DSMC Chapter 132

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“Ahhh! I forgot to switch to a third-person view! Watching this in first-person is terrifying!! My heart nearly gave out!”

“Damn, our little cat has it rough! Can some expert tell me who that person is? I swear I’ve seen this instance before, so why don’t I remember him?”

“When I watched it before, no one went to the piano room this early, and there was no Han Ruibai either. What’s going on?”

“Is it because I haven’t watched enough streams? Just like upstairs, I never seen Han Ruibai even appear here before, plus he’s not the protagonist. Why is our Kitty Baby following him all the time?”

“The problem is, we can’t even find the protagonist. I remember this instance being really hard to figure out. And now it’s been upgraded to Level 4 difficulty… the death rate and main mission difficulty must’ve increased.”

“Sigh, our Kitty Baby and his teammates are all newbies. How did they end up in a Level 4 instance?”

“First time watching this instance. Can someone tell me who the protagonist is?”

“That’s… a long story. The protagonist in this instance is extremely complicated. You see—”

At that moment, Yan Jiyun’s glowing cat eyes were especially conspicuous. The other person was clearly startled by him but managed to stay calm.

Since someone was still outside the curtain, he didn’t move. He just stared at the black cat standing still.

Technically, Yan Jiyun could move, but any movement would rustle the curtain, so he simply stayed put. Who would’ve thought this NPC would move so quickly and accurately slip into the very spot he was hiding in?

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have been discovered, but this NPC was clearly not normal.

Yan Jiyun shifted slightly to the side, putting some distance between them so he could run faster if needed. Ideally, the other party would just forget about him and treat him as a stray cat that had accidentally wandered into the piano room.

At that moment, outside the curtain, Teacher Qu seemed slightly surprised to see Han Ruibai in the piano room. He wasn’t the type to mutter to himself. After glancing at Han Ruibai twice, he suddenly hoisted him onto his shoulder and walked out of the classroom.

Yan Jiyun: “…” Not even a heads-up before leaving?

Teacher Qu’s stamina was impressive. Carrying a person and still walking that fast. Truly a powerful NPC.

Yan Jiyun was about to follow immediately, but with someone still hiding behind the curtain, he didn’t dare act rashly. What if the person chased him from behind? What if the NPC grew suspicious of him?

But why did Teacher Qu take Han Ruibai away? Was he the one behind the “midnight piano” rumor? Was he clearing the area?

After Teacher Qu left, the person hiding with Yan Jiyun also followed him out.

Before leaving, he glanced at the black cat curled in the corner and clicked his tongue.

Hearing that the person was heading in the same direction as Teacher Qu, Yan Jiyun quickly slipped out from behind the curtain and followed them.

Was Teacher Qu going to kill Han Ruibai?

That poor boy really had terrible luck. First knocked unconscious, nearly killed by a stranger, and now being carried off by a teacher to who-knows-where.

In Yan Jiyun’s mind, the probability of Han Ruibai being the protagonist increased by another 5%.

He heard Teacher Qu heading upstairs. Where exactly was he taking Han Ruibai?

Soon, Teacher Qu’s footsteps stopped on the fourth floor.

Yan Jiyun hadn’t even reached the stair corner before he had to stop, because the person following Teacher Qu also stopped.

Due to the angle earlier, Yan Jiyun hadn’t seen the man’s face clearly, as his shoulder-length hair had obscured half of it. But Yan Jiyun had memorized his scent; it was clearly sandalwood.

The man quietly followed behind Teacher Qu, unaware that Yan Jiyun was trailing him.

It formed a perfect “mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind” situation.

The door to Room 402 — aligned above the third floor — was pushed open. Yan Jiyun was certain that wasn’t the piano room. The piano rooms were all on the third floor; the fourth floor was likely for other instruments.

Since he didn’t know the man’s name, he decided to call him “Long-Haired No. 2.”

By the time Long-Haired No. 2 reached the fourth floor, Yan Jiyun continued forward.

The man didn’t seem to alert Teacher Qu at all.

