Chapter 150: Equivalent exchange
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[!]
[!!]
[Damn, this is too intense!!]
[I’m willing, I’m willing, I’m willing!!! Please be my muse! (50 reward points)]
[Aaaaaah, even though I know the anchor’s main goal is to delay time, I don’t believe there’s anyone in this world who would refuse this request. Aaaaaaahh! (50 reward points)]
[The anchor is really amazing; I even suspect he studied psychology. He is directly targeting weaknesses and striking precisely!]
[That’s right, for No. 04, this is an absolutely irresistible deal!]
The amber eyes of a young man were close at hand.
No. 04’s chest suddenly heaved violently, and he unexpectedly reached out, grabbing the other’s wrist without any warning.
Under the thin skin were firm and delicate wrist bones.
Wen Jianyan stared at him without blinking, his gaze sharp, quietly waiting.
“How about it?”
He seemed so confident, completely hiding the fear and tremor beneath his calm surface.
“…”
The man lowered his eyes, gray eyelashes covering his pupils. He bent down, his lips pressing against the back of Wen Jianyan’s hand, his throat trembling.
“Deal.”
***
Staring at the empty hospital room in front of him, Su Cheng’s face became extremely serious.
“This, this… what’s going on? I remember he was just here.”
Blond looked around, showing a shocked expression.
The hospital room was small and simple, easily viewable even for someone with poor eyesight.
But Wen Jianyan, who was just in the room with them, had suddenly disappeared at some point—like evaporating into thin air, leaving no trace.
Su Cheng was stunned, as if suddenly understanding something.
“…No. 04.”
“What?” Blond was a bit slow to react.
“Did you forget? When the meal was delivered just now!” Su Cheng looked at Blond with a nervous expression. “That painting!”
That finely detailed and uncomfortably vivid sketch appeared in his mind. Blond slowly widened his eyes. “You mean… No. 04 took him away?”
“I guess so.” Su Cheng nodded.
Wen Jianyan was heavily targeted by various NPCs in this instance, and the hostility of those high-risk patients was almost entirely focused on him. The painting No. 04 drew when passing by to deliver the meal openly displayed his interest in Wen Jianyan.
Blond quickly caught up with his thoughts.
His face turned pale: “Then, what do we do?”
If Su Cheng’s guess was true, Wen Jianyan should now be taken to another high-risk mental patient’s mental realm, a separate world that they couldn’t reach…
Through this invisible mental barrier, even using props was uncertain.
This is really too bad. Are they really just going to wait quietly until the next bell rings and the inner world automatically ends?
Su Cheng gritted his teeth: “Actually… there’s another way.”
Blond was surprised: “What?”
In Su Cheng’s live broadcast room:
[Wait… I suddenly have a bad feeling…]
[Me too!!!]
“Didn’t that guy just said 01 and 03 are in conflict?”
Under the conflict between 01 and 03, at some point, the corridor had become very similar to the real world. It looked chaotic, with features of two different high-risk patients.
Su Cheng looked around, took a deep breath, and uncertainly said, “If the purpose of 01 and 03 fighting is also to snatch him, then they probably don’t want to see No. 04 benefit, right?”
Blond slightly widened his eyes. “Wait… you’re not thinking…”
“Yes.” Su Cheng nodded.
“You continue searching for clues in this room.” He raised his hand and rubbed his face, showing a helpless expression, and slowly said, “I… I’ll be back later.”
If he could come back later.
In Su Cheng’s live broadcast room:
[!! The bad feeling is confirmed!]
[Sob, my little cute prophet is gradually being corrupted…]
[Hahaha, did you learn the true teachings of Wen Jianyan’s arch-fire? He actually took down the path of deception and swindling!]
[I’m laughing so hard; the next-door dog liar is causing quite a stir!]
[Speaking of which, how far has the next door developed? Anyone from there who can share? I’m really curious!]
[The development next door—how to put it, it’s hard to describe…]
[?? What does that mean?]
[It means that it’s clearly No. 04’s home turf! But inexplicably, it’s being controlled by that dog liar! Wow, I’ve never seen an anchor making himself an owner like this!]
