Chapter 62

Chapter 62

A university is a place for teaching and nurturing students, so naturally, there must be a library.

Xiyu wandered around in the fine drizzle and, as expected, found one tucked away in the northwest corner of the campus.

Perhaps because it was too early and the weather even worse than the day before, there wasn’t even a single NPC-like student in the library. Only a female teacher sat at the lending counter near the entrance, sipping coffee.

Xiyu put on a gentle and harmless demeanor, approached her, and smiled, “Hello, may I ask where Western literature is located?”

“A freshman? The library isn’t open yet.” The female teacher put down her cup and looked up from her computer. “Go have a proper breakfast first.”

Xiyu leaned on the table with both hands, showing a very earnest expression. “Teacher, I’m afraid the book I want to read will be borrowed by someone else, so I got up extra early. Please let me in, I promise I’ll be quiet and leave as soon as I find the book.”

The female teacher hesitated for a moment, looked at Xiyu’s face again, and finally made a firm decision. “Alright, keep a low profile—Western literature is in Area A03 on the third floor.”

Relieved, Xiyu gave a small nod of thanks and hurried off.

Xiyu still remembered that when he had just started his streaming career, Luo Xi had sent him a novel called The Razor’s Edge through the e-reader on the cloud platform.

“It’s very difficult to cross the edge of a razor, so the wise say the path to salvation is hard.”

Xiyu had always remembered those seemingly meaningful words—it counted as one of the rare private exchanges between the two of them.

If shared memories were key clues for players to recognize one another, then if Luo Xi ever wanted to find him, she would surely look through the work of the famous British author Maugham.

After arriving at Area A03, Xiyu quickly found three or four copies of The Razor’s Edge lined up together. He folded page 84 in each of them—his personal marker—and then pulled out The Moon and Sixpence beside them to use as a cover, lowered his head, and quickly left.

By now, the steady drizzle outside had turned into a downpour, and the entire Xiyuan University was enveloped in a dense mist of rain.

Xiyu squinted and stared at the dramatic scene for a moment, then returned to the lending counter. While checking out The Moon and Sixpence, he casually asked, “Teacher, the girl who jumped off the building before—was she a senior in the Chinese department?”

The female teacher’s hand trembled as she scanned the barcode. “Don’t spread rumors. The principal has strictly forbidden it.”

Xiyu feigned ignorance. “Why? It’s not like it was the school’s fault…”

The teacher clearly didn’t want to talk more. She wrapped the book in a paper bag for him and shook her head. “Off you go. Study well.”

Xiyu had no choice but to leave reluctantly. He grabbed a public-use black umbrella and stepped into the heavy rain.

Though the weather was terrible that day, it hadn’t dampened the students’ enthusiasm for campus activities.At 9 a.m., colorful tents had already been set up on the lush green sports field. Upon approaching, various student clubs could be seen recruiting new members. Not only were the posters decently made, but the photos and videos were also rich and vibrant, creating a lively and youthful atmosphere.

However, the streamers had no interest in appreciating such mundane affairs. With serious expressions, they moved among the NPCs, all trying to gather information about the Rose Game.

News of the girl’s suicide had spread, so clubs like the Literature Society, Poetry Society, and Computer Technology Exchange Club naturally became key investigation targets.

Xiyu kept his ears open along the way, not bothering to join the crowds. Eventually, on the edge of the field, he spotted a strange club booth named “Society for the Investigation of Psychic Phenomena,” and only then did he stop.

Having seen the ghost of the girl who jumped last night with his own eyes, it was now beyond doubt that this game instance involved paranormal events. Xiyu naturally grew interested in such a club.

He squeezed through the crowd, approached with an umbrella, and gently asked the male NPC playing on his phone at the booth, “Excuse me, what does the Society for the Investigation of Psychic Phenomena do?”

The NPC had thick brows and big eyes, and spoke in an upbeat tone: “Hi there! Our society uses scientific methods to research supernatural phenomena and dispel superstition. We’ve been established for three years now.”

Xiyu raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So your society believes ghosts don’t exist?”

“Allow me to introduce myself—I’m He Kun, president of the Psychic Society and a senior in the History Department,” the handsome male NPC said with a grin. “I admit, due to the limitations of human understanding, there are many things in the world that science can’t yet explain. But that doesn’t mean we should jump to superstitious conclusions. I believe there are rules and logic behind these events.”

