It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 174

 

ITOTIABSAM | Infinite Flow | 174

"Cough." Despite stealing several glances at the boss, Zhao Dong couldn't discern any subtle exchanges between him and Xie Ye. He had to take the initiative to interrupt, feigning a cough to draw their attention.

"Unlocking the door is possible, but I can't guarantee it's safe inside," Gu Cong said, flipping his palm as he intended to stow the candy the boy had given him into his wristwatch. However, his hand suddenly felt light, and it was empty.

—It seems that this dungeon, or rather the ghost in this dungeon, is not only astute but also very stingy.

After a brief moment of distraction, Gu Cong continued with a calm expression, "Moreover, it's forbidden to enter without permission. Players who violate the rules are very likely to be chosen tonight."

Last night, he and Xie Ye had shared a bed, and the latter had been dragged into a nightmare. To say that there was no connection between the two incidents, just pure coincidence, Gu Cong was the first to disbelieve.

Other players also had similar considerations. In the Infinite Game, those with average abilities who insisted on standing out often didn't fare well. Ultimately, the ones confirmed to go upstairs with Gu Cong were only Xie Ye, Tang Yan, Li Jie, and Zhao Dong.

As for Cheng Xiaorong, she actually wanted to follow her teammates' actions but was afraid that her unlucky physique might cause trouble, so she had to restrain her impulses.

Unfortunately, Xie Ye, who was eager to try his hand at picking locks with the wire, didn't find an opportunity to put into practice the skill Gu Cong had entrusted to him.

Because the keyholes were blocked.

Both in Rooms 201 and 202.

"The traces are very fresh," Gu Cong, holding a mini flashlight in his mouth, spoke somewhat indistinctly, "Interesting, it seems like they're specifically preventing me."

He stepped aside, allowing anyone else to check, to show that he wasn't lying.

The Infinite Game's store didn't have items like universal keys. To bypass locks, it relied on players' personal experience. Gu Cong said there was no solution, and the other players had no choice either.

Forcing the door open would easily expose them to the innkeeper.

"It seems there's still a key plot point to trigger," Tang Yan sighed softly, "The system seems determined to take our lives."

Staying in the town for another night meant increasing the danger, but if the plot points that could be triggered each day were limited, even if they were strong, they would have to wait until the seventh night to piece together the truth.

This was extremely unfavorable for avoiding death.

Just fifteen minutes ago, they had seen the bloody mess in the alley, and none of them had much appetite for dinner. Upon learning that the door couldn't be opened, they all gradually returned to their rooms.

Except for Xie Ye, who gently grabbed Gu Cong's sleeve from behind.

"Do you want to go in?" His left hand rested on the worn brass handle, and the black-haired youth spoke sincerely, "I can open it."

Gu Cong raised an eyebrow instinctively. "Another gift?"

"It's because I'm stronger," Xie Ye shook his head, explaining earnestly, "Don't worry, as long as you watch me, you won't be scared by the gift."

This dungeon seemed a bit shy.

It always behaved normally when there was a player accompanying him.

Xie Ye's response unexpectedly confirmed Gu Cong's speculation: there were many ways for ghosts to seal a door, and blocking the keyhole seemed too human-like.

But Gu Cong didn't intend to let Xie Ye open the door for him. He simply raised his hand and ruffled the boy's hair. "You might get hurt."

"Let’s go back."

Gu Cong was well aware that he wasn't as friendly and gentle as he appeared. If the system wanted to maintain a high death rate for players and Xie Ye helped him bypass obstacles because of him, then there was over an eighty percent chance that he, as an NPC affiliated with the Infinite Game, would be punished by the system.

In comparison, Xie Ye's safety was ultimately more important.

For the other players in the dungeon, he would help those he could, but for those he couldn't, it was a matter of fate, and he was content with his conscience.

For this decision, 0028 in his cognitive space wasn't surprised at all: without a doubt, Gu Cong was the kindest host it had ever guided, but this kindness was far from saintly. He had teeth, edges, and corners. After the world of "cultivation," he could clearly discern what he cared about more.

However, Xie Ye hadn't considered that he would be rejected.

His black lashes fluttered as he raised his arm cautiously, touching the man's hand that gently covered his own. "Don't you want to clear the level?"

Having experienced countless small worlds, Gu Cong immediately grasped the information he wanted to know from the boy's question. "Do many people ask you for help?"

"Once."

Like being hit and washed by the surging sea, Xie Ye's brain throbbed violently. But oddly, the vague memories deep within him seemed to be cleansed like a shell washed by the tide, gradually becoming clearer.

After a rare silence for a while, he nodded slightly. "Hmm."

Because he was different, he could be easily exploited.

In his memories, those people often had different faces, but their words were always the same, and even their choices were identical.

Those people had also done similar things as "Jiang Chuan," coaxing him, protecting him, giving him food, or pleading bitterly or pretending to endure silently, seeking his protection.

Then, standing in front of his battered corpse, they would laugh condescendingly, "How pitiful."

"The information bought from the black market was correct. He is indeed easily deceived. A few pieces of candy are enough to make him dance like a puppet."

