Chapter 26
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Chapter 26:
Qi Leyuan was no longer interested in checking the chat records in the group. He kept messaging the person who called himself the Administrator, but Jian Hou from the opposite side still did not reply, as if he had disappeared without a trace.
Qi Leyuan returned to the group chat channel and found the account of Jian Hou, with the note he gave himself as the "Astronomical Bureau". He had a vague understanding of this term, which usually referred to a facility similar to a national observatory in ancient times, responsible for observing celestial phenomena and issuing calendars.
After a while, hundreds of messages were exchanged in the group chat. Qi Leyuan skimmed through them and saw that Hongwu had already shared his speculation in the group.
Hongwu (Hanlin Academy), "So, this evil omen is likely Xiang Mei!"
Xiang Mei is one of the three prostitutes who slept with the deceased that night.
Qi Leyuan looked at this speculation, feeling a bit puzzled.
He was about to type to ask what they were planning to do next when suddenly a hand touched his comb. Without turning around, Qi Leyuan knew it was Li Chunzhou. Over these days, it not only got used to the feeling of her touch, but even started to enjoy it.
Qi Leyuan stopped typing and closed his eyes to enjoy Li Chunzhou’s touch.
"He’s wrong… The murderer is not Xiang Mei."
A soft and gentle voice came calmly from behind him, like a small stone dropped into a calm water surface.
"I also don’t think it’s very likely," muttered Qi Leyuan to himself. As he realized it, he was suddenly startled, feeling all the hairs on his body stand on end for a moment.
"Hehehehehe?! (Can you see me typing?!)"
"Hehehehe…" Qi Leyuan stopped halfway, suddenly remembering the language barrier. So, he quickly typed a question in the chat box: [Since when can you see the screen?]
Li Chunzhou propped her chin with one hand, watching the text boxes hovering in front of Qi Leyuan’s suspended screen. Through over a hundred playbacks, she initially couldn’t understand the language the player used and had to rely on vague guesses to read it.
Afterwards, Li Chunzhou learned their language, a process that took her dozens of cycles. Now, Li Chunzhou had almost mastered the language they used.
Li Chunzhou understood her situation long ago. From the players’ conversation, it seemed like she was in a game Dungeon, where everyone born here is called an NPC.
Unlike players, NPCs are just a bunch of data.
Li Chunzhou found this unbelievable and couldn’t comprehend it.
But these strangers, or players, seemed convinced about it, looking at her greedily and fearfully.
After over a hundred loops, Li Chunzhou tried to communicate with them, but they only looked at her flesh with desire, ignoring her thoughts, her will…
These players treated the NPCs in their eyes just like customers look down on prostitutes, not seeing them as real people.
Li Chunzhou had walked the path from the backyard to Spring Flowers Tower a thousand times. No chicken had ever flown towards her before, so she knew something was definitely wrong without much thought.
Blinking at Qi Leyuan’s words, Li Chunzhou said, "I could see you every time we talked, even since you arrived in this world. I knew you were not an ordinary chicken, why else would you always carry yourself around?"
[!!!] Qi Leyuan expressed his shock with three exclamation marks.
Li Chunzhou didn’t seem surprised by Qi Leyuan’s shock. She squatted down and said, "I also saw that Administrator."
Qi Leyuan fell silent, then suddenly realized that maybe it was because this Administrator appeared suddenly that Li Chunzhou felt threatened. She was no longer satisfied with indirectly gathering information, which is why she voluntarily revealed that she could see their communication channel today.
Li Chunzhou just smiled and said nothing.
After a while, Qi Leyuan asked, "Do you think what he said is true?"
Li Chunzhou gently touched Li Li’s soft feathers as usual and smiled, "What do I think? I believe most of what he said is true. He isn’t ignoring you on purpose, or refusing to let you leave the Dungeon… It’s just that he can’t leave this Dungeon World himself now, so he can’t easily agree to your request."
What about the players? You are all now like me, forever trapped in this world, even that guy who calls himself the Administrator.
Qi Leyuan was shocked with many exclamation marks, even though you couldn’t tell from his face now.
Qi Leyuan nervously asked, "What do you mean by what you said?"
"Silly." Li Chunzhou lightly pulled Li Li’s bright red comb, "It’s just what it sounds like. He can’t go back, can’t leave this world, so naturally, he can’t fix any bugs."
[Is he really an Administrator?!" Qi Leyuan couldn’t believe it, fell silent for a while, then sorrowfully said, "If only I hadn’t been so arrogant earlier…]
Li Chunzhou, "…"
Li Chunzhou brought the conversation back and asked, "Are there people from your group in the palace? I think I saw several palace maids, eunuchs, and a concubine."
