”
“You used illusions to deceive us, didn’t you?” Wen Jianyan calmly responded, subtly distancing himself from the other party as he spoke.
“That was just the first time,” 02 shrugged, smiling lightly like a lazy cat. “The second time wasn’t. The second time was a declaration of love.”
Wen Jianyan: “…”
02 silently watched as his prey tried to escape, but he didn’t stop him. A confident smile played on his lips, as if he knew Wen Jianyan couldn’t escape.
In the next moment, a rushing wind sound came from behind, and Wen Jianyan’s mind sounded intense alarm bells. He spun around but before he could react, he was tackled! Strong, muscular arms wrapped around his waist from behind, and a heavy, furry head leaned in.
“This guy can be annoying, but sometimes, he’s not entirely wrong.” A scorching breath sprayed in Wen Jianyan’s ear, and the warmth of the other person’s chest pressed against his back.
Wen Jianyan froze.
Even without turning his head, he knew who it was.
“Darling, you’ve done a lot to me.”
01 rested his chin on Wen Jianyan’s shoulder, his burning blue eyes staring at the young man’s stiff profile. His chest trembled with laughter. “My abdominal scar is still there. Want to feel it?”
“…”
Clearly, he was referring to the incident where Wen Jianyan tempted 01 into self-harm.
If it weren’t for this guy’s terrifying regenerative abilities, he would have been gutted and lying in the corridors of the Ping An Asylum by now.
“Look.”
02 smiled, walking up leisurely, and grabbed Wen Jianyan’s wrist. “You’ve done so much. Why would you think…”
His fingers traced Wen Jianyan’s delicate wrist bone, snaking up his arm.
“…you just slip away without making any compensation?”
“!!!”
Wen Jianyan gasped, trying to struggle, but all his resistance turned into nothingness, immobilizing him in place.
“Let go!”
He gritted his teeth, angrily shouting.
“…How could that be possible?”
The crisp, smiling voice of the youth came from the side.
Two identical twins, one with white hair and blue eyes, the other with black hair and black eyes, approached from the side, wearing the same paranoid and joyful expression on their faces.
“Little bunny, we’ve caught you this time.”
Niel smiled as he leaned in, gently grasping Wen Jianyan’s other hand and brushing his palm with his cold, soft cheek.
As he spoke, his clear blue eyes fixed on Wen Jianyan, his voice gentle but like a curse, “Once we catch you, you’re ours.”
“Yeah,” Lore tilted his face up shamelessly, snuggling into Wen Jianyan’s embrace. “Little bunny, you said we would be together forever, didn’t you?”
“You promised me.”
He bared his sharp wolf-like teeth, “Promises must be kept.”
Mars walked over with steady steps. He looked calm, but his gray eyes were ignited with the same fervor and desire.
“quid pro quo.” (Equivalent exchange.)
“Our last deal isn’t over yet, my muse.”
The “Integrity First” live broadcast room was in an uproar. All the viewers were excited without exception. The barrage of comments flooded the screen, almost completely blocking it.
[Aaaaaaahhh!]
[Aaaaaaahhh! The long-awaited scene has finally appeared!!!]
[So exciting, really thrilling!!]
[Oh oh oh! Hurry up and get him!]
[Hehehehe the scammer finally crashed completely. Hahahahaha, although the live broadcast room may be permanently closed afterward, I still have to say, it’s worth it!]
[Hahahahaha that’s right!]
Do they love Wen Jianyan? Without a doubt, yes.
They love this person passionately.
Wrapped in beautiful skin was a brand new, struggling, unwilling soul that always made the instance more interesting, and brought about more unpredictable changes that exceeded all their expectations, making the live broadcast exciting, and satisfying their curiosity and ambition.
They were willing to generate traffic for him, reward him with points, offer him praise, and criticize each other for him, even if it meant elevating him to godlike status, it didn’t matter.
But if they could burn this skin, destroy this soul, they would be doubly fervent and excited. They were high and mighty spectators, insatiable gourmets, craving entertainment, yearning to be thrilled.
Everything in the live broadcast room was the blood feast they greedily consumed.
Will the live broadcast room be permanently closed?
Ah, what a pity.
But it’s worth it.
