A minor incident occurred while the Investigator and the Assassination Doctor were setting up.
The agreed rendezvous ti arrived. Qin Xin's alarm rang at noon exactly. Li Wufang had just finished his preparations and returned to the rooftop, while Wang Mou was still lurking in so shadow, tinkering with who-knows-what.
Cheng Shi frowned. Letting the hourly mark pass without guarding against others felt unwise. But Qin Xin read his concern and said with a smile:
"Perhaps because we share Existence, I'm rather sensitive to Ti fluctuations. At least just now, there hasn't been a single ripple of Ti power within our visible range. So relax.
And don't be too cautious of Ti. Its thods... are never underhanded, at least."
'Underhanded!'
'I think you're shade-throwing soone, but I won't say who.'
Cheng Shi chuckled, accepting the reassurance. 'Maybe I really am too paranoid.'
'Once bitten, forever shy.'
Still—that single remark added another notch to his suspicion of Qin Xin.
As a Mirror Person—a "rugged" warrior who fought head-on—Qin Xin's perception seed absurdly sharp. He hadn't even moved, yet sensed divine power fluctuations across this massive area.
And his crisis managent was too cerebral for soone his build. That hulking fra should have been charging the front lines, yet he constantly hung back, orchestrating from the rear with effortless composure.
'Does this... look like a warrior?'
'Has the assassin ta finally infected the warrior class?'
Suspicions noted. But now wasn't the ti to investigate an ally—especially a Torchbearer. Better to scrutinize the other two teammates instead.
Just as the thought ford, Wang Mou returned with his habitually stern expression—though this ti a thread of sothing dark lingered at the corner of his eye.
Li Wufang, seeing everyone present, raised an eyebrow: "Where's Chosen An? Does she have so secret mission too?"
"..."
'Well, you could call it a mission. Not very secret though—more like a... bare-bones operation.'
"Never mind her. Chosen players always have their own ideas. Since it's ti, let's swap intelligence while the Oblivion incident is still fresh."
Cheng Shi smiled, gaze drifting to the unconscious woman Wang Mou had set on the roof.
He was beyond curious about her. Ad Ric's anomaly was virtually confird. Now it was up to this woman to write the ending to this love story.
The four exchanged glances, nodded, and headed back to the original inn for discussion.
Losing two teammates in the first round barely fazed these veterans—they were long accustod to surprises.
Cheng Shi had switched back to Fate Weaver. He could revive Ad Ric at any ti but chose to wait. Back at the inn, he gave a rough overview of the imprisoned miner's situation, then imdiately steered the conversation toward Wang Mou:
"So, Doctor—wake this woman up. The miner's love story needs an ending."
Wang Mou frowned—his expression slightly odd—but followed Cheng Shi's suggestion. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he placed the shanty woman from the mine's dical ward on a table and roused her.
The mont Alo Manni opened her eyes, she didn't panic. Instead, she rolled her eyes, surveyed the room with practiced nonchalance, and—upon confirming she was in the familiar inn—addressed the four n present while rubbing her hair:
"Bit crowded, but not unacceptable. You really didn't need to drag
here so roughly—just pay extra.
Also, the smuggler inn charges steep room fees. Those are on you."
"???"
All four players were covered in question marks.
Cheng Shi's heart sank. The "love story" he'd been anticipating the entire journey was suddenly threatening to derail.
"You're Alo Manni?"
The curly-haired woman blinked. She eyed Cheng Shi suspiciously: "You researched
before making a move? Professionals. I'll have you know, my receptiveness to new arrangents is very—"
"Wait wait wait!" Cheng Shi hastily cut her off, torn between laughing and crying. "Your preferences are your business—but you're under no obligation to share them. And that's not why we're here.
We just want to know what happened that night between you and Ad Ric."
He pointed toward Ad Ric's corpse propped against the wall.
Alo Manni froze. Following his gaze, she saw the "regular custor" lying there, quiet and very dead. Her face finally changed.
She scrambled backward across the table, gripping its edges, and curled into a ball. Face pale, she forced out a threat through gritted teeth:
"I belong to Shi Lolin. You want to cross the Extre Desire Brotherhood?"
"?"
'What even is the Extre Desire Brotherhood?'
Cheng Shi had never heard of them. But the other three clearly had. Qin Xin looked thoughtful. Wang Mou's brow sank further. Only Li Wufang had an epiphany:
"So you people follow that god!"
Cheng Shi blinked blankly. Then—flash of insight: "Corruption?"
"Bingo!" Li Wufang smacked his palm. "Exactly. The Extre Desire Brotherhood worships Corruption. They're well-known in the Underground. Or rather—notoriously known. All the vice industries are controlled by them."
Before the Investigator could finish, Alo Manni—face stern, body tense with mingled anger and anxiety—cut him off:
"It's not control—it's protection!
Our lord's followers love and cherish one another. We are united as one, like family. Together we sink into the pleasure of indulging ourselves—experiencing the most exquisite joy the world has to offer. This kind of happiness... people shackled by propriety like you could never understand."
"..."
'Wonderful! We don't understand!'
Being lectured by a Corruption follower was too much. Every person in the room fought to suppress laughter.
Cheng Shi was literally applauding as he nodded:
"Fascinating. This place really is fascinating.
Miss—oh, don't make that face—madam. Beautiful follower of Corruption. We have no intention of provoking any brotherhood. We won't do anything to you. We simply got tangled up with this miner and want to learn the truth.
We actually have more... convenient thods, and you know what I an. But we chose not to use them. That alone should prove we're gentlen. Reasonable people.
So truly—no need to panic."
Cheng Shi's "reassurance" worked—sowhat. Alo Manni detected no malice in any of their eyes. She relaxed a fraction. Her spirit returned. Eyes rolling calculatingly, she tossed Cheng Shi a flirtatious glance:
"So then, dear gentleman—will I be compensated for my answers?"
"?"
'You're really pushing your luck, aren't you?'
Cheng Shi laughed in disbelief. He flicked a scalpel that buried itself beside her foot, leaned in, and gave her his most "gentlemanly" smile:
"Naturally, miss. If your account is detailed enough, I might consider letting you walk out of this room on your own two feet."
"..."
Alo Manni flinched—but she seed accustod to threats. Her fear wasn't nearly as intense as before. She tucked her feet away from the blade...then, upon realizing her threatener was handso, instinctively licked the corner of her lip and—couldn't resist—curled her toes at him.
"..."
The scent of Corruption saturated the room. Cheng Shi's smile froze solid on his face.
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