Well, the big boss unsubscribed—wait, no, the big boss just bailed.
Ren Yi blinked with regret, the clown makeup on his face unable to hide the disappointment in his eyes.
What a shame. He's such a hands-off boss.
He had thought he could take the opportunity to milk some benefits, even if it was just a minor cheat, but he didn't even get a single scrap. What a stingy guy.
Complaining aside, he had at least received a piece of news that acted as a reassuring pill.
Zhang Qiuqiu's current situation was permitted within the rules and wasn't dangerous. That was enough.
That mysterious "File Transfer Assistant" was like a gust of wind—coming and going lightly without leaving a trace.
Leaving behind only a cold "handle it yourselves," he vanished completely, leaving the four of them in the group chat to miserably figure out their next move.
Ren Yi leaned against the wall of the safety pod, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the hem of his clothes as his mind raced.
Setting aside the fact that there were no prior hints, was it really reasonable for Zhang Qiuqiu's abilities to be sealed?
Thinking it over carefully, from the perspective of the game rules themselves, it was actually quite logical.
In similar games Ren Yi had played, characters on the "killer" side who possessed special abilities often faced strict limitations.
Either the ability could only be used once, or it could only take effect once, all to ensure the balance of the game.
For example, being able to directly kill someone upon death, or reflecting an ability used on oneself once, and so on.
Therefore, Zhang Qiuqiu's ability to "kill a member and swap bodies with them" was inherently game-breaking.
To maintain balance, limiting it to a single use was perfectly in line with the logic of such games.
It was simply too overpowered.
In the group chat, the previously rowdy atmosphere turned cold after the "File Transfer Assistant" left.
【Ah, he just left like that?】
Lu Zihan was the first to message, his tone full of regret and a hint of dissatisfaction.
【So stingy. Shouldn't he have helped out a bit? Like, directly telling us who the Locksmith is, or giving me a wall-hack or something?】
【I say...】 Zhang Qiuqiu sent a question mark, then added diplomatically, 【Speaking of which, Lu Zihan, aren't you being a bit too cheeky with that person?】
【Shouldn't we be... I don't know, trembling in fear? Or at least more polite?】
【Exactly, exactly!】 Lord Cha immediately chimed in, his tone carrying a bit of excitement.
【He actually responded to us! When I get back, I'm definitely going to brag to Senior Wutong and Senior Xigua. They're always skipping out on Instance play; this will make them so jealous!】
Clearly, after the interaction just now, everyone tacitly understood who that "File Transfer Assistant" really was.
It seemed every Anomaly present had been briefed by their respective parents on the relevant precautions beforehand.
【Eh?】 Lu Zihan finally realized the gravity of the situation, his tone instantly weakening.
【T-this isn't my fault! Stool was being cheeky first!】
【I was just following the trend. If he wasn't scolded, I should be fine too, right?】
At that moment, Ren Yi sent a message gloomily.
【But, Old Lu, I never called him stingy.】
I only muttered it a couple of times in my head.
Yes, exactly. He hadn't publicly complained about the official big boss; his superficial politeness was still very much intact.
Lu Zihan fell silent instantly. The group chat remained quiet for a long time before he finally sent a message, dragging his feet.
【I-it should be fine, right? He already left the group, so he shouldn't be able to hear us anymore, right?】
【Speaking of which, is there actually an Anomaly managing the File Transfer Assistant? All that nonsense I sent before... hiss...】
Lu Zihan was suddenly struck by a chill, cold sweat breaking out on his back.
【Wait, you don't actually think he can't see it just because he left the group?】 Zhang Qiuqiu couldn't help but retort, her tone teasing.
【You forgot, we're using Anomaly Web to chat. He's the one providing the connection. If he wants to see what you've sent, he can see it at any time.】
With that, Lu Zihan went completely silent, his actions on the other end of the Anomaly Web unknown.
Seeing his good brother in such a state of sorrow and trepidation, Ren Yi decided to show some mercy and help him change the subject.
Well, it definitely wasn't because he had seen enough of the show; he just felt now wasn't the time to dwell on this.
【Alright, alright, stop messing around. Meeting time. Let's talk business.】
【The most critical question now is: what do we do tonight?】
After sending that message, Ren Yi subtly glanced at Player 2, who was still fully focused on the surveillance screen.
Originally, if Zhang Qiuqiu's abilities hadn't been sealed and she could act normally, they would have had a lot of room to maneuver.
For instance, in Ren Yi's original plan, as long as Zhang Qiuqiu could freely use her ability, he could take the opportunity to help her open her room door, let her sneak into this safety pod, and possess Player 2's body.
Although Player 2 would likely face suspicion from the other Participants after waking up tomorrow—since no one could explain what happened tonight—it didn't matter.
In any case, Player 2 was the only Peeper on the field, holding the key visual clues.
As long as they could stabilize this round, they could frame whoever they wanted and shift the blame to anyone they chose.
Ren Yi had been weighing whether to take this high-risk, high-reward path.
But now, the class monitor's "thigh" was sealed, so he didn't have to agonize over it anymore.
After this setback, the plan needed a major overhaul... or did it?
Thinking of this, Ren Yi couldn't help but sigh softly, his heart full of helplessness.
The human Participants didn't know their true situation and could only guess blindly based on limited clues, making all sorts of assumptions against the Anomalies.
But on the Anomalies' side, plans couldn't keep up with changes. Things were far more troublesome than imagined.
Both he and Zhang Qiuqiu currently lacked the means to break through the rule-patched safety pods, meaning they couldn't initiate an attack.
So, when Ren Yi asked "what do we do tonight," the subtext was actually "should I kill Player 2?"
Player 2 was right beside him, the only target he could strike and the only way to advance the rounds right now.
Ren Yi leaned his head against the bedside, his eyes staring blankly at Player 2's back while he quickly sent messages in the group chat to sort out the current situation.
【There's no need for the monitor to come out now. Player 2 is still watching the monitor's room, staring intently without moving. He's very serious about it.】
【If we want to kill Player 2, I can just do it myself. He's completely defenseless right now; the success rate is very high.】
【If we don't kill him, then the monitor definitely can't move. She'll have to stay in her room and play dead.】
In principle, they had to kill Player 2.
After all, this was a slaughter game, and the rounds were tight. Every day they delayed, the risk increased.
Even if Ren Yi was suspected and eventually voted out for killing Player 2, Zhang Qiuqiu would still be on the field.
Next, they could try to play a dirty hand against Player 10, buy another round, and still have a chance to turn the tables.
As for Ren Yi, he actually wanted to go back and play games.
Once he was out, he could go back to gaming without having to pull all-nighters and rack his brain over schemes. It would be so much easier.
But...
At that moment,
Zhang Qiuqiu sent a message, her tone grave, coinciding exactly with what he was thinking.
【But there's a very serious problem now.】
【What am I right now?】
【Do I... still count as an Anomaly?】
Rate on N.U.
