Mister Sea of Books was a serious and reserved man, exuding the authority of an elder who commanded respect and discouraged any thought of impertinence.
He barely acknowledged Su Er, only glancing at the achievement points marked on his chest badge before shifting his gaze away and returning to his corner.
Wan Yi said, “It's still early. Let's split up and take action.”
No one objected. The players formed small groups, seemingly already familiar with one another. Su Er raised an eyebrow and asked, “Did they all use team-forming items?”
Ji Heng replied, “Chen Jiangbei and Wan Yi likely did. The others just happened to run into each other.”
Some organizations prioritized numbers, resulting in members of varying abilities. The advantage was that teammates were more likely to encounter each other in dungeons, providing mutual support as long as their interests didn't conflict.
Outside, many town residents were visible. Their clothing was mostly modest and modern. People rarely engaged in conversation, but whenever they encountered an elder, they would immediately stop, step aside, and make way. Children held onto their parents' hands, gazing longingly at the colorful candies by the roadside but not daring to ask for them.
Though everyone displayed impeccable manners, the atmosphere felt lifeless.
Su Er followed suit, not only stepping aside for elders but also bowing his head in a deferential gesture. As expected, he received approving glances from passersby. Once they reached a less conspicuous location, he finally spoke, “The host and the Guard Chief have interacted before. They must have an established identity here as well.”
Ji Heng nodded. “That’s normal. In the last dungeon, the host played as Zhao Sanliang’s grandfather.”
The Guard Chief was regarded as an honorable position, and many aspired to be chosen. Almost every few steps, they encountered people giving speeches to rally support for their candidacy. Curious, Su Er stopped to listen to one:
“I was raised under strict discipline. I remember when I was eight, I refused to study, so my father broke my arm to teach me a lesson…”
The twisted educational philosophy was met with enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
Su Er frowned. “When correction goes too far, it becomes pathological.”
Ji Heng had been through many dungeons and was already accustomed to such things. After gathering information, they learned that the top three candidates for Guard Chief were three brothers—Li Youzun, Li Yougui, and Li Youju.
By the time they returned to the rundown courtyard, the sun was setting.
Su Er and Ji Heng were the first to arrive. Gazing at the evening sky, Su Er suddenly mused, “I wonder how the people who entered the game with me are doing now.”
Ji Heng replied, “You’re lucky. The quality of your newbie teammates was decent. But that doesn’t mean all players in this game are like that.”
Su Er nodded. “I know.”
It was always wise to be cautious of others.
Ji Heng added, “The game prohibits players from directly killing each other, but there are countless ways to get someone else to do the job for you.”
As they spoke, the others gradually returned. Wen Buyu, being observant, brought back several snacks for the group.
Ge Xuyan casually gnawed on a chicken leg and suddenly remarked, “By the way, I saw someone unfamiliar talking to you in the alley.”
Everyone instinctively looked at Wen Buyu. Since players had already seen each other before, the person speaking to her was likely a local resident of the town.
Someone specifically choosing an alley to talk in likely meant they were discussing something secretive—information worth investigating.
Wen Buyu simply smiled without responding.
Ge Xuyan said, “We're all in the same game. No need to be so guarded, right?”
Wen Buyu sat quietly, making it clear she had no intention of answering.
Ge Xuyan cursed under his breath, tossed aside his half-eaten chicken leg, and went back to his room.
The meal ended on an awkward note. The remaining players also spoke little due to the tense atmosphere. After cleaning up the table, Wen Buyu left with another female player named Bai Yan.
Su Er observed, “They don't seem to get along.”
“They're both part of a group called Dongfeng Wu,” Wan Yi said, watching Wen Buyu’s departing figure thoughtfully. After a moment, he continued, “Dongfeng Wu’s original leader was Wen Buyu’s husband. He died in a dungeon, so Wen Buyu took over the organization. Ge Xuyan thinks women can’t lead and has been trying to replace her ever since.”
Su Er raised an eyebrow. “Sexism?”
