Chapter 76: Werewolf Community 13

Chapter 76: Werewolf Community 13

"Nighttime Game Rules"

1. The battle phase is only open during the day, while nighttime serves as an additional game segment.

Before dawn, the system will temporarily revoke players' abilities to accuse or hunt ghosts.

2. Certain civilian players will become primary targets for the wolf pack's attacks.

"Wishing all players an enjoyable game!"

With that final statement, the system's announcement faded into the tranquil night.

In every corner of the community, players were left baffled by this sudden twist.

By the kindergarten's gate, the four of them stood frozen for a moment before regaining their composure.

The community map hanging in the sky was glaringly bright, with the red dots constantly shifting positions.

Just like in the real world, where you can see the delivery status in real-time after hailing a cab or ordering takeout.

Ghoul Flame stared at the map with a speculative look for a moment, then suddenly felt a chill down his neck. "Among us, is there a wolf...?"

Lin Ye was the first to raise his hand. "I'm a civilian."

San Tu added, "Me too."

Both their identity cards still read "Travel Group Member," but now had an additional line of white text appended to it.

"Nighttime Identity Card: Civilian Card"

San Tu asked Ghoul Flame, "From your expression, are you also a civilian?"

Ghoul Flame nodded vigorously.

The trio instantly turned their heads in unison towards Qin Fei.

Qin Fei blinked, his bright eyes clear and transparent. When he met the gaze of the three, there was no hint of evasion.

"I'm a civilian too."

Huh?

How coincidental, we're in the same faction?

Lin Ye and his companions' expressions instantly turned peculiar.

In fact, Qin Fei was lying. He wasn't a civilian.

Qin Fei had obtained a God Card.

The attribute panel shimmered in the air, and Qin Fei subtly glanced at the line that read "Night Identity Card: Seer."

Seer.

Below it was a brief explanation.

(Note: Players who obtain the Seer card may secretly verify the identity of any community member during the night. The system will provide an absolute truthful response.)

Even the Seer has made an appearance.

Is this really a game of Werewolf?

San Tu rarely displayed impatience: "Could it be that the entire Red Team consists of villagers?"

That would be quite unfortunate for the Red Team. Wouldn't the White Team have a field day tonight?

Ghost Flame pointed upward: "What are those red dots up there? Are they members of the Red Team?"

But upon closer inspection, he realized that they didn't seem to be among them.

So they must be part of the White Team?

Lin Ye looked up at the curtain of light in the sky and hesitated, "I don't think so. There seem to be only ten dots in total."

The System wouldn't have assigned only ten initial players to the White Team, right? How could the competition even take place under such circumstances?

Qin Fei, however, had already grasped the full picture.

"No," the young man replied leisurely, a sharp glint flickering in his gentle-eyed gaze.

"The ones with locators on the screen are likely players who didn't complete any identity verification or ghost-catching missions during the day."

The number matched up quite well.

"I believe there might not be any so-called 'Werewolves' among the players," Qin Fei stated.

If he was correct, the 'Wolf' role could very well belong to the 'ghosts' lurking within the community.

During the day, these ghosts hid among the residents, only revealing themselves when provoked by the players' actions.

But at night, the invisible balance between ghosts and humans shifted. The ghosts, cooped up all day, grew restless and even took the initiative to attack humans.

Qin Fei's eyes darkened slightly.

Just as he had feared, the system wouldn't allow players to adopt a passive approach.

According to the rules of the night game, those who would be "attacked first" were likely these ten marked individuals.

Their inaction during the day would bring them catastrophic consequences at night.

Once the players realized this, from the moment the sun rose tomorrow, they would undoubtedly frantically search for the ghosts within the community.

Fights over clues could also break out – it was highly possible.

Qin Fei pondered for a moment and said, "You guys proceed with the original plan and report to the security booth. I'll head back to the activity center."

There must have been a limit on the number of participants for the recruitment of security patrollers, so it was better to act sooner rather than later.

The notification about the night game had come suddenly, and many players would have rushed back to the activity center.

Qin Fei's timing was perfect to intercept other players discussing strategies and coincidentally avoid crossing paths with Lin Ye and the others.

Lin Ye San Tu nodded in agreement. The four of them split up, leaving the grass and heading in different directions.

...

In the pitch-black night, Qin Fei hurried along an unlit path alone.

