Chapter 239: Mirror Ghost (II)

Chapter 239: Mirror Ghost (II)

Although Jie Fangcheng hadn't met this player named Guan Yingying before, that didn't prevent him from recognizing her.

After all, during their time in the game "Do Not Answer," Nie Shuangshuang would occasionally say, "It would be great if Yingying were here." Clear admiration.

Thus, even without meeting her in person, Jie Fangcheng had heard of her reputation.

Especially since she introduced her skill as "Heart of the Butterfly," the chance of mistaking her identity was even slimmer.

Jie Fangcheng never hesitated to voice his thoughts. As soon as Guan Yingying finished her introduction, he immediately asked, "Are you Guan Yingying from the Ronghua Guild?"

The girl named Guan Yingying turned to look at him, appearing slightly bewildered.

"Ronghua?" She shook her head. "I haven't joined any guild."

The culture in "Three Thousand Worlds" is similar to "Do Not Answer," especially the widespread adoption of guilds among players.

Joining a guild allows members to share clearance experiences, purchase items at a rate lower than the market price, easily find suitable teams, and enjoy countless other benefits.

The membership of large guilds numbers in the tens of millions.

Players in level one or two dungeons might not join guilds due to various reasons, but by the time they reach a level three dungeon, almost every player is affiliated with a guild.

"Three Thousand Worlds" doesn't have many lone wolves, yet two of them are present in this very dungeon.

Guan Yingying's reaction upon hearing the name "Ronghua" made Jie Fangcheng furrow his brows.

"Nie Shuangshuang? Zhang Daowu? Wei Yuan?" He rattled off several names, but Guan Yingying still looked utterly perplexed.

What was going on?

Was it a mere coincidence of names? But to share both the name and the skill?

Something felt amiss to Jie Fangcheng, but he couldn't pinpoint it.

He had never met this Guan Yingying before and couldn't be completely certain that she was the close friend Nie Shuangshuang often mentioned. She seemed increasingly wary due to his unexpected line of questioning.

...Let it go.

Jie Fangcheng was adept at moving past uncertainties; he knew he couldn't force clarity.

Dwelling on it seemed futile.

This player named Guan Yingying was starting to question herself. How could Jie Fangcheng prove that he "knew" her?

Even if he managed to prove it, he couldn't fathom why Guan Yingying would seem so amnesiac, not recalling Ronghua or Nie Shuangshuang.

Such mental gymnastics should be left to Professor Zhang!

Based on his previous experiences, there should be a Professor Zhang in this dungeon. Frankly, Jie Fangcheng felt like he was collecting trading cards.

As these thoughts flitted through Jie Fangcheng's mind, the bus gradually came to a halt.

[Ding—Changjiang West Road station has arrived.]

The bus doors opened at that moment.

Inside, everyone exchanged glances, the atmosphere palpably tense.

The bus made no effort to rush them, merely waiting—but this wait felt unusually long.

Half a minute passed, and the bus remained stationary beside the platform.

One player speculated, "Judging by this... are we supposed to disembark?"

Upon entering, they inspected and found the car was driverless, seemingly moving along a predetermined track.

Only they, the players, were on the vehicle. Because of this, everyone felt at ease to converse.

At that moment, the bus halted, its doors wide open. The implication was clear.

However, some astute players glanced up at the bus route map.

West Yangtze Station.

West Yangtze isn't the final stop; there are ten more stops ahead.

Coincidentally, there are also eleven players on the bus.

This doesn't seem like everyone is meant to disembark at once; rather, it's as if a player should get off at each stop.

What should they do?

Many players seemed to think the same way. Everyone remained silent, their eyes surveying the other participants.

This is the bus's first stop. In such scenarios, the first player to make a move often meets a tragic end. No one wanted to be that guinea pig.

But while they thought this way, weren't the others thinking the same? Who would willingly be the first to leave? Would they need to confront the other players from this moment on?

As these thoughts filled the air, a silhouette rose within the bus. With utter calmness, he approached the door, took two steps, and descended, leaving without uttering a word.

His actions were so swift and decisive, as if he were merely an ordinary passenger.

Everyone else: "..."

Who was that? He just left like that?

After stepping off the bus, Jie Fangcheng stretched lazily. Turning his head and about to say something to Guan Yingying inside, the bus door began to close.

He was puzzled.

The bus had stopped; why wasn't anyone else getting off? Why were they dawdling?

As Jie Fangcheng pondered, the bus slowly started up, heading towards the next station.

？

Jie Fangcheng was taken aback, instinctively making a hand sign of confusion.

"Huh??"

Why is it moving again??

He was utterly baffled, but the bus quickly vanished from his sight.

"...Sigh."

Jie Fangcheng felt helpless.

Was he really left here without a dime on him?

This game instance isn't fair! Forget about the so-called "mirror ghosts"; at the very least, provide some hints. Players can't be expected to become vagrants in this game, right?

With these thoughts, Jie Fangcheng shaded his eyes and scanned the area, soon spotting a clue.

