Chapter 236

Chapter 236

It took roughly three to four days to uncover Rule 8. During this time, Black Cat and the others could clearly sense the shift in the atmosphere around them.

Bernie, in particular, had been sulking since they started spreading the word on behalf of the Investigator Organization. He had been blunt with his words, but at some point, he began looking at Black Cat and the others with a complicated expression. The Druid suspected that their resurrection might have been exposed, so he sought out a few other players interested in finding the rules as a precaution, just in case it always ended up with three deaths and three replacements.

Another two days passed, and they found Rule 9. Unfortunately, the Druid met his demise once more. Matcha Latte and the others were already accustomed to it, so they didn't find it strange. However, when they carried the Druid's corpse out, a crowd of residents suddenly emerged from their homes, standing on both sides of the road to watch them.

"What's going on?" Black Cat retracted his foot in surprise. He saw Bernie and Cornelia standing at the front, their gazes filled with complexity.

"You...

"You... No, may I ask your name?"

Black Cat exchanged glances with Matcha Latte and the Crazy One who came to assist. Though confused, they still replied, "Joseph Carson."

Black Cat had gone through several character cards, and this new one was named Joseph Carson.

"Mr. Carson," Cornelia took a deep breath and bowed deeply towards him and the carried corpse, "Your assistance has been immense, and we're immensely grateful. You are our heroes."

The black cat and their companions were utterly engrossed in their search for the rules, but the local residents observed them keenly.

Initially, some might have doubted their intentions. However, by the second and third day, after they had discovered the first rule and were on to the second, witnessing the demise of the initial trio who had arrived in town and the arrival of new investigators who took up their progress at the risk of their lives, the townspeople's perspectives shifted.

Merely witnessing this process stirred feelings of awe, confusion, and sorrow that eventually turned into deep regret and self-reproach for their earlier suspicions.

They had believed the investigation organization was merely pillaging and looting amidst the war. But if that were truly their aim, why would they be willing to sacrifice their own lives?

Moreover, though players perceived the Grade A herbs and magic books as invaluable resources, they were not so precious in the eyes of the Perfect Humans. Despite their backward technology, basic needs like food and clothing were secured. In this hellish place where death could come at any moment, such resources were but a trivial matter to sacrifice.

The investigators were genuinely striving to save the Perfect Humans of the Dream World, driven by this noble aspiration. Yet, as the beneficiaries of their rescue, the Perfect Humans harbored doubts about their motives.

In truth, after realizing this, Cornelia felt a burning sensation beneath her bandages, and the shame threatened to overwhelm her.

Thus, she sought to make amends.

As Cornelia began her endeavor, others with conscience, who recognized the sacrifices made by the black cat and their group for the town, voluntarily stepped out of their homes and gathered in the streets to pay their respects to the fallen heroes.

Finally, a young resident among the spectators could no longer contain his emotions. Standing beside an elder, seemingly his father, the father held tightly onto his son's arm. Yet, when the black cat and company carried the corpses past, the young man shook off his father's grip and ran to stand before the black cat, declaring, "I want to join you too!"

"Grover! Come back!" Panic spread across Father's face. "Do you have any idea what you're saying?!"

"I surely do! Are you all just going to stand there and watch outsiders sacrifice for us? They have no connection to our town, yet they're willing to risk their lives. Why can't I?!" Grover exclaimed, locking eyes with the black cat. "Let me join. I can be of use. Even if I were to die tomorrow, I wouldn't hold it against you. I'm prepared!"

The black cat remained silent for a moment. As the young man was about to press his case further, Bernie stepped forward, glared at Grover, and escorted him back to his father. "Can't you see how worried your father is?"

"But..."

"This isn't something for children to decide," Bernie said, inhaling deeply. His fingers trembled, but he sensed Mrs. Cornelia's gaze upon him, a signal of encouragement. He continued, "We appreciate your willingness, but we are the ones responsible for making decisions and ensuring the safety of the residents. Let us handle the probing."

The onlookers' perceptions of Bernie shifted. However, Clement and the plump man, hiding among the crowd, seethed with resentment. By saying that, Bernie had put them in an awkward position.

But nobody paid attention to their thoughts. The live stream chat was bustling with messages:

"Oh, they're grateful to you."

"I'm feeling a bit emotional here."

"Damn, don't do this hahaha. They don't know the black cat won't really die. If they did, they might not feel the same."

"But to them, the Character Cards are indeed dead, their bodies decomposing in the graveyard. In this game's setting, each Character Card represents an individual, and it's an immersive role-playing game where players live out their characters' lives. Each card is one-of-a-kind."

"Indeed, even players with complete character creation data can't recreate an identical person when making a new Character Card. Similar, but never exactly the same. Some players have even verified this through DNA tests in hospitals; the game is frighteningly meticulous in this aspect."

