Su Er wondered if his judgment of people had become inaccurate recently, as he actually heard some sincerity in the host's words.
Praise yourself sincerely?
He suddenly became alert and used the eye in his body to spy on the other party, trying to find evidence that the host was possessed. However, the reflection in the mysterious eye was consistent with the real object.
"Not possessed?" Su Er exclaimed, quite surprised by the result.
Princess Camellia raised her head and said softly, "Remember to stick to your original intention."
"…"
Su Er pondered for a few seconds, then decided to ask for clarification. The next moment, he received a game prompt:
[Player Ji Heng returns the mad scientist's brain, unlocking the side quest "Key to the Center."]
[Before midnight, if the player successfully resets the key, the overall survival chance increases by 50%.]
"So fast." Suer praised from the bottom of his heart. Ji Heng's efficiency was indeed extraordinary.
If it were him, he might still be struggling to pry open the skull of the corpse.
His peripheral vision caught the host's expression, and the corners of his mouth quickly curved into a straight line. In that moment, the Camellia Princess's eyes held a playful expression, but because she was so skilled at hiding her emotions, he wasn't sure if he had seen correctly.
With a snap of her fingers, Camellia Princess spoke, her voice echoing throughout the library. The voice wasn't harsh, and even though Soul was standing across from her, he could describe it without prejudice, and it was still deep and pleasant.
"Side quests have been activated, restrictions have been lifted, and everyone can enter and exit the library freely in half an hour."
It happened that the tower clock struck the hour, and the melodious sound seemed to have the effect of purifying the soul.
Princess Camellia gave a strange smile. "Fate swings like a clock. Having him personally initiate the side quest is truly... fascinating."
Sur didn't say anything. Perverts often think that the world is boring, but the word that appears most frequently in their mouths is "interesting".
Seeing his lips move, before the first sound was uttered, Camellia Princess disappeared from the spot, without giving Suer any chance to say anything.
The beeping group message notification sound kept coming:
Xu Yangyang: Cool bro! Requesting your location so we can meet up.
[Zhu Yu: +1.]
[Jia Kanhua: Add more! ]
The side quest was initiated by Ji Heng. Others do not know the specific situation and can only obtain relevant information from the parties involved.
Ji Heng was too lazy to meet him, so he went straight to the group to explain Feng Peng's affairs. Of course, the part involving himself was omitted.
Zhu Yu: Let's meet. I'm in the reading room on the third floor and have some important clues to share.
[Sul: Let's go now. Let me briefly explain the main content first to prevent you from getting into trouble before we get there.]
Zhu Yu didn't share it in the group in the end, and expressed his speechless mood with a string of ellipsis.
Suer was the farthest from the third floor, and he was the only one missing when running up.
The routine in the film and television drama did not happen. Zhu Yu was still alive. When everyone arrived, he took out a torn notebook, which recorded an incredible experience.
The handwriting had faded considerably with age, resembling a notebook. It mostly contained daily records, with experimental times noted on each page, suggesting the original owner was a researcher. The recorder's life was regular, with cafeteria meals a common occurrence. However, in the latter half, there were late-night snacks like beer and fried chicken, along with a few cute emoticons drawn in the margins.
The date on the last page jumps directly to two months later, and the style suddenly returns to its previous old-fashioned and rigorous style. The first chapter contains redundant content:
"My wife said I was giggling and talking in my sleep, and she'd occasionally mention the Central Project, but I don't remember dreaming. Even stranger, I kept saying the same thing in my sleep for a week."
"I asked my colleagues, and they thought it was just too much pressure. I had no choice but to take a few days off. Just then, Feng Peng came to me and said he knew what the Central Plan was. I was so excited and was about to ask for details, but Feng Peng said that if I tried to pass on relevant information, my memory of the plan would fade faster."
This is the end of the diary entry.
Xu Yangyang: "Where did you come from?"
Zhu Yu: "I met a ghost in the bathroom, but luckily I defeated him."
It's easy to say, but the process is absolutely life-threatening. Xu Yangyang concealed her suspicions. Ever since entering the game, Zhu Yu had been encouraging everyone to exchange information. Now, he was even giving away clues he'd risked his life to for free. Even a saint wouldn't necessarily be so noble.
Zhu Yu said sincerely, "It is very important for me to leave this dungeon alive."
This copy?
Su Er raised an eyebrow. It sounded as if surviving the next dungeon wasn't important. After a moment's thought, he sent a private message to Ji Heng: "I think she's planning something big when she gets out."
Ji Heng glanced at Zhu Yu but did not express his opinion.
Pretending to be unaware of the others' suspicions about him, Zhu Yu lowered his head and looked at the diary: "What do you think?"
Su Er took the initiative to speak, pointing to the last line of small words: "'Accelerated fading' means that even if he doesn't speak, Feng Peng's memory of the Central Plan is disappearing."
Zhu Yu nodded: "It seems that there is an inexplicable force that is controlling my memory."
Compared to the players, Su Er and Ji Heng had a huge advantage: they knew they were doomed. Their memories would be erased, and the manipulator behind the scenes must be the game, erasing the natives' memories of Ji Heng.
So when Zhu Yu was about to confront the memory manipulation incident, Su Er simply ignored it and diverted everyone's attention: "The last recorded time in the diary was only one day away from the time of Feng Peng's death."
Jia Kanhua: "The two are very likely related, but we no longer have time to explore their relationship."
Ji Heng, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly said, "Feng Peng committed suicide and after his death, he asked the owner of the diary to help freeze his body."
Jia Kanhua was stunned.
Suhr agreed: "The game defines Feng Peng as a 'mad scientist.' His exceptional brain causes his memory to fade later than the average person. So where does his madness manifest?"