No one knew what Teacher Qu intended to do with Han Ruibai.

There was no system prompt. So Han Ruibai probably wouldn’t be killed… right?

Teacher Qu already had the authority to kill players openly. He had no need to do it secretly.

Sure enough, Yan Jiyun was right.

Before long, Teacher Qu came out of Room 402 and went downstairs, seemingly unaware of the man following him.

Yan Jiyun quickly ran to the second floor, wanting to check whether Teacher Qu was heading back to Room 302, that is, the piano classroom.

If Teacher Qu didn’t go downstairs, he wouldn’t need to either. But if Teacher Qu returned to 302, then he could head to the fourth floor to find Han Ruibai.

Teacher Qu did head toward Room 302. His footsteps were unmistakable.

Soon, Yan Jiyun heard the melodious sound of a piano coming from Room 302.

“….”

Hearing piano music in a dark classroom at this hour was deeply unsettling.

But the timing didn’t match the rumor. If Teacher Qu was behind it, he should only appear after evening study. Wasn’t it too early now?

And he hadn’t killed Han Ruibai, just dumped him on the fourth floor. Did he go through all that trouble just to avoid being disturbed while playing piano?

Yan Jiyun rushed to the fourth floor. But when he reached Room 402, he found the door open and the room empty.

Han Ruibai was gone.

Had Long-Haired No. 2 taken him again?

Yan Jiyun hadn’t forgotten. The man had already reached for Han Ruibai’s neck earlier. He intended to kill him.

This was bad. Han Ruibai was in serious danger!

Just then, a system notification appeared: 

[Side Mission: Han Ruibai’s Life in Danger.]

[Mission Details: Help Han Ruibai escape danger within 5 minutes.]

Teacher Qu had been nothing but a smokescreen. The real killer was Long-Haired No. 2.

No matter the reason, saving Han Ruibai came first.

The building was no longer silent. Players who had come to investigate the rumor were talking and moving around. Teacher Qu’s piano music echoed through the halls. The three boys who had brought Han Ruibai were still hiding in a classroom, too scared to come out.

Yan Jiyun only needed to track Long-Haired No. 2 by sound as his footsteps were distinct.

He was still on the fourth floor.

Following the faint scent of sandalwood, Yan Jiyun tracked him to Room 408.

Standing by the door, he called out through the crack, “Meow~ meow~ meow~”

There were many noises in the building, but human sounds wouldn’t affect the man much. A cat’s cry, however, was different. It stood out and was far more likely to draw attention.

Student life was boring. A cat could easily stir curiosity or affection. In universities, plenty of students secretly kept cats in their dorms. Here, Yan Jiyun didn’t expect NPCs to come looking. He just needed to scare Long-Haired No. 2 away.

They had already encountered each other on the third floor. The man knew he was that same cat. He would definitely realize the cat had followed him, meaning he himself had been exposed.

From inside, Long-Haired No. 2 said, “Little cat, if you don’t shut up, I’ll stew you.”

Through the crack, Yan Jiyun saw him preparing to attack Han Ruibai again.

So he raised the stakes. His calls were now louder and more urgent: “MEOW!”

The man was clearly getting irritated. Yan Jiyun guessed that under this disturbance, he wouldn’t be able to calmly kill Han Ruibai. The noise could also attract others.

And the system was being ridiculously harsh. Before, missions had a 30-minute limit. Now, at higher difficulty, it had been cut to just 5 minutes. If he failed, Han Ruibai would die.

But why did Long-Haired No. 2 want to kill Han Ruibai?

Han Ruibai seemed like a good student. What had he done to provoke him?

Strangely, Teacher Qu hadn’t reacted at all to finding Han Ruibai unconscious earlier, just casually carried him upstairs.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Yan Jiyun stopped speculating and backed away.

Powerful NPCs were good at catching cats, because they’re fast and precise. He needed distance.

Long-Haired No. 2 put on a baseball cap, the brim covering most of his face, leaving only his smooth chin visible.

He was constantly hiding his appearance.

