Chapter 64: Werewolf Community 01

Chapter 64: Werewolf Community 01

Qin Fei was being hunted by the Butterfly Guild.

When Qin Fei and Xiao Xiao received this news, they were seated in Dark Flame's reception room.

The Ghost Baby had donned another plush outfit and was crawling around the spacious conference table. The others in the room paid it no attention and were oblivious to its presence.

The messenger who brought the news was a Dark Flame agent responsible for gathering information from the outside world:

"I have no idea how that D-level player managed to infuriate the Butterfly Guild!"

His eyes sparkled with excitement.

As he spoke, he didn't look at Qin Fei, who was sitting by the conference table, failing to recognize that the friend of Charon listening to their conversation was the very "newcomer who didn't know his limits" he was referring to.

Other Dark Flame players in the reception area overheard the agent and gathered around, eager to hear more: "Tell us more?"

"I heard that after the second failed ambush, the Butterfly Guild returned in a terrible rage."

The agent wore an enigmatic expression.

"They didn't catch Xiao Qin; instead, he gave them a good run for their money."

"I asked around among the players from Sector E. When those butterflies rushed down from upstairs that day, you could say they were fleeing in sheer panic."

Upon hearing this, San Tu and Ghost Fire shot Qin Fei curious glances without revealing their emotions.

What on earth had he done to scare the butterflies so badly?

After all, the butterflies were terrifying entities who could turn people into minced flesh without flinching!

Qin Fei merely smiled but said nothing.

The agent's narrative was filled with inflections and pauses, evoking a wealth of emotion that piqued everyone's curiosity.

"So, what exactly happened that day?" they all asked eagerly.

But the agent fell silent. "Well... how would I know?"

The specifics of that day were not entirely known even to the Butterfly Guild's internal players. Only the two dozen or so people who were actually present that day were privy to the truth.

They had been strictly ordered by the Butterfly Guild to keep their mouths shut and not divulge a single word to outsiders.

If he could even obtain such insider information, why would he still be standing here? With his capabilities, he might as well have gone straight for the Butterfly Guild's headquarters.

"Tch!"

"All that build-up for nothing."

"Boring, boring. Let's disperse."

The crowd in the reception room immediately dispersed, each returning to their original spots.

The agent, now no longer the center of attention, scratched his head innocently and somewhat reluctantly:

"But it's a wanted notice, and the Butterfly Guild hasn't issued one in a long time..."

Few paid him any heed.

The fact that Xiao Qin was being hunted by the Butterflies didn't concern the Darkflame players much.

Although there had been internal whispers about recruiting Xiao Qin into the guild recently, that was a matter for the higher-ups in charge, unrelated to ordinary players like them.

Until Xiao Qin truly became their companion, he was merely a piece of gossip circulating around Central City to them.

While Darkflame members thought this way, Xiao Xiao was genuinely terrified.

He now felt like they were two sheep disguised in wolf's clothing, trembling in the den of wolves. Any sign of weakness would result in them being torn apart.

"Brother, maybe we should leave. Let's not stay here," he whispered.

With so many people and watchful eyes around, strangers constantly coming and going through the entrance, what if one or two noticed something amiss and reported it to the Butterflies? They'd be in deep trouble.

But Qin Fei wasn't worried.

"It's fine. Darkflame probably has a grudge against the Butterflies," Qin Fei reassured Xiao Xiao with a smile.

Not to mention, the other Darkflame members had no idea he was the person the Butterfly Guild was searching for.

Even if they knew, they wouldn't give him up.

Because seeing the butterfly suffer made them feel incredibly relieved.

Qin Fei spoke with a casual and leisurely tone, in stark contrast to Xiao Xiao's anxious demeanor.

His offhand remark startled the ghostly flame beside him: "How did you know?!"

The relationship between Dark Flame and the butterfly was indeed strained, due to some conflicts among the higher-ups. However, this matter had never been exposed outside their circle.

After all, they were reputable major guilds; too many negative rumors would harm their image.

Could it be that someone was secretly slandering their guild outside?

Just who was so despicable? Once he found out, he'd give them a good scolding! Phantom Fire rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

Qin Fei gave Phantom Fire a quizzical look. "I figured it out myself."

Was it really that hard to tell?

