The Player's Mark in the Puppet's Palm

Zhu Yan nodded considerately, while silently cursing Jin Rongxu and every one of his ancestors to the eighteenth generation.

“Oh, it’s perfectly understandable that you’d have doubts like that.”

If he really went to the [Hall of Mourning], the place would be packed with experts, and he would definitely have to use a puppet.

But the player mark in the puppet’s palm was fake. If he actually went there, he wouldn’t even be able to access a player account, let alone check the balance.

He wasn’t worried about anyone checking the balance. He still had his [Hunter] account, and he could even transfer money between the two accounts online.

But the player mark on the puppet…

He wondered if Dragonfly had any high-level replication ointment.

And if he bought it at the venue, would there be enough time?

“What’s there to understand?” Yang Zhanbai grumbled. “Why doesn’t he just execute everyone one by one and see whose death triggers a broadcast notification?”

“You don’t worship him anymore?” Zhu Yan asked abruptly.

Yang Zhanbai shook his head.

“Forget it. I originally thought he’d be able to fight the [Hunter] back and forth.”

But after seeing him in actual combat, he wasn’t even as good as Zhu Zeyu.

He should’ve just worshiped Zhu Zeyu from the beginning!

Yang Zhanbai was about to heap on a few more compliments when he noticed that Zhu Zeyu had already finished eating and gotten to his feet.

“Things are urgent.” He nodded at Yang Zhanbai. Because he was standing with the light behind him, Yang Zhanbai couldn’t make out his face.

“Take your time eating. I’m going to Captain Jin’s office to have a look.”

…

He split off a strand of [Mist], activated the ability [Invisibility], and swiftly made his way upward through the emergency passage.

Jin Rongxu had clearly lost his patience.

From every angle, the identity of “Zhu Zeyu” was as spotless as a blank sheet of paper. There wasn’t a single flaw.

In Zhu Yan’s eyes, Jin Rongxu’s actions looked more like the result of his six hundred thousand bone gold coins flying away—a desperate attempt to bring a dead horse back to life.

Regardless, he should go to either Jin Rongxu’s office or Director Jin’s office and investigate the situation first.

“Dear [Hunter], the instance [A Vacation Rife with Hidden Currents] has begun.”

The melodious female voice rang in his ear, and the [Mist] suddenly came to a halt.

Well, look at that.

The [Mist] sighed soundlessly.

You didn’t remind me before it started, but now that the situation is practically on fire, you show up.

“Congratulations! You’ve encountered your first little challenge. It is also a crucial turning point in this instance!”

The female voice completely ignored Zhu Yan’s complaints.

“[Hunter], we will now issue your mission for this instance.”

Zhu Yan was at a loss for words.

The [Mist] stopped at a corner of the emergency passage and listened quietly.

“Mission objective: Proceed to the [Hall of Mourning] and use this crisis to earn the trust of Director Jin of the [Human Alliance], thereby changing your marginalized position.”

Hmm?

This mission was rather audacious.

“Please make good use of all the resources and information at your disposal, [Hunter].”

The female voice offered another roundabout platitude.

“Please attach great importance to this mission, [Hunter]. Upon completion, you will receive a practical item as a reward.”

Zhu Yan silently added another “platitude” in his mind.

Put bluntly, even if [Joyous Paradise] hadn’t issued this mission notification, could he simply choose not to do any of this?

He still had to do what needed to be done.

The [Mist] began moving again. Part of it squeezed through the crack beneath the security door and drifted toward Jin Rongxu’s office.

The other part continued upward, hurrying toward Director Jin’s office.

“Please adjust your attitude, [Hunter],” the female voice said lightly.

“There are plenty of things to do, but very few of them come with rewards!”

“The reward for this mission is: the player mark in the puppet’s palm.”

All right. Now he had no choice but to complete it.

“The time limit for this mission is forty-eight hours.”

“You will not die if you fail to complete the mission. However, we will impose certain other minor punishments.”

“Good luck, dear [Hunter].”

“See you when the mission is complete!”

The female voice vanished.

The [Mist] slipped into Jin Rongxu’s office and Director Jin’s office separately, coiling against the ceilings as it observed what was happening inside.

