Chapter 76: Horror Livestream (Thirteen)
...
Zhi Le gnawed on the bone, the meat and grease from the broth making his lips a vivid crimson. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, the curve of his lips deepening with each bite.
*Crunch, crunch.*
His chewing and swallowing sounds were distinctly audible. The more he chewed, the more rapturous his expression became, and he soon finished all the meat on the bone. Zhi Le casually tossed the remnants onto the ground, then licked each of his fingers clean with his tongue, as if still unsatisfied.
Such a gesture would be disgusting on most people, yet on Zhi Le it carried an inexplicable elegance and naturalness, as if he had performed this motion countless times before.
Qi An didn't quite know how to describe the boy's current expression for a moment. No word seemed quite fitting. Right now, he looked as though he had obtained something precious—a mixture of obsession and satisfaction—but also as though he was reminiscing about something beautiful. His expression was complex.
Qi An watched as Zhi Le picked up another piece to gnaw on.
His gaze fixed on the bone, Qi An frowned slightly.
This piece was indeed a human bone.
All the bones had been placed in the pot earlier, each cut into small pieces. Qi An hadn't noticed this until now—when Zhi Le picked it up, exposing one of the pieces completely to Qi An's view, he finally discovered the abnormality of this bone.
"Does it really taste that good?" Xue Qiuzhen couldn't help but swallow hard at the sight of Zhi Le's hearty eating, asking hesitantly.
"Of course it does." The boy's head, bent in concentration, paused at the question, and he broke into a brilliant smile. "Come join me. It's already noon. If you don't eat now, you won't have the energy to search for clues later."
After Zhi Le said this, he continued with his meal. Xue Qiuzhen hesitated a moment—though the show had warned her beforehand that various terrifying events would be staged during filming, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The hunger stirred up by the aroma grew more insistent. She could hear her own stomach growling, and ultimately, she couldn't resist the temptation. She stepped forward and took a piece, eating it in small bites.
After a little while, Liang Xuan also approached.
"Qi An, won't you try some?" Zhi Le asked with amusement, then emphasized his next words: "It really is delicious."
The suddenly addressed young man seemed to freeze, staring blankly at Zhi Le with dark eyes. Having given his jacket to Liang Xuan, he wore very little. And because of his slender build, he looked fragile. The young man's face was rather pale, and he shook his head somewhat awkwardly.
"N-no, it's fine."
"I... I don't have much of an appetite." The young man added quietly, his voice low.
"Qi An's personality is a bit..." Liang Xuan joined the conversation. "As you know, what happened today has been beyond comprehension for him. If we really forced him to eat, he might just vomit it all back up. Let's give him some time to recover, and then we can find other food for him later."
"Right, Qi An?" Liang Xuan turned to ask him.
"Ah? Ah, yes." The young man nodded, seeming not quite with it. His dark eyes shifted from Zhi Le to Liang Xuan.
That gaze carried a hint of fear and confusion. His dark eyes seemed to mist over, and despite the owner's somewhat timid demeanor, these eyes appeared extremely beautiful. Qi An's pupil color was black like most people's, yet whenever there was emotional fluctuation in his gaze, there was an odd feeling.
Like now—though they knew Qi An didn't mean anything by it, when he looked over with those frightened eyes, the person being watched felt as though Qi An was seeking their protection.
Like a small defenseless creature, using only those damp, glistening eyes to ask for help. He possessed only a heartachingly beautiful appearance but no ability to protect himself. So when real danger came, he could only hope that his bewildered appearance would earn others a shred of sympathy.
Making people want to protect him.
Liang Xuan's expression froze slightly. She had to admit, heaven had truly given Qi An a beautiful face.
"Then take your time to recover." Liang Xuan's voice was cold, but others could detect the concern hidden within it.
At the very least, the viewers watching the livestream could.
"I'll help you find something later." Liang Xuan softened her voice, as if considering the young man's feelings. She turned away, facing the opposite direction, which allowed Qi An holding the livestream phone to no longer capture her face.
