WTNL Chapter 327

Xingwang Hotel
Chapter 327: The next three hours

The screen of the phone emitted a faint glow, and the few characters in the dialogue box appeared particularly glaring and eye-catching, like black needles stabbing straight into one’s eyes, bringing a subtle sting.

Clearly, before taking action, Yun Bilan had already calculated everything.

She had left behind her own phone so that her teammates could find their way here smoothly without being misled by her departure. At the same time, she had done her best to leave clues and preserve the spark of hope, ensuring that when her teammates arrived, they could piece everything together from the scattered details and obtain valuable information.

In the dimly lit room, the air fell into a dead silence.

Everyone’s expressions were extremely grim.

Although they had successfully evaded Black Faction’s targeting, found the location of the commercial street, and finally pulled both sides back to the same starting line— even gaining insight into some of the opposing team’s talents and methods—

But…

If all of this had to be exchanged for a teammate’s life, no one would be willing to call it a victory.

In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room

[Damn, I was wondering why Anise wasn’t as ruthless as before… Turns out it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be, but that he got interrupted midway!]

[Wuwuwu Yun Bilan! Yun Bilan!! Please don’t die!!!]

[Someone go check Yun Bilan’s stream! How is she now? I’m so anxious!]

“……”

Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes. His eyelashes cast deep shadows on his pale face, making it impossible to discern his true emotions.

“But, but.”

Blond’s lips moved slightly as he stammered, “The phone is still on, which means… it means she’s still alive, right?”

He held onto a sliver of hope and looked toward Wen Jianyan. His low voice trembled slightly:

“That’s right, isn’t it?”

That was indeed the case.

Although, according to Zhong Shan’s account, more than ten minutes had passed since Yun Bilan broke through the siege and entered the rain, as long as her phone was still on, it meant that she had not yet been declared dead by the system.

As long as she was alive, there was still hope.

“Yes.”

In the end, it was Chen Mo who broke the silence. He took a deep breath and said slowly, “But I suggest that we follow Yun Bilan’s plan.”

Yun Bilan had left her phone behind, guiding her teammates in the right direction while also cutting off any possibility of being found by them.

Although she was still alive, without a way to locate her, no one knew where she was now…

And searching aimlessly for someone in the cold rain was no different from walking to their own deaths.

When Yun Bilan made this decision, she had likely already foreseen the consequences.

Perhaps this was the real reason she left that message in the dialogue box.

She understood what she would soon face. She also knew that, given her teammates’ personalities, they would likely risk everything to rescue her. So, to minimize casualties and reduce losses as much as possible, she resolutely severed all hope for herself and conveyed her unwavering determination—her readiness to face death—through a simple message to those left behind:

I know that the road ahead leads only to death.

So, [Don’t come to save me].

“And,”

Chen Mo paused, taking a deep breath to suppress the gloom flashing through his eyes, carefully keeping his emotions from showing. In his usual rational tone, he said, “We don’t have enough time.”

The blond-haired man froze. Instinctively, he glanced at the time, and his face instantly turned pale.

There were only ten minutes left until the lights would turn on.

If they wanted to return to the hotel before then, they had to stop here, find the painting immediately, and reopen the passage leading back to the Xingwang Hotel.

Chen Mo looked at Wen Jianyan. “Captain, I suggest we leave now and return to the hotel. After all, we already know Black Faction’s next destination. Once the lights go out again, we can use Room 329’s passage to return here and continue our progress.”

He took a deep breath and added slowly, “I think this is also the choice Yun Bilan hoped you would make.”

“……”

Even someone as emotional as Blond had to admit that this was indeed the most rational decision.

No matter what, their mission this time had already been accomplished beyond expectations.

Not only had they uncovered the relationship between the shopping street and the core of this dungeon, but they had also figured out how to return here next time. The fog before them had lifted slightly, revealing more of the dungeon’s structure. On top of that, they had also gained a rough understanding of the opposing team’s strength and some of their abilities. Their efforts had yielded considerable rewards.

“And we’re not completely giving up on Yun Bilan,” Chen Mo added. “In three hours, we’ll come back. We can continue searching for her then.”

…Not too late?

Blond lowered his head and fell silent.

Fragments of chaotic, distant memories flashed through his mind.

Would they really make it in time?

Last time…

A parade float cruised through the lively music.

