Chapter 30: Signs of Awakening

“Serious discussion, has anyone else noticed the weather changing too fast lately?”

A post quietly floated to the top of the local forum’s homepage late at night.

Recently, this city often experienced sub-zero low temperatures.

Many people noticed something strange about it.

Some even claimed they could see pale white shadows floating in the air.

Various abnormal weather phenomena occurred frequently.

It was as if abnormal things not belonging to this world were crowding in.

As soon as this post was sent out, it received responses from many people.

In the past, putting on a scarf and down jacket could barely manage, but now it had reached the point where going out would result in being blown back by fierce winds.

No one knew why it had become like this.

Logically, against the backdrop of global warming, winter shouldn’t be so harsh.

But this year’s climate had started becoming strange from a certain night onward.

Even usually dull people noticed something unusual.

Soon, this post became a hot topic.

Originally, some people scoffed at it, and the replies dwindled.

It seemed the discussion’s popularity was dying down, and the post was about to sink.

But then, a reply appearing on a certain floor caught everyone’s attention, sparking a chain of responses.

[1244L]
A while ago, I heard a voice saying something about a park starting and welcoming me to participate as a player…

At the time, I thought it was a dream.

I don’t know if any of you heard this voice too?

I asked people around me, no one heard it.

But combined with what you all said about the weather getting colder… hmm, this is… kinda scary.

[1245L]
The above??

I heard it too, I thought I’d just been playing too many games??!

[1246L]
What are you guys talking about?

I don’t understand??

What park?

[1247L]
Wait, are you guys serious?!

***

Lou Chen pinched the bridge of his nose, rarely showing signs of being distraught.

Xiao He, beside him, was perceptive and immediately closed the webpage, timely instructing people nearby to contact the administrator and have this post removed.

“Captain, the good news is that at least those new players haven’t realized this is real—fewer people actively seeking death.

But it’s different for those old players chasing points.”

Xiao He shook his head and said. “But once Pride actively appears, it means this matter can’t be hidden anymore.

I hope the plan works…

Do you think this abnormal weather is related to it?”

Lou Chen released his hand, revealing those dark brown eyes, and said coldly, “Quite obviously.”

Although boss-level monsters could disrupt magnetic fields, the only existence capable of distorting reality and making the climate abnormal could only be one.

It was indeed, as Yu Ziyu said, gradually waking up.

“Only half a day left,” Xu He said.

He stood not far from the two, looking at the gray sky outside the window, his brows tightly locked.

“I’ve done as you instructed, Captain, and contacted major TV stations and media, putting out news about a possible entertainment program in advance, just in case Pride takes over the stations.”

Lou Chen nodded.

From his scant remaining impressions, combined with information gathered from other players, one could conclude—Pride was a boss who liked making a grand spectacle.

Every time he appeared as a bug on other floors, it inevitably caused a series of sensational effects, and then he would casually leave amidst the crowd’s terrified gazes.

Without knowing the monsters’ methods, preparing media in advance was a crucial matter.

Lou Chen had also arranged for some people from the entertainment department to guide the topic, just in case, steering the truth towards variety shows if things escalated.

“Although we’ve already framed it as a variety show, but… those players might know the truth.”

Xu He was full of doubts, having never relaxed from the beginning.

He took a deep breath.

“After all, we are all players from the Land of Desire Amusement Park.”

The words trembled as they fell from his lips.

The reason for saying “might” was because they could deduce the truth from a series of abnormal events and notifications from the Land of Desire Amusement Park.

This could deceive ordinary passersby and new players, but it couldn’t hide it from those guys who had participated in the Land of Desire Amusement Park.

At the same time, what worried him most wasn’t just that old players might overestimate themselves and try to attend the gathering, hoping to earn points, but—

Some people would be bewitched and join them.

Long ago, there was a fable about “acting as the tiger’s accomplice.”

The ghosts of innocent passersby eaten by the tiger became accessories, straying down the wrong path amidst the tiger’s authority and the allure of toying with human lives.

It was undeniable that darkness always possessed an evil charm different from others.

Especially in darkness, strong strength was the only pass.

Even if it meant abandoning morality, ignoring the dignity of being human, it also meant that as long as you stood at the forefront of power, it signified absolute hierarchy.

“From what you’ve told me, Yu Ziyu seems to have a lot in common with Pride.”

Xu He said, a trace of suspicion in his eyes.

He simply wasn’t as optimistic about this photographer as Lou Chen and Xiao He were.

He seemed to think Yu Ziyu would accept this temptation.

“I heard that before the captain met him, Yu Ziyu was already the spiritual leader on the heretic side.

They worship him very much.”

Xiao He jumped up and immediately argued loudly: “But Teacher Yu didn’t even know about it!

It was those people who lost their humanity, arrogantly considering his photographic works as spiritual food.”

“Oh, is that so.”

