Chapter 422: The Little Mute Trapped in the Dungeon is Kept as a Pet (9)

Chapter 422: The Little Mute Trapped in the Dungeon is Being Cared For (9)

Si Song's Adam's apple moved as he swallowed, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Xiao Achu, be a good girl and sleep. I'll keep watch over you."

Song Chuyi lay on the bed, shaking his head gently in refusal.

Si Song gently patted his head, "What's wrong? Still not sleepy?"

Song Chuyi took Si Song's hand and wrote 'Can't sleep' in his palm.

"Can't sleep?" Si Song paused for a moment. "No wonder Xiao Achu left the room. Did you want to explore?"

A shadow of intrigue flickered in his eyes. "Well then, how about we go exploring?"

Song Chuyi's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Both were quick to act. They quickly left the room together.

The corridor was eerily silent, save for the soft echo of their footsteps. And then there was Si Song's voice, breaking the silence.

"The register ran off? How dull. I was hoping to have some fun with it."

"Why isn't anyone telling us to go back to bed now?"

"Maybe if two people come out together, they won't be sent back?"

Si Song muttered under his breath beside him, but Song Chuyi's attention was focused on the first floor.

He seemed to hear something.

Song Chuyi nudged Si Song's shoulder and gestured toward the stairs.

"Want to check downstairs? Alright, let's see what's down there."

Si Song led Song Chuyi downstairs.

The sound that had caught Song Chuyi's attention grew clearer as they descended.

It was the sound of crying.

The crying seemed to be coming from room 122.

Song Chuyi glanced at Si Song, who appeared calm, as though he hadn't heard a thing.

Was it possible that the other players couldn't hear the crying from room 122?

Song Chuyi pointed toward room 122 and mimed crying.

Si Song's brows knitted together in confusion. "Are you trying to say Shang Ning is crying?"

Song Chuyi nodded hesitantly, then shook his head as if to correct himself.

Si Song immediately understood what he meant.

"I'm not sure if it's Shang Ning, but there's crying coming from room 122."

Song Chuyi's eyes lit up, and he gave Si Song an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Even though Si Song talks a lot, his ability to grasp things is remarkable.

No wonder he's one of the top players in the game.

Si Song tugged Song Chuyi toward the door of room 122. He pressed his ear against the door, straining to listen, but heard nothing.

"I don't hear anything."

"Xiao Achu, listen again—carefully this time."

Song Chuyi pressed his ear against the door too, listening intently. The crying grew louder, more desperate.

And it sounded like Shang Ning's voice was mixed in with the crying.

He nodded at Si Song.

"Is the crying still there? Can you tell if it's Shang Ning or someone else?"

Song Chuyi nodded again, took Si Song's hand, and carefully wrote two words on his palm: "Shang Ning."

"Are you absolutely sure it's Shang Ning crying?"

Song Chuyi nodded once more.

Si Song thought aloud, "Is Shang Ning crying like this because of a breakup?"

Song Chuyi pressed his ear against the door once more, listening intently. Shang Ning's heartbroken sobs echoed from inside.

"Why, why, why," he sobbed, his voice breaking with despair.

His voice was heartbroken, filled with despair, as if he had hit rock bottom.

It seemed Shang Ning had truly loved the person who broke his heart, which explained why he was crying so bitterly in the middle of the night.

In this scenario, the only NPCs were him and Shang Ning.

If the obsession didn't come from him, then it had to be Shang Ning's.

Could it be that Shang Ning, driven mad by heartbreak, set the entire apartment on fire?

If that were the case, then the host body had been dragged into this mess.

That would also explain why the register seemed to feel a bit of guilt toward him.

But Song Chuyi couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

There seemed to be a missing piece in this story.

He felt like he had overlooked something crucial.

Song Chuyi glanced at Si Song, who, for once, was silent and lost in thought.

The night passed quickly, uneventfully.

Early the next morning, Si Song prepared breakfast for Song Chuyi and then headed off to exchange information with Zhou Bosheng and the others.

Last night, Lou Lanyao was recovering from his injuries and did not obtain any information.

However, Zhou Bosheng uncovered a lot of information.

For instance, Shang Ning in room 122 is from Jiangnan, has a sweet tooth, cannot eat spicy food, has a gentle personality, and is well-liked by the neighbors.

For example, this "Heartbreak Dorm" was previously called "Fate Apartment," with a monthly rent of two hundred yuan. The rent is cheap, and the rooms are nice, so there have always been many tenants.

But the people who can live here are all men, and they are all jobless drifters, generally referred to by others as such.

Strangely, almost everyone who moves in finds a job within two months.

Then, those who find jobs are asked to leave, and a new batch of jobless drifters moves in.

The two longest-term residents are Shang Ning and Song Chuyi, a mute with social anxiety who has been unable to find a job.

Zhou Bosheng shared everything he had learned.

In other instances, they are opponents and do not have to cooperate, as the resources in the instances are scarce.

But in an SSS-class instance, they must cooperate.

After sharing the information, Zhou Bosheng turned to Si Song and asked, "What information did you get?"

Si Song toyed with a piece of candy and grinned, "Xiao Achu doesn't need to sleep."

The others weren’t surprised.

Being a spirit, it's normal not to sleep.

Nothing the NPCs do surprises them.

"What else?" Zhou Bosheng continued to ask.

Si Song grinned and added, "Although Xiao Achu is not picky, she likes spicy, sour, sweet, and bitter foods."

The other three: ...

He covered all the flavors—sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy. What’s left to dislike?

Zhou Bosheng sighed, "What else?"

Si Song paused to think, "Xiao Achu's face is really soft to the touch."

Zhou Bosheng: ...

"Si Song," he said sternly, lowering his voice, "We are here to beat this instance, not to hear you talk about how the NPC is."

Si Song's expression turned serious and he asked in return, "Don't you think it's strange?"

"Such a wonderful Xiao Achu, why was she born in this instance?"

"The instance exists because of obsessions, but Xiao Achu has no obsession."

"She is unbelievably pure."

The three: ...

Wu Xiong was the first to snap, shuddering.

"Stop talking, or I'll beat you up if you keep calling her 'little thing'."

He flexed the muscles on his arm.

Si Song tutted, "Xiao Achu wouldn't be so quick to throw punches like you."

Zhou Bosheng rubbed his temples.

"Alright, stop arguing."

"Si Song, I understand what you mean."

"Are you saying the key to clearing this instance isn't on Xiao Achu, but on Shang Ning?"

Bringing up Shang Ning, Si Song mentioned how Shang Ning had been crying in his room last night.

Zhou Bosheng pondered, "Looks like we need to have a chat with Shang Ning."

"Sure," Si Song added from the side, "You guys go talk to Shang Ning, I'll go find Xiao Achu."

Without waiting for a response, Si Song waved his hand and took off.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw Xiao Achu crouching by the door of room 122.

"Xiao Achu?"

He walked over and asked, curious.

"What are you doing crouching here?"

Xiao Achu tilted her head slightly, placing a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.

Si Song swallowed as he looked at the faintly pink finger.

So pink, I just want to kiss it.