Jiang Yan's breath halted for a moment, and two drops of physiological tears, forced out by the immense shock, spilled from his eyes.
The "Hunter" momentarily flashed a look of panic, feigning calmness as he withdrew his hand and looked at the tearful boy in front of him. "What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
The "Hound's" excited howls came from outside, abruptly stopping as if sensing that its master was in a difficult situation.
[Uh... what is this inexplicable sense of oppression?]
[Doesn't it feel like when you secretly spent money in a game and got caught by your wife?]
[Thanks, I don't have a wife.]
[Thanks, I'm slightly offended.]
[Thanks, Yan Yan is my wife.]
Jiang Yan turned back expressionlessly under everyone's gaze, looking up at the "Hunter" behind him, who was holding Xue Dun's severed head.
The other person's tall figure blocked most of the sunlight streaming in through the window, casting Jiang Yan in shadow.
The demon-like tips of the ram horns reflected the gleam of a blade; an entity that should inspire fear now exuded a hint of deference from those green eyes.
As the "Hunter" met the tear-filled, crystalline blue eyes of the little lamb, he lifted the boy's chin with one hand and asked, "Are you angry?"
Jiang Yan replied bluntly, "Yes."
The air pressure in the room dropped instantly, and everyone could feel the cold aura radiating from the "Hunter," prompting them all to sweat for Jiang Yan.
The "Hunter" tightened his grip on Jiang Yan's chin. "Alright, I'm sorry."
The other players: "?????"
"My dear little kitten," the "Hunter" said, pulling Jiang Yan into his embrace and planting a kiss on the soft top of the boy's head. "Have you started to learn how to use your claws?"
He then gently squeezed the back of Jiang Yan's neck like a cat, rhythmically pressing and kneading to soothe him.
Jiang Yan was indeed angry, but when he looked into those green eyes, he felt momentarily dazed by the instinctive gesture.
In the sudden rush of fear followed by anger, Jiang Yan felt his mind becoming clouded.
In a daze, the pupil-less green eyes in front of him overlapped with a memory deep within him—eyes that sparkled and shone like emeralds submerged in water.
In an instant, Jiang Yan's tears fell like beads from a broken string.
Seeing this, a hint of panic flashed in the "Hunter's" eyes, but it soon disappeared into the depths of that green.
He gently coaxed the sobbing "little sheep" in his arms, like calming a temperamental kitten. "I'm sorry! This head isn't pretty; we won't keep it! Don’t cry, Yan Yan."
Sunlight streamed through the glass windows into the wooden cabin. Amid the howling wind and snow and the roars of beasts, the tall, terrifying "Hunter" turned his back to the sun, gently comforting the suddenly crying little "sheep" in his arms.
Jiang Yan cried openly, feeling emotions he had never experienced before.
He had always been a person with few emotions or, more accurately, his emotions were always subdued.
He wasn't indifferent or transcendent; he was simply lazy, too lazy to cultivate intense feelings.
Jiang Yan had even not cried when he was born; the doctor had been so frightened that he had held him upside down and spanked him a few times before he let out a couple of whimpers, just enough to avoid the ICU.
Everyone has their life's underlying tone, and perhaps Jiang Yan's was a pale blue—lethargy mixed with an inexplicable melancholy.
However, one day, this "slow-moving," "lightweight" color collided with a deep, menacing green.
Eventually, with the comfort of a cup of hot chocolate, Jiang Yan composed himself again, returning to his usual expressionless state, his eyelids slightly drooping, appearing listless.
It was as if the person who had just sobbed wasn’t him at all.
The "Hunter" sat on the clean, soft sofa brought in by the butcher, holding his "little sheep," occasionally rubbing his chin against the soft top of Jiang Yan's head.
Meanwhile, the severed head had already been tossed outside by the "Corpse Driver" to feed the "Hounds."
The sudden turn of events left the few new players in the room at a loss and left those watching the live stream on the forum bewildered.
System NPCs are different from real NPCs; every action and every word of a system NPC is meant for the plot of the dungeon since they are merely data generated by the main system, and thus, there is no "personal" language or actions.
