"Next, your game identity will be generated. Please pay attention to the back of your hand."
Tong Yang raised her right hand. When entering Hacker Island, a service staff had stamped the back of everyone's hand.
"Player?" Xu Junyue exclaimed in surprise, "My identity is Player!"
Tong Yang's gaze darkened slightly. Were participants in the game being assigned regenerated identities?
If Xu Junyue's identity was Player, then the corresponding identity would be... NPC?
The mark on the back of Tong Yang's hand where the stamp was gradually became visible, the silver-white characters particularly eye-catching in the darkness.
— NPC.
Tong Yang's identity was NPC.
"Boss, your identity is NPC?" Xu Junyue leaned in to look at her, "You're actually an NPC? Does that mean you have to obey everything I say?"
Tong Yang tightened her lips, trying to wipe the mark off the back of her hand. She didn't know what kind of pigment it was; it wouldn't come off even with water.
"What about you all?"
Chu Shiyu from World A said, "NPC."
He Jingjing said, "I'm also NPC."
Tang Li waved the back of her hand, "Player."
Tong Yang looked deeply at the marks on everyone's hands, trying to find some pattern.
"What's wrong?" Xu Junyue asked.
Tong Yang shook her head and inquired about Ye Huai's identity.
Ye Huai didn't reply, but he was most likely an NPC too.
Tang Li asked, "Found a pattern? Or are the identities randomly generated?"
Tong Yang said, "Pretty much."
"What?"
"What pattern?"
Tong Yang pointed at herself, "I have something from the parallel world on me, this patch of hair here."
"Chu Shiyu from World A is a person from the parallel world."
"He Jingjing was injected with parallel world gene serum."
"Ye Huai has something from the parallel world inside him. Back in the First District, he was the first to lead us shuttling between the two worlds, so he should be an NPC too."
Tang Li's gaze faltered slightly, "Xu Junyue and I don't have anything from the parallel world on us, so our identities are Players?"
"Correct."
He Jingjing said, "So, among the members of 'Black Storm,' there are also people like us?"
"They must exist. Those injected with the inferior gene serum can easily transfer things from themselves onto others. In short, there must be people within 'Black Storm' who have enjoyed this... convenience."
An entire small town domestically had organs from parallel world humans transplanted into real-world humans, let alone an organization like "Black Storm" itself engaged in illegal transactions.
Tang Li thought of something, her expression turning grim, "You should know that parallel world humans are susceptible to control by magnetic field energy."
Tong Yang's breath hitched, "You mean..."
"Hit her." Tang Li pointed at Xu Junyue and said to Tong Yang and the other two.
"?" Xu Junyue looked puzzled, "Why hit me?"
Before she finished speaking, Tong Yang and the other two simultaneously walked towards her.
"Hey! No settling personal scores under the guise of duty!"
Tong Yang moved to stand in front of her. Despite her utmost effort to try and control her own limbs, it was useless. It felt as if countless sturdy strings were tied behind her, controlling her body.
"Stop, stop, stop!" Xu Junyue covered her head and scurried away, but Tong Yang and the others turned a deaf ear.
"Stop."
Only when Tang Li spoke did Tong Yang and the other two halt their movements. The thing controlling their bodies vanished instantly.
"Just now was..." He Jingjing raised her hands, saying in surprise.
Chu Shiyu from World A, however, seemed accustomed to it, saying, "Such a thing isn't impossible. It's usually targeted at order enforcers and those who haven't been injected with the gene serum."
Tong Yang stared blankly at her hands. Just moments ago, her body was completely out of her control, a feeling that was deeply unpleasant.
Tang Li said, "From what I know, magnetic field energy can indeed achieve this. Controlling those who aren't originally from the parallel world requires something as a medium, likely the stamp and the parallel-world-related things inside your bodies."
"Impressive! No wonder they actively brought us into the parallel world. Could they make us do whatever they want?" Xu Junyue remarked.
Tong Yang relayed the information to Ye Huai, but he still hadn't replied.
Tong Yang couldn't help but glance towards the villa. There shouldn't be any danger after entering the parallel world, right?
"Game identities have been generated. Players, please attempt to give an order to the NPC beside you—kneel."
The broadcast sounded again. Tong Yang clearly felt her body being constrained. Her face was like still water, her eyes cold and sharp.
