Chapter 82: The Werewolf Community 19

Chapter 82: The Werewolf Community 19

Qin Fei didn't immediately expose the person hiding behind him but instead took a step forward and slammed the door shut with great force.

"Bang!"

The door panel hit the frame with a resounding thud.

Soft footsteps echoed in the corridor outside. Qin Fei stood before the closed door and suddenly spoke out loudly:

"Mom and Dad, I met a thief in the community last night."

As his words faded, the two usually stony-faced NPCs across from him couldn't help but show perplexed expressions.

Wang Mingming's father: "How could there be a thief in our neighborhood, son?"

Wang Mingming's mother: "Are you hurt, son?"

Wang Mingming's father: "I'll report this to the property management today, son."

Mrs. Wang Mingming: "Come have breakfast now, we can talk after. Son."

Qin Fei smiled and nodded. "Sure."

The thief outside the door seemed to pause upon hearing this conversation.

Perhaps the mention of 'reporting to the property management' and the harmonious relationship between Wang Mingming and his parents might temporarily deter the intruder.

Qin Fei blinked, then briskly made his way towards the dining room.

The breakfast that Wang Mingming's parents had prepared was purchased from a local community store. Judging from the print on the plastic bag, they had bought it from Chenchen's Breakfast Stall.

Qin Fei: "..."

Recalling how Lin Ye had described the deep-fried human skulls and pancake rolls with fingers yesterday, Qin Fei's tongue tingled just at the thought.

Unaware of their son's internal turmoil, his dear parents said, "Hurry up and eat, son."

"Eat it before it gets cold, son."

Under his parents' persistent urging, Qin Fei had no choice but to pick up the pancake and take a bite with his eyes closed.

Thankfully, it was still tolerable.

Fingers were precious possessions that not just anyone could have the privilege of experiencing.

Qin Fei finished the entire pancake smoothly without any unexpected surprises.

The Wang family was usually quiet during meals, and the dining room was filled only with the sound of the three of them chewing.

And then...

Thud.

Thud thud.

A series of muffled knocks echoed from the ceiling.

Qin Fei lifted his eyelids, subtly glancing at the ceiling without revealing any emotion.

It seemed that while he wasn't home last night, his parents had ventured out to acquire some "merchandise."

Wang Mingming's parents were peeling eggs and drinking soy milk, seemingly oblivious to the odd sound.

But Qin Fei had no intention of continuing to feign ignorance.

"By the way, Mom and Dad," Qin Fei brushed off the last crumbs on his fingertips with his tongue before lifting his gaze.

The second floor was a sensitive topic. It might not be appropriate to address it too bluntly, so Qin Fei decided to start with gentler questions.

With a hint of amusement in his eyes, the young man in a school uniform asked, "When I came back just now, I noticed our front door was red."

"Why is it red when everyone else's doors are black?"

Qin Fei's question was straightforward. Ever since all the mirrors in the house had shattered into trash and been removed, he could practically walk around this place with impunity.

The overflowing approval meters above the two NPCs were his greatest asset for any mischievous endeavors.

The two NPCs on the opposite side froze for a moment, exchanging glances.

"That was painted by you when you were little, son," said Wang Mingming's father, his lips curving into a slightly stiff yet loving smile.

"And our house number. It was supposed to be 404, but you changed it to 444."

Wang Mingming's mother chuckled along.

"You did that with the leftover paint and crayons from your school projects when you were young."

"Son, you were quite a mischievous child back then!" both parents chorused.

Qin Fei, The Little Troublemaker: "...."

Boys could indeed be mischievous in an earthly way, but there was no need to involve the underworld.

To be so frighteningly mischievous, he truly was their biological son.

However, Qin Fei's expression was somewhat peculiar.

Was it really as simple as that?

Behind the eye-catching clues at Wang Mingming's front door, was the so-called truth truly this straightforward?

If it was indeed true, as the two NPCs claimed, that the origin of the Wang family's door and its house number was simply due to Wang Mingming's momentary carelessness, then undoubtedly, it was a worthless clue.

