Qin Nuo had lost interest in what was happening in the room behind him. As he closed the door, the system's notification suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Congratulations, Player, for completing the role-playing task and achieving a 10% role-playing degree!"
"You have received an auxiliary mainline 'Ghost Creature' reward—Curse-Dispelling Wind Chime!" (Low probability) (One-time use) (Cannot be taken out of the instance)
"Can you get a ghost creature by completing a role-playing task?" Qin Nuo was taken aback; this was something he hadn't anticipated.
He then opened the detailed description of the Curse-Dispelling Wind Chime: "When touching a cursed object, there is a certain probability of dispelling the curse itself!"
The explanation wasn't extensive, but Qin Nuo pondered for a moment and somewhat understood its use.
He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow: "This thing will come in handy, it's very important to me."
The Blood-Eyed Ghost asked, "Are you planning to go back and find those little ghosts again tonight?"
Qin Nuo shook his head: "There's still a few days left on the mainline, and only one day left to perfectly complete the role-playing task."
"I plan to fully reveal the true identity of Liang Zisu tonight."
Blood-Eyed Ghost: "You already know his true identity?"
Qin Nuo shrugged: "Not yet, but time will give us the answer. Tonight will be the main event."
"You sound so confident even though you know nothing," the Blood-Eyed Ghost rolled its eyes, feeling like asking was pointless.
"Let's go to class first. My lovely students are all waiting for their favorite teacher!"
Qin Nuo grabbed his briefcase and disappeared around the corner of the stairs.
Inside the teaching building, it felt emptier than usual, as if many people were missing.
Qin Nuo sat down with his briefcase as usual, took out his textbook, and got busy.
In the meantime, he opened the Player Information Panel to check the current number of players.
Only 20 remained.
This number slightly surprised Qin Nuo.
"In previous instances, the elimination rate usually decreases towards the end, but now, as we approach the instance's conclusion, the elimination rate hasn't dropped."
"This role-playing game mode has too many uncertainties, almost no regularity. Surviving to the end depends entirely on personal ability."
Qin Nuo flipped through the book in his hand, and as he was thinking, the bell for morning reading rang.
He picked up his textbook and left the office, coincidentally running into Mr. Yan, or more accurately, the player named Shi Yu, in the hallway.
"Mr. Liang, you're early?" Mr. Yan still wore that smiling face, holding a textbook in one hand and a ruler in the other.
At the end of the ruler, fresh blood was dripping.
Qin Nuo noticed it and thought to himself that this guy had thoroughly studied the role of Mr. Yan. In this situation, he wasn't sure if the person in front of him was Mr. Yan or Shi Yu.
"It's not that early, is it?" Qin Nuo pointed at his watch with his finger and said calmly.
Mr. Yan chuckled twice: "I heard that the mischievous students in Class One have been tamed by Mr. Liang. I'm curious if you have any tips to share with me?"
"Nothing of the sort, I'm just a good teacher." Qin Nuo waved his hand, not wanting to chat much with Mr. Yan, and after a brief greeting, he headed upstairs.
"Mr. Liang, how's the investigation with the principal going?"
Just as he climbed a few steps, Mr. Yan suddenly asked.
Qin Nuo stopped, glanced up and down the hallway, and said in a low voice, "You have quite the nerve, discussing this topic with me in such a place?"
Shi Yu smiled nonchalantly: "There's nothing to be nervous about. I'm almost done playing the role of Yan Qing. If nothing unexpected happens, I should finish this role in the next couple of days."
Qin Nuo's expression changed slightly.
In just a few days, he's about to thoroughly understand the role of Mr. Yan again. This progress is almost like cheating.
No, he himself is cheating, perhaps even better than cheating!
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Completing the third role-playing task would allow him to exit the instance on his own, and with a high score!
It seems that from the beginning of the instance until now, Shi Yu has been leading with an absolute advantage, his strength truly outstanding.
Compared to other players, including Qin Nuo, Shi Yu indeed feels no pressure now.
"What about after completing the third role-playing task?" Qin Nuo asked casually.
"In previous instances, I've never been interested in the mainline. It's too much of a headache for me. The horror game has only two meanings for me."
Shi Yu raised one finger: "First, it's a tool for making money."
Then he extended a second finger: "Second, it's for data farming."
Qin Nuo raised an eyebrow: "What data?"
"Some things you're not interested in."
Shi Yu said, "But this time is different. Due to some special reasons, I have to pay more attention to the mainline."
"When I completed the third role, I also conducted some investigations into the mainline. Something significant happened at the Black Crow Ghost School in the past."
"And that so-called principal loves to play roles around players. When I was playing the second role, I noticed something unusual about an NPC around me. When I tried to act, it reacted quickly and got away."
Qin Nuo adjusted his glasses and said, "These are insignificant findings."
Everyone knows that the principal likes to play roles, silently lurking around players through perfect role-playing, gaining a sense of achievement and pride. It's a peculiar hobby of his.
But it's precisely because he can play roles at will that makes it a headache.
Shi Yu uttered two words: "Yanan."