High above his head, a pale, solitary moon hung, casting an eerie atmosphere upon the seemingly ordinary apartment buildings that during the day appeared quite mundane. They now seemed to loom ominously in the night breeze.

"heehee... hahaha..."

From behind, the sounds of shrill laughter seemed to echo out from the kindergarten.

Qin Fei's heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace slightly.

It wasn't fear or panic that drove him, but rather a realization.

If nighttime was when the ghostly creatures hunted players, then Qin Fei would be at a significant disadvantage.

Although, at present, the most endangered ones seemed to be those whose locations had been publicly exposed.

However, if one were to infer from standard Werewolf game rules, players with divine cards would usually become the primary targets for the "wolves."

Most importantly,

Qin Fei had always been someone who attracted the dislike of such NPCs.

Would all the ghosts in the neighborhood end up chasing after him alone then?

Qin Fei suppressed the urge to twitch his lips, feeling that his intuition wasn't unfounded.

However, if that were truly the case, it wouldn't be entirely without its benefits.

At the very least, he would have more opportunities to encounter various ghost NPCs.

Perhaps this would prove advantageous for the identification process during the day tomorrow.

With this in mind, Qin Fei quickly arrived at the entrance of the community center.

As expected, a large crowd had already gathered inside.

Qin Fei counted and, apart from those few who hadn't come out of the kindergarten yet and Lin Ye's trio, all the other players were present.

...It seemed like there was even one extra person.

Qin Fei furrowed his brows.

That person wasn't wearing the tour group's attire, instead, they were hiding sneakily behind the bushes, constantly glancing at the entrance, as if fearful of being discovered by the players.

Is it a ghost?

Probably not.

Ghosts wouldn't put themselves in such a miserable state.

That would be the players.

Qin Fei was not surprised to discover that there were other players in the instance dungeon who were not part of the travel agency.

After all, he had obtained a hidden identity himself.

There's no reason why others couldn't do it either.

However, one can't help but wonder, how many individuals like this exist within the various game instances?

In front of the conference room on the first floor of the Activity Center, players were gathered in a disorganized mess, their eyes filled with wariness and scrutiny as they looked at one another.

Xue Qijī stood inside the conference room, holding his megaphone, attempting to regain control of the situation:

"Everyone, stay calm and listen to me. There's no need for excessive suspicion. I highly doubt there's a werewolf among us, fellow players."

Xue Qijī's perspective aligned once again with Qin Fei's.

The core of this R-rated scenario was a "Contest of Opponents."

Though the night battles were paused, the so-called bonus game was fundamentally just a part to advance the competition.

The system couldn't have set this stage to encourage players to kill each other during the night; it wouldn't benefit the puzzle-solving segment during the day.

If there was indeed someone among the players with the potential to transform into a wolf,

that person could only be the ghost hiding among the players.

After analyzing the current situation, Xia Jiqing reached a conclusion:

"We can proceed with the night exploration as originally planned."

"Although there's a chance of being attacked by ghosts at night, the intensity shouldn't be too high."

After all, the system's goal is to advance the tournament, not to wipe out all the players during the night.

But this suggestion didn't please everyone.

"If you want to explore, go ahead. I'm not going," grumbled an annoyed voice from a corner.

The speaker was a player who hadn't been particularly noticeable during the day.

He had failed to complete the ghost-catching mission, and he was one of the ten marked locations.

The map in the sky wasn't extremely detailed, and with everyone gathered in the central activity area, it was challenging to identify who among them was marked.

But the player was well aware that his situation couldn't remain hidden for long.

Once everyone dispersed, he would quickly become a prime target for the ghosts' attacks.

Fighting alone could easily lead to danger.

And if he were to team up with other players, it would be difficult to make that work.

Nobody would be willing to have him on their side.

Including him would only raise the danger level of the entire team.

"Then, what if all the marked players formed a team by themselves?"

Another player suggested.

"Wouldn't that just make this group of players act as bait for the others?"

The marked players were displeased with this idea, and a few scattered voices echoed their dissent.

Ten marking points combined would probably activate Hell mode, right?

What's the difference between that and simply handing over your life?

"You can't do this, you can't do that—just tell us what you suggest!"

The instance dungeon was no place for coddling; some had already grown impatient.

"If I may speak," the player said leisurely, "the tagged players should stay in the Activity Center tonight."