Both Qin Fei himself and the viewers in the live stream were somewhat skeptical about the NPCs' answer.

Despite this, there seemed to be no way to verify its authenticity.

Qin Fei fell silent, focusing on finishing his breakfast earnestly.

Just as the spectators beyond the screen assumed that the streamer would remain silent, Qin Fei suddenly spoke up once more.

There was another rattle overhead, and Qin Fei looked up before saying,

"I have another question, Mom and Dad. What's stored on the second floor of our house?"

The previously harmonious atmosphere in the dining room instantly froze.

Mom and Dad sat there like statues, neither of them uttering a word.

Qin Fei, who was usually adept at reading people's expressions, found himself utterly perplexed by the situation this time. "When can I go upstairs to take a look, Mom and Dad?"

With this question from Qin Fei, an uproar of surprise erupted in the live streaming hall.

"Why did the streamer suddenly ask this?"

The chat flooded with discussions.

"His parents' faces just turned so grim all of a sudden."

"Surprising, even if you have to ask, be a bit more tactful, right? ... Aren't the rules clear that players aren't supposed to casually probe into the second floor?"

"Are you guys being too cautious? From what I see, although the streamer pulls off some tricky moves, he doesn't seem like an airhead."

"Perhaps he's already found something and believes this rule isn't a fatal one."

Qin Fei casually opened the live chat, then closed it, calmly sipping his soy milk as if he couldn't relate to the audience's concerns at all.

Yes, the viewers were right. The rules stated that good kids shouldn't go to the second floor.

But.

Whether one was a good kid or not was never decided by the rules.

It was up to the child's parents to judge.

If Mom and Dad gave their consent, even if Qin Fei really set foot on the second floor, he would still be a good kid.

Qin Fei prompted with a grin, "When will Mom and Dad take me to see the second floor?"

Mrs. Wang fell into a long silence before she finally replied, dazedly,

"Our dear child, you can't go up to the second floor just yet."

Qin Fei raised an eyebrow.

But what if he insisted on going?

The affection bar above the heads of Wang Mingming's parents remained unchanged, unaffected by his bold inquiry.

This indicated that his request didn't touch upon their bottom line.

Qin Fei lowered his gaze and softly repeated, "But I really want to go."

Unfortunately, no matter how much Qin Fei pleaded, he received the same response.

"Good children don't go to the second floor."

The spectators, witnessing this, were actually relieved.

"It was just a statement, no physical harm was inflicted. It seems this isn't truly a law of death."

"Why is the host still asking nonstop?"

"Does he think his life is too long?"

No one would ever complain about having too long a life.

Qin Fei had merely found a tiny, vulnerable point in the answers given by his parents – something worth exploring further.

That was all there was to it.

Despite it being high summer and broad daylight outside, Wang Mingming's house was shrouded in darkness with all the curtains drawn. The only light came from a dim bulb hanging above the dining table.

The young man sat relaxed on one side of the table, with the overhead light casting a flickering glow on half of his face. He lifted his gaze, meeting the eyes of the two people across from him. The warm, yellow halo in his clear pupils lent him an extraordinary softness and gentleness:

"Yet, Mom and Dad, my birthday is the day after tomorrow."

"After I turn 16, I'll be an adult."

Qin Fei spoke calmly and methodically.

This was his second prepared approach to convince his parents, should emotional appeals fail.

If appealing to sentiment didn't work,

then he would appeal to reason.

Rules were meant to restrain good children.

But what if he wasn't a child anymore?

Qin Fei had discovered Wang Mingming's birthday from a family photo album in Wang Mingming's room.

The Wang parents placed great importance on Wang Mingming's birthday, celebrating it annually with individual ceremonies and taking photographs to commemorate the occasion.

Upon hearing their son's words, the two NPCs were once again taken aback.

In the single day that Qin Fei had pretended to be their son, he had conversed with them more than Wang Mingming, the real one, and all the other fake Wang Mingmings combined, over the course of an entire year.

So much so that it overwhelmed their comprehension.

Wang Mingming's mother tilted her head, pondered for a moment, then replied,

"One becomes an adult at eighteen."

