Chapter 11: Night Watch and Hidden Clues

A revival point sits just outside the village, close to Yun Shi’s group of four.

Jiang Shu, at half health, storms up to Bo He, glaring silently.

Seconds pass.
Cherry sidles up to Yun Shi, whispering, “What’s he doing? About to throw hands?”
He thought a fight was brewing with that fierce vibe.

Yun Shi, puzzled, guesses, “Maybe he’s scolding him?”

Indeed, Jiang Shu’s silently condemning his “great” cousin.
As a kid, whenever Bo He tricked him, he’d stare like this, guilting him into making amends.

It used to work, but Jiang Shu forgets—he’s not a kid anymore, no longer the teary, red-nosed boy.

His cousin, unfazed, even plays innocent: “Sigh, I only just learned the food was poisoned.”

Bullsh*t! Jiang Shu doesn’t buy it.

Bo He adds, “Cousin, you actually came out ahead.”

Jiang Shu, incredulous: “???”

Teeth grinding, face twisted, he snaps, “Care to explain how that shameless claim works? I died, lost a chunk of experience, and profited?”

Cherry, curious, chimes in, “Yeah, how’s that a win?”

Yun Shi glances at Bo He’s sly smile, reminding them, “He already ate at the NPC’s.”

Bo He nods.
“Exactly.
I gave you my share, so you profited.
You tasted it twice; we didn’t even get a bite.
Was it good?”

It was tasty.
Not tasting it does seem like a loss.

Jiang Shu, half-doubting he’s been conned, thinks Bo He’s got a point.
He asked for the extra portion, already poisoned from the first.
Eating both—maybe he did come out ahead?
Plus, Bo He can’t taste it now!

Watching StarKnight shift from rage to smugness, Cherry whispers to Yun Shi, “This cousin’s not the sharpest…”

Yun Shi doesn’t want to say it, but yeah.

The guy’s completely missed the point—his cousin knew it was poisoned and still let him eat.

That said, it’s clear now: the village chief poisoned the food.

“Why, though?” Jiang Shu, the victim, fumes.
“Plot-wise, we cleared those brutal bears for them.
Not grateful, and they try to kill us?”

Some NPCs seem upright but are secretly vicious.

Bo He explains, “Breath of Life is in its apocalypse phase.
Survivors split into ability users and normals.
They seem united for survival, but tensions are real.”

Obviously, ability users outshine normals.
In this broken world, they have a natural edge.
With no nations or order, some protect normals out of duty or morals, but bullying the weak is the norm.

On Twin Islands, except for Wen Fengqi from the main city and the late Yan Ziyu, NPCs are normal.

They initially welcomed players—weak, supplying resources, and suppressible, even troublemakers like Yun Shi on day one.
But as players level up, growing stronger, they threaten the NPCs.
So, the chief issued the [Bear Island] quest—a disguised murder plot.

The skeletons in the dungeon’s cave were likely ability users the NPCs previously killed.

The NPCs knew the bears’ deadliness, expecting players to die.
When they didn’t, the chief set up a poisoned banquet, banking on ability users’ arrogance.
That plan had a higher success rate than the dungeon.

Cherry, stunned by the analysis, exclaims, “The new version’s wild!
It’s simulating human nature?!”

Jiang Shu nods.
“Totally.
It’s so detailed.
The dungeon gear came from people the chief killed before.”

“No way!” Cherry checks the forums, excited.
“Other servers found this too!
It’s gotta be a big hidden plot!”

Jiang Shu scratches his head.
“So, what now? Beat the chief up for answers?”

Cherry, skimming forum posts, shakes his head.
“Some tried.
Didn’t work.
One guy died again.”

Yun Shi glances at the village, scanning the surroundings.
“Wait.”

Bo He adds, “For night.”

Seeing the others’ confusion, Yun Shi explains, “NPCs require nightly resource submissions to stay in the village.
Knowing the chief’s poisoning, we won’t submit tonight.
That means staying in the wild, where the plot likely triggers.”

Cherry hesitates.
“But at night, [Mental State] drops fast, and wild mobs hit like trucks.
Can we handle it?”

Bo He smiles.
“Try and find out.”

Yun Shi stays silent, agreeing.

Nightfall’s a ways off.
Per his deal with Cherry, Yun Shi takes the team to run the dungeon.

The stream, titled What’s It Like Flying with the Server-First, Solo-Clear Bear Island Big Shot?, draws a massive crowd.

Other servers have cleared, but later, and none solo—curiosity’s sky-high.

Within minutes, the stream overflows, exceeding Cherry’s expectations.

It’s Yun Shi’s fourth run, his moves sharper and smoother.

When viewers see a wind support, with Cherry barely contributing, take down the five mobs in seconds, the stream hits a fever pitch.

“Holy sh*t! His aim’s insane! Every arrow’s a headshot, and his control skill keeps mobs moving, not frozen—how?!”
“So smooth! This is a big shot?”
“Anyone notice? His wind buffs physical damage—a trash class, but he’s making my scalp tingle!”
“He’s good, but wind boosting physical damage? No future…”
“Yeah, early game’s fine, but in the main city, wind’s got no room.”
“…”

The run goes flawlessly.
Cherry grabs seven gear pieces from the cave’s skeletons.
Done, he parts with Yun Shi—the stream’s under an hour, too short for streaming.

Cherry returns to the village, turns in the quest, and, for show, eats the poisoned food, dying to wild mobs.
The stream’s barrage floods with “hahaha.”

Yun Shi doesn’t idle.
He shouts in world chat, carrying two paying players through the dungeon.

As night falls in-game, Bo He invites him to the team, and the four regroup near the village.

Cherry, last to arrive, says, “Wind Bro, during the stream, fans said your class might struggle in the main city.
Your skills are top-notch—maybe consider a [Class Change Card]?
It’s cheaper at low levels.”

Yun Shi checks the shop.
[Class Change Card]: 100 Star Coins.

He closes it, uninterested.
“Maybe later.”

The others see nothing odd.
Cherry shares more news.

Game time’s synced across servers.
Besides Yun Shi’s group, others, failing to crack the chief, also guess the plot triggers at night in the wild.

It’s a race against every player waiting for dark.
First to find the clue and start the plot wins.

Night deepens.
The four split, guarding the village’s four coordinate points, ready to alert the team if anything stirs.

Yun Shi waits patiently.
Minutes later, a slender figure slips out, glancing back nervously—clearly sneaking from the village.