A vein throbbed on Chen Xin’s forehead.

With Bai Qiuyan’s movement, all the players immediately reacted, stepping forward to form a protective circle around Xie Shuangxue, expressions tense like a pack of beasts guarding their cub.

“Who said I’d punish him?” Chen Xin remarked, “He’s been carrying someone all this way, completely exhausted. Does he really need to keep pushing himself here?”

Not far from them, just a wall away, were the city guards. If they caused any more commotion, the guards would surely hear them.

The players turned to look, and sure enough, Xie Shuangxue had been sitting quietly since he arrived, hands and feet trembling slightly. It wasn’t rest; he simply couldn’t stand up.

Lord Yun was a towering figure, much larger than Xie Shuangxue. They had assumed that as long as this NPC had taken on the task, he would complete it without a hitch. Only now did they realize that Xie Shuangxue had been pushing himself harder than any of them.

Ling Luo moved to help him, but a player was faster.

Yu Haiqing, who had somehow ended up in the inner circle, was already reaching out to lift him. Qiao Zhihui beside him shouted, “Let me do it!” but he was just a step too slow.

Xie Shuangxue glanced at him, then obediently extended his arms to be picked up.

This NPC weighed almost nothing, Yu Haiqing thought as he carried him inside, glancing down. Right now, Xie Shuangxue leaned against his chest, looking especially docile.

He was always like this, bouncing back and forth between obedient and audacious. It was hard to tell which one was the real him.

When Xie Shuangxue moved, the group of players naturally followed as if they had entirely forgotten about the key NPC left behind.

Chen Xin and Ling Luo stayed behind, arranging for the unconscious Lord Yun. With everyone now gathered, they had no choice but to accept reality. Sending him back was no longer an option.

They found a hidden room nearby, and after examining Lord Yun’s condition, Chen Xin and Ling Luo both realized that while Xie Shuangxue was bold, he’d done the right thing.

Bringing him here wasn’t a transgression; it saved Yun Panshan’s life.

After taking care of everything, they returned to find Xie Shuangxue resting on a small couch, seemingly recovered.

The Continental Wanderers still encircled him, eyeing Chen Xin and Ling Luo with a guarded look, as if fearing they might swoop in and snatch Xie Shuangxue away.

But there was something odd. Just a moment ago, they seemed wary of Xie Shuangxue, but now, turning back to him, their expressions transformed instantly, grins spreading across their faces as if they had won some grand prize.

Honestly, it was strange.

Compared to them, Xie Shuangxue seemed incredibly normal. When he saw Ling Luo and Chen Xin return, he perked up and, without holding back, went straight to the point, telling them about how Lord Yun had informed him of Yun Panlong’s connection to demonic qi.

“… Lu Yun Tower is genuinely dangerous,” Xie Shuangxue said. “When I heard this and thought of my elder brother investigating, I became incredibly worried. If it were only my own safety, I could handle it, but since it involves this matter, I had to bring Lord Yun back.”

“I couldn’t lie to my elder brother. This was entirely my decision,” he continued, “and if anything comes of it, I’ll take full responsibility. You can hand me over; it has nothing to do with the Feather Clan.”

He spoke firmly, but after finishing, he took a few deep breaths, lowering his head nervously, hands clenched tightly, as if genuinely afraid they might be angry.

Chen Xin had never truly been angry with him, yet he frowned at Xie Shuangxue’s words.

“Shuangxue, I’ve already told you, no matter what you do, I’ll always stand in front of you,” he said. “From now on, no more of this. The Feather Clan’s honor and suffering are shared by all, and you are one of us.”

“Elder Brother, you don’t blame me?”

“I never will.”

On this matter, Ling Luo didn’t harbor any resentment either. Instead, he found himself genuinely impressed by Xie Shuangxue.

Before, his concern for Xie Shuangxue stemmed mainly from his connection to Ling Xuan. He saw Xie Shuangxue as delicate, someone to look after, yet now, Xie Shuangxue’s strength was undeniable, a surprising blend of softness and resilience.

He wasn’t timid at all—he was incredibly brave. Ling Luo had to admit that even he might not have been able to do the same.

“I don’t blame you either,” Ling Luo said. “Don’t worry; if anything happens, I’ll shoulder it.”

Ling Luo’s character was straightforward, much like Ling Xuan’s. His emotions were plain to see, and when he said this, it was genuine.

Ling Luo had always been the type to look after others, like a central air conditioning unit warming everyone around, though he rarely grew attached. Originally, he took care of Xie Shuangxue out of duty, but now, he held him in special regard.

The issue with Yun Panlong had been nagging at both of them. Alongside Xie Shuangxue’s actions, the world quests had also been progressing continuously over the last two days.

Countless players scattered throughout the city, taking on various tasks and reporting findings to the Feather Clan. Many under Yun Panlong’s command had been involved in shady dealings, but without concrete evidence, the Feather Clan couldn’t act recklessly.

