“Chapter 102: Love Game (3)”

"Chapter 102: Love Game (3)"

"◎ Huo Xu ◎"

"Returning home, Shi Youqing collapsed onto the sofa, burying his head in his arms, closing his eyes to calm himself down."

"Why did this situation arise?"

"Whether subjectively or objectively, Yan Chuan being Zong Tu Yuan is not good news."

"If Zong Tu Yuan is the target of the conquest, it implies that in this episode, players might be divided into two camps."

"Otherwise, there's no need for the system to conceal this fact."

"If there are players among the NPCs, especially the conquest targets, even if they are not the murderer, their tasks are probably different. If an NPC reveals their player identity, they could use a process of elimination to identify the murderer. Even in instances like the Red Shoes episode with restrictions on revealing identities, the players disguised as NPCs know there are players among them. They can probe and subtly assist the protagonist. Apart from the murderer, everyone is a detective – how does one play this... This greatly reduces the episode's difficulty, making it easy even for beginners. The system obviously wouldn't do this."

"If it's a time race with the same objective, like who clears the game fastest, there should be an equal starting line, like team or solo play, with equal information or tasks."

"But Shi Youqing, as the protagonist of the second round, can't possibly be the murderer of the first-round protagonist. Thus, from the perspective of players like Zong Tu Yuan, at least one person is excluded from the start, making the initial information asymmetrical."

"Therefore, the competition format concealed by the system this time can only be factional confrontation."

"His team and those playing NPCs are definitely adversaries."

"Shi Youqing took a deep breath and sprawled sideways on the sofa."

"The hidden murderer is ninety percent likely to be a real NPC."

"Firstly, if the murderer is played by a player, they just need to restrain their favorability, or act first to abduct, control, or even kill the protagonist. Even if the murderer's identity is exposed, if one of the tasks is incomplete, Shi Youqing's team can't win."

"Secondly, the reason why Shi Youqing's faction is in a protagonist and teammate assistance mode is because the protagonist of the first round died, but the murderer wasn't found and is still alive."

"Even stepping back ten thousand steps, the probability of Zong Tu Yuan entering the episode alone is much higher than them entering as a team."

"So..."

"Shi Youqing stared at the ceiling, his gaze serene."

"In this confrontation, one side must raise favorability and find the murderer, while the other side's task – is to prevent them from completing their mission!"

"In such a scenario, if either favorability or finding the murderer is incomplete, the opposing faction wins."

"He had completed six episodes and heard about other players' experiences from Feng Bin and the gaming group. Never had he heard of a player versus player combat mode."

"He sat up, thinking. Such a mode would force players to turn against each other... The losers would die in the episode, and the winners... it's unlikely they would reveal anything, possibly carrying a lifelong shadow."

"A scenario where players are mutually detrimental?"

"Shi Youqing clenched his fists."

"It seems that destroying this game might be the best solution."

"Tired of sitting, Shi Youqing changed his position and stopped pondering over this currently unsolvable issue."

"The pressing issue was how to gain the favor of the player playing the conquest target. Even if Zong Tu Yuan's favorability soared to a hundred, it would be futile if the other three didn't reach sixty."

"After a moment of thought, Shi Youqing started to chuckle quietly."

"If he were in the opposing faction, as long as he ensured the protagonist couldn't find the murderer, favorability wouldn't matter anymore."

"So the current goal is clear – play dumb."

"First, make the player playing the conquest target let their guard down. Raising favorability might then become easier."

"With his mind at ease, Shi Youqing glanced at the floating frame, and suddenly noticed the system's loudspeaker was missing. He immediately stopped smiling and reached for the hairpin on his head."

"The round, white hairpin was still there, but it had become an empty shell."

"Shi Youqing: '...'"

"Cheng Yang, using the setting of the white world, had slipped away!"

"In the white world, aside from the player's inherent systems, there are no supernatural phenomena. The cocoon, containing a person and carried around, was a supernatural phenomenon. The game would automatically fix bugs in the white world, allowing Cheng Yang to return to the black world..."

"That's fine. It couldn't produce anything substantial anyway, better than weighing down his hair."

"Shi Youqing put the hairpin back on with a cold expression."

"When they meet again in the black world, this item might still be useful."

"Taking out his phone to call Bo Huai and others about this new discovery, the next moment, a pink background frame appeared:"

"[The park outside the apartment is beautiful. You've just arrived here and suddenly feel like going out for a walk to familiarize yourself with the surroundings...]"

