Hell App

vel, the player’s identity is a detective, and NPCs would automatically trust the player’s identity.
This game’s duration is 12 hours, exceeding the game’s time would be seen as a loss.]

[2.
The designated NPCs would have their names in red text appear on top of their heads.
Four NPCs will arrive at 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM at the mall’s entrance.
The player can wait for them there.]

[3.
The player needs to find the cause of death of the four missing people and to protect the designated NPCs until they leave the mall.
After accomplishing this, press the ‘Return’ button on your phone to leave the game.]

“So, it’s a protection type of game.
It seems that NPCs can’t be used casually in this level…”

After reading the game’s rules, Bai Yan felt rather unfortunate.

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The NPCs in this game were in a sense, kind of like the player’s second life since they could be used as scapegoats.

If they saw any danger, they could trick the NPC to do it first.
But right now, he couldn’t use the NPCs as he pleased, undoubtedly increasing the difficulty of this level.

“Moreover, the app had directly referred to the native people in the game’s world as NPCs, so it’s no wonder that the players in the forum didn’t regard these NPCs as living beings.
As expected, the app is harboring evil intentions.”

An idea flashed through Bai Yan’s eyes, but he didn’t continue to make a more in-depth observation.

As long as the app’s trifling matters didn’t interfere with his clearing the levels to obtain the reward, he was disinclined about the conspiracies behind the app.

His good brother was still waiting for him to help set up his life, so he didn’t have the time to delve further into these superfluous matters.

With his line of sight slowly moving away from the screen, Bai Yan stood by the mall’s entrance, carefully observing his surroundings.

At the entrance, groups of people in twos and threes roamed about while an employee dressed in a costume handed out leaflets, only a few people showing interest.

Bai Yan’s eyes swept across his environment, but he didn’t find any red words on top of an NPC’s head.

But, he still gained something in the end, because he caught sight of a familiar-looking person.

This made him feel incomparable disdain surging all over his body.

Before he could utter words of contempt, that person said in a startled manner, “Wang… Cough, how could you be here?”

Bai Yan let out a gentle chuckle while making an intimidating throat-slitting gesture.

At this moment, Chu Fu wanted to quickly cry out.
How could she have such bad luck! How could she run into this mentally deranged person again?

She’s doomed in this round!

With one glance at Chu Fu’s brilliant and marvelous expression, Bai Yan knew that she was cursing him on the inside.

But Bai Yan paid no heed to it, and instead, he greeted her with a friendly smile plastered on his face, “What a coincidence, we meet again.”

“Ha… Haha… We meet again, it’s truly fate.” Chu Fu gave a hollow laugh as her eyelid twitched uncontrollably, “May I ask what I should call you in this level?”

“You can call me Wang Ze.
This level only has us two in it, so there’s no third player who would know.” Bai Yan said meaningfully, “No matter what happens too.”

Although Chu Fu’s brain wasn’t bright, after hearing Bai Yan’s ‘implication’ being said differently, her face immediately became green—— It’s only the two of us here.
No matter what happens, there won’t be a third person that will find out.
What do you plan to do with me!?

Recalling how this person worked the first time, Chu Fu felt that she was in grave danger.

She had never felt that it was truly over.

Wang Ze was someone who was narrow-minded and only considered the small things, not the overall situation.
She had never seen such a shameless man before.

Now, this closed game only had the two of them in it.
Even if she acted foolishly again, based on the countless soap operas she had watched, she also knew what this meant.
Wasn’t this a great opportunity to kill and forever silence someone?

Since he didn’t get rid of her in real life, how could this nutjob let go of this golden opportunity?

Chu Fu thought that she had matured a lot over her five levels worth of experience.

If she had just passed the first level, she’d surely make a break for it once she saw Wang Ze again.
But right now, she had already steadied herself, stiffly smiling as she dealt with him.

Seeing that Bai Yan slightly narrowed his eyes, Chu Fu’s spine went rigid as she went on alert.

Chu Fu thought that she exuded calmness and collectedness, but as Bai Yan watched her awkward performance, his heart let out a sigh.
Even after the player went through five levels, she’s still so stupid.
How did she manage to survive up until now?

Originally, Bai Yan thought that teammates during normal difficulty levels weren’t that important.

But seeing Chu Fu for a split second, he later realized that he was wrong.
Teammates were truly useful.
If you didn’t look for a reliable person to be your teammate, you would be paired up with this kind of person.

If this was another game mode, it would still be okay, but this round required them to decipher the mystery and protect the NPCs, so he believed that he could entirely give up on his teammate’s wits.

Forget it! Figuring out the way to survive yourself would still be the same, so he might as well treat this as a single-player game.

Ignoring the not so natural acting Chu Fu, Bai Yan bowed his head and looked at the time.
It was one minute till 9 right now.

And at exactly 9 o’clock, some red text had appeared above a small girl as she headed towards the mall’s entrance, hanging her head dispiritedly.
She looked like she was around seven or eight years old, and her face was full of worry and restlessness.

Looking at her bloodshot eyes, it was clear that she had just been crying.

Seeing the NPC walk over, Bai Yan and Chu Fu quickly stopped her.

Although her path was blocked by two unknown adults, the young girl wasn’t afraid as she raised her head towards the two and tried her best to stand on the tips of her toes, meekly saying, “Brother, sister, are you the detectives that are gonna help me find my mommy? My mommy went missing.
It’s already been a day since she came home, and I can’t find her anywhere.”

Seeing the two nod their heads in agreement, the little girl clumsily fished out a handful of coins from her pocket, reaching out her hands and softly saying, “This is all of my allowance, can you please help me find mommy? My name is Cai Yu.
Brother, sister, you can call me Xiao Yu.
The last time I saw mommy was last night, I’m really worried about her.”

Seeing how broken-hearted Cai Yu was, Chu Fu fell silent.
Even if she knew that this was just an NPC, she didn’t have the heart to tell her that her mom had already passed away, and she’ll never see her living mother ever again.