"Then please, introduce yourself, Miss Luo," the Evil God said, His smile coaxing like a beautifully patterned viper luring an innocent girl closer. But His gaze was utterly empty.
Even as He spoke in the warmest, most tender tones, He coldly and mercilessly steered her toward a swamp of rot and death.
Before Him, Luo Yu seemed to have lost her soul.
She could neither control her body nor her words.
Voice flat and detached, she answered: "My name is Luo Yu. I'm a player. I don't remember anything before coming here. I want to survive - and to survive, I need to uncover Qinggang High's secret, or last seven days here."
Luo Yu laid bare the most critical information about being a player, holding nothing back.
When she finished, her back was drenched in cold sweat.
She knew that revealing the existence of the Escape Game1 to an NPC could bring punishment. The Game might even erase her outright.
She wasn't stupid enough to gamble with her life.
If she could have lied, or even hedged, she would have chosen that in a heartbeat.
But the man before her controlled her with an overwhelming power. She couldn't fabricate a single falsehood.
In other words, she was completely transparent to him.
Whatever He wanted to know, He had only to ask, and she would be forced to answer in full, without refusal!
"Uncovering Qinggang High's secret, or lasting seven days. Those are your conditions for survival?" He asked.
Luo Yu nodded stiffly. "Yes."
Even as she answered, she continued sinking into the swamp. Before she realized it, the mire had passed her ankles and reached her calves.
Though her heart raced with panic, her body moved with a strange, almost ritualistic calm, advancing as if in offering.
"Do you want to learn Qinggang High's secret from me?" He asked, tilting His head and glancing at Luo Yu's dazed expression - a face frozen by His influence.
He already expected her answer.
Players approached Him for that reason more often than not - to extract key information, or to beg for His protection.
But wanting something without giving something in return?
The God knew human cunning all too well. With absolute, crushing power at His command, He sometimes indulged the whim to toy with these clever little ants.
He could crush them anytime He liked. It all depended on His mood.
Now, if Luo Yu nodded and agreed, the Evil God would instantly lose interest in her... graciously reveal Qinggang High's secret, then, in the moment of her wild elation, claim her life.
But a flicker of bewilderment crossed the girl's face.
She was supposed to speak without reserve - yet this question had her stumped.
It had never crossed Luo Yu's mind that this man might know Qinggang High's secret. After all, if any random NPC held that secret, there'd be no point to the Escape Game.
She'd approached Him purely because of His looks.
As for whether she wanted Him to "reveal Qinggang High's secret" - about that...
She'd never thought about it. Not once.
It was a question with no answer - and yet she was forced to give one.
Luo Yu's lips parted - and she threw back a question instead.
"Do you even know Qinggang High's secret?" she asked.
"..."
No one answered. In the silence, the faint chirping of insects drifted from the trees.
The man raised an eyebrow.
In the darkness, His face grew even more bewitching - like a demon out of a ghost story.
The swamp had already swallowed Luo Yu's calves. The wet, soft mire marched upward, reaching for her knees.
The chill crept in. Her thoughts began to drift...
He's really handsome, she thought.
At least dying by his hands was better than being devoured by some grotesque monster.
"I can protect you," the man suddenly offered. "The school is dangerous. And it will only grow more dangerous."
"Someone like you..." the Evil God continued, His gaze sweeping over her frame - far from sturdy, rather thin and fragile. "Someone like you wouldn't last three days."
"No," He shook His head. "Perhaps one day."
The man raised a finger to His lips in a gesture for silence, motioning for Luo Yu to listen closely. "Do you hear that? Wolves."
From the distant night sky came several long, mournful howls.
Luo Yu's face turned pale.
The swamp had reached her thighs. Sunk deep, every movement of her legs was agonizingly difficult.
And yet, even now, she felt her body straining forward... so desperately, yet walking toward a grave.
The one responsible for all this smiled and asked whether she would accept his protection.
Luo Yu nearly laughed in sheer frustration. But when she looked at His face - refined features, sharp angles, flawless lines - her anger melted away.
Fine. She admitted it.
She was a hopeless sucker for a pretty face. She had no pride.
No pride at all, because even as this stunning man was trying to kill her, she couldn't muster an ounce of hatred toward that peerless visage.
Damn it all - if only she could close her eyes...
Luo Yu cursed herself while staring straight at him.
It made her look entranced - longing, devotion, obsession.
Bait taken.
The curve of the man's lips deepened. Moonlight spilled across His face, casting an almost saintly glow.
But who would guess that His pitch-black eyes glittered with malice? More devil than deity.
Then again - He was an Evil God, after all.
"Accept my protection," the Evil God whispered in temptation. "All I ask in return is your soul."
If Luo Yu agreed, she would be transformed into a permanent resident of Qinggang High. Her soul would be trapped in this world forever, reliving the same pain, the same days, over and over.
The Evil God anticipated it with pleasure.
That ugly expression humans wore when they realized they'd been deceived... it was a spectacle He never tired of.
Luo Yu's lashes trembled.
Then slowly, gently, she shook her head.
"No," she said.
She refused His protection.
The reason was simple: how could she trust someone who'd buried her in a swamp without hesitation?
Her mind was growing foggy, but that much logic she could still hold onto.
Still... it was so cold. And breathing was getting -
The smile vanished from the man's face.
He stared at her icily, silent. His thoughts unreadable.
Clearly, all His guesses about her had missed the mark.
How interesting. Humans.
They can hide so much.
But this is where it ends.
"Why did you approach me?" He demanded.
No one could lie to the God.
He was ready to hear the truest, ugliest answer - one steeped in human weakness: fear, hatred, greed.
Come, then. Let Me hear it.
Luo Yu staggered forward. The swamp had reached her waist. It was cold and damp, alive with microorganisms and bacteria beneath the rotting leaves.
Her lips had gone as pale as bone.
Death was close now.
And yet, she was also closer to him.
So close she could almost reach out and touch -
Luo Yu raised a trembling arm.
A single crystalline tear slipped from the corner of her eye. At that moment, she looked like a devoted believer ready to offer everything to her lord.
"Because... I..." Her voice was as faint as a wandering ghost. "I really, really like..." she continued, barely audible. "...your face," she finished.
Summary:
Luo Yu sinks deeper into the swamp while the Evil God compels her to reveal her player identity and survival conditions. She unexpectedly asks whether He even knows the school's secret, breaking His script and earning a moment of fascinated pause. Refusing His protection despite her fading consciousness, she faces His final question about her motives - and answers with a confession about His appearance that leaves the true reason unresolved.
Trivia:
- The Evil God can compel absolute truth from anyone in His presence, making lies impossible.
- Luo Yu approached Him originally for no reason other than His handsome face, not for information or protection.
- The swamp is both a literal death trap and a metaphor for the Evil God's psychological control over Luo Yu.
- Luo Yu knows that revealing the Escape Game to an NPC could trigger erasure by the Game system.
- The Evil God expected Luo Yu to want the school's secret like all other players, but she never even considered it.
- Luo Yu's refusal of protection comes from pure logic: she cannot trust someone actively drowning her.
- The Evil God takes pleasure in watching humans realize they have been deceived.
- Luo Yu's final confession of liking His face is the one answer He could not predict or control.
- The wolves howling in the distance reinforce the wilderness horror atmosphere of the school setting.
- Luo Yu's body continues advancing toward the grave even as her mind screams to stop, showing the Evil God's absolute dominion.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ The source term refers to a game system where players must survive and solve mysteries to escape a deadly scenario. Revealing its existence to non-players (NPCs) triggers penalties including possible erasure from existence.
Notes:
• B - A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S's 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.
• T - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• 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.
• 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.
• A - A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R's high school squad.
• 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.