In the blink of an eye, Wen Jianyan was surrounded by several people, his arms, shoulders, and waist each embraced and caressed by different hands.
He was imprisoned, and he couldn’t escape.
The lies he told and the evil he planted in this instance were now being returned to him without exception.
The victims gathered together and asked him to make amends in another way.
“I see you’re getting along well now,”
Wen Jianyan’s clothes became disheveled in the struggle, and his pale skin was flushed with a sickly hue.
He gave a brief smile, the facade of composure hiding underlying panic. His amber eyes were restless, darting from one person to another, as if still hoping, searching for an opportunity to escape. “What? No more infighting?”
“Of course not.”
02 gazed at him with sweet chocolate-like eyes. “I must say, your method of trying to kill me was quite clever, but… it won’t work anymore.”
He affectionately rubbed against Wen Jianyan’s ear, “You see… some of us just hadn’t realized before that sharing is the only solution, but now, they’ve all come to understand.”
The smile on 02’s face became even more apparent, the direction things were heading was exactly to his liking.
“No.”
Niel lifted his head from Wen Jianyan’s palm, wearing the same pleased smile as 02, “This was meant to be exclusive.”
He murmured contentedly.
“Exactly.” Mars stepped forward, bending down to grasp Wen Jianyan’s calf, kissing his knee:
“Unique.”
He murmured.
It was both sharing and exclusivity.
Pairs of eyes lifted, staring at the young man before them, golden threads shimmering in different irises, becoming increasingly vivid.
We are one.
“Do you feel it?”
Reese withdrew his gaze, turning to look at the incomplete 05 in front of him with golden-green eyes, softly saying, “Do you understand?”
“The spoils always belong to us.”
“…”
Hearing this, Wen Jianyan was startled and lowered his eyes slightly.
In that brief moment, those distinct feelings of panic quickly faded from his face.
The young man was immersed in his own thoughts, and his pale face was immersed in shadows, looking distant and cold, almost to the point of being inhumane.
It was as if he had forgotten his current situation—tightly surrounded, unable to break free, with no possibility of escape.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room, the audience’s heightened emotions and fervent, almost unbearable ideas and imaginations were momentarily suppressed, causing a brief stagnation in the atmosphere of the entire live broadcast room.
[Wait, is it just me? Why does he look so calm?]
[Is there a trick up his sleeve? It shouldn’t be possible, right?]
[I remember he’s used up almost all his props, wait—]
After listening to Dr. Reese’s words, 05 bearing the face of “Wu Zhu” blinked.
He seemed convinced.
05 took a step forward, walking calmly to Wen Jianyan’s side.
Dr. Reese slightly leaned to the side, making way without intervening. He narrowed his snake-like eyes, gazing steadily at the scene with a hint of pleasure playing on his lips.
05, with one eye missing and the other intact, stared at the young man before him, slowly raising his hand towards Wen Jianyan’s face.
Suddenly, Wen Jianyan raised his eyes and looked back at him. The lines of his eyes were clear and delicate, with a hint of deceptive gentleness, but the slight upward curve at the corners slightly undermined that softness.
He smiled suddenly.
“In response to your question earlier, my answer is yes.”
【Ability activated, Fruit of Lies consumed】
【Success rate of lie: 50/100】
Underneath his snowy lashes, a gleam of light flashed. His almost tea-colored pupils were tinged with deep, unfathomable shadows.
“So…”
Wen Jianyan paused, smiling lightly.
“For the sake of your future wife, you would do anything, wouldn’t you?”
The ten-sided die rolled rapidly in the air.
【1/50】
【Critical success】
05 froze, his fingertips abruptly stopping a few centimeters from Wen Jianyan’s cheek.
Drop, drip.
Crimson neurons branched out, but instead of reaching toward Wen Jianyan, they wrapped around the other high-risk patients!
His attack came without warning, catching the others off guard. Wen Jianyan seized the opportunity, breaking free in the chaos. In just a few seconds, the situation became chaotic!
Wen Jianyan agilely dodged to the side, the extremely disheveled appearance from just moments ago seemed like some kind of illusory disguise, disappearing without a trace in an instant.
A few seconds ago, he was trapped and struggling, but now the young man stood on the side, having shaken off the predicament. He tidied his disheveled clothes, slightly flexed his stiff joints, then looked towards the shattered human figures not far away, a faint smile on his lips, revealing a hint of white teeth.