Qin Nuo's expression shifted slightly. How did he know that name?
Shi Yu noticed Qin Nuo's confusion and explained, "I have a clue pointing to a child named Yanan. He plays a crucial role in the mainline."
"Finding him might allow us to take down the mainline."
"I'm looking for him," Qin Nuo said.
"Good luck. That's all I know. The rest is up to you." Shi Yu smiled.
"Anyway, I'm not interested in staying in this instance any longer. Once I complete the task and this set of instances, I'll return to the real world, have a good drink, and invite a few pretty girls to go on vacation for half a month or so."
Qin Nuo squinted and said, "Honestly, I have mixed feelings about believing your words."
"We shouldn't know each other, right? You've helped me several times intentionally. Don't tell me it's just because you find me handsome or have a good character?"
"We're all smart people; we can skip these childish words."
Players who enter the Horror World are all tough characters, no less than those who lick blood from the blade. Especially top players, in their eyes, only pure interests matter.
This Shi Yu, although he acts silly during their meetings, his eyes don't lie.
His gaze is much deeper than that of the blond guy back then.
Shi Yu laughed heartily: "Would you believe me if I said I admire you?"
"No."
"Alright, you'll know the specific reason later."
Qin Nuo was slightly taken aback: "What do you mean?"
"I mean, we'll meet again later."
As he spoke, the bell rang, and Shi Yu gestured at the clock: "Mr. Liang, you should head to school. As a teacher, you can't leave a bad impression on your students!"
With that, Shi Yu turned and went downstairs, disappearing around the corner.
"What's this guy's real identity?"
Qin Nuo muttered to himself and turned to leave as well.
After enlightening the students of Class One, the daytime teaching hours became increasingly peaceful. In the Horror World, when time lacks horrifying elements, it seems to pass quickly.
In the blink of an eye, when Qin Nuo walked out of the classroom, the sky had turned yellow and gradually darkened.
Returning to his desk, he organized the books and placed them on the table. This time, Qin Nuo had no intention of picking up his briefcase to leave, nor did he prepare notes and materials for tomorrow's lessons.
Because for him, today might be the last day of teaching.
If all goes well tonight, he should be done with the identity of Liang Zisu.
He placed a photo on the edge of the computer screen, a picture of Liang Zisu and his girlfriend.
Qin Nuo stared at the photo for a moment. Just as he stood up, a chill crept up beside him, and the voice of the female teacher spoke: "Mr. Liang, heading home so early?"
"Yes."
"You seem to be in poor spirits these past two days. How about I come over to your place, cook you a nutritious dinner, and leave right after? I won't disturb you."
The female teacher appeared sincere.
Qin Nuo declined: "Better not. My home will probably be quite lively tonight, not suitable for you to come."
After he spoke, the other party fell silent, but the bone-chilling cold remained.
Qin Nuo pressed down the wrinkled photo on the computer with his finger and said, "Ms. Yue, you should know I have a girlfriend, so there's no need for me to make things too clear."
"I know."
The female teacher was silent for a long time before speaking: "But your girlfriend has been gone for a long time. I know you can't forget her, but some things you have to accept as reality. She might already be..."
"I don't want to see you living in a daze every day, looking lost. Whatever she could do, I can do too, and even better!"
"Let me take her place, okay?"
The female teacher's voice was high-pitched. Even though saying these words made her seem cheap, she still said them without a shred of shame.
Qin Nuo shook his head, his expression unmoved, and walked through the chill, leaving a sentence behind: "I'm sorry, no one can replace her."
As he walked out of the office, the role-playing prompt sounded: "Congratulations, Player, for completing the role-playing task and achieving a 5% role-playing degree!"
"Liang Zisu deeply loved her, without a doubt, but..."
He had solved most of the mystery, but a few layers of veils still covered the truth, preventing it from surfacing.
"Is there really a good show tonight?" the Blood-Eyed Ghost spoke, as if it had already set up a chair, waiting with snacks.
"It's a good show, but it's likely to be a tragedy."
Qin Nuo said, after going through several instances, it seemed that the game NPCs always ended in tragedy.
In the Horror World, there seemed to be no happy endings. The various ghosts living in this world could only shape this world with their unique characteristics through their own tragedies.
By now, the sky had completely darkened.
Qin Nuo returned to his dormitory.
He took off his suit and went to the balcony to wash his face. The parrot in the birdcage started squawking again, constantly bobbing its head.
Qin Nuo picked up the bird food and filled the trough for the first time, making sure there was enough water too.
The parrot looked at the overflowing bird food and suddenly stopped squawking. Qin Nuo said, "Don't worry, this shouldn't be your last meal."
"Blood! Brain matter! So beautiful!"
The parrot suddenly squawked again.
Hearing these new lines, Qin Nuo's expression tightened, but he said nothing and turned back into the room.
Sitting in the chair, Qin Nuo pulled out the book "Ten Crimes" and flipped to the last page.
In the compartment, there was a key.
A rusty key.
"What kind of key is this?" the Blood-Eyed Ghost asked.
