The incandescent lights above flickered miserably, casting a dim glow. Under the dull light, everyone's expressions were unusual.
Shock, confusion, disdainβno one expected that Jiang Yanβs words wouldn't be his own βcrucial clueβ but rather a βclueβ that the players were supposed to search for.
The very same clue that all the players currently had no leads on.
[Hmm? Iβve been following Jiang Yanβs perspective the whole time, and I havenβt seen him pick up any special items or clues?]
[Didnβt he seem to grab something when he fell into the underground warehouse?]
[But, Jiang Yanβs starting to play now. Heβs beginning to provide clues to the players.]
[If he actually finds the right one this time, his ranking will definitely rise!]
[Heβs already at the bottom, so itβs not like he can go lower, right?]
βIs he joking?β Cang Rou asked Ding Wanyu, who was sitting next to her.
Ding Wanyu raised an eyebrow. βIβm not sure.β
He gazed at the pale, fragile-looking youth stuck in the black monster's body, his gaze deep and contemplative.
In the previous dungeon, he and Jiang Yan had been together, yet this person hadnβt even bothered to mention his own βcrucial clue.β How come now he was starting to share clues with the players?
Jiang Yan seemed different in this dungeon.
βMadam, this isnβt the time for jokes. Which rabbit did you catch? Thereβs more than one rabbit on this table,β Li Yun said mockingly.
Caught the murderous βrabbitβ? Donβt joke around! Jiang Yan?
So many veteran players hadnβt found any clues yet. How could Jiang Yan, this NPC whoβd been slacking off the whole time, possibly find the side questβs clues?
Impossible.
Tao Shi also felt confused. He asked Cao Youfeng, βDid Jiang Yan go solo on the map?β
Cao Youfeng thought for a moment. βWhen we found Jiang Yan in that underground warehouse, it seemed like he was holding a head?β
Tao Shi rubbed his chin. βCould that head be different from a normal specimen?β
Jiang Xiu, sitting next to Su An, still wore a gentle smile, but his gaze had turned much darker.
Jiang Yan had been opening the βnew mapβ with the Dawn Guild. If Jiang Yan knew something, didnβt that mean the Dawn Guild had already gotten a step ahead and snatched the clue?
Whether or not this dungeon could suppress the Dawn Guild didnβt matter, but if Jiang Yanβs attitude started leaning toward the Dawn Guild... that would be problematic.
At this moment, Jiang Xiu spoke, βOh? I wonder what clue Iβve found?β
The next second, Jiang Yan again said something shocking: βThereβs no clue, I just guessed.β
βWow!β Someone couldnβt help but laugh mockingly.
βWhatβs going on?β Cao Youfeng frowned, confused.
βIs he joking?β
[Is he trying to earn performance points like this?]
[What a fool! Just say your own crucial clue!!!]
[He might as well give up!]
[Is he playing with the players? If I were a player, Iβd definitely give him a few hits!]
[Upstairs? Did you see the monster behind him? Try hitting his wife, see if he agrees?]
Li Yun looked on with a gloating expression, as if watching a show: βI told you, just based on him, a fool?β
He probably just wanted to earn more performance points, though he wasnβt very clear on how the points system for real NPCs worked.
Actually, Jiang Yan wasnβt very sure himself.
He turned to his personal system: βIf I do this, my score should be higher, right?β
663: β?? You really donβt have any clues?β
βDid you see me find any special clues from the start?β Jiang Yan asked nonchalantly.
βWhat the hell?!β 663 was losing patience, βHow are you going to explain yourself now? The Dawn Guild and Valen Church both seemed really interested in you. If you seize this chance, you could join a big guild!!!β
Jiang Yan was a little curious: βIf I join a big guild, would you get a commission?β
βNo.β
βThen why are you so anxious?β Jiang Yan asked.
663: "...."
Amidst the murmurs, Shi Yin, who was sitting nearby, spoke up: βI think Jiang Yan sometimes guesses pretty accurately. Just now, he guessed the information about the hospitalβs deity offerings.β
At this, Cao Youfengβs eyes lit up, βRight! Jiang Yan, who do you think it is?β
βReminder to all, dinner time is only half an hour. There are 15 minutes left,β Jeff Hunter's voice echoed, reminding everyone.
βJiang Yan, tell us your thoughts,β Tao Shi said.
