Chapter 40: The Holy Infancy Orphanage 07

Chapter 40: The Holy Infancy Orphanage 07

Xiao Xiao: "B-B..."

He stammered the word "white" for a while but failed to complete a sentence, so he reluctantly closed his mouth.

Xiao Xiao thought that Qin Fei was insulting him, but he had no proof.

"Don't be sad," Qin Fei said with a good attitude. After all, it wasn't him who had turned into an idiot.

He analyzed, "From my observations over the past few hours, it seems that your compatibility with this character is gradually increasing over time."

The upside was that Xiao Xiao didn't have an alter ego, so he didn't need to complete hidden missions, which eliminated one potential danger compared to others.

The downside was that even if he did nothing, he would inevitably become more and more foolish.

Qin Fei was worried that Xiao Xiao might eventually turn into someone with a crooked mouth and squinting eyes, drooling as he spoke.

"Are you losing your sanity?" Qin Fei asked.

Xiao Xiao shook his head. "Just a tiny bit, probably due to the huge emotional fluctuation when the Inner World appeared just now."

That was reassuring.

As long as his Sanity didn't plummet to the point of merging with the dungeon, even if Xiao Xiao truly became a complete fool, there was still a chance for them to clear the instance.

"In fact, I've already had an idea," Qin Fei spoke softly in the pitch-black room. "About how to leave this Inner World version of the church."

Xiao Xiao's eyes widened abruptly.

"How to leave?" He looked at Qin Fei eagerly.

Qin Fei asked, "Do you still remember the sixth and seventh rules of the Saint Baby Orphanage's visitor guidelines?"

Xiao Xiao nodded repeatedly.

He was about to recite them from memory. "The sixth rule is that if the lights in the resting area flicker… uh."

He stumbled, "Flicker, and then what?"

Qin Fei: "..."

Qin Fei let out a deep sigh.

"Rule number six, if the lights in the resting area flicker, promptly head to the power supply zone to fix the meter. If the lights go out, please leave the resting area within three minutes, or else bear the consequences yourself."

"Rule number seven, death is always accompanied by a shadow."

On their own, these two rules seemed unrelated, especially rule number seven, which was vague and left one utterly puzzled.

But, what if they were connected to the death of Woman Number 14?

When Woman Number 14 died, there was an announcement from the system, allowing the players to estimate her time of death accurately.

One could say that the moment she passed away, the corridor's lights immediately began to flicker.

"In simple terms, the 'shadow' of 'death' mentioned in rule number seven refers to the 'lights going out' in rule number six."

Qin Fei remarked.

The lights extinguished, and shadows naturally emerged.

As for the 'consequences' mentioned in the sixth rule, 'you bear the consequences,'

it precisely implied 'the reversal of the Surface and Inner Worlds.'

In summary, when a player died, the lights flickered, and the Inner World would manifest.

Consequently, the method to return to the Surface World was self-evident.

All that was needed,

was for another person to die.

This line of reasoning was derived by working backward from the outcome to the puzzle.

Though there weren't sufficient samples to support this as fact, Qin Fei felt that this speculation was likely not far off from the truth.

Xiao Xiao bit his lip. "So, if that's the case, should we…?"

He didn't spell it out, but Qin Fei understood his intention.

Qin Fei shook his head and waved dismissively. "Not necessary."

From what Xiao Xiao had just said, the other players seemed to have been affected by the Inner World in one way or another, displaying unusual behavior.

But he and Xiao Xiao were an exception.

Since they were unaffected, why should they rush?

"Killing or indirectly causing someone's death is not a good thing in this instance," Qin Fei said.

This was evident from Player 2's situation.

Player 14's death was undoubtedly connected to him, and since then, Player 2's mental state had clearly deteriorated.

Moreover, the blood on Player 2 had provoked Sister Della's wrath and punishment.

The act of killing incurs far too great a cost.

Qin Fei said, "Actually, all we need to do is wait patiently."

His previous line of reasoning wasn't complicated, and Qin Fei didn't believe that he was the only one who had figured out the key to this puzzle in such a long time.

Whether they stayed in the Inner World or the Surface World made little difference to him and Xiao Xiao, but it would have a significant impact on others.

