Chapter 159: Traitor
The heavy, decaying odor seeped through the cracks of the iron door, and within those fine gaps lay an unknown darkness that even the beam of a flashlight couldn’t penetrate.
The sounds inside the door grew more urgent, each one louder than the last:
“Come in quickly!”
“Come in quickly!”
“Come in quickly!!”
Not good!
Wen Jianyan seemed to suddenly understand something. His pupils contracted, and he quickly turned his head to look behind.
The flashlight flickered, and its dim beam barely illuminated a small space behind him.
The previously motionless tendrils had begun to stir after being triggered by the sound.
Those deep red filament-like mouthparts gradually extended and reached toward the direction of the sound. In a brief moment, they silently descended to the level of his face.
Although the protective shield’s effectiveness had not yet expired, Wen Jianyan didn’t want to test its strength in this situation.
Faced with this predicament, the best course of action was to run in the opposite direction of the sound. However, his two teammates were likely on this floor; leaving now would waste all of their efforts.
Wen Jianyan skillfully opened the system store and swiftly made a purchase.
The points were deducted from his account, and the next moment, a metal lump appeared in his palm.
It was an old-fashioned alarm clock.
With two “creak” sounds, he wound up the clock.
Wen Jianyan raised his hand and skillfully tossed the item in the opposite direction!
With a “clang” sound, the alarm clock smashed against the wall, emitting a mechanical and piercing ringing.
The hovering tentacles hesitated for a moment, then changed direction, heading toward the alarm clock producing the noise.
In just a short span of ten seconds, the entire staircase he had traversed was almost completely covered. In the dim light, it resembled an esophagus covered with red villi.
Thin lines extended and were intricately intertwined on the walls and ceilings, silently swaying in the dark space.
Wen Jianyan breathed a sigh of relief.
When he was downstairs before, he realized that these neurons relied on sound to determine their position, so he thought of this possible countermeasure.
It seemed to be quite effective.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Oh, oh, the anchor’s reaction is really fast!]
[Indeed!]
[But why would Su Cheng’s voice sound like this? It was really strange…]
[Ah? I thought this was part of the instance, wasn’t it?]
[No! I don’t remember this kind of event happening in the lab! Maybe the mechanism changed…? I’m not sure.]
Wen Jianyan turned his head and looked at the half-open iron door behind him.
Since the alarm started ringing, the voice of “Su Cheng” had disappeared from the door crack, leaving only a suffocating silence.
That narrow gap seemed ominous, no matter how he looked at it.
Regardless of who the speaker was, Su Cheng and the others should be here. After all, there were no other branching paths on this staircase. If they wanted to move forward, this was the only direction.
Wen Jianyan activated the pulling prop.
No response.
…Well.
Wen Jianyan sighed.
Although he had already guessed the result, he had to try, right?
Since that was the case, there was only one last option left for him.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, raised his hand, and cautiously pushed the iron door open with a crack.
The dry door hinge rotated, emitting a sharp creaking sound in the darkness.
The strange tentacles hanging above swayed, redirecting toward the source of the sound.
Wen Jianyan moved quickly, leaning to the side, and before the second sound could be made, he disappeared behind the iron door.
The moment he entered the darkness, the mission panel on the right updated.
【Elementary Task: Explore the laboratory】
【Intermediate Task: Escape from the laboratory】
A strong, pungent odor mixed with a stale scent filled his nostrils. Although mentally prepared, Wen Jianyan’s face couldn’t help but pale for a moment.
He covered his mouth and nose with one hand, raising the flashlight to illuminate a small area in front of him.
Although the flashlight’s light wasn’t strong enough to fully brighten the surroundings, it was enough to see that the space here was large and seemingly endless.
The layout was roughly similar to that downstairs.
It was dark and hollow, as if it had been abandoned for a long time. The ground was covered in dust, and there were old and broken tables, chairs, and fragments of lab benches everywhere.
Unlike downstairs, the area covered by the membrane was even larger here.
On the ceiling, walls, and floor, it seemed like some kind of fungus, slowly wriggling in the darkness.
