ITOTIABSAM | Infinite Flow | 180
In the dim, windowless corridor, being suddenly stared at by a ghastly "vampire" would undoubtedly make anyone's heart skip a beat.
However, the doctor didn't even raise an eyebrow. He let Xiao Baimao scrutinize him, calmly adjusted his glasses, and smiled. "With limited conditions, I can only make the most basic judgments."
The implicit meaning was clear: Don't come to me for answers. I don't know if it's right or wrong. If it's wrong, it's the fault of the instance, not me.
His ability to pass the blame was top-notch. It sounded like an explanation but was actually a subtle challenge, implying, "You're welcome to try if you think you can do better."
"Oh," the atmosphere gradually became tense, but Xiao Baimao acted as if nothing had happened. He shrugged off his coat and nodded. "Say whatever you want."
"Anyway, I don't believe it."
As they watched Xiao Baimao walk away alone, the other players exchanged glances.
Indeed, during the clearance of the instance, points were calculated based on the players' performance in the current round. Many people chose to conceal clues and submit them separately to the system. But all of this was on the premise of being able to make it out alive.
However, the doctor, without teammates and lacking sufficient combat power, needed cooperation the most. Concealing clues was too dangerous for him. Besides a madman, who would take such a risky gamble?
On the other hand, Xiao Baimao who seemed nervous from the beginning, spent his days sleeping and making no contribution to clearing the instance.
"Forget it, forget it," one player waved their hand, stepping forward to defuse the tension. "While it's safe during the day, let's explore the town together. Maybe we'll make some new discoveries."
The next day, there would surely be a next day of events.
"It would also be helpful if Xie Ye interacts more with the NPCs."
Despite his elevated status, the black-haired Xie Ye’s face showed no joy. Instead, he appeared somewhat conflicted. He just responded with an "oh," considering it as acknowledgment.
Gu Cong keenly noticed that something was amiss.
During the reshuffling of groups, he subtly arranged to be paired with Xie Ye last. Once the other players had moved away, he asked, "Are you unhappy?"
Suddenly hearing this question, the distracted teenager was visibly startled for a moment, but it was only fleeting before he shook his head, "No, not at all."
As if afraid he wouldn't believe him, Xie Ye forced a smile, "Really."
Although Gu Cong is unable to determine exactly how long the teenager had survived as a ghost, in Gu Cong's eyes, Xie Ye, who looked like an eighteen-year-old on the surface, was as translucent and clean as the highest-grade crystal.
Gu Cong walked quietly beside the teenager, he seemed to have completely forgotten about the game, the mission, the clues, and even himself in the perilous instance, allowing Xie Ye to wander aimlessly through the town.
Sure enough, not long after, Xie Ye asked him a question voluntarily, "Jiang Chuan, do you want to clear the instance?"
Adapting well to his new name, Gu Cong pondered for two seconds before answering truthfully, "Hmm."
"Yeah, you... players all want to clear the instance." Almost slipping up with the word "us," Xie Ye whispered softly, unable to suppress his concern.
Dis probably didn't have the courage to deceive him.
According to his speculation, the system probably couldn't arbitrarily manipulate the points of surviving players, but could only manipulate the top ten players before death. However, it couldn't infinitely elevate the points of the latter, because that would be against common sense and would raise the alertness and questioning of surviving players.
So, when certain players—like Jiang Chuan—quickly and highly evaluated clear multiple instances based on their strength, there would come a day when his points would exceed the system's concealable limit. When the other party broke into the top ten alive, there was a great possibility that the news of the instance ultimately failing to open would be widely spread.
As long as people are alive, if they find out that their long-awaited "return to reality" is a lie, who among the remaining players would continue to risk their lives to clear instances? Where would the system go to gather enough fear to sustain its operation and absorb fresh blood?
Thinking of this, Xie Ye was slightly startled:
How did he know that what the game system wanted was fear?
But soon, "Jiang Chuan's safety" once again occupied his mind. If he helped Jiang Chuan clear the instance, would Jiang Chuan be silenced outside the instance?
The transfer station.
That was a world he couldn't reach.
It seemed to sense the wavering in Xie Ye's heart, and the briefly dormant whispers resurfaced:
【That's right, that's right.】
【Take him back.】
【That's the only way to keep him safe.】
【Make him a part of you...】
【He will always be with you.】
Xie Ye hated these words. He hated killing, and he had no interest in watching players die one by one. Even someone like Li Jie, who was most targeted towards him. He never thought about taking the other's life.
Moreover, "Eternal Slumber."
How could he possibly bring Jiang Chuan back to a place he was desperately trying to escape from?
"I do want to clear the instance," his shoulder was suddenly grasped, and Xie Ye reflexively turned his head, meeting a pair of amber eyes. He found himself submerged in their warmth. "With you."
He had heard similar words many times before, only to be met with betrayal. Unconsciously, Xie Ye repeated, "With me?"
"Yes, together," Gu Cong’s tone was as casual as eating and drinking, and said, "I want to show you the world outside."
For a moment, Xie Ye thought he had been found out.
But then, the man reached out and grasped his arm through the fabric, rolling up the sleeve of his jacket to reveal a pure black wristwatch. "Why are you nervous? You're a player, of course you can escape.”
