Chapter 63

Chapter 63

The time for the "Hero Game" had come. The four players who entered the library were greeted by complete darkness. There were no members of the Spirit Society or teachers; they couldn't even see a shadow.

Number 009 fumbled around, trying to turn on the lights but failed. Frowning, they walked back and said, "The power’s out. Were we tricked?"

Number 182 seemed a little scared. "The president has no reason to mess with us. Let's go outside and wait... At least there's moonlight outside..."

"Don’t you have any doubts?" Number 017 casually leaned against the wall. "He Kun kept saying to be on time, but now that ghost society is nowhere to be seen. In this world setting, what really needs to be on time?"

Xi Yu frowned. "…It’s the Rose Game."

Number 009 punched a nearby large vase. "Damn it, so NPCs really play games too? And use us?"

The vase trembled innocently.

Number 182 quickly suggested, "Then let's just leave. The other girl didn’t come either, so she's the smart one."

As soon as these words were spoken, Number 023 entered, flipping her long hair with a bright smile. "Sorry, I ran into some trouble on the way."

The five new members were finally all gathered. The slightly ajar door quietly shut on its own with a click as it locked.

"..." Number 182 completely broke down, grabbing Xi Yu and saying, "Really, is this going to be a ghost story? Are we going to die?!"

Xi Yu pushed the guy away. "The rules didn’t say anything about dying. The ghosts and people in the game are just codes. Since we’re here, let’s go upstairs and check the situation."

At first, Number 023 had entered the room with confidence, but now she started to hesitate. "…I don’t want to go, I’ll let you go first."

Xi Yu had no obligation to tolerate anyone's whim, so he immediately took a step toward the stairs.

Number 017 and Number 009 exchanged a glance and followed behind.

Now, Number 182, left behind in the original spot, felt even less secure. He glanced at Number 023, who was frozen in the dark, and decided she definitely wasn’t a good person to rely on. Unable to help himself, he called out, "Hey, wait for me, roommates!"

Number 023 frowned slightly, seemingly unwilling. "Hey! Are you trying to get us killed?"

Since he had already been to the library in the morning, Xi Yu was somewhat familiar with the layout. He was the first to find a lighter in a storage cabinet, enduring the heat to light it up. Acting calm, he walked through the second and third floors, finally arriving at the Western Literature section, casually glancing around.

To his surprise, all the copies of The Blade were gone.

Had Luo Xi borrowed them? Or did someone else take them? Was this related to Number 017?Previously, when he had been carrying The Moon and Sixpence around, it was truly reckless of him. The streamers who had made it this far usually had richer knowledge reserves. Seeing that he had the leisure to borrow novels, how could he not have thought of checking out other novels by Maugham?

—In an instant, overwhelming regret flooded Xi Yu’s heart.

But he was also extremely confused: Besides Luo Xi, who would know his thoughts? Even if The Blade and the number 084 were discovered, what did it matter?

017, who had been following him at a comfortable distance, hummed softly and chuckled, "Looks like no one has the constitution to attract the supernatural, this library is too peaceful."

Number 009 pulled back the curtain and looked out at the abnormal black fog. "But how do we get out? The system has locked the doors, trying to force our way out won’t work."

"Quiet down!" Number 023 raised her voice shakily, frightened. "…There are footsteps."

Immediately, all five of them froze.

Sure enough, a slow and heavy set of footsteps quietly echoed nearby, as if something was pacing.

The Spirit Society had only tricked five streamers; the sixth one was probably not even human… Number 182, the coward, turned pale with fear.

Luckily, Xi Yu remained calm, suddenly turning off the lighter.

As the surroundings fell into darkness, the strange footsteps abruptly stopped.

Number 009, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the atmosphere, said, "Hey, who’s playing tricks? Come out!"

No one responded, but the air around them grew colder, as if something ominous was about to happen.

Number 017 clicked his tongue. "It must be that old teacher’s ghost that He Kun talked about. How about we try to lure him out?"