Although the system hadn't explicitly stated that the Activity Center was a safe haven, as a resting point set up by the system, it was undoubtedly safer than any location within the community.

Hiding within the Activity Center might allow them to survive the night unscathed.

And if they couldn't avoid the ghosts, having a secure building as a fortress would be far better than being hunted down in the community.

So all along, they were just afraid of death and wanted to hide.

Amidst the crowd, several unapologetic chuckles echoed, causing the player who spoke to blush, but he remained steadfast in his decision.

He shifted a few steps to the side and declared firmly, "I'm staying here tonight, I won't be leaving!"

Dealing with ghosts could wait until tomorrow during the day.

He hadn't expected such an incident to occur tonight.

With the entire duration of tomorrow's daylight, would he really be unable to earn even a single mission point? Why take the risk tonight?

In fact, his approach wasn't entirely without merit.

Players who failed to secure mission points were usually more cautious and relatively timid newcomers. Encouraged by him, a few more hesitantly stood by his side.

Surprisingly, the final count of players choosing to stay in the Activity Center reached as high as six.

Qin Fei stood on the outskirts of the crowd, listening to the argument within while keeping an eye on the figure lurking in the bushes.

"Fine. The ultimate decision on whether to venture out at night lies with you. I have no right to intervene further."

Xue Qijie let out a soft sigh.

The structure of this R-rated instance exceeded his imagination in its intricacy, leaving him somewhat overwhelmed.

...

In front of the entrance to the Werewolf Community, at the security booth.

Players had hastily returned to the Activity Center upon hearing the system's announcement. The area that was once bustling with people was now deserted just ten minutes later.

When Lin Ye and his companions arrived hurriedly, they were greeted with this desolate scene.

A dilapidated, dark-green security booth stood in the darkness, its exterior weathered and peeling, clashing starkly with the well-maintained appearance of the rest of the community buildings.

The gray-faced security guard, dressed in uniform, sat on a small stool in front of the booth, holding an old-fashioned palm fan. He was stiffly fanning himself with mechanical movements.

Spotting someone approaching from afar, he slowly rose to his feet, revealing a smile that was uncertain whether it was meant to be friendly or frightening.

"Protecting the werewolf community is everyone's responsibility."

He recited the slogan devoid of emotion, then asked, "Are you guys here to sign up for the night patrol team as well?"

Ghost Fire: "...."

Are you really a security guard? You seem more like the type to pose a threat to the community residents.

Lin Ye nodded. "All three of us are here to join the patrol team."

The security guard's eyes lit up.

He let out a raspy laugh from the depths of his throat, akin to an old wind instrument creaking, "Then, come in with me."

Pushing open the door to the security booth, the rusty hinges squeaked in an ear-piercing manner.

"You're quite fortunate. There are only three spots left for the night patrol."

The elderly security guard leisurely engaged Lin Ye in conversation.

"A large group of people arrived earlier, almost getting into a fight for the spots," the translator rendered.

Unexpectedly, something must have occurred, causing them all to leave abruptly, leaving these three newcomers with an unexpected opportunity.

The trio followed the security guard into the guardhouse.

Inside, a dim incandescent bulb dangled naked from the ceiling, casting the only source of light in the vicinity.

The downward beam illuminated the security guard's face in an eerily distorted manner.

He rummaged through his disorganized guardhouse, opening drawer after drawer until he finally produced a few sheets of paper.

"Voluntary Enrollment Agreement for the Werewolf Community Night Patrol Team," Lin Ye read softly from the document.

Despite being called an agreement, it contained nothing but its title, with not even an extra word beneath; just a row for signatures remained.

The old security guard, from somewhere unknown, produced a stamp pad, lifted the lid, and presented it to the trio. "Press your thumbs here, and your enrollment will be complete," he said in a sinister tone.

Is it that simple?

But Qin Fei hasn't returned yet...

Lin Ye hesitated, stalling for time: "What will we have to do after joining the team?"

The old security guard's expression soured. He seemed uninterested in further chatter, his face darkening as his voice turned gruff: "You'll know once you press your fingerprint!"

Seeing that Lin Ye was still hesitant, the old guard appeared on the verge of losing his temper: "What are you dawdling for?!"

The atmosphere in the cramped space suddenly became tense.

The light bulb above their heads flickered as if there was an issue with the wiring. The walls emitted a faint trembling sound, as if an earthquake was occurring, making it seem like the security booth could collapse at any moment.