Xiyu gave a half-smile and leaned in to whisper, “To be honest, last night I saw a long-haired female ghost—her body was rotting. She kept wandering around the Chinese department building, or sometimes leapt from the rooftop, leaving blood everywhere… Could you explain the logic behind that?”

He Kun froze, his face immediately darkening. “Nonsense. You must’ve heard Xiaozhi’s rumor and are now making up stories to mess with our society.”

Xiyu blinked. “So her name is Xiaozhi.”

He Kun quickly sat down. “Hey, don’t cause trouble. I still have to recruit members.”

Just then, a clear system notification tone sounded abruptly.

[Game progress is too slow, streamers please focus.]

[The Rose Master has seen through the identities of five streamers.]

[Their names and numbers have been posted on the bulletin board.]

This was unexpected news. Xiyu frowned secretly. He had previously worried about what would happen if the game dragged on with no winner, but it seemed the company was more cunning than he thought—they had already anticipated this situation. The sudden random selection might seem unfair, but if he guessed correctly, the five streamers revealed were likely the ones with the lowest hidden scores. That would align with the company’s interests, meaning he and Luo Xi, who had higher hidden scores, were relatively safe.

After quickly thinking this through, many streamers had already reacted to the alert and left the field to check the bulletin board.

Xiyu smiled faintly, turned around and said, “President He, I think I’ll join your society. Do you have any club activities going on?”He Kun, seeing that his rather offbeat club finally had someone interested, immediately resumed his polite demeanor: “Yes, of course we do. There's a ‘Bravery Game’ tonight. I’ll be leading the club members to investigate places on campus known for strange rumors and uncover the scientific truth for the faculty and students.”

“Bravery Game…” Xi Yu nodded and accepted the registration form. “Where are we going tonight?”

He Kun blinked. “The library.”

Xi Yu shook the kraft paper folder under his arm. “What a coincidence. I just came from there. That place has supernatural rumors too?”

“Of course.” He Kun casually snatched the folder to peek. “What are you reading? The Moon and Sixpence? — ‘We live our lives like solitary warriors,’ haha, I liked that a lot in high school. But isn’t it a bit late to be reading this in university?”

Xi Yu didn’t mind. “Some truths are never too late to learn.”

Just then, a tall male streamer approached from behind and asked in a loud voice, “What kind of supernatural rumors? I want to hear too.”

Number 017.

Xi Yu glanced at the embroidered number on his school uniform, then turned his attention back to He Kun.

He Kun cleared his throat. “This is what I heard from others. Over ten years ago, a teacher at the school was accused by a student of sexual harassment. After a big fuss and no clear outcome, he was reassigned to the library as a manager. Just before retirement, he was scammed by a colleague into investing, lost all his money, and then got mocked by students. In the end, with a fragile heart, he committed suicide... Ever since, every night after the library closes, there’s ‘something’ moving around inside. Books that were left out of place end up back on the shelves by morning… naturally, people talk a lot…”

After acting mysterious for a while, he then returned to a serious tone: “But I think it's probably all just unfounded rumors. Tonight, we’ll check the security footage and bust the myth. I’ve already coordinated with the staff there.”

Before Xi Yu could reply, Number 017 gave a quiet chuckle. “Sounds fun. Count me in.”

As he spoke, he grabbed a registration form and filled it out messily.

The rain was getting heavier, the ground beneath them turning muddy, and He Kun began packing up his booth. “Anyway, we’re holding a meeting in Classroom 104 of Building C before evening. The other members will be there too. Don’t forget to come.”

Xi Yu nodded without saying more. After registering his number, he opened his umbrella and turned to leave.

“Hey, your book.”

017 suddenly called out.

Xi Yu then remembered the unimportant prop he’d left behind and reached out to take it.

But 017 didn’t let go.

Xi Yu frowned slightly, puzzled. “What are you doing?”

017 unexpectedly asked, “What’s your name?”"..." Xi Yu yanked the book back and ignored the weirdo, choosing to walk away without a word.

At that moment, the heavy rain completely ruined the lively club recruitment scene, and the remaining NPCs hurriedly packed up their booths.

Number 017 was also drenched. He stood still, silently watching Xi Yu’s back with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Xi Yu had always been cautious and certainly wouldn’t ignore such strange behavior.

He hadn’t yet decided where to go. As he wandered aimlessly under his umbrella, his mind was filled with thoughts of the odd Number 017.