Was his face something he couldn’t show?

Hair covering one side, cap covering the rest; even from Yan Jiyun’s angle, he still couldn’t see his face.

The mission hadn’t failed yet.

Han Ruibai was safe for now. If he could last five minutes, the man might give up.

Lowering his voice, Long-Haired No. 2 said, “Stop making noise.”

Yan Jiyun stood three meters away, facing him.

As long as he could stall him, he didn’t need to keep meowing.

The man stepped forward, Yan Jiyun stepped back.

Another step forward, Yan Jiyun took two steps back.

After repeating this for a minute, Yan Jiyun was forced to the stairwell.

He couldn’t tell what the man intended.

Was he trying to drive him away… so he wouldn’t interfere with the murder?

Yan Jiyun was, of course, afraid of a killer. But his mission was to help Han Ruibai escape the fate of being strangled to death.

In this instance, a player being killed by an NPC and an NPC killing another NPC were two entirely different things.

When NPCs killed players, there were no moral or ethical constraints. That was simply part of the game’s design. But when NPCs killed other NPCs, it meant the storyline was progressing, and that storyline was exactly the truth players needed to uncover. Only by digging out the truth in a place filled with danger at every turn could players obtain the final reward for clearing the instance.

This was the conclusion Yan Jiyun had drawn after going through so many instances.

An NPC who killed players wasn’t necessarily a villain within the instance. For this conclusion, one could refer to [Midnight Diner].

So even though Teacher Qu had eliminated a player today, Yan Jiyun couldn’t conclude that he was playing the role of a villain. In a Level 4 hard instance, he had to treat every valuable clue with extreme caution.

Yan Jiyun kept retreating, but he didn’t leave the stairwell. If he exited, the other party might shut the stairwell door, forcing him to appear in human form. And in that form, he might not be a match for Long-Haired No. 2.

Anyone who could casually carry a 60–70 kg person couldn’t be weak. Yan Jiyun wasn’t about to gamble with his life.

But right now, he was in the form of a kitten. He was small, but still agile.

Based on his instincts, he didn’t sense any killing intent from Long-Haired No. 2. The man simply wanted to drive him away.

What Long-Haired No. 2 didn’t expect was that this little black cat simply wouldn’t leave.

Taking advantage of a moment of inattention, Yan Jiyun edged backward along the corridor wall bit by bit.

In his tug-of-war with the cat, Long-Haired No. 2 had already lost the urge to go after Han Ruibai. Now, his sole focus was catching this little black cat.

What else could Yan Jiyun do? Run, of course!

Not only did he run, but he also let out sharp, miserable cries, loud enough to attract other players in the building.

He ran for a while, and Long-Haired No. 2 still couldn’t catch him.

When the man stopped chasing, Yan Jiyun pressed himself against the corridor wall, eyes wide, watching closely for any movement. The moment the man made a move, he would run again.

By now, Long-Haired No. 2 could already hear commotion from downstairs.

He stopped and said to Yan Jiyun, “Little one, why are you following me? Want me to adopt you?”

Yan Jiyun pretended not to understand and continued staring at him with wide eyes.

The man crouched down and extended his hand. “Winter’s coming. I can take you in.”

His voice was highly persuasive, but Yan Jiyun had heard plenty of pleasant-sounding NPC voices, and his own owner’s voice was even better. Without even a dried fish treat, how could this guy win him over?

More and more footsteps echoed upstairs, other players had likely heard about the piano room rumor.

Teacher Qu’s piano playing grew increasingly urgent.

Long-Haired No. 2 tugged his cap lower and stood up. “Forget it. I don’t have time for you.”

Without another glance, he disappeared into the stairwell.

As other players approached the third floor, the piano music abruptly stopped.

Only then did Yan Jiyun realize he had broken out in cold sweat during the confrontation. Even in his smaller form, an adult man still posed a real threat.

The man had tried to lure him with a gentle voice, even reaching out his hand, a gesture most cats couldn’t resist. Luckily, Yan Jiyun was human at heart.