San Tu jumped in fright, tugging fiercely at Lin Ye's sleeve.

Lin Ye gritted his teeth, having no choice but to tremulously extend his hand—

Click.

A vivid crimson fingerprint was clearly imprinted on the paper.

Unconsciously, Lin Ye rubbed his fingers, feeling an unpleasant stickiness from the residual ink on his hand.

When all three of them finally placed their prints, the old security guard beamed with satisfaction.

The tension in the security booth dissipated abruptly.

"Take a look here!" The old security guard vigorously slapped a spot on the wall.

True to his word, the old guard didn't disappoint.

After the players had pressed their fingerprints, he actually showed them the security team's regulations.

"Night Security Patrol Rules"

1. The duty of a security guard is to address any unexpected issues for the residents.

2. The night security team consists solely of six members, and the number may decrease but will not increase.

3. Within the community, there are no nonexistent buildings. If you encounter one, it is imperative that you leave immediately.

(PS. Do not turn back! Do not turn back! Turn back...!!)

4. Should you accidentally enter an nonexistent building, please promptly dial the emergency contact number at the security office.

Phone number: 444-4444

(PS. There is only this one emergency contact number. Do not dial any other numbers. The security office will not be held responsible for any consequences resulting from calling other numbers.)

Upon reading these rules, all three of them couldn't help but feel a twitch in their eyelids.

The number seemed eerily ominous, like a hotline to death. Wouldn't calling it just hasten one's demise?

5. Children within the community do not venture out at night.

6. Elderly residents within the community do not go out at night.

7. There are no individuals with two faces, headless beings, or those with red eyes within the community.

Chapter 8: No More Rules for the Security Team

Lin Ye read through the patrol regulations from beginning to end, secretly swallowing his saliva as his heart pounded wildly.

It seemed rather perilous...

"Have you memorized the patrol rules?" the security guard asked while seated aside, munching on something that produced a crackling sound.

"We'll get paid 15 yuan per person for each successful night patrol, upon completion and reporting back to the security room," the guard informed them.

Lin Ye nodded seriously. "Understood, we got it."

The security guard was quite pleased with the trio's understanding.

He pulled open a cabinet to his right, retrieving three sets of security uniforms which he handed over to Lin Ye.

"Don't take off your uniform during patrol," he emphasized. "Absolutely not!"

In addition to their uniforms, each of the three was assigned a flashlight.

"Our werewolf community is responding to the street's call for power conservation in the summer. All streetlights will be turned off."

The security guard continued to chew, revealing a crimson, shapeless object between his yellowed teeth.

"Remember to keep your flashlight on at all times during patrol, and replace the batteries promptly when they run out."

With those final instructions, the security guard chased them out of the guardhouse.

The sound of a lock clicking shut echoed behind them. Then, through the thin metal walls of the guardhouse, the old security guard's snoring could be heard.

This man's sleep quality was rather remarkable...

Not far away, the sound of footsteps crackled through the air. San Tu turned vigilantly in that direction, but as he discerned the approaching figure, his tense expression eased suddenly.

It was Qin Fei.

Having taken in the lively spectacle at the activity center to his satisfaction, he hurried over while no players were paying attention to him.

"How is it?" Qin Fei whispered.

San Tu said, "It's great. We've secured a spot on the patrol team."

"However," she paused, "the security guard said that the three of us are the last ones, and the patrol team is already full."

The team was already at maximum capacity?

Qin Fei raised an eyebrow.

He had intended to reuse the excuse he'd employed at the breakfast stall that morning to bluff his way into another temporary volunteer position with the security guard.

But no matter how much he knocked on the guardhouse's door and windows, the elderly security guard inside didn't respond in the slightest.

The snores continued uninterrupted, indicating deep slumber.

It seemed that this method wasn't going to work for the time being.

But it didn't matter. Qin Fei wasn't short of money anyway, so whether or not he received the security team's salary was irrelevant.

From Lin Ye's account, Qin Fei learned that there were many hidden rules within the werewolf community at night.

Missing the security team recruitment and failing to grasp those rules promptly might put nocturnal players in a very passive situation.

The security uniforms on the trio and the requirement to keep their flashlights on might provide some protection to the players to a certain extent.

Overall,

Qin Fei's decision to ask Lin Ye and the others not to return to the activity center but to hurry to the security booth while no one else was around seemed highly effective so far.