Around it, staff dressed in plush animal costumes sang and danced, maintaining a false facade of peace and joy. Beneath that illusion, hidden inside the float, was a massive and grotesque frog.

Last time.

They hadn’t made it in time.

Just a few seconds short.

Time was up, time was up.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

A tortoiseshell cat clung tightly to the railing, with the enormous mouth of the frog gaping below.

She had said, Thank you for coming back for me.

Now go.

In the Nightmare live broadacst, the better one’s memory, the harder it was to survive.

Only those who possessed the ability to forget had the qualifications to keep moving forward.

Blond had always believed he was one of them.

Leaving everyone’s lives behind without guilt, surviving without hesitation— but suddenly, he realized that his memory was actually quite good.

Just like his cursed eyesight.

He was a powerless, cowardly observer— seeing the clearest, yet doing the least.

“…Captain, what do you think?”

Chen Mo looked at Wen Jianyan and asked.

“……”

Wen Jianyan’s gaze swept over the phone in his palm. He turned it off and stuffed it back into his pocket. Then, shrugging, he looked up and said, “We’re not going back to the hotel this time.”

“What?!”

The others were all taken aback.

Even Zhong Shan and the other two surviving members were stunned, staring blankly at Wen Jianyan, who had made such a shocking decision.

“……” Blond was also momentarily stunned, turning his head toward him.

Chen Mo frowned. “Captain, now isn’t the time to let emotions dictate our decisions…”

“Emotions?”

Wen Jianyan turned his head, his eyes glimmering in the darkness. His face was devoid of shadows or hesitation—like a heartless, emotionless trickster.

“Come on, do you really think I’m the type to let emotions get in the way?”

“Since Yun Bilan has made her choice, she must have already prepared to face the consequences.” He spoke lightly. “In Nightmare, anyone can die. When facing such things, all we can do is carry the burden and live on, rather than waste effort trying to undo them.”

“To put it bluntly… I’m not doing this to save anyone.”

Wen Jianyan shrugged and shifted the tone of his words. “I’m doing this because it’s our best option right now.”

Chen Mo and the others froze.

“Yun Bilan isn’t dead yet, is she?” Wen Jianyan turned toward the window. Outside, the rain fell steadily, dimming the light. “How long has it been since she left the store? Ten minutes? Twenty?”

He glanced at Zhong Shan, who was still slumped on the ground. “She left without an umbrella or a coat, right?”

Zhong Shan nodded blankly.

“Then, given the intensity of the rain, her time for free movement was very short. That left her with only one option—to enter a nearby store and move between them. If that’s the case, her range of movement was fixed, and she was almost certain to be caught by the Black Faction.”

Wen Jianyan turned his gaze toward the group, his eyes sharp:

“But she’s still alive. What does that tell you?”

Chen Mo paused. “It means… the Black Faction deliberately spared her?”

“Exactly,” Wen Jianyan nodded.

“But why?” Chen Mo was baffled.

Wen Jianyan narrowed his eyes. “Perhaps… they have another use for her.”

Since Yun Bilan had discarded her trackable phone in advance, being captured should have made her useless. And yet, the Black Faction had spared her. This meant they had other considerations—

Maybe they didn’t want her to die too easily.

Or maybe they needed her for a plan they hadn’t yet revealed.

If Wen Jianyan’s guess was correct…

Then the Black Faction absolutely wouldn’t return to the Xingwang Hotel.

Compared to the Rainy Town, the hotel was safer, smaller, and had a higher concentration of streamers. The chances of encountering the Red Faction again were greater, and the risk of the captive escaping or transmitting information would also increase.

More importantly, the Black Faction was in a precarious situation.

The advantage they had worked so hard to secure had been overtaken by the Red Faction. With Yun Bilan’s interference, the incomplete trap they had set had failed to capture Wen Jianyan’s squad.

To regain the upper hand, they would be desperate.

So… they would most likely stay in Rainy Town to continue their plans.

“But,” Chen Mo frowned, “this is the last round of the day. If we don’t leave now, doesn’t that mean…”

They would have to stay in Rainy Town for the entire night?!

That thought was terrifying. Even though Chen Mo didn’t finish his sentence, the rest of the team felt a cold shiver run down their spines, making them instinctively tremble.

“We won’t.”

Wen Jianyan shook his head confidently. “After all, the lights have to go out at night, too.”