“Carry on, my dear.”
As he spoke, he raised his hand, running his fingers through his tousled soft hair, with red marks still visible on his wrist from where it had been tightly grasped.
As he smoothed his hair back, his sharply defined features and the casual curve of his lips were revealed.
“…See how they treat your wife?”
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Oh, I knew it! The anchor still has his ability left unused.]
[Absolutely, now was the perfect time to use it! This opportunity was golden!]
[Oh no, is the scene I was looking forward to gone now?]
[Wait, wait! Do you seriously think the anchor succeeded just like that? He only managed to break free temporarily; he’s still facing all the danger. I bet he won’t make it out!]
“Tsk.”
Dr. Reese shook his head lightly. He seemed unsurprised by 05’s sudden betrayal, just somewhat disappointed.
“So, that’s it? That’s a shame.”
He smiled, with little warmth in his eyes, calmly raising his hand to grasp the neurons that had attacked him fiercely, then suddenly retracting it.
The neurons were tightly clamped down, unable to move forward in the slightest.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[!]
[Wow, is the doctor really that powerful in battle?]
[I think it’s not just about battle power. Remember, Dr. Reese was responsible for the 05 project in the special scenario before, and he’s the only one in the entire Ping An Asylum who wasn’t locked in the cell. He definitely has some privileges.]
[Yeah, it’s probably some kind of balancing mechanism in the entire instance.]
The air suddenly became tense, with a strong and pungent smell of gunpowder spreading.
[If it were before, as the embodiment of Ping An Asylum, 05 might have been able to hold out a bit longer against the other six, but now this instance is nearing its end. The entire hospital has been mostly destroyed, so it’s absolutely impossible to succeed against six opponents.]
[Yeah, in my opinion, what the anchor is doing right now is just a desperate struggle. He can only briefly gain freedom, but he won’t be able to overturn the situation.]
[That’s right, especially since the countdown for the main mission is about to end. The final task hasn’t even been completed yet. The ‘marriage’ he’s using his talent for is being achieved without an altar and a priest, so it won’t be recognized as a sacrament by the system. Even if he succeeds, it will only be effective for a minute before the ability expires and disappears.]
[Tsk tsk, it’s hard to stand alone.]
[But… why does he look completely calm?]
[So what is he doing now?]
Wen Jianyan reached out and opened the live broadcast interface, his eyes lowered, fixed on the void of the screen. Whether it was the particularly lively barrage of discussions or the intense battle not far away, it seemed that none of it could grab even a bit of his attention.
It’s as if… none of this has been his focus from the beginning.
Wen Jianyan’s lips moved, as if silently reciting something.
[Wait! I see it now after zooming in, he’s counting down!]
[Huh? Counting down to what?]
[I don’t know!]
The entire studio fell into confusion.
Suddenly, some of the viewers in the Integrity First live broadcast room seemed to suddenly realize something:
[Wait a minute!? Look at where the other anchors are standing… isn’t someone missing?]
[?!]
[??!!]
All attention was focused on the seven high-risk patients who had suddenly appeared, and every viewer in the live broadcast room was inexplicably excited, eagerly anticipating the appearance of an exciting scene.
—No one noticed the movements of the other anchors.
Even less noticed was the silent disappearance of someone.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the air changed for no apparent reason.
This feeling was very subtle but exceptionally clear. There was no concrete evidence, but those experiencing it could feel the change.
It was like the gas filling the space suddenly turned into a viscous semi-fluid as if some power beyond human comprehension was awakening. Human wisdom and intellect lost their means of response, and the only thing left was the ancient instinct originating from the depths of the soul.
In that moment, the way of breathing, the speed of heartbeat, and everything changed.
This feeling was extremely terrifying. Though invisible and intangible, the entire world around them changed palpably as a result.
Time lost its meaning of passage, and sound disappeared in an instant.
The entire world plunged into a terrifying silence, isolated from the rest of the world.
“!”
Wen Jianyan’s pupils contracted suddenly as he lifted his head and looked toward a certain direction not far away—
The secret door.