The other guy was also a streamer—he wouldn’t randomly approach people, let alone act like that without reason.

Did he recognize me?

Or… could he be Luo Xi?!

The thought hit Xi Yu like a bolt. He suddenly turned around to look in the direction he came from.

But he didn’t see 017 again. Instead, he spotted the drenched and disheveled Number 182 rushing over like a drowned rat.

Xi Yu waited a moment and asked, confused, “What are you in such a hurry for?”

Number 182 looked around nervously and said in a low voice, “Bro, not gonna lie, when the system announced the message earlier, I happened to be standing right next to the bulletin board. I saw five glowing slips of paper and freaked out. I grabbed one and ran here.”

…That familiar lucky aura. Xi Yu almost asked, “Are you Su Ziyan?” Luckily, reason crushed the impulse in its cradle, and he instead asked, confused, “Then why didn’t you take all of them? You could’ve used the notes to gain allies or traded them for benefits. Leaving them behind—what good does that do you?”

“Oh yeah.” 182 scratched his head. “Maybe deep down, I felt like I didn’t deserve that kind of luck.”

Xi Yu could only sigh. He wasn’t exactly jealous, and continued on his way.

But 182 really was clingy. He caught up again and asked, “So do you think I should become this streamer’s flower?”

Xi Yu suddenly reached out and grabbed him by the neck, deliberately trying to scare him, and asked in a low voice, “Why do you keep coming to me with this? Not afraid I’ll steal it from you?”

182 struggled in pain. “I—I already ate the note! You can’t steal it!”

Xi Yu froze for a moment, frowned, and let go. “You can’t trust everyone. Remember that.”

“I don’t think you’d hurt me. See, if you were really a bad guy, you wouldn’t be saying all this to me.” 182 rubbed his neck gloomily. “I honestly don’t know if I should become a flower. Wouldn’t that just harm someone else?”Xi Yu took a deep breath. “Even if you don’t become one, the other person is still a Fertilizer. The system will still assign her a Rose Task. Becoming her flower doesn’t necessarily benefit you, but at least you won’t lose out—unless you’ve got another Fertilizer who’s easier to handle. Otherwise, there’s nothing to hesitate about.”

“That makes sense.” Number 182 was instantly persuaded, pulled out his phone, and muttered as he typed, “Number 111, Fei Ling... Hey, it worked!”

Xi Yu was slightly surprised to hear the familiar name. “Fei Ling?”

“You know her?” 182 laughed. “Sounds like a girl’s name. I hope she helps me lower my Bloom value. Of course, I won’t go too far.”

Xi Yu’s expression turned complicated. “Do you still remember who the other four were?”

182 looked blank. “I already forgot. Something Sun… something Zhou…”

Xi Yu looked disappointed and walked on silently.

182 trailed behind him enthusiastically.

Xi Yu lost patience and warned with a frown, “I have things to do. Take care of yourself. I don’t form alliances, so don’t follow me.”

That was downright cold. 182 slowly lowered his hands and could only stand in the rain watching him leave.

The dorm room reeked of blood.

Xi Yu had been through enough disasters to recognize it the moment he entered. He lowered his dripping black umbrella and looked at the pale-faced Number 009 and Number 006, who was boiling water nearby. He asked, puzzled, “You’re pretty badly hurt. What happened?”

009 had a nonchalant attitude. “Just an accident. Bro, did you get anything?”

Xi Yu shook his head and looked him over. “Did you reject the Rose Task and still avoid punishment?”

“What, trying to squeeze information out of me?” 009 took the hot water from 006, blew on it, and took a sip. “We’re not close. No reason to tell you anything.”

Xi Yu smirked. “Since you’re not denying it, that means I’m mostly right. And judging by how well you two are getting along, I’d guess you’ve already confirmed the so-called CP pairing.”

006 walked over slowly. “What are you implying?”

Xi Yu shrugged. “No harm meant. If you prefer to mind your own business, then keep it that way.”

But as soon as he said that, both Xi Yu and 009’s phones chimed at the same time. They looked at each other warily, then lowered their heads to read.

[Dear esteemed member of the Mind Society, please gather promptly at 4 PM in Classroom 104 of Building C. I’ll be arranging tonight’s ‘Brave Game.’ — President He Kun]After reading the message, Xi Yu closed it and smiled. “Looks like we’re in the same club.”