[???]
[Wait a minute… if next door, Wen Jianyan has already taken control from No. 04, then isn’t Su Cheng going to find 01 and 03 turning into inviting trouble?]
[…It does make some sense.]
[Hehehe, I’m really looking forward to it anyway. I’ve never seen so many high-risk patients fighting in the Ping An Asylum!!!]
[Shura field! Shura field!]
[Fight! Fight!]
***
Melodious music flowed through the air.
On the long table, golden candle holders were placed, flickering candle flames illuminating the snowy white table and the plates on top.
Grapes, almost bursting, filled the golden plates in clusters, the sweet scent of the fruit wafting through the air.
Wine glasses were filled with deep red liquid, reflecting the light with gentle ripples.
There were scattered sheets of paper on the table, charcoal sketches depicting terrifying scenes that evoked fear. With an almost manic passion, they were intricately drawn but abruptly halted, crumpled in disappointment, and thrown onto the ground.
The air was tranquil yet filled with a suffocating terror, like a pressure chamber inflated to its extreme, ready to burst at the slightest touch.
After the “transaction,” the equivalent exchange between the two had been ongoing for some time.
Wen Jianyan remained extremely cautious.
He framed his questions in a way that was unrelated to the “instance” and the “live broadcast,” attempting to uncover the deep-seated truth hidden within this instance in a subtle manner that didn’t reveal his murderous intent.
After the other answered each of his questions, Wen Jianyan naturally reciprocated.
Based on the taste the other has shown so far in art and music, Wen Jianyan has basically grasped the so-called “artistic preferences.”
As a professional scammer who lurked in high society and specialized in deceiving the wealthy, Wen Jianyan had rich reserves in this aspect. He didn’t need to have a deep understanding of classical beauty to appreciate this type of art. He only needed to know how to cater to other’s tastes. Regardless of the artist whose work was mentioned, he could respond fluently and guide the conversation in the direction the other party liked.
Using classical art as a reference, Wen Jianyan unleashed his imagination based on the other party’s taste, constructing scenes that surpassed even those created by No. 04 before.
However, he deliberately left inadequacies in many details so that when the other party genuinely became interested in the idea, he could completely overturn the concept.
He made every effort to prolong the process of “providing inspiration” to the other party in order to gain more information.
In this back-and-forth exchange, Wen Jianyan gradually filled in the deeds of No. 04 in his mind.
His real name was Mars, and he was burdened with dozens of A-level murder cases. Each murder was based on a world-famous painting, and his final work before being arrested was a Last Supper which claimed the lives of thirteen people.
Strangely, there seemed to be a blank period in the experiences of the other party before entering prison and after entering the Ping An Asylum. Wen Jianyan couldn’t temporarily determine whether this blank period was due to interference from the live broadcast room or related to potential human experiments conducted by the Ping An Asylum.
Although the other party could still fluently respond to questions about their identity and crimes, Wen Jianyan keenly sensed a peculiar sign when listening to the description of this experience.
It felt… a bit strange.
While describing these crimes, the other’s attitude was too indifferent, even carrying a sense of distant unfamiliarity.
Although Wen Jianyan had only a superficial understanding of criminal psychology, he was well aware that this type of antisocial high-risk patient had a strong Narcissus complex, an extreme form of self-love—not only for their own intelligence and power but also for the works they created. No. 04, the lunatic who was locked up in the hospital for turning humans into bloody works of art, was impossible to be so indifferent to their own creations.
When describing this part, No. 04 seemed to be telling someone else’s story, rarely delving into details and appearing quite uninterested.
Only when the topic shifted to “creating art with Wen Jianyan as the subject” did he regain enthusiasm.
“To provide me with more inspiration, would you be willing to wear the outfit I prepared for you before?” After answering another question from Wen Jianyan, No. 04 took out something and politely asked, staring at the young man in front of them.
Wen Jianyan was pulled out of his contemplation by No. 04’s voice.
“…”
He blinked, his gaze falling on the object in the other’s hand, then fell into silence.
It was another dress.