He also noticed something: Long-Haired No. 2’s voice sounded somewhat similar to Teacher Qu’s. What was their relationship? Both appearing in the music building at the same time… it was suspicious.

With the man gone, Yan Jiyun checked his task status.

[Congratulations, player, for completing the side mission: “Han Ruibai’s Life in Danger”]

Han Ruibai was now safe.

Yan Jiyun could no longer hear Long-Haired No. 2 nearby.

If he wanted to gather information from Han Ruibai, he had to turn back into a human.

He was the only one in this building who knew he was a cat. Transforming now shouldn’t be a problem.

From outside the classroom, he heard Han Ruibai groan. So he was waking up.

After checking that no players or NPCs were around, Yan Jiyun decisively used his Human Form Time Card and pushed the door open.

He found the light switch and turned it on.

Han Ruibai, just regaining consciousness, squinted. Then he was startled to see Yan Jiyun.

That was exactly the reaction Yan Jiyun wanted. A high school senior who had been knocked out with ether would already be shaken. Waking up to see someone who had saved him would naturally inspire both surprise and gratitude.

Han Ruibai quickly gathered his thoughts. “Why am I here? Did Liu Yu and the others bring me?”

So the scar-browed boy was named Liu Yu.

Yan Jiyun skipped over the part about turning into a cat and summarized the situation simply. “That’s what happened.”

Pressing his temples, Han Ruibai said, “After Liu Yu knocked me out, they took me to a classroom on the third floor… then someone carried me to the fourth floor to kill me?”

Yan Jiyun deliberately left out Teacher Qu. He wasn’t sure whether Han Ruibai was trustworthy. What if he turned out like Dr. Peng in [Crazy Zoo]? Appearing as a good guy at first, only to reveal a darker side later? That would make all his efforts pointless. So he could only probe indirectly.

He didn’t think Long-Haired No. 2 would try to kill someone without reason. Perhaps Han Ruibai had gotten involved in something, or witnessed something he shouldn’t have and was targeted because of it.

If Han Ruibai wasn’t the protagonist, then he must still be entangled in something important.

But Han Ruibai looked even more confused than Yan Jiyun. With lingering fear, he said, “I know Liu Yu and the others. It’s because Cheng Su from Class 6 confessed to me and I rejected her, so they’ve been targeting me. But the person you mentioned… I don’t know him at all. I don’t know what I could have done to make him target me.”

“Then think about it again carefully?” Yan Jiyun suggested. Since meeting him, he had remained calm, not being overly familiar.

Han Ruibai’s face showed clear fear now. Sitting on the floor, he tried to recall anything that might have caused a misunderstanding. But in the end, he shook his head.

“I can’t think of anything. My routine is just classes, homework, and vocal practice. Everything’s on schedule. I haven’t even gone home in the past month. Nothing unusual has happened.”

“Then don’t force it for now,” Yan Jiyun said. “Just be careful. Try not to be alone.”

Han Ruibai nodded, clearly trusting him. “After hearing all this, I’m really scared. You seemed pretty capable earlier today. How about helping me out a bit more—”

Yan Jiyun guessed he was about to ask him to stick together, but with his transformation card running out, he was ready to refuse—

Before he could speak, the classroom door was suddenly kicked open.

“Han Ruibai! Are you okay?!”

Yan Jiyun had assumed it was just someone running in the hallway, but the newcomer rushed straight to them.

Wasn’t this Xue Ping, the guy Han Ruibai had met earlier?

How did he know Han Ruibai was here?

Han Ruibai asked the same thing. “Xue Ping, how did you know I was here?”

Frowning, Xue Ping said, “I ran into your classmates downstairs. They said Liu Yu took you away. Was it because of Cheng Su again?”

Han Ruibai glanced at Yan Jiyun, then nodded. “Yeah.”

At this point, Yan Jiyun was certain Han Ruibai wasn’t the protagonist he was looking for. Still, he could use him to dig deeper into the truth.

