The next day.
8:00 a.m., sharp.
Everyone gathered once again in the main hall.
Watching Valerius calmly sip his bowl of porridge as if nothing had happened, the others all felt a stab of bitterness.
We already starved for an entire day, they thought.
And now you're tormenting us like this?
Since she'd at least had some cake the night before, Raiden Ei didn't feel too bad. She glanced around, then frowned slightly.
"Where's that Jing Yuan guy?" she asked. "Why isn't he down yet?"
The room instantly fell silent.
Several faces darkened at once.
Did that even need asking?
"Ahem."
Valerius finished his eight-treasure porridge in one gulp, then cleared his throat.
"There was a murder last night. Mr. Jing Yuan has been killed."
"Since Mr. Jing Yuan's role as Doctor is now invalid, you may proceed to the crime scene for investigation."
Livestream Chat
[Fu Xuan]: Screen goes dark, comes back—and Jing Yuan's gone?!
Reality time and arena time weren't synchronized. To Fu Xuan, it felt like the screen blinked once and Jing Yuan was already dead. She was speechless—she'd even been wondering if she could scam the rewards off him if he won.
[Qingque]: I knew it.
[Kamisato Ayato]: Bennett the Great Prophet strikes again.
[Kaeya]: Scarily accurate.
[Bennett]: S-sorry…
[Lisa]: What are you apologizing for? This isn't your fault.
[Silver Wolf]: Bennett, please don't ever bless me.
[Stelle]: Same here. Terrifying.
[Jing Yuan]: …Sigh.
[March 7th]: Victim's here—spill it! Who's the killer?
[Jing Yuan]: Can't say. Really can't say.
Back on the Xianzhou, Jing Yuan wore a deeply aggrieved expression.
I'm already eliminated, and I still can't talk?
[Fu Xuan]: First one out—you've disgraced the Xianzhou. Step down already.
[Feixiao]: I nominate Lady Fu Xuan as the next General.
[Fu Xuan]: Much obliged, General Feixiao. Care for some Immortal's Delight Tea?
[Sparkle]: Open bribery of public officials—got evidence right here.
[Jing Yuan]: I'm still alive, you know.
Inside the Game Arena.
Led by Valerius, the group arrived in front of Room 1. Someone tried the door.
It didn't budge.
"Looks like we'll have to break it down," someone muttered.
"No need."
Jade stepped forward calmly.
Under everyone's stunned gazes, she produced a ring of keys and unlocked the door.
The moment they entered, everyone sucked in a breath.
This was… brutal.
A mannequin representing Jing Yuan lay collapsed beside the desk, blood pooled across the floor. The window stood wide open, the breeze fluttering the curtains as they brushed past the mannequin, smearing them with crimson stains.
Herta slowly approached and crouched down.
Almost immediately, she noticed something written in blood.
Two characters.
KEYS.
"…Hmm?"
That did it.
Everyone turned to Jade at once.
"Well?" someone said coldly. "Care to explain?"
Furina stared at Jade with blazing eyes.
"So it was you?"
Jade's lips twitched violently.
Is Jing Yuan out of his mind?!
Writing that just screams I'm the killer, doesn't it?!
"I do have keys," Jade said through gritted teeth, "but I'm not the killer. I didn't leave my room at all last night. Xiao can vouch for me."
"Confirmed."
Xiao nodded.
"I remained on the third floor all night. I saw no one leave."
Jade finally let out a quiet breath of relief.
Thank goodness Xiao had stayed upstairs—otherwise, she'd have no way to clear herself.
"Let's keep searching for other clues," Xiao said calmly.
He didn't believe Jade was the killer either. Kneeling beside the mannequin, he examined it closely.
"One clean strike to a vital point," he said. Then he glanced around the room. "The window is open, but the furniture is undisturbed. No signs of a struggle."
"Which means Mr. Jing Yuan didn't resist," he concluded, "or wasn't able to."
The others nodded.
It was clear—there had been no fight.
"Alright," Valerius said, clapping his hands lightly. "Crime scene investigation complete. Bodyguard, you may now lead inspections of other players' work areas."
"Remember—only three locations."
Xiao frowned.
Three chances. He couldn't afford to waste them.
"Let's start with the kitchen."
The wound was caused by a blade. Naturally, his first suspicion fell on the place filled with knives.
That immediately made Raiden Ei bristle.
It sounded like they were already calling her the killer.
But since this was Xiao's ability, she had no choice but to follow as the group headed for the kitchen.
The moment they stepped inside, everyone froze.
"…Why is the ceiling black?"
"Whoa—there's oil everywhere on the walls."
"What happened here?!"
They'd all known Raiden Ei couldn't cook.
They'd even heard the chaos yesterday.
But since they weren't allowed to enter other players' work areas, this was their first time seeing the aftermath.
Now they finally understood what kind of battlefield yesterday's "cooking" had been.
"Ahem."
Raiden Ei turned her head away awkwardly.
"Aren't we here to look for clues? Why are you all staring at the ceiling?"
"…Fair point."
They refocused.
Carefully examining the kitchen, their gazes swept across every detail.
Suddenly, Herta pointed at the wall where the knives were mounted.
"Was there a knife here before?"
The blade rack was filled—but right in the middle, a space was conspicuously empty.
"I… I don't know," Raiden Ei said, shaking her head. "Yesterday I was only focused on cooking."
"I do."
Jade spoke up instead.
"There was a dagger hanging there."
Everyone turned to her.
"How do you know?"
"I'm the maid," Jade replied evenly. "I washed the dishes here yesterday."
That explanation made sense.
But it also made the room go quiet again.
Because Jade's suspicion level had just gone up—again.
Keys.
Access to other work areas.
Knowledge of the kitchen layout.
…That was unsettling.