009 leaned back in the chair, supporting himself. “No harm in studying supernatural dungeons if it’s a supernatural-themed club. Since that’s the case, let’s go together.”

Although he hadn’t interacted much with these two, Xi Yu could already sense a calm and composed aura from them, completely different from 182. He was very aware that neither of them was someone easy to deal with, so he became more cautious and nodded calmly.

Number 006 quietly observed him, then leaned in to whisper something to 009.

Xi Yu was confident that no one really understood him and wasn’t afraid of giving himself away. He simply started flipping through the new book he had borrowed, looking entirely at ease.

That day, heavy rain poured outside, but for Dorm 201, it was a peaceful stretch of time.

With no clues to work from, none of the three went out to wander. They each did their own thing, as if they really were carefree college students.

It wasn’t until right before the meeting that the system notification sounded.

[Twenty streamers have been eliminated. Now announcing a new rule.]

[Hidden uninstall code in the game]

[Enter the correct uninstall code to immediately clear the game. No further competition required.]

[Enter the wrong code, and your Bloom value increases by 100 points.]

Xi Yu immediately looked up from his book. In truth, if one carefully examined the app, this rule could have been predicted, so it didn’t cause much of a stir in the room.

006, peeking out the window, chuckled. “Two hundred eighty people left. Doing tasks now won’t get you eliminated. The real eliminations will peak tomorrow and the day after, when some idiot just can’t help testing others’ identities or randomly guesses the uninstall code.”

009 clicked his tongue. “Still not being cautious after all this time. I truly sympathize.”

006 snorted. “They’re just hopeless. Best strategy is to stay put. The worst are those who can’t do it but think they can.”

009 laughed. “One of life’s biggest illusions—‘I can win this round.’”

Xi Yu, alone as always, gave the two of them a strange look. “You two…”

006, who had a sharper personality, immediately became wary. “What?”

Xi Yu chuckled. “You’re not twins, are you? The way you’re so in sync.”006 and 009: “………………”

Actually, Xi Yu didn’t intend to dig deep—he just wanted to scare them a little. Seeing their reaction, he felt more confident in his hunch, placed The Moon and Sixpence on the desk, and raised an eyebrow. “Club activity. Shall we?”

006 quietly warned 009, “This guy might be a devil. Be careful.”

009 cracked his knuckles, the sound sharp and clear, and said fearlessly, “Let’s go.”

Xi Yu opened the door and left as if nothing had happened.

006 grabbed 009’s arm. “Bro, do you think he might be Mu Yuan?”

009 narrowed his eyes. “Let me test him.”

The heavy rain gradually subsided. Though it cleared some of the thick fog, the feeble sun had already slipped westward.

The freshly washed rosebuds appeared even pinker, swaying in the wind with a tragic beauty.

As Xi Yu reached the entrance of the teaching building, he suddenly plucked a flower and gently sniffed it.

009, passing by, looked on curiously.

Xi Yu said, “It smells like blood. I bet once enough people have died, these white flowers will turn completely blood red.”

“That’s actually correct. But do you know how the eliminated ones die?”

A man’s voice rang out.

Xi Yu turned and saw that mysterious Number 017 again. After thinking for a moment, he guessed, “Suicide…?”

017 grinned. “Correct. More precisely—jumping off buildings. Walk around more and you’ll soon witness the surprise for yourself.”

Then he unexpectedly stepped very close to Xi Yu and whispered, “Guess what—will the next one be you?”

Xi Yu couldn’t help but detect a chill in those words and silently counted his possible enemies: Mu Yuan? Zhao Zhusheng?

But it was really hard to say. Maybe this guy had mistaken him for another streamer and was just trying to probe.

Xi Yu calmed himself and responded with a smile, “Whoever it is, let the facts speak for themselves.”017 let out a cocky laugh and was the first to stride into the teaching building, leaving behind a confident and imposing figure, impossible to read.

009 finished watching the scene and mocked deliberately, “Roommate, looks like you’ve made someone angry. Take care.”

The bloody feuds among the streamers naturally had no effect on the behavior of the NPCs. He Kun looked every bit the normal college student. After entering the classroom, he clapped enthusiastically: “First, let’s welcome our new members—009! 017! 023! 084! And… where’s the last one…”

Just then, a clumsy figure rushed in. His school uniform was tattered and he had a few scrapes on him. He scratched his head and explained, “Sorry, I was late because of a task.”