"When our dear son turns 18 on his birthday, Mom and Dad will take you upstairs then."

Certainly not by the time he turns 18.

Qin Fei only had fourteen days left in this instance. There was no way he could magically age from 16 to 18 within such a short span.

With a contemplative look on his face, Qin Fei's long eyelashes drooped, casting a shadow on his pale cheeks that made him appear somewhat aggrieved.

"Is the host admitting defeat?"

The audience in the live broadcast hall whispered among themselves.

To be honest, the streamer's pouting appearance... is genuinely adorable!

If time permitted, they would have loved to open another betting pool just for this incident.

Betting on whether the streamer can convince his NPC parents to take him upstairs today.

However, a portion of the readers soon felt a sense of disappointment.

Qin Fei didn't back down.

"Sixteen is considered an adult."

"Individuals who have reached the age of 16 are held criminally liable for their actions."

With his eyes lowered, Qin Fei sat by the table, remaining silent for less than a minute before suddenly uttering these words.

Perhaps it was because the members of this family were all too prone to criminal activities; the notion that "one must bear legal consequences for their crimes" actually carried some weight with the couple sitting at the dinner table.

Mr. and Mrs. Wang's expressions visibly softened.

Mr. Wang said, "Honey, I think our son has a point."

Mrs. Wang agreed, "He does have a point."

In unison, they said, "Then we'll do as you suggest, dear son!"

The audience: ??? Are you all alright??

Viewer 1: "Wait, what? This actually works?"

Viewer 2: "Where did the streamer learn how to persuade NPCs like that? Can you teach me too, damn it!"

Viewer 3: "Even if you gave me your eloquence, I don't think I could pull this off. I believe the key to success here is my wife's irresistible charm."

Viewer 4: "The streamer is truly daring and meticulous. It's the first time I've seen someone exploit their in-game status to alter the rules!"

Viewer 5: "I dub Xiao Qin the master of exploiting loopholes."

...

"Thank you, Mom and Dad."

Student Wang Mingming, his wish fulfilled, stood up contentedly.

He flashed a fake yet obedient smile at his pretended parents, his charming lips curving up like a self-satisfied fox.

He still had to work at the liver stew restaurant, so he didn't linger long at home. After finishing his meal, he pushed the door open and left.

The blood-red Door 444 closed slowly behind Qin Fei. Qin Fei took two steps but didn't proceed further.

Instead, he stood in the hallway, gazing emptily ahead, "Come out."

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

A figure emerged from behind the potted plants at the corner.

Qin Fei observed silently.

It was Mi Yang.

He had actually waited here for over half an hour.

Qin Fei sincerely praised, "As expected of a thief, you have great patience in scouting."

Mi Yang: "???" "Do you want to fight?"

Who was he calling a thief? !

Qin Fei blinked innocently, looking like a naive and innocent lotus flower, "What are you doing crouching outside my door?"

Mi Yang didn't immediately respond. Instead, he folded his arms and looked down at Qin Fei from head to toe.

Since there was no one else around, Mi Yang transformed back into his original appearance.

The black-haired youth had sharp features, and the lighting here was better than in Ghost Building No.14. Qin Fei looked up to find a delicate, tiny stud piercing at the edge of Mi Yang's eyebrow. If one didn't observe carefully, they might mistake it for a mole.

As an A-grade player who had forcefully carved his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, Mihyang exuded an aura distinctly different from that of rookie players.

Like a butterfly, even from a great distance, one can sense a subtle yet ominous aura of tension.

When he looked at others with his cold gaze, he exuded a formidable presence. However, Qin Fei was like an insensitive block of wood, standing there unperturbed under his scrutiny, not even altering his expression by the slightest bit.

Mi Yang's brows knitted tighter and tighter.

In Mi Yang's eyes, Qin Fei was a player with decent luck and a knack for unconventional strategies.

But that was about it.

The reason they both managed to escape unscathed from the Ghost Tower last night was primarily due to the phone call Qin Fei made.

Ultimately, it was Mi Yang who had done the lion's share of the work.

