Chapter 221

Chapter 221

Clement, who had shown them around earlier, had advised them to go to bed by midnight and rise before seven.

The Black Cat team had discussed it, especially after watching the live stream of the Troublemaker Squad. They decided it was best to adhere to the rules for the first night. Thus, upon hearing the chiming of the clock outside, they logged out promptly and set an alarm for 6:40 AM to resume their game.

Incidentally, the time in the real world and the game world are roughly synchronized, otherwise live streaming would not be feasible.

The next day, the Black Cat team logged in on time. As Clement had said previously, they just needed to be out of bed before seven. The Druid scanned the results of their overnight proxy play and said with some surprise, "Did any of you hear anything unusual last night?"

"Hmm?"

Both Black Cat and Matcha Milk Green promptly checked their system notifications, discovering that they had both experienced a spark of inspiration the previous night, albeit unsuccessful ones.

Black Cat inquired, "Did you notice anything unusual last night?"

The Druid scanned the system's description and echoed, "I heard multiple footsteps outside, accompanied by laughter and sobs. It seemed like there were many people out there, but upon closer listening, it was as if there was no one."

"Perhaps it was just an illusion." It was undoubtedly a clue from the inspiration prompt.

"Well, it should be." There must be something seriously amiss in this town.

The two veteran tabletop gamers exchanged knowing glances. Then, Matcha Latte remarked with curiosity, "Huh, it's already 45 minutes past the hour. Why haven't we heard the bell?"

The town seemed to be at a medieval level of development. Upon entering, they had noticed a sundial and a massive clock in the center of the town. Presumably, that was where the bell they heard last night came from.

Last night, they had heard the bell at 11:30 PM in-game time, which left a reasonable 30-minute buffer. If anyone was still out at night, they would have ample time to return home after receiving the reminder.

It made even less sense for the bell to ring so close to 7:00 AM during the day. What if some residents overslept and couldn't wake up in time?

But now, at 6:47 AM in-game, the bell had yet to chime.

Black Cat asked, "Do you think the bell-ringer might have overslept?"

The Druid replied, "I doubt it..."

The three players exchanged glances, sensing that something was off. They immediately left the house and headed straight for the town center.

At that moment, the moon above the town was fading away, replaced by a somewhat dim sun. It was unclear whether this was a change in the Dream World or just the effect of the town's barrier.

When the black cat and company arrived, they found a body lying on the ground, with the sundial nearing the hour of seven.

Without hesitation, the druid rushed forward to toll the bell.

"Strength Check:"

"Damn, we have to pass a strength test now?" the druid exclaimed. The black cat promptly joined him.

"Strength Check: Success"

The massive bell echoed through the village, as the sundial's hand inched towards the seven o'clock mark.

The village stirred awake.

While the druid was ringing the bell, Matcha Latte crouched down to examine the corpse. Dressed in a black robe, the face beneath revealed an ordinary countenance, twisted in surprise and terror, as if they had witnessed something unbelievable.

"Medicine: Difficult Success"

"You notice purple bruising and claw marks around the deceased's neck, along with blood and bits of skin under their nails. Judging from the rigor mortis, the time of death is estimated to be no more than three hours ago."

Matcha Milk Green fell silent for a moment, using the in-game camera to take photos as evidence. Soon, people began emerging from their homes in the town.

"What's going on today? Why is the bell ringing so late?"

"What is the Bell Ringer doing?"

However, their voices soon softened as they too noticed the fallen body in the center of the town and the three strangers standing there.

The black cat instantly sensed the shift in the crowd's demeanor and quickly spoke up, "We had just stepped out of our house when we found the Bell Ringer deceased. My companion rushed to ring the bell in his place."

"That's right, we were the ones who rang the bell just now," the Druid added.

"Trust: Success"

"Trust: Failure"

One success, one failure – this left the onlookers still uncertain. They didn't voice their trust or disbelief but instead silently encircled the black cat and its companions. Different individuals went to inspect the Bell Ringer's body and checked other houses.

The trio stood motionless among the crowd, observing their surroundings discreetly. They noticed that there were five residents in the town who remained unusually calm, and many others seemed to be following their lead.

Five minutes later, someone returned from outside, their face grim. "The folks living near the edge didn't get up in time; they're already dead..."