Number 009 was puzzled. "How do we lure him?"

Although cautious about Number 017, there was no reason to oppose him now, so Xi Yu quietly spoke up, "The NPC’s hints have been very clear today. The old teacher was driven to suicide by someone at this school, and he must be full of resentment. But every night, he still returns the books to their proper places, which shows he values everything in the library—"

"I get it!" Number 023, returning from her fear, suddenly pushed hard against the bookshelf beside her!

This girl had an incredible amount of strength, and in the pitch black, there was a loud crashing sound as the bookshelf collapsed. It was clear that the library would no longer look the same.

Xi Yu couldn’t help but smile wryly, but before he could say anything, he was almost hit by a wave of cold, ominous energy!

In the pitch dark, a green light appeared and illuminated a pale, dreadful face, covered in barnacles — it was the vengeful spirit of an old man.He held the eerie ghostly candle, his voice filled with anger: "You guys, how can you destroy public property? These books are the crystallization of knowledge, you..."

Seeing that the NPC had good language skills, Xi Yu quickly reassured him: "This girl did it by accident, please don’t be upset. We’ll fix the library soon."

The old man snorted: "No need!"

As he spoke, a glowing dust swirled in the chaotic scene. The books that had fallen all floated up on their own, quickly returning to their original positions, and everything was restored to order as if nothing had happened.

Xi Yu blinked and then gently said, "I’m truly sorry. May I ask how to address you?"

The old man ignored him and angrily turned to leave.

His feet were no longer visible, and his lower body’s shadow was faint, but as he turned coldly and began walking away, the eerie footsteps could still be heard.

Having finally encountered an NPC, Xi Yu was determined not to give up. He immediately followed after him: "Teacher, please wait."

The old man impatiently replied, "What else is there?"

Xi Yu asked, "Do you know about the Rose Game?"

At this, the old man’s movements suddenly froze, and he let out a deep sigh: "...Everything is a mistake... You must never touch that thing..."

"Hey, don’t be so mysterious," Number 017 quickly stepped forward and grabbed the lighter from Xi Yu’s hand. "Say it plainly, or do you want me to burn all the books? Do you believe me?"

The old man angrily shouted, "You reckless thing!"

Number 017 snorted and pulled out a Hegel’s Selected Works, immediately setting its pages on fire.

The old man, startled and panicked, rushed over and hugged the burning classic, trying to extinguish it. He angrily said, "I have nothing more to say. Those are your own affairs! I’m already dead. If you’re not afraid of death, you can go play that game and then come back to accompany me!"

"Teacher, please don’t be angry," Xi Yu comforted. "We don’t want to play, and we’re too scared to play, but the situation is a bit special now. We have no other choice… If you could guide us, we’d be really grateful."

"You don’t belong to this school, I know that. Since you’re here, it’s not impossible to help you," the old man sighed. He then took out a small green seed from his tattered pocket. "I have a seed of the Flower of Language. If you plant it, you’ll be able to find the person you're looking for. Does that count as a way forward?"

Xi Yu was thrilled inside and immediately nodded. "Of course."

"But I only have one seed. Who should I give it to?" The old man, following the game’s plot, began his little game. He raised the candle and looked around. "I’ll give it to the smart and lucky child. How about you play a small game with me? The winner will take the seed."

The game itself wasn’t much of a problem, but if it caused harm, that would be troublesome.Number 182 couldn't help but panic: "Then... what happens if we lose... I don't want to die..."

The old man got angry again: "If you lose, just roll out, what’s all this talk about dying!"

Number 182 sighed in relief at that.

The old man floated towards the reading area, holding the eerie green candle: "Come with me."

A small round table was set up, with five broadcasters sitting in a circle: Xi Yu, Number 182, Number 009, Number 023, and Number 017, forming a perfect circle.

The old man grunted and brought over a wooden box, gently placing it in the center of the table. He cleared his throat and began to announce the game rules.

