Chapter 160 : Can She Be Trusted?

“This is…”

A few lines of translucent text appeared on the back of Milly’s right hand.

When she first awakened her appraisal skill, she had seen similar text, but back then, it was just question marks, hiding its true name.

As she uncovered the truth of the world, her appraisal skill evolved with her understanding. The question marks were finally revealed.

[Item: System Log]
[Missing Usage Permission]
[Function: Records all test data]
[Warning: Current test status abnormal]

When she first awakened her appraisal skill, she had used it on the book-shaped sigil on her hand. It had only shown the word “Log.” Milly, lacking information, hadn’t thought much of it. A log… what else could it be?

Now, the hidden part was revealed. No wonder strange memory fragments kept flashing in her mind. Although she didn’t have permission to access specific log entries, surprisingly, she could still see random fragments.

But thinking about those happy, everyday memories, Milly fell silent.

Wait… those memories were from the system log. Which meant that besides her, there were other testers, other players. And the fragments she saw were their test data.

But… those sunny, relaxed scenes stabbed at Milly’s heart.

“Why? We’re all players. Why do they get to play on easy mode, drinking tea, enjoying the sun, fighting small monsters, and clearing the game so easily?”

“While I have to play on Hell mode? Starting powerless, meeting the final boss Stacy right away, and suffering so much under her…”

Even now, Milly instinctively resisted recalling those early days.

The world’s admins, or GMs, not only didn’t correct the error and compensate her, but they also sealed her powers and threw her into a cold dungeon, letting those characters perform a torture ritual disguised as purification.

Were they trying to scare her?

She looked at the crimson countdown. If she didn’t leave the world before it ended, she would be erased, buried in this fake world.

Playing a game? Playing with her life!

Everyone was a player. Why was she the only one treated like this?

Milly suddenly remembered the text beside her reflection in the mirror.

[Login Status: Abnormal]

Right. Milly didn’t remember signing up for any test. She hadn’t clicked any suspicious links, hadn’t been hit by a truck. She was just sitting at home when she was suddenly pulled into this world.

Abnormal login meant that Milly, without test qualifications, was likely pulled into this world due to a glitch.

Because they didn’t want to take responsibility, they decided to take a risk and erase her?

In the real world, she would just be a missing person. If they cleaned up the traces, no one would know how she died.

Another doubt. Before transmigrating, Milly had never heard of a game company capable of creating such a realistic virtual world.

With current technology, it was impossible.

If she hadn’t seen the edge of the world, the so-called end, Milly wouldn’t have been able to confirm that this was a fake game world.

It was too real.

What if the creators behind this world weren’t from her world, but higher-dimensional beings?

They created this virtual world and randomly selected humans from Milly’s world for testing.

Only those who cleared the game could return alive. The others were lucky enough to be in easy mode, while she alone was thrown into Hell mode. And the creators might even want to erase her.

How could anyone be this unlucky?

This was the worst guess. If the creators were determined to erase her, did she have any chance of winning?

Thinking of this, Milly’s heart sank.

“Milly?”

Stacy’s worried voice woke her. “You’ve looked pale since just now. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just thinking.”

Milly replied curtly. Thinking too much wouldn’t help, and it only made her head spin. Seeing the worry on Stacy’s face, Milly suddenly felt relieved. It was strange. Not long ago, she was being tortured by her. Now, she felt Stacy’s concerned gaze.

If she were alone, Milly would see no hope. Although Stacy was also a created character, her identity as a virus added a sliver of possibility.

Can she be trusted?

Stacy interrupted her thoughts again. Besides itching, there was a faint stinging sensation. Milly looked at her arm. A pale blue light was emerging from the mark on the back of her hand, gradually forming the shape of an ancient book.

It looked familiar. Milly remembered Stacy reading this book. She didn’t have permission to use it, which meant Milly couldn’t open it. The pages seemed glued together, no matter how hard she tried.

[Warning: Insufficient Permission]
[Access Request Denied]

“Don’t show me things I can already see! This is more like a built-in inspect function for players, like clicking on an item to see its info.”

Stacy took the log from Milly. With a flicker of light from her fingertip, she quickly flipped through the book.

With the light, the pages that seemed glued together opened easily, like a normal book.

As expected of a virus. She could directly hack into the system log, bypassing permissions. Milly wondered if her summoned tentacle could also break the log’s defense and access the content.

No wonder Stacy knew she was a player the moment she saw her, and knew that players had a way to leave the world. It turned out she could freely read the system log, knowing the experiences of other testers and how they left. But she hadn’t seen them leave with her own eyes, so even if she knew the method, she couldn’t replicate it.

That was why, the moment she saw Milly, she couldn’t help but demand that she leave the world.

She had finally found a chance, perhaps her only chance, to leave. To seize this unique opportunity, she had to eliminate all interference and take control.

That was why Milly had gone through all that.

Back to this question again. Although Milly didn’t want to delve into Stacy’s motives, it was hard to avoid.

Stacy flipped through the book, data flowing in her eyes. After a while, she closed the book and sighed.

“I can’t find any relevant records. It seems the guy behind him has come up with something new.”

Stacy’s book dissolved into light and flowed back into Milly’s hand. She looked at the mark, then at Stacy, confused.

“I have a feeling this is safer with you.”

With that, Stacy stepped forward and grabbed Milly’s small hand tightly. A complex magic circle lit up beneath their feet.

“Are you ready?”

“Hmm?”

Stacy’s lips curled into a dangerous smile. “To settle the score with that old man, of course. We’re going to make a scene.”