Qin Nuo said, "The key has the number 001 on it. Such numbers usually represent the basement level, and the basement can only be in the complex building."
"A basement key doesn't mean much, does it?" the Blood-Eyed Ghost said.
"It represents a lot."
"If nothing unexpected happens, all the secrets are hidden there."
Qin Nuo adjusted his glasses and said.
"Liang Zisu liked reading mystery books, and whenever he reached some intense scenes, he would mark them with a pen."
"But starting from page 256, all those notes disappeared. Instead, on the page with the key, he circled some irrelevant numbers."
"And then?" the Blood-Eyed Ghost asked.
Qin Nuo picked up the key and smiled: "And then, we need to go to that basement to find out."
The Blood-Eyed Ghost rolled its eyes.
Closing the book, Qin Nuo placed it back in the compartment.
He changed into his usual clothes, put on a hat, slipped the key into his pocket, and left the room.
By now, night had completely fallen, and the vast campus was deserted.
In a corner of the complex building, there was a dilapidated iron door, covered in dust and cobwebs, as if it hadn't been opened in a long time.
Qin Nuo inserted the key into the rusty iron lock, and with a click, the heavy lock fell to the ground.
Pushing open the iron door, what appeared before him was a staircase leading into the endless darkness below.
Steeling himself, Qin Nuo stepped forward, descending the stairs. The oppressive air made it difficult to breathe, and his chest felt tight.
Even with a flashlight, the illuminated area was limited. The darkness ahead was unknown, like the Mouth of the Abyss, instilling endless fear.
Tap, tap.
The sound of footsteps on the stairs was clear, with a slight echo, indicating that the basement was quite large.
A chilling sensation crept up his back, raising goosebumps, as if something was closely following him, matching his steps.
But Qin Nuo didn't look back. With the Blood-Eyed Ghost around, these psychological tricks wouldn't affect him.
"There's actually a basement like this in the school?"
"What's its purpose? An air raid shelter? But given the school's age, it shouldn't have such a design."
"Why did Liang Zisu have the key to this place? Who gave it to him?"
As Qin Nuo walked, he pondered, and the sound beneath his feet changed, as he stepped onto a thick layer of dust.
He had reached the bottom.
Qin Nuo didn't know how many steps he had descended, but the basement was deeper than he had imagined.
As the flashlight moved, the general appearance of the basement came into view.
The walls were covered in various drawings, not mysterious religious totems, just simple graffiti, like something a mischievous child would draw out of boredom.
Two coffins were placed at the far end.
One was vermilion, the other pitch black.
"Why does this feel like exploring a tomb?"
Qin Nuo couldn't help but mutter, walking over to place his hand on the black coffin.
"Inside, without a doubt, is a corpse. They say opening a coffin carelessly can easily cause a corpse to transform due to the living's aura."
After thinking, Qin Nuo patted his head: "In the Horror World, isn't a corpse transformation just a normal occurrence?"
He actually hoped for a simple corpse transformation; at worst, he could tear it apart. If it were something invisible, that would be a headache.
Grabbing the coffin, Qin Nuo took a deep breath, and with a sudden lift, the heavy lid flew off.
Bang!!
The lid crashed heavily to the ground.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
At the same time, the candles on the surrounding lamps spontaneously ignited, burning with a blue flame.
Without needing his flashlight, the contents of the coffin were clearly visible to Qin Nuo.
Inside the coffin wasn't a decayed, horrifying corpse, but a woman.
The woman wore a bright red dress, with delicately applied makeup, phoenix eyes, and red lips, giving her a stunning beauty.
Her nails were painted deep red, resting on her body, making her look as if she were peacefully asleep.
And this woman, Qin Nuo was not unfamiliar with.
She was Liang Zisu's girlfriend, Xiao Feng'er.
"I'll forever freeze your most beautiful moment, the best look, and keep it there."
Qin Nuo finally understood the meaning of those words.
Liang Zisu's love for Xiao Feng'er had never changed.
His gaze moved around the coffin, and then Qin Nuo's eyebrow twitched.
Because he noticed that in Xiao Feng'er's hands, she was holding a piece of paper.
To be precise, a small paper figure.
Those cursed paper figures he saw that night!
Why did Xiao Feng'er have a cursed paper figure?
Did Liang Zisu place it there?
Why did he have such a thing?
Qin Nuo reached out to take the small paper figure, but the Blood-Eyed Ghost suddenly spoke: "It's best not to do that."
"This cursed paper figure has no malice; its only function is to maintain the body's appearance."
"If you remove the paper figure, this woman will instantly become a decayed corpse. You probably don't want to see that, right?"
Qin Nuo was a bit surprised: "It has such a function? More practical than formalin?"
Where did Liang Zisu get these paper figures, or did the cursed paper figures originate from him?
Then, Qin Nuo's gaze fell on the other coffin.
He had a rough guess about what was inside.
Placing his hand on the other coffin.
It seemed like an illusion, but when his hand touched it, the surrounding candle flames flickered strangely, dimming the already oppressive basement.
Qin Nuo took a deep breath.
All the secrets were inside.
Open the coffin!