Damn.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…]
[I sincerely doubt that No. 04’s initial request for the anchor to wear a dress was genuinely for artistic purposes.]
[Totally a last resort move!!]
[Don’t disguise it, you pervert!! You’re just a fan of women’s clothing!!]
Wen Jianyan tugged at the corner of his mouth and answered through gritted teeth, “Of course.”
“Thank you.”
No. 04 said politely.
He put down the paintbrush and paper in his hand, stood up, and said, “I’ll leave you a space to change. Just call me when you’re done.”
After the other party left the restaurant, Wen Jianyan changed into the clothes as quickly as possible.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…Save us; this level is not enough. Can’t we see a bit more?!]
[We’re all precious paying viewers. Don’t turn the camera away every time there’s an exciting scene, okay?!]
[Sob, I really don’t want to see the chandelier; save me.]
Since he had experienced it once before, Wen Jianyan was quite familiar with the process this time.
While gazing at the last piece of thin fabric, he squinted his eyes slightly, falling into silence.
He suddenly realized where the strange feeling he noticed earlier came from.
The other party had changed his modus operandi.
In all previous murder cases, “world-famous paintings” were absolute blueprints, with a relatively low level of innovation.
Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes and discreetly glanced at the crumpled papers scattered on the ground—those scenes, either independently created by the other party or ones he had participated in conceptualizing, vividly appeared in his mind again.
In fact, all of these artworks related to himself, whether classical sculptures or classical paintings, without exception, became supplementary elements and supporting roles. The other party’s interest seemed to have shifted from using human bodies to recreate those famous paintings to focusing on the subject of the artwork—
Wen Jianyan himself.
Humans, who were originally supposed to be the materials for creating certain scenes in the other party’s fantasies, had now become the central figure, absorbing all the spotlight.
A psychopathic killer’s modus operandi… why such a drastic change?
It seemed like a minor difference, but in terms of its internal logic, there had been a profound transformation.
Why did this happen?
Wen Jianyan bent down and picked up the thin pair of stockings. The flowing texture felt cool and soft, like it had a life of its own, winding around his fingertips.
He suddenly laughed. “Come in.”
With a creak, the door swung open, and No. 04 calmly stepped inside.
He gazed firmly at the young man before him with his cold, mist-like gray eyes, a peculiar glint burning within:
“Thank you, my Muse.”
Wen Jianyan coldly stared at the approaching figure, suddenly raised his hand, and tossed the delicate fabric from his palm.
No. 04 was momentarily surprised but instinctively raised his hand to catch it.
The flowing fabric cascaded down, wrapping around his fingers, offering a soft and almost tender touch.
“Equivalent exchange, isn’t it?”
Wen Jianyan squinted his eyes, a cold and cunning gleam shimmering in their depths. He casually took his seat, saying, “Now, come and dress me.”
“…”
In the spacious hall, soft music flowed gently.
No. 04 knelt on one knee in front of the chair, his face calm as he lowered his eyes, using his fingers to unfold and arrange the soft, translucent fabric.
The young man nonchalantly placed his foot on No. 04’s knee, awaiting the other’s service.
This action naturally lifted the intricate and heavy fabric, revealing a pair of adult, slender legs. The bones were straight, covered by a thin layer of firm muscles, ultimately tapering at the protruding ankle bone.
The arch was high, and the foot was not overly slender but unnaturally pale.
Under the pale skin, winding blue veins and undulating skeletal contours were visible.
The soft fabric started its ascent from the toes, spreading like a soft snake. The thin, wrinkled material gradually expanded, glistening with a pearl-like sheen.
The pale, rarely-seen skin was slowly engulfed by the delicate stockings.
From the firm ankle bone to the softer, fleshy calf, almost graspable, to the graceful knee.
In order to pull the stockings above the knee, No. 04 had to stand up, slightly bending his upper body downward.
With the proximity, his fingers seemed somewhat stiff, and the icy fingertips occasionally brushed against the young man’s warm, jade-like skin.
Cooperating with his movements, the fasteners circled around his thighs.
“…”
Wen Jianyan squinted, carefully observing the man in close quarters.