“What task? Stop talking nonsense,” He Kun said sternly. “Punctuality is a fine tradition of our Spiritual Society!”

The newcomer was the ever-present Number 182. He grinned awkwardly, nodded, and quickly sat down next to Xi Yu, making small talk. “Hey, quite a few of our dormmates came, huh.”

Xi Yu was almost convinced this guy was an actor playing dumb to hide his strength, so he simply chose to stay silent.

009, on the other hand, was proactive and raised his hand. “President, there are clearly 300 freshmen—why did we only recruit five?”

He Kun replied helplessly, “Because there are dozens of clubs at school. We only have funding for five people. Once that’s full, we don’t take more.”

In the corner, the female streamer 023 sat cross-legged and commented, “Bet every club has a mission. Bunch of bored busybodies. Let’s just cut to the chase already.”

009 looked at her with irritation.

023 rolled her eyes in return.

He Kun ignored the tension between the new members and continued speaking to the NPCs in the back rows: “Tonight’s ‘Braveheart Game’ is aimed at investigating the footsteps heard late at night in the library and the mystery of books arranging themselves. I’ve already applied to add more cameras. If we can’t figure it out today, we’ll continue another time. After all, it’s all in the name of science.”

017 crossed his arms. “Sounds boring. We want to investigate the ghost story about Xiao Zhi jumping off the building.”

023 chimed in: “Yeah, a lot of people saw it last night. A shadow kept jumping from the Literature Building. President, care to explain that one scientifically?”

He Kun was frightened by their words and hurried to shut them down. “Don’t talk nonsense. What happened to Xiao Zhi was an accident… and besides, the school doesn’t allow private discussions. Do you want to get the club disbanded? Once the rainy season ends and the police arrive to investigate, justice will be served.”

009 was surprised. “Oh? The police haven’t been here yet?”

“Our university is in the mountains. Transportation’s not great…” He Kun snapped. “Enough digressing. Back to the Braveheart Game—midnight sharp, in front of the library. Don’t be late.”

Once he finished speaking, the NPC members began packing up to leave.

“Hold on!” 023 said, with a bit of a queenly tone, and got straight to the point: “President, have you ever played the Rose Game?”He Kun immediately denied it: “Of course not. That thing sounds ridiculous—completely fake. I suggest you all stay away from it too.”

The five streamers wore varied expressions but couldn’t help a bitter smile in their hearts: unfortunately, this dumb game wasn’t something they could opt out of. Like it or not, they had to play.

“Don’t be late!” He Kun reminded them, then slung his bag over his shoulder and waved as he walked out the door.

Just then, a beautiful female student NPC appeared out of nowhere, looking extremely close with him. The two linked arms and quickly disappeared.

Always watching from the sidelines, Number 182 suddenly spoke up: “That deletion code—anyone got any leads?”

The other four streamers had nothing to say. They each cleared their throats awkwardly and walked out the door, no longer paying attention to this guy who might be genuinely naive or just playing dumb.

182 had no choice but to slump back in his chair. He pulled out his phone, full of worry, completely out of ideas.

The deletion code was the ultimate prize, allowing a direct exit from the game. Surely no streamer would pass that up.

So the club mission was just a random thread Xi Yu latched onto. He definitely wasn’t going to give up investigating clues about Xiao Zhi and the game app.

After parting ways with the others, he grabbed a quick bite in the cafeteria to recharge, then made his way toward the Literature Building.

What he didn’t expect—while walking near the roadside, something heavy suddenly crashed down just three or four meters ahead!

Xi Yu looked closely: it was the mangled body of a female streamer?!

Panicked, he looked up at the rooftop, then around at the shocked NPCs screaming nearby. Two seconds later, he finally snapped into action and stepped forward to check.

But the female streamer’s gruesome corpse instantly dissolved into black mist—he didn’t even get a scrap of clothing.

Even stranger, the NPC students who had been terrified suddenly returned to normal, continuing in small groups as if nothing had ever happened.

…Bloom level maxed out and eliminated by the system?

Xi Yu rubbed his aching temples and hurried on his way.

Inside the Literature Building, with students still active, there was none of the midnight blood and horror to be seen.

Now calm again, Xi Yu scanned the hallway, listening carefully to the NPC students’ conversations, and finally caught the words “Rose Game.”