Qi Leyuan, "There are some, but what does this have to do with the Administrator? Can’t he really leave the Dungeon? Why?"
"Someone has infiltrated the Emperor’s side." Li Chunzhou didn’t answer his question, instead, she looked out the window and said, "This person has piqued the Emperor’s interest in a murder case… This has never happened in previous cycles."
[Oh, the Emperor’s interest in this may be because… Wait, no!" Qi Leyuan widened his eyes abruptly, despite feeling incredulous about his own speculation, he carefully asked, "… How many times have you experienced this Dungeon?]
Li Chunzhou sat back in her chair, fiddling with her embroidered fan, tilted her head, and puzzledly said, "Did I forget to mention just now? Many times."
She twirled a lock of hair around her fingers near her abdomen, "I understand what you mean. You’re suggesting the Emperor is investigating this because of the players’ actions. That’s not the case. In the previous one hundred and twenty cycles, with over three thousand players, do you think none of them tried your methods? But not one person succeeded. The Emperor has long ignored political affairs; what interests him are the mystical practices of seeking immortality and enlightenment."
Pausing briefly, Li Chunzhou winked and playfully deceived, "I didn’t mean anything else… Just curious whether the person influencing the Emperor is a player, or like me, trapped in this month-long cycle of ‘NPC’ reincarnation."
Qi Leyuan was silent for a while, his brain working quickly, and he asked his final question, "So… why did all the players fail in the previous attempts?"
"Probably…" Li Chunzhou looked down, fanning herself lightly with a fan, a stray strand of hair by her temple swaying slightly, "It’s because they didn’t complete the Dungeon task."
After thinking for a moment, Qi Leyuan didn’t immediately agree to help her. He puffed up his chest and said, "Young girl, I can help you, but what can you give me? I can’t just do things for free, right?"
Seeing that Li Chunzhou was young and likely easily swayed, Qi Leyuan planned to use both threats and rewards to gain more advantages for himself.
Li Chunzhou squinted her eyes, her soft hand still gently caressing Qi Leyuan’s neck, her emotions unreadable.
After squinting at Qi Leyuan for a while, Li Chunzhou suddenly smiled, calling Chihong into the yard, and said with a smile, "Chihong, I remember there aren’t many mushrooms on the mountain recently, shall we have chicken and mushroom stew tonight?"
Chihong glanced at the flustered Li Li on the ground, feeling puzzled, and asked Li Chunzhou, "Isn’t this chicken your pet?"
"I raise them to eat, when did they become my pets?" Li Chunzhou waved her hand, signaling for Chihong to take the chicken away quickly.
Chihong was a bit surprised but didn’t say more, nodded, and was about to leave the room with Qi Leyuan.
"Cluck! Cluck cluck!!!!"
Qi Leyuan hurriedly typed, "Wait! Wait! Let’s work together! Let’s work together!!!"
Li Chunzhou ignored him, waving casually as he left.
Just as Chihong was about to leave the room, Qi Leyuan frantically revealed his cards, "Okay, okay, I will help you! Unconditionally help you! Deal?"
Li Chunzhou rested his chin on his hand and asked, "What’s in it for me then?"
Chihong turned back, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
"There are benefits! There are benefits!!!" Qi Leyuan struggled in Chihong’s hand, typing rapidly, "First, I have more experience and can advise you; Second, with me, you can easily contact other players at any time; Third, didn’t that Administrator contact me? We can work together to get information from him; Fourth, please, pretty please!!!"
"Wait, I think I remember now." Li Chunzhou said with a slight smile, "Chihong, I don’t feel like having chicken for now, so please put it down."
Chihong looked at her helplessly, said nothing more, and placed the chicken down before leaving.
Li Chunzhou touched her long hair that reached her waist and spoke in a gentle tone, "Li Li, I didn’t mean to make things difficult for you. I just used to enjoy teasing people before, and old habits die hard… But I’m slightly better now than before."
She helped Qi Leyuan tame his ruffled feathers and asked with a smile, "Has Li Li forgiven me already?"
Qi Leyuan didn’t dare to admit he was angry. He smiled apologetically and typed, "Okay, okay, I’ll ask in the group chat for you right away."
He sent the message in the group chat but there was no response from the players. Qi Leyuan glanced at Li Chunzhou, who was still smiling, and felt a strange lingering fear.
He inquired, "Young lady, you mentioned you have experienced many reincarnations. If there were so many players before, does that mean none of them were able to complete the Dungeon task?"