Xing Ye: "I understand now.”

 

After losing the support of Guan Ling's imagination, the fly-man was just an ordinary person. A single door plank was enough to knock him out.

However, the "Tranquillity" QR code was a double-edged sword that harmed both the enemy and the user. Xing Ye had used the QR code on Guan Ling, so after the flies disappeared, Guan Ling sat quietly on the ground, looking calm and obedient, as if he had been sedated.

Fortunately, the effect lasted only five minutes. When Guan Ling regained his senses, Xing Ye had already searched the 17th floor, finding only a few colleagues who pressured him to work overtime—no useful clues.

As they continued downwards, Guan Ling kept his head down, staying silent, not daring to think nonsense.

By the time they reached the first floor, they still hadn't found anything unusual. The building, shaped by collective imagination, was eerily quiet, and they couldn't locate the other three players.

“Why?” Cao Qian asked, puzzled. “It's one thing to not find any clues, but why can't we find the other players?”

Xing Ye replied, “There are two possibilities: first, they have already left; second, they aren't in this mental world.”

Wei Miao asked, “Do you mean there could be countless mental worlds like this one? Even if we leave here, this world might not be over?”

“That's quite possible,” Xing Ye responded.

Cao Qian was still confused. “But we did find traces of another player on the 20th floor.”

“That means they likely discovered a way out around nine o’clock and hurriedly left, trying to escape this world,” Xing Ye explained. “The 20th floor is the core of this world, and since they worked as a psychological consultant, it wouldn't be difficult for them to find clues.”

“Could they have taken the key clues with them? Can we still find a way out?” Cao Qian asked, concerned.

“Nothing is absolute. Let's check outside,” Xing Ye suggested, pointing toward the door. “Since this world isn't confined to this building and we can walk outside, it means there are clues out there. The more forbidden the place seems, the more valuable it is to explore.”

Cao Xi, remembering the intense heat outside, felt a bit scared but nodded resolutely.

Guan Ling and Wei Miao, having not experienced the heat before, followed along in a daze, but soon they felt so uncomfortable that they wanted to retreat.

“I... I’m clearly a fish, so why am I so dehydrated...” Wei Miao collapsed to the ground. “I feel like I’m turning into grilled fish.”

As he spoke, the scent of grilled fish actually started emanating from him!

Xing Ye picked him up and tossed him to Guan Ling. “Take care of him. Consider it your way to make amends.”

Guan Ling, still feeling guilty about the fly-man incident, knew Xing Ye could comfort him, but it wouldn’t be effective. The only way to help someone overcome guilt is to give them a chance to redeem themselves.

Even though Guan Ling was also struggling with the heat, the responsibility of caring for Wei Miao motivated him. He said to Wei Miao, “Coach Wei, what’s there to fear from a little heat? In your past life, weren’t you the Dragon King, carrying the waters of the four seas within you? How could this small amount of heat bother you?”

With this encouragement, the somewhat delirious Wei Miao felt slightly better and said, “Yeah, as long as I make it rain, I can alleviate the drought!”

He then started spitting water, but the collective imagination didn’t enhance this ability, probably to avoid clashing with the external heat.

Guan Ling didn't expect Wei Miao to actually bring rain to reduce the heat. He just hoped the grilled fish smell would go away soon—it was making him hungry as he stared at Wei Miao’s carp-like face, craving grilled fish.

Meanwhile, after spending some time outside, Xing Ye started feeling less uncomfortable. He told Cao Xi, “It seems this heat is more of a psychological discomfort.”

Cao Qian nodded in agreement. “I haven't even started sweating, so I won’t get heatstroke. This can be overcome.”

Xing Ye walked around the building, attempting to speak to the passersby, but they seemed unable to see him.

"We can communicate with people inside the building, but there's a barrier between us and the outside world," Xing Ye remarked as he observed the street.

“Does that mean we have to go back inside the building?” Cao Qian asked as she scratched her neck, feeling like she was about to melt from the heat.

As she considered this, she peeled a piece of skin off her neck.

Without showing any emotion, Cao Qian discreetly pocketed the piece of skin and pulled up the high collar of her cleaning uniform. Since the uniform was designed to protect against dust, it could cover her entire body.

Cao Qian discreetly pocketed the piece of skin that had peeled off, then raised the high collar of her cleaning uniform. The uniform was designed to protect against dust, and it could cover her entire body.

Guan Ling had already used his healing ability once to save her. This world was filled with dangers, and Cao Qian didn’t want to bother him for such a minor injury again. As long as she could keep her mind from wandering, she would be able to leave.

Xing Ye noticed that Cao Qian had raised her collar in the sweltering heat but didn’t say anything. The longer they stayed in this mental world, the more unbearable it became. If they stayed much longer, they’d all start losing their minds, including himself, who was already missing the little mirror.

But they had to stay vigilant and patient, waiting for clues to appear.