They could afford to remain composed.

There will always be someone who can't keep their cool.

With patience, waiting for others to make their move, and observing the developments silently, that is currently the most optimal solution.

Once someone can't resist taking action, they can not only leave the inner world effortlessly, but also, through that person's own actions and the series of consequences they trigger, explore more secrets hidden within the rules of the copies.

Xiao Xiao nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes, I couldn't agree more. What you're saying is incredibly insightful."

Indeed, humans cannot be compared. He and Master Qin are both human, with one head and one brain each. How can there be such a vast disparity in their intelligence?

And this disparity seemed particularly evident in this instance...

Xiao Xiao let out a sorrowful sigh.

He now believed that he might genuinely be an idiot.

The bedding in the cell was dull and gray, likely stained with the sweat and blood of countless individuals.

Qin Fei truly didn't want to lie down. With his hands propped behind his head, he gazed at the air before him and spoke leisurely,

"Right now, our top priority is to stay hidden and minimize our presence as much as possible."

We must survive by being inconspicuous.

We must avoid attracting the attention of other players.

It would be disastrous if, before his experiment even begins, he becomes a guinea pig in someone else's hands.

Just as Xiao Xiao was about to say something, the sound of a key turning in the lock at the end of the corridor outside interrupted his words.

Heavy and disorderly footsteps echoed as the guards methodically unlocked each cell, barking at the occupants inside,

"Hurry up, get out! Line up outside! It's mealtime!"

When they reached Xiao Xiao's cell, the guard standing outside visibly froze for a moment.

His gaze shifted to Qin Fei's face, and after a brief realization, he simply waved them out without further comment, indicating that the two should join the line.

His demeanor was significantly more polite than with the other prisoners.

It seemed that Sister Della must have given them specific instructions.

Xiao Xiao couldn't help but marvel at the change.

What had happened during the time when Boss Qin was taken away?

How did his status suddenly soar to the highest level??

In the dimly lit corridor, the players had already formed an orderly line, obediently awaiting their turn.

Along both walls, guards patrolled with stun batons and staple guns in hand, their gazes fierce, exuding an aura that dared not to be trifled with.

In the outer lounge, the shrill breakfast bell echoed continuously through the public address system.

"Hurry up! No talking among yourselves!"

The guards brandished their stun batons, issuing menacing warnings to the crowd.

However, before the leader of the players could step out of the corridor, a distant cry of alarm reverberated throughout the hallway.

"Don't come out! Don't come out! Lock the doors tight!"

"Ahh—!!!"

Following a shriek, the voice was silenced.

The breakfast bell was drowned out by a prolonged alarm, and flashing red warning lights illuminated the ceiling. An anxious voice crackled over the intercom:

"Prisoner Zero has escaped!"

Prisoner Zero.

Who was that?

The players were baffled.

In contrast, the guards present all paled simultaneously.

Seeing this, the players' hearts sank.

The guards were all armed with weapons that seemed quite lethal.

So...

Who could have frightened them to such an extent?

No time was left for further speculation.

At the end of the corridor.

A figure suddenly materialized.

It was a tall male silhouette, holding something in his hand.

Against the light, the players couldn't see clearly, but they could only hear the chilling scraping sound of metal against the ground.

"Prisoner 0 - Axe Murderer: Affinity - Unapproachable"

Qin Fei caught sight of the NPC information bar above his head.

"How... How can this be? What's going on?!"

Beside Qin Fei, one of the guards lost his composure first.

From a distance, he stared at the approaching black figure as if he had seen some incredibly terrifying and malevolent creature.

His lips trembled uncontrollably, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

His gaze was dazed, filled with sheer terror.

"Run!!!"

In the next second, the guard's composure shattered.

He wildly swung his stun baton, his limbs moving as if they had a will of their own, dashing down the corridor towards its end!

Without hesitation, the five or six guards on the corridor abandoned the prisoners.

Taking advantage of the fact that Prisoner 0 hadn't yet blocked the passageway, they bolted in the opposite direction with remarkable speed.

At the same time, the players finally sprang into action.

No wonder E-rated streamers were more capable than F-rated ones.

The moment the guards moved, two or three players immediately dashed after them.

