Chapter 54

**Chapter 53: Marionette 1**

Another Tuesday.

Calculating the timing, it was about time to receive the system’s information about the next instance. Inside Mi Cang Inn, Zuo Sanqiu sat ramrod straight at the front desk in nervous anticipation, while Shi Zong lounged idly on the small sofa, typing away at his keyboard as he modified code.

The keyboard he was using was the one He Zhen had given him. It really was comfortable; even after typing all day, his hands didn’t hurt and his arms didn’t ache.

However, He Zhen himself had not appeared these past few days.

Shi Zong always felt that He Zhen had grown much colder toward him.

Last night, after escorting him back to the inn, He Zhen had checked out of his room, moved back to the school dormitory for good, and hadn’t shown up since.

So… He Zhen really must be slowly regaining his memories. That was why his attitude toward Shi Zong had been so contradictory and erratic recently.

Right after the second instance ended, he was probably in a daze himself, unable to figure out what was going on.

It made sense: He Zhen had first dreamed of scenes of the two of them together and mistakenly believed there had been real affection between them. That was why he had been so attentive toward Shi Zong back then.

Later he even dreamed about what happened in bed. After all, this body was only eighteen years old. No matter how calm and self-controlled he was compared to others, his body still produced hormones. Perhaps those dreams had even caused a little dopamine release, so whenever he saw Shi Zong, he felt a fleeting impulse.

But now those temporary stirrings had obviously passed.

Shi Zong finally reached this conclusion.

In his view, He Zhen had never truly developed any real feelings for him.

That meant what Ming Yue said was probably true—

There had only ever been physical entanglement between them, never any emotional involvement.

He and Song Diwang had most likely really just been friends with benefits.

Still… if one really had physical needs, couldn’t he find anyone else? Why did it have to be the King of Hell?

Silently mocking his past self’s taste in fuck buddies, Shi Zong decided to put the matter out of his mind.

In order to search for potential players and recruit promising ones into the guild, Shi Zong had written the program before heading to Yulong Mountain.

These past few days, Zhou Lü’s subordinates had conducted related tests and just sent him the feedback. Shi Zong was now refining the program based on that feedback.

Once he finished refining it, the program could be released tonight.

For the next steps, he only needed to wait.

The initial search work—even simple interviews or tests—would all be handled by people Zhou Lü arranged. They were essentially acting as the guild’s HR department.

After finishing his work and leaving Zuo Sanqiu to greet the guests, Shi Zong went to the backyard swing to read.

A while later, the person who came to find him was Zhang Qijun.

“Can we talk?” Zhang Qijun asked him.

Shi Zong nodded.

Zhang Qijun pulled over a bamboo chair and sat beside him, then began: “You noticed me so quickly in the maze… because you had already suspected me. Going further, you had already suspected my master—I mean Li Rongjing, right?

“You suspected Li Rongjing from the beginning. And you were originally from Changsheng Guild, but you agreed to join Dingjun Mountain when Li Rongjing invited you… Were you planning to be a double agent?”

Shi Zong said calmly: “I just went in to gather some information. I never planned to play some complicated spy game where I go undercover in Dingjun Mountain just to bring it down.”

“Actually, if you had killed me—or allowed me to commit suicide—you could have continued the double-agent game. Or even if you didn’t kill me, you could have put on an act…

“As long as you pretended you hadn’t noticed anything, you could have gone to Li Rongjing and questioned why I killed him. At that point, he would naturally pin everything on me, and then the two of you could have dealt with me together.

“In that situation, you could have eliminated me to vent your anger and still stayed in Dingjun Mountain to gather information.”

After a brief silence, Zhang Qijun continued: “What I’m trying to say is that Dingjun Mountain has been established for a long time and really does possess a lot of game-related information. Obtaining that information would definitely be very beneficial to you.

“But now, for my sake, you’ve given up the chance to get that information. Not only that—you’ve essentially made an enemy of Dingjun Mountain.

“The person who originally pulled you into the game, Chen Li, belongs to the Fifth Regiment. They probably still want to obtain your identity. With both the Fifth Regiment and Dingjun Mountain targeting you, you’re now caught between enemies on both sides…”

Zhang Qijun shook his head. “I’m not trying to belittle myself. But saving my life—is this really a worthwhile trade for you?”

From Zhang Qijun’s perspective, Shi Zong did not seem like the kind of person who would go to any length to save a single life—especially when that person was an enemy who had once tried to kill him.

In truth, none of the points Zhang Qijun raised actually mattered to Shi Zong at all.