The worst case scenario is to let 0028 do something.
Xie Ye, who had been covering his tracks, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Jiang Chuan was right. With the wristwatch, he might really be able to end the aimless wandering between instances and, incidentally, protect Jiang Chuan's life outside the instance.
But 0028 in his mental realm couldn't help but interject, "Take him out? He's the final boss of the instance."
It wasn't that he was afraid that he would harm Gu Cong, but this storyline...
Gu Cong reacted quickly as well. "Have you read the original work?"
【I have no choice. As a diligent Quick Transmigration System, I have to cover your bottom.】0028 hurriedly explained, speaking rapidly. 【The time node for this jump is too early. The protagonists haven't even entered the game yet. If you take the final boss away, what about the ending?】
【When the storyline collapses, the little world will shatter, and your mission will be ruined as well.】
Gu Cong replied, "Then I'll create another boss."
0028 rolled his eyes forcefully. "I wish I could."
【Xie Ye's situation is unique. He can even resist the system. He was born from the game, yet the game cannot create a second one.】
Unless the other party completely ceases to exist, returning all energy to the game.
"That would be a failure," Gu Cong gave the second option without hesitation. "As I said, I can afford to lose a task."
0028 interjected, "I remember you've always refused to treat NPC’s as pawns."
So, compared to Xie Ye, it didn't matter if the little world shattered?
"It's not that it doesn't matter," Gu Cong guessed 0028's unfinished thought and lowered his voice, "but... there are always more important things."
He wasn't a heroic holy figure saving the world. He was just a selfish ordinary person. He didn't want his regret that happened in the cultivation world to happen again.
0028 didn't understand, "Is it worth it? Do you like him> Or do you have a crush on him or something?"
Gu Cong didn't directly answer. Instead, he asked, "What does Xie Ye look like in the original work?"
【As the main BOSS, he was ruthless, killing without hesitation. As long as he laid eyes on someone, as long as they were players, they became corpses under his throne,】 0028 summarized succinctly, sighing with emotion. "Now he's so easy to deceive."
Gu Cong responded, "So, if we can help him escape that fate, it's worth it."
He would never witness the crystal shattering again.
"Are you thinking of a way to clear the stage?" Seeing the man staring at the wristwatch and gradually becoming serious, Xie Ye, mimicking human gestures, reached out his arm and tentatively grasped the man's hand. "Don't worry. I will take you, take everyone out."
As long as he took over the night watch for the next few nights and kept pushing Dis out, it would work.
Gu Cong's mood lifted instantly. "Okay, I trust you."
This visibly pleased Xie Ye, who received genuine trust, seemed so happy that he completely forgot to let go of the man's hand. They walked along the streets of the small town, peaceful this time as Dis didn't dare to manipulate the residents to greet them. Gu Cong's thoughts inevitably focused on the hand holding his own.
Xie Ye’s hand was cold, slender, and thin, with firm bones and no hint of femininity, yet his fingertip was soft, with the unique delicacy of a young person compared to him.
With the burden lifted, Xie Ye asked openly, "In our recent disagreement, who do you think was lying?"
"Just now?" Coming back to himself, Gu Cong responded, "It should be the doctor."
The sudden aggressiveness was indeed a sign of deceit.
0028 immediately agreed, "Exactly, he has a passive skill, absolute rationality. Although its actual use may not sound that strong, it's enough for him to remain alert in the dream."
Being alert meant being able to counterattack. In the dream, where other players couldn't help, and hidden clues watched the showdown, it was indeed the easiest choice for the doctor to achieve a high score in clearing the stage.
After all, in the infinite game, there was an unwritten rule: a high death rate at settlement would prompt the system to reassess the difficulty of the dungeon. If the difficulty increased, players could accordingly receive more points.
In other words, the fewer survivors, the easier it was for the survivors to profit.
This darn game is clearly trying to sow discord.
Yet, despite that, there are always countless players fighting each other, one after another.
"As soon as you asked who was lying, instead of misunderstanding," Gu Cong smiled, lips curling, "do you also have a suspect in mind?"
Xie Ye replied, "I just feel like the doctor's expression... is very familiar."
Even though their facial features were completely different, the corners of their eyes and eyebrows were reminiscent of those faces from his memories that had deceived him.
Fortunately, he hadn't agreed to share a room with the doctor.
"Don't worry," sensing the subtle change in Xie Ye's attitude towards the doctor, Gu Cong felt inexplicably pleased, even a bit childish as he coaxed, gently shaking Xie Ye's hand, "I'll handle this matter."
The doctor would prefer to maintain the status quo. If the other side dares to actively reduce the number of players and achieve their own high-score clearance ending, he won't hesitate to act.
A little further away, Zhao Dong was dragged by Cheng Xiaorong into the flower bushes.
"This, this, this..." With legs bent and waist hunched, he stammered for a while before squeezing out a sentence in a breathy voice, "Captain and Xie Ye... holding hands?"
And still swaying back and forth!
But Cheng Xiaorong ignored him, her eyes shining brightly with excitement, she made a victory gesture, smiling gleefully as she stared through the gaps in the flowers:
The CP she ships is not wrong wrong, she knew there was something between those two!
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Thank you for the updates!!
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