Wen Jianyan instinctively held his breath and walked lightly.
He lowered his head, using the flashlight to search for the footprints left by the others in the dust on the ground.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[It’s really too quiet… feels like there’s a lack of air, which is oppressive.]
[Yeah, I’m so nervous!”]
[So, is the survival rate high in the lab?]
[Not really… It’s weird here. I’ve been here many times, but I still haven’t figured out the survival mechanism.]
[What about the anchor’s teammates? Anyone who likes to wander around? Are they okay?]
[I just came back from the next room. No, they are not… It’s hard to explain.]
[Huh? What do you mean?]
[It means that although the live room hasn’t closed temporarily, death is not far away.]
Unconsciously, he had entered the second lobby.
This area was different from the completely empty, dark region earlier. It seemed to have many different compartments separated by thick glass, covered with thick dust and stains, making it unclear what was inside.
As he proceeded, the coverage area of the membrane became larger. Initially, it was just patches, but as he moved forward, it almost connected into a single mass, making it difficult to find a place to step.
Wen Jianyan carefully moved forward, avoiding touching any neurons with his flashlight’s pale beam. The light swept across the membrane, revealing a few pale human faces.
Wen Jianyan’s breath caught.
The flashlight abruptly turned toward the direction of the human faces!
The faint light illuminated the scene.
In those thick, pulsating membranes, several pale faces with closed eyes were deeply embedded. They seemed to have lost consciousness and were motionless, like corpses.
Wen Jianyan recognized the faces of Blond and Shao Yao.
Since he had located them, pulling them out wouldn’t be too difficult. The real challenge lay in the fact that they were likely in a diseased state now. In other words, once freed, they would probably end up like Luce and the others downstairs—unable to recognize teammates and possibly attacking indiscriminately, creating noise.
The membranes on this floor were too numerous. If he pulled them out without any preparation, he might end up being dragged in as well.
Wen Jianyan lowered his gaze, pondered for a while, calculated in his mind, and then exchanged for another alarm clock. He placed it away from himself and set the time.
One minute and thirty seconds.
After completing all of this, Wen Jianyan chose an open space. Taking a deep breath, he activated the protective shield.
Counting down in his mind, he then activated the prop with precise timing—
The fleshy membrane wriggled, emitting a strange and sticky sound. The next moment, Blond’s body was forcefully pulled out from deep within the membrane, flying directly toward him!
“Bang!”
Blond’s body fell heavily.
Almost precisely at the same second, a distant alarm clock emitted a mechanical buzz, vibrating loudly and attracting all attention.
Wen Jianyan moved quickly.
He skillfully used his arm to grip Blond’s neck, applying force to the carotid artery. Before the other could make any sound, he fell unconscious once again.
Wen Jianyan took out the prepared rope, ruthlessly tying Blond securely and gagging his mouth. The entire process flowed seamlessly, as if he had done it thousands of times before.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Hahaha, lmao, this is too skilled!]
[He is pro at killing, stealing, and kidnapping!]
After completing all of this, the distant alarm clock stopped ringing.
“…”
Wen Jianyan immediately halted his movements. He silently crouched in the darkness, watching as those soft, flesh-red tendrils slowly retreated bit by bit to their original position, leaving only a deformed metal shell.
The twisted shell was covered in crimson mucus, and its original appearance was completely unrecognizable.
He lowered his head and glanced at Blond, whom he had bound himself like a dead pig.
Not bad, at least he managed to deal with the easiest one.
Among Su Cheng, Blond, and Shao Yao, only Blond was recognized by the system as his teammate. When they were on the second underground floor, the prop that pulled him out of 04’s mental world was also related to Blond, not Su Cheng.
In other words, this item could only be used on Blond, and other methods would be needed for the other two.
Wen Jianyan opened the system store and quickly scanned for several potentially useful props.
As for whether they would be effective or not, it could only be known by trying.
Following the same procedure, he set the alarm clock as before, then activated the item with precise timing.
With only a slight “sizzle” sound, a fine line gracefully traced a perfect parabola in the air. The hook at the end of the line deftly caught the fabric around Shao Yao’s neck.