"Please strictly adhere to the game rules. This will be an immensely enjoyable experience for you."
"What do we do?"
Tang Li pressed her lips together, not speaking.
Chu Shiyu from World A said, "Give the order. It's just kneeling, won't kill anyone."
Tong Yang shot a glance at Tang Li, who understood.
"You, kneel." She pointed at Chu Shiyu from World A.
Chu Shiyu from World A didn't even have time to react before she dropped to her knees with a "thud."
"Get up."
Chu Shiyu from World A stood up.
Next, it was Xu Junyue's turn.
Tang Li raised an eyebrow at her. Whether Xu Junyue understood the hint or not, she looked thoughtfully at Tong Yang and the other two.
She pointed at Tong Yang. Tong Yang's face was dark, her eyes like icy blades, sending a chill down Xu Junyue's spine.
So, she pointed at He Jingjing.
He Jingjing curled her lips into a cold smile, "Try it if you want to die."
Xu Junyue pouted, pointing at Chu Shiyu from World A, "Then it's you again. Kneel."
Chu Shiyu from World A's legs bent and she knelt down. She widened her eyes, looking at Tong Yang and the other two in protest, "Why is it only me?"
Xu Junyue crossed her arms, lifting her chin, "Didn't you say it's just kneeling, won't kill you?"
"But it's not fair!" Chu Shiyu from World A was very dissatisfied.
Tang Li walked up to her, sighed, and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Silly child, what are you saying?"
"Have you forgotten your own identity? If not for the cooperation, could you still be kneeling safely before us? We're being quite merciful not taking the chance to kill you."
Chu Shiyu from World A looked up at her, expression somewhat bewildered. After a long moment, she seemed to understand and nodded, "You have a point."
"Congratulations, all Players. Now you can do anything to the NPCs, and the NPCs cannot resist."
Xu Junyue raised an eyebrow, "Anything?"
As she spoke, she rubbed her hands together and walked towards Chu Shiyu from World A.
Chu Shiyu from World A said warily, "What do you want to do?"
"What do I want to do?" Xu Junyue grinned mischievously.
Chu Shiyu from World A felt uneasy under her gaze, "I'm warning you, you're not one of Dr. Wu's people. If you dare do anything to me, once we leave here, I will definitely not let you off!"
"Hehe..."
Excitedly, Xu Junyue manipulated her into various funny poses, smeared mud on her face, and pinched and squeezed her cheeks.
"That's no fun. Let me." Tang Li walked behind her, lifted her up, and posed her in a classic Sailor Moon stance. "Look more serious."
Chu Shiyu from World A lifted her chin, as if enjoying herself, "Like this?"
"Yes, yes, yes! Just like that! Don't move! I'll take a few photos to show Chu Shiyu."
After taking the photos, Xu Junyue, still not satisfied, tentatively looked at Tong Yang and the other person. "How about... you two give it a try?"
"Get lost," Tong Yang said succinctly.
He Jingjing's face was cold. "Get as far away as possible."
"Hmph! Don't want you to anyway!"
Although her body was under control, with Xu Junyue and Tang Li present, Tong Yang felt somewhat stifled but wasn't worried the situation would spiral out of control.
In this state, Tong Yang actually started thinking about other things.
If one wanted to kill someone who had been injected with the gene serum, this method seemed feasible.
By commanding them not to consume water or food, and not to harm themselves, one could achieve a result of death by dehydration without possibility of revival.
Using magnetic field energy, they could be killed. One could even wipe out everyone in this parallel world except those injected with the high-quality gene serum!
Tong Yang's eyes gleamed brightly. If they could utilize magnetic field energy, everything would be easily resolved!
"Woof! Woof!"
"Woof! Woof!"
In the quiet villa, the sound of barking dogs arose.
It was different from real canine barks, sounding more like humans imitating dogs.
Someone was commanding NPCs to mimic dog barks.
"Hahaha..."
"Hahaha..."
"It's true! He actually barked!"
"Fun! I love this game. Thank you, Mr. Maynard. I love this game!"
A man's arrogant and unrestrained laughter rang out, intoxicated by the unparalleled power the game bestowed.
Hearing the barks and the man's laughter, the expressions of Tong Yang and the others darkened.
"Ah!"
At the same time, a high-pitched cry sounded.
"No... don't..."
