Chapter 67
Chapter 67
Chapter 67 (1)
At night, the dark gymnasium finally became a gaping trap, waiting for the deeply arrogant Mu Yuan to fall into it.
While the three were prowling in the darkness, an unusual sound came from the corridor not far away.
Xi Yu immediately focused: "Someone triggered the trap. It’s just nightfall; Mu Yuan shouldn’t be here so soon."
Luo Xi took the lead: "I’ll go check it out."
Xi Yu wasn’t comfortable letting him go alone, so he turned back and instructed Xu Tu: "I’m coming too. You hide quietly and wait for my signal. If someone finds out the three of us are together, the chance of being discovered is high."
Xu Tu gave a thumbs-up, then silently slipped into the shadows.
Xi Yu frowned and stepped forward, following Luo Xi’s pace.
The result was disappointing. In the corridor where all the lights were destroyed, the two fools tangled in ropes turned out to be No. 009 and No. 006.
Although these two weren’t harmless, there was no sense of familiarity, which puzzled Xi Yu.
He lit a lighter and knelt on one knee in front of the two miserable roommates: "What are you two doing here?"
The firelight illuminated the roommates’ faces. No. 006 and No. 009 were very surprised.
No. 009 was the first to complain: "Was that your broadcast? Didn’t you say you were going to announce Mu Yuan’s number? I want to see what kind of fate that bastard gets."
"Still haven’t even made a mark yourself, and you’re already concerned about Mu Yuan’s fate. Isn’t that a bit too deliberate?" Luo Xi asked with suspicion, twisting his wrist: "You wouldn’t be Mu Yuan yourself, would you?"
At this moment, No. 006 had already used a hidden knife to cut the ropes and helped No. 009 up, saying, "Nonsense, don’t insult me like that. You say I’m Mu Yuan? I suspect you’re the real one!"
After watching for a while, Xi Yu said quietly, "...They’ve been roommates with me since day one and are very in sync, sticking to each other like twins. Mu Yuan always wants to take the lead on everything. It probably isn’t them."
Luo Xi then showed a bit of interest, blinking, and looked at the stiff-faced No. 006 and No. 009 with a meaningful smirk at the corner of his mouth.
No. 009 quickly countered: "Don’t think about us! How did you two get involved, No. 084? Isn’t No. 017 your girl?"
Luo Xi laughed lightly: "Ma Guanshan, you should stop worrying about others."
Then he glanced at No. 006: "Looks like this must be Ma Ruofei?"
Faced with Luo Xi’s sudden probe, No. 006 and No. 009 fell silent: "..."
Xi Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Luo Xi deliberately sighed: "Look, the system deliberately gave you these numbers, and you two are always together. No wonder others figured it out. I guess I’m not the first, right?"
"Cut the nonsense. I think your claim about having Mu Yuan’s number is a complete lie!" No. 006 immediately clenched his dagger and decisively stabbed toward Luo Xi!
Though Luo Xi’s tone was casual, his body was highly alert. He instantly grabbed No. 006’s wrist from behind, kicked him twice in the abdomen, then pushed him hard against the wall: "You didn’t come here to fight, right? I know you two have a grudge against Mu Yuan. That matter was pretty famous in Yuntai."No. 009 was very surprised by Luo Xi’s strength. Supporting No. 006, he asked sharply, “Who exactly are you? Mo Yi? Ruan Liang? Luo Xi? Zhuang Zhixing?”
Seeing him list off all the expert streamers with high combat power one by one, Luo Xi calmly retorted, “Naming off the dishes? Why do you care who I am? Even if I don’t have Mu Yuan’s number, so what? Do you really think someone with his temper would act like a coward tonight? Anyway, if you want to watch the show, better hide well. But let me make it clear—Mu Yuan won’t become your fertilizer. He’s already been claimed by someone else.”
No. 006 and No. 009 exchanged glances. They didn’t know this person’s background but felt hesitant since their identities had been seen through.
Finally, No. 009’s eyes shifted: “I don’t necessarily want Mu Yuan as fertilizer, but I definitely want him out! How about we cooperate?”
Luo Xi asked back, “Cooperate is fine, but what help can you give me?”
No. 009 glanced at No. 006.
No. 006 hesitated, then took out a small piece of candy from his pocket.
The candy’s sugary sheen showed it was a very special item.