Wen Jianyan, holding the fishing rod-like device, controlled his breathing frequency and silently pulled Shao Yao outward—
Quickly, most of her body was dragged out of the danger zone little by little.
The fleshy membrane below wriggled like a semi-fluid, quickly filling the remaining void. Under the flashlight’s light, it reflected a moist crimson luster.
Something seems strange…
Wen Jianyan furrowed his brow.
Due to Blond and Shao Yao being entangled in the membrane earlier, with only a few exposed limbs, it was challenging to discern the structure inside the membrane. So, even though he only saw the faces of Blond and Shao Yao, Wen Jianyan didn’t think much of it, assuming that Su Cheng was underneath and not visible.
However…
It appeared that there was no third person beneath Shao Yao.
Where did Su Cheng go?
The voice of Su Cheng from moments ago, heard at the iron door, echoed in his mind…
Wen Jianyan’s actions paused, and he subconsciously heightened his vigilance.
In almost the next second, a rushing wind sound approached from behind!
Wen Jianyan had no time to think. He instinctively dropped down, avoiding the attack.
The fishing rod slipped from his hand, and the taut, fine arc in the air lost control, hanging limply. Shao Yao, who had been partially pulled up, sank downward again.
However, unlike before, perhaps due to gravity or the membrane’s dissatisfaction at losing its prey, it dragged Shao Yao’s body downward. In the blink of an eye, she resumed the previous position, and even faster, the membrane swallowed her up.
Not good!
If this continued, she would undoubtedly die!
Wen Jianyan’s pupils contracted, and without much thought, he pounced forward, once again grabbing the fishing rod and using his body to resist the force.
The wind sound came again, but this time, Wen Jianyan couldn’t avoid it.
“Ugh!”
The next second, a sharp pain radiated from his shoulder, and a muffled groan escaped Wen Jianyan’s throat.
He turned his head to look behind.
The flashlight fell to the ground, and the pale beam scattered the darkness just enough to clearly outline the side profile of the person behind.
It was Su Cheng.
His face was pale and ferocious, and he did not utter a word. He held a wooden stick, and even as the barbs on it pierced him, he made no sound.
“…”
Su Cheng’s expression remained emotionless. He slowly lifted his arm, and the wooden stick in his hand once again aimed at Wen Jianyan’s head before viciously smashing down—
The young man’s pupils reflected the approaching stick.
Closer and closer.
Wen Jianyan maintained his current posture, tightly gripping the fishing rod, and then he abruptly tilted his head to the side!
“Bang!”
The stick thudded near his ear, heavily hitting the ground!
Wood splinters shattered due to the immense force, flying through the air. They grazed the young man’s fair, sweaty cheek, leaving behind fine traces of blood.
Wen Jianyan breathed heavily, still in shock.
Under the feeble light of the flashlight, he noticed tentacles coming from all directions, disturbed by the noise, now probing in their direction.
He stared at Su Cheng’s face, so close yet strangely unfamiliar, and seemed to suddenly realize something.
Su Cheng’s face was pale and cold. He slowly released the wooden stick and bent down, picking up a piece of broken glass from the ground. The sharp edge glittered with a piercing light under the flashlight’s beam, reflecting in the young man’s eyes.
Some questions that Wen Jianyan hadn’t thought about were seemingly answered at this moment.
Just ordinary talking and walking wouldn’t alert the tentacles. The sound of the corroded lock wouldn’t be loud. So, what exactly happened in front of that iron door downstairs to wake up those appendages hanging from the ceiling?
Without understanding the situation, the “sound mechanism” in the laboratory was indeed hard to guard against. However, with a group of five, including three experienced anchors, all falling victim, it almost seemed like no one survived.
A single person making a mistake could be understood.
But everyone…?
It seemed too amateurish.
Especially on a new map like the laboratory, each anchor should maintain the highest vigilance. In the face of danger, they would immediately use their props.
But the end result was complete annihilation.
There was only one possibility…
There was a traitor among them.