Jiang Yan was about to speak, but Li Yun interrupted: βTime is tight! This is not the time for useless talk.β
βMr. Li, no one has any clues right now. Why canβt Jiang Yan share his thoughts?β Shi Yin asked.
Li Yun had always had things go smoothly for him, growing up in a golden nest. But after these few days of hardship, his nerves were stretched to their limit.
Seeing that Shi Yin, who was just a new player like himself, dared to publicly contradict himβand for Jiang Yan no lessβLi Yun erupted on the spot.
With a loud "Bang!", he slammed the table and stood up. "Do we really have to listen to his baseless and illogical nonsense?"
βOh? Then, I wonder if Mr. Li has any logical and evidence-based conclusions to share with us?β Jiang Yanβs expression remained indifferent as he replied.
βYouβ¦β Li Yun was momentarily speechless. Su An tugged at his sleeve, and he reluctantly sat back down, glaring at Jiang Yan with venom in his eyes.
Jiang Yan ignored the gaze entirely. He didnβt understand where Li Yunβs hostility toward him originated.
Sure, people might naturally dislike seeing their ex, but by Jiang Yanβs reasoning, there shouldnβt be any deep grudges between them.
Logically, the one with two partners at the same time was Li Yun. If anything, Jiang Yan should be the one upset with him.
But Jiang Yan wasnβt, so why did Li Yun seem so bitter toward him?
After all, disliking someone is an exhausting task.
Unless it was someone like Yu Xiu, whom Jiang Yan loathed to the core, he didnβt feel anyone else in the world deserved his hatred.
βMadam, please continue,β Jeff Hunter said in his eerie, dry tone.
His withered body swayed precariously, as though it might fall apart at any moment.
All attention in the cafeteria shifted back to Jiang Yan. Even the pitch-black monster stopped bothering its "wife."
It used its tentacles to cradle Jiang Yan, adjusting its body to become softer and more pliable, making the person in its arms more comfortable.
Jiang Yan shifted slightly, getting cozy, then lazily swept his gaze over the players sitting around the table.
βIf Iβm not mistaken,β he began casually, βthe rabbit hiding among us should beβ¦β
A faint crackle of static filled the air as the fluorescent light above flickered.
Even Li Yun, who assumed Jiang Yan was spouting nonsense, couldnβt help but grow tense.
Could he be about to accuse him?
It was clear the veteran players were leaning toward Jiang Yanβs side. If he chose this moment to accuse Li Yun for revengeβ¦
ββ¦should be Shi Yin, right?β
Whoosh!
All eyes turned to Shi Yin in unison.
Shi Yin froze, looking completely bewildered. βHuh? Why me?β
The other players were equally dumbfounded. Shi Yin didnβt show any unusual behavior, and one of the players killed by the rabbit was even his companion.
Jiang Yan seemed to have made the accusation on a whim.
Seeing that Jiang Yan didnβt accuse him but instead turned the blame toward Shi Yinβwho had just defended himβLi Yun sneered once more. βLooks like our dear madam accuses whoever speaks up for him.β
When faced with a life-or-death game, human instincts for self-preservation can become extreme. Betrayal, scheming, and deceit are nothing unusual.
However, humans are also social creatures. If someone harms a member of the group, the rest will instinctively reject them.
Under Li Yunβs provocation, the playersβ gazes toward Jiang Yan became filled with disdain and resentment, while their looks at Shi Yin carried hints of sympathy.
[Even if youβre just guessing randomly, you donβt target someone whoβs helped you.]
[Shi Yin is really pitiful! Helping someone speak up only to get backstabbed in return!]
[If you donβt know how to play, donβt mess around! If you canβt lead, donβt try to lead!]
[I hate NPCs like this! If I were Shi Yin, Iβd hate him to death!]
663: βMy ancestor! If youβre going to guess randomly, at least donβt guess someone you know! You might as well have guessed your ex!β
βYu Xiu?β Jiang Yan asked.
βWrong, your ex-boyfriend, Li Yun,β 663 clarified.
βOh.β Jiang Yanβs eyelashes fluttered slightly. βWhy would I guess him?β
βDonβt you dislike him?β 663 asked curiously.
βI donβt dislike anyone except Yu Xiu,β Jiang Yan answered without hesitation.
663: β...β
βOw!β
663 suddenly yelped, as if someone had kicked his chair.
βWhatβs wrong?β Jiang Yan asked.
βNothing! Just the headquartersβ cat,β 663 replied with a hint of exasperation.