First, he didn’t particularly care about people from the Fifth Regiment or Dingjun Mountain.

In reality, he had the support of both Zhou Lü and the He family.

As for inside the game, each instance had a limited number of participants. He wouldn’t suddenly be surrounded and attacked by multiple enemies at once.

Moreover, he was confident that he could figure out the rules of the game faster than anyone else and avoid all risks. No one could out-scheme him.

Second, he had indeed originally wanted to extract some core game-related information from Li Rongjing.

But judging from how clumsily Li Rongjing had tried to eliminate his own disciple, Shi Zong felt that the information Li Rongjing possessed was also quite limited—at least not enough to make him worth the trouble.

Moreover, Shi Zong now believed that his past self’s understanding of this game and this world was far greater than Li Rongjing’s. In that case, he could simply wait to receive the information his past self had left for him.

Of course, Shi Zong couldn’t tell Zhang Qijun the truth.

After all, it was rare to find someone who thought so highly of him.

So Shi Zong said calmly: “Indeed, I don’t make unprofitable deals. But a person like Li Rongjing is willing to sell even his own disciple. If I cooperated with him, it’s hard to say who would be using whom.

“To me, he is someone whose usefulness is uncertain—and someone who might turn on me at any moment. Working with him would require constant vigilance.

“But you’re different. Rather than dealing with a tiger, I’d rather win you over.

“You’re someone who understands what loyalty means. It was only because Li Rongjing failed to see that and disappointed you that you had no choice but to leave him.

“Moreover, you actually performed quite well. In the maze, I also had a bit of luck on my side; otherwise I might not have won.

“You have both brains and loyalty—qualities that are actually very rare in this world. So to me, giving up Dingjun Mountain and Li Rongjing in exchange for you is an extremely worthwhile trade.”

After hearing Shi Zong’s words, Zhang Qijun remained silent for a long time. When he looked at Shi Zong again, he said: “No matter what, I… I want to thank you. Thank you for saving my life, and thank you even more for helping me see Li Rongjing’s true face.

“For a long time I thought that performing opera was the only value I had in this world. It was Li Rongjing who personally granted me that value, but it was also he who decided to personally erase it…

“To be honest, these past two days I’ve felt very confused. I didn’t know what I should do with the rest of my life.

“But what you just said made me feel… maybe I’m still somewhat useful. Maybe I still have a little ‘value’.”

“Of course you’re useful.”

Shi Zong gave him a slight smile. “You’re useful to me, and to Changsheng Guild. From now on, you should keep performing opera—completely surpass Li Rongjing and take away that so-called title of his as the foremost master of contemporary Peking opera. Only then will it count as venting our anger for both of us.”

“Speaking of surpassing him…”

Zhang Qijun’s expression turned somewhat serious. “Actually, that’s exactly why I came to find you. These past few days I’ve barely eaten or slept. One reason is worry that Li Rongjing might cause trouble…

“The other reason is this matter. By rights and by emotion, I should tell you about it. But once I do, I might be letting someone else down.”

Shi Zong set his book down and looked at him. “Why don’t you tell me what it is.”

After hesitating for a while, Zhang Qijun finally spoke: “Using an item like [Deprivation] to seize another person’s identity requires that person to die inside the game. After returning to reality and the timeline resets, the person who used the item can obtain the identity they want. You already know this.

“But this is not the only way to obtain an identity. In fact, using an item to kill someone in the game is merely the shortcut to plundering an identity.”

Shi Zong understood what he meant.

If this game didn’t exist, in reality everyone would simply pursue whatever identity they wanted through normal channels and hard work.

In the workplace, people compete for promotions based on ability, appearance, or connections.

Even if someone only wanted to become a popular beggar on a certain overpass, they would still have to fight for territory—beat up the previous old beggar and drive him away first.

That is the normal logic of obtaining an identity.

Most people in this world are desperately working hard in reality for the things they want.

Now that this game exists, players can plunder other people’s identities by killing them inside the game without bearing any legal responsibility in the real world. In a sense, the game really is a “shortcut to climbing upward.”

Players obtain intelligence about the banquet inside the game and then speculate which identities the King will invite to the next banquet.

What Zhang Qijun meant was simply this: if a player wants to qualify to attend the banquet, besides plundering other people’s identities through this shortcut in the game, there is actually a normal path—

Work hard and genuinely strive in the real world.

If you want something, strive for it honestly.

Many people, after entering the game and becoming players, forget this simplest logic.