Their figures blurred like arrows leaving the bowstring, darting past the narrow gap between Prisoner 0 and the wall at a speed too fast for the naked eye to catch.

This, undoubtedly, infuriated Prisoner 0.

Fixing his gaze on the people in the corridor, he narrowed his eyes, a faint trace of anger flickering across his face.

He slowly raised his hand, and under the light, the axe, now stained with blood and bits of flesh, shimmered with a chilling silver glow.

"Swish!"

The axe came down with a sudden force.

Its blade buried deep into the floor, carving a long, vertical crack that stretched all the way to the feet of the onlookers.

He let out an eerie chuckle, his bloodied face twisted with a cold, deranged expression.

With a sinister tone, he asked, "Who wants to be next?"

...

Regardless of who might volunteer, Qin Fei had no such intentions.

So Qin Fei took off running.

Though Xiao Xiao wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, his physical abilities remained unaffected. Upon seeing Qin Fei's movement, he promptly followed suit.

Seizing the brief moment when Prisoner 0 was lifting his axe, Qin Fei daringly dashed out of the most perilous dead-end.

Before them lay a labyrinthine corridor.

Behind them, the remaining dozen players had broken into terrified screams, scattered like sheep before a pack of wolves.

Disordered footsteps echoed, accompanied by curses and yells.

"Good thing we ran fast!" Xiao Xiao stole a glance back, still shaken from the scare.

However, Qin Fei was not feeling optimistic at the moment.

He recalled in the previous instance, Shadow Village, when the Ghost Lady had informed him that the mysterious "It" aura within him held an irresistible allure to any NPC in the instances.

This allure was positive when it came to mentally stable and amiable NPCs, benefiting Qin Fei in unseen ways.

But when Qin Fei encountered those monsters filled with nothing but slaughter and devoid of thought, naturally, he would become their prime target.

In that case...

This Prisoner Zero...

Damn it, he seemed utterly abnormal!

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

Heavy footsteps echoed on the floor.

Qin Fei could even sense a vibration transmitted through the ground beneath his feet; each step felt like it was stomping on his heart.

...F*ck!

Was it really chasing after him?

Behind them, Xiao Xiao's exclamation spelled out the situation: "Holy shit, why is he coming towards us???"

Qin Fei fiercely shut his eyes.

It seemed like heaven was determined to destroy him.

That was probably it!

The two of them didn't dare to slow down, continuing their frenzied dash.

Not far ahead, a man in a guard uniform lay face up on the ground.

This must be the guard who had issued the warning to them earlier.

At this moment, his head was detached from his body, his ashen and pale face still bearing the terror of his final moments.

His abdomen was slashed open with a sharp object, nearly bisecting his body. His organs and shredded flesh were scattered everywhere, while blood had stained the surrounding floor a deep crimson.

The overpowering stench of blood almost made Qin Fei dizzy.

He began to recall, how long had passed since the guard's voice first echoed until it vanished completely?

No more than 10 seconds.

In just 10 seconds, such a gory scene could be created. The combat prowess of Prisoner 0 was nothing short of monstrous.

If he were caught by that person...

Qin Fei mentally compared his small fruit knife with the enormous axe in the other's hand, which was nearly half a person's height.

Terminated, terminated, utterly terminated.

Qin Fei's pupils constricted, sending shivers down his spine.

He kicked aside the head blocking his path and forcefully pushed Xiao Xiao aside at the next turn:

"Stop following me, find your own way out!"

Following him would only lead to a swifter death!

Behind him, Number 0 indeed didn't hesitate for even a moment. He rushed towards Qin Fei without a second thought. His rough and peculiar voice pierced through the air and walls, reaching Qin Fei's ears:

"Don't run, my dear little lamb."

"Surely you want to see the color of your own blood as it spills from your flesh and organs under my axe, don't you?"

Qin Fei: ...

How overly dramatic were these lines? Who on earth could have come up with such a thing?

Moreover, who wouldn't know the color of their own blood? He wasn't colorblind.

Number 0's words failed to move Qin Fei in the slightest. Instead, he ran even faster.

The environment within the Inner World was truly harsh. The labyrinthine corridors were riddled with obstacles.