The gray eyelashes quivered slightly, and the breath became erratic and rapid. A hint of unhealthy blush adorned the sharply defined cheekbones. The previously restrained appearance shattered, and he seemed passionate and unraveled.
Thus, the final question found its answer.
The internal logic of the crime had changed because the subject of desire had changed.
Wen Jianyan chuckled, raised his hand, and patted No. 04’s cold cheek, saying, “No, I should thank you.”
—For giving me the opportunity to get so close.
The next moment, the prop was activated.
Invisible chains appeared in the air, tightly binding the man in front. He couldn’t move a muscle from head to toe.
This was a B-level prop from the store.
Generally, in higher-level instances, the levels of NPCs and monsters were higher, making it more challenging to restrain them with store-bought items. Most of the props Wen Jianyan had used in previous instances were almost useless here—because their levels were too low, they could easily be shaken off.
Only some of the unsolvable props sold in B-level or higher stores could be applied to all monster NPCs without the possibility of escape.
The duration of close contact before use determined the utility’s duration afterward. This type of prop was challenging to use in most situations because maintaining such proximity with monsters could result in immediate death, offering no opportunity to use it.
The young man pushed No. 04 backward.
The rigid body naturally fell backward, landing on the chair behind him.
Wen Jianyan emerged from the narrow space like a fish, smiling, “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”
“…”
No. 04, fixed by invisible restraints to the chair, stared silently at Wen Jianyan as he swiftly distanced himself. His gray eyes flickered with a terrifying dark light, resembling a shackled beast who was even unable to clench its teeth.
***
Wen Jianyan turned and stepped away, sprinting upstairs at full speed. Following his memory, he ascended to the second floor, changing back into his original clothes while ruthlessly stepping on the complex and expensive fabric.
Soon, he found the locked door and burst inside without slowing down. He had searched through the first few rooms on this floor, leaving only the last one unexplored.
As he rushed into the final room, a familiar system prompt sounded in his ears.
【Ding! Congratulations to the anchor for completing the task: Find ???’s ward.
Reward points: 200】
The layout was eerily familiar—narrow space, a cold iron bed, walls adorned with countless paintings. The only difference was that, unlike in the Ping An Asylum, here, the paintings were presented with their fronts—the artworks likely originated from the former 04, depicting humans as materials rather than subjects.
Wen Jianyan opened a cabinet.
A paintbrush lay silently at the bottom.
He bent down, picking up the brush. The moment his fingertips touched it, the system’s voice resounded again:
【Congratulations to the anchor for obtaining the hidden item (Difficult)!】
【Collection progress: 2/10】
It seemed his speculation was correct—the hidden item related to the patients was indeed in the inner world’s room.
Wen Jianyan quickly pocketed the brush.
Great! He had achieved all his goals in this world.
Now, he needed to find a way to hide his presence and traces effectively before No. 04’s restraints were lifted. Then he could wait for the chime—
Suddenly, a loud banging sound came from beneath the ground.
Wen Jianyan widened his eyes in astonishment, almost losing his balance and falling onto the iron bed.
“???”
What’s happening?
The First Floor—
The ground shook, bricks crumbled, and dust fell down like a soft rain.
“Bang!!!”
With a loud noise, a corner of the splendid hall was forcefully chiseled open. Outside the hole, familiar, sinister figures appeared.
Edward, tall and beast-like, and No. 03, cradling the black and white rabbit.
Upon a friendly reminder, the three finally realized that their fighting had allowed their prey to be snatched away by others.
The original hostility was replaced by cooperation.
Soon, the barriers between the two worlds were forcefully broken.
Everything changed again.
Pale, dark, and bloody chaos surged into the delicate and orderly world like an opening floodgate. Three different mental worlds collided, throwing the order of reasons into chaos.
Edward lifted an axe with one hand. His muscles were bulging, and a fierce killing intent was glinting in his light blue eyes. He grinned, “Stealing someone while we were fighting… No. 04, do you want to die?”
Niel, with white hair, wore an angelic smile as he stepped forward, asking in a soft and gentle voice, “Where’s my little bunny? Where did you hide him?”
