The Evil God watched the girl disappear before him in tears.
Her eyes held an odd, brilliant light as she threw herself at him without hesitation, trembling as she pressed her lips to his.
The heat of a human—brief, fleeting—burned shallowly across the surface of his skin.
A kiss?
He had seen humans in the game clinging to each other, gnawing at each other's mouths. He supposed it was their way of expressing intimacy.
But why would she do that to him?
To show her devotion.
Perhaps.
The Evil God blinked. His fingers touched the lingering warmth on his lips. Warm. Soft. Fragile. Devout.
In the end, she had cried.
Why?
Did she think she would not see him again?
"Fine." His lips curved into an alluring smile.
Since she had pleaded so earnestly, he did not mind wasting a little more of his tedious time watching her.
Player Center
Luo Yu appeared in a warmly furnished room.
"Player Luo Yu, congratulations on clearing Qinggang High School." The system voice echoed through the space.
"Initiating game settlement."
The voice continued. "During this game, you successfully uncovered the secrets of Qinggang High School, helped the Cursed Teacher return to the school, and contributed to the students' awakening and rebellion."
"Game Score: S."
"Your base rewards are as follows: Strength +1. Anomaly Sensitivity +2. Survival Points +1."
"Your current attributes are: Strength: 3 points. Intelligence: 4 points. Anomaly Sensitivity: 2 points. Survival Points: 1 point."
"First-time Player detected at Player Center. Explanation of displayed attributes: Strength is a quantifiable measure of the player's physical power, with a maximum value of 10 points. Intelligence is a quantifiable measure of the player's cognitive ability, also with a maximum value of 10 points. Anomaly Sensitivity is the player's perceptive ability toward anomalous entities; the higher the Anomaly Sensitivity, the more acutely the player detects supernatural presences. Survival Points are earned at a rate of 1 per cleared game. Injuries sustained during a game can be healed by consuming Survival Points."
"Note: When Survival Points accumulate to 10, the player will receive one opportunity to return to the Real World. If the player chooses to return, all attribute gains and items obtained in-game will be returned, and the player will never enter a game again. Alternatively, the player may choose to remain in the Game World."
Ten games and she could go home.
Could she do it?
Luo Yu doubted herself. Qinggang High School had only been the tip of the iceberg. More dangerous game worlds awaited. In Qinggang High School's world, the players had been nearly wiped out. Without that person's help, she could not say for certain she would have cleared the game at all. She knew better than to expect she would always happen upon a special NPC's aid in every game world.
"Because you cleared Qinggang High School with an S-rank score, the game grants you the following special reward: Wolf King's Bone Whistle."
"Description: A bone whistle carved from the Wolf King's leg bone. Blowing it will temporarily summon the Wolf King's spirit, who will protect the whistler."
"Note: Usable once every 24 hours."
A sphere of light materialized in the room. Luo Yu reached out. The light dissipated, and a bone whistle on a red cord settled into her palm.
Blow the whistle, and the Wolf King's ghost would appear.
The urge stirred within her. She hung the whistle around her neck and brought it to her lips, blowing softly.
A small black pom-pom of fur gradually took shape on the carpet before her. The pom-pom twitched, then opened its eyes.
"Awooo-woof!" The black puffball spotted Luo Yu standing nearby and launched itself at her with all the ferocity its stubby legs could muster, letting out a few fearsome—if somewhat squeaky—howls.
Luo Yu stared, dumbfounded.
This was the Wolf King's spirit?
It was just a puppy. A little black dog.
She crouched down tenderly and reached out a tentative hand.
"Awoo awoo." The puffball sniffed her fingers with its wet nose, then started wagging its tail joyfully.
"Little Black?" she said.
"Woof!" The pup quickly accepted its new name. It licked Luo Yu's fingers, its tail spinning like a propeller.
Seems harmless enough for now. Perhaps it would grow into a proper black wolf one day—majestic and fearsome.
Luo Yu stroked Little Black's fluffy head, then stood to survey the room's layout.
Then the voice crackled in her head again.
"Tzzz... tzzzz..."
Static, as if something was interfering with the signal. The high-pitched screech made her temples throb. She winced, her chest tightening, a growing sense of unease and panic rising within her.
What is happening? It is so loud. Make it stop.
Luo Yu curled forward, bracing herself against the discomfort. Little Black on the carpet seemed to sense something wrong too—it stopped playing and stared up at her with worried eyes. Just as the pup began pawing at her pant leg, trying to climb into her arms, the whistle's summoning time ran out. Little Black let out a frantic "Awoo! Awoo!" but dissipated helplessly into black mist.
Mercifully, the voice in Luo Yu's head began to stabilize.
"Player... tzz... tzzz... Player Luo Yu..."
"Con-con-con-con-gratulations..."
"Tzz... tzzz..."
Silence.
Then, as if a corrupted system had finally finished repairing itself, the noise vanished.
"Player Luo Yu, congratulations on receiving '???'s Favoritism.'" The system voice announced clearly now.
"??? favors you. In future games, you will receive their additional attention."
Luo Yu stood in silence.
What kind of reward is that?
"Dear player, your next game will begin in three days. Please rest well and prepare yourself."
She waited patiently for a while longer. When no voice returned, she assumed it had finally finished.
???'s Favoritism.
It probably meant she had performed especially well in this game, so the system would keep a closer eye on her in future rounds. Hopefully. She could not reason her way through this vague favoritism, so Luo Yu decided to set it aside and focus on her current situation.
This was the Player Center. The room she was in had been assigned to her for rest. It contained everything a human needed to live. Beyond the door lay a patch of grass for exercise, and beyond that, nothing but dark void.
Luo Yu spent only a short time outside before retreating back inside. Being exposed to the void made her uneasy. She could not shake the feeling—perhaps it was just her imagination—that something dangerous lurked within that emptiness.
The days at the Player Center were quiet. Dull.
Three days later, the game opened on schedule.
"Tourist. Luoshan Ancient Village welcomes you." The game's voice spoke for the final time.</translation.content>
Summary:
The Evil God experiences a human kiss and decides to continue watching Luo Yu out of curiosity. She clears Qinggang High School with an S-rank and receives a bone whistle that summons a puppy version of the Wolf King. A corrupted system message grants her mysterious "Favoritism" before she's sent to her next location.
Trivia:
- The Evil God's fascination with humans stems from observing them in games.
- Luo Yu nearly died in Qinggang High School without the Evil God's help.
- The bone whistle summon lasts only briefly before the spirit dissipates.
- Survival Points can both heal injuries and eventually grant escape from the game world.
- The "???" in the favoritism notification is deliberately ambiguous and ominous.
- Luo Yu feels watched even in the Player Center's void space.
Notes:
• 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.
• B - A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S's group.
• S - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• K - A student from East Middle who followed N to National High School out of care, successfully remaining pure through N's protection until a misunderstanding involving Anonymous Student 0008 led to her capitulation.