Xu He wasn’t impressed by his words.

A trace of gloominess flickered in his eyes as he thoughtfully played with his fingers, as if considering something.

“He’s the ‘savior’ the game talks about.”

Xiao He looked at him disapprovingly, full of confidence. “Even if he really stood with the heretics, I’d only think he was undercover helping our side.”

Although he had known Yu Ziyu for a short time, Xiao He’s intuition told him this was someone who disdained using tricks on such matters.

If he really wanted to harm the Supernatural Management Bureau, with his abilities, he could have done it directly from the very beginning.

There was no need to beat around the bush with them—he wasn’t the type to waste time on unimportant matters.

“Undercover?

Which side?”

Xu He snorted, appearing quite mean.

Xiao He was stunned for a moment, then said suspiciously, “You don’t think…”

His voice abruptly stopped, because Captain Lou Chen gave them both a cold look.

Just this one look made them feel a fiercely murderous aura, like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads.

Clearly, he was defending Yu Ziyu.

All surrounding arguing sounds disappeared.

“Is your injury healed?”

Only when the atmosphere had calmed down again did he turn to Xu He, his tone completely flat.

Xu He, questioned by Lou Chen, was startled and subconsciously looked at his own arm.

Blood was still seeping out there.

Then, realizing something, his lips turned pale: “I, I don’t know why I just said that.

I’m sorry, Captain…”

His voice grew lower and lower, gradually filling with panic.

Xu He realized what had happened.

A twisted thought had been injected into his brain through the wound, polluting his nerves, making him start thinking from an evil perspective—perhaps he was the one easily tempted.

“Your complexion hasn’t been good from the very beginning.

I should have noticed,” Xiao He said regretfully.

“You’d better go back and rest.”

Lou Chen frowned, and before Xu He could protest, he had already spoken.

“This doesn’t mean you’re not participating in this matter, just don’t go near the gathering location—understand what I mean?”

Xu He could only nod, but he didn’t like this arrangement.

A scream of resistance tore violently in his heart.

Didn’t trust him?

Or thought he wasn’t capable?

Thought he couldn’t withstand this temptation?

“Do you need me to continue protecting Yu Ziyu?” he asked.

Yesterday, he had been responsible for following Yu Ziyu from a distance.

Xu He was quite sure the other had long noticed his presence, but his indifferent attitude showed he didn’t care.

So for him, this wasn’t really a hard task.

Originally, Xu He thought there would be quite a lot of danger around Yu Ziyu, after all, he was the target all monsters wanted to eliminate to claim credit.

But strangely, this kind of thing had almost never come to his attention.

Perhaps it fundamentally hadn’t happened…

Either the monsters had given up tracking and killing him, focusing on Pride’s reappearance, or… thinking of this, Xu He shivered, or Yu Ziyu was strong enough to completely resolve their attacks before he even noticed the monsters approaching.

But indeed, he didn’t trust him.

“No.”

Lou Chen said, almost making people think he smiled, but this was quite obviously a bitter smile.

“He’s on his way to headquarters right now, very likely in an angry state.

If you run into him in the corridor, be sure to avoid him.”

Xu He felt blood rush to his face and said urgently, “You think I’m inferior to…”

Xiao He made a face at Xu He, interrupting his words: “I believe that even if Xu He and Teacher Yu were separated by a street, he’d find a reason to mock him.

Captain, your warning doesn’t hold up.”

“No, I think he’ll conserve his energy to deal with me.”

Lou Chen said.

“Because yesterday I let him get photographed.

Although I fired that team member, he hasn’t answered my calls all day.

So, later he’ll tear me into pieces, one by one.”

“Is it really that dramatic, Captain?”

Xiao He clicked his tongue.

“I’m not likely to exaggerate, but the word ‘dramatic‘ is used quite well.”

Hearing this, Xiao He laughed, because it was quite obvious that Lou Chen was genuinely troubled by Yu Ziyu’s upcoming arrival.

Facing their teasing words, Xu He wore a confused expression.

In fact, he hadn’t had a chance to talk with Yu Ziyu, so he couldn’t understand the meaning in their words.

He slowly shook his head, trying to digest this conversation, then turned and left.

Xu He closed the door, shutting the laughter inside behind him.

It echoed dully in his heart, disappearing the moment the door clicked shut.

Now only he was left alone, standing isolated in the corridor.

The world fell into a bog of silence.

He took a deep breath.

The other members would arrive soon.

That meant, right now, he was the only core member excluded.

Just because of a minor, insignificant injury—an injury also caused by an arrangement of Lou Chen’s that didn’t go smoothly.

He hadn’t even sent anyone to find that streamer who wandered in by mistake, making his efforts seem utterly meaningless…

Everyone would know that Xu He wasn’t qualified to participate in this major event.