Lowering her head to look at the large pot on the bed, Liang Xuan's lips curved, revealing an almost ferocious expression. Whether it was because the meat inside was truly delicious, or because they were simply too hungry, the contents of the pot were rapidly diminishing.
Through what had just happened, Liang Xuan had realized that the show's recording was definitely not as described. The production team had lost contact with her, and any words she wanted to say against them couldn't be spoken due to some unknown force. Liang Xuan understood now—she had no way to end this dangerous filming, nor could she directly ask the viewers for help.
So, she could only try to survive first.
When these supernatural events occurred again, those most vulnerable to harm would be Qi An. He looked even more delicate than Xue Qiuzhen, and since Qi An hadn't eaten, he definitely wouldn't be able to run later.
If she hadn't believed the director's lies earlier, the one with the severed arm wouldn't have been her.
She didn't believe that Qi An could be that lucky again.
"I see." Zhi Le sighed. When he saw the young man duck his head somewhat sheepishly, his eyes darkened, and he said with apparent regret, "That really is a shame."
Qi An stared at the ground, his gaze lowered.
Xue Qiuzhen and Liang Xuan probably had no idea what was in this food concerned humans, but... Zhi Le.
Qi An couldn't quite determine whether the other truly understood or not.
The sounds of three people eating continued in their ears. The black-haired young man raised his head again. As if unsure what to do, his gaze drifted aimlessly around, finally settling on the livestream phone.
【Rare Bar: Aaaaah, the beauty attack from the little brother!
No-V Appear: My Xuan really is beautiful and kind-hearted, and so considerate towards Qi An. Did you all see that? That's Xuan's true nature. I really can't stand all you jealous haters who spray negativity at everything.
No-Forest Head: Most people should have heard about R Company's holographic technology by now. If the production team really used holographic tech, doesn't that clearly prove there's a script? Liang Xuan's personality is just an act.
Female CC: Is holographic technology real? I don't think so, and neither the officials nor R Company have released any announcements—it's just hearsay. I really don't know why so many people believe it.
No-Forest Head: Doesn't Zhi Le's behavior prove it? He's a newcomer, not like those with prior show experience who would put on an act, so what you see is his real self. Among the four newcomers, Qi An is naturally that frail-looking, requiring no acting skills at all. Another is Hang Man, definitely a big-shot. Another is Zhang Zhaoqi, a stone-faced type with prior experience as a Taoist priest, so his behavior makes sense. Only Zhi Le... he's just an ordinary person, yet he can act like this under such circumstances?!
You Won't Receive It: Speaking of Zhi Le, I suddenly noticed something strange. When he and Xue Qiuzhen decided to go find the others, Zhi Le led the way. I didn't think much of it before, but I suddenly realized—Zhi Le took the shortest route to where Qi An was. He didn't detour at all. Clearly, Zhi Le shouldn't have known where Liang Xuan and the others were!
Treasure Baby: Is the person above also from watching from Zhen Zhen's stream? Me too! Finally found my people!
No-Forest Head: See? This show absolutely has a script! Otherwise, does that mean Zhi Le has supernatural hearing, can hear sounds from very far away and pinpoint locations by sound alone?
...】
Qi An, upon reading this, subtly raised his head to look at Zhi Le again.
His movement was subtle, yet he hadn't expected the boy to notice his gaze so quickly and turn his head over.
Their eyes met. Qi An saw the other party give a faint, uninterpretable smile, then toss the finished bone to the ground again, licking his lips as if savoring something particularly delicious.
Qi An contemplated for a moment, then was the first to look away. He casually picked up a book placed before him and began flipping through it, as if restless.
Zhi Le's senses were very sharp.
If what the livestream viewers said was true, Zhi Le was definitely no ordinary person.
That left only two possibilities: either he was connected to this case, or he was the remaining transmigrator.
"Could it be because I'm too hungry? I feel like this meat's taste is different from what I usually eat, and especially delicious. I never would have eaten this much before." Xue Qiuzhen burped, seemingly not expecting her stomach to be so uncooperative. She blinked and said very cutely.