A woman's panicked, tearful shouts, heavy panting, sticky slapping sounds, gradually turned into something that made one blush.
"So amazing... so amazing..."
The woman's voice became a sigh, each word trembling with uncontrollable shudders. The bed frame swayed, emitting creaking sounds, all chaotically mixed together.
Gradually, similar sounds multiplied—barks, howls of pain, mournful cries... or sounds mixed with both pain and pleasure echoed in their ears.
It was as if a dense net woven from desire had enveloped the entire Hack Island.
"Holy crap..."
"Are they insane?"
Tang Li snorted with a laugh. "Human desires are pretty much just these things. You'll get used to it."
"So disgusting..."
"Damn it, President Ye is still in the villa. Who knows what's happening? He might have been forced to..."
Tong Yang's expression dimmed. "He can't withstand that kind of... torment."
"Should we find a way to get him out? Those 'Forerunners' in the main hall are gone."
Tong Yang said, "It's not within the allowed rules. Even if we enter the villa directly, they can't do anything about it."
"Then let's go."
Not receiving any commands, Tong Yang regained freedom of movement.
The group walked out of the bushes and approached the villa's main gate.
The gate was locked from the inside. Xu Junyue broke open a window to check the situation in the main hall. In the dark environment, moonlight faintly illuminated the space, revealing it was empty of people.
She climbed through the window and opened the door for the others.
Tong Yang tried sending a message to Ye Huai, asking about his situation.
However, there was still no reply from him.
Ever since the game officially started, Ye Huai hadn't responded to any messages.
Entering the villa, the commotion from every room could be heard clearly.
Xu Junyue couldn't help but remark, "The soundproofing in parallel world houses isn't as good as in the real world."
Her train of thought was hard for ordinary people to follow.
There weren't many light sources in the villa, making the silvery-white patterns on their hands particularly clear.
Entering the corridor, intense sounds came from a half-open door.
Through the crack, they could see two figures intertwined. Seeming to hear the movement in the corridor, one of them stopped their actions and looked up towards them.
Seeing the mark on Tong Yang's hand in the darkness, that person crooked a finger. "You, come over..."
"Beat him up!"
However, before that person could finish speaking, Xu Junyue's voice thundered like lightning.
Tong Yang kicked the door open, strode into the room, not forgetting to say to Xu Junyue, "I don't want to touch him."
"Less talk, beat him first!"
Tong Yang walked up to the man and, without a word, delivered a kick to his chest, sending him flying to the ground.
"Ah!"
"Stop... stop!"
Tong Yang didn't want to touch him, so she kept kicking his chest. The man's howls of pain didn't make Tong Yang stop. Only after kicking him half to death did she straighten up, her face expressionless as she looked at the woman on the bed, barely clothed. She seemed to be one of the villa's female service staff.
Tong Yang lowered her gaze to look at her. "Enjoying it?"
The female staff member's face stiffened. "No..."
"Then why aren't you leaving? Waiting for him to get up and continue with you?"
The staff member was stunned for a moment. After processing the words, she grabbed the clothes that had fallen on the floor and quickly left the room.
Tong Yang slammed the door shut with a "bang" and returned to the corridor.
Xu Junyue sighed. "Daring to set his sights on you. A few more kicks downward and he would have been finished."
Tong Yang's expression was one of disgust. "Do it yourself next time."
"Hmph, fine, I get it!"
There was still no reply from Ye Huai on the phone. Tong Yang and the group arrived near the destroyed room and found the linen closet where she had met Ye Huai. Pushing open the linen closet door,
the room was empty.
Ye Huai probably left the linen closet after realizing something was wrong and then found a random room to hide in.
Before leaving the banquet to find Tong Yang, he had deliberately changed his clothes and mask. Even if the parallel world's Ye Huai had been in the villa before, as long as the two didn't meet, his identity wouldn't be exposed. Moreover, wearing a mask made his identity even harder to discover.
Ye Huai might not be in mortal danger, but... if there were people with player identities nearby, he might have to suffer a bit.
Xu Junyue said, "Boss, the direction the stone came from seems to be upstairs."
"Let's go, to the second floor."
The group passed through the staircase and entered the second floor.
The second-floor corridor was filled with mist, and there were many puddles of water on the floor, dripping wet as if a light rain had fallen.
Apart from that, there were no strange sounds.
"What's going on?"