"The part that truly touches me about this game is precisely this. Even if players think they can revive and thus aren't too concerned about the cost, the NPCs here are more than just simple AI programs."

"Yes, can an NPC truly be moved by kindness if it's just a program? Sometimes, I genuinely believe they're as sentient as we are."

"A little kindness inspires more kindness, revealing the beauty of humanity. Eventually, it converges into a constellation of emotions. I absolutely adore stories like these!"

The players exchanged glances. It was impossible for them not to be moved, but they still declined. "No, thanks. We appreciate your offer, though."

Bernie grew anxious. "No, I'm being serious. If there's a sacrifice to be made, it shouldn't be you for this town! Besides, your Investigator organization has a greater mission, and you shouldn't be sacrificing yourselves here!"

Cornelia wheeled forward with a smile. "He's right. Protecting this town is the responsibility of our leadership, not yours."

"That's not what I meant," the Black Cat scratched her head. "We are deeply touched, but I don't think there are any new rules to follow now."

"Uh... Huh?"

"We've deduced Rule 8 and clarified Rule 9 just now. Those should be the two new rules added to Blackrock Town. If no more deaths occur, there shouldn't be a need to continue investigating further."

"…You, you all figured out these two rules so quickly?" Cornelia was flabbergasted. Normally, it would take them at least a week and the loss of numerous lives to understand the rules. But how long had it been now?

What they didn't know was that if not for the players' obsessive nature to decipher every rule and even attempt alternative methods to break the game, the time spent could have been significantly shorter.

Players possessed irreplaceable advantages. They had the ability to rewind time through Death Retention and live broadcasts, allowing them to review events repeatedly. Furthermore, hundreds or even thousands of cloud players would watch and scrutinize every detail. In contrast, the perfect individuals in this world could only rely on the most primitive method—writing on paper. The efficiency between the two was incomparable.

Matcha Milk Green cheerfully handed her notebook to Cornelia. "Here, the two newly added rules are written inside."

Cornelia took it and instinctively scanned the contents, realizing that the rules were indeed very detailed. In fact, they were far more comprehensive than what they had discovered independently.

"How did you manage to do this…?"

"That's only natural. We're investigators!" the black cat said confidently. "This is our expertise!"

Matcha Milk Green and the others nodded in agreement.

Investigators.

Cornelia's mind conjured the name of a man who had also called himself an investigator - the one who had aided their Blackrock Town and brought about the rules. She had thought that memory lost to time, but now, seeing the black cat, Matcha Latte, Mad, and the Druid's corpse on the plank, those buried recollections flooded back.

So he... had an heir after all.

Cornelia gripped the paper in her notebook so tightly that her fingertips turned white. In her memory, that man had appeared in Blackrock Town at its direst hour, materializing the irrational madness into rules that could be evaded.

Thus, despite the world remaining grim, the Wakers had since then used their wit, courage, and perseverance to survive by deciphering rules and exploiting loopholes.

And now, as Blackrock Town was on the brink of despair once more, another investigator had come forward.

It was as if time had folded in on itself.

Though Black Cat and his companions didn't display the legendary power of that investigator, who could directly transform the invisible into rules, their figures began to blend in Cornelia's eyes.

"Is there no place for me to shine here?" Bernie's courage deflated like a punctured balloon. He cautiously looked at Cornelia, only to find her gaze wandering, fixated on Black Cat and the others. After a moment of hesitation, he steeled himself and asked, "Can I help you then? I want to join you."

"Sure, but you're part of Blackrock Town's leadership, right? What if a new rule pops up here?" Black Cat posed a valid concern.

Bernie's words caught in his throat, his expression conflicted.

"Am I allowed? I'm not part of the decision-making level, and I'm young and physically fit. I can accompany you to promote that plan," the young man who had spoken to the black cat earlier interjected unexpectedly.

This time, his father didn't object. Unlike the previous mission to test the rules, which was essentially a suicide mission, venturing out of town to propagate the plan carried risks, but wasn't without hope. Besides, he now believed that this organization called the Investigator was genuinely committed to saving lives. Therefore, he wouldn't stand in his way.

"By the way, count me in too. I want to join you."

"Are you still in need of more people? Can I help?"

The residents eagerly volunteered, their voices overwhelming the black cat and the others.

The live chat chimed in with emotions:

"It feels like Black Cat and the team have done something remarkable."

"To the person upstairs, be more confident, they truly did something amazing."

"Just like moths drawn to a flame, the fire ignited by idealists always attracts more and more followers."

"Shall I compare this to a moth drawn to a flame, hhh? Somehow, it feels more like a spark that ignites the stars."