Xing Ye checked his watch; it was already 11:50 PM. It had taken them over an hour to get from the 17th floor to the 1st floor, and now midnight was approaching.

Midnight?

Xing Ye looked at the people gathered on the street. Why were so many people still out this late? In a big city, it wasn’t unusual for the nightlife to extend late into the night, but nearly midnight and there were still this many people? Something didn’t add up.

He quickly moved toward the most crowded area, but he still couldn’t make contact with anyone. However, he noticed that all these people had bird-like faces, resembling sparrows and crows. They looked more human, though, and in the dark, it was hard to tell at a glance.

What could these two birds symbolize?

Xing Ye forced himself to think, but his mind was foggy.

Fortunately, Xing Ye had experience with this kind of situation. He wouldn’t put down work, even when he was sick. Unless he was on the verge of passing out, he wouldn’t let a cold or fever keep him from his tasks. Dealing with fever or staying up late to handle things was routine for him, and his tolerance was higher than most people.

Sparrows were noisy, often seen as pests despite being beneficial birds. They were called "house thieves" by farmers and would gather together in the winter, ready to fly away at the slightest disturbance. Crows, on the other hand, were scavengers and sometimes symbolized death.

Death… suicide?

In the memories from the 20th floor, Xiao Hei had expressed strong suicidal thoughts when speaking alone.

As Xing Ye pondered this, the clock struck midnight. The people with sparrow faces quickly dispersed, while the crows moved back a little before regrouping.

Xing Ye couldn’t interact with them, but he walked into the midst of the crows and saw that they seemed to be circling around something.

Something must have happened around dawn, scaring off the timid sparrows and attracting the crows.

Xing Ye looked up, recalling that just before the sparrows had flown away, he had heard something…

Following behind him, Cao Qian scratched her arm, and another piece of skin fell off with a soft “plop.” She bit her lip and gripped her arm.

“Let’s go back!” Xing Ye immediately said. “There’s no need to endure this outside any longer.”

Cao Qian responded, “I’m fine, I can hold on.”

Xing Ye insisted, "There's no need, I’ve figured everything out."

Hearing Xing Ye's words, Cao Qian finally breathed a sigh of relief, quickly retreating back into the building like a whirlwind. She rushed to the restroom on the first floor and started splashing cold water all over herself.

Meanwhile, Guan Ling was staring at Wei Miao's stomach with a dazed expression, muttering, "When it comes to grilled fish, I prefer the belly—the bones there are fewer, and although the back meat is tasty, there are just too many bones."

He had already started eyeing which part of Wei Miao would be the best to eat.

Wei Miao, on the other hand, was feeling dejected, saying, " This king, who has called the wind and rain for so many years, has now been banished to the mortal world, and I can't even summon a little cooling rain. Heavenly Emperor! Are you trying to destroy my dragon soul?"

The world outside the building was rapidly draining everyone's sanity. Cao Qian was holding on slightly better, but Guan Ling and Wei Miao were on the verge of losing their minds.

Xing Ye pulled the two of them back into the building. They still recognized him, and perhaps out of instinctual obedience, they didn't resist as he dragged them back inside.

Once inside, the oppressive heat lessened, and they started to feel a bit better. Wei Miao, embarrassed by his earlier outburst about being a dragon lord, sat on the floor, sulking. Guan Ling, on the other hand, stayed as far away from Wei Miao as possible—he had been just moments away from devouring the "grilled fish."

Cao Qian emerged from the restroom, dripping wet. She had taken off her uniform jacket, revealing a short-sleeved shirt underneath, her arms were bloodied and raw, with the skin nearly peeled off.

"Sister Cao! What happened to you?" Guan Ling jumped up in alarm. "I'll heal you right away."

"No need, I can bear it," Cao Qian stopped him. "Xing Ye has already figured out a way out. If my wounds aren’t healed after we leave the mental world, you can help me then."

Xing Ye praised her, "You're right. It's possible that our injuries are only mental, and they might disappear once we leave here."

Guan Ling asked, "Boss, have you really found a way out?"

Xing Ye replied, "More or less. Let's head up to the 20th floor first."

The ride up to the 20th floor in the elevator wasn't pleasant, but it was much better than being outside. It was also short, and watching the elevator climb floor by floor gave them hope, making it easier to endure.

But unexpectedly, the elevator stopped on the 17th floor. A woman stood at the door, saying, "Xing Ye, you're not doing the work I assigned you!"

Calling her a woman didn’t seem quite right—she was a lizard. When Xing Ye had seen her before, she was still human-sized, but now she was five or six meters tall, with her head pushing through the ceiling. Her eyes were as large as 55-inch TVs, staring intently at the people in the elevator.

If it weren't for the name tag on her chest that read "Ren Tingman," Xing Ye wouldn't have recognized her true identity.

“What on earth is this? Godzilla?” Guan Ling blurted out.

Just as Cao Qian was about to punch him, Xing Ye intervened, “Don’t hit it. This thing appeared because of my overactive imagination.”