Su Cheng’s figure appeared nearby, his breathing ragged, his clothes stained red, and his right hand hanging by his side, dripping with blood as if he had lost a few fingers.
Behind him, wearing a white wedding dress, with a crooked headpiece on his head, was Blond. His face was pale, and his clothes were splattered with blood stains.
The gazes of several people converged in the air.
Su Cheng’s breathing was unstable as he nodded slowly toward Wen Jianyan.
It was a silent signal.
They had succeeded.
The next moment, a familiar mechanical voice sounded in his ears:
【Instance exploration progress: 100%
Reward points: 20,000】
【Current storyline modification progress: 100%
Reward points: 50,000】
【Congratulations to the anchor for achieving the unique achievement: Double Champion!
Wow, to be able to unlock two 100% routes in the same instance, your luck and strength are both off the charts! It’s truly beyond everyone’s imagination and absolutely stunning!】
【Please keep up the good work, creating more exciting and innovative live experiences for the audience!】
The announcement of the achievement echoed repeatedly in the live broadcast room, not only within the “Ping An Asylum” but also across the entire Nightmare Live platform.
It was a system-wide notification.
“…”
The “Integrity First” live broadcast room fell into a long silence for several seconds. After a brief yet prolonged silence, the fervent emotions almost overturned the entire live square:
[Aaaaaaahh, double champion!!]
[Witnessing history!!! Exploration progress and modification progress are both at 100%!!!! This is freaking awesome!!!]
[Oh my god, OMG, OMG, OMG, a unique achievement for the whole server!!! Too powerful, too powerful!!]
Apart from the jubilant celebrating audience, more viewers looked bewildered, having no idea how this achievement was accomplished:
[Aaaaaaaahhh, help me! So what exactly happened just now? Can someone from the other live broadcast rooms kindly share a screen recording!]
[Sob sob sob sob, I want to know too! I was completely drawn to Wen Jianyan’s live room just now, and had no idea what happened in the entire instance! Why did it suddenly complete without any warning!!!]
[What did I miss!! I’m so curious!]
Soon, kind-hearted individuals shared screen recordings in the other live broadcast room. This was probably footage from Su Cheng’s live room.
A few minutes ago.
We Jianyan dashed straight out of the secret chamber, facing six high-risk patients with malicious intent. He looked pale, disheveled, and terrified, like a pitiful rabbit that had wandered into a forbidden area. Under the approach of Mars, he panicked and took a step back—toward Su Cheng’s direction.
With a panicked twist of his head, he glanced over.
In those fleeting seconds, their gazes met and parted again in the blink of an eye.
The young man’s hand hidden behind his back was conveniently facing Su Cheng. He quickly and discreetly gestured toward the direction of the secret door.
Su Cheng paused for a moment.
The next second, 05 appeared.
Wen Jianyan tightened his gaze and began to sprint in the opposite direction—all the zombies had disappeared, and the path out of the underground tomb had been cleared.
However, he didn’t run toward the exit. On the contrary… he ran in the direction away from the secret door.
Su Cheng stared blankly at the now empty and unobstructed path in front of him, finally realizing Een Jianyan’s intention. Remembering Shao Yao’s shout when she rushed out just now, he suddenly understood Wen Jianyan’s plan. They still had one last task to complete.
Wen Jianyan understood clearly that he was the most obvious target and bait, with all the attention of the high-risk patients focused on him. Since that was the case, why not use this excessive attention to their advantage?
Wen Jianyan’s goal was never these high-risk patients from the beginning, so he didn’t care about his own imprisonment or the power dynamics among the patients.
Because from start to finish, he only saw himself as bait.
All the high-risk patients disregarded the presence of the other anchors, focusing all their attention on Wen Jianyan… It was the perfect time for the task to be completed.
Su Cheng, accompanied by Blond, quietly returned to the secret chamber.
As expected, they saw on the altar the props prepared by Warm Jianyan and a parchment paper with instructions on how to use them.
The mechanical system sound echoed in the air, symbolizing the end of the entire instance:
【Ding! Congratulations to the anchor for completing the ultimate mainline task!】
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For every Ko-fi received for a perticular novel, I will release a new chapter!
Hahahahha he really tossed himself out there as bait – good job to Su Cheng for understanding their crazy guildmaster!
thank you for this chapter!!