The Night of Infinite Madness (3)

Little Wei leaned against the wall, gazing at Youyin’s fair earlobe.

So pretty.

"I won’t guarantee your safety. You’ll have to find a way to protect yourself," Youyin said to Little Wei.

Little Wei tightened her grip on the invisibility cloak in her hand. Whether it was due to a sense of calm or not, her headache seemed to have dulled slightly.

"Mm, okay," Little Wei murmured, rubbing her temples.

Youyin pushed the door open, and Little Wei hurried after her.

"Aside from the dormitory buildings, there aren’t any parasitic monsters here. Our goal now is to escape," Youyin explained as she walked briskly.

"If we’re even an hour later, we won’t make it out." Youyin’s reasoning was crystal clear.

Little Wei couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy—her current state didn’t allow her to think too deeply.

Could it be that the heavens were punishing her for exploiting too many cheats in the past, making this elimination round especially harsh?

Little Wei thought it was entirely possible.

But instead of heading for the main gate, Youyin led her toward a small grove on the other side of the school.

Too tired to overthink it, Little Wei simply followed.

Seemed like her luck wasn’t all bad this time—her "wife" was a pro.

Little Wei really didn’t feel like putting in effort anymore. Letting a skilled player carry her while she lay low and leveled up didn’t sound half bad.

As they crossed the small bridge, Little Wei kept her eyes fixed on the lake below. She could’ve sworn there were dark shadows darting beneath the surface.

Even double images.

Oh no, she was done for.

The shadows suddenly surged upward. Youyin instinctively glanced back, only to see the girl beside her now wielding a silver dagger. In an instant, the assassins were cut down.

Blood seeped into the lake. Little Wei looked down, then pulled back the cloth covering one of the corpses left on the bridge.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

This face… she recognized it from the original owner’s memories. A guy from the neighboring department.

What the hell was going on?

"You’re a professional player?" Youyin stopped in her tracks, eyeing Little Wei with newfound appreciation.

Who would’ve thought this seemingly weak girl had skills?

"Professional player? What’s that?"

Youyin hesitated before explaining, "This is all part of a game. And where there’s a game, there are roles. Otherwise, how would ordinary people clear it?"

"Are you one too?" Little Wei asked.

Youyin’s expression flickered before she nodded.

"But I can’t tell you the details yet. We need to move—we can’t waste time here."

Little Wei took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus. But this body was in terrible shape. If not for her spiritual willpower, even running would’ve been impossible.

"Okay."

She quickened her pace to keep up with the expert.

Thankfully, her staff was considerate, lightly supporting her body and making it easier to move.

What surprised Little Wei was how familiar Youyin seemed with the terrain—as if she’d been here many times before. Could her "wife’s" ability be foresight?

Nice. Very nice.

"Quit spacing out. You look like you’re on the verge of collapse. This area’s complicated—if you lag behind, those assassins will catch up."

Youyin’s sharp reprimand snapped Little Wei back to reality. Puffing her cheeks, she followed Youyin up the slope.

After ten minutes, they finally reached the school’s perimeter wall.

One glance outside made Little Wei reconsider leaving.

The world beyond wasn’t just shrouded in gray smog—it was tinged with a suffocating, vivid crimson.

Youyin vaulted over effortlessly. Before she could turn around, she heard a soft thud behind her.

"You’re fast," Youyin remarked, surprised.

Little Wei awkwardly averted her gaze. She hadn’t climbed—her staff had carried her over.

In her last world, the staff could transform into a sword for flight, so it had retained that ability.

At least it had gained sentience, sparing her the need for constant mental control.

"Where to now?" Little Wei asked.

Youyin scanned their surroundings, spotting a few people rushing in one direction, and tugged her hand.

"We need supplies," Youyin said, lips pressed tight.

"Food restores energy. Judging by your state, you haven’t eaten well. Let’s find some."

"Just like that?" Little Wei frowned.

Youyin smirked. "Think of the school as the first dungeon. Now that we’ve escaped, we need to stock up before heading to a save point. Otherwise, if we die, we’ll just respawn back there."

Little Wei studied Youyin closely.

Even with foresight, how could she know so much?

It was downright eerie.

Noticing her suspicion, Youyin’s expression hardened. Without explanation, she pulled Little Wei toward a roadside convenience store.

Little Wei realized the outside world felt safer than the school—aside from the unsettling blood mist, there were no immediate threats.

Almost like a zombie outbreak, starting from the school.

But those things inside would probably emerge soon.

She could feel it.

"Instant noodles. How about pickled cabbage flavor?" Youyin rummaged through the shelves before glancing back.

"Hard pass. I never eat that," Little Wei said dryly.

She preferred biscuits or bread.

She still hadn’t figured out this world’s rules. If it was anything like Yuan Qiaoqiao’s post-apocalyptic setting, things would get messy.

But something felt… off.

"Eat first. I’ll explain later," Youyin said. "You noticed the assassin looked like someone you knew, right?"

Little Wei nodded.

"That’s how it works. This game has two factions—call them Escapers and Raiders. And no, I’m not counting the monsters."

"Escapers and Raiders are the same people. I don’t know how, but if your Escaper kills you, they grow stronger while you weaken."

Little Wei suddenly remembered the clean, pale jawline she’d seen upon arriving—identical to her own.

No wonder this body felt off. Its energy had been siphoned away.

"What if I kill my Escaper?" Little Wei looked up.

Youyin slurped her noodles, expression distant. Then she knocked her own head lightly, sighing.

"That… I really don’t know."

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