"Of course... it's different." Zhi Le withdrew his gaze from Qi An with a smile. He held the last bone in his hand, his unreadable eyes fixed on the now-empty pot as he spoke ambiguously: "It's been a long time since I've tasted this flavor again. Now that I have, it really is wonderful. I wonder if I'll have the chance to eat it again..."
"What?" Xue Qiuzhen looked at him strangely. "What's different about it?"
The boy stared at her fixedly. Though Zhi Le's features were very ordinary, Xue Qiuzhen's face couldn't help but gradually flush red. But the boy quickly averted his gaze and smiled particularly brightly. "...Different, because this was carefully prepared for us by the production team. Naturally, it's different from the rest."
"Ah, that makes sense." Xue Qiuzhen followed his words. "After all, we have Sister Xuan, the big star. Given her face, the production team would definitely give us special treatment."
Qi An's hand paused on the book, as if contemplating something. His eyes stopped moving. After a while, his gaze followed the flow of reading as it shifted.
It was a book about psychology.
【Emotion has always been a major issue in psychology. We all know that when anyone's emotions fluctuate, it affects their behavior. They may unleash power beyond ordinary people's imagination.
But just how far can this power reach?
This is impossible to determine.
Factors triggering emotional fluctuations are many—they can be family, love, friendship. But which emotion is most likely to have an impact? Which one generates the greatest power when released?
If someone could thoroughly understand this point, could easily influence others' emotions, they would definitely be able to master immense power.】
Qi An read this page again. Besides the original text of the book, there were some underlined passages and notes. Qi An thought about it, reached out to flip a few pages forward, then raised an eyebrow.
This was a page he had flipped to at random.
And compared to other pages, this one appeared more yellowed and more creased.
Therefore, this page should have been frequently consulted by the book's owner.
The room's owner possessed this book and kept it in the bedroom. He most likely enjoyed reading it very much. The notes in the book proved this.
So, what factor made him acquire and cherish this book?
Pure interest in psychology, work related to psychology, or perhaps his psychology had some kind of disorder.
His eyes glimpsed the words "family," "love," and "friendship" that had been underlined with different colored pens. Qi An placed his finger along the underlines and traced them. His eyelashes fluttered slightly as he withdrew his hand, seemingly unaware.
These three words weren't just different colors—the timing was also different.
More unusually, "love," positioned in the center, was the last one crossed out.
There was a certain sequence, with intervals of time in between. It was as if the book's owner was... verifying something in order.
"It should be ready now. Today I also get to eat a wonderful meal." Just as the atmosphere had lightened slightly, a warm, gentle voice sounded.
With steady, rhythmic footsteps growing louder, something was approaching the door.
The atmosphere instantly froze. Liang Xuan's face unconsciously paled. The group exchanged glances, and Xue Qiuzhen spoke first: "Excuse me, are you also here to record the show?"
"Record the show?" The person answering seemed confused by this term. "What is that? I'm just here to have my lunch."
"Lunch?" Xue Qiuzhen tilted her head and looked at the now-empty pot. Something flashed through her mind. "We..."
"My lunch?" Before Xue Qiuzhen could finish, the owner of that warm voice walked in. The person who entered was somewhat mixed-race, with golden hair. His eyes were blue, deep-set, with a high nose bridge. A gentle smile played at the corners of his lips.
His voice was beautiful—particularly clear and tender.
Neither someone recording with them nor a production team staff member.
Xue Qiuzhen froze, her mind racing. So, if not holographic technology, then a real person.
Looking at the man's gentle, attentive gaze, Xue Qiuzhen felt that even if he was real, he should be a very kind person. So she spoke up: "We're so sorry. We didn't know this was yours. We thought it was specially prepared for us. So we ate it. Money, I'll compensate you now, okay?"
"You... ate... it?" Unexpectedly, the man's gentle expression instantly changed, as if struck by some kind of blow. His speech went from smooth to halting, each word emphasized.
"Yes." Xue Qiuzhen nodded dumbly, but seeing the man seemed angry, she quickly continued: "We're truly sorry. It was absolutely unintentional. If you don't want money, is there something else you want? As long as we have the ability, we will definitely compensate you!"