Chapter 150: Equivalent exchange
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[!]
[!!]
[Damn, this is too intense!!]
[I’m willing, I’m willing, I’m willing!!! Please be my muse! (50 reward points)]
[Aaaaaah, even though I know the anchor’s main goal is to delay time, I don’t believe there’s anyone in this world who would refuse this request. Aaaaaaahh! (50 reward points)]
[The anchor is really amazing; I even suspect he studied psychology. He is directly targeting weaknesses and striking precisely!]
[That’s right, for No. 04, this is an absolutely irresistible deal!]
The amber eyes of a young man were close at hand.
No. 04’s chest suddenly heaved violently, and he unexpectedly reached out, grabbing the other’s wrist without any warning.
Under the thin skin were firm and delicate wrist bones.
Wen Jianyan stared at him without blinking, his gaze sharp, quietly waiting.
“How about it?”
He seemed so confident, completely hiding the fear and tremor beneath his calm surface.
“…”
The man lowered his eyes, gray eyelashes covering his pupils. He bent down, his lips pressing against the back of Wen Jianyan’s hand, his throat trembling.
“Deal.”
***
Staring at the empty hospital room in front of him, Su Cheng’s face became extremely serious.
“This, this… what’s going on? I remember he was just here.”
Blond looked around, showing a shocked expression.
The hospital room was small and simple, easily viewable even for someone with poor eyesight.
But Wen Jianyan, who was just in the room with them, had suddenly disappeared at some point—like evaporating into thin air, leaving no trace.
Su Cheng was stunned, as if suddenly understanding something.
“…No. 04.”
“What?” Blond was a bit slow to react.
“Did you forget? When the meal was delivered just now!” Su Cheng looked at Blond with a nervous expression. “That painting!”
That finely detailed and uncomfortably vivid sketch appeared in his mind. Blond slowly widened his eyes. “You mean… No. 04 took him away?”
“I guess so.” Su Cheng nodded.
Wen Jianyan was heavily targeted by various NPCs in this instance, and the hostility of those high-risk patients was almost entirely focused on him. The painting No. 04 drew when passing by to deliver the meal openly displayed his interest in Wen Jianyan.
Blond quickly caught up with his thoughts.
His face turned pale: “Then, what do we do?”
If Su Cheng’s guess was true, Wen Jianyan should now be taken to another high-risk mental patient’s mental realm, a separate world that they couldn’t reach…
Through this invisible mental barrier, even using props was uncertain.
This is really too bad. Are they really just going to wait quietly until the next bell rings and the inner world automatically ends?
Su Cheng gritted his teeth: “Actually… there’s another way.”
Blond was surprised: “What?”
In Su Cheng’s live broadcast room:
[Wait… I suddenly have a bad feeling…]
[Me too!!!]
“Didn’t that guy just said 01 and 03 are in conflict?”
Under the conflict between 01 and 03, at some point, the corridor had become very similar to the real world. It looked chaotic, with features of two different high-risk patients.
Su Cheng looked around, took a deep breath, and uncertainly said, “If the purpose of 01 and 03 fighting is also to snatch him, then they probably don’t want to see No. 04 benefit, right?”
Blond slightly widened his eyes. “Wait… you’re not thinking…”
“Yes.” Su Cheng nodded.
“You continue searching for clues in this room.” He raised his hand and rubbed his face, showing a helpless expression, and slowly said, “I… I’ll be back later.”
If he could come back later.
In Su Cheng’s live broadcast room:
[!! The bad feeling is confirmed!]
[Sob, my little cute prophet is gradually being corrupted…]
[Hahaha, did you learn the true teachings of Wen Jianyan’s arch-fire? He actually took down the path of deception and swindling!]
[I’m laughing so hard; the next-door dog liar is causing quite a stir!]
[Speaking of which, how far has the next door developed? Anyone from there who can share? I’m really curious!]
[The development next door—how to put it, it’s hard to describe…]
[?? What does that mean?]
[It means that it’s clearly No. 04’s home turf! But inexplicably, it’s being controlled by that dog liar! Wow, I’ve never seen an anchor making himself an owner like this!]