"Option 1: Go. Option 2: Don't go."

"Clearly, this was another destiny-defining multiple-choice question."

"Shi Youqing glanced at the bright sunny day outside the window. The day is always safer than the night, right?"

"So he chose [Go]."

"Shi Youqing walked out of his apartment. With the elevator still under repair, he had no choice but to take the stairs. Reaching the ground floor, he saw a young man in a baseball cap walking towards him, engrossed in a phone call and not noticing the youth he brushed past as he headed upstairs."

"It was Bai Mingliang."

"Shi Youqing wanted to greet him, but his body, beyond his control, continued towards the park, his intended destination."

"This was probably the change brought about by his choice. If he had stayed home, Bai Mingliang, seeing snacks on the door handle, would likely have knocked and chatted with him."

"But he felt no regret; being neighbors, there would be plenty of opportunities to talk."

"A few minutes later, Shi Youqing arrived at the park."

"It was the weekend, and the park was bustling with people walking their dogs and enjoying leisurely strolls."

"Shi Youqing scanned the area, trying to find Huo Xu, who was not at home."

"Usually, such a choice would lead to a serendipitous encounter with one of the targets of the conquest, right?"

"He walked along the tree-lined path, wary of venturing into deserted areas. It was best to be cautious, especially when he was unclear about the impending crisis."

"The park had a river, and he stood by it, letting the breeze cool him down before continuing his walk, planning to circle the entire park."

"Ahead was a bridge, leading to a small gate of the park, frequented by many visitors."

"Shi Youqing had no intention of leaving; he was about to walk straight ahead when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye and turned his head in panic, his heart skipping a beat."

"A tall woman was jogging and had now reached the bridge, heading towards the small gate."

"...Mom!"

"Shi Youqing was stunned, his eyes instantly welling up with tears."

"As he ran after her, his legs felt like they weren't his own."

"His mother was right there in front of him!"

"Despite the short distance, he couldn't catch up: 'Mom!'"

"The woman seemed completely oblivious to his calls, continuing her run out of the small gate and finally stopping under a street sign to wait for a cab."

"She stopped!"

"Overjoyed, Shi Youqing hurried to the small gate, but then, he couldn't get any closer."

"It was as if something invisible was preventing him, unable to take even a single step further."

"Shi Youqing watched helplessly as Shi Wen hailed a taxi, bent down to get in."

"...The car drove away."

"After waiting for a long while, the car still hadn't returned."

"How could it possibly return?"

"Shi Youqing turned around, walking slowly forward, leaning against the railing."

"He wiped his eyes repeatedly, but the tears just wouldn't stop."

"That wasn't an illusion. It was his real mother. Like a bond of blood, he was a hundred percent certain."

"Passersby moved around him. He hung his head low, not wanting to be seen. The wind dried the tear stains on his face, but his eyes remained sore."

"The wind grew stronger, shaking a few leaves from the trees above, which landed on his head and slid down."

"He thought it was the cocoon hairpin that had fallen off and, without looking, bent down to search for it..."

"'Are you... okay?'"

"Shi Youqing immediately looked up, facing the man standing above him with a favorability rating of zero – Huo Xu."

"...It was indeed a cliché from a romance game."

"Huo Xu hadn't planned to enter the park. His car was parked by the park's small gate, and while his secretary was buying coffee across the street, Huo Xu, waiting inside the car, unexpectedly spotted a young man silently crying inside the park."

"At first, he thought it was just someone heartbroken, not very interesting. But the young man's face grew paler, as if he might collapse the next second."

"And indeed, just a few steps after turning around, the young man crumpled to the ground."

"No one around seemed to care."

"Huo Xu had no choice but to get out of his car and approach."

"As soon as he asked, he saw those tearful eyes looking up at him."

"Then came heavy breathing, as if struck by a sudden illness."

"'It's nothing... I'll be fine once I sit at home for a bit,' said Shi Youqing in a low voice, trying to appear frail."

"Upon seeing Huo Xu, he had deliberately started panting heavily in response to his words. Anyway, creating an opportunity for interaction was the first step."

"'Where do you live?'"

"'Just... nearby... in Lucky Apartment 304,' Shi Youqing said, exhausted from his act."

"Huo Xu raised an eyebrow: 'I live there too.'"