When that agent was telling his butterfly joke earlier, the schadenfreude in the eyes of the other players in the lounge could almost have condensed and dripped onto the floor.

Ghostfire choked, unable to speak.

Well, what could he do?

If someone had the ability to see through them, he couldn't exactly pluck out their eyeballs, now could he?

San Tu frowned and interrupted Ghostfire's nonsense, addressing Qin Fei, "I've already arranged for your tenancy in Area D. You can move in anytime."

With that, she handed Qin Fei a set of keys.

The previous day, after Qin Fei and Xiao Xiao had escaped from Area E, they had nowhere else to go and thus sought refuge with San Tu and Ghostfire at Darkflame. They had spent the night on the couch in the lounge.

Butterfly was relentless, constantly dispatching people to monitor the management office in Area D.

Even though Qin Fei might not be recognized if he went there directly, San Tu took the initiative to handle the paperwork for his housing registration just to be safe.

For a D-rank player, renting a standalone villa in the residential area allowed them to bring along another player of any rank. With plenty of points to spare, Qin Fei could afford to splurge, and thus Xiao Xiao got to enjoy the perks of tagging along.

After all, the Butterfly had already found their residence in District E last time. It was unrealistic to let Xiao Xiao return there alone.

The Butterfly hadn't even figured out what Qin Fei looked like but still managed to locate their home.

This could only mean that they had obtained inside information from Qin Fei's housing registration at the District E administration.

District E was no longer safe.

Since they were living in a villa now, Qin Fei naturally didn't want to continue sleeping on the sofa. He immediately decided to head back to their new home.

San Tu dropped the two off at the entrance of the Dark Flame Guild.

Xiao Xiao was still a bit fearful. "What if they have connections in District D as well since they have them in District E?"

San Tu reassured him, "I doubt it. The law enforcement and management in District D are worlds apart from District E. District E is for low-level players, but District D is for intermediates."

"All the staff in the intermediate living area are NPCs; there isn't a single player. They probably won't be able to find a way to plant informants."

As he spoke, his voice gradually softened.

San Tu recalled the female NPC that Qin Fei had gotten acquainted with in the service hall a few days ago.

In the realm of rules, there was an accepted truth among all players:

In most cases, NPCs would ignore players, be it within or outside dungeons.

Different NPCs might have distinct personalities – some were ruthless and inhumane, while others were relatively gentle and amiable.

Regardless of their demeanor, fundamentally, they didn't wish to have close interactions with players.

This was one reason why players with Seductive talents were highly sought after in high-level dungeons.

Even if they only won the NPC's temporary favor through deception, the benefits it could bring were immeasurable.

Yet...

San Tu turned his head and glanced at the young man beside him.

He was walking confidently under the sun, his head held high.

Amid the broad avenues lined with players, Qin Fei seemed completely oblivious to his status as a wanted criminal. His gaze was clear, and his demeanor relaxed, without a trace of guilt or fear.

Ever since they were in the dungeon, San Tu had noticed that Qin Fei had an uncanny knack for winning over NPCs' favor.

She initially assumed Qin Fei was one of those players with a charm skill. But to her surprise, after leaving the dungeon, he still managed to mingle effortlessly with the NPCs in Central City.

The secrets hidden within this man seemed to be multiplying.

...

Initially, everyone believed that Qin Fei's pursuit by the Butterfly would become the most popular topic of discussion in Central City for at least the next month.

However, something unexpected soon unfolded.

This incident proved even more captivating than the emergence of a new D-Rank star or the wrath of an A-Rank guild leader, instantly capturing everyone's attention.

Even Qin Fei himself found the situation intriguing.

It all happened on the fifteenth day after Qin Fei left the Holy Infant Hospital dungeon.

At that moment, he was lounging in his cozy villa, basking in the warm sunlight.

"Urgent announcement—"

"Urgent announcement—"

A deafening roar echoed throughout the entire Grade D residential area, as jarring music blared from the loudspeakers lining the streets.

All pedestrians came to an abrupt halt, while those at home rushed to open their windows or step outside, gazing in the direction of the sound.