[???]
[Wait a minute… if next door, Wen Jianyan has already taken control from No. 04, then isn’t Su Cheng going to find 01 and 03 turning into inviting trouble?]
[…It does make some sense.]
[Hehehe, I’m really looking forward to it anyway. I’ve never seen so many high-risk patients fighting in the Ping An Asylum!!!]
[Shura field! Shura field!]
[Fight! Fight!]
***
Melodious music flowed through the air.
On the long table, golden candle holders were placed, flickering candle flames illuminating the snowy white table and the plates on top.
Grapes, almost bursting, filled the golden plates in clusters, the sweet scent of the fruit wafting through the air.
Wine glasses were filled with deep red liquid, reflecting the light with gentle ripples.
There were scattered sheets of paper on the table, charcoal sketches depicting terrifying scenes that evoked fear. With an almost manic passion, they were intricately drawn but abruptly halted, crumpled in disappointment, and thrown onto the ground.
The air was tranquil yet filled with a suffocating terror, like a pressure chamber inflated to its extreme, ready to burst at the slightest touch.
After the “transaction,” the equivalent exchange between the two had been ongoing for some time.
Wen Jianyan remained extremely cautious.
He framed his questions in a way that was unrelated to the “instance” and the “live broadcast,” attempting to uncover the deep-seated truth hidden within this instance in a subtle manner that didn’t reveal his murderous intent.
After the other answered each of his questions, Wen Jianyan naturally reciprocated.
Based on the taste the other has shown so far in art and music, Wen Jianyan has basically grasped the so-called “artistic preferences.”
As a professional scammer who lurked in high society and specialized in deceiving the wealthy, Wen Jianyan had rich reserves in this aspect. He didn’t need to have a deep understanding of classical beauty to appreciate this type of art. He only needed to know how to cater to other’s tastes. Regardless of the artist whose work was mentioned, he could respond fluently and guide the conversation in the direction the other party liked.
Using classical art as a reference, Wen Jianyan unleashed his imagination based on the other party’s taste, constructing scenes that surpassed even those created by No. 04 before.
However, he deliberately left inadequacies in many details so that when the other party genuinely became interested in the idea, he could completely overturn the concept.
He made every effort to prolong the process of “providing inspiration” to the other party in order to gain more information.
In this back-and-forth exchange, Wen Jianyan gradually filled in the deeds of No. 04 in his mind.
His real name was Mars, and he was burdened with dozens of A-level murder cases. Each murder was based on a world-famous painting, and his final work before being arrested was a Last Supper which claimed the lives of thirteen people.
Strangely, there seemed to be a blank period in the experiences of the other party before entering prison and after entering the Ping An Asylum. Wen Jianyan couldn’t temporarily determine whether this blank period was due to interference from the live broadcast room or related to potential human experiments conducted by the Ping An Asylum.
Although the other party could still fluently respond to questions about their identity and crimes, Wen Jianyan keenly sensed a peculiar sign when listening to the description of this experience.
It felt… a bit strange.
While describing these crimes, the other’s attitude was too indifferent, even carrying a sense of distant unfamiliarity.
Although Wen Jianyan had only a superficial understanding of criminal psychology, he was well aware that this type of antisocial high-risk patient had a strong Narcissus complex, an extreme form of self-love—not only for their own intelligence and power but also for the works they created. No. 04, the lunatic who was locked up in the hospital for turning humans into bloody works of art, was impossible to be so indifferent to their own creations.
When describing this part, No. 04 seemed to be telling someone else’s story, rarely delving into details and appearing quite uninterested.
Only when the topic shifted to “creating art with Wen Jianyan as the subject” did he regain enthusiasm.
“To provide me with more inspiration, would you be willing to wear the outfit I prepared for you before?” After answering another question from Wen Jianyan, No. 04 took out something and politely asked, staring at the young man in front of them.
Wen Jianyan was pulled out of his contemplation by No. 04’s voice.
“…”
He blinked, his gaze falling on the object in the other’s hand, then fell into silence.
It was another dress.