Everyone else: “…”

Xing Ye explained, “I’m a suspicious person by nature. After I figured out how to leave, I kept worrying that something would go wrong. I feared it wouldn’t be that easy, and sure enough, it isn’t.”

Guan Ling glanced at the “Godzilla” blocking their exit from the elevator and awkwardly praised, “Truly impressive, Boss. Even your imagination is on another level.”

Indeed, while everyone else’s imagination might lead to self-harm, drinking, gambling, or flies, Xing Ye’s imagination conjured something far more formidable.

“Can we use ‘Tranquillity’?” Wei Miao asked. “This isn’t something a door panel can handle!”

Xing Ye apologized, “If ‘Tranquillity’ is used on me, I won’t be able to think.”

Of the four of them, anyone could afford to stop thinking—except Xing Ye.

“I’ll handle her,” Cao Qian stepped in front of the group, “You follow behind me. The moment we break out of the elevator, run for the stairs. Xing Ye, I need the ‘Fist of Glory’ to boost my strength!”

While Xing Ye tried to calm Ren Tingman, promising her he’d work overtime soon, he quickly drew the QR code for the “Fist of Glory.”

The “Fist of Glory” was a QR code reward that Cao Qian had obtained at the end of the campus world. It could enhance physical strength, though the original QR code had been used up in the Puppet City world.

Normally, the “Fist of Glory” appeared as boxing gloves, but this time, Cao Qian transformed it into a pair of fingerless gloves that could amplify her grip strength.

Meanwhile, Guan Ling and Wei Miao had repeatedly pressed the elevator’s close button, but Ren Tingman had wedged two of her fingers between the doors, preventing them from closing. She hadn’t attacked them yet because Xing Ye had promised to work overtime, which kept her temporarily pacified.

Wearing the fingerless gloves, Cao Qian gripped the elevator door's steel plate with all her might. Her fingers dug in deep, and with a powerful yank, she tore a strip of steel from the door.

Guan Ling and Wei Miao both swallowed hard.

Even with immense strength, Cao Qian shouldn’t have been able to do that. It was only thanks to the “Fist of Glory” that her fingers temporarily had the power of a cutting machine.

However, while a cutting machine is made of metal, Cao Xi’s fingers were flesh and bone. In the process of pulling, all of the fingers exposed outside the gloves were torn off, leaving only stubs on her left hand.

She should have been in excruciating pain, but she remained silent. Switching the steel strip to her right hand, she used her agility to leap toward the lizard woman.

“Run! Up the stairs, don’t look back!” Cao Qian shouted.

As she sprinted forward, the three of them followed Cao Xi, rushing out of the elevator and slipping past Ren Tingman’s massive fingers.

Ren Tingman roared in fury, but her enormous size made her movements sluggish. Every attack she attempted was blocked by Cao Qian using the steel strip. By the time Ren Tingman realized it, Xing Ye and the others were already rushing up the stairs.

With a grating screech, she reached out to tear apart the staircase, but Cao Xi, using her agility and small stature, climbed onto the lizard woman's body and leaped onto her head. She drove the steel strip deep into one of Ren Tingman’s eyes!

“Aaahhh!” Ren Tingman screamed in agony.

She tried to retaliate, but Cao Qian had already jumped off her head and landed in the stairwell, sprinting up the handrail to catch up with Xing Ye and the others.

“Hurry!” Cao Qian urged the three of them.

Ren Tingman’s massive size prevented her from entering the elevator or the stairwell, so she could only shout from below, “Xing Ye, I’m going to fire you! I’m going to sue you for assault!”

“Go ahead and try,” Xing Ye responded coldly.

Once they reached the 20th floor and saw that Ren Tingman hadn’t followed, Wei Miao sighed in relief and gave Guan Ling a thumbs up, saying, “Cao Qian is something else.”

They had seen people who were tough, but none as fierce as this. Cao Qian had immediately assessed the situation, devised a battle plan, sacrificed five fingers to acquire a weapon, and executed her plan with precision and ruthlessness. She was formidable.

Wei Miao thought that if they ever had to face Cao Qian, they wouldn’t stand a chance. If they couldn’t take her down at the start, her sheer ferocity would make everyone lose the will to fight.

With one member who had unbeatable intelligence, another with unbeatable strength, and a third... Wei Miao glanced at Guan Ling, then turned away blankly. Guan Ling’s strength must be something else entirely.

Cao Qian, still refusing Guan Ling’s offer to heal her, weakly said, “Wait a bit, don’t waste your abilities yet. Let’s see what Xing Ye has discovered.”

Xing Ye rushed into the open records room and frantically searched through the files until he found what he was looking for in the historical archives.

The patient’s name had been scratched out by someone, seemingly to keep it a secret.

At the bottom of the medical record, it noted that the patient’s treatment had failed, their condition had worsened, and they had fallen to their death from the top of the building.

Translator : DarNan