Wan Yi chuckled. “Just an excuse to seize power. Dongfeng Wu is a small organization without much cohesion.”
At that moment, Chen Jiangbei spoke up. “Wen Buyu is capable, and Ge Xuyan has decent combat skills. Their rivalry could interfere with our mission.”
Wan Yi narrowed his eyes. “As long as their conflict doesn’t drag us down, it’s none of our concern.”
Chen Jiangbei didn't wish to dwell on the topic. “We should all get some rest early.”
Su Er was the first to stand up. As he walked out, a voice suddenly asked, “Where are you sleeping?”
Perplexed, Su Er turned to Ji Heng and pulled out a small slip of paper listing everyone's room assignments. “It's written here. I’m staying in the northern room.”
Ji Heng replied, “That wasn’t me asking.”
The voice had been devoid of emotion. Su Er realized what was happening and looked toward Mister Sea of Books.
“You. Where are you sleeping?” the host asked, enunciating every word clearly.
As the host, he obviously knew everyone's assigned rooms, so his question must have had another meaning. Su Er hesitated for a moment, then turned to Ji Heng. “Is he… inviting me?”
Ji Heng remained impassive. “So, are you going to accept?”
Su Er fell silent for a moment before shaking his head. “Sorry, I don't have that kind of intention for now.”
The host said nothing more, standing quietly in the shadows like an emotionless wooden statue.
As the two of them walked side by side, Ji Heng suddenly asked, “Did you feel it?”
Su Er nodded. The host had murderous intent toward him. If he had accepted the invitation earlier, even with a stun gun, he might not have survived the night. “I just don’t know the reason.”
Ji Heng: “Authority.”
Su Er understood a little. His act of humiliating Mister Rose was clearly an act of provocation. After a while, he found some amusement in the situation. “If you want to set a trap, do it in secret. An invitation that obvious—I'm not stupid.”
“There will always be those who think too highly of themselves and accept without thinking,” Ji Heng said, stopping in front of a house. “This is my place.”
The door of his house was practically useless, unable to close properly, but Ji Heng didn't seem to care. He gave a few instructions before going inside. Su Er’s place wasn’t any better. A tile was missing from the roof, though at least it didn't seem like it would rain tonight. Otherwise, he would have had to figure out how to patch it up.
As if by an unspoken agreement, none of the players suggested sharing a room. In mid-to-high-difficulty instances, there were plenty of malicious entities capable of inducing hallucinations, and cases of possessions leading to teammates slaughtering each other were too many to count.
Night fell silently. The moon hid behind the clouds, and the surrounding area was eerily quiet.
At this moment, even the chirping of cicadas or croaking of frogs would have been welcome. In the absolute silence, it felt as if some terrifying footsteps could start echoing at any moment.
Su Er lay in bed, debating whether or not to sleep. He was a deep sleeper—if something happened and he didn't wake up, it would be troublesome. But they still had to stay here for several days, and not sleeping wasn't an option either.
As he was deciding, someone had already fallen asleep.
In the western house, Ge Xuyan lay down, adjusting his state to get some rest. The first night was the least dangerous, so he had to seize the opportunity to regain energy.
“That bitch Wen Buyu,” he muttered, turning over.
Ge Xuyan knew full well that neither he nor Wen Buyu were good people. They would do whatever it took to survive. The problem was that Wen Buyu was too good at putting on an act—she could manipulate people with a smile.
He couldn’t help but curse her a couple more times before drowsiness took over. The chicken leg he had eaten that afternoon had been a little salty, and the water in the house had an odd taste. Even as he drifted off, he still felt thirsty and unconsciously breathed through his mouth.
It was unclear how much time had passed when a wave of coldness washed over him. His survival instincts, honed through countless brushes with death, made him snap his eyes open.
The moon, which had been hidden behind the clouds all night, chose this moment to reveal itself. Under the pale moonlight, everything in front of him became clear: Facing him was a young girl. Her lips were in ruins, not a single part intact. She was smiling, and as she did, the scabs on her lips tore open, fresh blood seeping out again.
