The room was shrouded with thick curtains, the air conditioning set at a comfortable temperature, and even the color tone seed to be adjusted, creating a sense of calm over ti.
The handcuffed girl hung her head low, seated in her chair, which was specially angled to allow her to relax against it.
...But now she just lowered her head and hunched her back, as if she wanted to sink into the ground, silent.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Footsteps approached from outside, and then the sowhat heavy door was pushed open, and a man and a woman clad in silver-starred uniforms walked in. Their attire resembled the police uniforms of Zhai Xing, with so differences; the silver stars on their chests twinkled faintly, like so sort of prop, and what hung at their waists wasn’t a baton, but a pale white pistol.
A transparent screen in front of them lit up, apparently already in recording mode.
As they entered, a pale white light shield on their bodies flickered faintly.
"Number 11029, Su-style," the female officer spoke and sat down opposite the girl, her face appearing on the screen in front of the officer as the recording began.
Su-style stirred slightly, her head raised a little, and her eyes, dry as withered springs, fixed on the female officer in front of her.
The female officer was nad Zhang Qing, a forr policewoman of Dragon Country’s emblem departnt, and after the World Ga began, she didn’t hesitate to head to server number one to sign up upon hearing that the United Group was recruiting players, and was successfully inducted into the United Group’s ntal Health Committee.
mbers of the United Group organization received salaries, with points distributed weekly.
As to where these distributed points ca from, or how those above got them, she wasn’t clear.
The points weren’t plenty, much less than what she’d earn from venturing into the field or taking on so crafting or alchemy occupations, serving at most as a consolation.
But this didn’t affect her decision to beco a mber of the United Group—in the Main God World, which beca suddenly chaotic and dangerous after the Third World, people like her were needed.
During First Guild’s opening speech, after the Number One Player revealed the fact that "the Main God World might be more dangerous than the instance worlds," the originally calm Main God World changed... although not by much, as many still lived normally due to the "no direct attacks" setting.
However, following an incident that happened just today, everyone had an epiphany.
Now on the streets, those who received the news had all hidden in their hos, and the slightly more timid ones had gone directly to their cramped, narrow personal spaces.
...And the spark for everything was this seemingly ordinary girl in front of them.
Zhang Qing could see that the girl was very nervous and frightened.
Like many impulsive murderers, after the thrill of revenge wore off, an endless fear would overwhelm them. Once the heat in their minds faded, they would start to think about everything related to themselves... family, friends, career.
...And then regret.
The Su-style in front of her looked calm and quiet. According to her file, she was just an ordinary college girl from Dragon Country. The only special thing about her was her forum identity—she was a fervent believer in the Lighthouse Series, a follower of the Number One Player, and also held a managent position in the Number One Player’s fan group, with her fan art being wildly popular.
But who could have imagined that such a girl... would suddenly carry out a suicidal attack in her own ho, in her mother’s ho?
Judging by the number 11029, Su-style was not the first to go mad.
Before her... there had already been many who relied on their own strength to show off, using area-of-effect damage to create cases with many casualties—only there had never been an instance as sensational as Su-style’s, because of her identity of having once t the Number One Player in the Second World.
After the World Ga began, when the entire Zhai Xing was enveloped in the playful attitude of high-dinsional beings... humanity really went mad.
Zhang Qing was grateful that she was still among the relatively sane humans and had not beco like those madn.
Today’s incident did not lead to any deaths, only injuries which could be healed using the miraculous props from the Main God Shop... This was the greatest fortune.
"Number 11029, Su-style," Zhang Qing summoned a transparent keyboard in her hands, "What made you behave like this today?"
logically, one should not interrogate such a criminal so politely or provide her with a comfortable space.
Threats and intimidation, wearing down the suspect’s endurance... until their confession was completely recorded.
But Su-style in front of her... based on the recordings preserved at the scene, her ntal state had already beco abnormal.
...Tending towards being a patient, a ntally ill patient.
And perhaps because of her past acquaintance with the Number One Player... the superiors also instructed to avoid coercive actions as much as possible.
They feared that the Number One Player, who had yet to choose a side, would beco hostile to the United Group because of this.
Zhang Qing’s tone was gentle, but the look in her eyes as she gazed over was resolute; she exuded an oppressive aura.
Su-style’s eyelids lifted slightly; her eyes, initially hollow, gradually ignited with warmth, as though her whole body had suddenly regained heat.