"Why is the second floor so quiet?"
"Be careful."
Entering the corridor and moving forward, some doors on both sides were open, some closed. The light from their phone flashlights shone into the mist, revealing a person lying quietly on the floor in one of the open rooms.
"Go check." Tong Yang lifted her chin. Xu Junyue crouched and walked forward to examine the person.
"No wounds on the body."
"Is he still alive?"
"Let me see... still breathing. Probably just unconscious."
"Come out."
They continued forward, pushing open several closed doors. The scenes inside were the same as the first room they saw: everyone inside was unconscious, their lives not in danger.
Tong Yang smelled the scent of drugs floating in the air. Water and mist had neutralized and diffused the odor, which was likely the cause of their unconsciousness.
"Ye Huai should be nearby. Let's split up and search."
"Okay."
What happened on the second floor was probably Ye Huai's doing.
The five of them split up to search the rooms. A few minutes later, Xu Junyue exclaimed, "Found him!"
Everyone who had been searching scattered in various corners converged on Xu Junyue's location without a word.
Arriving at the room at the end of the corridor, Tong Yang strode in. Xu Junyue pushed open the bathroom door and found Ye Huai lying in the bathtub, a towel covering his mouth and nose.
His breathing was faint, but he was still conscious. Soaked through, he looked up at Tong Yang, his body having almost lost all capacity for movement.
"Can you get up?" Tong Yang extended a hand toward him.
Ye Huai gave a slight nod, placing his ice-cold hand in her palm. Leaning on her strength, he stood up from the bathtub. His clothes were already drenched, and his phone was nowhere to be found.
Tong Yang and Xu Junyue each supported him under one arm, bringing him to the bedroom and sitting him on the sofa.
Ye Huai leaned his head back, his face deathly pale, his chest rising and falling with difficulty. His right hand clutched Tong Yang's hand tightly, as if grasping his last lifeline.
"Your medicine? Where is it?" Tong Yang asked with a frown.
"N-none..."
"You didn't bring your medicine? Are you insane?" Xu Junyue asked incredulously.
Ye Huai shook his head. "It was taken."
"By whom?" Tong Yang's voice was low.
"Them..."
His fingers clenched spasmodically, pulling Tong Yang closer. His voice was weak: "They're not simple. My sedative was useless..."
"After entering the parallel world, they couldn't attack you directly, so they took your medicine instead?"
"Damn it! Those assholes! What's the point of bullying a sick man?" Xu Junyue cursed angrily.
"Don't... act rashly... you all... avoid them if you can..."
Tong Yang looked down at him and said, "I know."
"Without medicine, what do we do about CEO Ye?" Xu Junyue asked.
Tang Li said, "Before we came, Dr. Luo gave me a vial of high-quality gene serum, for emergencies."
"Then inject CEO Ye with the gene serum. It should cure his heart condition too."
"I have no objection. Ye Huai is useful to us. It's just..."
Ye Huai's grip on Tong Yang's hand suddenly tightened. His labored breathing made it impossible for him to speak.
Even so, Tong Yang largely understood his meaning.
"No need," Tong Yang's voice was heavy. "Life and death are fated. The gene serum isn't necessarily a good thing."
"Then let's undo his clothes first," Tang Li suddenly suggested.
"What are you going to do?" Xu Junyue asked.
Tang Li lifted her shawl, revealing over a dozen silver needles of varying lengths tucked into its back. "I can only temporarily stabilize his condition. Judging by his state, he can last at most six hours."
Tong Yang opened his outer jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a surprisingly well-built chest. Tang Li inserted the silver needles into acupoints near his chest.
His body wasn't as frail as it appeared; there was even some muscle definition. Tong Yang couldn't help but take an extra glance. Ye Huai's physique really didn't seem like it belonged to someone who could exercise.
After the acupuncture, Ye Huai's condition noticeably improved. His breathing became much smoother, and he released Tong Yang's hand.
"When were you discovered?"
Ye Huai raised his hand, showing the golden mark on the back. "My mark is different."
"Because of the Maynard identity?"
"Probably."
"Where are those people?"
"They left."
Tong Yang said, "NPCs are controlled by the magnetic field energy and can't resist commands. You need to stay somewhere safe."
"It can be edited."
"What?" Everyone was stunned simultaneously.