—“This game is so weird. It made me get up at 4 a.m. to watch a horror movie…”—“Probably just trying to scare you on purpose?”

—“I think it’s not normal. We should try to delete it. If that doesn’t work, maybe get the phone repaired.”

—“But I think the tasks aren’t a big deal. I’ve decided to keep checking in until the end to see what happens.”

…

It was three girls sitting in the front row of the classroom, chattering away.

Xi Yu approached them with a friendly attitude: “Sorry to bother you… I overheard you talking about the Rose Game and got curious. How did the game first start spreading?”

One of them, the girl with a ponytail, smiled and said, “Wow, are all the freshmen this handsome this year? Add me on X-Chat and I’ll tell you.”

“I don’t have X-Chat, but I can give you my phone number.” Xi Yu blinked innocently. “One day I just woke up and this app was on my phone—it can’t be deleted at all, so I’ve been a little concerned.”

The ponytail girl waved her hand dismissively: “It’s just a campus network virus. Everyone got it the same way. But where the game originally came from—I don’t know.”

The girl next to her, with a mushroom-cut hairstyle, spoke softly: “Mine… was sent to me by Xiao Zhi.”

As soon as she said that, not only Xi Yu, but even the other NPCs looked stunned.

The ponytail girl’s eyes widened: “What?! Why didn’t you say anything before?”

The mushroom-cut girl looked uneasy: “Xiao Zhi and I were both in the Literature Club… so I added her as a friend. She told me there was a really fun game. But when I looked at it, it felt creepy, so I closed it and never opened it again… Then… then what happened to her… made me even more scared to open it… I didn’t want to scare you, that’s why I told you to try to delete it!”

Xi Yu was about to ask more questions when, unexpectedly, the teacher he’d seen once before—Mr. Yang—walked past the doorway and said sharply, “What nonsense are you all talking about?!”

The girls were clearly afraid of him. They grabbed their bags and scattered immediately.

Xi Yu calmly observed: this Mr. Yang dressed plainly, which didn’t match the upscale vibe of this private university at all. His expression was also far more severe than in class—no wonder the students were intimidated by him.

At the same time, Mr. Yang glanced at Xi Yu a few more times and said coldly, “Discussions about Xiao Zhi and the game are already banned at school. If you keep spreading rumors and causing panic, I’ll report you to the principal.”

Xi Yu didn’t argue. “Sir, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not trying to dig for gossip or stir anything up… I’m just worried that if I get too involved in the game, I might end up like Xiao Zhi.”

“It’s just an app that sends random messages. Do you really believe it could change you?” Mr. Yang countered.

Xi Yu paused for a moment and then shook his head. “No, I don’t.”Mr. Yang adjusted his glasses, looking somewhat helpless. "So, stop thinking about these things. It's almost lights-out time, go get some rest."

At nightfall in the game’s university, everything fell silent, marking the system’s designated secret activity time for the streamers.

Xi Yu didn’t suspect anything and nodded, planning to leave. After taking a couple of steps, he paused, frowning and turning back. "Xiao Zhi’s incident was so serious, why hasn’t the police come yet? What about her body and belongings?"

Mr. Yang shook his head. "How would I know? This matter is being personally handled by the principal."

"Alright." Xi Yu finally walked away from the NPC.

Mr. Yang stayed where he was, pondering something, and didn’t move for a long time.

Based on the current information, if Xi Yu wanted to learn more about Xiao Zhi’s situation, he would truly need to visit the principal NPC, right?

Unfortunately, though Xi Yu had that intention, there wasn’t enough time left, as the system rang the bell again at sunset, urging the streamers to return to their dormitories.

—Forget it, there’s no immediate danger to me. I’ll finish the "Brave Game" from the Spiritual Club first. NPC He Kun has hinted at it multiple times, so there’s probably a special reward waiting.

As Xi Yu made his way to the dormitory, he decided this. However, unexpectedly, his phone suddenly rang with a notification.

He pulled it out, caught off guard.

【#084, Streamer Player #017 has seen through your identity】

【You have become #017's exclusive fertilizer】

【Please bravely sacrifice yourself and wait for #017’s blossoming】

Xi Yu stood frozen, utterly shocked. He hadn’t expected that the person who had just threatened him would actually have such abilities.

Who would be able to see through my identity? And maliciously treat me as fertilizer?