Chapter 159: Traitor
The heavy, decaying odor seeped through the cracks of the iron door, and within those fine gaps lay an unknown darkness that even the beam of a flashlight couldn’t penetrate.
The sounds inside the door grew more urgent, each one louder than the last:
“Come in quickly!”
“Come in quickly!”
“Come in quickly!!”
Not good!
Wen Jianyan seemed to suddenly understand something. His pupils contracted, and he quickly turned his head to look behind.
The flashlight flickered, and its dim beam barely illuminated a small space behind him.
The previously motionless tendrils had begun to stir after being triggered by the sound.
Those deep red filament-like mouthparts gradually extended and reached toward the direction of the sound. In a brief moment, they silently descended to the level of his face.
Although the protective shield’s effectiveness had not yet expired, Wen Jianyan didn’t want to test its strength in this situation.
Faced with this predicament, the best course of action was to run in the opposite direction of the sound. However, his two teammates were likely on this floor; leaving now would waste all of their efforts.
Wen Jianyan skillfully opened the system store and swiftly made a purchase.
The points were deducted from his account, and the next moment, a metal lump appeared in his palm.
It was an old-fashioned alarm clock.
With two “creak” sounds, he wound up the clock.
Wen Jianyan raised his hand and skillfully tossed the item in the opposite direction!
With a “clang” sound, the alarm clock smashed against the wall, emitting a mechanical and piercing ringing.
The hovering tentacles hesitated for a moment, then changed direction, heading toward the alarm clock producing the noise.
In just a short span of ten seconds, the entire staircase he had traversed was almost completely covered. In the dim light, it resembled an esophagus covered with red villi.
Thin lines extended and were intricately intertwined on the walls and ceilings, silently swaying in the dark space.
Wen Jianyan breathed a sigh of relief.
When he was downstairs before, he realized that these neurons relied on sound to determine their position, so he thought of this possible countermeasure.
It seemed to be quite effective.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Oh, oh, the anchor’s reaction is really fast!]
[Indeed!]
[But why would Su Cheng’s voice sound like this? It was really strange…]
[Ah? I thought this was part of the instance, wasn’t it?]
[No! I don’t remember this kind of event happening in the lab! Maybe the mechanism changed…? I’m not sure.]
Wen Jianyan turned his head and looked at the half-open iron door behind him.
Since the alarm started ringing, the voice of “Su Cheng” had disappeared from the door crack, leaving only a suffocating silence.
That narrow gap seemed ominous, no matter how he looked at it.
Regardless of who the speaker was, Su Cheng and the others should be here. After all, there were no other branching paths on this staircase. If they wanted to move forward, this was the only direction.
Wen Jianyan activated the pulling prop.
No response.
…Well.
Wen Jianyan sighed.
Although he had already guessed the result, he had to try, right?
Since that was the case, there was only one last option left for him.
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, raised his hand, and cautiously pushed the iron door open with a crack.
The dry door hinge rotated, emitting a sharp creaking sound in the darkness.
The strange tentacles hanging above swayed, redirecting toward the source of the sound.
Wen Jianyan moved quickly, leaning to the side, and before the second sound could be made, he disappeared behind the iron door.
The moment he entered the darkness, the mission panel on the right updated.
【Elementary Task: Explore the laboratory】
【Intermediate Task: Escape from the laboratory】
A strong, pungent odor mixed with a stale scent filled his nostrils. Although mentally prepared, Wen Jianyan’s face couldn’t help but pale for a moment.
He covered his mouth and nose with one hand, raising the flashlight to illuminate a small area in front of him.
Although the flashlight’s light wasn’t strong enough to fully brighten the surroundings, it was enough to see that the space here was large and seemingly endless.
The layout was roughly similar to that downstairs.
It was dark and hollow, as if it had been abandoned for a long time. The ground was covered in dust, and there were old and broken tables, chairs, and fragments of lab benches everywhere.
Unlike downstairs, the area covered by the membrane was even larger here.
On the ceiling, walls, and floor, it seemed like some kind of fungus, slowly wriggling in the darkness.