Qin Fei didn't seem to possess much capability in protecting himself.

Thanks to Mi Yang's amiable nature and non-confrontational attitude, he wasn't the type to nitpick or hold grudges.

If Qin Fei had encountered a narrow-minded high-level player, he might have been slashed down the moment he left the mission scenario.

That was what Mi Yang assumed.

Therefore, he didn't place much importance on Qin Fei.

He even doubted that Qin Fei had noticed the obvious abnormalities in Wang Mingming's home.

"Princess, take a look at the color of your front gate," Mi Yang said nonchalantly, lifting his chin.

"And your house number."

"Your place is distinct from all the other households in this building. The system wouldn't randomly assign a player to an insignificant NPC like Wang Mingming. There must be something off about his residence."

Mi Yang shared his observations generously, even with a hint of self-satisfaction.

Generally speaking, guide NPCs within instances are typically extracted from the main storyline.

Like the guide in Shadow Village, and the white nun in the Sacred Infant Orphanage.

They all have little relevance to the core plot of the instance dungeons.

Players were accustomed to such dynamics, so before they discovered that Qin Fei was actually an impostor NPC, no one would give him much thought.

But this secret might not be able to remain concealed forever.

Once they discovered that Wang Mingming was not the guiding NPC, many would undoubtedly swarm him, attempting to extract clues inaccessible to travelers from his knowledge.

Miyang's current plan was to persuade Qin Fei to collaborate with him, both inside and outside, to seize the initiative and uncover the hidden secrets of the Wang family before anyone else could react.

Miyang spoke at length, his voice growing parched with the effort.

Upon finishing his speech, he lifted his gaze only to see the young man across from him as calm as still water, his eyes as tranquil as an ancient well, showing no sign of being affected in the slightest.

Miyang was taken aback.

"I'm aware of everything you've mentioned."

The young man narrowed his eyes slightly, and his delicate features seemed to waver under the dim corridor lights, appearing almost like a different person from the one Mianyang had seen last night in Ghost Tower 14 — the one who had persistently pretended to be pitiful, lurking behind the high-level players.

"Although I know you won't heed my advice, I still need to say this."

"There's no need to invest too much effort here."

Qin Fei wore a nonchalant expression.

"All those things you've found are merely illusions created by the system, fake information disseminated on purpose."

If it were any other player standing before him, Qin Fei wouldn't have bothered to speak up.

But it was Mianyang.

After all, he had just exploited the young man the previous night.

Looking at the black-haired youth with sincerity, Qin Fei continued.

Despite the oddity of Wang Mingming's parents, Qin Fei had observed over the past two days that they indeed seemed more human than ghosts.

Though the atmosphere at Wang Mingming's home was gloomy, it was brimming with the vitality of daily life.

Qin Fei had never encountered ghosts like the Wang couple, who could eat and excrete, and even idly watch the static on television screens.

Many people had died in the Wang residence, but all of them were victims of murder and dismemberment by Wang Mingming's parents themselves, who later destroyed any evidence of their crimes.

This was different from the ghost caught in the kindergarten.

Teacher An'an in the kindergarten appeared to have been bewitched by some strange influence, leading her to burn all the students in her class alive.

There was undoubtedly a secret hidden on the second floor of Wang Mingming's house, just like how the secret was like a carrot dangling before a donkey's nose, the color of the front door and the house number serving as an enticing lure.

It tempted players to expend great effort in exploration, only to receive an answer that was both laughable and absurd.

"Oh? Then be more specific," Mianyang clearly didn't believe Qin Fei.

Saying those two sentences just now had already been a rare display of conscience for Qin Fei. He wasn't someone who had nothing better to do after a full meal, hence he had no interest in elaborating on the answer for Mianyang, an adversary whose intentions were yet to be determined.

And everything he said was ultimately just his own speculation.

Including what Wang Mingming's parents had told him; after listening to it all, Mi Yang could simply retort with, "How do you know they're telling the truth?", which would be enough to nullify the entire account.

In fact, Qin Fei himself was also clueless about the real issues within Wang Mingming's family.

