The drive back to the dorm felt endless. The city's night lights blurred past as Ye Xiu gripped the steering wheel, his mind replaying the events of the evening like a broken record. The encounter at the abandoned factory, the threatening voice on the phone, the terrifying ultimatum—it all felt surreal like he was trapped in someone else's nightmare. He could still hear the voice in his head: "Quit, or they will suffer." It was a choice he couldn't digest.
As he pulled up to the dormitory, the building stood eerily quiet under the pale moonlight, but the heavy weight of tension was palpable. His team was waiting for him inside—Liu Hao, Su Mucheng, and Qiao Yifan. They had all been on edge ever since the missing players had shaken the entire gaming community to its core. And now, with Ye Xiu's late-night excursions becoming a mystery to them, they needed answers.
Ye Xiu quietly unlocked the door and stepped inside. The moment he entered, the atmosphere grew tense. Liu Hao was the first to step forward, his brows knitted in concern. "Where have you been?" he asked, his voice sharper than intended. "We've been worried."
Su Mucheng, usually calm and collected, stood beside him, her arms folded. "Ye Xiu, what's going on? You've been acting strange, and it's not like you to keep things from us."
Ye Xiu knew he couldn't tell them the full truth. He remembered Officer Jiang Wei's warning—the less they knew, the safer they were. He forced a calm smile and tried to ease the tension. "Don't worry," he said, keeping his voice steady. "The police are getting closer to finding the culprit. I've been cooperating with them."
Yifan's face twisted in frustration. "That's it? You're not going to tell us anything more? You disappear in the middle of the night, and we're just supposed to believe everything's fine?"
Liu Hao opened his mouth to speak, but Ye Xiu held up his hand, cutting him off. "Trust me," he said, meeting each of their gazes one by one. "Everything's under control. You have my word."
The room fell into a tense silence. His teammates were unsatisfied, but none of them pressed further. They trusted Ye Xiu, even if they didn't understand what was going on. The weight of the unspoken words hung heavy between them as Ye Xiu made his way to his room.
That night, sleep was impossible. Every time Ye Xiu closed his eyes, the events of the evening replayed vividly in his mind—the chilling video of the kidnapped players, the sinister demand for his retirement, and the looming threat of more disappearances. He felt trapped, cornered by an invisible enemy.
As the first light of dawn crept through the curtains, Ye Xiu found himself sitting in the police station again, this time across from Officer Jiang Wei. The officer leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes studying Ye Xiu carefully.
"You're quiet this morning," Jiang Wei remarked, his tone light but observant. "Rough night?"
Ye Xiu didn't answer. His thoughts were elsewhere, consumed by the growing danger looming over his team. Jiang Wei reached into his jacket pocket, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Did you happen to take the pen I gave you last night?"
A brief flashback flickered through Ye Xiu's mind—right before he had left for the factory the previous night, Jiang Wei had handed him an ordinary-looking pen.
*Flashback*
"Take this with you," Jiang Wei had said, pressing the pen into Ye Xiu's hand. "It's more than just a pen. There's a camera inside. Just make sure you keep it close—pocket, jacket, wherever. We'll need to capture whatever happens."
Ye Xiu nodded, slipping the pen into his hoodie pocket as instructed. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, his mind too focused on the looming meeting, but now, that small device could hold the key to everything.
*End Flashback*
Ye Xiu reached into his pocket and pulled out the pen, handing it back to Jiang Wei. The officer took it with a satisfied nod, twisting the cap to reveal the hidden camera inside.
"Well done," Jiang Wei said as he stood up and walked over to his computer. He connected the pen's camera to the system, a small smirk playing on his lips as he spoke. "Let's see what we've got."
Ye Xiu sat forward, his heart pounding in anticipation. If the camera had successfully recorded the events of the night, they might finally have some tangible evidence—something to link the disappearance of the players to the sinister mastermind behind it all.
As the officer clicked through the files, the screen flickered to life, showing grainy footage of Ye Xiu standing in the darkened factory, the parcel lying at his feet. The audio kicked in next, capturing the distorted voice of the unknown caller:
"Pick up the parcel and open it. Don't try to act smart, or you'll lose your life."
The video continued, showing Ye Xiu as he followed the instructions, opening the box, retrieving the USB, and logging into the laptop. Then came the moment of truth—the chilling footage of Sun Xiang and Zhang Jiale, bound and terrified, being dragged into the van by the faceless figure.
Jiang Wei's eyes narrowed as the video played on. He paused it, his expression grave. "This confirms everything," he said. "Someone has been monitoring you and the other players closely. They've been planning this for a while."
Ye Xiu leaned back in his chair, letting out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The weight of the situation settled heavily on his shoulders, but there was a glimmer of relief. The police now had concrete evidence—something they could use to track down the kidnapper.
But there was still the demand hanging over him—the impossible choice. Quit, or risk losing more of his friends. It was a decision he couldn't make alone.
Jiang Wei's voice broke through his thoughts. "We'll use this footage to try and identify the kidnapper. In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing. Follow their instructions, but stay close to us. We'll be watching."
Ye Xiu nodded, though the knot in his stomach remained. As he left the station, he knew the road ahead would be treacherous. The stakes were rising, and the shadows were closing in.
The game wasn't over—not yet.