Outside the instance.
“What’s going on…” Xu Miaomiao looked astonished. “Lin Qing and Lin Zhen have both opened their perspectives. One is secretly guarding Mr. Bai, while the other is talking with Yan Wei in the pavilion.”
Song Cheng’an and others inside the instance naturally thought of Lin Qing and Lin Zhen first. However, the players outside the instance, who could see all players with open perspectives, were even more puzzled than Song Cheng’an and his team.
Xu Miaomiao turned to Ding Xiao: “Sister Ding, you have more experience—”
She paused.
She saw the blank expression on Ding Xiao’s face.
She always instinctively sought guidance and help from Ding Xiao, accustomed to throwing all her doubts and confusion at her. Even now, she often forgot what Yan Wei had said—Ding Xiao no longer remembered many things. The Ding Xiao beside her was only a small remnant of the consciousness of the deceased Ding Xiao, even her personality was incomplete.
Ding Xiao was already dead.
Xu Miaomiao quickly changed her tone: “Yan Wei and his team will surely handle it.”
Ding Xiao’s blank expression changed slightly, and she smiled: “I don’t remember, but if it’s about players, Yan Wei should be fine. Yan Wei… he has a good memory. Back then, even if he didn’t know many players at all, he could recount their stories in detail.”
“Song Cheng’an and the others have decided to investigate the Phoenix Flower Card first,” Xu Miaomiao watched Song Cheng’an and his team’s perspectives and made a surprised sound. “They plan to secure those two arrows and then go find Yan Wei and his team after the investigation.”
Xu Miaomiao suddenly felt curious.
She and Yan Wei had faced off in one instance and cooperated in another, but their relationship was deep yet shallow. Even though they had gone through life-and-death situations several times in instances, Xu Miaomiao had never truly understood Yan Wei.
She initially thought Yan Wei was a rising dark horse, with a few friends who had ascended the tower together, doing things and making plans that others dared not, like a brilliant star, dazzling but not blinding. Until the Eighty-ninth Floor Instance, where she, in her panic, learned the truth behind Yan Wei, she felt that this legendary figure who had once challenged the tower’s authority was like the moon behind the clouds, hazy yet clear.
But from beginning to end, she never knew what the real Yan Wei was like.
So she became curious—what kind of person was v back then, who could make Song Cheng’an, after seeing Lin Qing’s arrow, place almost a hundred percent of his trust in him, suppress Zhong Bufan and Yu Zhengqing’s doubts, and still lead these two to accomplish what Yan Wei had entrusted them to do?
What kind of person could make Lin Qing straightforwardly say, “I should just kill my own people, taking as many with me as I can”?
Even knowing that Ding Xiao no longer remembered many things, Xu Miaomiao still instinctively asked: “Yan… no, v, why did so many people follow him when he first reached the top…?”
This time, Ding Xiao didn’t show any confusion.
It seemed like a profound memory for her.
She said: “Because he gave people a strong sense of belief. He always acted as if he didn’t care about anyone’s life or death, but in reality, what he thought and wanted was far beyond what many people could achieve.”
“Belief?”
“The belief that he could do it. Last time at the top, I didn’t go because I wasn’t strong enough, but some very powerful high-level players followed v. Even though they knew they might never come back, they still followed v in. Because what v was doing wasn’t just about personal life and death; he was doing what many people wanted to do but didn’t dare. They were muddle-headed, afraid to try, and v took the lead, in a way…”
Xu Miaomiao saw Ding Xiao pause.
Then, Ding Xiao showed a gentle smile, her tone soft: “He showed many people the meaning of ‘living.'”
A cold wind blew, carrying the deep chill from the snow, making the skin tingle slightly.
Yan Wei and Lin Qing had been chatting here for a while, sitting in the pavilion for a long time without moving, getting colder and colder.
He tucked his hands into his sleeves, his expression calm, his gaze indifferent, completely unaffected by what Lin Qing had said. He exhaled, as if the temperature around him was more concerning than the dangers of the instance.
This malice probably knew he disliked the cold, as the instances he had entered recently were all quite chilly.
It had never won against him head-on, but it seemed to enjoy these petty and useless tactics, truly the collective consciousness of the myriad malevolent thoughts within the tower.
Yan Wei warmed his hands a bit and said, “What I just told you is roughly the identities and tasks we, along with Lin Zhen and Yu Feizhou, obtained after loading into the instance, as well as our situation these past few days. Now, tell me about your situation in detail.”
Lin Qing nodded.
He noticed Yan Wei was a bit cold and exchanged for a hand warmer, placing it on the stone table, then calmly began to recount his experiences over the past few days.
Like the other players who entered this instance, Lin Qing was dispersed to a loading location and assigned a unique task.
His identity was that of a guide hired by Mr. Bai from Guanyin Academy. Because he was familiar with the roads from Guanyin Town to other places, he took Mr. Bai’s money to accompany him to find a renowned master.
As for the task, it was to figure out the purpose of Mr. Bai’s journey.