Wen Jianyan instinctively held his breath and walked lightly.
He lowered his head, using the flashlight to search for the footprints left by the others in the dust on the ground.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[It’s really too quiet… feels like there’s a lack of air, which is oppressive.]
[Yeah, I’m so nervous!”]
[So, is the survival rate high in the lab?]
[Not really… It’s weird here. I’ve been here many times, but I still haven’t figured out the survival mechanism.]
[What about the anchor’s teammates? Anyone who likes to wander around? Are they okay?]
[I just came back from the next room. No, they are not… It’s hard to explain.]
[Huh? What do you mean?]
[It means that although the live room hasn’t closed temporarily, death is not far away.]
Unconsciously, he had entered the second lobby.
This area was different from the completely empty, dark region earlier. It seemed to have many different compartments separated by thick glass, covered with thick dust and stains, making it unclear what was inside.
As he proceeded, the coverage area of the membrane became larger. Initially, it was just patches, but as he moved forward, it almost connected into a single mass, making it difficult to find a place to step.
Wen Jianyan carefully moved forward, avoiding touching any neurons with his flashlight’s pale beam. The light swept across the membrane, revealing a few pale human faces.
Wen Jianyan’s breath caught.
The flashlight abruptly turned toward the direction of the human faces!
The faint light illuminated the scene.
In those thick, pulsating membranes, several pale faces with closed eyes were deeply embedded. They seemed to have lost consciousness and were motionless, like corpses.
Wen Jianyan recognized the faces of Blond and Shao Yao.
Since he had located them, pulling them out wouldn’t be too difficult. The real challenge lay in the fact that they were likely in a diseased state now. In other words, once freed, they would probably end up like Luce and the others downstairs—unable to recognize teammates and possibly attacking indiscriminately, creating noise.
The membranes on this floor were too numerous. If he pulled them out without any preparation, he might end up being dragged in as well.
Wen Jianyan lowered his gaze, pondered for a while, calculated in his mind, and then exchanged for another alarm clock. He placed it away from himself and set the time.
One minute and thirty seconds.
After completing all of this, Wen Jianyan chose an open space. Taking a deep breath, he activated the protective shield.
Counting down in his mind, he then activated the prop with precise timing—
The fleshy membrane wriggled, emitting a strange and sticky sound. The next moment, Blond’s body was forcefully pulled out from deep within the membrane, flying directly toward him!
“Bang!”
Blond’s body fell heavily.
Almost precisely at the same second, a distant alarm clock emitted a mechanical buzz, vibrating loudly and attracting all attention.
Wen Jianyan moved quickly.
He skillfully used his arm to grip Blond’s neck, applying force to the carotid artery. Before the other could make any sound, he fell unconscious once again.
Wen Jianyan took out the prepared rope, ruthlessly tying Blond securely and gagging his mouth. The entire process flowed seamlessly, as if he had done it thousands of times before.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Hahaha, lmao, this is too skilled!]
[He is pro at killing, stealing, and kidnapping!]
After completing all of this, the distant alarm clock stopped ringing.
“…”
Wen Jianyan immediately halted his movements. He silently crouched in the darkness, watching as those soft, flesh-red tendrils slowly retreated bit by bit to their original position, leaving only a deformed metal shell.
The twisted shell was covered in crimson mucus, and its original appearance was completely unrecognizable.
He lowered his head and glanced at Blond, whom he had bound himself like a dead pig.
Not bad, at least he managed to deal with the easiest one.
Among Su Cheng, Blond, and Shao Yao, only Blond was recognized by the system as his teammate. When they were on the second underground floor, the prop that pulled him out of 04’s mental world was also related to Blond, not Su Cheng.
In other words, this item could only be used on Blond, and other methods would be needed for the other two.
Wen Jianyan opened the system store and quickly scanned for several potentially useful props.
As for whether they would be effective or not, it could only be known by trying.
Following the same procedure, he set the alarm clock as before, then activated the item with precise timing.
With only a slight “sizzle” sound, a fine line gracefully traced a perfect parabola in the air. The hook at the end of the line deftly caught the fabric around Shao Yao’s neck.