This time, none of Zhu Yan’s [Walking Corpses] had been summoned by Jin Rongxu.

His office contained only Jin Rongxu himself, pacing back and forth with a gloomy expression, and the Seer, whom Zhu Yan had met only once before.

Compared to Jin Rongxu, the Seer seemed much more relaxed.

This time, she had changed into a black lace camisole and matching high-waisted, wide-legged suit trousers. The long cuffs covered the Chelsea boots on her feet, while a leopard-print peaked cap sat jauntily atop her head.

That outfit was far too daring for the rigid [Human Alliance]. Zhu Yan couldn’t help wondering about her background.

“Listen to me. This really won’t work,” the Seer said, reclining leisurely against the sofa. “I can’t see the details clearly, but I do know that your uncle will suffer losses because of this. There still won’t be any progress in identifying the [Hunter].”

“Even if you want to take those players to the [Hall of Mourning], can’t you wait two days?”

Jin Rongxu shot her a cold sideways glance. “I didn’t call you here to listen to this.”

“Do you have any idea how much the Alliance lost because your last prophecy was wrong?”

“If you couldn’t see who the [Hunter] was, fine. But you didn’t even foresee that I’d be injured!”

The Seer laughed.

“Was it the Alliance that suffered losses, or was it you?” she asked sharply. “Captain Jin, if I could see through the [Hunter] completely, he wouldn’t be the [Hunter].”

“I told you long ago that my ability is only at that level. When someone of a lower level observes someone of a higher level, there’s bound to be some deviation. It wasn’t a mistake. It was a reasonable margin of error—”

“Shut up!” Jin Rongxu snapped.

The Seer’s lips curled.

Jin Rongxu irritably tugged at his hair.

Zhu Yan noticed that his left hand had already grown back.

Under the light, the hand’s color was colder than before, with a faint bluish-white tinge.

Or rather, Jin Rongxu’s entire body looked as though its heavy-metal content had exceeded the safe limit. His skin was at least two shades paler.

“What will happen if we take those players to the [Hall of Mourning]?”

He seemed somewhat afraid of the Seer, and his tone softened again.

“This is too important. He hasn’t fully matured yet, and he already dares to oppose the [Human Alliance]. If he grows any stronger, the consequences will be even worse.”

Zhu Yan was also eager to know what the Seer had seen. He still hadn’t decided what he would do.

Would those hazy images give him any inspiration?

The Seer narrowed her eyes.

“I’m afraid the [Hunter] has leveled up again.”

“I don’t know the exact reason. I only know that he attacked Director Jin. There were terrifying creatures in the background, so it should have happened in the [Hall of Mourning].”

Jin Rongxu nodded.

“That won’t be difficult,” he said. “If my uncle and I don’t go down to the [Hall of Mourning], won’t that avoid the whole thing?”

Director Jin was Jin Rongxu’s uncle.

So he would attack Director Jin?

Zhu Yan watched with great interest.

The Seer shook her head and smiled. “Have you ever heard the story of Oedipus Rex? If a prophecy could be broken so easily, it wouldn’t be a prophecy.”

She stood and smoothed her clothes.

“All right, Captain Jin.”

“If you want to maintain the advantage and initiative in the face of the Hunter, the best course of action is to lie low for two days. Forty-eight hours.”

“What I mean is, have your people take the students there. You and your uncle absolutely must not make a move. You’d better keep him pinned down in the office.”

She rose and clapped her hands.

“That’s all I have to say. I still need to get back to studying fate. See you!”

The Seer opened the door and left without a trace of reluctance.

Zhu Yan remained where he was, but alarm bells were already ringing in his mind.

What the Seer had said made perfect sense.

She wanted Jin Rongxu to delay for forty-eight hours, while the time limit for Zhu Yan’s own task was, down to the minute, exactly forty-eight hours.

Although the female voice had not specified the consequences of failing the task, this was a “critical juncture,” and Zhu Yan felt that the punishment would be more than just a token gesture.

He silently watched Jin Rongxu.

Jin Rongxu picked up his phone and dialed Director Jin’s number.