"You ate... it?" Xue Qiuzhen's apology didn't seem to register with the man at all. He only repeated this sentence a few more times, then ran to the bed, cradling the pot with both hands.
His hands trembled violently, as if affected by some unbearable emotion. His handsome, handsome face twisted into something grotesque.
This pot of food seemed extremely important to this man.
Qi An watched the man's movements, his gaze sweeping over the man's neatly dressed appearance, then examining the surroundings. The man's attire was casual, and the room gave off the same impression.
It faced the sun, and the decor was in warm color tones, giving people a very comfortable feeling.
Most importantly, Qi An saw clothes in the wardrobe on the side that matched the style of those on the man.
This man should be the owner of this room.
"We..." Xue Qiuzhen wanted to make amends, but the man gave her no chance, only murmuring the same words repeatedly. What struck Xue Qiuzhen as strange, standing beside him, was that the man's voice began to change. It had been very clear before, but later it became increasingly hoarse.
By the end, the man's voice had become somewhat like stone scraping across the ground—extremely rough and grating.
The man sharply turned his head, staring fixedly at Xue Qiuzhen.
His eyes had turned red—a particularly obvious, vivid red. Blood continuously seeped from his skin. At first, it was just small spots. Eventually, the man had completely turned into a blood-soaked figure. Crimson blood flowed continuously down his body, and a pool of blood quickly formed at his feet. The red blood spread like some kind of net, constantly extending outward, about to envelop the entire area.
"Ah!" Xue Qiuzhen couldn't help but scream, stumbling backward as she turned and ran.
The man's ghost-like voice continued as he chased after Xue Qiuzhen. "Why are you running? Didn't you say you wanted to... compensate me?"
*Clang.*
The only door that could lead outside slammed shut. The girl's swift running stride immediately faltered. Trembling, she waited as the man gracefully walked toward her at a leisurely pace.
The livestream phone in Xue Qiuzhen's hand had fallen during the earlier panicked sprint. Her two hands clutched her clothes and twisted them continuously.
"You must compensate me! That's what you said!" With each step he took, a piece of flesh and blood would fall from his body. By the time the distance between them had nearly closed, the man had completely turned into a skeleton.
Qi An stared at the fallen flesh, deep in thought.
These falling chunks were identical, and their size matched those in the pot exactly. This definitely couldn't be coincidence.
While contemplating, Qi An glanced at Zhi Le's reaction. Then, the black-haired young man's eyelashes suddenly trembled. He saw that the plain-looking boy had very quickly formed a very faint smile.
So small that Qi An almost missed it. So fast that if Qi An had looked a second later, he wouldn't have realized the boy had suddenly made such an expression.
In the instant Zhi Le smiled, the boy's pitch-black eyes erupted with particularly intense emotions—excitement, joy, and more than anything, a kind of delight at finding a kindred spirit.
Zhi Le revealed an emotion he couldn't suppress.
"If you hadn't eaten my lunch, I wouldn't have become what I am now. You must receive... punishment!"
The skeleton's voice seemed to contain a rage like an overflowing tide.
Xue Qiuzhen looked up and saw the two eyeballs in the skeleton's eye sockets fall out. These two eyeballs seemed to have some elasticity, bouncing a few times on the ground. Cold sweat broke out on Xue Qiuzhen's back. She didn't dare blink as she stared at the skeleton's empty eye sockets.
"What punishment?" Xue Qiuzhen kept reassuring herself in her heart. This was just virtual reality created by holographic technology. It wasn't real, and it couldn't hurt anyone here.
"Punishment?" The skeleton seemed to reveal a sarcastic smile. "You!"
He turned his head fiercely, pointing at Liang Xuan, who had already fled to the corner. He stretched his mouth as wide as possible, revealing rows of sharp, pointed teeth. "You!"
"You!" The withered white bones turned again, pointing at Zhi Le. The skeleton seemed to pause briefly, but still shouted with extreme anger.