[The name of this game is True Heart Flower Language.]

[The wooden box contains four types of cards: petals, stamens, leaves, and branches, each with four cards, for a total of sixteen.]

[Each player takes turns drawing a card from the box at random. After looking at the card, the player tells the next player: "This card is xx."]

[The next player can choose to believe, and if the first player didn’t lie, the next player gets the card.]

[If the next player chooses to believe, but the first player lied, the card returns to the box.]

[If the next player chooses not to believe, but the first player didn’t lie, the card returns to the box.]

[If the next player chooses not to believe, and the first player lied, the next player gets the card.]

[Of course, the next player can also choose to take the first player's card, gain the right to see the card, and then give it to their next player to decide.]

[The five players will take turns in a clockwise manner. The first player to collect all four different types of cards wins.]

The rules seemed simple. It could rely on luck, or on sharp eyes, and if there were players familiar with each other in the game, it could easily turn into a paradise for cheating. It was indeed quite suitable for the current situation, where no one knew anyone else’s circumstances.

Xi Yu was only worried about one thing in the game: being the first to draw cards.

After all, the first player to draw a card would only be able to guess the card last, which was quite a disadvantage.

Just as he was pondering, the old man approached with the ghostly candle, saying, "Young man, you look the most familiar, so you’ll start."

Number 017 immediately burst into mocking laughter.Although Xi Yu was unwilling, he had no choice but to draw a card from the wooden box that emitted black mist. Seeing that it had a petal design, he turned it over and said, "This card is stamen."

The other players couldn't see the card's face, and Number 182, who received it, was conflicted: "Are you being sincere?"

Xi Yu calmly responded, "What do you think?"

Number 182 finally nodded: "Then I trust you."

As a result, the card in Xi Yu's hand immediately turned into black mist and flew back into the wooden box.

"You lied to me... and you're my roommate..." Number 182 looked frustrated, reached for a card, and turned to Number 009: "This card is a petal, I’m not lying."

Number 009 snorted: "Yeah, right, I don’t believe it."

Unexpectedly, the card in Number 182’s hand also turned into black mist and flew back.

Number 182 angrily said: "I said I wouldn't lie to you, you're overthinking!"

Frustrated, Number 009 didn’t want to argue further. Quickly grabbing a card, they turned to Number 023 and said, "Sister, this card is a leaf."

Number 023 stroked her chin, her eyes cunning.

Number 009 smiled knowingly, holding up the card.

Number 023 then blinked her big eyes and nodded: "Okay, I believe you."

The card in Number 009’s hand immediately revealed the leaf design and floated to Number 023, who grabbed it and then turned expressionlessly to Number 017: "This card is a branch."

Number 017, although smirking, had a sharp gaze. He fixed his eyes on Number 023’s big eyes, and instinctively pressed his hands together.

Number 023 lowered her gaze, then firmly repeated: "This card is a branch."

Number 017 leaned back in his chair with a smile: "Thank you, I believe you."

The brown branch card successfully floated and landed in front of Number 017.

Watching the first round unfold, Xi Yu felt uneasy, especially with Number 023's unnatural repetition. Without any allies or inside help, the more others interacted, the more likely he was to lose.

At that moment, Number 017, who had already drawn his card, couldn't help but laugh mockingly: "I think this game isn't much fun, and the seed isn't that useful. How about we finish it quickly? Hey, let’s just say I’m letting you win. You better believe me, this card is a petal."Xi Yu looked at his punchable expression and shifted his gaze: "I don't believe you."

As a result, to his disappointment, Number 017's card sadly turned into black mist.

Xi Yu took a deep breath, and suddenly had an idea. After drawing a card, he turned to Number 182 beside him: "This card is a petal."

Number 182 scratched his head: "Don't lie to me..."

Xi Yu wasn't lying. He really wanted to get the seed first, but if that wasn't possible, it was better for Number 182 to have it than anyone else. So he told the truth and his eyes were sincere: "I’m not lying this time."