But what did it mean for the "Hunter" to present Xue Dun's head to Jiang Yan?
Xue Dun was killed by the "Bear." Was it implying that the players should go into the forest to find the "Bear"?
Jiang Yan nestled in the "Hunter's" embrace, sipping hot chocolate while feeling anxious.
He had already learned that he was the "Thief" in a side quest, and "Rose" was currently in his possession. He had just lost control of his emotions in front of the BOSS!
If the "Hunter" accidentally reached into his clothing pocket, that tall goat would surely bite his neck clean off.
"What happened just now? You weren't scared when you snuck into the specimen room in the dark yesterday, so why were you so frightened just now?" 663 asked with concern.
"Maybe Xue Dun was too ugly," Jiang Yan replied dismissively.
With the "Hunter" present, the other players dared not speak any further, and the gruesome sight of the severed head sent chills down their spines.
Just thinking about how a companion they had been warming up with yesterday now had their head hollowed out and presented before them was something no one could accept.
This only deepened their fear of the "Hunter" and the forest.
As things fell back into a stalemate, Ding Wanyu, the loyal servant of the "Hunter," spoke up. "My esteemed master, do you wish to stay and help us search for the thief who stole the rose?"
"No," the "Hunter" denied. "I won't participate in your hunt. I’m just here to look after Yan Yan. You know he’s very fragile."
Jiang Yan, who was both the "Thief" and quite "fragile," couldn’t help but tremble slightly while holding the hot chocolate.
Ding Wanyu furrowed his brows, sensing something unusual about this system NPC.
For instance, during the day, it was the time for the "Sheep" and the "Hounds" to play, and the "Hunter" wouldn't be involved. At night, the "Hunter" would return to the wooden cabin.
Throughout, the "Hunter" had always held the role of a judge.
Even with side quests, the "Hunter" had set his judgment time to be after dusk.
So, it shouldn’t have been the "Hunter's" active time right now!
Yet the "Hunter" had returned to the cabin during this inactive time, brought back a severed head, and frightened his own "sheep" to tears!
What hidden meaning lay behind this action?
In this game, when you start feeling that an NPC's behavior is incongruent, it is the most dangerous moment; this means you are diverging from the dungeon plot. When you diverge from the dungeon plot, you naturally drift farther from the correct answer.
Thus, Ding Wanyu furrowed his brows, pondering the deeper meaning behind the "Hunter's" actions.
In the previous days, players who failed to escape were all turned into "Hounds." The only exception was Xue Dun, who was killed by the "Bear."
Secondly, in recent days, there had been corpses of "passersby" appearing in the forest from time to time, all of which he heas to handle. That was his job, and it was clearly written in his character script that he dealt with all the corpses in this forest.
Xue Dun, having been killed by the "Bear," should have been a corpse in the woods, logically speaking; it was his duty to recover that corpse. So why had the "Hunter" brought back just the head?
Right! Only the head?
Ding Wanyu seemed to think of something, lowering his eyes to ask the "Hunter," who was toying with his "little sheep's" hair. "Master, should I go handle the 'sheep' that died in the woods now?"
"I think you can take his friends along too. After all, the game is still ongoing."
Ding Wanyu's eyes lit up. They had already searched through this house and found no sign of "Rose," so the "Rose" was very likely hidden in the forest!
That's right! The players had all left the wooden cabin earlier, so it must be that the "Thief" took this opportunity to hide the "Rose" somewhere in the forest.
Hearing this, the four players, however slow they were, caught the hint and quickly got up, preparing to head into the forest with Ding Wanyu.
The gruesome sight of Xue Dun had indeed deepened their fear of the forest, but since the NPC had hinted where they should go, they naturally wouldn’t refuse. Besides, going as a group would lessen their fears considerably.
At this moment, the players were also speculating that someone had secretly hidden the “rose” in the forest earlier.
“Let’s go; I’ll take you to find your friends.” Ding Wanyu gently waved the sleeve of his robe and turned to walk toward the door.
The four players followed closely behind the “Corpse Driver”
Seeing this, Jiang Yan also set down the hot chocolate iin his hands, preparing to get off the “Hunter’s” lap and join everyone in the forest.