"And..." The skeleton's voice grew louder, shaking the ceiling lamp until it swayed. Its head twisted in a strange manner, making crackling sounds. It was extremely furious. Its dark, hollow eye sockets were like the abyss of hell.
Everyone waited for the final word, but the harsh, angry voice disappeared.
All the skeleton's movements inexplicably stopped. Its head-turning motion froze in place. Its originally cold, ghostly appearance instantly transformed into something absurd. Its raised hand suspended in mid-air.
The skeleton simply stared at the young man with its empty eye sockets, as if pressed pause, as if it had become dazed looking at Qi An.
"You." This final word was spoken especially gently. The skeleton's voice had returned to that particularly tender voice they had heard at the very beginning. All its earlier anger seemed to have dissipated.
The young man seemed to freeze, his long eyelashes fluttering continuously.
So... cute.
Bubbles began forming in the skeleton's heart. Suddenly, it became aware of something and immediately turned around, standing as straight as a soldier.
It then continued staring at Qi An with its eye sockets. When it noticed the other was looking at its half-raised arm, its heart lurched. It slapped it down at a speed impossible for normal people.
How could I point at him?
That was truly impolite.
Will he blame me?
The skeleton had no eyes and no expression. Its entire body was composed of bones stacked together. Therefore, no one could tell what it was thinking. However, everyone present felt that it seemed somewhat awkward and心虚.
A mask suddenly appeared on the skeleton's face—this mask was in the shape of a little rabbit. That figure paired with that mask looked extremely incongruous, and consequently, that sense of fear immediately diminished.
"N-no... not you." Its voice was particularly flustered. "Not you."
Suddenly, the skeleton spotted the book by Qi An's hand. "Thank you for helping me find my most beloved book. I love that book the most... I especially like it. Thank you so much for finding it..."
"I just called you just now because I wanted to thank you. Absolutely no intention of blaming you!" Its tone had become full of guilt.
—So, please don't be afraid of me, okay?
For some reason, Qi An read this meaning from its empty eye sockets.
"The book?" The young man picked up the book as if confused.
"Yes! That's it! I'd been looking for it for a long time without success. I'm really grateful." Before I was able to find it.
[Heh, isn't it right there on the nightstand? How could you not find it? Anyone with eyes could spot it at a glance, right?] The system felt panicked internally, afraid its host would be stolen by some outside dog. It immediately sneered, [Though I guess you're right—it really doesn't have eyes.]
The system then suddenly realized that its host hadn't answered this question.
"My... name is Wen Weichi." The skeleton behind the rabbit mask seemed somewhat shy to say.
Wearing this mask suddenly—was it because he didn't want its face to frighten people?
Qi An blinked. Something swift seemed to flash through his eyes, but he maintained his frightened appearance and didn't continue engaging the skeleton.
I... scared him.
I'm so bad.
The skeleton seemed distracted as it turned around. Its tall frame somehow conveyed a sense of grievance and guilt.
I can't let him see me anymore.
I can't scare him again.
It's all because of these people!
If not for them, it definitely wouldn't have met this young man in this current form, nor would it have gotten so angry. If not for them, it would still be particularly handsome!
"You three!" The skeleton's voice became that harsh, unpleasant sound again. It seemed extremely angry, and black flames began to rise within its dark eye sockets. Its entire face became especially twisted.
"This is truly too much!" As soon as the skeleton's voice fell, Liang Xuan and the others felt the surrounding temperature suddenly drop. The cold made Liang Xuan and Xue Qiuzhen can't help but shiver. Zhi Le, however, showed no reaction.
"Wen Weichi...?" Qi An watched the skeleton's dejected, desolate back, his gaze lowered. He repeated the name in a particularly soft tone, as if questioning.
Did he just call me?
The skeleton, about to open its wide mouth, froze. After confirming that the young man was calling it, it immediately began nodding frantically. Happy bubbles surrounded it entirely. It was like it could change faces—its entire skeleton became calm and harmless again, like a good baby.
"Mm mm!"