Thanks to Xie Shuangxue and the wound on Yun Panshan, which bore a distinctive cut from Yun Panlong’s blade, they were more certain than ever of their direction.

“Leave the rest to us,” Chen Xin said. “Don’t worry; we’ll ensure that the truth of Lu Yun Tower is uncovered.”

Xie Shuangxue didn’t intend to meddle further in Yun Panlong’s affairs. This was a doomed antagonist. He was more concerned with a different storyline.

Regarding Yun Ruowei, Xie Shuangxue had been open with them and showed them both the sword tassel and the golden lock he’d discovered. However, they seemed indifferent to them.

It appeared that Yun Panlong and Yun Ruowei were separate matters, so the items stayed with Xie Shuangxue.

The players weren’t particularly interested in taking the items from him. They figured the sword tassel was linked to the Evil Sword, and the little gold lock with an engraved name was a clue related to Yun Ruowei. Bai Qiuyan and Xie Shuangxue had each asked a question about them, so the two items naturally matched the two leads.

But Xie Shuangxue wasn’t so certain.

When everyone else had left, he stared at the items for a long time, his gaze deep.

Firstly, the Evil Sword couldn’t be Yun Ruowei. Though shrouded in mystery, Yun Ruowei was much older than Yun Panshan’s child. So why were these two things found together?

If Yun Panshan cherished both his friend’s memento and his child’s, he must have held his friend in exceptionally high regard.

But above all, Xie Shuangxue couldn’t forget that this was a game.

Games didn’t include useless characters or items in major storylines. Although Yun Panshan could be loyal, the sword tassel’s presence here was odd.

If Xie Shuangxue hadn’t intervened, players would have eventually acquired these items after completing a series of tasks. Yet he was the only one tracking the Evil Sword, and none of the players even knew about it.

In the original storyline, Xie Shuangxue had never heard of the Evil Sword. So when Chun Yao had mentioned it, he’d assumed it was a minor NPC related to Lu Yun Tower.

Yet Yun Pannan’s cryptic behavior, the wounds on Yun Panshan, Bai Qiuyan’s inquiries—they all pointed to something far more critical.

The Evil Sword wasn’t just an incidental character Chun Yao mentioned; it had always been part of the plot, and it was deeply connected to Yun Ruowei.

This revelation made things stranger.

The sword-gifting subplot hadn’t been Xie Shuangxue’s intended objective, and he’d been surprised to receive it. This development was clearly encouraged by SEA, the game’s AI system.

Considering himself a mere supporting villain, Xie Shuangxue was sure SEA would suppress any of his efforts to alter the plot. Why then had it seemingly pushed him closer to the main storyline?

The situation was perplexing, similar to how the Wubianhai security seemed oddly helpful to him.

Unable to piece it all together, he kept the items close, lying in bed with his eyes open.

With Yun Panshan safe, the next step was to find a real antidote. The players had already discovered instructions Yun Panshan had written while still lucid. With this, they could inquire around Lu Yun Tower and complete the relevant quests to gather the ingredients.

The players had earned rewards from Xie Shuangxue, so they were all the more motivated to split up and search. Xie Shuangxue couldn’t rush them.

After venturing out two nights in a row, tonight he planned to rest and recuperate. The City Lord’s Mansion hadn’t yet discovered Lord Yun’s absence, and the Feather Clan hadn’t faced any immediate threat, so things seemed calm for the moment.

Yet the calm didn’t last long.

In the dead of night, the Feather Clan’s encampment was particularly quiet. Lying in bed, Xie Shuangxue could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Tonight, the wind seemed especially fierce, making the window by his bed tremble faintly. After a while, it creaked, as if blown open.

Sometimes, this game felt far too real.

Without overthinking, Xie Shuangxue, who was sensitive to the cold, got out of bed to close the window. But just as he approached, a piercing alarm went off in his mind—a primal sense of danger.

Not good!

He moved as fast as he thought, dodging to the side, just as a blade shaped like a Crescent Moon Blade slashed through the open window.

The blade’s edge, radiating a murderous aura, narrowly missed his face. Though his clothing hadn’t even touched the blade, a portion of his shoulder was shredded, and a thin line of blood appeared.

The blade’s wielder then slipped in through the window. The person’s movements were swift and merciless, cloaked head to toe in black. Xie Shuangxue couldn’t identify them.

Though he considered himself vigilant, he hadn’t heard the slightest human sound outside before getting up. This person had gotten too close, directly targeting him.

Who wants to kill me?

They must be from the City Lord’s Mansion. If they’d discovered something, they could have simply stormed in, as the Feather Clan was still a guest in their city. Even if they didn’t want to confront him directly, they should’ve gone after Ling Luo or Chen Xin. Why him?

But there was no time to dwell on it. Xie Shuangxue was never strong in direct combat, especially not in unexpected assaults. This was the Feather Clan’s base, so he created noise, hoping to draw others over, all while dodging and yelling, “Who sent you?”