Shi Zong understood what Zhang Qijun meant, but he didn’t offer any opinion.

Zhang Qijun quietly glanced at him, then looked toward the front desk with eyes full of reluctance, apology, and other complicated emotions.

“After Zuo Sanqiu came here, he took care of the inn with dedication. He posted lots of short videos to attract guests… Well, maybe what really worked was your face, but…

“Yesterday when Zuo Sanqiu was too busy, I helped him with the accounts. I found that since he arrived, the inn’s revenue has multiplied several times over.

“Also, you yourself aren’t actually interested in running the inn. You haven’t put any real energy into it.

“So have you ever thought…

“Zuo Sanqiu is actually more suited to be the owner of Mi Cang Inn than you are?”

After a slight pause, Zhang Qijun looked at Shi Zong again.

“Last time Li Rongjing didn’t tell you something. It’s said that during the banquet, the King will conduct a final assessment of each person. If they pass the assessment, that identity will be permanently cemented—no one else can ever plunder it. From then on, they no longer have to worry about being hunted by any other player.

“So the real reason Li Rongjing wanted to kill me is—

“I might achieve higher prestige than him in the real-world Peking opera world, and the King might consider me more suitable to attend the banquet.

“And once I pass the banquet assessment, I will permanently cement the identity of foremost Peking opera master. At that point, no matter what, Li Rongjing will be powerless against me. He won’t be able to plunder my identity in the game, nor will he be able to defeat me through any other efforts in the real world.

“The reason I hesitated so long to tell you this is simply because I was worried… if the identity of ‘innkeeper’ is very important to you, is it possible… that you might want to kill Zuo Sanqiu?

“Zuo Sanqiu is a good person. I don’t want him to get hurt.

“So my suggestion is: rather than letting things continue developing this way, you should dismiss him early. That way, when the time comes, if the King decides he is more qualified to attend the banquet as innkeeper, it won’t become a problem.”

“You’re overthinking it.” Shi Zong immediately looked at Zhang Qijun and said, “Once a player passes the banquet assessment, no one can shake their identity anymore. Li Rongjing is obsessed with firmly holding the throne of foremost Peking opera master. He can’t bear the thought of falling from his pedestal, so he’s afraid—he wants to kill anyone who threatens him.

“But just as you said, I’m not interested in the identity of innkeeper. Why would I worry about it being taken by Sanqiu?

“If the King thinks Zuo Sanqiu is more suitable to attend the banquet as innkeeper, then let him attend. I don’t need to solidify this identity.

“Since it’s possible to earn qualification for the banquet through genuine effort in the real world, I can simply work hard in other directions.”

Facing Shi Zong’s calm, expressionless face that revealed not the slightest flaw, Zhang Qijun let out a breath of relief. “That’s good then. Otherwise… if I didn’t tell you, I would be letting down the person who saved my life. If I did tell you, I would feel guilty toward Sanqiu. Since you think this way, I can rest easy.”

“Mm. Then I’ll continue reading.”

Shi Zong picked up his book again, lowered his eyes, and indeed began reading seriously.

Zhang Qijun turned and left, so he didn’t see the faint sharpness that flashed through Shi Zong’s eyes behind him.

That was because he remembered the note he had written himself before losing his memory—

“Run this inn well. Be a qualified boss. Otherwise I will die.”

In addition, he also remembered what Zhu Shuangqiao had said: if the Creator discovers he is not a person of this world, it will kill him.

Ming Yue—what exactly had his past self arranged for Zuo Sanqiu?

Could it be that I must kill Zuo Sanqiu in order to survive in this world?

The ginkgo trees in the backyard had already turned yellow. When the wind blew, the leaves spiraled down.

Withered leaves can only follow the direction of the wind, just as duckweed can only drift with the current.

But people are neither withered leaves nor duckweed.

What makes a person human is that their fate should be held in their own hands.

If one merely obeys the rules set by this world—or by the King of the game—and resistance itself is useless, then what is the meaning of living a life at all?

If he really would, in accordance with this world’s predetermined rules, easily and calmly kill Zuo Sanqiu, only then would he truly deserve labels like “heinous criminal” or “prisoner of hell.”

Shi Zong considered himself emotionally detached and utterly cold-blooded, capable of taking self-interest to the extreme.

He knew his worldview might differ from ordinary people’s. Sometimes he could be extremely malicious and selfish, even treating everyone as his own chess pieces.

But he did not believe he was born a murderer or an executioner.

He had never enjoyed killing, nor did he take pleasure in it.

It was just that if he said this out loud, others might not believe him.