"The third R-ranked Competitive Instance Dungeon will officially commence in fifteen days. Invitations have been sent to each player's personal mailbox. Please retrieve them if you wish to participate in this live event—"

As the broadcast ended, the entire residential zone erupted into a buzz of excitement.

Qin Fei leaned half against the window of his small villa, a puzzled look crossing his handsome face.

An R-ranked Competitive Instance Dungeon.

This was the first time he had heard of such a thing.

Finally, it was Xiao Xiao who clarified his confusion.

"The Competitive Mode was introduced by the system three years ago. Participating players are divided into two major factions, Red and White, for a competitive live stream event within the dungeons."

Lowering his voice, Xiao Xiao continued, "Many players sign up for the Competitive Mode, as completing one can exempt them from a scheduled live stream. Furthermore, even if you're on the losing side, you can still leave the dungeon safely."

Interesting, Qin Fei thought. He retrieved the invitation letter from his inbox and studied the details of the dungeon.

Indeed, as Xiao Xiao had mentioned, the letter clearly stated:

"Loss or victory in factional competition does not serve as a condition for death. Even if a player loses the competition, as long as they survive until the end of the dungeon, they can leave alongside the victorious players.

"The reward settlement will proceed normally, albeit with fewer points earned compared to the winners."

This meant that once selected for the Competitive Mode, as long as one could survive by avoiding danger and making it to the end of the dungeon, they would surely regain their life.

Of course, everyone knew the system wasn't that benevolent. Upon entering the dungeon, players would inevitably be bound by numerous rules, pushed forward forcibly.

Yet, there were always those who couldn't resist the temptation of luck.

Besides, the rewards for winning in the Competitive Mode had always been substantial.

Qin Fei scanned the invitation from beginning to end, picked up a pen from the desk, and smoothly signed his nickname "Xiao Qin" at the bottom.

Seeing this, Xiao Xiao was taken aback. "You're going to participate in the Competitive Mode?"

Qin Fei nodded with a smile.

Xiao Xiao thought it was a good idea. "Butterfly's people are still looking for you everywhere. The Competitive Mode has a long process. If you get selected to enter a scenario, you should be safe for a while."

As for the dangers lurking within the scenarios, Xiao Xiao wasn't as worried about that.

Anyway, Qin Fei always managed to thrive in scenarios using some quirky methods.

However, speaking of which, Xiao Xiao suddenly thought of another possibility. "What if Butterfly enters the scenario with you?"

Whether Qin Fei entered the scenario or Butterfly did, it would generally be beneficial for Qin Fei.

However, despite the low probability, if he were to enter the instance dungeon with the butterfly and, unfortunately, be recognized by it...

Xiao Xiao sucked in a sharp breath.

What was the difference between this and sending sheep to the tiger's den?

Qin Fei wore a troubled expression as if he had just been enlightened by Xiao Xiao's words.

He raised his hand and gently tapped his forehead. "Oh, right, how could I have overlooked that possibility?"

"But," he blinked innocently, looking at Xiao Xiao, "the contract is already signed. It seems there's no way out of it now."

Xiao Xiao: "..."

Enough, don't bother explaining. I know you've thought of this a long time ago and don't care at all.

Xiao Xiao decided to sign the invitation as well.

After all, participating in an arena match was more profitable than joining a regular instance dungeon. Those who refused were the foolish ones.

Rest periods always seemed to fly by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

As the date of the competition drew closer, Xiao Xiao became increasingly restless and anxious.

On the day of the official start, he was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing around the villa.

"The third round R-rated combat instance will commence in five minutes. The system will randomly select 20 to 40 players from all registered participants to enter the rule-bound world. Please, all standby players, be prepared!"

Starting from 30 minutes before the commencement, the system made an announcement every five minutes.

Xiao Xiao pinched his philtrum, his expression tense. "I'm so nervous, so nervous!"

Qin Fei looked at him as if he were an exotic creature. "What's there to be nervous about?"

He had never seen Xiao Xiao this worked up when entering other instances before.

With a worried frown, Xiao Xiao replied, "You wouldn't understand."

Someone like Qin Fei, who could calmly map out an escape route in his mind even with monsters chasing his tail, would never empathize with high-strung individuals like him, who couldn't sleep at the slightest hint of trouble!