Hearing this, Jia Kanhua understood: "Death. Only death can ensure that the memory will remain in that moment forever."
"Feng Peng was placed in a freezer to prevent his body from decaying, and later transformed into a ghost." Suer leaned against the wall. "Because he's obsessed with his memories from his previous life, he demands the player find his brain. Now that the brain has been found, a breakthrough in the central plan has appeared."
After going around in circles, the key point returns to the old man.
Xu Yangyang still vividly remembered the scene of Feng Peng frantically chasing Su Er into the reading room not long ago. She said with a bitter face, "It's over. Now get your brain back. What we have to deal with is a sane madman."
"There's another question," Zhu Yu suddenly looked at Ji Heng, "It's rare for side quests to complete full-member missions."
According to the task prompt, as long as one player completes it, everyone will benefit.
"It's not difficult to explain."
Suer opened the message sent by Li Shuo.
—White fluff began to appear in the streets and alleys. Since this morning, there have been more than one hundred cases of "flower-insertion death" across the country.
It's out of control. Lu Lanxin isn't alone; people are becoming infected all over the country. If you have any leads, please contact us immediately.
Li Shuo's message seems calm, but it is not difficult to judge the pressure he is currently under.
Su Er walked to the window and said, "This world is going to be in chaos."
Most people's peach blossom seeds will be activated after being parasitized, resulting in a mutually destructive situation, but there are always exceptions. According to Li Shuo's initial statement, the white fluff has only appeared in a few fixed areas in recent years. Now it seems that it is just a false illusion created by the insect eggs to make humans relax their vigilance.
Without caring to continue sighing, Su Er turned around and asked everyone to hand over their tablets: "I'm going to find a store to charge it."
The host didn't provide a charger, and the tablet wasn't used much by the daily gamer, so even after a few days, half of the battery wasn't used up. But that doesn't mean the tablet isn't important, especially since we need to keep up with the news.
After checking the time and making sure the half-hour limit was over, Soul walked out of the library with his backpack.
After he left, the remaining players had no choice but to use Feng Peng as a breakthrough point.
On the fourth floor, there was a hint of clarity in the old man's eyes, and his gaze lingered on Ji Heng for a moment before he spoke.
"Project Nexus can save the world."
The first sentence is inspiring.
"If you want to know where the key is, help me find something first."
"Many years ago, someone hid a manuscript in the library. I've been searching for it for years but haven't found it." The old man's tone revealed annoyance as he said, "He clearly said it was on the fourth floor of the library. Why can't I find it?"
Zhu Yu asked tentatively, "What manuscript is it about?"
If you don't bother with the words, just a few random strokes on the wall can also be considered a manuscript.
"How should I know?" the old man said, his emotions unstable. "Back then, I wanted to become the core. I went to that person again and again, but he got very impatient. Finally, he said he had hidden a manuscript on the fourth floor and would give up his position if I could find it."
Zhu Yu was very particular about his words: "This is not fair to you. The area of one floor is not small."
The old man said, "That person told me to close my eyes and count to 300 seconds. He hid and came back soon after."
Zhu Yu hurriedly asked, "What is the other person's personality like?"
It is not ruled out that he is lying, but in fact there is no possibility of hiding anything.
Knowing what she meant, the old man sneered, "Don't worry, that man always keeps his word. But I advise you to hurry. I can feel these insect eggs evolving. Every half hour, I will relax some of my control on the fourth floor to allow the insect eggs to enter."
When he stopped suppressing them, they would be surrounded by evolved insect eggs and only death would await them.
The old man has been trapped for decades and still can't find it, but the player needs to find it within a few hours. It sounds like a fairy tale.
Before launching a blanket search, Xu Yangyang suddenly said, "Something happened outside."
Pedestrians on the street were running in different directions in a panic, and the roadside was full of people hailing taxis.
Just as he was wondering what had happened, Soul came back, looking extremely disheveled, his shirt almost soaked with sweat, and his backpack missing.
"Someone died nearby, and the 'government' sent out mass text messages asking residents to return home."
He bent over and panted softly for several times, then recovered a little before saying, "I was unlucky. I met someone who successfully parasitized me. I almost lost my life."
He didn't dare sit down suddenly after the intense exercise. After a while, he found a place to lean on. "What about you? What did you find?"
Xu Yangyang stated the old man's request.
Suhr was thoughtful.
No one noticed his expression. Because time was tight, the players divided the area and searched separately to improve efficiency.
Su Er rested for a while, and when the crowd had dispersed, he walked over to Ji Heng and said, "The one who made the bet with Feng Peng should be you."
Ji Heng nodded. In the scattered fragments of memory, Feng Peng kept emphasizing that he should give up the central position.
"I made a profit." Su Er wiped the sweat off his face and said with a smile, "Surprises always come unexpectedly."
Although the original memory is gone, it is difficult for people's behavioral logic to change much.
He asked expectantly, "Think quickly, where could the thing be hidden?"
"Women's restroom." Ji Heng said these three words without hesitation.
Su Er patted his shoulder in amusement: "Stop it."
"You can't walk very far in five minutes. If it were me, I would ask a girl to help me throw it in the trash can in the ladies' room."
It is convenient and solves all problems at once.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Su Er's smile faded: "...You are not such a bad character."
Ji Heng nodded: "The old man should think so too."
The bet is secondary. The key is that I don't want to get too entangled with noisy people. If I can't find Feng Peng in one day, I will keep looking for him to avoid bothering him.
"…So many years have passed…"
Ji Heng calmly took over the conversation: "According to the normal cleaning frequency, the garbage will be transported out that night."
For a long time, Suer did not speak again.
In the silence, Ji Heng called his name.
Waving his hand to signal not to speak, Su Er looked at the ceiling and suddenly sighed: "Friend, you are naughty!"