If it were Luo Xi, he could have simply come over and revealed his identity, forming a CP without any reason to seek petty revenge.

But someone else...

For the first time, Xi Yu, who had everything figured out, was completely stunned.

"Hey, what are you still doing here? It’s almost dark!"Number 182 ran up from behind and pushed Xi Yu with a confused look.

Xi Yu pretended to remain calm and put his phone back into his pocket, deciding to meet with that person—what’s the big deal with the Rose mission? If Number 009 could get past it, surely he could too. As long as he avoids it, Number 017 won’t gain anything!

Since the streamers in Dormitory 201 had limited rest time due to their night trip, they all woke up around eleven o'clock.

Number 182 rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed. "Didn’t the president tell us not to be late? Let’s get ready to leave."

Number 006 chose to join the Literary Club and wasn’t going with Number 009. Holding a pillow, he could only advise, "Be careful."

Number 009 grinned, quickly washed his face with cold water, and then, naturally, 182 and he prepared to go out one after the other.

Number 182 always paid attention to Xi Yu. Seeing that he seemed more down than usual, he couldn't help but whisper, "What’s wrong? I feel like this club mission isn’t that scary."

Xi Yu’s mind was full of how to deal with Number 017, and after a couple of seconds, he lowered his head and said, "I’m not afraid of the club mission. You’re right, the danger isn’t in the game, it’s in people’s hearts."

Number 182 scratched his short hair, clearly not understanding.

The three of them left together, timing it perfectly.

At midnight, they reached the library entrance.

At that moment, the game refreshed accurately, and the phone notifications rang one after another.

Xi Yu didn’t have time to observe the reactions of Number 009 and Number 182. He immediately opened the Rose Game app and tapped the “Rose Mission” icon in the center.

The screen flashed red, displaying some twisted words.

【017’s fertilizer, please carve your real name anywhere on your body within 12 hours.】

【Strive to nourish your flower with your blood.】

Xi Yu frowned in anger, raising his head to see Number 017 leisurely standing outside the library, almost rushing over to confront him.

Unexpectedly, Number 182 beside him casually hummed, "Hey, I chose a task for Number 111 that’s not too painful. I wonder if she’ll get mad."

Xi Yu blinked, "You can choose tasks?"

Number 182, feeling safe, answered generously, "Yeah, now I have the dual identity of fertilizer and flower. The flower page randomly gave three tasks. Two of them were really bloody, so I picked an easy one. I told her to post her CP’s name and number on the bulletin board within 12 hours.""..." Xi Yu wanted to say something but stopped.

009, who had been eavesdropping the whole time, laughed: "Buddy, is something wrong with your brain? This is worse than letting the other person get hurt! Betraying someone is harder than anything."

"Is it?" Number 182 frowned and then answered sincerely, "Anyway, I'm afraid of pain. I don't know what my fertilizer lady thinks."

009 snorted: "Just wait until tomorrow when she and her CP come after you."

Number 182 immediately fell into a state full of worries.

Walking in the front, Xi Yu no longer had time to pay attention to their conversation. The closer he got to Number 017, the more obvious his anger and unease became. But when he finally stopped at a face-to-face distance, he couldn't think of what to say that would be more powerful.

"You seem to really hate me," Number 017 said with a smug cold smile. "What's wrong with that?"

Xi Yu frowned. "Oh? What's so good about it?"

Number 017 crossed his arms. "I'm actually a very gentle person. At least, I won't let you die painfully."

Xi Yu almost reached out to deal with him but cooled his voice, puzzled: "Who exactly are you?"

"Take a guess," Number 017 laughed more wildly. "Do you dare guess? If I'm not wrong, your Bloom value is already at 20 points. If you guess wrong, it'll go up by another 50 points."

His relaxed words made Xi Yu feel a bit defeated for the first time, because Number 017's prediction was correct, and indeed, Xi Yu dared not guess.

Number 017 reached out and patted Xi Yu's face. "So, why don't you just listen to me? Maybe I’ll let you off the hook."

Xi Yu immediately slapped his hand away with force and, staring with bright eyes, replied: "Don’t get too happy too soon. As long as I get the deletion code, you’ll have nothing to do with it."

Number 017 clapped his hands. "Let's wait and see. You're amazing."

"..." Xi Yu knew he had to keep his composure, so he simply responded with a faint smile and pushed open the heavy wooden door of the library first.