Regaining some strength, Ye Huai explained, "The magnetic field energy can be edited. Otherwise, it couldn't correctly convey commands to people in the parallel world."
"You can think of it as a program, or a holographic game. We are passively pulled into the parallel world. Only a complete program can start the game and make players follow the rules. The magnetic field energy is the terminal. Input commands, output energy. It can be manually adjusted and edited."
On the train to the town, they were pulled into the parallel world by Yang Lin's mother from the First World. Using Ye Huai's explanation, Yang Lin's mother didn't have a complete program, so she couldn't advance the game. There were no rules, the system was chaotic, and she couldn't perform harmful actions against them.
"You mean, there's a terminal for the magnetic field energy on the island? If we find it, we can edit the game and change the rules?" Tang Li asked.
Ye Huai nodded. "Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Eighty percent possibility."
"Eighty percent is worth a try," Tang Li said.
Chu Shiyu from World A timidly said, "One hundred percent..."
Everyone: "?"
"There really is a terminal? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Xu Junyue scolded.
Chu Shiyu from World A looked utterly innocent. "Dr. Wu said that before you discovered it yourselves, I couldn't say anything. Otherwise, it would hinder your growth."
"Hinder your grandpa!"
"Your grandpa!"
"Chu Shiyu, apologize!"
"Sorry."
"Xu Junyue! Don't you dare abuse your authority for personal revenge!"
"Who told you I'm a player and you're an NPC?"
Chu Shiyu from World A snorted coldly and continued, "I told you back at Xili Mall that we made a lot of preparations to kill you. Who knew you'd be so slow, taking this long to figure it out."
Tang Li said, "So, it's equivalent to this: every time you bring real-world humans into the parallel world, you have to formulate a plan in advance, input it into the magnetic field energy, which then outputs it as a complete program?"
"Pretty much. You even have to apply for permission in advance."
"No wonder there are so many loopholes," Tong Yang remarked.
"We're not machines. Even the tightest plan can have a slip-up."
Xu Junyue asked curiously, "Can't you just set up a program for indiscriminate attacks?"
"No. The magnetic field energy cannot directly kill people."
"Then what about Jingjing? Wasn't she killed directly?" He Jingjing, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up.
Chu Shiyu from World A said, "Of course not. Rules were set for them before they left the Main World. If they betrayed the Main World, they would be immediately executed."
Tong Yang sat down thoughtfully. It seemed they had gained significant insights from this trip. The magnetic field energy could be manually controlled, and specific conditions had to be input to complete an elimination. If there was a chance to harness the magnetic field energy...
"If there's a chance to harness the magnetic field energy, the two worlds could be completely separated," Ye Huai said.
For example, by setting a permanent program that prevents crossing the world barrier.
Xu Junyue suddenly understood. "So, as long as we find the energy terminal and re-edit it, we can change the game rules and return to the real world?"
He Jingjing said, "But we went through so much trouble to enter the parallel world to hide from the 'Forerunners.' In the real world, we're no match for them at all."
"That's true. It's just that CEO Ye's condition... he might be done for in six hours."
"Without medicine, returning to the real world is pointless anyway."
Tong Yang asked, "Is there any backup medicine on the island?"
Ye Huai shook his head. "I always carried the medicine on me."
Tong Yang stared at him, her eyes inscrutable.
Ye Huai pressed his lips together and smiled faintly. "I came prepared to die. I believe you all are the same. Miss Tang, thank you. At least I still have six hours."
Ye Huai sighed helplessly, "Of course, I don't want to die."
"Then take the gene serum," Xu Junyue said.
Hearing this, Ye Huai looked at Tong Yang, seemingly observing her reaction.
After a long pause, Ye Huai said, "If..."
"Would you take the gene serum?" Tong Yang interrupted him, turning her head to look at Xu Junyue.
"No," Xu Junyue answered decisively. "I'd rather die. It's too disgusting."
Tong Yang shrugged. "Well, there you have it."
Then, Tong Yang said, "I'll contact Wu Pingxue and have someone deliver some medicine. It won't take six hours. There's a submarine docked on the left bank of Hack Island. We can have the supplies sent directly to the submarine."
Tang Li said, "But those who have been injected with the high-quality gene serum can move freely between the real world without the energy cycle restrictions. If they discover us and chase us to the real world, it will be very difficult for us to escape Hack Island alive. Moreover, the 'Black Storm' members are already infected with the defective virus."