But as soon as he shifted slightly, the next second, he was picked up by the “Hunter” as if he were a child.
“What are you doing?” Jiang Yan asked, propping himself against the “Hunter's” shoulder.
The “Hunter” didn’t answer Jiang Yan’s question; instead, he tightened his embrace around him and said to the others, “You all go ahead; I need to get Yan Yan a blanket.”
“……”
[Can we just ask, is Ding Wanyu envious?]
[Hahaha, I’m so envious! I’m almost tempted to become an NPC!]
[Is this dungeon going to end at dusk today? Jiang Yan really is just lying down to get through this dungeon, huh?]
[After that analysis, I thought he was going to get up, but in the blink of an eye, he’s lying back down again.]
As the crowd walked on the thick snow, they reached the edge of the forest. The players, dressed only in thin clothing, were shivering from the cold. Even Ding Wanyu, who was used to the cold weather, frowned from the chill.
The “Hunter” and the “Butcher” were system NPCs, mere strings of data, and naturally didn’t understand what cold was.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yan was wrapped in a cashmere blanket by the “Hunter,” who himself wore a green velvet cloak, carefully shielding the person in his arms from the wind and snow.
At this moment, Jiang Yan was nestled in the “Hunter’s” embrace, feeling drowsy.
“Stay awake! You’re a ‘Thief’ now! Have you figured out how to get out?” 663 admonished in exasperation.
Jiang Yan lazily yawned while gripping the “Hunter’s” clothing at his chest. “As long as they can’t find me, I won’t need to escape.”
What kind of twisted logic is that?
Just then, the main system's announcement echoed above the forest, accompanied by the howls of the “Hounds”:
[Instance: “Sheep’s Forest,” Instance Progress: 75%]
[Side Quest 1: Find the “Hunter’s” lost rose]
[Personal Quest: Please have the “Rabbit” recognize his own “Rabbit,” and have the “Magpie” forget that he is a “Magpie”]
[Participants: Player Wang Yu, Player Zhou Hao, Player Lei Li, Player Zhong Yun, NPC Jiang Yan, NPC Ding Wanyu]
[What’s going on? Why is there an extra personal quest??]
[I can’t believe it… Is the main system trying to wipe them out directly?!]
[Honestly, the BOSS in this instance is also quite strange.]
[666! Here’s a joke: B-class instance.]
“Why is there an extra personal quest again?!” Jiang Yan asked 663 in confusion. “Isn’t this only something that A-class instances have?”
663 replied, “...It’s probably because the main god is in a good mood lately and wants to help new players grow faster.”
At that moment, the “Hunter” chuckled and announced, “I’ve already explained the game rules. Now, I’m changing one.”
The tension in the air instantly rose.
The “Hunter” unwrapped the blanket from the “Little Sheep” he was holding, placing Jiang Yan on the ground before removing his own deep green velvet cloak and draping it over Jiang Yan.
The “Hunter’s” towering two-meter frame caused the deep green cloak to drag behind Jiang Yan in the snow, becoming the only splash of color in the forest.
The “Hunter’s” clear voice echoed through the trees: “The Judicator is changed from the Butcher to ‘Jiang Yan.’”
Jiang Yan: “????”
The players: “??!!”
[????!!!]
[No way? Is it not over yet?!]
[What’s going on?! How can a character like the Judicator be assigned to a real NPC?! Is the main system going crazy?!]
[Seriously?? The more I look at this NPC, the more I feel something's off. It seems… his autonomy is too high?]
[Why don’t you think Jiang Yan is the problem? The instance BOSS is generated by the main system, and every action, every word is set by the main system! The problem is clearly with Jiang Yan!!]
[What’s not right? A real NPC as the Judicator? The system NPCs won’t make mistakes, but what if a real NPC does? Wouldn’t the players be wronged?!]
[How could that be? Jiang Yan’s character script will definitely be expanded.]
[I just took a stroll next door and came back, and now I can’t understand anything.]
[Just a reminder: this B-class instance has an A-class side quest, an A-class personal quest, and now a real NPC acting as the Judicator.]
[Are you serious? A real NPC acting as the Judicator?]