Wen Jianyan, holding the fishing rod-like device, controlled his breathing frequency and silently pulled Shao Yao outward—
Quickly, most of her body was dragged out of the danger zone little by little.
The fleshy membrane below wriggled like a semi-fluid, quickly filling the remaining void. Under the flashlight’s light, it reflected a moist crimson luster.
Something seems strange…
Wen Jianyan furrowed his brow.
Due to Blond and Shao Yao being entangled in the membrane earlier, with only a few exposed limbs, it was challenging to discern the structure inside the membrane. So, even though he only saw the faces of Blond and Shao Yao, Wen Jianyan didn’t think much of it, assuming that Su Cheng was underneath and not visible.
However…
It appeared that there was no third person beneath Shao Yao.
Where did Su Cheng go?
The voice of Su Cheng from moments ago, heard at the iron door, echoed in his mind…
Wen Jianyan’s actions paused, and he subconsciously heightened his vigilance.
In almost the next second, a rushing wind sound approached from behind!
Wen Jianyan had no time to think. He instinctively dropped down, avoiding the attack.
The fishing rod slipped from his hand, and the taut, fine arc in the air lost control, hanging limply. Shao Yao, who had been partially pulled up, sank downward again.
However, unlike before, perhaps due to gravity or the membrane’s dissatisfaction at losing its prey, it dragged Shao Yao’s body downward. In the blink of an eye, she resumed the previous position, and even faster, the membrane swallowed her up.
Not good!
If this continued, she would undoubtedly die!
Wen Jianyan’s pupils contracted, and without much thought, he pounced forward, once again grabbing the fishing rod and using his body to resist the force.
The wind sound came again, but this time, Wen Jianyan couldn’t avoid it.
“Ugh!”
The next second, a sharp pain radiated from his shoulder, and a muffled groan escaped Wen Jianyan’s throat.
He turned his head to look behind.
The flashlight fell to the ground, and the pale beam scattered the darkness just enough to clearly outline the side profile of the person behind.
It was Su Cheng.
His face was pale and ferocious, and he did not utter a word. He held a wooden stick, and even as the barbs on it pierced him, he made no sound.
“…”
Su Cheng’s expression remained emotionless. He slowly lifted his arm, and the wooden stick in his hand once again aimed at Wen Jianyan’s head before viciously smashing down—
The young man’s pupils reflected the approaching stick.
Closer and closer.
Wen Jianyan maintained his current posture, tightly gripping the fishing rod, and then he abruptly tilted his head to the side!
“Bang!”
The stick thudded near his ear, heavily hitting the ground!
Wood splinters shattered due to the immense force, flying through the air. They grazed the young man’s fair, sweaty cheek, leaving behind fine traces of blood.
Wen Jianyan breathed heavily, still in shock.
Under the feeble light of the flashlight, he noticed tentacles coming from all directions, disturbed by the noise, now probing in their direction.
He stared at Su Cheng’s face, so close yet strangely unfamiliar, and seemed to suddenly realize something.
Su Cheng’s face was pale and cold. He slowly released the wooden stick and bent down, picking up a piece of broken glass from the ground. The sharp edge glittered with a piercing light under the flashlight’s beam, reflecting in the young man’s eyes.
Some questions that Wen Jianyan hadn’t thought about were seemingly answered at this moment.
Just ordinary talking and walking wouldn’t alert the tentacles. The sound of the corroded lock wouldn’t be loud. So, what exactly happened in front of that iron door downstairs to wake up those appendages hanging from the ceiling?
Without understanding the situation, the “sound mechanism” in the laboratory was indeed hard to guard against. However, with a group of five, including three experienced anchors, all falling victim, it almost seemed like no one survived.
A single person making a mistake could be understood.
But everyone…?
It seemed too amateurish.
Especially on a new map like the laboratory, each anchor should maintain the highest vigilance. In the face of danger, they would immediately use their props.
But the end result was complete annihilation.
There was only one possibility…
There was a traitor among them.
