CH 62

Great Demon King 21

An overly obsessive love can instill fear in people, unless it is mutual.

After circling around, Xin Lan has only one question:

Where is the path to the rooftop?

According to the rules of the game, after passing the third level, only one person can reach the rooftop.

However, on this level, there are no stairs at all, and it seems impossible to go up from the surface.

Xin Lan contemplated without uttering a word, and Ren Difei remained silent as well.

Qi Haolin, lying on the ground, was in a state of unconsciousness, with his brows furrowed.

“Watch over him.”

Xin Lan said to Ren Difei before heading into the bedroom on this level.

The photos were densely posted on the wall, especially on the one opposite the master bed, where a pile of frontal shots could be seen. If one were to sit on the bed, it would appear as if numerous identical-looking men were smiling back at them.

Xin Lan asked Zero Nine to initiate a scan and found a box under the cabinet.

Compared to everything else in this level, the box could be considered the most ordinary decoration. It was just an ordinary tin box with no decorations or photos on it.

It’s worth noting that even the spice containers in the kitchen and the toothbrushes in the bathroom had photos pasted on them, so a box without anything stuck on it was truly pleasing to the eye.

Xin Lan opened the box, and inside, there was a small notebook.

Logically, this could be an important clue.

This notebook seems to have some age to it, with its pages slightly yellowed.

On the title page, there are a few lines of elegant and graceful handwriting.

—–The hooves of my horse are beautiful mistakes.

—–I am not a wanderer; I am a passerby.

Zero Nine: This is a modern poem from this world, “Mistake” by Zheng Chouyu.

Xin Lan: What’s the rest of the poem?

Zero Nine: I walked through Jiangnan by the river.

Waiting in the seasons, your countenance is like the opening and falling of lotus flowers.

The east wind does not come; in March, willow catkins do not fly.

Your heart is like a tiny, lonely city,

Just like the late evening on a bluestone street,

No sound of footsteps, the spring curtain of March remains closed.

Your heart is a small, tightly shut door and window.

The hooves of my horse are beautiful mistakes.

I am not a settler; I am a passerby.

Xin Lan raised an eyebrow, pondered for a moment, and then began flipping through the pages.

The notebook didn’t contain much content; only a few pages at the beginning were filled with words.

“This idea has been swirling in my mind countless times, and I don’t know if I have the courage to fulfill it because it’s insane.”

“I got what I wanted; it brings both happiness and pain. In her eyes, I see joy and hatred.”

“I heard that her secrets are hidden on the rooftop.”

“I will eventually pay the price for my madness, and so will she.”

“I am not a settler; I’m just a passerby. This is a mistake, a mistake from beginning to end.”

Xin Lan’s gaze lingered on the page with the mention of the rooftop; undoubtedly, this was a matter of emotions, and the mentioned “she” should be the owner of the house.

She closed the notebook and, looking around at the room filled with photos, felt a slight discomfort in her eyes.

However, her main reason for entering this room wasn’t primarily to search for these items; otherwise, there would be no need to avoid Ren Difei.

She looked at Yu Wan Yan, and Yu Wan Yan tilted her head, meeting her gaze.

“Do you want to leave here?”

“Why do you ask like that?”

Yu Wan Yan neither confirmed nor denied it.

“I don’t have any plans to leave, or rather, I don’t have any plans to live. This opportunity was given to me, but it’s wasted. However, I still have control over my fate, and I believe you should understand what I mean.”

Xin Lan gazed at Yu Wan Yan. This place was not her home, but it was for others.

Between Ren Difei and Yu Wan Yan, Xin Lan had to choose one, and in this situation, she would choose Yu Wan Yan.

After all, Yu Wan Yan had helped her, both with the violin and with herself.

Yu Wan Yan didn’t ask why; she furrowed her brows slightly and began to contemplate.

Since the beginning of the game, Yu Wan Yan had been following Xin Lan closely, knowing everything Xin Lan said and did, including the conversation between Xin Lan and Qi Haolin earlier.

Qi Haolin had been insisting that the Xin Lan in front of them was not the original one, but Yu Wan Yan didn’t delve into it. It didn’t matter to her if it was the same person or not because she didn’t know the original one; she only recognized this version of Xin Lan.

Now, Xin Lan was telling her that she didn’t plan on living anymore.

Yu Wan Yan didn’t feel surprised or absurd. She could tell that Xin Lan didn’t have suicidal intentions; she might just want to leave, to depart from this physical body.

Where she would go, Yu Wan Yan didn’t know.

It was as if she was genuinely participating in the game, and when it was nearly reaching the end, or what she considered to be the end, she would leave happily.

“Why?”

Yu Wan Yan still asked.

“No reason.”

“If I want to leave, would you choose me?”

“Of course.”

Xin Lan wasn’t a philanthropist, but as long as the other party cooperated and, if possible, she could help, she had no problem extending her assistance. That’s why she brought Ren Difei out when she reached the second level.

She didn’t necessarily need this opportunity for herself; she could give it to Ren Difei, provided that Yu Wan Yan chose not to leave.

Considering the importance of each person’s situation, Xin Lan naturally had to weigh her decision carefully.

Upon hearing Xin Lan’s words, Yu Wan Yan felt somewhat pleased.

This showed that she held some position in Xin Lan’s heart, even if it was just a little bit.

She curved her lips into a smile and gave her answer to Xin Lan.

“Alright.”

Xin Lan nodded, acknowledging that she understood.

“What do we need to do in this level? Are we supposed to find the way out?”

“More or less, but the process might be a bit complicated. The danger level isn’t too high,” Yu Wan Yan paused, “I can also directly open a passage for you if you prefer.”