"'Then... that's on the way,' Shi Youqing wiped his eyes, 'Thank you.'"

"Huo Xu stared at him for a moment longer before calling his secretary and helping the man into the car."

"To get into the car, they had to pass through the small gate, the same one he couldn't cross before. This time, however, he stepped through it effortlessly."

"He clenched his fists tightly."

"Before getting in, Huo Xu's secretary, who had returned and learned of the situation over the phone, asked if Shi Youqing needed to be taken to a hospital. Shi Youqing shook his head."

"Sitting in the back seat, with Huo Xu and his secretary in front, the car was silent."

"Shi Youqing knew this was a good opportunity to interact, but his mind was blank, haunted by the recent departure of his mother."

"His thoughts led to a feeling of heaviness in his heart."

"The man in the passenger seat glanced up, catching a glimpse of the troubled, beautiful youth in the rearview mirror before looking away."

……

"Elsewhere, Bo Huai, having completed the task with the elevator, couldn't wait any longer and hurried out of the apartment to find Shi Youqing."

"He had seen Shi Youqing heading towards the park and, after inquiring along the way, confirmed that Shi Youqing had indeed gone there."

"But upon reaching the crowded park, he could only search anxiously."

"'Excuse me, have you seen a handsome young man with silver hair, wearing a khaki sports jacket?'"

"'I think he went towards the river…'"

"Just as Bo Huai rushed to the riverbank, Shi Youqing got into Huo Xu's car."

！

"Bo Huai felt a moment of darkness before his eyes, but he couldn't delay; every second counted, and any delay could lead to disaster!"

"His face ashen, he grabbed a shared bicycle and furiously pedaled after them…"

"Inside the car, after observing the melancholic youth, Huo Xu turned to look out the window, his expression subtly changing."

"In the car's side mirror, a man furiously chasing them on a bicycle caught his attention. The man's gaze was fixed in their direction, emitting a chilling, almost murderous intent…"

"Huo Xu was puzzled by this sight when Shi Youqing spoke from the back seat, 'I've just moved here, my name is Shi Youqing. I really must thank you properly later.'"

"As if compelled, Huo Xu glanced at the man chasing the car, realizing… the pursuer seemed to be after the pitiable young man in the back."

"Right after Shi Youqing finished speaking, the favorability rating above the man in front changed to 5."

？

"'No need, it was just a small effort,' Huo Xu responded."

"After these words, the car entered the parking lot in front of the apartment complex."

"Shi Youqing composed himself before getting out of the car, intending to politely say a few more words, but Huo Xu just nodded at him and then quickly entered the apartment ahead of him."

"'Why like this...' Shi Youqing wondered to himself. Just as he finished mumbling, a sudden screeching of brakes came from behind."

"Turning around, he exclaimed in surprise, 'Bo Huai? What are you doing here?'"

"Bo Huai, who had been restraining himself because he knew Shi Youqing was on a mission, had followed the car but kept his distance. Yet, seeing Shi Youqing's reddened eyes now sparked an overwhelming fury in him, ready to confront Huo Xu."

"'It's not what you think!' Shi Youqing hastily stopped him. 'I... I saw my mom.'"

"Bo Huai's footsteps halted abruptly."

"'Ah...' Shi Youqing sighed. 'But seeing her is better than not seeing her at all.'"

"Bo Huai quickly returned to Shi Youqing's side, his face strained with suppressed emotion, silently taking out a wet wipe to clean his face."

"'But Mom didn’t see me,' Shi Youqing said, tilting his face for the wipe. 'She left, and I didn’t follow her. As the game's protagonist, I can only go to places related to the mission's storyline, unless accompanied by an NPC.'"

"'What was the car's license plate number? I'll go look for it.'"

"Shi Youqing shook his head. 'There wasn’t one. It seems the game is deliberately confusing our progress. It doesn’t matter... we’ll find her at the end of the game.'"

"Seeing Shi Youqing's effort to stay rational, Bo Huai felt as if his heart had been pierced. Suppressing the urge to embrace him, he could only tightly hold his hand. 'Let me take you home first.'"

"[Author's Note]"

"Sorry for the late update. Special thanks to the angels who nourished with nutrient solutions: Late Night No More 33 bottles; Salty Tea 26 bottles; Serious Person Qingsheng 10 bottles; Moon Under Wood, leeeeeemon 1 bottle each;"

"I am very grateful for everyone’s support and will continue to work hard!"