[Now I seriously suspect Jiang Yan is the main god’s illegitimate child.]
After the “Hunter” said this, Jiang Yan found a golden-edged scythe in his hand, representing the power of the Judicator.
The players were bewildered, and so was Jiang Yan.
“However, this at least proves that Jiang Yan has nothing to do with the side quests or personal quests,” Wang Yu adjusted his glasses and said.
Ding Wanyu frowned slightly. The most reasonable explanation he could think of was that the main system was trying to reduce the difficulty for the players.
It was evident that the difficulty of the instance was clearly not that of a B-class instance. By assigning the role of “Judicator” to Jiang Yan, it seemed the main system aimed to eliminate unnecessary options for the players.
But was removing just one unnecessary option enough to reduce the difficulty?
Jiang Yan stared blankly at the golden scythe in his hand. No one was more confused about the current situation than he was.
He was the “Thief” in the side quest, the most important character who needed to navigate between all the “police.”
Now, being directly given the identity of a “Judge” meant that his suspicions were cleared right in front of the “police.” Was this… for real?
663’s voice echoed in Jiang Yan’s mind: “You’re right, as long as they can’t find you, you don’t need to escape. Are you happy now, Little Sheep?”
There was a hint of inexplicable sarcasm in 663’s tone.
Jiang Yan ignored 663 and instead stared at the golden scythe in his hand for a moment before looking up at the smiling “Hunter” who was gazing at him. “Thank you.”
“As long as Yan Yan is happy,” the “Hunter” replied, reaching out to ruffle Jiang Yan’s soft hair.
Jiang Yan froze for a second, lowering his head.
“Is Yan Yan happy? As long as Yan Yan is happy.”
That voice from his memories always liked to say that, as if nothing else mattered in the world, only his happiness was important.
Jiang Yan took a deep breath, feeling that he was probably a bit too tired today, recalling that person even when facing a monster.
After saying that, the “Hunter” placed a kiss on top of Jiang Yan’s head and said, “But if Yan Yan judges incorrectly, you will also be punished!”
Jiang Yan stiffened, and the players were shocked.
[I told you, how could a real NPC be the Judicator?]
[This actually counts as Jiang Yan’s personal quest, right?]
[I seriously suspect the main system saw him lying too comfortably and deliberately added this task.]
[Why does this sound more like the main god’s illegitimate child? I can see the son not making progress and feeling regretful.]
[Why must it be an illegitimate child, not a wife?]
[Nonsense! Yan Yan is my wife! He’s lying right in my bed!]
【Game forum punishment announcement:】
【Player: Li Qingbai has been banned for three days for posting inappropriate remarks on the forum.】
[Huh? What did this brother say?]
[He said Jiang Yan is his wife.]
[??????]
—
They looked at the “Hunter” in shock.
Indeed, there’s no such thing as a free lunch! It would be better to let him continue being a Thief!
Judgment? As a Thief, he obviously wouldn’t judge himself.
So what would he need to judge? Who is the “Rabbit”? Who is the “Magpie”?
Wang Yu, Lei Li, Zhou Hao, Zhong Yun, and Ding Wanyu stood in front of Jiang Yan, the surrounding ebony trees resembling the dead, while they looked like the wandering spirits of the deceased.
In theory, finding two people among the five shouldn’t be too difficult, but the “Hunter” had just mentioned there would be a punishment.
Recalling the gruesome fate of Xue Dun’s head he had seen earlier, Jiang Yan didn’t want to know what the punishment would be.
He gently tugged at the “Hunter’s” clothing beside him and obediently asked, “Master, can I not be the Judicator?”
“Of course you can,” replied the “Hunter.”
Jiang Yan’s eyes brightened, ready to return the golden scythe in his hand to the “Hunter.”
However, the “Hunter” rejected, saying, “If Yan Yan doesn’t want to be one, that’s fine, but there’s a condition.”
“What condition?” Jiang Yan asked without hesitation.
The “Hunter’s” azure eyes darkened as he said softly, “Complete that kiss you didn’t finish that night.”
Previous Chapter 8 | Next Chapter 10
Comments