Ge Xuyan inhaled sharply. This girl was clearly not human.
He didn’t have the strength to fight a ghost. His best option was to escape. A solid plan—except the cold was so biting that even gritting his teeth in pain, he couldn't move an inch.
Just a little more. If he could clear this instance, he’d have enough physical power to reach 150. Then he’d finally have the ability to barely fight against ghosts, and he could become the new team leader. Unwillingness and resentment surged in an instant. He managed to take two steps before he was yanked back. At the last moment, nearly in despair, Ge Xuyan let out a desperate scream: “Help—”
The female ghost’s smile widened abruptly, as if she had been waiting for this very moment. She reached out her withered fingers and forcefully grasped Ge Xuyan’s tongue. In his terrified gaze, she slowly, bit by bit, began pulling it out.
The sun had yet to fully rise, and the moon’s shadow still lingered faintly on the horizon.
Most of the players were already awake, gathering in the courtyard after a simple wash-up. Ji Heng arrived and immediately noticed that Su Er wasn’t among them, his brows furrowing slightly.
“It’s only the first night. Nothing will happen,” Wen Buyu said softly as she walked toward Su Er’s room.
Bai Yan glanced around. “Ge Xuyan isn’t here either.”
A moment later, she reasoned it out herself. The first night wasn’t too dangerous, so he was probably trying to get as much rest as possible—a common practice.
Between the two, the newcomer Su Er was more likely to have gotten into trouble.
Wen Buyu knocked on the door, while Wan Yi took a simpler approach—walking straight to the window and peering inside. He couldn’t help but curse, “Holy shit.” Bai Yan, full of curiosity, also went over to look, and was instantly shocked. “Is he dead or alive?”
Su Er was wrapped in multiple strands of thread, with the other ends tied to the door, windows, and various entry points—even the beams and the roof. At a glance, it looked as if he had been turned into a marionette.
The person on the bed slowly opened his eyes at the commotion. He turned his head, calmly untied the threads around his hands, and walked over to open the door.
“Good morning.”
Bai Yan stared at the threads in disbelief. “Weren’t you worried that if a ghost came, you wouldn’t be able to escape?”
“They’re not tied tightly. A single pull and they break.” Su Er demonstrated. “I was just worried that I’d sleep too deeply and not notice if someone came in.”
“As long as you're fine.” Wen Buyu smiled gently. “Ji Heng was a bit worried when he didn’t see you.”
Su Er: “I know.”
Wen Buyu chuckled. “Actually, tying yourself up isn’t very effective. When a ghost arrives, the temperature and environment change—you can sense it. As for people… it’s unlikely anyone would be sneaking around at night.”
“Nothing is absolute.” Su Er glanced at Ji Heng. “He came last night.”
Several gazes shifted toward Ji Heng. Ji Heng remained calm. “I heard some movement but wasn’t sure where it came from, so I came to check.”
The large tree outside had conveniently blocked out the moonlight. To avoid disturbing the person inside, he had climbed onto the roof.
Su Er pointed at the missing tile on the roof. “That’s how we ended up making eye contact through the gap.”
Everyone shuddered involuntarily as they imagined the scene.
Though the situation was unsettling, Su Er was actually quite grateful. Ji Heng might be a bit cold, but he was a competent team leader.
Bai Yan swallowed and hesitantly spoke up, “...Should we check on Ge Xuyan?”
Five minutes later, the group stood in front of Ge Xuyan’s door. Even before entering, they could already sense that something was wrong—a strong scent of blood filled the air.
Wan Yi exchanged a glance with Shen Jiangbei, nodded, and pushed the door open without hesitation.
A severed tongue lay beside the threshold, and Wan Yi almost stepped on it. On the bed, Ge Xuyan’s body was covered in blood, but the worst of it was concentrated around his head. Wan Yi covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve, approached, and examined the scene. “Looks like his tongue was forcibly torn out.”
Wen Buyu’s expression shifted slightly as she looked at Ji Heng. “So the noise you heard last night might have been…”
“Maybe,” Ji Heng said indifferently.