"Is that a hotel?" He muttered as he started walking in the direction of the hotel.

He wondered if they gave credit in this game instance.

The players on the bus were truly taken by surprise by Jie Fangcheng's abrupt and decisive exit.

"Damn... What a brave move!" Someone couldn't help but exclaim.

Players who can thrive in a level three instance are definitely skilled and have extensive experience in other game scenarios.

Everyone knew that the first player to get off would be in grave danger.

Naturally, such dangers are part and parcel of the game instance. Players might even fight each other to avoid these dangers—that's the usual game setup.

Who would've thought there'd be someone playing out of the ordinary?

Guan Yingying also looked utterly shocked.

She couldn't help but peer out of the window, lost in thought.

This guy is truly odd.

"Ronghua? What's that?"

"Nie Shuangshuang, Zhang Daowu, Wei Yuan... Who are these three?"

"Did they mistake me for someone else?"

As Guan Yingying pondered, the bus came to a halt once again.

[Ding— East Yangtze Road Station has arrived.]

This time, the players felt they had grasped the rules of this instance. However, unlike before, no "hero" suddenly stood up to alight voluntarily.

Roughly three minutes later, a figure was kicked off the bus as if she was nothing more than discarded trash.

It was Guan Yingying.

She tumbled a couple of times before halting against a bus stop bench. Catching her breath with a hand pressed against her chest, her eyes fixed on the slowly closing doors of the bus.

The bus drove away.

Guan Yingying blinked and, using the bench as support, carefully sat up, looking somewhat dazed.

In fact, she wasn't a typical player.

She was a "Nomad Player."

Nomad Players are individuals inexplicably pulled into the game but unable to attain official player status. As a result, they wander from one instance to another without ever accessing the main player lobby.

Being barred from the player lobby means they're deprived of the rewards granted upon instance completion. Even if they acquire items or skills, they can't have them identified. Enduring consecutive instances is a feat no ordinary person can handle for long.

"How long have I managed to last?"

Guan Yingying couldn't quite recall.

When she initially entered the instance, her skills were commendable. The difficulty of a level three instance, while not insubstantial, was something she could handle.

But as time went on, her abilities rapidly diminished.

"Is this the end?"

Guan Yingying wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Despite her fresh wounds atop old ones, she immediately began her calm search for clues.

Unlike Jie Fangcheng, she meticulously scanned the platform and eventually stumbled upon a lead.

If she recalled correctly, the bus they had just taken was Route 1. She had memorized all the stops it passed through.

On the platform's signpost, apart from the Route 1 bus, Guan Yingying also noticed Route 7.

"West Yangtze Road, East Yangtze Road..." After eleven overlapping stops, the final destinations differed.

"XinXin Residence?" It sounded like the name of a residential complex.

Could that be their target destination?

Guan Yingying furrowed her brows.

Was she expected to walk all the way to XinXin Residence? It seemed unlikely; the game wouldn't set such a straightforward challenge.

She wondered if the first player to disembark, Jie Fangcheng, had found any clues. If he had, they could share the information.

His boldness in being the first to alight must have been driven by some conclusive discovery!

As these thoughts crossed Guan Yingying's mind, Jie Fangcheng leisurely walked into what he believed to be a significant "clue."

The hotel was eerily empty.

Jie Fangcheng tapped on the front desk counter, "Hello?"

Silence enveloped the surroundings.

While on the bus, Jie Fangcheng had noticed that, aside from the eleven players, there seemed to be no other inhabitants in the city.

Though the town was dotted with familiar shops, the emptiness indicated to Jie Fangcheng that this was certainly not a replica of his world.

This realization brought a sense of relief to Jie Fangcheng.

Now, as he ventured into the hotel, he unsurprisingly found it devoid of any signs of life.

Unperturbed, Jie Fangcheng rummaged through the front desk, retrieved a room key, and headed off to locate the corresponding room.

4044。

The hotel facilities appear to be quite comprehensive, yet eerily deserted.

Xie Fangcheng's footsteps echoed solitarily through the hotel. Upon swiping his card to enter his room, the stark lighting flickered to life.

An unremarkable standard room, with only a television broadcasting the news.

"...Yesterday, a vicious homicide took place in the XinXin Community, with the victim being a 45-year-old male. He suffered multiple stab wounds and his body was discarded at the entrance of the community. Reports indicate that the assailant is a tenant from the same community. The case is under investigation, and our channel will keep you updated..."

The accompanying video did not blur the face of the deceased.

The entire TV screen was dominated by the victim's face, depicting a tragic end with his eyes wide open, staring intently at Xie Fangcheng.

The haunting sound of the news seemed to reverberate throughout the empty hotel.

Just then, the clock struck midnight.

The eyes on the TV screen seemed to move slightly, as if making a strenuous effort to look at Xie Fangcheng.

The next moment, the screen went black.

Xie Fangcheng, with a remote in hand, promptly turned off the TV; he wasn't interested in the news anyway.

He then took off his shoes, pulled back the covers, and laid down on the bed, falling asleep in no time.