βYour system headquarters has cats?β Jiang Yan was intrigued.
βWeβve got dogs too!β 663 gritted out through clenched teeth.
Seems like the office benefits are pretty good! Jiang Yan thought to himself.
βJiang Yan,β Tao Shiβs voice pulled Jiang Yan back to reality, βcan you explain why you guessed Shi Yin?β
[Seems like Tao Shi is trying to throw him a lifeline.]
[Not worth it! Shi Yin just defended him, and he immediately turned around and accused him.]
[Exactly! Whoβd want someone like this in their guild?]
[Dawn Guild should pick Shi Yin instead! At least he survived facing βGod.β]
[Yeah! Shi Yin is the only newcomer who survived an encounter with βGod,β right?]
The overhead fluorescent lights flickered again, and everyone waited for Jiang Yanβs explanation.
Jiang Yan, completely nonchalant, said, βWhy not ask Mr. Shi Yin himself?β
Shi Yin, his face pale from earlier injuries, managed a harmless smile. βI donβt know what youβre talking about.β
Suddenly, a piercing shriek came from outside the cafeteria, and the entire room began to shake.
βWhatβ¦ what is this?β The new players started to panic.
βIt seems the gods are coming to join the feast,β Su An said lazily, propping his legs up on the table with a faint smile.
The black monster tightened its hold on its βwife,β its soft tentacles gently comforting, βDonβt be afraid, Yan Yan.β
The buzzing of the fluorescent lights grew louder, an ominous static filling the air.
Just then, Jeff Hunter suddenly began flailing, his dry, wooden body moving stiffly in exaggerated motions, like a marionette.
βAh~ The ritual is about to begin! Which little rabbit shall be offered to the gods?β Jeff Hunterβs shrill voice pierced through the room, blending with the howls of the creatures outside. It was as if the gates of hell had opened.
Jeff Hunter gave an eerie, exaggerated grin. βHow about this? My dear madam, this time the sacrifice will be between you and Mr. Shi Yin.β
The howling from outside grew deafening, as if the monsters were ecstatic about this decision.
All the players gasped in unisonβ
Jiang Yan was doomed.
"This isn't fair!" Cao Youfeng said anxiously. "This is just our speculation. It was made clear from the beginning that Jiang Yan was just making random guesses!"
"Exactly! It's just a joke." Tao Shi smiled.
Su An opened his mouth to say something, but Jiang Xiu, sitting next to him, quietly pressed down on his shoulder, signaling for him to remain silent.
Jiang Xiu turned to look at Jiang Yan, his eyesβalways narrowed in a perpetual smileβnow carried a cold and calculating sharpness.
Now was the perfect time to see if this seemingly shallow vessel called Jiang Yan was actually full or just empty.
Seeing that both Cao Youfeng and Tao Shi were defending Jiang Yan, Li Yun couldnβt stay quiet any longer. "When someone does something wrong, they should pay the price. Thereβs still a murderer hiding among us. If anyone can just randomly accuse others without consequences, how do we know the undercover agent in this hospital wonβt kill us all?"
The black monster, who had been silently indulging itself by teasing its "wife" with tentacles under the table, found immense satisfaction in watching Jiang Yan endure silently in front of the crowd. However, upon hearing Li Yunβs words, the crude, graffiti-like features on its mask twisted instantly.
Just as it was about to lash out, Jiang Yan spoke. "Youβre wrong."
Jiang Yan pulled out the tentacle that had slipped into his shirt without any change in expression and said calmly, "The killer rabbit isnβt the hospitalβs undercover agent. Itβs probably protecting its companions in a different way."
"In a hopeless environment, to spare companions from something worse than death, it might choose to kill them early. This could be seen as an unconventional act of kindness... right, Mr. Shi?"
Hearing this, Shi Yinβs previously calm expression froze instantly. "I... I donβt understand what youβre talking about."
Jiang Yan smiled faintly. "Iβm just guessing randomly. So, are you willing to play this game?"
"This... this isnβt fair to you." A bead of cold sweat slid down Shi Yinβs temple as he forced a stiff smile.
"I donβt mind," Jiang Yan said indifferently. "Because my guess is correct, isnβt it? Whether or not you participate in this game is up to you."
Shi Yinβs smile crumbled. Beads of sweat now dotted his forehead, and his face grew visibly paler.
The other players began noticing Shi Yinβs strange behavior, and a wave of shock and disbelief rippled through the crowd.