Ragged iron bed frames, discarded tables and chairs, and instruments of torture were scattered everywhere. Deep or shallow stains covered the walls and floors.

During his escape, Qin Fei accidentally stepped on a rat. The soft soles of the prisoner's shoes transmitted a squishy sensation, and a shrill squeak echoed through the air.

Absolutely disgusting!

Qin Fei shuddered fiercely.

The situation was dreadfully unbearable.

If Qin Fei wanted to leave the Inner World, a player's sacrifice was required first.

But at this point, no rational player would take that step.

They could only hope that Qin Fei would be swiftly taken down by Player 0, sparing the others from further torment.

Qin Fei gritted his teeth.

Behind him, Player 0 swung the massive axe, the wind from its swing brushing past Qin Fei's cheeks and ears.

Ahead lay another fork in the road. Qin Fei didn't have time to deliberate and chose one path randomly.

However, after just a few steps forward, he heard voices coming from that direction.

"Run..."

"Hurry..."

Though the voices were muffled due to the distance, it was evident that someone was fleeing in panic.

What's going on? Could another Prisoner 01 have arrived??

Qin Fei drew a sharp breath.

Soon, the figures of those individuals came into view not far away.

But following closely behind them was not any Prisoner 01.

It was an enormous, shapeless abomination, resembling a mass of flesh and mud. It had a mouth full of fangs right in the center of its belly, and it surged forward at an astonishing speed, devouring everything in its path—be it humans, rats, insects, furniture, scrap metal...

Its stomach seemed like a dimensional black hole connected to another world. If not for the sturdy walls and floor, Qin Fei was certain that this creature would devour the ground itself.

Amidst the chaos, besides a few guards, the ones dashing past him turned out to be none other than the three players who had initially made a break for it.

It was only at this moment that Qin Fei could finally make out their cries.

They were shouting, "Run! Player 2 has undergone Metamorphosis!"

The mutated Player 2 was initially indiscriminately chasing after any living creature in sight. However, when Qin Fei appeared within his line of vision from dozens of meters away, it was as if a famished person had suddenly caught a whiff of food. Player 2's spirits visibly lifted.

Indeed.

The creature, having lost its reason, had set its sights on him once more.

Truly, it was anything but surprising.

Qin Fei stood at the crossroads, with Prisoner 0 wielding an axe behind him and Player 2, with his grotesque appearance, in front.

He was like a piece of meat being relentlessly pursued by two vicious dogs, with no escape route in either direction.

Despite the horrifying scene that could make one's eyes tear, a sudden stirrings occurred in Qin Fei's heart.

He suddenly felt...

He had a chance to be saved!

Although Number 2 had transformed into this terrifying state, he was still Number 2 at the core.

If Prisoner 0 were to attack Number 2...

Qin Fei lowered his head and, when he looked up at Prisoner 0 again, all the inexplicable emotions in his eyes had vanished.

The concealed sharpness within him gradually emerged, and the young man's lips pressed into a thin line. His jaw tensed, and his eyes revealed an unwavering composure after calculating everything to its limits.

In the live stream, the viewers were almost driven crazy by Qin Fei's actions.

"Run, damn it, why isn't the host moving? ??"

"Has the host given up and stopped trying because he can't run? Hurry up and run, you're driving me crazy!!"

"Damn it, we're going crazy here. Should we open another betting pool, guessing if the host will be chopped down by Number 0 or devoured by Number 2?"

"I think he'll probably be killed first, then swallowed."

...

Number 0 was now incredibly close to Qin Fei, the axe towering above his head.

The splashing blood droplets landed on his clothes and face, adding a lurid scarlet hue to his slightly pale complexion.

A stench-carrying wind blew in his face.

The young man tightly shut his eyes.

—And in the next moment.

Just as the blade was about to graze his neck and sever his arteries.

He suddenly darted aside with a swift movement.

"Ah ah ah, you scared me to death!!!"

The number of bullet comments suddenly surged, and the live broadcast hall was likewise filled with boisterous chatter.

"I really admire the anchor for not running just now. I had my eyes covered, and then suddenly, he pulled off a flashy and cunning move."