“It doesn’t matter who you are, but killing me solves nothing!”

The attacker aimed to end things quickly, pressing Xie Shuangxue into a corner. Xie Shuangxue managed to block the Crescent Moon Blade with his dagger, the blade almost at his face.

“The items,” he heard the other say in a low voice. “Hand over what you acquired today.”

So they were after those!

There was no way Xie Shuangxue would surrender them, and the attacker hadn’t expected the Feather Clan to arrive so soon. Within moments, Xie Shuangxue’s door burst open.

Ling Luo’s sword lunged at the intruder’s back, freeing Xie Shuangxue from the assault, followed by a group of Feather Clan members.

“Release him.”

The assassin winced and, realizing they weren’t ordinary Feather Clan members, turned to flee, slipping out the window. Some Feather Clan members went in pursuit.

Ling Luo didn’t bother with the fleeing assailant, focusing on helping Xie Shuangxue.

Thanks to his quick reflexes, Xie Shuangxue hadn’t suffered major injuries—just a few scratches.

“It’s nothing,” Xie Shuangxue said, exhaling a breath of relief. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Fortunately, Ling Luo had been truly attentive, moving next door to keep an eye on him. Had he arrived even a second later, the situation might’ve been entirely different.

The assassin’s skills were such that ordinary Feather Clan members wouldn’t have been able to hold their own.

Ling Luo examined Xie Shuangxue’s wounds. They were minor, just a few scratches, but his brow furrowed. “Summon Senior Brother Chen Xin.”

“It’s late; no need to disturb everyone,” Xie Shuangxue objected. “The assailant’s already gone. We can inform Senior Brother Chen Xin tomorrow.”

“You don’t understand. Though your injuries seem slight, if left untreated, they could become serious.” Ling Luo raised Xie Shuangxue’s hand to reveal faint traces of black mist around the wound. “This person was from the Demon Clan, and their weapon was a rare demonic artifact. The demonic qi is seeping into the wound. If it isn’t treated immediately, it could spread, leaving you forever affected or even driving you into madness.”

Xie Shuangxue blinked, surprised. “That serious?”

“Yes,” Ling Luo replied. “These demonic artifacts are so dangerous that even most demons avoid them. It’s almost legendary, like the Skeleton Ghost, yet here we are. Fortunately, Elder Chen left instructions that Senior Brother Chen Xin could remove demonic qi here. Otherwise, we’d have to take you to Fu Meng Tower, where purification powers are stronger.”

Initially, Xie Shuangxue felt relieved. But as he listened, he began to feel uneasy, sensing something wrong.

Wait—taking him back to the Feather Clan?

No, something wasn’t right at all!

Thinking deeper, he finally understood why the assassin had targeted him.

The intruder hadn’t intended to kill him but to retrieve those two items. And as a useful supporting character, the system wouldn’t let him die so easily—just get injured.

The items had drawn the assassin, leading to this setup.

No wonder SEA arranged Chun Yao’s sword gift as an unexpected subplot.

By giving Xie Shuangxue this line, the system hoped he would follow it quietly. But if he pursued it too fervently, it would trigger an assassination, allowing the system to rationalize sending him back to the Feather Clan, bringing the story back on track.

The AI had everything lined up—it was baiting him!

He’d underestimated SEA.

This AI was no simple monitoring program. It had laid a trap for him.

Instead of anger, Xie Shuangxue laughed.

Tonight was lively inside the game and just as much outside, with the forums for Xie Shuangxue buzzing into the night, thanks to the influx of VIPs.

Bai Qiuyan’s forum ID was flashy, his entrance like a special effect, and he wasn’t the only one there.

Today, there was no shortage of big-name streamers watching Xie Shuangxue, including Assassin-focused channels with live feeds and plenty of views, making “Gods and Demons NPC Heist” a trending topic.

As the forum followers watched, the topic evolved from “What’s the use of Xie Shuangxue’s bond value?” to “OMG, I need this,” and then finally to “Please, someone explain this to me.”

Bai Qiuyan, the epitome of opulence, started by tossing red envelopes to the group before asking, “What does he like?”

Word had it that NPC bond values could increase with gifts, so knowing his preferences would be helpful.

Faced with the question, the forum fans were suddenly at a loss.

Wait, what did he like?

With no solid answer, Bai Qiuyan pressed further, “So, what have you all been doing with him? Anyone put together a guide?”

Oh…

It dawned on them that Xie Shuangxue had resolved most disputes on his own, handled his own PR, and the fans only needed to cheer him on and send virtual hugs.

Bai Qiuyan didn’t hold back, “Pathetic.”

Forum Fans: “… Can’t argue with that.”

While discussing how to improve their support strategy instead of just being passive onlookers, a piece of explosive news lit up the screen.

“Oh my god! I can’t believe it! He got assassinated!”