Damn.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…]
[I sincerely doubt that No. 04’s initial request for the anchor to wear a dress was genuinely for artistic purposes.]
[Totally a last resort move!!]
[Don’t disguise it, you pervert!! You’re just a fan of women’s clothing!!]
Wen Jianyan tugged at the corner of his mouth and answered through gritted teeth, “Of course.”
“Thank you.”
No. 04 said politely.
He put down the paintbrush and paper in his hand, stood up, and said, “I’ll leave you a space to change. Just call me when you’re done.”
After the other party left the restaurant, Wen Jianyan changed into the clothes as quickly as possible.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…Save us; this level is not enough. Can’t we see a bit more?!]
[We’re all precious paying viewers. Don’t turn the camera away every time there’s an exciting scene, okay?!]
[Sob, I really don’t want to see the chandelier; save me.]
Since he had experienced it once before, Wen Jianyan was quite familiar with the process this time.
While gazing at the last piece of thin fabric, he squinted his eyes slightly, falling into silence.
He suddenly realized where the strange feeling he noticed earlier came from.
The other party had changed his modus operandi.
In all previous murder cases, “world-famous paintings” were absolute blueprints, with a relatively low level of innovation.
Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes and discreetly glanced at the crumpled papers scattered on the ground—those scenes, either independently created by the other party or ones he had participated in conceptualizing, vividly appeared in his mind again.
In fact, all of these artworks related to himself, whether classical sculptures or classical paintings, without exception, became supplementary elements and supporting roles. The other party’s interest seemed to have shifted from using human bodies to recreate those famous paintings to focusing on the subject of the artwork—
Wen Jianyan himself.
Humans, who were originally supposed to be the materials for creating certain scenes in the other party’s fantasies, had now become the central figure, absorbing all the spotlight.
A psychopathic killer’s modus operandi… why such a drastic change?
It seemed like a minor difference, but in terms of its internal logic, there had been a profound transformation.
Why did this happen?
Wen Jianyan bent down and picked up the thin pair of stockings. The flowing texture felt cool and soft, like it had a life of its own, winding around his fingertips.
He suddenly laughed. “Come in.”
With a creak, the door swung open, and No. 04 calmly stepped inside.
He gazed firmly at the young man before him with his cold, mist-like gray eyes, a peculiar glint burning within:
“Thank you, my Muse.”
Wen Jianyan coldly stared at the approaching figure, suddenly raised his hand, and tossed the delicate fabric from his palm.
No. 04 was momentarily surprised but instinctively raised his hand to catch it.
The flowing fabric cascaded down, wrapping around his fingers, offering a soft and almost tender touch.
“Equivalent exchange, isn’t it?”
Wen Jianyan squinted his eyes, a cold and cunning gleam shimmering in their depths. He casually took his seat, saying, “Now, come and dress me.”
“…”
In the spacious hall, soft music flowed gently.
No. 04 knelt on one knee in front of the chair, his face calm as he lowered his eyes, using his fingers to unfold and arrange the soft, translucent fabric.
The young man nonchalantly placed his foot on No. 04’s knee, awaiting the other’s service.
This action naturally lifted the intricate and heavy fabric, revealing a pair of adult, slender legs. The bones were straight, covered by a thin layer of firm muscles, ultimately tapering at the protruding ankle bone.
The arch was high, and the foot was not overly slender but unnaturally pale.
Under the pale skin, winding blue veins and undulating skeletal contours were visible.
The soft fabric started its ascent from the toes, spreading like a soft snake. The thin, wrinkled material gradually expanded, glistening with a pearl-like sheen.
The pale, rarely-seen skin was slowly engulfed by the delicate stockings.
From the firm ankle bone to the softer, fleshy calf, almost graspable, to the graceful knee.
In order to pull the stockings above the knee, No. 04 had to stand up, slightly bending his upper body downward.
With the proximity, his fingers seemed somewhat stiff, and the icy fingertips occasionally brushed against the young man’s warm, jade-like skin.
Cooperating with his movements, the fasteners circled around his thighs.
“…”
Wen Jianyan squinted, carefully observing the man in close quarters.