Things were getting more and more complicated. If it weren't for the sudden appearance of the "Forerunners," they could have just waited for the poison to take effect and left Hack Island early.
Now, it seemed impossible to escape unscathed no matter what.
"I'll contact Wu Pingxue first to make preparations. Better safe than sorry. If we can't find a solution within six hours, the chance of snatching the medicine back from them is zero. In that case," Tong Yang gave Ye Huai a deep look, "you will definitely die here."
Ye Huai pressed his lips together and nodded. "My death is of little consequence. However, I want to try to reprogram the energy terminal. It might be helpful for you all in the future."
"Quite noble, President Ye. Thinking of the future even before death, burning yourself to light our way."
Ye Huai said, "It's not that dramatic. I can still cling to life for a while longer."
"So, what's the plan?"
Tang Li said, "Leaving the parallel world now isn't a good option, but the NPC identity is too dangerous."
"Are only the two of us able to move freely?" Xu Junyue asked, somewhat confused.
"No, all three of them have NPC identities. It would be terrible if they were discovered. At least one person needs to stay here."
"That means only one person can move freely."
Chu Shiyu from World A hesitated for a moment and said, "Actually, we can obtain a period of safety."
"Elaborate, please."
"After you successfully complete the game, those identified as part of the program side cannot cross the barrier of this world for a short time."
Tong Yang was stunned. "Including those injected with the high-quality gene serum?"
"Yes."
"How long is 'a short time'?"
"At least a day."
Everyone looked at each other, simultaneously realizing one fact.
"As long as we complete the game and return to the real world within six hours, the Forerunners won't be able to pursue us."
"The NPC identity is too inconvenient. And even if reprogramming the energy terminal fails, it would be immensely significant for us. So, we must find the energy terminal."
"This means the gap between us and the parallel world is narrowing."
Seeing the determined look in each other's eyes, they all understood clearly.
"Only Ye Huai among us has the potential to reprogram the energy terminal. We must at least ensure his safety."
"If we successfully master the use of magnetic field energy, can we then turn the tables?"
Chu Shiyu from World A said, "Don't celebrate too soon. The energy terminal isn't that easy to find. Moreover, I've never heard of anyone else reprogramming an energy terminal. It might be judged as breaking the rules."
Tong Yang suddenly remembered something. "What about Yan Qing?"
"Yan Qing? The time anchor?"
"I have her identity card on me."
"Her?" Chu Shiyu from World A was stunned for a moment. "In her case... it's not impossible."
"Then it's worth a try."
Night fell, and Hack Island experienced a round of revelry.
"Everyone has likely experienced the pleasure that power brings."
"Next, the true rules of the game will be announced."
"We have found the traitors of 'Black Storm.' They are hiding among the players and NPCs. It's worth mentioning that Tong Yang is one of them."
"Identity verified as NPC."
"Players, while enjoying the game, please find the real traitors. You may torment them at will, do whatever you wish to them. Ultimately, the player who finds a traitor will be rewarded with one dose of defective gene serum. The player who finds Tong Yang will be rewarded with one dose of high-quality gene serum."
"A friendly reminder: if you are unsure of a traitor's identity, you can directly ask them, 'Are you the traitor?' According to the game rules, NPCs must unconditionally obey players' orders. Therefore, they will tell you everything they know."
"Once a traitor's identity is unlocked, they will be automatically locked in place. No need to worry about them escaping."
"Please note: during the game, players cannot attack other players and cannot take the lives of NPCs."
"Information is subject to change. Please pay attention to the broadcasts. We wish you a pleasant game. Goodbye."
The broadcast ended, and Hack Island returned to a semblance of calm.
After the unrestrained release, as the broadcast played, reason gradually returned.
Tong Yang, traitors, gene serum... these things held a stronger attraction for them than primal desires.
Tong Yang is the traitor. Capturing Tong Yang means obtaining a high-quality gene serum.
"No way, capturing us counts as success? It's impossible to clear the game like this."
"So we die here, and we die if we return to the real world?"
"How treacherous!"
"Our only way out is to reprogram the rules, clear the game to leave the parallel world, and obtain a period of safety. Otherwise, even if we return to the real world ourselves, they will chase us there and kill us."
In the darkness, two figures moved through the woods.