They joked about things he fundamentally didn’t understand while he was in pain and feeling rejected, trusted someone who had joined the Supernatural Management Bureau only a few days ago more—that voice kept telling him, they didn’t understand what he was thinking, perhaps they thought his temper was too strange, too prone to giving a gloomy feeling.

Xu He took another deep breath.

Just as he walked around a corner, he looked up and found someone standing right in front of him.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

The speaker was Wang Chen.

This team member, fired yesterday, had shed his usual cowering demeanor.

He stretched his limbs, exuding a strange charm, smiling with his head tilted in front of him: “Hello, Xu He.”

Almost immediately, Xu He realized that the person standing before him could absolutely not be Wang Chen.

He warily stepped back.

“You must be quite injured, right?

That Yu Ziyu, I really don’t know how he earned their trust.”

Xu He felt a pain in his injured arm.

A hissing cold air hovered over the wound, as if growing wings, filling his vision with white noise.

An impossible thought surfaced in his mind.

His lips suddenly became a bit dry: “Who are you?”

“Someone who truly knows what you want.”

Wang Chen said slowly.

“Someone who won’t underestimate you, treat you as a disposable tool, who will truly give you power and trust, make you feel what true ‘warmth’ is.”

“Who are you?”

Xu He asked again.

Wang Chen gave him a bloody, dirty smile, licked his lower lip, and took a step forward.

Xu He didn’t step back.

He took another step, this time very close, almost face to face.

His hand touched Xu He’s face and removed his glasses.

“According to how you players put it, you can call me… ‘Lust.'”

***

Half an hour later, the control room door was suddenly “banged” open from the outside.

A gust of cold wind and the visitor together surged into the room, almost instantly blowing away all warm air, making everyone present shiver in fear, instinctively leaning back, their bodies unconsciously adopting a posture of keeping distance.

Basically, all members had arrived.

Yu Ziyu, with a cold expression, walked through the door.

With a light push of his elbow, the door closed again.

This time, the sound of the door closing was so soft, forming a violent contrast with the huge noise of his entrance, yet it made people’s hearts tremble involuntarily.

A box was thrown onto the only table in the room.

Lou Chen stood up and immediately asked, “What’s this?”

“Your handiwork.”

Yu Ziyu snorted, allowing Lou Chen to open the box.

The girl named Fu Ying curiously leaned over and immediately yelped, making a disgusted face, and shouted, “Dead butterflies and a torn book!”

“Thank you for the interpretation,” Yu Ziyu said politely, then turned to Lou Chen.

“I showed the original version of this to my psychologist.

She almost had a heart attack.

Considering your delicate and sensitive inner self, I disposed of the dead rat before bringing it over.”

Xiao He made a disgusted expression and immediately pressed further, “Was this deliberately sent to you, Teacher Yu?!”

Lou Chen ignored Yu Ziyu’s sarcasm and took out a blood-stained letter from the box, already opened.

He tentatively glanced at Yu Ziyu.

The other didn’t stop him, so he pulled the letter paper from the envelope.

He scanned it quickly and realized it was a twisted love letter, signed “Mr. M.”

No one would doubt it was written in blood.

But apparently he had misjudged the force needed to disturb Yu Ziyu.

“Well?

He didn’t have my address, so he sent it to my psychologist.”

Yu Ziyu said politely again, surveying the room.

“This is the first fan gift I received after my photo was exposed.”

Xiao He wrinkled his nose: “This is too disgusting.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find him.”

Lou Chen said coldly.

He folded the letter, the sharp paper edges almost capable of cutting a throat.

Then he roughly stuffed the letter back into the envelope with unnecessary force.

“He won’t bother you for long.”

Then, he softened his tone and looked at Yu Ziyu sincerely: “I also want to apologize to you.

I’ve suspended that employee who took your photo.

This kind of thing won’t happen again.”

“You didn’t answer my calls, so I wanted to explain in person.

I hope you don’t think I don’t care about your privacy.”

Yu Ziyu paused suspiciously for a moment.

“Oh, so is this your usual routine?

Innocent eyes?

Sincere tone?”

He waved his hand, his eyes flickering, the corner of his mouth twisting slightly.

“Let’s just discuss the matter concerning Pride.

Otherwise, I don’t know if I can hold on.”

The way he said this was quite strange, as if he had a lot of opinions about Lou Chen’s attitude towards him.

But before this, he had never said such things—also, today he seemed a bit too gentle, Lou Chen frowned.

“What does Teacher Yu want to say?”

Xiao He asked, tensing up.

“Is it about the ‘sensing’?”

Yu Ziyu nodded slightly.

“Pride is about to announce the game mission regarding that gathering.

So it’s unnecessary to hide it from the players.”

He said, blinking.

“Something like inviting allies, inviting worthy players—oh, of course, he hopes I can attend.”

In the midst of dead silence, Yu Ziyu added cheerfully.

“As the savior.”