Qingqing’s face, which had been relatively mild, instantly turned a ghastly livid hue. Her alluring eyes immediately became bloodshot, the crimson orbs bulging from their sockets as if they were about to fall out.
"What did you say?"
Nan Yue acted as if she didn't see Qingqing’s corpse-like appearance, her expression remaining unmoved.
"Domestic violence, murder. That man is upstairs."
Qingqing’s gaze looked as if she wanted to devour her. "How do you know?"
Nan Yue looked at her, calm and composed. "I live in the room where your friend died."
By the time Qingqing followed Nan Yue upstairs, she no longer looked human. Her skin was rotting, and her hair draped over both cheeks, radiating a thick, constant aura of death.
Nan Yue was completely unaffected, even having the leisure to strike up a conversation with Qingqing.
"You and your friend really have a deep bond."
Qingqing’s voice was hoarse and shrill. "...We grew up together."
The elevator stopped, and Nan Yue knocked on Li Ge’s door.
"Li Ge, are you there?"
Li Ge did not open the door. Since it wasn't midnight yet, he still maintained his human rationality.
"Is something wrong?"
Nan Yue’s voice carried a hint of trepidation, though her expression remained very calm. "I found a photo in my room. You’re in it."
Nan Yue’s voice took on a slight sob. "I have nightmares every day. There’s a woman who died a miserable death in that room."
Creak.
The door opened, and Li Ge’s expression was frantic. "Really! You saw her too! She’s back."
Nan Yue, who had looked ready to cry a moment ago, flashed him a smile. "I forgot to mention, I brought a guest."
Li Ge’s expression froze the moment he saw Qingqing standing to the side.
He was still human, capable of feeling fear and pain. So, when Qingqing dismembered him alive, his screams echoed throughout the entire apartment building.
Nan Yue watched from outside the door until Li Ge painfully breathed his last. Qingqing stood up and turned to look at her.
By now, her terrifying appearance had vanished, and she had returned to her initial charming self.
"Thank you."
She spoke softly to Nan Yue before her figure dissipated and vanished.
Nan Yue quietly faced the room full of blood, only speaking after a long silence. "You’re welcome."
At eleven o'clock, Nan Yue went to confirm with Uncle Song. Both Qingqing from the 7th floor and Li Ge from the 8th floor had checked out.
She and Gu Xiang Kai sat on the first floor, waiting for midnight to pass so they could leave the mission.
"I didn't expect that in an eight-person mission, only two would survive in the end."
Nan Yue sighed with some emotion. "Are mission difficulties always this high?"
Gu Xiang Kai clicked his lighter repeatedly. "It depends on luck."
"For a scavenger, luck is just as important as ability."
"Look at Zhang Qingyang. His luck was pretty good. With his level of quality, he still managed to pass his Qualification Exam."
Gu Xiang Kai looked disgusted. "I bet his Qualification Exam ranking was very far back."
Nan Yue was curious. "Does the ranking have to do with the difficulty?"
Gu Xiang Kai clicked the lighter to start a flame, acting a bit like a show-off.
"It only matters for the Qualification Exam. Unlike regular missions, Qualification Exams are ranked. The difficulty within each numerical range is the same. Single digits are harder than double digits, and double digits are harder than triple digits."
"Generally, people pull missions ranked after 100, which have average difficulty."
"If you’re unlucky and pull one within the top 50, very few survive."
"If you pull one within the top 20, those who survive can be called the cream of the crop."
Gu Xiang Kai grinned. "My Qualification Exam ranking was 21."
Nan Yue gave an "oh" and smiled, showing her white teeth. "Mine was 04."
Clatter.
The lighter in Gu Xiang Kai’s hand dropped to the floor. He opened his mouth slightly, his emotions becoming agitated after a moment of processing.
"Damn it!!"
Nan Yue was in a good mood after teasing Gu Xiang Kai, but her smile vanished when she caught sight of a figure out of the corner of her eye.
"What are you talking about? The Qualification Exam? Yueyue is number 4? A single digit, how impressive!"
A gentle male voice joined the conversation. Gu Xiang Kai looked at Chi He, who had appeared out of nowhere, as if he were seeing a ghost.
"You’re not dead?"
Chi He smiled innocently. "When did I ever say I was dead?"
Gu Xiang Kai stared with wide eyes, looking ready to fight. "Then why didn't you come out for the last two days!"
Chi He looked at Gu Xiang Kai with a smile, his eyes holding a sort of mockery toward those with lower intelligence.
"Because he had clues about the others but didn't want to save them."
Chi He put on a surprised expression, but it was half-hearted and very dismissive.
"Bingo!"
Nan Yue looked at him without expression. "Whose clues? Mine? Lu Li’s? Or Gu Xiang Kai’s?"
Chi He shamelessly sat down next to Nan Yue. "Oh my, I’m a lucky guy. I had the clues for all three of you."
Chi He rested his chin on his hand and smiled. "I didn't stay hidden on purpose. I just wanted to see how many people could pass without the clues from the newspaper."
Gu Xiang Kai spat. "Pervert."
Although he wasn't exactly a saint who would rush out to be a hero, he wouldn't hide life-saving clues if he had them.
Chi He clutched his chest, his innocent face full of hurt. "How can you say that! I was just upholding the original intention of the Scavenger Project."
"Original intention?"
"That’s right." Chi He smiled, his eyes looking like they held stars, though now they looked more like the cold glint of a blade. "They relied too much on clues. They lacked the intuition, ability, and judgment required of a scavenger. This mission was practically pushed forward by Yueyue alone. That just won't do!"
Gu Xiang Kai gritted his teeth at him. "Are you sick in the head?"
Chi He suddenly became serious, wagging a finger. "No, I was ending their pain early. I was acting on behalf of heaven."
"Otherwise, fools like them would eventually not only get themselves killed but also drag others down with them."
Gu Xiang Kai mocked him. "You talk a big game, but didn't you get your clue from Nan Yue? Without her, you’d be gone too."
Chi He sighed, looking at him with the expression one uses for the mentally challenged. "How could that be? Am I that shameless of a person?"
Nan Yue held back Gu Xiang Kai, who had already clenched his fists. "He didn't use my method."
Chi He snatched the lighter from Gu Xiang Kai’s hand to play with it. "Exactly. Looking for the Apartment Manager is boring."
"I first took Granny Zhao to see her daughter’s corpse. Oh, she underwent a ghostly transformation instantly. It was so scary."
"Then I led her to find Zhao Ming. Tsk tsk, that scene..."
Gu Xiang Kai’s expression gradually changed. Although Chi He described it simply, the danger involved was obvious.
He and Nan Yue had used a similar method of passing, but Chi He’s was more dangerous because he had to take Granny Zhao on the bus to the small woods. The things on the bus weren't human, not to mention the ghost loop in the small woods.
Furthermore, he had to lead the transformed Granny Zhao to find the murderer...
This Chi He was incredibly formidable.
"But I still appreciate Yueyue’s kindness. Besides, Yueyue is so capable, and I like capable teammates!"
Gu Xiang Kai was wary of Chi He, but he still wouldn't let his mouth rest.
"Calling her Yueyue over and over, it’s disgusting."
Chi He maintained his harmless face and smiled as he spoke. "Yueyue, Yueyue, Yueyue!"
Nan Yue held back Gu Xiang Kai, who was about to lose his temper again. "What was your Qualification Exam ranking?"
Chi He gave Nan Yue a meaningful look. "It’s similar to yours. I was number 3."
Rate on N.U.