Tong Yang said, "The broadcast didn't mention Meinhardt's identity."
"Right, the parallel world's President Ye is on the island. Why didn't the broadcast expose his identity?"
"Don't know."
Xu Junyue sighed. "Is it okay to leave them there?"
Tong Yang was silent. "It's the same everywhere."
"I suppose so. Knowing you're on the island, the 'Black Storm' people must hate you to death."
Tong Yang shot her a sidelong glance. "You think you're innocent?"
"Don't I have an advantage? I'm a player."
Tong Yang pressed her lips together and didn't reply.
Traveling along a hidden path, the two arrived at the coast.
Most guest activities were concentrated in the middle of the island. The coastline was pitch black, with waves surging and crashing against the rocks.
Xu Junyue wandered around the beach. "Seems fine."
Tong Yang looked around. Chu Shiyu from World A had told them that games usually have a specific range.
For example, Third Middle School, Hailin International School, Xili Mall, etc., existing only within a certain range. Those pulled into the parallel world cannot leave this range.
Tong Yang wanted to confirm if the game's range was limited to Hack Island.
"The range isn't just Hack Island; it includes the nearby sea area."
"Didn't they say there's a submarine in the sea? Want to go down and take a look?" Xu Junyue suggested.
Tong Yang asked, "You go?"
"I'm not going. It's freezing in the middle of winter."
"That's good to know."
"Tong Yang, be careful. They've already made a move."
Tang Li's voice came through the phone.
Tang Li and Ye Huai, along with the others, had stayed in the room, while Tong Yang and Xu Junyue went out to search for clues.
Ye Huai had difficulty moving, so they planned to find the location of the energy terminal first, then take him there.
"I know. You be careful too."
"Mhm."
After hearing the broadcast, the guests on Hake Island had taken action.
After all, the island wasn't just populated by members of "Black Storm"; there were also the family members and attendants they had brought along. The number of players was likely greater than that of NPCs. In such a situation, besides identifying them by their faces, the only way to find Tong Yang and the others was to simply ask, just as the broadcast had said.
Tong Yang hadn't tested how feasible that method was.
Because once a traitor's identity was exposed, it would be automatically locked on.
She didn't know how this automatic lock worked, but it was definitely nothing good.
"Let's go, check out 1120."
1120 was the villa where Maynard resided. They might find clues about the terminal inside.
Leaving the coast, they retraced their path, avoiding the main road and staying hidden in the woods lining the roadside.
Unlike when they had come, many guests were now appearing outside the buildings, one after another.
They didn't seem urgent; on the contrary, they appeared somewhat composed and unhurried.
They were polite, chatting and laughing with those around them.
Unnoticed, some lights had come on across Hake Island, as if everything had returned to normal.
However, that was not actually the case.
The previously indistinct seal pattern on the back of their hands had now become visible. The guests now possessed two completely different identities.
"Traitors are certainly detestable, but with Mr. Maynard here, don't forget to enjoy the present moment."
"You are quite right."
"Madam, may I ask if you are a traitor?"
A person marked as a player asked another person marked as an NPC.
"I am not," the lady replied.
"Excellent. May I invite you for a drink?"
"I would be honored."
"What's going on?" Xu Junyue asked in surprise.
Tong Yang said, "Who knows."
"They weren't nearly this gentle earlier."
Tong Yang's steps faltered slightly. "Tell me, do they lack the power to control others?"
Xu Junyue was taken aback. "They probably don't, right?"
"Right, they don't lack it." Tong Yang came to a complete stop. "In this so-called game, the power gained... isn't that just commonplace for them?"
"Why would they expose their true nature because of it, descending into beasts?"
"Then what we saw before..."
Tong Yang said, "We didn't see it."
"The only thing we saw was the woman in the room wearing a server's uniform."
"Holy crap? Were all of those things fake?"
"Fake..." Tong Yang murmured.
If everything that happened in the villa was an illusion, then...
Tong Yang picked up her phone, looking at the call screen. "Tang Li?"
No one answered.
Tong Yang's heart sank. Damn it, that person probably wasn't Ye Huai!
"Let's go!" Without time to explain, Tong Yang grabbed Xu Junyue's hand and started running back.
Ye Huai was too clever, so much so that Tong Yang hadn't doubted how he had suddenly known about the energy terminal.
Thinking about it now, there had been no signs at all!