No. 006 said, “I won this in the literature club’s dungeon after a lot of effort. Once eaten, it immediately boosts your fertilizer’s bloo value by 10 points. How about that? My fertilizer’s so dumb it doesn’t need me to harm him. I want to use this item to entertain Mu Yuan.”
Naturally, Luo Xi reached out to take it.
No. 009 stopped him: “The item can’t be given for free. I know you have the ‘Jieyu Flower’ seed item, so no matter what, you’ll find a way to get Mu Yuan’s number! But we have to see your success with our own eyes before we let Mu Yuan’s flower eat the candy!”
“Alright, two spectator tickets sold. Let’s find a place to hide at the basketball court,” Luo Xi said somewhat helplessly, taking out his phone to check the time. “I hope Mu Yuan shows up, but if by eleven there’s no news, I won’t waste time—I’ll use my seed immediately. Then you give me the candy, okay?”
No. 009 and No. 006 said in unison, “Okay.”
With that, they didn’t say more and turned to slip back the way they came.
Luo Xi warned uneasily, “Be careful, don’t waste my trap again!”
No. 006 muttered an indistinct curse as an answer—probably not something polite.
Luo Xi sighed, “This is exactly what worries me: Mu Yuan’s not here, but his enemies are lining up early.”
After watching for a while, Xi Yu said suspiciously, “Are No. 006 and No. 009 really twins? I just said it casually—could it be fake?”
Luo Xi shrugged: “No conflict of interest with us, real or fake doesn’t matter. But Yuntai does have a pair of senior twin streamers. To be precise, they were originally identical triplets—two boys and one girl.”
Xi Yu was a bit stunned: “Another one of the company’s weird designs?”
“Purely dark humor,” Luo Xi sneered. “They were very close. Though all three were orphans, they were lucky to have such sibling affection. Later, the girl among the triplets encountered Mu Yuan during ranking, was bullied to death by him and knocked out. She suffered mental trauma, her health deteriorated, and her genes mutated to some degree. After evaluation by the security department, she was immediately sent out of Yuntai. No one knows where they took her for experiments. The remaining two boys naturally hated Mu Yuan to death. They had several conflicts, and warnings from security were common. So if their grudge brought them to see Mu Yuan’s end, it’s understandable.”
Xi Yu only had a vague understanding of the Yuntai androids. Hearing this made him feel complicated but he still warned, “I understand, but you must always be wary—anyone appearing tonight could be Mu Yuan.”
“Go prepare at the upstairs broadcast room. I’ll wait inside the arena,” Luo Xi patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’m not as gentle as you. If anyone suspicious shows up, I won’t let them go.”
Xi Yu wanted to know more: “Besides the Will team, does Mu Yuan have other streamer allies?”
“Of course,” Luo Xi replied. “Many are willing to cooperate, but they’re all just partners in profit. If they find no benefit, they won’t work for him—after all, the last two rounds became Mu Yuan’s Waterloo. Remember, streamer behavior is selfish; there’s no good or evil.”
Xi Yu nodded, “Got it.”
“Be careful,” Luo Xi rubbed his head again, then turned and went down the stairs toward the basketball court—the largest area in the arena.
The spectator seats around the basketball court had excellent views, allowing him to oversee everything and keep control in the palm of his hand.With the simple security monitoring in Xi Yu’s broadcast room, there was no chance for anyone to slip through.
The gym’s broadcast room was simpler and less equipped compared to the school’s broadcast room.
Xi Yu tried adjusting the broadcasting system, then quickly opened six surveillance feeds, sitting down to wait quietly for Mu Yuan’s appearance.
Time passed by second after second. Five or six groups of streamers entered the gym’s main entrance one after another.
But they were probably just here to watch the show. After finding all the lighting equipment damaged, they all left uneasily, without even waiting for a moment, clearly just punching in their attendance with the hope of a lucky break.
It wasn’t until nearly 10:30 that a confident male streamer pushed through the slightly ajar door.
He was tall and strode to the center of the basketball court, glanced around, then sneered, “Come out, rats hiding in the gutters.”
Xi Yu immediately leaned forward, watching the screen intently.
At the same time, Luo Xi laughed loudly from the spectator seats, “Are your eyes going bad? I’ve been watching you for a long time.”
The newcomer’s sharp gaze stayed hidden in the dark as he steadily walked toward the direction Luo Xi’s voice came from.
Luo Xi flicked a lighter and saw the “133” on the other’s school uniform and his unfamiliar face.