Without hesitation, Number 182 said, "Then I trust you!"

The bright red petal card landed in front of Number 182, making him smile excitedly. He drew a card and said to Number 009: "This card is a branch!"

Number 009 couldn't quite figure out his mischievous roommate's personality. Having gained nothing from the last round, they decided to treat him as a fool, nodding: "Okay, I believe you."

To their surprise, the card in Number 182's hand turned into black mist, and this guy even defended himself: "Hey, last round you didn’t believe me, so why should I be sincere to you?"

Number 009's frustration led to Number 023's mocking laughter. She pursed her lips, looking at Number 009, who had just drawn his card: "Little brother, do you still want to let me win this round?"

Number 009, having regained composure, had a complex expression: "Sure, this card is stamen."

Trusting or not, sincerity or insincerity, it was a black hole of choices. The complexity of human nature made such guesses unreliable.

Number 023 pondered for a moment and then confidently nodded: "I trust you."

Unfortunately, the result was not as she expected. Number 009's card turned into black mist and flew back into the box.

Number 023 shrugged helplessly, drew a card, and winked at Number 017: "This card is stamen. 009 lied to me, I can’t lie to you, right?"

Number 017 rested his chin, studying her for a long time before shaking his head: "I don’t believe you."

Number 023 smiled even more obviously, and when she flipped the card, it showed a red petal. According to the rules, it naturally fell in front of Number 017, and he had already successfully obtained two cards.

"Thanks again." Number 017, after drawing a card, placed his hands on the edge of the table and looked at Xi Yu: "I’m not lying. You have to trust me this time, right? Otherwise, I really think you're a bit of a silly sweetie—this card is a petal."

Xi Yu started the game full of confidence, but now he couldn’t figure out this person’s thoughts. Considering that he had purposely used his doubts to tell the truth last time, this round he might also be using his regret to tell a lie, so in the end, Xi Yu could only shake his head: "I don’t believe you."

Number 017 sighed regretfully as the black mist dispersed, shaking his head and saying, "Such a pity."Xi Yu immediately furrowed his brows. How could he not suspect that the other person was deliberately messing with him? At this point, he could only place his hopes on Number 182, but he didn’t want to let it be too obvious to avoid angering the others. After drawing a card, he saw it was stamen, so he intentionally shifted his gaze and said, "Um... this card is a petal."

—After all, Number 182 already had a petal. Choosing to believe wouldn’t benefit him, so as long as he didn’t believe, he could draw another card.

To his surprise, Number 182 answered without thinking, "I believe you!"

"..." Xi Yu helplessly watched the card dissolve into mist, and he couldn't help but resign himself: his synergy with the annoying Number 182 was definitely negative.

Number 182, oblivious to anything wrong, felt wronged: "Why are you lying to me again? I really don’t understand you!"

Number 017 looked down, stifling a laugh, while Xi Yu blankly stared ahead, unwilling to give any feedback.

Number 182 angrily drew a card and said to Number 009, "This card is a green leaf!"

Number 009 hesitated: "I believe you."

The green card appeared and landed in front of them, seeming to have finally made the right guess on the fool.

In a slightly better mood, Number 009 smiled at Number 023 after drawing a card: "Sis, this card is a petal."

"Hmph, you're a bad person." Number 023 playfully pouted: "Don’t try to outsmart me, I don’t believe you!"

The card in Number 009's hand turned out to be a brown branch, which naturally fell to Number 023.

Number 023 threw a proud wink at him, then looked at the calm Number 017, reaching out to draw a card, seriously saying, "This card is a green leaf."

Number 017 smiled slightly: "Okay, I believe you."

The green card gracefully landed in front of Number 017. Now, in the third round, he had obtained three cards. This time, not only did Xi Yu feel something was wrong, but Number 009 was also sensitive and dissatisfied: "Hey, what’s going on with you two? Are you cheating?"