The skeleton turned around joyfully. Just as it was about to speak, a voice sounded from outside the door again. "Is it here? An'an, are you here?"
[An'an is calling us, right?] The system's voice had already become somewhat angry. This nickname had always been its to use.
[En.] Qi An nodded, somewhat confused as he looked toward the door. This voice wasn't familiar to him. He shouldn't know the person who had spoken.
A man in a tailcoat walked in. At first glance, he appeared very refined and handsome. Before Qi An could react, the man rushed toward him. His warm, gentle features showed obvious delight.
"An'an, I finally found you!" The man pulled Qi An into a hug.
While calling out, he secretly made a peace sign toward the livestream phone, and his expression clearly showed smugness.
【Have To Brag: Aaaaaaaaah, what's with this guy? My An'an, being hugged by a dog!
Can't Accept: Let An'an go, let me do it! Waaaaah, why isn't the lucky audience member me?!
Enne: So Ke Han looks like this, he's quite handsome. They two look so good together.
Some Guy: Seriously? Is the focus supposed to be on this suddenly appearing Ke Han right now? Didn't we just enrage that skeleton? Aren't you worried something might happen?
Jundo: Something happen? I don't think there's anything to worry about. The skeleton looks super cute. Besides, many people have been saying this is designed with holographic technology—nothing dangerous can happen.
Can't Help But Miss You: Super cute! What super cute? Am I blind? I only saw it acting cute toward Qi An. As for the others, well, heh. Didn't you see Xuan shiver just now?
...】
"Do you know me?" Qi An's face was still ashen. While pushing the man away a few times, he asked as if puzzled.
"Yes! I watched your livestream and fell in love with you at first sight!" The man released Qi An quite appropriately, still saying emotionally, "By the way, let me introduce myself. I'm the lucky audience member who was drawn. I'll be completing the show's recording together with An'an. My name is Ke Han. You can call me Ke Ke or Han Han."
Qi An froze, looking at him with very strange eyes, as if quite astonished. "You... fell in love with me at first sight?"
"Yes! I swear on heaven! Otherwise, why would I specifically be drawn as the lucky audience member, and why would the first person I see upon entering the show be you? Doesn't that prove our fate?" Ke Han's voice was very loud. "My love for you moved heaven! And, friends in the livestream can vouch for me—I really love you very much. Before I came, they even blessed us, telling me I must protect you well."
【Have To Brag:?
Have To Brag:??
Have To Brag:???
Three Women: Aaaaaaah, An'an, look over here! Look over here! We absolutely never said such nonsense! This man is lying! Spouting nonsense! Shameless!】
"Ah?" Qi An seemed hesitant, but he still spoke: "I think..."
"An'an, can you really bear to reject me like this?" Ke Han's expression instantly became very wronged. "We've only just met. We haven't gotten to know each other yet. Are you going to reject me directly like this? Not giving me even a little chance?"
[Confessing at a first meeting would definitely be rejected! What logic is this man using? He's truly shameless.] The system spoke up again. It found that in this world, it really got angry easily. [And this man is greasy. He's not good!]
"I..."
"Let's go outside and talk for a bit, okay?" The man interrupted Qi An's words. Qi An glanced at him. Due to the glasses blocking his view, he also couldn't clearly identify the emotions in the man's eyes.
But one thing—the skeleton, which had been about to act, stopped its movements after the man arrived.
"Okay." As if not quite knowing how to refuse, Qi An's long eyelashes trembled again and again. He ultimately lowered his eyes and agreed to the man's invitation.
The man walked ahead first. Qi An followed behind. When passing Zhi Le, he handed the phone over.
When they walked out the door, the skeleton indeed didn't stop them.
【Do You Understand: Huh? They left? Didn't even bring the phone? Aaaaaaah, I want to see what they talk about!
Egg Cup: Person above, you're not alone. I really want to see too, waaaaah!
...
Just Won't Say: Hehehehe, you all should go look at the skeleton. I feel like it looks very wronged and sad.
Just Yours: Really, really. Suddenly want to go hug it!
...】
The skeleton watched the two people walk out, staring blankly for a while before reluctantly pulling its gaze back.