With that, everyone fell silent. The bell was usually rung thirty minutes earlier to give leeway. Most people in the town knew each other, and if someone didn't come out in the morning, they'd remind one another. But just now, when the druids were ringing the bell, it was almost seven o'clock. Those who couldn't hear it clearly or thought there was still time lost their lives.

In the deathly silence, someone raged, "It's all because the bell-ringer is dead... No, because these outsiders killed him!"

"Don't spout lies!" The druid immediately denied the accusation. They couldn't afford to take the blame. They were already in a vulnerable position; if they were accused, death would be their only fate. "If not for us ringing the bell in time, you'd probably all be dead by now. And why would we kill and harm you? We've just arrived here!"

"What if you're working with the Crow of Doom?!" the man retorted angrily. "Who knows what that madman would do?"

"The Crow of Doom?" Matcha Latte was puzzled. "What's that?"

"Roaming travelers in the wilderness often disguise themselves as passersby and enter different towns with the intent of killing the residents," Clement whispered into Matcha Latte's ear, quietly joining her side. "They're a bunch of plain madmen who want to drag everyone down to hell. The title 'Crow of Doom' comes from their ruthless methods. If you encounter them, death isn't far behind."

"That's still strange. If we were the Crow of Doom, why would we wake you up at the last minute?" Black Cat astutely pointed out the logical inconsistency. "We could have just killed the bell-ringer and let you all die in your sleep."

The accuser from before opened his mouth. "Maybe... Maybe the bell-ringer rang the bell in his final moments..."

"That's impossible," Matcha Latte said casually. "Feel his body; it's already cold, and rigor mortis has set in. It means he's been dead for a while. How could he have had the strength to ring the bell?"

"Well..."

"Alright, Lloyd," the sole middle-aged woman among the five individuals previously noticed by the black cat stepped forward with a gentle expression. "This couldn't have been done by these three travelers. They're our saviors. Moreover, I've already had someone verify that, apart from the Bell Ringer, two other Night Watchmen were also found dead at their posts. It's impossible for them to know about the Night Watchmen or their stations on their first day here. It wasn't them."

Lloyd opened his mouth, then hung his head in disappointment. "I'm sorry. I was wrong."

"When will there always be brainless cannon fodder?"

"Ew, I hate it when people who genuinely try to help you end up getting stabbed in the back."

"What bad luck. I should've just let them sleep without ringing the bell."

The live stream viewers were displeased with the NPCs' reactions in the town.

The black cat whispered to the chat, "Maybe he's not brainless, but rather hoping it was us. Look at how those people are reacting."

Ever since the middle-aged woman spoke up, the NPCs, who were already uneasy, now openly displayed their suspicion and fear. Those who knew each other huddled together, forming subtle groups, casting wary and suspicious glances at those they were distant with.

"Who could have done this? Could it be the John family?"

"It's possible that the old woman has been acting strangely ever since her husband passed away."

"What bad luck. Why don't they just end it all?"

"Let's not jump to conclusions; it might not be them."

"Then it must be the tailor from the corner, always up to who knows what."

Suspicion, fear, and unease permeated the air around them. The hushed whispers felt like pricking needles, unsettling the players who overheard.

"Yes, if it's not us outsiders, then it must be someone from the town itself."

"This atmosphere of mutual suspicion feels like a game of Werewolf."

A middle-aged woman stepped forward to reassure the other residents, while Clement seized the opportunity to inquire about the black cat's sale of the leaves.

"I'm sorry, but we're not selling those at the moment," the black cat replied.

Clement was about to persist, but as the middle-aged woman calmed the crowd and approached the players, he had no choice but to hold his tongue for the moment.

"My apologies for the inconvenience," the woman said, introducing herself as Cornelia. "If you don't mind, could you share with us what you witnessed when you left? Of course, there will be compensation involved. We can provide you with information or supplies you might need, and if you wish to depart, we can also prepare provisions, water, or maps for you."

Three men followed Cornelia from behind, some handsome, others ordinary, but all shared a common trait - they lacked the panic that was evident on the faces of the other residents. Despite the recent murder, they remained surprisingly composed.

It was as though... they had anticipated such an incident?

The black cat observed their expressions, consulted with the Druid and the others in the team channel, and then nodded. "Very well, we have some inquiries of our own."