[What the...? Whatβs going on?]
[No way... right?]
[I donβt believe it! How is it possible Jiang Yan keeps getting this lucky?]
Shi Yin clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly.
Li Yun, stunned, muttered, "This... canβt be!"
Jeff Hunter, his eyes wide with excitement, grinned maniacally as he watched Shi Yin, waiting for his response.
Shi Yin took several deep breaths before slowly releasing his fists. Finally, he closed his eyes and said with resignation, "I... forfeit this game."
"I... am the killer rabbit."
[Ding!]
[Instance: Private Hospital on Jian She Road, Progress: 50%]
[Side Quest: Identify the Killer RabbitβCompleted]
[NPC Jiang Yan has successfully completed the side quest.]
"Impossible!" Li Yun shot to his feet, shouting in disbelief.
[Amazing!!!]
[Whaβ?! What?! He got it right again?!]
[What just happened?! Why is it that Jiang Yanβs random guesses always turn out correct?!]
[This is insane luck! Is he blessed by some divine koi spirit?!]
[You donβt seriously think itβs all luck, do you? Once or twice, maybe. But every single time? No way.]
[Right! Maybe Jiang Yan has been hiding his true abilities all along!]
[Impossible! Even if he was hiding his skills, how could he outperform a top-five leaderboard player?]
[Exactly! Even Tao Shi didnβt detect anything unusual. How could Jiang Yan figure it out?]
Cao Youfeng was equally stunned. He never expected Jiang Yan to actually pinpoint the culprit.
Initially, Cao Youfeng thought that even if Jiang Yan guessed wrong, as long as he explained his reasoning and provided some useful insights, it would already be impressiveβespecially since they had no real clues to go on.
But to think that Jiang Yan had directly identified the murderer?!
Why?
Jiang Yan had always been with them.
How could this be?
[Ding!]
[Item: Number Concealment Card]
Cao Youfeng quietly used the Number Concealment Card to scan Jiang Yanβs stats.
It didnβt add upβ¦
Jiang Yan was still Jiang Yan, with every stat bottoming out.
This realization made Cao Youfeng uneasy.
If Jiang Yanβs stats had shown some improvement, it mightβve made sense. Butβ¦
Why? Why could an NPC with such low stats demonstrate such abilities?
βBossβ¦β Cao Youfeng turned to Tao Shi with a hint of panic.
Tao Shi merely smiled at him, showing little reaction otherwise.
Su An, on the other hand, stared at Jiang Yan with a dangerous, almost manic smile. βMadam, how did you know?β
Jiang Yan shrugged. βGuessed.β
Then he turned to Cao Youfeng and Tao Shi. βDo you remember when we encountered him in the underground warehouseβs archives? There was another dead player next to him.β
Cao Youfeng blinked in confusion. βI remember. So?β
Jiang Yan elaborated, βMr. Shi Yin said they were attacked by the god.β
Shi Yin quickly interjected, βWe were attacked by the god!β
βYes, of course, thatβs true,β Jiang Yan replied calmly. βThe wounds on your body do match bite marks from those monsters. Butβ¦ the player lying next to you didnβt have those wounds, right?β
βThe one next to himβ¦β
Cao Youfeng suddenly realized that his focus back then had been entirely on Shi Yin. He hadnβt paid much attention to the bloody corpse beside him.
Shi Yin froze in shock. βHowβ¦ how did you notice? You never got close to him.β
βI didnβt need to get close. I was standing off to the side watching while you all were fighting those monsters,β Jiang Yan explained.
Thanks to his ex-husband with disturbingly morbid hobbies, Jiang Yan had been forced to absorb a great deal of knowledge about corpses.
The deceased player brought in by Shi Yin was covered in blood. Even if some of it belonged to Shi Yin, the sheer volume of blood loss indicated a ruptured artery.
The "sea anemone" creature they encountered earlier was composed of human fingers.
Judging by the wounds on Shi Yinβs hand, that creature only devoured fingers.
This discrepancy had aroused Jiang Yanβs suspicions early on.
Later, during the skirmish with the mutated medical staff in the archive room, Jiang Yan glanced a few more times at the corpse discarded nearby and noticed something:
The blood was flowing out from the upper thigh area.
Jiang Yan explained, "At that moment, I started to wonder if someone had pierced the artery near his thigh."
[Such keen observation!!]