The group froze.

That… was true.

Although today’s three rounds had ended, as long as they waited three more hours until the hotel’s lights went out, the road between Xingwang Hotel and Rainy Town would naturally open again.

“So, this time, we’re not rushing back to the hotel at the last minute.” Wen Jianyan looked up and smiled. “We can’t just let the Black Faction get what they want, can we?”

He rubbed his nose and flashed a carefree smile.

“As for saving Yun Bilan… well, that’s just a bonus.”

“……”

Chen Mo thought for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. I agree.”

Blond sniffled and nodded firmly.

Whatever Wen Jianyan’s reason for staying, as long as the outcome was good, that was enough.

“Uh… um…”

At that moment, a hesitant voice sounded from the side.

Everyone turned their heads.

It was Zhong Shan.

Half of his face was still swollen, making him look especially ridiculous.

He sneaked a glance at Wen Jianyan and carefully suggested, “Can we… join you for the next part?”

With only a few minutes left until the lights turned on and most of their teammates gone, venturing into Rainy Town to search for the hidden painting and escape on their own seemed too risky. Instead, sticking with experienced high-level streamers might give them a better chance of survival.

Zhong Shan stammered through his reasoning, then hesitated, as if embarrassed.

“Also…”

Wen Jianyan: “Hm?”

Zhong Shan scratched his head awkwardly. “No matter what the circumstances were, one of your teammates did save my life before.”

“Since you’re going to look for her, I might as well join in.”

Wen Jianyan frowned and corrected him, “Our goal isn’t—”

Zhong Shan nodded vigorously. “It’s for the mission, right? I get it!”

Wen Jianyan: “……”

“The result is the same anyway, isn’t it?” Zhong Shan grinned foolishly.

Wen Jianyan: “……”

Several other surviving streamers also stood up, expressing the same intention:

“Yes, we’ll join you. The next three hours will be tough, and our chances are better if we stick together.”

“I want to join too!”

Wen Jianyan glanced at the group in front of him, sighed, and reluctantly relented.

“…Fine.”

Slipping into the role of captain, he instructed, “For better coordination, tell me your codenames and abilities.”

The others nodded.

As they introduced themselves, Wen Jianyan listened carefully.

Soon, he caught onto something that might be useful.

He turned to a female anchor who had just introduced herself as Rui Rui, intrigued. “Psychography? What does that mean?”

“It’s somewhere between prophecy and mediumship, but not exactly like either,” Rui Rui explained. “I ask a question to some unknown presence, and it gives me a drawing in response.”

She pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Wen Jianyan.

“Like this.”

“As my ability levels up, the images become clearer, and my interpretation skills improve. But there are still many unstable factors. I can’t get exact answers, just a vague direction. Whether that direction leads to something good or bad is unpredictable.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Wen Jianyan’s expression turned contemplative.

This ability was rare and dangerous.

Unlike prophecy, which provided direct guidance, or mediumship, which sensed danger, psychography was highly interpretative. If misread, the risks could far outweigh the benefits.

However, its potential application was much broader than the other two. If used effectively, it could be incredibly powerful.

Zhong Shan added, “Actually, the reason Locket’s Squad was able to contact the Black Faction was because of her ability.”

Wen Jianyan’s gaze dropped to the paper in his hand.

He paused.

Countless chaotic lines intertwined, forming a strange and unsettling image.

Faintly, a street resembling a shopping district—similar to this very place—could be seen in the drawing. In one corner, however, was a heavily blackened-out area.

The image was eerily familiar.

It looked just like…

Chen Mo’s surprised voice sounded from beside him. “Wait a minute, doesn’t this look like the painting in Room 329?”

“Identical.”

Wen Jianyan spoke slowly.

He pressed his fingers against the crumpled paper, resting on the smudged black corner.

That spot was precisely where the painting had labeled the “Framing Shop.”

And it was when he had faced that painting that…

The brand left by Wu Zhu had started to stir.

“What exactly did you ask in your psychography?” Wen Jianyan waved the paper slightly, turning to Rui Rui.

She blinked.

Although unsure of his intent, she answered honestly: “Where can we encounter the Black Faction?”

“……”

Wen Jianyan’s eyes gleamed as he looked down at the blackened area on the paper.

So… this was the Black Team’s next destination.

The Framing Shop.

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