Number 023 replied unhappily: "Speak with evidence. How is this cheating? Show me how you do it."

"Even if it’s cheating, someone has to understand the situation first," Number 017 said deliberately, winking at Xi Yu.

At this point, Xi Yu had somewhat lost faith in the game and stopped the argument with a blank expression: "Enough arguing, continue."

"Are you angry?" Number 017's attitude was completely unpredictable. After drawing a card, he pretended to look pitiful and said, "This card is a branch, really. Just take it and don’t hold a grudge."

Xi Yu looked elsewhere: "I don’t believe you."The card in Number 017's hand turned over to reveal a red petal, which quietly drifted down in front of Xi Yu. He resumed that annoying, mocking expression: "The paranoid has finally made a move."

Xi Yu clenched his fist, suppressed his emotions, and then drew a card for Number 182: "This card is stamen."

Number 182 scratched his head, cautiously looking at him: "I believe you..."

The stamen card was revealed and went to Number 182.

Number 182 laughed happily, then drew a card for the next player: "This card is a branch."

At this point, Number 009 no longer held any hope of winning. He took the card and said, "I don’t want it."

Looking at the card, he said, "Hey, it really is a branch. Sis, this card is a branch."

Now, both Number 023 and Number 017 had branch cards. It was really a waste of time. Number 023 turned away: "I don’t believe it, go away!"

The branch card turned into black mist and disappeared.

Number 023 immediately drew a card and then looked a bit disappointed: "This card is a branch. Again, a branch. The ghost won't leave."

"Then I have no use for it. I’ll take it," Number 017 said directly, grabbing the card without even looking at it, and then said to Xi Yu: "This card is a branch, do you want it?"

Xi Yu had been quietly observing. After a while, he spoke: "I believe you."

As soon as he said that, the branch card fell in front of him.

Number 017 gently clapped his hands: "Not bad, not bad. It seems we’ve built some initial trust."

Xi Yu clearly realized something in this short time. Without looking at him, he despondently drew a card and spoke the truth: "This card is a green leaf."

Number 182 immediately responded: "I believe you!"

The green leaf card landed in front of Number 182.

Number 182 was very excited: "Wow, three cards! I’m going to win!"

With that, he happily drew a card for Number 009, his big eyes darting around: "This card is stamen."

Number 009 had only one card so far. He estimated the remaining cards and knew he had no hope of winning. He just hoped that the two suspicious players, 023 and 017, would fail. Annoyed, he said: "I believe you!""How can you be so naive?" Number 182 chuckled, and the card in his hand turned into black mist and disappeared.

"Are you crazy? Is lying to me now even meaningful?" Number 009 cursed, paused for a moment, and then drew a card without looking: "This card is a green leaf."

Number 023 crossed her arms: "Hey, I didn’t cheat, why are you being so negative... Fine, fine, I believe you."

Unexpectedly, the card that Number 009 drew really was a green leaf, and it obediently landed in front of Number 023.

Number 023, who was secretly laughing, cleared her throat, then reached into the wooden box: "Now, the most cards left are stamen. Let’s see my luck... Hey? It really is! This card is stamen!"

Number 017 raised an eyebrow: "I believe you."

The golden stamen card fell in front of Number 017, and he easily won, collecting all four different types of cards, which all began to shine. In the light, they turned into a real, beautiful rose, bursting into countless pink sparks.

The old ghost, who had been watching the whole time, was drowsy, but when he heard the explosion, he opened his pure white, frightening eyes: "Hey, kid, you won. Here, take the seed."

Number 017 took it as if it was only natural.

The old ghost waved his hand in frustration: "Go back to sleep, stop causing trouble."

"Tricked, colluding together," Number 009 muttered, immediately turning and stomping down the stairs.

Number 182 was still regretful: "So close. Let’s go too."

Xi Yu ignored them both and walked past, stopping the old man who was about to leave: "Sir, I know you’ve always been deceived and wronged. Thank you for guarding this library."

