Wen Renxi scanned her surroundings, but the eerie presence that had put her on edge was gone. There was no sound, not even the strange bird calls from before.

A forest should be filled with insect noises, but this one was silent.

Too quiet.

Even without sensing danger, Wen Renxi stayed awake, sitting against the tree with her knife.

Nine players entered, Huang Pingyu was dead, leaving eight.

Han Jiao was nearby; she accounted for one, leaving seven.

Wen Renxi didn’t know the whereabouts of the other seven, what they were doing, or how they were planning to find Zaoya.

The road ahead was long.

Han Jiao stirred in her sleep, muttering, then settled again. Wen Renxi’s gaze shifted to Zaoya.

According to Han Jiao, they had three days to complete the mission. If she could keep Zaoya safe for three days, the players would no longer be a threat.

Han Jiao’s earlier words echoed in her mind.

If Zaoya’s family wanted to change their fate, why didn’t they do it themselves, instead of sacrificing Zaoya?

Unbeknownst to her, the remaining players were not seven but six. Shao Xiaofeng had died in the Hu’s residence.

Qin Guoan, Lu Lu, and Qiu Ping, who had remained at the Hu’s, looked at Shao Xiaofeng’s corpse, their faces grim.

“He suffocated. Died like he was strangled.”

“Respiratory alkalosis?”

Qin Guoan shook his head. “No, more like…”

His gaze fell on the red coffin in the courtyard.

The stench of decay filled the air, a grim reminder of what lay within.

Shao Xiaofeng, like he suffocated inside the coffin.

Seeing what the villagers were doing to Zaoya earlier, Qin Guoan naturally thought of her intended fate when he saw Shao Xiaofeng’s death.

It was hard not to connect the dots.

Every detail in the dungeon was significant; nothing happened without reason.

So…

Professor Huang, alerted by the noise, came out and was startled by the corpse. “What happened? What happened?”

“I was about to ask you! We’re looking for the runaway bride. Your student said he found her, then he had my son lying with a man! What are you trying to pull? Do you think we’re blind, can’t tell men from women?” A Hu family member leaned out, annoyed.

“A man? A man’s fine too. Love knows no gender. How can you be so prejudiced?” Huang was about to apologize when Lu Lu spoke up. “What if your son prefers men? He’d be unhappy with a woman. I think Zaoya’s brother would be perfect!”

Huang snapped his head towards her.

“Since Zaoya ran away, why not try her brother? Your son might like it!”

Qin Guoan, after a pause, pulled Lu Lu away, looking at the villagers warily.

Lu Lu, tense, was ready to act.

She was just testing the waters.

What if it worked?

Zaoya clearly objected, but her brother seemed enthusiastic. What a waste not to try.

“Miss, stop!”

Qin Guoan didn’t know what to say. They weren’t students or interns, but players trying to clear a death trap, not a normal village!

“My son is not a pervert!” The villager glared at Lu Lu. “He wants a bride, not a groom, a bride…”

Qiu Ping narrowed her eyes, realizing something.

Their mission was to find and return Mr. Hu’s daughter-in-law, not necessarily Zaoya.

Before the “consummation,” couldn’t they replace Zaoya with another girl?

The survivors had said delivering the bride completed the mission, not that it had to be Zaoya.

If she couldn’t find Zaoya, could she convince Mr. Hu to accept another bride?

Qin Guoan, noticing Qiu Ping’s distraction, coughed, reminding her to be careful.

The villager was suspicious. He whispered to Qiu Ping, “What did you find?”

Qiu Ping shook her head, keeping her theory to herself, and brought up another matter.

“It’s late. The players searching for Zaoya haven’t returned.”

Lu Lu and Qin Guoan looked concerned.

Of the ten players, only four stayed. Now, Shao Xiaofeng was dead, and the six outside hadn’t returned.

The situation outside was dangerous, suggesting the others were also in trouble.

And it was just the first night.

Huang had placated the villagers and turned to the three.

“What are you doing! We said no nonsense! They’re ignorant, but you’re not?! No wonder you haven’t graduated. You’re hopeless!”

Qin Guoan: “…”

He didn’t know where to begin explaining.

Wen Renxi also realized the same thing as Qiu Ping.

She was sitting against a tree, wondering how to protect Zaoya. It wasn’t easy. Then, she realized she wasn’t completely clear on the players’ mission.

She knew they had to recapture Zaoya, but not the specifics.

She woke Han Jiao.

Han Jiao, although asleep, was vigilant, worried Wen Renxi would kill her. She woke at once.

“What is it?”

“While Zaoya rests, let’s discuss something.”

Han Jiao, recalling Zaoya’s words, agreed. They moved nearby.

Close enough to react, but far enough that Zaoya wouldn’t overhear.

“Zaoya’s pitiful. I don’t want to send her back.” The petite girl looked innocent, her soft voice implying sympathy for Zaoya.

Her words struck a chord with Han Jiao.

She couldn’t imagine being in Zaoya’s place.

She’d save Zaoya if she could.

Wen Renxi watched Han Jiao’s face, using the dim light to gauge her reactions, drawing out information.

“Me neither, but we don’t know the village’s danger. If we fail in three days, will we be trapped, or die?”

Facing the unknown was stressful.

“Is returning Zaoya the only way? The mission said…” Wen Renxi trailed off, pretending to think, and Han Jiao picked up where she left off.

“The mission is to return Mr. Hu’s daughter-in-law, not necessarily Zaoya!” Han Jiao exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

Right, anyone could be the daughter-in-law!

She didn’t need to take Zaoya back!

Wen Renxi smiled, as if genuinely relieved.

But she thought:

Not Zaoya, but Liya, Xingya, Juya, Shiya…

They were all “Zaoya.”

What difference did it make?

None.