The two had never crossed paths—at least, not in this scenario.
No. 133 asked coldly, “Weren’t you supposed to announce Mu Yuan’s number?”
Luo Xi answered leisurely, “How would I know? I’m just waiting for news too. You think I’ve held back this long without trying to find fertilizer for myself? It’s to take down that bastard Mu Yuan.”
No. 133’s eyes grew colder. “So you’re not the one broadcasting.”
Luo Xi put his hands behind his head, acting more casual than usual: “The truth will come out soon. Anyway, Mu Yuan’s four lackeys are already out. I don’t believe he’ll have a good ending.”
These disrespectful words drew No. 133’s disdain: “The victor is king, the loser bandit. No need for such insults. You’re making me think you’re a petty person.”
Luo Xi deliberately asked, “What? Don’t you think Mu Yuan’s a bastard? Then why are you here listening for his number? Could it be you’re Mu Yuan himself?”
No. 133 was like an unfeeling assassin, voice flat and calm: “What do you think? Want to take out your phone and try?”
Luo Xi chuckled, “I’m not that bold.”
He flicked his lighter off and on while quietly observing.
No. 133 kept his hands in his pockets, likely holding a weapon ready to defend himself.
His expression stayed cold as he finally found a seat, looking like he was here to see how the drama would unfold.
Xi Yu watched their interaction through the night vision monitor, pondering who the newcomer might be. Soon, two men and a woman entered the gym.
They made no sound; one man dashed straight into the stairwell, while the other two quietly took seats across from the stands.
Along with the hidden No. 009 and No. 006, there were finally several spectators gathered.
Xi Yu checked the time. His “Rose” mission had just over an hour left. Knowing he couldn’t wait any longer, he suddenly turned on the microphone.At that moment, a figure quickly slipped through the main door, caught clearly by the surveillance.
Someone was rushing to arrive on time.
Xi Yu smiled faintly and forced a restrained tone as he spoke: “Everyone, thank you for coming. I am the one who will announce Mu Yuan’s number. I’m sure you’re curious—what grudge do I have against Mu Yuan? Even if I have a grudge, I could just use him as fertilizer directly. So why bother telling you his number?”
The blurry silhouettes of several spectators on the monitor remained motionless.
Xi Yu’s words were all meant to make Mu Yuan uncomfortable; he had wracked his brains to say harsh things: “Unfortunately, to secure my ranking, I found fertilizer on the first day, wasting the chance to punish Mu Yuan. But Mu Yuan isn’t just ruthless; he’s arrogant and stupid. I believe you all agree with me—he doesn’t deserve to pass the preliminary.”
After finishing, Xi Yu took a sip of water and continued taunting: “The first place in Yuntai is nothing but a toy for the audience. A high rank only brings trouble and makes you a target. It’s meaningless. Only a stubborn fool like Mu Yuan would shamelessly cling to the top spot. The truly capable ones are all secretly watching and laughing at him, right?”
Luo Xi, sitting in the gym, was hearing so many vicious words from Xi Yu for the first time and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Number 133 immediately grew more displeased and twice glanced coldly over.
Luo Xi put out his lighter and quietly slipped off the stands.
Xi Yu then feigned sincerity: “Those who band together with Mu Yuan are fools too. Everyone knows it’s better to stay low and silent to survive. But he and four others formed a team—does this game even need teams? Even if they fight their way through, are they going to peacefully discuss who wins in the end, and others obediently reset? Luckily, fools get what they deserve—Mu Yuan’s dear teammates were tragically eliminated during preliminaries, all cut down by two strikes. It really fits their level.”
At this point, the spectators in the gym hadn’t reacted much, but suddenly the door to the broadcast room was kicked open loudly!
Xi Yu immediately stood up.
The visitor outside kicked the door twice more, breaking the lock on the wooden door, storming in fiercely, clenching a fist as he demanded: “Are you done? Do you think you can eliminate me just like that?”
“Mu Yuan?” Xi Yu curled a smile: “You finally couldn’t hold it in and came to cause trouble?”
The newcomer wore a uniform embroidered with number 095. He aggressively rushed over and grabbed Xi Yu’s collar: “Who are you? What grudge do you have against me?”
Xi Yu pushed him hard: “No grudge, just don’t like you.”
Number 095 trembled with anger, as if holding back due to fear of system punishment: “Fine, then announce my number. I want to see who dares mess with me.”