The old man’s worn-out figure trembled, and he sighed deeply.

"Since you won’t say anything, at least tell me your name?" Xi Yu pressed. "I can honor you on Qingming Festival."

The old man lowered his head: "Hi, my name is Yang Hede, but I’m afraid there are few people at Xiyuan University who even remember me..."

Yang...

Xi Yu clasped his hands thoughtfully.

At this moment, Number 017 had finally finished playing with the seed in his hand, carefully packed it away, stood up, and said, "My fertilizer, do you like chatting with NPCs so much?"

Xi Yu turned and walked away.Number 017 quickly caught up: "Don't forget your rose mission, and... you only have ten more hours before you fail."

"I won't hurt myself just because you tell me to," Xi Yu replied coldly. "Is it interesting? You can't get any benefit from me."

Number 017 returned a sharp look: "I think it's quite interesting. If you can't bring yourself to carve, I can help you. I can carve anywhere you want."

Xi Yu didn't want to talk to him anymore. He grabbed 182, who was watching the scene, and hurriedly went downstairs.

182 nervously whispered, "Bro, you really let him treat you like fertilizer?"

Xi Yu hummed in response.

182 seemed troubled, immediately worrying about his fate. "How about this? I can help you find some fertilizer. If your fertilizer finishes the rose mission, you can reduce some Bloom points."

Xi Yu wasn't flustered and calmly refused, "No need. I have a good candidate."

182 didn't insist. "Alright, but you need to be careful of 017. Once he gets the seed item, he'll need a partner."

Xi Yu pursed his lips, seemingly displeased. After a while, he whispered, "I think he already has a partner."

For the 201 dorm, that night was much smoother than expected, with nothing else of note happening.

It wasn’t until the early morning, just as the sky was getting cooler, that the sound of heavy objects hitting the ground one after another woke everyone from their deep sleep.

The campus remained dark and foggy as usual that day. Number 182, wrapped in a blanket, was spying through the curtain gap, murmuring in fear: "It seems like three streamers jumped off the building to commit suicide. This must be the consequence of Bloom points filling up... I wonder if the system will announce the identity of the unlucky player today..."

Number 006 and Number 009 didn't care about the elimination of other streamers. After a quick wash-up, they left together.

Xi Yu, however, seemed somewhat interested: "Where’s the notice board?"

Number 182 answered generously, "Behind the administration building, there's a green iron notice board. It even has photos of outstanding students."

Xi Yu nodded. "I’ll go take a look."

Number 182, clearly the type who just wanted to survive and make it through, casually waved his hand: "Be careful, hope you find a fertilizer."

Xi Yu raised an eyebrow. "Are you just going to stay here like this?"

182’s calculation was simple: "Although I endure the pain and complete the rose mission every day, increasing my Bloom points by 20, my fertilizer has to complete my missions for me each day. So I’ll lose another 10 points, and it will take many more days to reach 100. By then, I believe the game will already be over."Xi Yu didn't respond directly, opened the door, and said, "Goodbye."

Without much ambition, 182 climbed back into bed, lazily curling up and dozing off.

The campus, shrouded in fog, was eerily quiet, and most NPCs likely hadn't started their activities yet.

Xi Yu followed 182’s directions and reached the notice board, just in time to see three unfamiliar streamers leaving.

Behind the glass of the notice board, there were indeed many photos of outstanding students. However, with time, exposure to the sun and rain had caused the photos to fade and become slightly mottled.

With his good memory, Xi Yu recognized He Kun from the History Department and Lu Xianxian from the Journalism Department, who had walked away holding his hand yesterday. But he didn’t find any notes containing player IDs or names.

He wasn’t disappointed, though. He looked up at the towering building and calmly walked inside to ask the security guard, "Excuse me, where is the principal’s office? Teacher Yang asked me to deliver some materials to the principal."

