Luo Yu repeated to the Players everything Liu Shuang had told her the previous night. She also told them about the strange behavior she'd witnessed from Liu Shuang and her two other roommates.
She concluded: "So I think the teachers at this school are all connected to the monsters. They're using some method to alter the students' perception, turning them into puppets they can control."
Several Players voiced their agreement:
"You're right. I've thought those teachers were suspicious for a while now."
"The atmosphere in this school really is off. All the students act like robots. Looking back, the 'controlled' theory makes a lot more sense."
Sun Heng nodded approvingly. "Good. You've given us useful information."
Then he added, with pointed undertone: "That said, last night was dangerous for you. Liu Shuang was clearly trying to earn your trust before hurting you. Honestly, you're lucky to be alive. If something like that happens again, you should reach out to others for help."
The implication was clear: reach out to him in particular. And he would expect something in return.
Sun Heng gazed warmly at Luo Yu, a suggestive glint in his eyes.
Luo Yu looked away and gave a measured nod. "Thanks for your concern."
Yang Tian, visibly annoyed, found an opening to challenge her. "But if Liu Shuang was trying to hurt you, doesn't that mean we shouldn't trust a word she said?"
"Not entirely." Sun Heng stepped in. "NPC information is valuable. At least so far, there's been no contradiction in what Liu Shuang told us."
"Fine." Yang Tian rolled her eyes and turned away sulkily.
"But why wouldn't the monsters just hurt the students directly?" another Player asked. "Why go through all the trouble of brainwashing them into puppets? What's their endgame – taking over the school?"
"Maybe the monsters are operating under certain restrictions," Sun Heng said. "The same goes for us Players. At the start of the Escape Game, monsters are limited in what they can do, so Players are comparatively safe. But the further we go, the less restricted the monsters become. And that means it gets more dangerous for us."
His gaze swept across the group. "Aside from Luo Yu, did anyone else run into danger last night?"
The Players exchanged glances and shook their heads.
"No."
"Not me either."
"Honestly, this Escape Game doesn't seem that dangerous..."
As they spoke, a few Players started having doubts.
Just then, Luo Yu spoke up again. "There's another possibility."
"What?" All eyes turned to her.
"The Player who asked earlier made a good point," Luo Yu said, watching the group carefully as she laid out her reasoning. "What is the monsters' ultimate goal? If it really is just taking over the school, what would they do after that?"
Some of the Players looked composed. Others grew restless. A few seemed genuinely stumped.
"Uh... use the students to infiltrate the government, then take over the world?"
The suggestion seemed slightly ridiculous.
Another Player offered: "I don't think monsters would have such grand ambitions. When I hear 'monster' in a game like this, my first thought is that they eat people."
He scratched his head. "I'm just guessing, don't take it too – "
Luo Yu cut in firmly. "Exactly. Eating people."
"Let's assume the monsters want to take over the school so they can eat people freely. Then the question is: why go through all this trouble? Why not just go after the students directly?"
The argument circled back. Yang Tian let out a loud, mocking laugh. "Little Sister Luo Yu, are you even listening? Brother Sun already told you, the monsters might be operating under limitations."
"For example: even though they're monsters, the large number of students on campus could still be a threat. So if their controlled students are fewer than the normal student population, they wouldn't dare attack randomly and expose themselves." Yang Tian flicked her fingernails as she laid out her example.
Beside her, Sun Heng's expression had soured.
He seemed to know where Luo Yu was heading with this.
"Unless," Sun Heng said, his face turning ashen, "the monsters aren't controlling those students at all. They've eaten them. And then, to cover it up, they take on the students' appearances and attend class in their place."
The group fell into a dead silence.
When it finally hit them, someone let out a sharp gasp. "Oh my god, so we're standing in the middle of monsters right now!"
Recalling the atmosphere in their respective classrooms, the other Players' faces quickly turned as pale as Sun Heng's.
"How many normal students are even left in this school?"
Based on their experience, every student they'd interacted with could potentially be a monster.
"It might not be that bad yet." Sun Heng stepped up to steady the group. "First, students tend to follow the crowd. If the overall school atmosphere is oppressive, even normal students would disguise themselves and try to fit in. Second, the game has only been running for three days. The game can't make it impossible for us to win from the start."
"But if there are already this many monsters among us," another Player asked, "how come none of the Players have had any accidents yet?"
"Not necessarily," Luo Yu said. "There could already be victims among the Players. We just haven't noticed."
The Player's eyes went wide. "You, you're saying – "
"Yes." Luo Yu nodded. "The monsters kill a Player, then take on their appearance and blend into our group."
"Holy shit!" Several Players snapped at the implication.
They began sizing each other up warily, terrified that the person standing beside them might be a monster in disguise.
Seeing this, Luo Yu sighed inwardly.
She'd agonized over whether to bring this up. Once the idea was in the open, it would inevitably create suspicion among the Players.
That would be terrible for teamwork.
But she couldn't just leave a monster infiltrating the Player group unchecked.
