When Qi Wei and Lai Yuan returned to the room, they were greeted by the sight of two sleepyheads snoring in their beds.
Upon seeing this, Qi Wei and Lai Yuan had contrasting reactions. Qi Wei felt a wave of relief wash over him at the sight of his ex-boyfriend safely asleep, while Lai Yuan couldn't help but feel disappointed that his young charge had succumbed to sleepiness instead of fulfilling her duty to watch over Huang Peng until their return.
Qi Wei settled onto the surprisingly clean bed, devoid of any traces of blood, he pondered whether Xiao Yi had taken the time to change the sheets for him.
"Lai Yuan," Qi Wei called up to the figure above him.
"Hm?" came a warm, sleepy acknowledgment.
"I heard you chanting something before the hand retreated. What was it?"
"I didn't chant," Lai Yuan replied, his voice heavy with drowsiness, causing Qi Wei to hesitate before probing further.
"You didn't chant anything?" Qi Wei asked once more before deciding to let Lai Yuan get some rest.
"Yeah, you must have misheard during a moment of panic," Lai Yuan replied.
Qi Wei considered this explanation. It made sense, especially considering the heightened tension of the situation. Moreover, Qi Wei realized that during that moment, he had been holding his breath for an extended period, likely affecting his perception.
This realization further solidified Qi Wei's trust in Lai Yuan. Despite only knowing him for a few hours, Lai Yuan had already demonstrated a genuine desire to help Qi Wei navigate through the challenges of the game. Qi Wei concluded that Lai Yuan wouldn't withhold information unless it was absolutely necessary.
The sleep Qi Wei experienced later that night was undeniably peaceful, devoid of the suspicious rustling sounds that had plagued them before. However, this tranquility was abruptly shattered by a piercing scream that jolted everyone awake in the morning.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Qi Wei bolted upright, his heart racing, joined by Huang Peng and Xiao Yi.
"What was that?" Qi Wei demanded, turning to Huang Peng and Xiao Yi for answers.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Huang Peng shrugged. "No idea. Should we check it out?"
"I'll come too," Xiao Yi offered, hopping off the bed.
Meanwhile, on the top bunk bed, Lai Yuan was leisurely reading a book, his back against the wall. "You guys go check. I'll stay here. Xiao Yi, keep your eyes on them and don't miss any information."
The trio then went out to the source of the screams. It was from a certain bedroom filled with four girls, there are all newbies.
The sight was gruesome, especially for newcomers. On the upper bunk bed lay the body of a young girl, bathed in her own blood. Her hand clutched a piece of broken mirror, which she had used to stab herself in the eye. The scene was horrific, the metallic scent of blood reminding Qi Wei of the events from the previous night. He felt nauseous, but instinctively took a step back and warned Huang Peng not to look.
In contrast, Xiao Yi, being an experienced player, was unfazed by the scene. This sort of occurrence was nothing new to her. In fact, she had anticipated that what she would encounter upon leaving the room might be even more disturbing.
The lowest realm was filled with inexperienced participants who were unfamiliar with how to protect themselves. The mortality rate in this realm was much higher compared to slightly higher realms, where participants had developed some survival skills and become more attuned to their surroundings. Many deaths in the lowest realm were avoidable and often foolish. Xiao Yi had heard countless stories about such incidents outside the realm.
Although the current scene wasn't as shocking to her as it might have been to others, Xiao Yi understood that Qi Wei and Huang Peng needed time to adjust to the situation. She made no comment as they took a few steps back.
Most newcomers, much like Qi Wei and Huang Peng, hesitated to approach the body. It was a common rookie mistake, one that could easily lead to their demise. They failed to recognize the importance of examining the deceased and searching for any clues or oddities that might provide insight into what had transpired. In their reluctance to get too close, they missed out on crucial opportunities to gather information and potentially uncover key details that could aid in their survival. It was a lesson that many newcomers learned the hard way in this unforgiving realm.
"Are you guys okay?" Xiao Yi inquired, addressing both Qi Wei and Huang Peng, who were discussing the small details of the body that Qi Wei had managed to glimpse in a flash.
Xiao Yi didn't need much time to inspect the body; there wasn't much information to be gleaned from it. Perhaps in the lower realm, there weren't as many riddles to solve in order to secure one's survival.
"The girl probably caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror while getting ready," Xiao Yi explained. "That's why, guys, it's crucial for us to avoid triggering death in any way possible."
Qi Wei and Huang Peng nodded in agreement, taking heed of her advice.
As they made their way back to their room, Qi Wei recounted to Xiao Yi and Huang Peng what had occurred to him during the night, earning worried expressions from both of his companions.
"You're saying Yuan ge chanted something?" Xiao Yi halted in her tracks, fully focusing her attention on Qi Wei.
Qi Wei nodded, confirming, "Yes. But when I asked him about it after the ordeal, he claimed he hadn't chanted anything, so I assumed I must have misheard—"
Before Qi Wei could finish his explanation, Xiao Yi abruptly turned on her heel and dashed towards their room, an air of panic oozes from her. This left Qi Wei and Huang Peng exchanging puzzled glances before hastening to catch up, quickening their steps to reach their room.
Upon opening the bedroom door, they found Xiao Yi scolding a visibly shaken Lai Yuan.
Qi Wei hadn't noticed before, but Lai Yuan appeared remarkably frail. His once rosy lips now pale, mirroring the pallor of his skin. His eyes seemed heavy-lidded, as if he hadn't slept a wink all night. Perhaps due to his overall sickly appearance, Qi Wei imagined that Lai Yuan had even become thinner overnight.
Honestly, although this is a wild thoughts that Qi Wei quickly shove to the back of his mind; Lai Yuan black hair make a great contrast to his overall sickly looks. Perhaps Qi Wei was a bit twisted in the head for finding attractiveness in such frailty.