After a brief brotherly exchange, Han Ruibai and Xue Ping prepared to leave.

Yan Jiyun followed. Since Han Ruibai was still affected by the ether and felt unwell, they headed straight back to the dormitory.

Taking this opportunity, Yan Jiyun began subtly asking which dorm Han Ruibai lived in.

He needed to figure out exactly what was going on.

Could the rumor about the piano room have been created by Teacher Qu?

But when Teacher Qu plays the piano, it’s not at the time that the couple mentioned. They were planning to go explore after evening self-study.

The dorms for Senior Year are all connected, so Yan Jiyun didn’t spend much effort finding his own dorm.

Han Ruibai was escorted back by Xue Ping (they’re definitely stepbrothers). The two exchanged a few words about family matters, and Xue Ping’s mood started fluctuating again.

Yan Jiyun’s dorm wasn’t empty either. Someone was already lying on a bed. This person was a player, assigned to the same class as him.

Because of Han Ruibai’s deskmate, Yan Jiyun’s identity as a player had already been exposed. Seeing him return, the other party sat up and greeted him.

“Hi, I’m Li Yang.”

“Yan Jiyun,” Yan Jiyun replied, neither warm nor cold, still highly guarded.

Li Yang said, “I know you. You left the last class today at just the right time.”

He wasn’t very tall and had an ordinary appearance. From the way he spoke, it was clear he wasn’t a newcomer. While others were out searching for clues at this time, he was calmly lying in the dorm. Either he had already discovered something, or he was waiting for the right moment.

Yan Jiyun sighed. “But I’ve been targeted by an NPC.”

Li Yang said nonchalantly, “Just complete the mission he assigned. You seem to have a pretty good relationship with that NPC?” He was probably referring to Han Ruibai.

The other party was probing to see if he had received a quest. Yan Jiyun smiled slightly. “But I haven’t found anything.”

After that, he looked for some water in the dorm. There were snacks on the table too. Aside from a few slices of beef jerky he could chew on, he didn’t dare touch anything else no matter how tempted he was.

Seeing Yan Jiyun eating and drinking, Li Yang didn’t seem anxious either. He lay back down, seemingly lost in thought.

It was Yan Jiyun’s first time sharing a dorm with an unfamiliar player, and he didn’t feel safe. After washing his face in the bathroom and noticing his experience card was about to expire, he pretended to be in a hurry in front of Li Yang. Without even sitting on the bed, he left the dorm building.

Seeing him leave so hastily, Li Yang suspected he might have found some clue and quietly followed behind him.

In the game, no player would willingly disclose their information because it was too dangerous.

His footsteps were light, his breathing deliberately controlled. He avoided lit areas to prevent casting shadows, maintaining a steady distance from Yan Jiyun. His tracking skills were masterful. If not for Yan Jiyun’s sharp hearing, he wouldn’t have noticed Li Yang tailing him at all.

It seemed that players who stood out in these dangerous instances really did have some skills.

Yan Jiyun didn’t give him any chance to catch up. He turned and slipped behind the laboratory building. By the time Li Yang caught up, he had already turned back into a black cat and emerged from the bushes.

Why would anyone be foolish enough to follow a cat?

Li Yang chased to the lab building, waited a moment, then went around to the back. Seeing only an empty patch of grass, he realized he had lost him.

Muttering to himself, he doubted, “Did he actually notice me?”

What he didn’t know was that the person he had been following had already slipped out along the edge of a flowerbed.

Yan Jiyun no longer paid attention to Li Yang. With agile movements, he leaped over the flowerbed and deftly vanished into the boundless night of the campus.

His ears perked up as he heard terrified screams coming from the teaching building.

“Ahhh! Someone jumped off the building! Someone’s dead!”

At the same time, he saw Long-Haired No. 2 — wearing a baseball cap — rush across the school path from the direction of the school building toward the library. His movements were hurried, and when he passed by other students, he lowered his cap to avoid being recognized.

Since Long-Haired No. 2 failed to kill Han Ruibai… did he go to the teaching building to kill another student instead?