Xi Yu pulled the microphone and laughed: “Did you all hear that? Number 095 standing in front of me claims to be Mu Yuan.”
095 still showed full arrogance.
“Do you believe it?” Xi Yu said again, “I don’t. But I think the real Mu Yuan is already inside the gym. How about we close the door and play a game of guessing who is Mu Yuan?”
The few scattered people around the basketball court stood up at the sound of the conflict on the broadcast, naturally looking toward the door.
Luo Xi, who had slipped away earlier, quickly shut and locked the gym door, then rushed back into the dark near the basketball court and triggered a pre-arranged simple mechanism.
Several sharp cracking sounds came from the darkness, followed by a strange smell spreading in the air.
The only girl present nervously said: “It’s oil!”
Luo Xi smiled, pressed his lighter flame fiercely into the oil, and instantly the blazing fire spread intensely around the basketball court, flames shooting up and illuminating everyone’s faces!
At the same time, Xi Yu decisively took action, starting a fierce fight with number 095 in the cramped broadcast room.
Their mutual attacks triggered a system warning, but fortunately Xi Yu was not trying to hurt him; instead, he cleverly used a rope to tie him up, gasping: “With your skills, you really don’t seem like Mu Yuan. Are you pretending?”
095 was also breathing heavily, glaring at him angrily: “You can’t hurt me!”“No one wants to hurt you. I said it’s just a guessing game.” Xi Yu grabbed him and said, “Since you’re here, come with me to the scene. It’s the participation that counts!”
Number 095’s tense expression gradually faded, replaced by a hard-to-read look.
Xi Yu’s expression was equally unreadable. Suddenly, he pulled hard and dragged number 095 out the door.
The raging fire completely disrupted the situation. Those remaining inside the venue reacted differently.
The coldest one, number 133, merely stepped down from the stands. The couple grew nervous, trying to find a way out through the ring of fire. The last to appear, the male host number 044, showed no obvious expression, hiding in the safe middle area of the venue, watching like a spectator.
Luo Xi really disliked being surrounded by flames, but with limited ability at the moment, there was no other way to trap Mu Yuan—this was the last resort.
He jumped into a corner where the fire was weaker and blocked the couple, covering their mouths and noses with a damp cloth prepared earlier: “Friends hiding in the shadows, please come out too.”
Numbers 006 and 009 supported each other, coughing badly.
Number 006 angrily said, “Is this your bright idea?”
Luo Xi smiled: “The idea may not be great, but the sacrifice is worth it.”
He then grabbed the girl who was trying to run again and violently threw her back to the center of the basketball court.
The girl’s companion was delicate-looking, expression stiff but lacked the courage to move forward.
Luo Xi lowered his eyes: “Mu Yuan always wants to be first in everything and won’t tolerate others messing with him. Even if he wants to hide, he’ll definitely come to check the situation. If we’re lucky, I guess he’s among us.”
At this moment, Xi Yu hurried over dragging number 095. The two wet their bodies with a prepared hose to get through the flames but still brought in a terrible burnt smell.
Number 009 bitterly smiled: “Playing this big... fine, then let’s quickly interrogate.”
“Turns out you don’t even know Mu Yuan’s number!” The girl numbered 038 said with grievance: “Well, even if Mu Yuan is here, he can’t have changed gender, right? I’m definitely innocent!”
At that moment, the always cold and watching number 133 stepped forward and mercilessly grabbed her neck: “You’re innocent, but what about the people who came with you? No one leaves without clarifying their identity!”
Luo Xi raised his eyebrows, eyeing this unexpected helper and really doubting if he was acting.
The girl struggled painfully: “You’re crazy! If we get burned to death, we’re all out!”
The boy with her, number 053, thin and weak-looking, ordinary and unimpressive, didn’t seem like much of a fighter.
His voice trembled as he said, “I think number 133 looks more like Mu Yuan. I’m just here to watch the fun!”
044 thought for a moment and said, “I’m here to watch too. The liar is the eunuch!”
The others: “...”
Taking advantage of the moment, number 095 twisted: “Are you all crazy? Is catching me more important than advancing?!”
Xi Yu shoved him to the ground and said deliberately: “Yes, deep hatred. Even if we go out together, I want revenge!”
Number 095, hands tied, struggled to stand: “Then input my number and treat me like fertilizer. I won’t let you succeed!”