Especially that fair, upright, and incorruptible Song Diwang.

That night, Shi Zong received a message from the system—

[System: The next instance matched for you is: “Marionette”]

[Your pre-matched role: Valley Master of Wind Tomb Crossing, Shen Cangli]

[Character traits: Peerless divine power, profound cultivation, madly obsessive in love]

[Game difficulty: D-level]

[Number of players: Unknown. You may need to determine for yourself which roles are played by players and which by NPCs]

[Note: If you are dissatisfied with the script or role, you may exchange it using an item]

After receiving the instance and role information, Shi Zong browsed the item shop.

Afterward he contacted Zuo Sanqiu, Zhang Qijun, and Zhou Lü. He learned that Zuo Sanqiu and Zhang Qijun were matched to the same instance as him, while Zhou Lü was not—he had received another E-level instance.

Shi Zong couldn’t help but speculate that this time the system was assigning instances based on players’ performance in the faction war.

Or at least that factor carried significant weight.

Thus the three victors from the “Mountain” camp had all been matched to the D-level “Marionette.”

That meant He Zhen was very likely not going to appear in the same instance as him.

Provided he didn’t use any items.

Although Shi Zong was actually a little curious about where He Zhen had gone, he didn’t ask—and surprisingly, He Zhen never took the initiative to contact him either.

It wasn’t until Saturday afternoon—the afternoon before the game was about to begin—that He Zhen, absent for many days, finally appeared.

At that time, he had come as usual with Zuo Sanqiu, Wu Gou, and other students to play murder mystery.

Shi Zong gave faint smiles and greeted everyone—except he barely acknowledged He Zhen.

When the murder mystery session ended, He Zhen found Shi Zong reading at the backyard swing. “It’s almost 9:15. Want to rest for a bit first?”

Shi Zong continued reading and ignored him.

Half of his face was illuminated by both moonlight and streetlamp, but since both were dim, his face was shrouded in a hazy layer, as though he were sitting in mist—impossible to see clearly.

He Zhen stood neither too close nor too far. Seeing this, he bent slightly at the waist, probably trying to get a clearer look at Shi Zong’s expression.

Then he said: “The light here is too dim. It’s bad for your eyes. Why not go upstairs to read?”

Shi Zong replied coolly: “You talk too much.”

He Zhen was silent for a moment, then said: “I feel like you’re angry with me. Angry both about this lifetime when I offended you in the hotel, and about my previous lifetime… when I punished you. Some scenes of your punishments only came back to me recently.”

Shi Zong: “…”

He Zhen continued: “That’s why I didn’t appear in front of you these past few days. I was afraid of disturbing your peace. But now it seems… you still don’t want to talk to me?”

Shi Zong: “…………”

He Zhen pressed: “Are all the rooms full? Can you lend me one so I can play the game?”

After speaking and seeing that Shi Zong still didn’t respond, He Zhen explained: “I used an item that lets me view other people’s instance and role information, so I know where you’re going next and who you’ll play.

“I also chose that instance for myself and picked a corresponding role. So… see you inside the instance?”

Hearing this, Shi Zong looked at him with obvious suspicion. “Why didn’t you just ask me directly? Why waste so many points?”

He Zhen answered frankly: “I felt you probably wouldn’t want to enter the next instance with me.”

Shi Zong raised an eyebrow: “So you didn’t even ask—just acted first and reported later?”

“Then… do you want to run the instance with me?”

He Zhen looked at him. “Shall I tell you the role information I know?”

Shi Zong: “…………”

In order to extract story information, Shi Zong snapped the book shut with a “pa” sound and led He Zhen upstairs.

“All the rooms are full. You can go to my suite—I’ll stay in the bedroom, you take the living room. What role are you playing? When you use an item, can you see some special information?”

He Zhen said: “The role I got seems to be… a corpse. I only received a preliminary introduction. I don’t know the details.”

Shi Zong glanced at him: “A corpse? How do you play a corpse?”

He Zhen shook his head. “No idea. We’ll find out once we’re inside.”

Shi Zong: “…………”

—He had a feeling He Zhen was hiding something. Would a preliminary introduction really be this bare-bones?

—After tricking his way into a room from me, this is how he brushes me off?

At 9:15 p.m., Shi Zong officially loaded into “Marionette” and became the Valley Master of Wind Tomb Crossing, the number one expert of the Central Plains cultivation world—Shen Cangli.

His consciousness detached from his original body. After loading into the role, he found himself inside an antique, elegant study room suffused with a faint immortal aura.