"Is it to gain attention in the live stream? But I feel like it's not quite worth it. He might have had a chance to escape just now, but now, with blockers in front and behind, there's no way out…"

Regardless of the subsequent content, that particular comment was left unfinished.

In the live broadcast, Qin Fei suddenly reached out and threw something at Prisoner 0's feet.

"Crack!"

A sharp sound echoed.

It was the sound of glass shattering into pieces upon hitting the ground.

Prisoner 0 was startled by this unexpected incident, causing his charging steps to falter momentarily.

Intense inertia subtly disrupted the impeccable balance he had maintained.

Ordinarily, this slight disturbance wouldn't have mattered; it couldn't possibly cause Prisoner 0 to fall or encounter any mishap.

However, Qin Fei's action at that moment played an extraordinary role.

Prisoner 0's footing slipped, and before he could react, he found himself sitting on the ground.

In that instant, Qin Fei swiftly moved aside. Behind him, the monster that Player 2 had transformed into was charging head-on, colliding with the massive axe still held in Prisoner 0's hand!

This scene left everyone stunned.

"What is that?"

"A new item? Or maybe lubricant? I didn't know the E-Rank store sold such niche items..."

Until someone with sharp eyes recognized the object: "I'm impressed, that's a low-level Shared Blood Vial!"

Indeed, that was correct.

That was the Basic Shared Blood Vial, the item Xiao Xiao had bestowed upon Qin Fei like a ray of hope when he was on the verge of death in the disorderly cemetery of Ghost Village.

Qin Fei didn't need to replenish his Sanity Points, and there were only two or three weapon-type items available for purchase in the E-Rank Mall. Frustrated by the inability to fill all his inventory slots, he decided to stock up on Basic Shared Blood Vials instead.

Qin Fei knew he was vulnerable, so his strategy was to consume Health Points as if they were water.

However, upon arriving at the Holy Infants Orphanage, before he even had a chance to sustain injuries, the blood vials surprisingly came into play.

The viscous blood plasma successfully hindered Entity 0's movement.

Qin Fei gasped lightly, immediately seizing the opportunity to dash in another direction after throwing the blood vial. Unfortunately, Number 2 was not dead; instead, it relentlessly pursued him from behind.

His lower abdomen had been slashed open by Zero's axe, revealing an excruciatingly long wound. Yet, not a single drop of blood spilled from it.

Of course.

Judging by its current state, it was likely no longer human.

Upon being injured, Number 2 gained a health bar above its head, akin to a monster in a keyboard-based online game that had been attacked by players.

A minuscule fraction of the life bar was left, still dwindling down steadily but slowly. Qin Fei roughly estimated that it would take at least thirty more minutes before it depleted completely.

...What rotten luck.

Muttering a curse to himself, Qin Fei continued dashing forward as if his life depended on it.

Behind him, Player 2 and Prisoner 0 relentlessly pursued.

Lost in the labyrinthine corridors, Qin Fei had long lost track of his location.

Without realizing it, he found himself running down a corridor that looked eerily familiar.

Unlike the maze-like layout of the other corridors, this one was perfectly straight, with wooden doors at both ends.

Despite its dark and filthy state, Qin Fei could discern that this passage corresponded to the one players took from the church to the resting area.

If that was the case, then behind those doors should be...

Maintaining his speed, Qin Fei lifted his leg and kicked open the tightly shut wooden door ahead.

What greeted Qin Fei's eyes was not at all what he had envisioned.

Qin Fei had assumed that on the other side of the door would be the inner world of a church, albeit perhaps a bit darker, dirtier, with more bloodstains on the walls. But it should still resemble the church he had encountered at the beginning of the instance dungeon.

Yet, what lay before him was entirely different.

It was an enormous, towering chamber that seemed to resemble the interior of a living creature, its walls lined with intertwined veins of crimson and blue. The ground felt soft and resilient beneath his feet, as if he were stepping on flesh.

Where pews and pulpits should have been, there were now small, fleshy protrusions, resembling tumors one after another.

The entire space continually contracted and expanded, akin to a beating heart pumping blood outward.

This place appeared genuinely peculiar.

Qin Fei's brows knitted tightly together.

...A living church, one could probably call it that?

In the vast cathedral, there stood a person, lost in thought.