This task wasn’t particularly difficult, but it wasn’t simple either—because Lin Qing encountered another player on the way. Although they didn’t communicate, it was clear that their tasks were completely opposite.
Lin Qing accompanied Mr. Bai towards the ancient temple where the master lived, while the other player stayed in the shadows, never confronting Lin Qing directly but always attacking Lin Qing and Mr. Bai in various ways, always targeting Mr. Bai. They had several exchanges, and Lin Qing never saw the face of this high-level player.
Lin Qing guessed that the other player’s task was either to get some information from Mr. Bai or to kill Mr. Bai directly. He had already roughly figured out the confrontation between the players and, being skilled in long-range attacks, guarded Mr. Bai. Although the other player kept trying, they had little success.
At this point, Yan Wei understood. Lin Qing’s task was completely tied to Mr. Bai, clearly on their side. They were responsible for bringing the items, and Lin Qing just happened to explain why Mr. Bai needed these items.
“So Mr. Bai is going out to find this master to suppress the female ghost?”
“Yes. I completed this task on the way—Mr. Bai has been worried about the evil spirits in Guanyin Town for the past few years. He has been in contact with the masters of Guanyin Temple, but they couldn’t solve the town’s problems. They could only temporarily prevent the townspeople from spreading the news, always finding some excuses to minimize the impact of the incidents on Guanyin Town. But this was only treating the symptoms, not the root cause…”
Lin Qing sighed: “So he contacted a master from another ancient temple, first through letters, learning from the master about some things needed to ward off evil, and had them brought to Guanyin Town. Then he found me to guide him to the ancient temple to invite the master.”
Yan Wei pondered: “Then you and the other player fought all the way to the ancient temple, only to find that the master Mr. Bai sought was dead?”
Lin Qing nodded: “Most likely, it was the work of the opposing player. Since he couldn’t kill Mr. Bai, he killed the master.”
No matter how skilled Lin Qing was, he was still a rising star. After Yan Wei disappeared, it took him some time to stabilize Blackbird and establish himself among the high-level players.
It was normal to have some lapses in such confrontations.
Yan Wei organized his thoughts: “So, our side is basically connected in a line. We are all people related to Mr. Bai’s desire to suppress the evil spirits. Mr. Bai sought the warding items, contacted the master, and we brought these suppression items. You accompanied Mr. Bai on a long journey to invite the master back. It all connects…”
The two exchanged glances, understanding.
If Lin Qing had been thorough, guarding Mr. Bai and successfully inviting the master back, their task of suppressing the female ghost would have been much easier.
But now, Mr. Bai’s suppression items were brought by the players, but the master meant to use them was dead. The task of using the items to suppress the female ghost would now rely entirely on the players.
“Mr. Bai has gone back to rest,” Lin Qing said. “Once he’s rested, he will surely come to talk to you about the warding items.”
Yan Wei stretched, his expression pausing—he sensed Song Cheng’an and the others approaching.
They must have finished investigating the Phoenix Flower Card.
He gathered his thoughts, his fingertips slightly rubbing the coin in his sleeve, his tone slightly lowering: “The main task of suppressing the female ghost is clear. I found some clues in the front hall and asked Song Cheng’an—you should know him, he also entered this top-level instance—to investigate those clues. When he comes, we can follow those clues to investigate matters related to the female ghost and see how we need to suppress her.”
“The main task is clear, but I’m mainly concerned about the factions. Do you have any impression of the player you were fighting?”
He had been absent for a while, and players like Zhong Bufan, who came to the high level after him, were almost unknown to him. He could only ask Lin Qing.
Lin Qing shook his head: “I can’t recognize him. I can’t even tell what his skills are. At first, he used an item and skill that looked like a high-level player I knew, but before I could confirm, he switched to a completely different style of Legendary Item. I really can’t recognize him.”
If even Lin Qing didn’t recognize him, it must be someone from even earlier.
—Who could it be, someone Yan Wei might remember?
Using one skill, then switching to a completely different item and skill…
A possible name came to Yan Wei’s mind.
He didn’t mention this idea for now, just lowered his eyes, “This player thought to abandon the first main task, not kill Mr. Bai, save time, and instead kill the master to increase our difficulty. He must be no ordinary character in the opposing faction. Their task is completely opposite to ours; it seems we must fight to the death.”
Lin Qing decisively said: “Then it’s a fight to the death.”
As soon as he finished speaking, three people approached from the path, none other than Song Cheng’an and his team.
Song Cheng’an’s expression was normal, leading the way in silence. Yu Zhengqing followed closely, his face extremely unpleasant. Zhong Bufan seemed to be deep in thought, not paying attention to his steps, almost bumping into Yu Zhengqing ahead.
When they saw Yan Wei and his team, they all glanced at Lin Qing beside Yan Wei.
Even Song Cheng’an’s brow furrowed slightly.
Yan Wei caught this subtle change in Song Cheng’an’s expression and felt something was off.
“We’ve found the source of the Phoenix Flower Card,” Song Cheng’an walked up to Yan Wei. “Can we speak privately?”