The entire study was decorated with exquisite refinement.

He was sitting on a pearwood chair. In front of him lay various scrolls and documents—matters within the valley that required his decision.

Behind him, the bookshelves were filled row upon row with heart methods and secret manuals unknown to outsiders.

Before Shi Zong could recall all the details of this role’s story, someone soon knocked on the study door.

“Valley Master, something terrible has happened!”

At the same moment, Shi Zong felt a jolt on the back of his hand—this meant a mandatory red-line plot was coming—

Playing as Shen Cangli, Shi Zong let the person in.

The visitor was his trusted confidant, the bookboy Lin Zhian who had followed and cultivated with him since childhood.

Lin Zhian stammered: “Valley Master, you—you…”

Shen Cangli immediately slammed the table and stood up, flicking his sleeve as he asked: “What is it? Don’t tell me something happened to Zhai Feng?”

“It is indeed the third young master of the Zhai family who met with disaster.”

As though afraid of being blamed by his master, Lin Zhian’s hands trembled with panic. “He—he—he said that as a man, as a young master of one of the four great clans, he would never submit his body to you. Even if you forcibly brought him to Wind Tomb Crossing, you would never truly obtain him. And now he—now he…”

Shen Cangli had probably loved Zhai Feng to the point of madness. Hearing such words from his confidant, he immediately bent over and vomited a mouthful of blood.

Ignoring his own internal injuries and not bothering to reprimand his subordinate for failing his duty, he only said: “I told you to watch over one person and you couldn’t even do that! What exactly is his condition now?”

Before Lin Zhian could answer, Shen Cangli shoved him aside and rushed straight toward the wing room where Zhai Feng was staying.

But by the time Shen Cangli saw Zhai Feng, he had already stopped breathing.

From the scene, it was not hard to deduce: Zhai Feng had used a spell to control a shard of broken porcelain and slit his own throat alive. Blood had dyed half his body red.

Shen Cangli immediately dropped to his knees on the ground, cradled Zhai Feng’s hand, and wept uncontrollably. “Third Brother, it’s my fault—all my fault. I pushed you too hard. But I… you know, from the very first moment I saw you, I loved you straight into the depths of my heart. Back then you saved me; I only wanted to repay your kindness, I…”

Watching his Valley Master cry while vomiting several more mouthfuls of blood, Lin Zhian hurriedly knelt beside him and said: “Valley Master, please don’t panic. Do you remember that expert who entered the valley a few days ago?

“Recently I heard this expert mention a certain technique. It involves threading a special silk into the body of someone who has only recently died. Then, using a secret art, the corpse can be revived. Moreover, by controlling the silk threads, you can control the corpse. In other words…

“At that time, not only will you be able to revive the third young master of the Zhai family—you can do whatever you want to him. He will become completely yours!”

Consciousness residing in Shen Cangli, Shi Zong: “…………”

Hearing this, Shi Zong couldn’t help but look more closely at Zhai Feng’s corpse.

He Zhen had said he would play a corpse.

So when he saw Zhai Feng’s body, Shi Zong’s first reaction was that this person was being played by He Zhen.

But after carefully examining Zhai Feng’s face, he found no resemblance at all to He Zhen’s features.

That meant He Zhen was most likely playing a different corpse.

It seemed this instance contained many corpses being controlled.

But what the true situation was would only become clear by continuing.

On the other side.

After He Zhen loaded into the game, he clearly felt that he was a wisp of wandering soul.

He was trapped at the bottom of a valley where no light could reach, filled with endless panic and dread.

Under the influence of the system, he could keenly feel the role’s own terror of darkness and cold, so he instinctively hugged his own shoulders.

The next moment, he felt his soul being summoned by some irresistible force—pulled toward the distance, or perhaps carried into another world.

When sensation returned, he no longer felt cold. Instead, he felt an extreme warmth.

A brazier filled with plenty of charcoal stood beside the bed, bringing him tremendous comfort.

Not only that—a pair of warm palms were holding his hand, gently rubbing it over and over.

When he opened his eyes, the endless darkness was gone. At last he saw light.

“Third Brother, you’ve finally awakened.

“From now on, you belong to me. Even if you die ten thousand more times, you can never leave me again.”

He Zhen heard these words.

Then he saw the person holding his hand—

It was Shi Zong transformed into Shen Cangli.

Author’s note:
Little Shi, looking at the stranger in his eyes: “Third Brother.”
The Third Brother hidden inside the stranger’s shell: “……”

New instance has arrived~