Looking at the three people still in the room, the rabbit mask on the skeleton's face disappeared. Its bone-only cheeks were exposed again. Its just-now obedient baby appearance had completely faded. The black flames in its eye sockets burned more intensely, almost about to burst from within.
"Since you ate my lunch, then you three will become my lunch!"
Its voice turned harsh and rough again. Suddenly, it dashed in front of Xue Qiuzhen, then placed its claws on the back of her neck and squeezed.
When Zhi Le saw this, his eyes narrowed, allowing the phone's camera to aim at the skeleton's position.
Inside the livestream, all viewers could see Xue Qiuzhen's face instantly turn bright red. The girl's tongue stuck out. Her four limbs also flailed in resistance, but this struggle was completely useless against the skeleton. Those withered hands were as unyielding and stubborn as iron pliers.
The girl quickly stopped breathing.
The skeleton held the girl in one hand, raising her as if to smell. But quickly, it turned its head away, seemingly嫌弃. The skeleton gestured casually on the girl's body, and the girl's body was divided into several pieces.
Precisely the same size as those bones in the pot.
The skeleton waved its hand casually, and these meat chunks vanished without a trace. It didn't seem so upset anymore. Humming a tune, it picked up the pot abandoned on the bed and walked into an adjacent room.
This open door closed again after Qi An and Ke Han walked through. Zhi Le and Liang Xuan could only stay where they were.
"Do you smell anything?" Liang Xuan asked Zhi Le tremblingly.
"I smell it." Zhi Le's eyes narrowed, and he smiled brilliantly, as if completely unaware he was in a very dangerous situation. "A very fragrant smell, like meat."
Liang Xuan shivered violently. The young man continued smiling as if he hadn't noticed: "Feels somewhat similar to the meat we just ate from that pot."
The door to the adjacent room opened. The skeleton walked out carrying a steaming pot. The meat on top was very fresh, but Liang Xuan shuddered. Wen Weichi took a whiff, seeming somewhat unhappy. "As expected. Something made this quickly isn't fragrant. But there's no helping it."
As he spoke, he took a bite. Seemingly嫌弃, the black flames in the skeleton's eye sockets flickered continuously.
But each time it took a bite, a piece of red flesh would appear on its body. The skeleton ate quickly. In no time, it had transformed into that blood-soaked figure from before.
In almost that instant, it changed from a terrifying skeleton to an especially handsome mixed-race young man. Wen Weichi smiled. "It's a particularly handsome day today!"
【Do You Understand: That meat... I suddenly have a very terrible thought.
Very Hot: Aaaaaaah, please don't let it be real! I always firmly believed it was fake, but now!
Those Bei: I was wrong. I really was wrong. The skeleton isn't cute at all. It's truly terrifying.
...】
"Unfortunately, one lunch can only last one day." Wen Weichi seemed regretful, but then he smiled gently again. "But fortunately, many people have arrived. It should be enough for now."
...
[System, who do you think that person is?] Just as the system was sulking, it suddenly heard its host's cool, unhurried voice.
[Which person?] The system first froze, then felt even more aggrieved internally. [I... I can't sense it.]
[Right, this world really is a bit strange.] Qi An hummed in acknowledgment. [It seems like anyone could be, but there's always some problem. He's trying to confuse me.]
[An'an, why are you looking for him?] The system was puzzled.
[He got me involved in his game. If I can't find him within three days, I have to stay here with him.] Qi An looked at Ke Han standing beside him and gently frowned.
[Stay, stay in this world?] The system sneered. [How is that possible? As long as we complete the mission, we can exit the world directly. How could he possibly keep us here?]
[The spatial laws here have been altered.] Qi An's voice became even gentler, as if floating down from the heavens.
[Spatial laws?] The system's voice changed. It immediately went to check, then its voice became especially incredulous. [They really... were altered?! How... could that be...]
In other words, if he really didn't complete this game, he might really be trapped in this world forever.
So, who would that person be?
Who could make that person think that he couldn't possibly guess...