Xi Yu took out his phone: “Fine—”But he didn’t use it, instead he laughed: “It’s not that simple. I have a way to get innocent people out of the fire, but if it drags on too long, then there’s no saving them. You’re all respected hosts of Yuntai; quickly state your identities.”
Numbers 006, 009, 044, 053, 095, 133, and that girl number 038—all seven remained silent.
Xi Yu self-mocked: “Look how stupid I am. Names are the most precious resource in this round; no one will tell. But it’s okay, fortunately we’re prepared. Take this out.”
Luo Xi immediately pulled from his clothes a glowing prop seed and a small bag of soil.
Number 009 feigned panic: “This is a prop he won when competing with me. Once planted, it can reveal a person’s identity!”
Xi Yu’s eyes turned cold: “Exactly. Actually, I’m not planning to use Mu Yuan as fertilizer. I want him to be eliminated immediately! As long as the seed reveals a number belonging to anyone among us, I’ll make sure they never come back.”
The girl number 038 was choking on the thick smoke and cursed: “You’re crazy! Attacking players is not allowed!”
Xi Yu cursed, referring to the Ma brothers’ incident: “Mu Yuan got my sister dragged out of Yuntai for dissection! I won’t forgive him!”
This caused the system to send a red light notification.
[Number 084, please stop slandering company affairs. This segment will not be broadcast. This is the final warning.]
Hatred showed strongly on Xi Yu’s dramatic face; beside him Luo Xi didn’t hesitate and immediately acted to plant the seed in the soil.
Unexpectedly, the one who rushed over to stop them was not the cold number 133 nor the agitated number 095, but the utterly timid-looking number 053!
Luo Xi dodged his arm but was viciously kicked in the abdomen; the force and speed were completely disproportionate to 053’s ordinary and weak appearance!
Xi Yu committed fully to the act, rushing over to support Luo Xi: “Brother!”
Number 044 made no move, instead stepping back two steps to avoid their scuffle.
Number 095, his hands tied by Xi Yu, was powerless to help, only able to watch the farce unfold.
Number 053 viciously kept attacking Luo Xi: “You two bastards think you can kill me? I’m defending myself. The system will punish only you!”
Numbers 006 and 009: “......”
Failing to seize the seed, number 053 grabbed Xi Yu and tried to rip off his soaking wet clothes to escape. At this moment, the girl number 038 unexpectedly broke free from number 133’s hold and fled desperately toward the area with the least fire.
Number 133 snapped back and tried to stop her, but 038 accidentally stepped on a wire trap on the ground, causing the oil bottle hanging above to tip over and spill oil all over her head and face.
Now 038 definitely dared not rush into the fire. Crying, she shouted: “It’s not my fault! Number 053 is Mu Yuan! Number 095 is his subordinate Zhao Zhusheng! I, I am Zhang Hua; Mu Yuan is already mine! I’m worthless, please let me go!”
Number 053, in a fury, stopped and glared at the girl who was pretending to be foolish.
Number 095 finally showed some unease.
Number 133 was calm as if the fire was invisible: “Zhang Hua? What color clothes were you wearing in the last relic supernatural dungeon?”
Number 038 desperately wiped the oil from her body and choked out: “It, it was green...”
Number 133 raised an eyebrow: “Hmm, that’s correct.”
“I’m not lying.” Number 038 seemed genuinely desperate not to be burned to death, suddenly shouting several times: “Number 053, are you Mu Yuan? Number 053, are you Mu Yuan? Number 053, are you Mu Yuan?!”
No response. Presumably, she did not receive an additional 50 bloo points from the system.Number 133 glanced at Xi Yu, then took out his phone: "Alright, since you hate Mu Yuan so much, I'll play with him."
Perhaps others didn’t know who number 133 was addressing, but Luo Xi suddenly realized, kicked away the struggling number 053, and quietly raised an eyebrow: “Mo Yi…?”
Number 133 didn’t respond and without hesitation typed Mu Yuan’s name and number into the phone.
Fortunately, before he could press confirm, Xi Yu snatched it away, frowning: “Mu Yuan is mine; Zhao Zhusheng is yours.”
Saying that, Xi Yu returned the phone, quietly watching number 133.
Number 133 shrugged and silently entered number 095, Zhao Zhusheng.
A crisp ding sounded—looks like the binding was successful.
Only then did Xi Yu enter Mu Yuan’s number.