For instance, why did the parents commit murder, and how did these two people become so strangely altered?

But there was no way he could divulge such information to Mi Yang.

Only a fool would reveal their trump cards during negotiations.

Sometimes, mystifying the situation was the most intimidating tactic.

Qin Fei gave Mi Yang a cold glance, then his expression softened as he smiled. His clear amber eyes seemed to radiate sincerity and warmth like sunshine, as if the previous chilly gaze was just an illusion created by the person in front of him:

"If you truly believe there's something amiss with the Wang family, feel free to go in and investigate for yourself. I won't stop you."

There was no way Mi Yang could gain any advantage under the watch of his dear, murderous parents.

The two occupants inside were psychopathic killers who could turn their home into a bloodbath at any moment.

If Mi Yang insisted on entering Room 444, whether he would leave horizontally after entering vertically was beyond Qin Fei's ability to assist.

With a teasing smile on his lips, Xiao Qin entered the elevator with a light and joyful stride, leaving Mi Yang's appetite thoroughly whetted.

After Qin Fei's figure disappeared from sight, Mi Yang displayed an unusually conflicted expression.

The black-haired young man crouched in the corridor for another ten minutes.

Finally, he finished his inner struggle.

Still wearing a face wrinkled like an old man's, Mi Yang approached and knocked on Wang Mingming's door.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

A hoarse, aged voice echoed in the hallway, "I'm a traveler seeking temporary shelter in the community. I've gotten lost in the building."

Faced with the two rather horrifying faces behind the door, Mi Yang cleared his throat and came up with a rather absurd excuse: "Can you guys take me out?"

...

As Qin Fei had anticipated, Mi Yang didn't gain anything good from Wang Mingming's house.

But Qin Fei had already left, walking all the way to the bustling commercial street, completely uninterested in the drama that was unfolding behind him.

Just like yesterday, the street was already packed with people at this time.

An hour and a half earlier, Lin Ye and his companions had already been wandering around the commercial street. During the time Qin Fei was having breakfast at home, they had completed a ghost hunting mission together.

Before Qin Fei showed himself at the fried liver restaurant, he met up with Lin Ye and the others to exchange information.

"We ate at the mutton noodle shop across from the breakfast stall."

Lin Ye and Qin Fei hid behind a large garbage bin while San Tu Ghost Fire kept watch for them.

"To our surprise, there was actually a player in that noodle shop."

This player wasn't part of the Travelers' team, and Lin Ye had never seen him before.

It was a low-ranking player who only dared to venture out after hiding in the mutton noodle shop for most of the day, only to find out that all the other players had become Travelers. Instead of feeling delighted, he was terrified out of his wits.

"He's just an E-class player, hoping to sneak through unnoticed."

If his unique status were exposed to the other players, he would undoubtedly become the target of everyone's aggression within the instance dungeon.

What if he accidentally played himself to death?

The player was unaware that there were others like him who had also obtained Resident status, believing himself to be a crucial hidden clue within the dungeon.

Therefore, he dared not leave the noodle shop, staying cooped up inside for the whole day and even sleeping there last night.

"Today, when we entered the noodle shop, his expression was so odd that Sis Sanlu pulled him aside for a private chat outside."

There was no secret that couldn't be extracted with a good whipping.

And if one round of interrogation wasn't enough, then two rounds would do the trick.

Not even a single lash was necessary; the player saw San Tu draw out his whip and immediately prostrated himself on the spot.

"He said that the owner of the mutton noodle shop looked suspicious, but in reality, he wasn't a ghost."

Just as Lin Ye was about to continue, Qin Fei suddenly held him back.

"Shh." Qin Fei gestured to Lin Ye and stood up.

What's wrong?

Following Qin Fei's gaze, Lin Ye looked into the distance and noticed an elderly woman riding a tricycle approaching from the other end of the street.

It was a tricycle used for transporting trash cans, with two full bins latched onto its back, ready to be replaced at the waste collection station.

Qin Fei narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on the bins.

"Look there," he whispered softly.

"Does the white spray paint pattern on that barrel seem somewhat familiar?"