She opened her mouth as if to say sothing, but her voice was so soft that Zhang Qing couldn’t even hear clearly.
Zhang Qing leaned forward slightly, but Su-style suddenly sat up straight, startling the male officer beside her, as a faint white light flickered on his hand.
...but after that, no attack ca.
Su, unmoving, simply stood there with a blank look in her eyes, staring at them.
"...I finally..." she murmured quietly, "killed those demons that were always causing pain."
Zhang Qing and the male officer Li Ke were slightly taken aback, then their expressions turned serious.
"They had no self-awareness, they served no purpose."
"They thought they could deceive my eyes by taking on the appearance of people around ."
"Impossible."
"I ended their lives, I moved with the light."
"I..."
The handcuffs clinked, and Su’s eyes shone brightly:
"...am a Light Pursuer."
"Creak—"
The door made the sound of being opened.
A dark-skinned man with golden stars on his shoulder pushed the door open and walked in, his face stern.
"Release Miss Su first," he commanded.
Zhang Qing and Li Ke glanced at the stars on his shoulder, then got up to unlock Su’s handcuffs.
The man approached Su, his tone earnest:
"Miss Su, I am glad to report that after the help of a Healing Series Player, your mother is safe and unhard."
Su slightly lifted her head, her handcuffs being removed to reveal a stark red mark circling her wrist.
"We are willing to forgive you, find a way to clear your na," the man continued, seemingly showing her a card with a line of small print nas on it.
"You and your mother can also be taken to a safe place, where we will provide you with superior equipnt."
"If you wish to join the ga, we can assist with that as well," the man continued.
Su’s eyes brightened ever so slightly.
Zhang Qing and Li Ke exchanged a look, their faces showing so disapproval.
But the man’s voice remained steady: "...we even have props that can locate instance positions. As long as you get the Number One Player’s ID, we can make sure you and the Number One Player enter the sa instance—"
"What do you want to do?" Su lifted her face with a smile.
"We have a very important task, and we’d like to entrust it to you..." the man said, looking at her with a grave expression:
...
"—We want you to help us make contact with the Number One Player."
...
"—Wait, where are you guys going?"
Just as Su Ming’an was about to turn away and leave, Eni stood up from his seat.
He still seed a bit dazed by the Werewolf’s abruptness, hesitating as he approached.
"Su Ming’an, you are the true prophet, I believe... The situation is dire now, we need to stick together to achieve a final victory for our faction," Eni stated clearly as he walked up to Ming’an: "I’m just an ordinary good person with no special skills. If you have any tasks to assign, you can tell ."
Then, he saw the look in Su Ming’an’s eyes soften slightly.
"You understand your position well," Su Ming’an said: "You’ve grown up, Eni."
"...?"
Eni wasn’t sure whether to be angry or to just laugh it off.
...Indeed, he was no longer the Eni who once thought the whole world revolved around him.
Having lost the qualification for a Perfect Pass right from the beginning, he was abandoned in a flash, replaced by Edward.
It wasn’t until he saw Edward, surrounded by adoration, saw his own allies fading away, saw the white Pattern Mark on the back of his hand diminishing, that Eni realized all at once what he truly had lost.
...He had beco worthless in the eyes of many.
Right from the start, from the mont he lost to the man in front of him on the chessboard.
He couldn’t deny that his loss had a factor of bad luck, but a loss was a loss. Even if he was unwilling to accept it, he had to admit that the man in front of him had the capital to win. The Number One Player always had an aura about him, as if the sky could fall and he would still hold the winning ticket, as if he was never worried about any accidents happening, and that as long as he kept going, victory was certain.
...This odd yet fragile sense of security forced him to feel a solid trust.
"Regarding the victory or defeat of the camps, I am confident. You don’t have to fear losing," Su Ming’an said. "So as an ordinary good person, all you need to do is to keep yourself safe."
"Do you know, the Werewolves are almost ready to kidnap people?" Eni saw the other’s confidence, and while he wasn’t surprised by such a response, he still harbored concerns. "Adolf has disappeared, and if the Guard doesn’t protect the right person during the night phase, tomorrow’s exile phase will be their playground!"
"...No, there won’t be such a situation," Su Ming’an said. "The Werewolves are stupid... very stupid. So stupid that they would attack two days in a row, I don’t think they have everything under their control. Eni, you don’t need to worry too much. Even if you can’t keep yourself alive, you’ll still win..."