At exactly eleven o’clock, the phone received two notifications in a row.
[Number 084, congratulations on seeing through number 053 Mu Yuan’s identity.]
[From now on, you will be his only flower.]
[Remember to assign tasks to number 053 every midnight.]
[Otherwise, bloo value will increase by 20 points.]
[Number 084, you truly are a hardworking fertilizer.]
[Congratulations on completing the rose task given by number 017.]
[You received 20 bloo points.]
By the third night, 40 points had accumulated—pretty good.
Xi Yu put away the phone and looked at the glaring Mu Yuan and Zhao Zhusheng: “So, how about it, still fighting?”
Mu Yuan frowned and said doubtfully: “You’re not Ma Ruofei, you’re Xi Yu!”
Number 044 widened their eyes.
Xi Yu calmly lowered his gaze and suddenly whistled!
A rush of water suddenly came from the side of the basketball court—the rescuer was the long-awaiting Rabbit. After suffering such a heavy loss, Mu Yuan and Zhao Zhusheng immediately dashed there and escaped at lightning speed!
Then numbers 006 and 009 also prepared to leave this trouble spot, faithfully tossing candies to Xi Yu.
Xi Yu gripped the prop tightly, glanced around, and said to Zhang Hua: “Stop crying. If you hadn’t directly broken the silence, I wouldn’t have been so smooth.”
Number 044, who had been silent all along, sneered: “No need to comfort her. The most poisonous woman’s heart—after being controlled by Mu Yuan, she obeyed him completely. That’s why she stayed by his side, probably waiting for a mess like tonight’s fight!”
Zhang Hua’s expression instantly went blank. She stood up and wiped the oil off her face: “Better than you doing nothing.”
Saying that, she walked toward the area where the fire was gradually dying down.Xi Yu quietly glanced at number 133.
Number 133 gave a self-mocking laugh, didn’t stay long, and followed behind Zhang Hua as she left.
Number 044, still standing in place, crossed his arms: “Mu Yuan really showed me what it means to kick someone when they’re down.”
Xi Yu and Luo Xi exchanged a glance, looking at him with suspicion.
At that moment, Rabbit angrily said, “How long do you expect me to put out this fire? I’m just a fragile girl!”
Number 044 immediately showed a delighted expression, approached, and called out, “Rabbit, is that you?”
Xu Tu quietly showed her face holding a water hose: “A Qi?”
Number 044 nodded vigorously.
Xu Tu frowned: “How do I know it’s you?”
Number 044: “Last month on the 3rd, when you were dieting, you secretly ate snacks in the dorm and almost threw up. You didn’t want me to tell anyone…”
Xu Tu’s hands trembled slightly, then she sprayed the hose directly at his face: “You’re asking for it!”
“...” Xi Yu glanced again at Luo Xi and whispered, “So, how is it? Are the seeds completely unsellable now?”
The gym fire truly became a disaster in the dark night; even after leaving far away, the thick smoke was still visible.
Luckily, the system of this instance was quite complete, and eventually, a school worker NPC appeared to help put out the fire.
Xi Yu and the others regained peace and naturally pressed number 044 on the way.
Number 044 was also frustrated: “Last round, I inexplicably got laid low, making my hidden score bottom out. I was one of the five people announced by the Rose Master. Bad luck had it that number 095 picked me up, and I became his fertilizer.”
Luo Xi frowned: “Why didn’t you just kill him? Were you teaching him for nothing?”
Number 044 sighed: “I was trying to figure out a way, but number 095 always stuck with numbers 053 and 038. The three of them kept tailing me endlessly. Although I didn’t know who they were back then, many on the Yun Tai knew I was close with you and Rabbit. I was worried they wanted to use me to find you, so I naturally didn’t dare approach you — when I heard the broadcast, I thought it must be related to you, so I came out to check. It really pushed me into a corner!”
Xu Tu punched him on the head: “Pushed you my ass! Do you know how worried you made me?!”
Luo Xi threw the seed to Xu Tu: “Alright, you guys sort this out yourselves. I need to rest.”
Saying that, he grabbed Xi Yu and strode off.
Xi Yu moved a bit farther away, then anxiously whispered, “Are you really okay? I don’t understand Bai Qi.”
Luo Xi shrugged: “He and Rabbit are like an old married couple. If that can’t be confirmed, then they really deserve to get played.”