Xiao Xiao let out a sigh, looking at Qin Fei with envy. "If I had your composure, I'd surely survive for at least another year or two in those instances."

"I'm not nervous about the instances themselves, but the uncertainty of whether or not I'll be chosen – that suspense, do you understand?"

In his anxiety, Xiao Xiao's desire to express himself overflowed as he poured out his thoughts without pause.

"Imagine this: you're sitting in your own home right now, but in just a few minutes, you might be whisked away by the system to some godforsaken place."

"A place filled with monsters, demons, and violence."

"You look at this peaceful world around you – doesn't it feel surreal?"

Qin Fei shook his head. "No, it doesn't."

"I don't have that sense of uncertainty."

Qin Fei explained.

"In fact, I have a premonition that I will definitely be selected for this instance."

This premonition was inexplicable, yet incredibly strong.

When he was unusually certain that he would indeed enter the competition, the unease from the unknown naturally faded away.

Xiao Xiao: "?"

This was a bit too confident, wasn't it? Could premonitions like these really be taken seriously?

"You—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the 5-minute broadcast announcement ended, and a flash of white light appeared before Xiao Xiao's eyes.

He instinctively squinted, and when he opened them again, he found himself staring at an empty living room.

Qin Fei was nowhere to be seen.

Xiao Xiao: "....F*ck."

Qin Fei's prediction had actually come true.

Indeed, he was selected for the competitive match.

Is Boss Qin some kind of prophet?

Why does everything he says come true??

...

"Player No. 1000001: Xiao Qin, loading in progress—"

"Welcome to the Realm of Rules!"

"R-Rank Competitive Instance Dungeon: Werewolf Community will officially commence in 5 seconds. Please, players, prepare yourselves!"

The familiar system notification sounded in his ears, then faded away.

When Qin Fei opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a bed in a bedroom.

Before him was an ordinary and typical room, not spacious but brimming with the essence of daily life.

The room was tranquil, with the curtains left open, allowing the brilliant sunshine to pour in from the window, accompanied by faint, melodious chirping of birds outside.

Judging from the height of the tree canopy visible through the window, this should be around the fourth floor.

Qin Fei was covered with a light blue cotton quilt. Not far from the bed stood a desk cluttered with an array of diverse booklets, arranged like miniature hills in varying heights.

Next to the desk, a bookshelf held neatly lined up textbooks, magazines, and figurines. A blue-and-white jacket, seemingly a school uniform, hung on a hook nearby.

Beneath the bed, a fluffy fleece rug was spread out, adorned with adorable patterns and emblazoned with eight large characters: "Study hard, improve every day."

It seemed to be the room of a student.

This was the first time Qin Fei had woken up alone in a dungeon since he started streaming. There were no other players in sight within his line of vision.

Qin Fei summoned the live chat panel.

Despite the stream just beginning, his channel already had a large number of viewers, and their numbers were skyrocketing at an alarming rate.

"They're here, they're here."

"1111111."

"Oh oh oh, the stream is back so soon! The host is so dedicated!"

"Did everyone see today's live stream info? It's a faction versus faction scenario!"

"Holy sh*t?? The host is now at Level D? He really levels up every stream?!"

A flurry of chat messages swiftly scrolled by.

Qin Fei lifted his gaze with a smile, greeting his unseen audience through the camera lens:

"Hey there."

Unlike most hosts who appeared burdened with grievances from the start, Qin Fei seemed to be in an excellent mood, his smile radiating from the corners of his eyes.

Golden sunlight poured through the window, casting a golden glow on the curves of his delicate eyelashes and adding a touch of warmth to his slightly pale complexion.

After Qin Fei's greeting, the chat feed fell momentarily silent.

Immediately, the myriad of casual chatter transformed into a uniform pattern:

"Honey!!!"

"Honey, honey, honey, I miss you so much—"

"Honey, I'm back again! Honey, keep it up, level up to become an advanced streamer quickly. When that day comes, I'll shower you with all the gold coins I've saved!"

"Husband works hard for wife to spend, can't wait to come home tonight!"

An endless barrage of flirtatious remarks crashed upon Qin Fei like an overwhelming wave, nearly drowning his field of vision entirely.