"The west side of the seventh floor. Sign in," the security guard yawned, sleepily adding, "It’s so early, Principal Huang hasn’t arrived yet."

Xi Yu smiled, "It’s okay, I’ll wait for him."

The comprehensive office building housed various campus administrative departments and offices where the leaders worked. At six or seven in the morning, no one had arrived yet, so the building was extremely quiet.

The doors were coldly shut, and the empty, unoccupied hallway made the sound of footsteps echo, adding to the chill.

Xi Yu walked around a bit, but didn’t find any useful clues. When he finally reached the principal's office, he confirmed that the door was indeed locked.

Perhaps influenced by Luo Xi’s earlier behavior, he took two steps back and considered kicking the door open to go in and turn everything upside down.

Just then, the elevator chimed.

Xi Yu immediately straightened up and turned around to see a middle-aged man in a suit walking out.

He had a very stern, square face, with deep furrows between his brows, showing clear signs of age. His imposing presence suggested he was not someone to be underestimated.

The man also eyed Xi Yu curiously and coldly asked, "Which department are you from? What’s the matter?"

Xi Yu quickly realized the man’s identity and respectfully replied, "Good morning, Principal Huang. I’m a friend of Xiao Zhi."

Xiao Zhi's suicide had become a deeply sensitive and tragic case at Xiyuan University. Anyone with a bit of standing would avoid discussing it freely to avoid trouble. Xi Yu had already prepared himself to be rejected.

To his surprise, Principal Huang paused for a moment, then raised his hand and said, "Come in and talk."Seizing the opportunity, Xi Yu immediately complied.

In contrast to the modern and stylish school buildings, the principal's office was surprisingly simple in its decor. Aside from the usual desk and chair, there were only shelves packed with books, and the items looked like they had been used for many years, showing signs of age and wear.

At Principal Huang's gesture, Xi Yu obediently sat down on the sofa in the corner, quickly adopting a dramatic expression and pretending to be deeply saddened: "Xiao Zhi has been dead for so many days, and there’s still no announcement from the police about the truth of the situation. I can't reach her parents, and I’m really worried… Teacher Yang told me not to ask these questions and said everything should follow your arrangements, so I took the liberty of coming to ask, why did Xiao Zhi die, and how will the school handle it?"

Principal Huang poured himself some cold water, heated it in a kettle, sat down, and sighed: "Xiao Zhi's death by jumping was indeed an accident. There are so many students at Xiyuan University, and I never paid attention to her—that's my neglect. I’ve already communicated with the police, but with the continuous rainy season, the mountain roads are still blocked… Don’t worry, whether it’s suicide or something else, everything will be based on the police's investigation, and no one is allowed to interfere."

Xi Yu carefully said, "Principal, although I don't understand much, I know that the sooner the investigation results come out, the more accurate they’ll be. The longer it drags on, the more evidence will be lost… Xiao Zhi was my only friend, I can't accept that she died so mysteriously."

"Don’t worry, I’ve already had Xiao Zhi’s body removed from the cafeteria’s freezer and placed in a special storage room. Only I have the key," Principal Huang explained. "I’ve also personally packed up her belongings and placed them in my safe, which will be handed over to the police intact. For me, the importance of my students cannot be described in words, so more than anyone else, I’m eager for the investigation results, and I will never let anyone else handle this evidence."

If Principal Huang had been evasive, his words might have been somewhat believable, but this NPC's unexpected sense of righteousness made Xi Yu hesitant to trust him. He could only try to push the plot forward: "Then… can I see Xiao Zhi’s belongings?"

Principal Huang replied sternly, "Of course not. When I said 'not letting anyone else handle it,' that includes her teachers, classmates, and any so-called friends! Because if anyone has malicious intentions or destroys evidence, Xiao Zhi’s death will never be cleared up!"

His words were firm, and Xi Yu couldn’t rebut. It was the first time he was speechless in front of an NPC. Thinking about how he had been duped by 017 last night, he couldn’t help but feel that his luck was running low.