Thinking of Xu Tu’s cleverness and capability, Xi Yu finally put his worries away and followed Luo Xi away from the scene.
In a quiet corner of the deserted campus, two close figures sat side by side on a bench.
The late-night air was biting cold.
Luo Xi coughed awkwardly, clearly having inhaled too much smoke from the intense activity in the fire.
Xi Yu touched his slightly singed hair ends and smiled sheepishly: “Luckily Mu Yuan kept his cool. The effort wasn’t wasted. Sorry you had to go through that.”Luo Xi snorted, “Why are some people so persistent and won’t go away?”
Xi Yu knew he was talking about Mo Yi, and since she didn’t expect Mo Yi to join this mess, she could only look back at him with a helpless expression.
Luo Xi clicked his tongue, “Afraid you’ll make a mistake, yet still willing to be Mu Yuan’s fertilizer for you — how thoughtful.”
The sarcasm in those words was obvious. Xi Yu curved her lips, “I just think you’re thoughtful. You’re so afraid of fire, yet you still accompany me to do this kind of uncertain thing.”
“I’m not afraid,” Luo Xi immediately denied.
“Enough about that.” Xi Yu took out chocolate and the candy she had hidden for a long time: “Look.”
As Luo Xi took the special items, a notification sound immediately played.
【Xiao Zhi’s chocolate: Increases your fertilizer’s bloo value by 50 points immediately upon consumption.】
【Xiao Zhi’s fruit candy: Increases your fertilizer’s bloo value by 10 points immediately upon consumption.】
Xi Yu explained, “The chocolate was a reward from the Snow Lord’s round.”
Luo Xi couldn’t help but sympathize deeply for Mu Yuan, asking, “How many bloo points does he have now?”
“Twenty.” Xi Yu took out her phone and checked, “So as long as he completes one more mission, he can reach the goal.”
Luo Xi took off his dry clothes and draped them over Xi Yu, then sighed, “Don’t get too cocky. Mu Yuan is one of the more single-minded experts among the streamers, mainly just really good at fighting. Even Zhang Hua just now was much more cunning than him. From now on, you need to proceed carefully step by step.”
Xi Yu nodded, “Got it. Zhang Hua was pretending to be dumb earlier, deliberately seeking revenge at a critical moment. She wouldn’t willingly become Mu Yuan’s fertilizer.”
“Right, back to the main topic.” Luo Xi pondered for a moment. “The gym caught fire. Although all the surveillance footage failed, He Kun will definitely be scared to death and will come find you early in the morning. Then you play it by ear, interrogate him to find out who’s behind manipulating him to get close to Xiao Zhi, and then we’ll catch the instigator.”
Xi Yu hummed in response and put down her heavy fatigue. The two of them quietly stared into the wind for a rare moment.
At midnight, their phones finally rang simultaneously.
After Luo Xi drew the new missions, he clicked open the flower identity page and clicked his tongue: “It’s definitely getting harder.”
Xi Yu leaned in to see the three missions he pulled out:
— Within 12 hours, have the fertilizer cut off their little finger and bury it under the rose bush.
— Within 12 hours, have the fertilizer collect information on ten players and post it on the bulletin board.
— Within 12 hours, have the fertilizer sacrifice their own eyes.
Luo Xi said, “Either unreasonable or painful. The boss’s punishment ability is definitely starting to improve. I won’t bother you anymore.”
With that, he turned off his phone directly.
At this time Luo Xi’s bloo value was zero, so it wasn’t surprising he was letting Xi Yu have some leeway, but Xi Yu still anxiously snatched his phone and quickly opened the fertilizer page.
In glaring red letters it read: Fertilizer number 017, within 24 hours, please fertilize the campus rose with the skin and flesh of your calf.
Luo Xi looked indifferent: “I can handle that female ghost. You hurry up and assign missions to Mu Yuan. Don’t let him slack off.”Xi Yu hesitated for a moment before opening the phone. For the first time, he tried to use the mission tag on the flower page. After a flash of red light, three lines of missions appeared on the page.
— Within 24 hours, have the fertilizer cut off their left ear.
— Within 24 hours, do not allow the fertilizer to sleep.
— Within 24 hours, have the fertilizer find a flower for their C.
Xi Yu murmured, “Mu Yuan won’t let me take advantage, so no matter what, he’ll choose not to follow the missions. Xiao Zhi’s pursuit might not hurt him. It’s better to give him some mental torment.”