With three uniformed individuals standing by his side, Qin Fei now felt a sense of security permeating the air around him.

"Let's go."

Qin Fei remarked.

The trio started their patrol from Building 1 next to the community entrance, following the building numbers in sequence.

The powerful flashlight beam sliced through the thick, solid darkness as if parting a seam in the night.

...

Not long after Qin Fei's group left, another team of players hurriedly arrived on the scene.

That was the team led by Xue Qijing.

Cui Ran was unwell and was currently resting in the activity center, planning to meet up with them again in two hours depending on her condition.

As such, the players from Cui Ran's team temporarily joined Xue Qijing's.

Song Tian was rather worried about Cui Ran's condition. As they walked, he asked the player beside him, "Is Sister Ran alright?"

The male player beside him brushed it off casually. "Oh, she's fine. She didn't get hurt or anything."

Observing the suddenly pale face and trembling voice of Cui Ran before his departure, one could guess that she was experiencing menstruation with severe abdominal pain, forcing her to stay in the activity center for rest.

The male player clicked his tongue, still feeling the aftershocks of fear. Being a woman truly seemed tough.

Song Tian nodded, secretly casting a discreet glance at Xue Jiqing's back.

Just as the twin-tailed girl had suspicions about Cui Ran not being an upright person, Song Tian also held a faint reservation about Xue Jiqing deep down.

It wasn't that he disliked Xue Jiqing.

For some inexplicable reason, after seeing Xue Jiqing's constant cheerful smile, Song Tian couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something dangerous about him.

As if there was a hidden secret lurking behind his mask of a monk's benign grin, silently growing and waiting for the perfect moment to burst forth.

The group hurried to the activity center, anxious that others might snatch the patrol team spots first.

However, despite their efforts, they still failed to secure a place on the patrol team when they finally arrived.

"What? The team is full?"

Xue Qimai received slightly better treatment at the security booth than Qin Fei did.

When he knocked, the elderly security guard opened the window to chat with him for a moment before returning to his sleep.

Watching the security booth window slam shut in front of him, Xue Qimai felt a headache coming on.

There were six open positions for night patrol in the community, and three of them had already been claimed by a trio of players during the day.

It was this same trio who had suggested that Xue Qimai apply for the security job.

Initially, Xue Qimai had viewed the security position merely as a source of income, assuming it was an insignificant temporary job like others within the community.

However, it wasn't until the trio pointed out its importance that he realized its true value.

Unfortunately, he had missed his chance.

The three players, now clad in security uniforms, exchanged glances.

One of them stepped forward and said:

"Teacher Xue, actually, there's no need to worry. As long as you stay with us at night, everything will be fine."

They had already tested it out and found that the security guard uniforms and flashlights were effective in repelling ghosts.

Other players who accompanied them would also benefit from the protection of these items.

And the three of them certainly wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

If they truly encountered any dangerous NPCs, their status as security guards would prompt other players to protect them.

Xue Jiqing sighed.

There was no other choice.

In the meantime, on the second floor of the Activity Center.

Six players who remained in the center were lying in bed, tossing and turning like pancakes.

Although it was pitch black outside, it was still early, and none of them could fall asleep.

Tang Peng lay on his bed, his head resting on his interlocked hands, lost in thought as he stared at the ceiling.

He was the player who had just engaged in a heated debate with the crowd in the activity hall earlier.

In reality, his current state of mind was far from the calm demeanor he had displayed previously.

He was absolutely terrified.

The floating light screen above his head seemed to follow him everywhere, always within sight even when they were indoors.

Six tiny, deep red dots were clustered together.

Tang Peng couldn't shake off the feeling that the entire activity center was like a fragrant cake, tempting the ghosts lurking in the darkness of the community to emerge and devour them whole.

Could the activity center truly guarantee their safety?

Tang Peng's heart was in turmoil.

He resolved to remain vigilant throughout the night.

Even if he felt sleepy and wanted to sleep, he would have to keep one eye open while closing the other, taking turns for both eyes to be on guard.

He had to do this!

Tang Peng gritted his teeth and pinched himself fiercely.

Otherwise, he was truly afraid that by the break of dawn, he would become a cold corpse.

Just as Tang Peng was incredibly restless,

A soft and timid voice sounded from the corner of the room.

"I...I really need to use the restroom. Is there anyone who wants to come with me?"

The person spoke cautiously.