"Everyone, calm down," Luo Yu said. "It's only Day Three. Even if the monsters have already targeted us, the number of victims can't be that high."
"Think carefully: has anyone noticed a sudden, drastic change in personality among your fellow Players? If so, there's a good chance that person is actually a monster."
Her words steadied the group somewhat.
They tried hard to remember and soon identified a few suspects, including the person Luo Yu herself had suspected from the start: Mr. Fatty.
"But what are we supposed to do about them?" one Player asked Sun Heng. "We can't be a hundred percent sure they're monsters."
"Attacking other Players isn't allowed," Sun Heng said, rubbing his brow. "If we attack the wrong person, the game will punish us."
"But we can't just let them – "
"What are we supposed to do?"
"Just tie them up and leave them here?"
"Are you stupid? If they're monsters, we'd be giving them a chance to escape. And if they're Players, they'd be late for class, which breaks the school rules, doesn't it?"
"At least this way we can figure out who is who."
"Let's just do it."
The Players were willing to casually sacrifice others' lives. When their own safety was at risk, they revealed a cruelty that outdid anything else.
In the end, it came to this. Luo Yu sighed to herself.
"Hold on. The whole 'monsters impersonating Players' thing, that's just your guess, isn't it, Luo Yu?" Yang Tian stepped forward unexpectedly.
She trusted her own information from the dorm supervisor more than Luo Yu's speculations.
"If you ask me, you're the one who's more likely on the monsters' side. You're deliberately spreading fear to cause fighting among the Players."
Yang Tian smiled with a smug certainty. "We don't really know – you could be under the monsters' control yourself. And I noticed you got awfully close to a certain NPC on Day One of the game."
"How to put it." Yang Tian deliberately drew out her words, her meaning clear. "All that handling between you two. Looked pretty intimate to me."
Summary:
Luo Yu reveals her theory that monsters are controlling students, which the Players initially accept with relief that their suspicions are validated. The conversation escalates when Sun Heng proposes an even darker possibility: monsters may have already eaten students and taken their places. The group descends into paranoia, identifying suspects and debating violent solutions, until Yang Tian abruptly accuses Luo Yu herself of being compromised and potentially in league with the monsters.
Trivia:
- The game is only on Day Three, meaning Player casualties should theoretically be minimal at this stage
- Students' natural conformist behavior makes it impossible to distinguish normal students from monsters
- Sun Heng's face turns ashen before Luo Yu finishes speaking, indicating he's sharp enough to anticipate her conclusion
- Yang Tian is the only Player who doesn't accept Luo Yu's theory, having her own source of information from the dorm supervisor
- Mr. Fatty was already on Luo Yu's personal suspect list before the group discussion
- Yang Tian's closing accusation about Luo Yu's "intimate" relationship with an NPC is the first time this angle has been raised
Notes:
• Liu Shuang - A female NPC student and Luo Yu's roommate. Appears nervous and traumatized, sharing unsettling observations about Li Yi's transformation. Later revealed to be working with the monsters, acting as bait to lead Luo Yu into a trap. Her fear and trembling might have been feigned to gain Luo Yu's trust.
• Luo Yu - A female player inserted into the game world. Tasked with uncovering the school's mysteries. Possesses keen observational skills and analytical thinking. Shows empathy but remains pragmatic about survival. At the time of this chapter, she has already encountered a teacher-monster and survived an attack, leading her to understand the game's true threat. A female player trapped in the Escape Game at Qinggang High. Has lost her memory of events prior to her arrival. Must either uncover the school's secret or survive seven days. Physically slender and not particularly strong. A hopeless sucker for beautiful faces, she cannot bring herself to hate someone attractive even when they're trying to kill her. Maintains a self-deprecating, wry sense of humor even in mortal danger. A player who observes rather than leads. She notices the subtleties in group dynamics and feels mildly disgusted by Yang Tian's showy behavior. Quiet and perceptive. Female protagonist trapped in the Escape Game. A high school student with a bold, flirtatious streak, she is drawn to the handsome cashier without understanding why. Currently suffering from memory loss regarding the previous night's events. Appears carefree but is observant of the school's oppressive atmosphere.
• S - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• T - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• A - A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R's high school squad.
• Sun Heng - Scar-faced veteran leader of the main player faction. Pragmatic and calculating, uses other players as disposable assets. Previously had Yang Tian attached, his interest in Luo Yu fuels her jealousy. Subtly predatory toward female players, gave Luo Yu a rules handbook, warns rule-breaking = death. Luo Yu trusts his warning.
• Yang Tian - A beautiful woman who survived two Escape Games by leveraging her looks to attach to powerful players. Aligned with Sun Heng, she shares a class with him and acts as his vocal supporter. Calculating and possessive, she views Luo Yu as a threat, displaying hostility and jealousy. Flirtatious and sharp-tongued, she taunts others to assert her position.
• B - A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S's group.
• N - A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• M - A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• R - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has successfully built a squad and added multiple girls, including M and A, into his group.