Saying this, he clicked on the “no sleeping for 24 hours” option.
Luo Xi chuckled, “That guy is rebellious and wants to sleep, but he’s probably going to fall into a nightmare he can’t wake up from.”
Saying that, he took Xi Yu’s hand and got up. “Come on, he can’t sleep, but we can.”
As he finished speaking, Luo Xi’s relaxed gaze turned strange.
Xi Yu looked along and saw that behind the chair they had just been sitting on, several roses had quietly bloomed.
The petals, half red and half white, surrounded a bloodied eyeball!
Luo Xi breathed in the bloody smell in the air: “Half the time has passed, the game is about to change.”
After sleeping in the classroom until dawn, although his body felt unwell, Xi Yu’s spirit was comforted by the company of someone he trusted.
He had just opened his eyes, with no time to plan, when He Kun, as Luo Xi had predicted, hurriedly sent a message: “What are you doing?!!! Meet me behind the History Building!”
It seemed the fire had left a serious psychological shadow on this guy.
Xi Yu could only temporarily part from Luo Xi and rushed to the designated place as fast as possible, indeed seeing the pale-faced president He Kun.
He Kun saw Xi Yu and angrily shouted, “You—how could you burn the gym like that!”
Xi Yu pretended to be casual, “Otherwise, what do you think I was going to do with the oil, cook?”
“I shouldn’t have trusted you so easily. Now the school will definitely investigate me for this. This is a catastrophe!” He Kun was in a panic, suddenly grabbing him and saying, “I’m about to graduate. I can’t bear this burden with you.”
Xi Yu took out Xiao Zhi’s phone from his pocket: “You’re afraid of being investigated for the fire, but aren’t you afraid of being investigated for Xiao Zhi? That’s a matter of life and death!”
He Kun looked at the shattered phone screen, and his panicked expression instantly deepened into profound fear.Xi Yu directly opened the text for him: “The evidence is conclusive. You keep insisting you have nothing to do with Xiao Zhi, but that was another lie. I’m definitely going to tell the principal about this!”
He Kun was clearly not someone who could take responsibility. After a hurried glance, he quickly grabbed Xi Yu: “Wait! This doesn’t prove that Xiao Zhi’s death is my fault! I only interacted with her because the clubs had to cooperate for the activity month. I already have Xian Xian. That girl Xiao Zhi is always gloomy and strange, and she was always spreading news about that bloody game before. So when she confessed, it really scared me, okay? I admit I didn’t speak nicely at the time, but…”
As he spoke, He Kun crouched down in embarrassment: “Could it be that she really stopped living just because of a few words from me…”
Xi Yu kneeled in front of him: “Now you can tell me, why were you the first person to find Xiao Zhi’s body?”
“Because before she jumped, she sent me a farewell message.” He Kun grabbed his school uniform: “At the time, I felt something was wrong and searched all over the school for her… Didn’t expect to see it just then… I wanted to delete the message, but thought the telecom company would still have a record, and sooner or later someone would find out, so…”
The student before him looked panicked but not like he was lying. Xi Yu frowned: “Don’t be afraid. As long as we can catch the person who gave Xiao Zhi that software, the fault won’t be yours.”
He Kun nodded blankly.
Xi Yu asked: “Who arranged the cooperation between the Psychology Club and the Literature Club? And why did you come into contact with Xiao Zhi?”
He Kun muttered: “My counselor introduced us. Our two clubs planned to rehearse a play. Later, Teacher Yang from the Literature Department recommended Xiao Zhi because her writing was very good, so we asked her to help with the script…”
Xi Yu was serious: “Which of those two teachers knows how to write code?”
He Kun shook his head: “Neither of them should. After all, they’re both from liberal arts backgrounds.”
Xi Yu helped him slowly stand up, but He Kun grabbed him back: “I really don’t want to continue this game anymore. What do you think I should do…”
“If Principal Huang isn’t involved in Xiao Zhi’s matter, then he’s someone who truly wants to solve the case.” Xi Yu pulled He Kun up firmly and commanded: “Stand straight, go find the principal and confess everything. The principal has the authority to check teachers’ backgrounds and can more easily find who deliberately arranged all this.”
He Kun’s face grew even more sullen: “Principal Huang…”
Xi Yu raised an eyebrow.
He Kun tremblingly opened his phone: “Today my rose mission is about Principal Huang.”
Xi Yu immediately took it and gradually frowned.