Amidst the overwhelming chorus of "husbands" and "go for it, broadcaster," there were sporadic voices that didn't quite fit in. They were likely new viewers who had accidentally stumbled in and were startled by the spectacle:

"Damn, what's going on in this live stream?"

"How can this D-rated broadcaster have so many fans? Almost 30,000 people entered the channel within a minute of the broadcast starting???"

"Is this broadcaster some kind of new star hypnotist? Why do the fans in the live stream seem a bit...unhinged?"

Qin Fei smiled again.

He turned off the live stream, rolled out of bed, and approached his desk.

The System had just announced the name of the instance dungeon as "Werewolf Community." Qin Fei couldn't tell if it was werewolf-related or not, but the term "community" was quite evident.

Looking out the bedroom window, he could see rows of orderly apartment buildings, with a sunlit square bustling with people moving about.

Young and old, some pushing baby strollers – it appeared no different from a typical neighborhood in the real world.

Qin Fei retracted his gaze and noticed a photo frame on the desk.

Inside was a picture of the bedroom's owner.

It was a boy around sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a school uniform, with a reserved and shy smile for the camera, giving off an introverted vibe.

The boy's appearance was unremarkable, with small eyes, a flat nose, and a few acne spots on his face.

Not particularly handsome nor unattractive, he was the kind of person who would blend into a crowd and go unnoticed.

On the desk lay a workbook bearing the name Wang Mingming.

Qin Fei glanced at the blue-and-white checked pajamas he was wearing, which harmonized perfectly with the bedroom's ambiance.

These weren't the clothes he had worn when entering the instance; they had been automatically changed upon his arrival.

So, the character he was portraying in this scenario was this student Wang Mingming?

Qin Fei pulled open a drawer, revealing a mirror placed face-up inside. He bent down and caught a glimpse of his reflection.

It was still Qin Fei's face.

There was no resemblance at all to the Wang Mingming in the photograph.

Qin Fei blinked, then lifted the mirror out of the drawer.

As he did so, a piece of paper fluttered softly from beneath the mirror.

He reached out to catch it.

Next, he read the words on the note.

It was a crude line of text, with hues of red and black, as if it had been written by dipping a finger in blood onto the paper. It was jarring to look at, standing out even more starkly in this warm and tidy room.

"Listen to Mom and Dad!!!"

Each character was bigger than the last, clearer than the one before, with the final exclamation marks almost piercing through the paper.

Qin Fei frowned, having checked the drawer and the mirror but found nothing unusual. He then placed the note and the mirror back to where they originally were.

For the next ten minutes or so, Qin Fei continued searching around the room.

He didn't find any other useful clues.

The textbooks and exercise books on the desk contained ordinary high school sophomore knowledge. Wang Mingming seemed to have an average academic performance, with a mix of correct and incorrect answers.

After thoroughly examining every corner of the bedroom, Qin Fei finally directed his gaze towards the bedroom door beside him.

Perhaps it was time to see what lay beyond.

Assuming nothing unexpected had occurred, there should be someone outside.

Ever since a while ago, Qin Fei had been hearing faint rustling sounds coming from the other side of the door.

He didn't opt to simply open the door and investigate, choosing instead to first search the bedroom for any useful clues or rules.

After all, in numerous horror games and movies, the most common way for cannon fodder characters to die was through the 'door opening kill.'

But now, the door had to be opened, no matter what.

Qin Fei nodded, advancing step by step toward the room's entrance.

With a soft "click," the bedroom door creaked open, revealing a putrid stench that nearly suffocated him.

Qin Fei's Adam's apple moved slightly, and he involuntarily swallowed, suppressing the nauseating sensation rising from his stomach.

Beyond the door lay a hellish scene entirely distinct from the room he was in.

A sea of blood stained the ground.

Limbless bodies, organs, and strands of hair littered the scene.

In what was supposed to be a living room, a grotesquely mutilated corpse lay still.

His limbs had been severed, his chest cavity exposed, and his unblinking eyes stared fixedly in the direction where Qin Fei stood.

Beside the lifeless body, a middle-aged man and woman, both wearing aprons, held an electric saw and a cleaver respectively. They smiled eerily as they slowly turned toward Qin Fei.

"Dear son, you've awoken!" they chorused in unison with identical tones, the pungent scent of blood hanging heavy in the air.