Yan Wei’s expression didn’t change. He kept his hands tucked in his sleeves, slowly stepped down from the pavilion, walked on the snow, and headed towards a desolate path nearby.
It was a sign of agreement to speak alone.
Song Cheng’an glanced at Lin Qing again and immediately followed Yan Wei.
Lin Qing’s face remained stern throughout. When Yan Wei was present, his silence and seriousness were non-threatening. When Yan Wei was absent, his eyes carried a sharp coldness.
Yu Zhengqing’s questioning words were forced back.
Zhong Bufan watched Yan Wei and Song Cheng’an walk away until their figures disappeared completely, still wondering if he should directly confront Lin Qing.
The person who shot the arrow wasn’t Lin Zhen. Lin Zhen was just a new high-level player who hadn’t even reached the Eighty-ninth Floor. Even if he was strong and a bit crazy, in terms of skill, he naturally couldn’t match Yu Zhengqing’s hard-hitting style. According to the information Yan Wei had given them that day, if Lin Qing and Lin Zhen were brothers, it made sense that Lin Zhen also used the same item as Lin Qing.
Song Cheng’an had also said that the arrow was identical to the one from Lin Qing’s hand.
So, was this Lin Qing still trustworthy?
Zhong Bufan and Yu Zhengqing both felt that Lin Qing needed to be temporarily excluded from their faction. Even if there might be other uncertainties, they needed to clarify things first. Better to kill by mistake than to let go; if they accidentally fully trusted someone from the opposing faction, they would be completely defeated.
But Song Cheng’an insisted that the people who came in with Yan Wei wouldn’t be a problem.
Zhong Bufan pondered for a long time. On the way from where they investigated the Phoenix Flower Card to here, they had discussed for a while, and Zhong Bufan finally reached a compromise with Song Cheng’an. Song Cheng’an would speak privately with Yan Wei about the clues to the Phoenix Flower Card, to avoid outsiders hearing, while he and Yu Zhengqing would stay and probe Lin Qing a bit.
Song Cheng’an repeatedly emphasized that they were overcomplicating things.
He knew Yan Wei’s character well. He hadn’t paid much attention to the tower world recently and didn’t know why v had returned to the tower this time, but he clearly remembered the last time.
Those who followed Yan Wei, even if they were from the opposing faction, would never betray Yan Wei.
Song Cheng’an also didn’t know if he could directly tell Zhong Bufan and Yu Zhengqing about Yan Wei’s affairs. He just repeatedly stressed that Lin Qing most likely wasn’t a problem. Yu Zhengqing completely didn’t believe it, and Zhong Bufan was half-convinced, but hadn’t let down his guard.
So, he could only speak privately with Yan Wei first, not letting Lin Qing hear other clues, and then discuss Lin Qing’s situation with Yan Wei after resolving the Phoenix Flower Card matter.
As Song Cheng’an and Yan Wei walked further away, Zhong Bufan glanced at their disappearing figures, then turned back and said, “Old Lin, I didn’t expect you to enter this instance too, you—hey!!! Acting first and talking later is the least cooperative!!”
—It was Yu Zhengqing who directly attacked.
As soon as Yan Wei and Song Cheng’an left, Yu Zhengqing stepped forward and pulled out a Legendary Item, directly charging at Lin Qing!
Lin Qing sidestepped, a black longbow appearing in his hand. He drew the bowstring and released it, the arrow piercing through the attack item Yu Zhengqing threw. The item was carried back by the arrow, “clanging” as it embedded into the wall.
His eyes darkened, his tone carrying a hint of confusion: “Yu Zhengqing, what are you doing?”
Yu Zhengqing sneered, not continuing the attack.
Zhong Bufan walked to where Lin Qing’s arrow had landed, bent down, and picked up the seemingly useless arrow.
Yu Zhengqing also pulled out the two arrows that had been left when he was ambushed earlier.
The two arrows from different sources were placed together, and they were identical.
Lin Qing’s expression changed slightly, and he spoke first: “Where did you get my item?”
“Willing to admit it’s your item, huh?” Yu Zhengqing said. “No wonder I was ambushed as soon as you appeared. The person who ambushed me to steal the item was you, right? That junior Yan Wei is still too green, he didn’t even have a bit of defense against you just now.”
Zhong Bufan quickly interjected: “Let’s not jump to conclusions! We haven’t even talked to Old Lin about the situation yet.”
“What’s there to talk about? If it’s not him, then it’s his brother. I’ve had issues with both of them before, and Yan Wei himself said—even if we enter a top-level instance, the grudges from before don’t have to be wiped clean. Him or his brother choosing to ambush me to steal the item is the best choice.” Yu Zhengqing said, the Legendary Item in his hand glowing faintly, ready to clash with Lin Qing’s arrows at any moment.
Lin Qing didn’t move, just frowned, speaking very seriously and solemnly: “Why would I ambush you? Since I already have a grudge with you, if I wanted to steal your things, I’d do it openly. Besides, with your strength, ambushing you is a bit of an overkill.”
Yu Zhengqing was almost out of breath.
Zhong Bufan: “.”
That was indeed a powerful point.