Wen Buyu spoke softly, “You could have stopped it.”
If he had arrived in time, perhaps Ge Xuyan could have been saved.
Before Ji Heng could respond, Wen Buyu quickly apologized, “Sorry, that was out of line. No one here is obligated to be responsible for another’s life.”
Death was a normal occurrence in this game world. Just as the topic was about to pass, Ji Heng suddenly said, “Are you sure you don’t know why he died?”
Wen Buyu let out a short “Ah?” and after a moment of confusion, her expression darkened with anger. “I admit my relationship with Ge Xuyan wasn’t great, but we were part of the same organization—”
“Speak not while eating, remain silent while sleeping,” Ji Heng cut her off, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
As soon as he spoke, everyone realized something they had overlooked, and their expressions turned grim. The town was strict about etiquette and rules. In some places, talking while eating was considered rude.
Yesterday, Ge Xuyan had not only cursed at the dining table but had also left without finishing his food. Considering today’s gruesome scene—his tongue being torn out—it was likely connected.
The anger on Wen Buyu’s face faded into a pale, stunned expression. “How… How could this happen?”
Her reaction seemed genuine, making it difficult to tell whether she was acting or had simply overlooked the rule. After all, talking while eating was a normal habit in modern times.
Wan Yi, however, was far less forgiving. Wen Buyu had been the one to bring back the snacks. They had all sat at the same table, and if Ge Xuyan hadn’t spoken first, who knew who would have been the victim?
“For your sake, I hope this was unintentional,” Wan Yi gave her a cold look. Otherwise, her scheming was truly terrifying.
When only one player remained in a game, the dungeon’s difficulty would automatically decrease. Many players who found high-difficulty dungeons impossible to clear would resort to underhanded tactics.
Wen Buyu was so angry that her eyes turned red.
The immediate problem was how to handle the corpse. A hasty burial might make them look guilty of murder. Su Er noticed that Mister Sea of Books, who had been standing in the shadows, had disappeared at some point. When he reappeared, he was following behind the Guard Chiefi.
Veteran players knew how to act. Wan Yi quickly adjusted his expression and feigned shock. “Someone’s dead!”
The Guard Chief took one look at the scene inside the room and frowned. “What happened?”
Wan Yi played dumb, pretending to be completely clueless.
But Mister Sea of Books spoke up, “Last night, the deceased used foul language at the dining table and wasted food. Perhaps he was punished by the heavens.”
Such an absurd explanation, yet the Guard Chief actually seemed to believe it.
Mister Sea of Books continued matter-of-factly, “If he couldn’t follow basic table manners, then it’s only right that he lost his tongue.”
Upon hearing this, the Guard Chief looked at the corpse with a disgusted expression. “What an ill-mannered child. I’ll have someone write about this in the newspaper to warn others.”
Muttering to himself, he walked away, hands clasped behind his back, seemingly serious about having an article written.
Bai Yan bit her lip. “Do you think the Guard Chief is human or a ghost?”
Who reacts to a dead body by thinking about writing an article?
Wan Yi shrugged. “Who knows?”
While everyone was watching the Guard Chief, Ji Heng noticed Su Er observing their surroundings.
“You’re not scared?” Ji Heng asked.
Su Er replied, “As long as I don’t scream when I see a ghost, I’ll be fine.”
Ji Heng commented, “That’s easier said than done.”
Su Er glanced at him. “Well, I’m not afraid.”
Ji Heng raised an eyebrow.
Su Er leaned in mysteriously. “Actually, I discovered a secret.”
Ji Heng met his gaze and waited quietly.
“The ghosts here seem to have an extreme obsession with etiquette,” Su Er said. “If one comes after me, I’ll ruin its purity even if it kills me.”
Ji Heng’s expression changed slightly.
Su Er scoffed. “It’s just a tongue-plucking ghost, right? As long as I’m still breathing, my mouth will never shut.”
And if worst came to worst, he’d just forcefully kiss it. That would be terrifying enough.
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