The gray eyelashes quivered slightly, and the breath became erratic and rapid. A hint of unhealthy blush adorned the sharply defined cheekbones. The previously restrained appearance shattered, and he seemed passionate and unraveled.
Thus, the final question found its answer.
The internal logic of the crime had changed because the subject of desire had changed.
Wen Jianyan chuckled, raised his hand, and patted No. 04’s cold cheek, saying, “No, I should thank you.”
—For giving me the opportunity to get so close.
The next moment, the prop was activated.
Invisible chains appeared in the air, tightly binding the man in front. He couldn’t move a muscle from head to toe.
This was a B-level prop from the store.
Generally, in higher-level instances, the levels of NPCs and monsters were higher, making it more challenging to restrain them with store-bought items. Most of the props Wen Jianyan had used in previous instances were almost useless here—because their levels were too low, they could easily be shaken off.
Only some of the unsolvable props sold in B-level or higher stores could be applied to all monster NPCs without the possibility of escape.
The duration of close contact before use determined the utility’s duration afterward. This type of prop was challenging to use in most situations because maintaining such proximity with monsters could result in immediate death, offering no opportunity to use it.
The young man pushed No. 04 backward.
The rigid body naturally fell backward, landing on the chair behind him.
Wen Jianyan emerged from the narrow space like a fish, smiling, “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”
“…”
No. 04, fixed by invisible restraints to the chair, stared silently at Wen Jianyan as he swiftly distanced himself. His gray eyes flickered with a terrifying dark light, resembling a shackled beast who was even unable to clench its teeth.
***
Wen Jianyan turned and stepped away, sprinting upstairs at full speed. Following his memory, he ascended to the second floor, changing back into his original clothes while ruthlessly stepping on the complex and expensive fabric.
Soon, he found the locked door and burst inside without slowing down. He had searched through the first few rooms on this floor, leaving only the last one unexplored.
As he rushed into the final room, a familiar system prompt sounded in his ears.
【Ding! Congratulations to the anchor for completing the task: Find ???’s ward.
Reward points: 200】
The layout was eerily familiar—narrow space, a cold iron bed, walls adorned with countless paintings. The only difference was that, unlike in the Ping An Asylum, here, the paintings were presented with their fronts—the artworks likely originated from the former 04, depicting humans as materials rather than subjects.
Wen Jianyan opened a cabinet.
A paintbrush lay silently at the bottom.
He bent down, picking up the brush. The moment his fingertips touched it, the system’s voice resounded again:
【Congratulations to the anchor for obtaining the hidden item (Difficult)!】
【Collection progress: 2/10】
It seemed his speculation was correct—the hidden item related to the patients was indeed in the inner world’s room.
Wen Jianyan quickly pocketed the brush.
Great! He had achieved all his goals in this world.
Now, he needed to find a way to hide his presence and traces effectively before No. 04’s restraints were lifted. Then he could wait for the chime—
Suddenly, a loud banging sound came from beneath the ground.
Wen Jianyan widened his eyes in astonishment, almost losing his balance and falling onto the iron bed.
“???”
What’s happening?
The First Floor—
The ground shook, bricks crumbled, and dust fell down like a soft rain.
“Bang!!!”
With a loud noise, a corner of the splendid hall was forcefully chiseled open. Outside the hole, familiar, sinister figures appeared.
Edward, tall and beast-like, and No. 03, cradling the black and white rabbit.
Upon a friendly reminder, the three finally realized that their fighting had allowed their prey to be snatched away by others.
The original hostility was replaced by cooperation.
Soon, the barriers between the two worlds were forcefully broken.
Everything changed again.
Pale, dark, and bloody chaos surged into the delicate and orderly world like an opening floodgate. Three different mental worlds collided, throwing the order of reasons into chaos.
Edward lifted an axe with one hand. His muscles were bulging, and a fierce killing intent was glinting in his light blue eyes. He grinned, “Stealing someone while we were fighting… No. 04, do you want to die?”
Niel, with white hair, wore an angelic smile as he stepped forward, asking in a soft and gentle voice, “Where’s my little bunny? Where did you hide him?”