"Being an NPC but helping players? Is his brain broken?"

"Who cares? While he and the boss are both wounded, let's quickly finish him off. This kind of bug that can roam between different dungeons will definitely yield good loot."

"Ah, he was drinking with me last night..."

"Are you getting soft? Don't you want to go home?"

So noisy.

Too tired to even lift his eyelids, Xie Ye lay quietly on the cold ground, feeling lost.

The dagger, engraved with exquisite runes, pierced inch by inch into his chest. It felt like a burning hot branding iron, causing him intense pain. If someone were to lift the young man's pure white shirt at this moment, they would discover that his fatal injuries were far more than just this one.

Heart paralysis caused by a strong electric current, carbonized patterns, bullet holes that pierced through and healed, a long and ugly scar beneath the Adam's apple... 

Despite the same outcome every time, he kept forgetting, kept being deceived, and kept falling into his current situation.

A surge of sweet and fishy taste rose in his throat, overflowing from his mouth. The reflexive twitch of the black-haired Xie Ye immediately drew a chorus of gasps and screams.

"Alive! He's still alive!"

"Quick, hold him down!"

"Don't let him get away!"

The large full moon hung low, illuminating Xie Ye whose limbs were twisted, but it couldn't illuminate the dense black fog spreading around him.

[Come back.]

[Let’s leave them all behind.]

[It'll be the same if we keep going.]

In the thick fog, countless voices, old and young, sharp and rough, whispered together, creating a deafening cacophony. Yet, the black-haired Xie Ye made no response. When he opened his eyes again, they were still clear and calm.

...It hurts so much.

Clatter. The dagger fell, lying neatly among the pile of corpses. As he stood up, he unconsciously touched his chest, feeling dull and puzzled:

Pain? Why would he know about that?

...

"Xie Ye," noticing the young man's distraction, Gu Cong raised his voice slightly and repeated, "Xie Ye?"

The next moment, Xie Ye, who had been very affectionate towards him, suddenly let go and took two steps back.

His hand, which had been awkwardly caressing the other's soft hair, hung in mid-air. Gu Cong was momentarily stunned, but he didn't get angry. Instead, he softened his tone even more: "What's wrong?"

Fake.

Various scars, old and new, on his body throbbed faintly, seemingly silently reminding Xie Ye that the man in front of him was no different from the players he had encountered before.

Surprisingly, he found himself reminiscing about the past while still alive. Xie Ye's thoughts were in chaos, and in his dark, deep eyes, a hint of ferocity and coldness instinctively leaked out.

The dim corridor lights flickered along with it, a common trope in horror movies often signaling something ominous. Among the six room doors, only Zhao Dong and Cheng Xiaorong cautiously peeked out:

"Boss?"

"No problem," Gu Cong calmly blocked Xie Ye who was closer to the stairs, turned around, and waved his hand, "Voltage instability. I'll go find the innkeeper later to fix it."

Cheng Xiaorong, clutching the amulet tightly in her hand, thought, ‘Damn, voltage instability? Did they take her for a newbie entering the game for the first time?’

But since the boss said so, they probably didn't need to go over there and make trouble.

"Are you angry?" Worried that this series of disturbances might attract eavesdropping from other players, Gu Cong bent down, drawing himself closer to Xie Ye, their ears almost touching, pretending not to notice Xie Ye's anomaly, and shifted the blame onto the instance, "Is the instance retaliating against you?"

With each word of the man's slow and gentle breaths brushing against him, Xie Ye remembered that he was wearing the wristwatch this time and hadn't been exposed yet. He felt uncomfortable, a hint of guilt rising inexplicably:

Jiang Chuan thought he was a player.

So he should have been simply trying to be nice to him.

"I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely, admitting his mistake, "I'm just suddenly feeling very bad."

As soon as he finished speaking, the wildly flickering lights immediately returned to normal.

"Hmph." In the shadows of the corridor, something churned with frustration but quickly retreated into calmness before Gu Cong could investigate.

"It's okay," Gu Cong tactfully gave up on further questioning, his voice low and gentle, "Everyone has their bad days."

Xie Ye's ears felt warm. The closeness made him realize for the first time how pleasant Jiang Chuan's voice was. It had just the right amount of magnetism, causing a tingling sensation in his own ears.

But Xie Ye couldn't remain as calm as before. Stepping back, he tightened the oversized and comfortable coat around him, fearing to reveal his injuries, fearing Gu Cong would guess his identity, fearing the man would turn into one of those players from his memories.

He didn't fear death, but he dreaded the thought that one day Jiang Chuan's face might be twisted into the same crazed and ugly expressions as those from his past memories. He loathed the idea of those warm amber eyes turning into lifeless fish eyes.

The more Xie Ye thought about it, the more he felt he couldn't stay by Gu Cong's side any longer. He wished he could immediately escape to the next instance. But just as he was about to flee, someone gently grabbed him.

"Be careful," Gu Cong, who was already standing near the corner of the stairs, reached out in time, his gesture gentlemanly as he held Xie Ye's waist in his fist. "Don't fall."

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