Eni faintly felt that what the other ant was, "You should be glad you’re in the sa camp as ; hence your victory is certain."
...So confident.
"So what should I do?" he asked.
"Share your clues," Su Ming’an glanced over at Lv Shu and Yamada Machiichi as he spoke. "You too."
Lv Shu, as if he had been prepared, handed over a piece of paper.
...
[Received shared clue·Hunter clue from another Player]
...
"...What’s the use of this, keep it yourself," Su Ming’an cast a glance at the words on top and imdiately tossed it back. It was a clue that was of no use; the Hunter’s gun had already been fired.
"How about you?" He took the paper from Yamada Machiichi’s hands.
...
[Received shared clue·Werewolf clue Uno]
[（Werewolf clue Uno）: She once pursued that goal with fervent zeal, like a madwoman who had lost all reason, thus everyone naturally began to fear her. Yet she does not understand—can’t even this minor interest find a place in this world, or is this a world that only tolerates diocrity?]
[Clue has been added to the clue column and can be reviewed at any ti.]
...
"..." Su Ming’an threw the paper back as well. "I don’t need that kind. I need clues about the secret within this level."
"What do you need that for? Isn’t this a PvP camp battle? You still want to solve the mystery?" Eni was very puzzled.
"No more clues?" Su Ming’an didn’t answer his question but suddenly felt soone tugging at his sleeve.
Yamada Machiichi was bowing her head slightly, seeming a bit afraid to look at him, cradling a leather-bound notebook in her hands.
On its cover was a line of blood-red Sanskrit, its aning unknown.
Su Ming’an opened the notebook to find words he could understand, though so parts were indistinct and unclear.
...
[Terrily Town, a town cursed.
Perhaps it’s too early to label it that way... but based on my years living here, I believe it has been thoroughly eroded...
The place was originally peaceful and serene, the townsfolk laboring generation after generation. I liked it here—the unique herbs allowed to research my new potions.
...until one day, a Hunter who went out hunting brought back a wolf child.
Maybe it could be called a [Disaster].
Everyone, including myself, thought the wolf child would live out his days as a beast, but in reality, he quickly recovered and assimilated into the town.
However, decades later, when I have grown old, the old boy was still not dead.
Everyone praised his longevity until so townspeople accidentally intruded on his room at night.
The disaster began——
...
Beneath was a swath of blurry text, not as if soone had deliberately wiped it away, but as if it had faded out on its own. It was very cleanly erased.
"This is a journal, it should be a valuable clue," Yamada Machiichi whispered on the side.
Su Ming’an turned to the next page.
...
[The "Old Boy" cursed those who had brought him back from the hands of the Wolf Father and killed his parents... He believed the wolf totem to be the most subli faith in the world... How laughable.
...(blurry)...
He wanted to spread his culture, but when soone intruded into his room and reviled him as a "bastard"
...(blurry)...
After that, a townsperson of Terrily would randomly die every day.
...(blurry)...
The townfolk prayed to the deity for a blessing, and the kind gods allowed the townfolk to exile themselves, but people still died, so soone proposed a new thod to appease the gods, to save the people from disaster...
...(blurry)...
——The thod proved to be excellent! No one was ever again attacked and killed in the night. The residents of Terrily Town were always satisfied...
Until one day.
Soone died again in the night.
The gods guided the people of Terrily Town to continue their self-imposed exile... but it seed ineffective, even that "excellent" thod no longer worked.
People lived in fear all day, not knowing what to do.
They pleaded with , asking for an antidote that could cure the people——but I was rely an outsider, perhaps knowledgeable in potions, but still helpless against the curse.
I’ve grown old, so old that my hair is white.
Even the familiar scent of potions is gradually fading from my perception...
I suspect it’s "her" doing, she is always crying beside .
——But even when I go to her grave, she still won’t leave be.
She’s driving mad.
...But at this ti, as if by a mandate from heaven itself.
We heard that twelve travelers from the outside world who can change our fate are soon to arrive.
——Heaven have rcy.
The gods have not abandoned us, they still watch over us.
——Heaven have rcy.
All will pass, and evil will ultimately be vanquished.
——Heaven have rcy.
...
——May Terrily be reborn anew.
...
Below the text, there was a line of delicate handwriting, though the ink was faint, as if the recorder could barely hold the pen anymore.
[Recorder:
...
——Sharina]
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