Principal Huang glanced at Xi Yu and asked, "Since you’re Xiao Zhi’s friend, do you think there’s anything suspicious about her death? Did she act any differently before she died?"

Xi Yu had never met Xiao Zhi, so he could only make things up: "I only know that Xiao Zhi became addicted to an app called Rose Game, and she even asked me to download it. I thought the app seemed strange, so I didn’t listen to her. After that, she stopped communicating with me much. Who would have thought…"

Principal Huang sighed, "That malicious app is indeed harmful. It preys on lonely students in their teenage years, gaining their trust and leading them to abandon themselves and their lives. I’ve already asked the teachers at the School of Information Technology to look into it, but we haven’t found a way to eliminate it yet. However, this issue will also be handed over to the police, so don’t worry too much, and don’t ever open the Rose Game. It’s a despicable thing that treats children’s youth like a game—a real poison!"

Principal Huang's sense of righteousness made it impossible to extract any useful information, and just then, a female teacher entered and said, "Principal, it’s time for the regular meeting."

Xi Yu stood up: "I’ll leave you to it then. If I find any evidence, I’ll come back to see you."

Principal Huang nodded: "This is not something you, a student, can solve. Focus on your studies. I believe Xiao Zhi was a kind girl, and she wouldn’t want her death to drag her friends into the painful abyss."

Xi Yu nodded solemnly and left the office under the NPC’s watch.

If he were to summarize the conversation, there were only two possibilities: either Principal Huang was truly determined to solve the case and there were indeed suspicious aspects to Xiao Zhi’s body and belongings that could prove her death wasn’t a meaningless suicide, and he didn’t want others to interfere; or Principal Huang was directly involved in Xiao Zhi’s death and was afraid of his actions being exposed, which is why he forbade any questions and kept the evidence to himself!

Either way, as long as he could open that safe, the plot would surely progress. Maybe he should try again in the evening?

Unfortunately, he still hadn’t been able to contact Luo Xi, so opening the safe would have to be something Xi Yu figured out on his own.

Luo Xi...Xi Yu thought of this name, his emotions complex as he pressed his lips together, truly unsure of what to do.

The morning sun did not leave much warmth in Xiyuan University, and the annoying rain came again.

The cold water continued to wash away the rose flowers across the campus, their pink color deepening, no longer the pure white they once were.

Lost in thought, Xi Yu slowly walked out of the main office building. As he was looking around, he vaguely saw a petite girl hurriedly running away from the bulletin board, her actions seeming suspicious.

He paused for a moment, then quickly approached. He found that there was a glowing yellow sticky note on the bulletin board, boldly written with "No. 241, Gao Sheng."

Gao Sheng, the streamer, had died for Fei Ling in the "Pure Welfare Institute" instance, and they had likely formed a bond from that.

Last night, No. 182 had selected a rose task for Fei Ling involving CP information: to post it here… so it was indeed Fei Ling who was afraid of being targeted by the system.

Punishment—had he no choice but to follow the orders of No. 182 and expose his CP?

Thinking again about Gao Sheng's previous infatuation, it was possible that this matter had been permitted by him. It seemed like another self-sacrificial melodrama.

Xi Yu chuckled to himself, tore the note off the bulletin board, folded it, and put it in his pocket. Shaking his head, he left in the opposite direction.

The strategy to handle the principal NPC had temporarily come to an end. He was now preparing to head to the cafeteria for a proper meal to replenish his energy. After all, he had already decided not to complete the rose task given by No. 017. So, the punishment would come by noon at the latest, and he needed to adjust his condition to face it.

Xi Yu, always very cautious, was lost in his thoughts as he entered the thick fog that seemed to linger, completely unaware that No. 017 was standing not far from the office building.

No. 017 hummed softly, almost like a loyal observer, matching Xi Yu's every step, as if not intending to do anything else, with an expression that seemed perfectly natural.