[Sometimes being a bit slower can be an advantageβyou notice details others miss.]
[Back then, people mocked Jiang Yan for being useless and just watching. Look at him now!]
[Honestly, maintaining composure in that chaotic scene is impressive on its own.]
Shi Yin grew agitated. "So why did you suspect me? It couldβve been an injury inflicted during his fight with the god, couldnβt it?"
"Yes, thatβs possible," Jiang Yan replied. "But you mentioned something elseβthe appearance of the director."
"He did appear!" Shi Yin exclaimed.
"Fine, letβs say he did," Jiang Yan said nonchalantly. "But donβt you think your description was a bitβ¦ too detailed?"
"Are you suggesting that this mysterious director introduced himself, shared his entire plan and the hospitalβs backstory, and then disappeared into thin air?"
"That doesnβt make sense. The only explanation is that you knew all of this in advance."
Shi Yin slumped, defeated, his head hanging low.
Hearing this, Tao Shi chuckled. "It seems weβve been too arrogant."
Arrogant enough to believe they couldnβt possibly fail the instance. Arrogant enough to think they could brute-force their way out by destroying the instance. They had overlooked the finer details.
It was true that this world relied on strength.
But if strength led to complacency and blind reliance, then what separated them from mindless brutes?
Tao Shi, who had climbed to his position through careful planning and caution, couldnβt help but reflect. He had once sneered at older players who depended solely on violence. Yet now, he realized he was becoming just like them.
Tao Shi brushed his bangs aside, the blue strands glinting faintly under the dim light like the shimmer of the ocean.
[So this is what they mean by βvillains talk too much and get exposedβ!]
[Shi Yin probably never expected that trying to advance the game would lead to his own exposure.]
[And by Jiang Yan, no less?]
[Unbelievable! Shi Yin was undoubtedly one of the top players among this group of newcomers. To be taken down by the lowest-ranked Jiang Yan? What a twist!]
Jiang Yan continued, "And another thingβwhen standing before your companionβs corpse, you didnβt display any grief. For someone killed by the god, your reaction was far too calm."
βGrief?β Shi Yin chuckled bitterly, a hollow laugh escaping his lips. βDo you think this world allows emotions as superfluous as grief for companions?β
Jiang Yan remained silent. He wasnβt in a position to answer because he, too, had never truly felt βgrief.β
βEveryone hereβwhen you first saw someone die after entering this gameβwas your first reaction grief?β
The players sat in silence, their eyes fixed on him, but no one spoke.
Shi Yin covered his face, a pained laugh escaping between sobs. βWere you grief-stricken? Or were you just relieved that it wasnβt you who died?β
βGrief? Haβ¦ hahahaβ¦β
His laughter grew increasingly hysterical. Suddenly, he stood up, tears streaming down his face, pointing a trembling finger at Jiang Yan. βYouβre smart, but youβll die here too.β
βDo you think surviving seven days will solve everything? That not being devoured by the gods means youβve won?
βLet me tell you! This world will collapse! None of us can escape! This world is unsolvable! Unsolvable!
βI wasβ¦ I was trying to save you! Better to die than to be disassembled by those monstersβ¦ Isnβt that better?β
[Heβs broken. This poor guy has snapped.]
[Losing someone close must have pushed him over the edge.]
[Yeah, for most of us, killing NPCs is just like deleting data. This is different.]
[Three days in, and we still donβt fully understand the worldβs rules. Strange.]
[Maybe the main system is just pretending to be deep. Big world-building often ends up with plot holes or rushed endings.]
The players remained silent. The cafeteria was consumed by an overwhelming sense of despair, pierced only by the screeches of monsters echoing down the hall and the faint crackling of the fluorescent lights overhead.
A suffocating wave of hopelessness engulfed the room.
βDonβt be afraid, Yan Yan.β His voice was low, soft, and coaxing as he leaned close to his "wife's" ear.
The creatureβs tentacles silently slid toward Jiang Yanβs smooth, pale chestβ¦
βGet lost.β
Jiang Yan calmly grabbed the wandering tentacle, yanked it out of his clothing, and tossed it aside without a second thought.
663 interjected, βArenβt you scared? NPCs might be safer than players, but there have been cases where entire instances were wiped out.β
Jiang Yanβs voice was calm, almost detached, with a hint of dark humor. βBut isnβt the outcome of an instance usually determined by the boss?β
663: βYouβ?!β