“Isn’t that against the rules?”

Xin Lan raised an eyebrow.

“It is, but it doesn’t matter.”

Yu Wan Yan shrugged, and her long hair swayed with her movement.

“Rules are meant to be broken, right? At worst, we’ll just disappear as a punishment.”

Xin Lan didn’t hesitate for too long and nodded.

The house and the tin box both seemed to be indicating that they held secrets.

Xin Lan didn’t mind whether they solved the mysteries or not, but she thought about Ren Difei for a moment.

Ren Difei had gone without eating or drinking for almost a day now, and Yu Wan Yan mentioned that this level might be a bit complicated, which implied that the timeline could be stretched.

Xin Lan had already anticipated that the final level might take more time, or else the second level wouldn’t have pressured them to collect everything within a day.

Yu Wan Yan walked in front of Xin Lan, and her figure emitted a faint glow.

After she walked out, Xin Lan felt the ground beneath her feet shaking. After about half a minute, the shaking stopped.

“Yu Wan Yan, are you crazy?”

Zhen Zhen couldn’t understand what Yu Wan Yan was doing. She watched as Yu Wan Yan chose someone to leave, leaving the other two completely defenseless, and then Yu Wan Yan opened the passage herself.

This was a violation of the rules and could lead to being eradicated.

Yu Wan Yan didn’t explain; she simply looked in the direction Xin Lan pointed.

Xin Lan mouthed a word of thanks to her, and Yu Wan Yan smiled and shook her head.

Ren Difei couldn’t see Yu Wan Yan and Zhen Zhen, feeling puzzled by the recent shaking.

“Could it be an earthquake?”

Ren Difei asked, but Xin Lan didn’t answer. Instead, she went to the unconscious Qi Haolin.

She bent down and gently patted Qi Haolin’s face, but seeing no sign of him waking up, she increased the force of her touch.

Qi Haolin opened his eyes, looking somewhat dazed at first.

But then his gaze became clearer, and he stared at Xin Lan with growing hatred.

“I’ve found the way out. Do you want to leave?”

Xin Lan asked, lowering her head and inquiring with a somewhat pleased mood.

Qi Haolin was momentarily stunned and looked at Xin Lan with suspicion, not knowing what game she was playing.

Xin Lan initially planned to pretend and put on an act, but seeing Qi Haolin’s expression, she lost some interest in it.

Dragging Qi Haolin along, Xin Lan arrived at the stairs leading to the rooftop.

She pulled him step by step, causing him pain that made him even more awake.

At the top, instead of a door, there was a circular light emitting a ray of hopeful radiance.

Xin Lan released her grip and removed the cloth stuffed in Qi Haolin’s mouth.

“Do you see it? As long as you climb one more step, you can get out from here. Not only can you stay alive, but you can also get one billion.”

Xin Lan said with a smile, observing the skeptical expression on Qi Haolin’s face.

Qi Haolin hesitated, unsure of Xin Lan’s intentions.

Xin Lan couldn’t possibly give up this opportunity, but she also knew that he wouldn’t be satisfied with doing nothing.

That’s a whole billion!

He could stay alive and become immensely wealthy!

“What do you really want?”

Qi Haolin’s voice sounded hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against each other, but his fingers were quietly moving.

“Just giving you a chance. Within one minute, if you can climb up, you win. If you can’t, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Although Qi Haolin found it strange, the opportunity was right in front of him, and not seizing it would be foolish.

He mustered his strength, despite his body being covered in injuries. His hands were weak and lacked strength, and his legs throbbed with pain, but he couldn’t give up.

Qi Haolin gritted his teeth, using his bloody and mangled leg to brace against the stairs, struggling to move upward.

Only one more step, and he would be free!

The human potential is boundless, and Qi Haolin gradually struggled upward. He was so close to reaching it when suddenly he felt a pulling force, and he was yanked backward.

“You!”

Qi Haolin glared at Xin Lan, his expression fierce, his eyes bloodshot with excitement. He was about to succeed; he was almost there!

“One minute is up.”

Xin Lan said, smiling like a demon.

Her appearance had a touch of wickedness. Normally, with her cold expression, she could be quite intimidating, but when she smiled like this, it exuded a sinister aura.

Whether it was one minute or not didn’t matter; after all, Xin Lan had the final say.

“But I can give you one more chance, considering how ‘kind’ you were to me before.”

Xin Lan said, her smile filled with a profound meaning. Qi Haolin didn’t want to waste even a second and immediately resumed climbing upward.

But just when he was almost there, he was yanked back down again.

Qi Haolin was on the verge of collapse and cursed fiercely at Xin Lan.

He cursed with vulgar and offensive words, but Xin Lan was not angered.

To her, it was merely the ranting of a mad dog – annoying, but it didn’t matter.

The more frenzied and agonized Qi Haolin became, the more hysterical he acted, the happier Xin Lan felt.

“Is it painful? Are you in despair?”

Xin Lan asked, smiling.

It was time to repay the pain and despair inflicted on others.

The best outcome would be to die in this state of unwillingness and powerlessness, maximizing the suffering.

Qi Haolin gasped for breath, his heart filled with boundless hatred. He knew that this woman wouldn’t let him off so easily; she was determined to torment him!

“Is this what you wanted?”

Qi Haolin’s voice was hoarse, feeling humiliated as he sensed the mockery in Xin Lan’s eyes.

“Just a little bit more to go.”

“Can we make Miss Green Hat eat him now, or should we wait until after he dies?”

Xin Lan looked at Yu Wan Yan and inquired.

“Right now is fine.”

Although knowing that Xin Lan couldn’t see her, Zhen Zhen still sounded very cheerful.