Lin Xiao leaned in, sensing the importance of her next words. "What is it?"
Wang Mei came closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "When we were searching the village, we stumbled upon a weird well in the corner of the village."
Lin Xiao felt a wave of anticipation, thinking he was about to uncover something crucial. But when she mentioned the well, his excitement deflated. "The well? That's it?" he thought to himself, realizing that she was referring to the same well he had already explored multiple times.
"Oh," he said, trying to hide his disappointment. "I'll check it out."
Wang Mei nodded, but she seemed unsure if she was really helping. "Anything else?" Lin Xiao pressed, hoping for something new.
Wang Mei shook her head. "No, I don't know anything else. That well just seemed... odd."
Lin Xiao sighed inwardly. It was a dud, not the breakthrough he was hoping for. But he couldn't afford to dismiss it entirely. "Alright, thanks," he said, forcing a smile.
As he turned away, Lin Xiao couldn't shake the feeling that he was still missing something important.
As Lin Xiao turned away, a nagging feeling tugged at the back of his mind. Something was missing, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. But with the urgency of his real-world concerns weighing on him—especially the need to call Li Jing about the mysterious twin moons—he knew he had to push forward. He couldn't let himself get bogged down in the details any longer.
Determined to speed things up, Lin Xiao opened the game's mission progress screen.
[Completion Progress: 30/100]
A heavy sigh escaped him. He was only 30% done, and he still had to uncover more clues to reach at least 50% completion before he could finish the game and claim his rewards.
He didn't have time for slow progress. The game was dragging on, and his patience was wearing thin.
After a moment of contemplation, Lin Xiao made a decision. "I'll speedrun this," he muttered to himself. "I'll choose every option available. Literally everything."
Just as he resolved to blitz through the game, time suddenly stopped. The familiar options menu appeared before him, as if the game itself was reacting to his decision.
The options felt like they were mocking him now:
[1. Attack the group]
[2. Explore the well]
[3. Search the village for more clues]
[4. Wait for something to happen]
Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed. He wasn't going to overthink this. He will now choose the most reckless option, and just punch through the mystery wall.
Without hesitation, he selected the first option. Time resumed, and Lin Xiao's character spun on his heel and sprinted back into the temple.
As he burst through the doors, some of the teenagers raised their hands in a friendly wave, expecting him to return with more information. But before they could even react, Lin Xiao's character launched into a frenzied attack.
He struck the first boy across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
The others barely had time to register what was happening before Lin Xiao's character moved on to the next target. His fists flew with brutal precision, each punch landing with a sickening thud.
A boy who tried to block his attack was met with a swift knee to the stomach, forcing him to double over in pain.
Another attempted to grab Lin Xiao's arm, but he quickly twisted free, delivering a sharp elbow to the side of the boy's head.
The scene was chaotic, with the boys stumbling back, their faces contorted in pain and confusion.
Lin Xiao's character moved like a machine, relentless and unyielding. With each hit, Lin Xiao was reminded of his character's talent—his ability to exorcise ghosts.
The realization clicked in his mind as he noticed that the blows were actually hurting the teenagers, confirming what Wang Mei had been trying to convey: they were no longer alive.
Wang Mei stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock. She watched as her friends were battered and bruised, their cries echoing through the temple.
Her expression was a twisted mix of emotions—fear, confusion, and perhaps a glimmer of something else that Lin Xiao couldn't quite decipher.
Lin Xiao's character glanced at the options that appeared before him. His eyes scanned the choices quickly:
[1. Ask the kids for more information]
[2. Beat the kids again]
[3. Ask Wang Mei to tell the truth]
[4. Run Away]
[5. Threaten them].
Lin Xiao without hesitation, selected the second option.
"If the system gave it, it must have a meaning," Lin Xiao thought to himself, rationalizing his decision.
He had decided to speedrun the game and was determined to explore every possible choice, even if it meant taking the more brutal path.
Time resumed, and Lin Xiao's character, without a moment's pause, began to beat the kids again.
The once dazed and groaning boys were met with another wave of harsh blows. The sound of fists connecting with flesh echoed through the temple, mixing with the pained cries of the teenagers.
They tried to shield themselves, curling into tight balls on the ground, but it was futile. Lin Xiao's character was merciless, every punch and kick delivered with cold precision.
The girls watched in horror, their faces pale, and their bodies trembling as they huddled together.
They were too terrified to intervene, not knowing if they would be next.
Lin Xiao's character seemed almost mechanical in his actions, as if driven by some unseen force, his fists landing again and again until the boys were barely conscious, their bodies limp and unmoving.
Wang Mei stood apart from the group, her face twisted in a mixture of fear, anger, and something else Lin Xiao couldn't quite place.
The temple was now filled with the sounds of labored breathing, the cries of the injured, and the eerie silence that followed each brutal strike.
Lin Xiao's character paused, surveying the damage. The teenagers were completely subdued, lying on the cold temple floor, their eyes wide with fear and confusion.
The time stopped once again, and new options appeared before Lin Xiao: