DSMC Chapter 111

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[System Notification]

[Congratulations, the intimacy between you and your master has increased by 1 point.]

[Master Intimacy: 1/100]

When Qi Feng received the system notification, Yan Jiyun who was lying on the bed, saw it as well.

Yan Jiyun: ???

Why did this “intimacy” thing suddenly appear?

Lying on the soft bed, he watched as the intimacy value changed from 0 to 1.

The prop inventory was already locked, and he hadn’t used any of the three items that increase intimacy. So what exactly had he and Qi Feng done to raise it?

Yan Jiyun figured there were two possibilities:

First, they gained intimacy by teaming up to fight monsters.

Second, their time spent together inside the instance had reached the required threshold.

He didn’t know why the system wouldn’t specify the condition they had met. Was it afraid players would deliberately farm intimacy?

Once intimacy reached a certain level, they could view each other’s location and instance information. But exactly how much intimacy was needed remained unclear. They would have to grind it out gradually.

In the previous four instances, he had never received any system notifications related to Qi Feng. The data in the master-pet panel had never changed either. It wasn’t hard to guess that intimacy could only increase if they entered instances together.

Yan Jiyun was calm. He didn’t think increasing intimacy was necessarily a good thing, for either himself or Qi Feng.

Once Qi Feng gained the “locate” and “view instance” permissions, it would actually put pressure on him. Previously, these features were locked, and since their level gap was huge, he had never considered farming intimacy with Qi Feng.

He suspected that the Peak Competition match also counted as an instance. Since they were now entering the same instance, the system could calculate each player’s contribution. And naturally, it could also track how long they spent together. As for how it calculated intimacy, it could be based on the time spent in the same instance, the time spent fighting monsters together, or time spent within a certain proximity while playing together. Once a certain duration was reached, their intimacy would increase.

Looking on the bright side, once intimacy was unlocked, if they entered another instance together, Qi Feng could locate him at any time.

The question now was whether the “locate” and “view instance” features worked only inside instances, or also outside.

Since intimacy could only be farmed by entering instances together, he guessed that “locate” was mainly for use inside instances. As for “view instance info,” it might allow Qi Feng to check the instances he had entered or was currently in.

He himself couldn’t see any information on the “master” side of the panel. But so far, whenever he entered an instance, the system would notify the “master” about which instance the “pet” had entered. This had already been confirmed when Qi Feng waited for him at the novice instance exit.

Clearly, the “master” knew more about the “pet” than the other way around.

The “master” was essentially the main account, while the “pet” was a sub-account. The sub-account inherited some functions from the main account.

Other people’s alt accounts had the same functions as their mains, but his sub-account had fewer permissions. On top of that, the game had even increased the difficulty of his instances to prevent cheating.

He suspected that being pulled into the peak match right after entering a Newcomer instance had a lot to do with him being “Qi Feng’s alt account.”

From his observations, among the players in this instance, he hadn’t encountered any true beginners. Even if there were, they must have already completed dozens of beginner instances. He was probably the one who had cleared the fewest, so few that they could be counted on one hand. No one would believe it if he said it.

Yan Jiyun didn’t know whether he should farm intimacy with Qi Feng. From the very beginning, he had never taken the master-pet system seriously. He had even disliked it. Now that it suddenly had some use, it only made things more complicated.

If the locate function worked both inside and outside instances, Qi Feng could find him at any time. And once that happened, his ability to transform into a human would inevitably be exposed. He wouldn’t be able to hide it anymore, and their future would branch into countless unknown possibilities.

First possibility: Qi Feng would think he was a freeloader and a fraud, and they would cut ties forever. Based on Qi Feng’s attitude toward unfamiliar players today, he would likely assume deception the moment he learned the truth.

Second possibility: Judging from Qi Feng’s attitude toward him in human form, Qi Feng might not drive him away, but could become increasingly distant and cold.

No one could accept a stranger lurking beside them, knowing all their secrets. If he put himself in Qi Feng’s shoes, he wouldn’t accept it either.

After thinking it through, Yan Jiyun reached a conclusion:

In front of Qi Feng, his human identity could only be the player “Yan Jiyun,” while his true form could only be “Caramel.” These had to remain two separate identities. They could never merge into one.

Humans were complex, while a cat was just a simple animal. There was no comparison.

He would rather struggle more through instances than farm intimacy with Qi Feng. This was both to protect Qi Feng and himself.

He had thought that meeting Qi Feng in the peak match would let them play together properly. In the end, he still had to clear instances alone.

Maybe once he became stronger, he would find a better solution. If they happened to enter the same instance again and Qi Feng was in danger, he would step in first and help as much as possible.

Though there were regrets, this was the best option for both of them. At least for now.

Having made his decision, Yan Jiyun stopped overthinking. He was exhausted today and needed proper rest. The injury on his back also needed time to heal. There were still many dangerous games ahead.

Time was tight. He rested for less than six hours before climbing out of bed in the hotel. The first thing he did upon waking was check the injury on his back in the bathroom.

Perhaps due to the system’s special medicine, the wound seemed to have healed. He felt no pain at all. Whatever it was made of, it worked remarkably well.

Outside the hotel, things were still lively. Angel City was a city that never slept, offering players 24-hour rest and entertainment.

Yan Jiyun had slept comfortably. He now had about six hours left on his time card, so every minute was precious. Before dawn broke, he slipped out of the room through the window.

He needed to find out what other players had been doing during those six hours, like what tasks they had taken on and what had happened.

The only available data at the moment was the leaderboard. Qi Feng still firmly held first place, and his score had increased significantly. Clearly, while Yan Jiyun had been resting, Qi Feng had already been earning points.

Yan Jiyun was puzzled. The system had never said that accumulating enough points would allow them to leave the game. Did the number of points affect the difficulty of future games?

Better to look around first.

Out of the four hundred players, at least half were gathered in various areas of Angel City’s central district, engaging in “entertainment activities.” Of course, those quotation marks were necessary.

The number of remaining players was already very different from when they first entered the city.

[Surviving Players: 339/500]

In just six hours, nearly 70 players were gone, an average loss of 11.6 players per hour.

At this rate, in less than 24 hours, there might be only around a hundred players left.

What exactly had happened during those six hours?

After leaving the hotel through a detour, Yan Jiyun slipped into darker areas. He eventually stopped in front of the entrance to one of the murder mystery game venues.

He remembered that earlier, the ticket at the entrance to the murder mystery game only cost 10 points, but now it had more than doubled.

These so-called leisure and entertainment activities were all places that devoured people, far more insidious than the Demon Forest. They consumed players without making a sound.

Yan Jiyun crouched among a pile of oversized toy figures. Blending in with a group of black plush dolls, he could easily gather information from players coming out of the entertainment venues nearby.

He saw some players coming out wildly excited, dancing and gesturing; others looked dejected; some were furious, cursing under their breath.

He skimmed through the death records of the 70 players.

[Player XXX owed points to Angel Casino, bet both legs, had them chopped off, and died from excessive blood loss.]

[Player XXX exposed their hidden identity in the Angel murder mystery game and was killed by the murderer.]

[Player XXX harassed a masseuse in the massage parlor, violated the rules, and was smothered to death by the staff.]

Yan Jiyun: “……”

Seventy players, seventy different ways to die. He hadn’t realized there were so many ways to die in this world. The system really went all out.

While he was squatting there thinking, he heard a few familiar voices not far away in an alley. It was the same group of players he had followed in the Demon Forest earlier. All five of them were still alive. It seemed they were quite capable.

“Besides earning points, did you guys get any information cards?”

“I got one, but it only had a number on it.”

“Just a number? Could it be that when combined, they form a sequence… so, a password perhaps? Once we find the locked door, we can get out?”

“That’s very possible. I just heard someone got a hint from the murder mystery game. It was just the word ‘door.’”

“Let’s piece things together. The keyword hint is ‘door.’ We have numbers, so maybe they correspond to a code lock. The game gives us 24 hours to find clues. Whoever finds the door first gets out first.”

“But how many digits? Most locks need at least six to eight digits. Even if we have numbers, we don’t know the order. A six-digit code has a million combinations. Random guessing is impossible.”

“Then we also need clues for the correct sequence. We must find it within 24 hours and leave Angel City. No one knows what will happen after that.”

“What about this pork stamp we have? Any idea what it’s for?”

None of the five had any idea.

Someone passed by, so the group paused their discussion and decided to find a more secluded place to continue.

From their conversation, Yan Jiyun learned what had happened over the past six hours. Just as he suspected, every entertainment venue that required points to enter had its own purpose. One had had to play the games to obtain clues for escape.

In other words, the Demon Forest was a physical challenge, while Angel City was a mental one.

Murder mystery games, escape rooms, casinos— every type of entertainment required brainpower.

Murder mystery games demanded strict logical reasoning. Escape rooms did as well. Casino games required calculation skills to win big. And there were plenty of other games of varying complexity.

If a player didn’t participate, they would never obtain information, and therefore, have nothing to trade with other players.

Points earned in the Peak Competition could be converted into real-world value. Whether one could take them out depended on the player. But even with a lot of points, if someone demanded an outrageous price for information and they couldn’t afford it, they would still be stuck.

So now, besides earning points, players also had to find clues to clear the game, and it seemed like they might have to choose between the two.

Yan Jiyun set his goal: he wanted both.

The casino had the most players. It likely consumed the least time and offered the fastest way to earn points. But how did one obtain clues there?

Murder mystery games and escape rooms took too long. That left other entertainment options. But with his back injury, things like foot baths and massages were off the table.

After thinking it over, he chose the casino. Not only could he gamble against NPCs, but also against other players, and he might gain useful information in the process.

Yan Jiyun slipped out from the pile of black plush toys and ducked into an empty alley. When he emerged, he had transformed into a refined young man, dressed in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit, with his hair slicked back neatly.

He couldn’t help but think of classic Hong Kong gambling films. The system really knew how to pick outfits, automatically dressing him to match the setting without a second thought.

Standing among players still wearing camouflage uniforms, he looked completely out of place, like a crane among chickens.

Honestly, he’d rather be in camouflage. At least it wouldn’t draw attention.

Other players looked down on his flashy appearance. No matter how well-dressed he was, he could still end up a corpse missing limbs.

Yan Jiyun smoothed back his slicked hair, taming his natural curls. It’s quite rare for him to style his hair this way.

He lifted his chin and walked into Angel Casino.

The casino was different from any he had seen before. There were no slot machines, no mahjong tables, no blackjack, roulette, or high-low games. At the entrance stood two well-dressed NPCs.

[You have entered Angel Casino. Entry points have been automatically deducted.]

Along with him, 11 other players entered. No one spoke to each other. Among them, Yan Jiyun stood out the most.

The NPCs smiled in perfect unison, saying, “Welcome to Angel Casino. Please come inside.”

So the entry fee was basically paying for polite service?

The two NPCs pushed open the doors simultaneously, and the twelve players entered together.

It seemed the casino required exactly 12 players per round, and there was no limit to how many times one could play.

The moment they stepped inside, twelve doors appeared before them. Each door was engraved with one of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals.

However, there was no indication of what kind of game lay behind each door.

Angel City really ought to be renamed. Angels belonged to Western mythology, so seeing the Chinese zodiac here felt oddly out of place.

Each door had an NPC standing in front of it.

A sharp-looking female player stood before the Rabbit door and asked, “How do we choose?”

After six hours, players who had exited had already shared some information about what games were behind each door. But the system was tricky. Even if he knew, it might change the game or tweak the rules each round.

The NPC replied, “Each player may choose any door they wish.”

Except for Yan Jiyun, everyone hesitated.

The doors were arranged in order: Pig was closest to the exit, then Dog, and so on, ending with Rat.

Every player had a door in mind. Yan Jiyun walked from the first door all the way to the last, stopping in front of the Rat door.

Well of course! A cat would choose the Rat.

Cats were natural enemies of rats. And in the zodiac legend, the rat had tricked the cat out of its place, causing their eternal feud.

He didn’t know what the game had to do with rats. But he followed his instinct. If he could clear the Rat door, he could try the others afterward.

The NPC at the Rat door asked, “Are you ready to enter the game?”

Yan Jiyun took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

He hadn’t crouched among those plush toys for nothing. He had gathered not only information about clearing the stage, but also insights into the rules of each game. He already had a rough idea of which ones were easier or harder.

With limited experience time left, he would prioritize simpler games that could be completed solo.

The NPC said, “Please push the door open and enter.”

Without hesitation, Yan Jiyun pushed the door open and stepped inside.

As that was happening, aside from the valiant female player, the other players were still hesitating. Seeing that overly neat and clean “pretty boy” player walk in, they couldn’t help but think he was absurdly confident. Did he really think he was some kind of gambling god? Overconfidence would get him killed quickly.

Yan Jiyun stepped through the Rat door. The moment he entered, he felt his body go weightless, as if he were falling. There was nothing around him to observe. He closed his eyes and counted two seconds silently; when he opened them again, he was already seated on a chair.

A card table stood before him, and behind it was a dealer wearing a full-body rat mascot suit as tall as an adult.

To match his “God of Gamblers” outfit, Yan Jiyun sat upright, maintaining an elegant composure.

Without drawing attention, he quietly surveyed the room. There was no deliberately oppressive atmosphere.

He fixed his gaze on the rat dealer and smiled faintly. At that moment, the dealer spoke in a young woman’s voice.

The rat dealer spread a deck of cards on the table¹.

“Hello, player. Welcome to the Rat Door. I am the dealer for this stage. How many little mice would you like to play against? You have three minutes to understand the rules.”

Yan Jiyun asked, “What are the rules?”

The dealer explained, “Have you heard the story? In the zodiac ranking, the rat relied on its intelligence to defeat the cat and the ox, ultimately taking first place. You will have three chances to compete against the mice. As long as you win, you may draw a corresponding number card from the deck. Each card represents a different number of points. Drawing an Ace gives you 1,000 points, and so on. Drawing a King gives you 13,000 points. If you draw a Joker, you will receive a clue card for clearing the stage.”

Drawing the single clue card from a 52-card deck wouldn’t be easy.

Yan Jiyun was more concerned about his opponents. “How many rats are there? Are they players or real rats?”

Dealer: “You will be facing real rats.”

Yan Jiyun relaxed a little. Real rats were manageable. See one, chase one… no, play with one.

He asked, “How do I start?”

Dealer: “How many rounds would you like to play? You may choose up to three.”

Yan Jiyun: “Then three.” If he was going to play, he might as well go all in. “If I win all three rounds, can I draw three times?”

Dealer: “Even if you win three rounds, you may only draw once. However, during the draw phase, I will remove thirty of the lower-value number cards for you.”

Yan Jiyun: “So winning one round removes ten cards?”

Dealer: “No. The first round removes none, the second removes ten, and the third removes twenty.”

Based on this, Yan Jiyun guessed the first round was easy, the second medium, and the third hard.

Dealer: “Please close your eyes. You will enter the arena shortly.”

Yan Jiyun: “What kind of competition is it?”

Dealer: “A race. In the first round, seven rats will race against you. If you win, you proceed directly to the second round, with a five-minute rest in between. Between the second and third rounds, there will be a ten-minute rest. Any other questions?”

The dealer seemed slightly impatient.

Yan Jiyun: “After the third round, will I see you again?”

Dealer smiled. “Of course. I’ll be here waiting for you.”

Yan Jiyun looked disappointed. “Oh.” He still had to use the Human Form Time Card then.

Dealer: “Your three-minute consultation time is over. Enjoy the game.”

She pressed a red button on the table. Suddenly, Yan Jiyun’s chair flipped backward, and the next moment he was standing on track number five.

On the other lanes were large rats, each about ankle-high. They were plump, muscular, and looked just like real-world rats.

Yan Jiyun: “……”

There was truly no room for imagination.

Well— actually, there was a bit. Each rat wore a red vest with a number. They were stretching and hopping around. One labeled No. 9 even stood on its hind legs and wiggled its hips.

Then he heard them speaking human language.

Rat No. 9: “First time seeing a human in a suit racing with us. So fancy~ he’s definitely going to lose badly.”

Rat No. 1: “Exactly. How many players can outrun our rat clan? He’s overestimating himself.”

Rat No. 22: “I’m so excited! Finally opening for business!”

Rat No. 15: “If a human catches up to us, that’d be a disgrace to rat-kind.”

Yan Jiyun’s suit was purely cosmetic and didn’t affect his movement at all.

He addressed Rat No. 15, who could jump up to knee height. “What are you all so excited about?”

The rats didn’t take him seriously at all.

“How could a two-legged creature catch us?”

“Yeah, humans hate us, but we don’t hate them back. Humans can never catch us.”

“Have some confidence!”

Rat No. 15 suddenly asked, “Wait, Human, why can you understand what we’re saying?”