There was no joy on Nan Zhou’s face when he heard this announcement. Players who weren’t on the same team could hear the reward announcements. This time it was an instance that required them to share clues. What if they encountered an instance with a multi-team confrontation in the future? Wasn’t this directly exposing their achievements and trump cards?
Nan Zhou felt that this wasn’t a good thing.
He washed his hands and came out of the bathroom only to meet Jiang Fang’s eyes. Jiang Fang looked past his shoulders and saw Chen Sufeng who had hurriedly wrapped a bath towel around himself. Jiang Fang’s eyes darkened slightly but it was only for a moment.
The current five clues had pieced together a creepy possibility. In this seemingly peaceful, quiet, warm and beautiful family of three, in Xiao Ming’s seemingly boring daily life, there was a woman who died unexpectedly. It might be his mother or perhaps it was his sister. It could also be a distant relative who had lived here for a long time.
Her fingerprints were left on the bottom of the ashtray. Her shoe prints were left deep in the shoe cabinet. Her hair remained in the sewer. Her fat remained in the pressure cooker. In addition, all of her was taken away by 11 tons of water.
…It was shortly after Xiao Ming’s daily vacation began.
The NPC on the phone told them that the household used 12 tons of water last month. Today was July 3rd and the household’s water consumption had already reached 11 tons. 11 tons of water was enough to wash away everything that had happened in this house. The game’s main task had taken a big step forward on the first day.
Then what was next? Even if they discovered that a woman had died here, how could they find the way out?
Everyone was speechless but the two men with the biggest merits seemed indifferent. Jiang Fang went back to the kitchen and continued to cook. Nan Zhou was in the living room teaching Li Yinhang how to do handicrafts.
Xiao Ming’s handicraft was propositional and was called ‘My Family.’ Previously when they didn’t know anything, everyone could still handle this homework. But now…
Who the hell knew what the configuration of Xiao Ming’s family was.
Nan Zhou didn’t care about these unnecessary worries. He said, “Build a house first.”
Then he took out several boxes of matches from the drawer of the TV cabinet. Judging from the ashtray and the half-empty cigarette box under the coffee table, there was someone in this house with a habit of smoking. Matches had long stopped being the mainstream lighting method but it couldn’t be ruled out that some people liked the feeling of the match head rubbing against the sandpaper.
Nan Zhou took out tweezers found in the household tools box and picked up a match. He started from the base and crisscrossed to build it. Under Nan Zhou’s hands, the matchsticks became a beam rafter and the match head a mortise and tenon joint. Layers of construction were completed and a strong and small cube made of matches was born in his hands like magic.
Nan Zhou embedded several matches facing upwards, arranged them in ladders and set up a small roof. The crimson match head and the white matchstick gradually formed a ‘home’ in his hand. He fiddled with the matches and said, “I have also assigned my students homework on the theme of ‘home’.”
Li Yinhang was surprised. “Huh?”
Nan Zhou used tweezers to gently adjust the height of the match sticks decorating the roof as a chimney and reminded Li Yinhang, “Did you forget? I am an art teacher.”
The other listeners, “……”
They really couldn’t believe him after seeing him squeeze the box with his bare hands.
Jiang Fang, who was leaning against the kitchen door and heard all of this, gently wiped his hands on his apron and smiled. “Teacher Nan, it is time to eat.”
Jiang Fang’s cooking was really excellent. The eggplant stuffed with meat absorbed all the juices and made the eggplant more fragrant than the meat. The mapo tofu was tender and browned while the spiciness was just right. The yellowish shredded potatoes were hand-cut and decorated with a few chopped red chilis. It looked particularly good. The shrimp seaweed soup was salty and delicious while the rice was soft and fragrant. He even made a simple version of a creamy fruit cake using the microwave and fruits. But…
Everyone thought of how a person might’ve done something to a woman in the kitchen with a pressure cooker and nausea rose. In addition, all the blades in the house were concentrated in the kitchen. They thought of what the shiny kitchen knife in the knife holder might be used for and no one had an appetite.
The exception was Nan Zhou.
He sat down at the table, cut the cake into eight portions with the fruit knife and consciously placed his portion on a small plate. Jiang Fang pointed to his share and shook his head at Nan Zhou. “I don’t eat sweets.”
Thus, Nan Zhou got an extra piece of cake. He was expressionless but obviously happy. He used a fork to cut the two cake slices into smaller pieces.
As the group was hesitating, Shen Jie actually chose to sit down. Chen Sufeng did the same as her. The thin monkey wanted to pull Shen Jie up but instead she grabbed him by the arm. “Come and eat.”
The thin monkey looked disgusted. “The only thing in this house that can cut up a human body is the kitchen knife. Do you still dare to eat something cut with the kitchen knife?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Tfr.” Jtfc Veofcu jugffv klat Vtfc Alf’r pevuwfca. “Pa lrc’a mbcnfclfca ab erf j xlamtfc xclof.”
Ktfc tf qfgrbcjiis qlmxfv eq j qlfmf bo aboe jcv jaf la. Ktf ubbv ajraf atja kjr yfsbcv tlr lwjulcjalbc wjvf tlw qjerf obg j wbwfca. Lf ibbxfv eq ja Aljcu Mjcu jcv delmxis ugjyyfv atf cfza qlfmf bo obbv.
“In order to dismember the body, tools like a handsaw should be used.” Chen Sufeng said. “Otherwise… Xiao Ming wouldn’t have failed to discover it.”
The thin monkey was stunned. “Huh?”
“You don’t use your mind.” Shen Jie felt resentful for him failing to meet expectations. “Have you forgotten? What is the date of Xiao Ming’s last diary entry?”
“I remember. It was July 2nd—”
He hadn’t finished speaking when he became stunned and sweat flowed down his back. The NPC on the other side of the phone told them that today was July 3rd. Prior to this, he always thought that Xiao Ming’s diary was made up. After all, the contents inside were crude and full of a perfunctory atmosphere like ‘I just want to finish this.’
Yet he ignored one point. The date of the diary entries was likely to be true. Xiao Ming’s diary ended on July 2nd. He wrote in his diary on July 2nd that he couldn’t figure out what to make by hand. He called Xiao Hong to ask but Xiao Hong hadn’t done it either. For Xiao Ming, July 2nd was a dull but peaceful day.
The current instance date was July 3rd. Assuming that a vicious case of murder and dismemberment really occurred in this room, it could only be in July when the water consumption increased abnormally.
So far, only three days had passed in July. In other words, the time point of the diary overlapped with the instance time. If the killing occurred on July 1st, why was Xiao Ming’s diary on the 2nd so simple as if nothing happened?
If it was the 2nd…
The 2nd of July was the exact date they were teleported in. Yet at that time, they did a simple search of the house and didn’t find anything. There was no dead body, blood stains or hair. There was nothing. Besides, if the killer dismembered the body last night then why didn’t they hear any movements?
There were eight pairs of ears and eyes here. Some slept in the master bedroom, some slept in the second bedroom and some in the living room. How could they not notice if someone dismembered a body, cleaned up and threw all female related items out of the house?
Although the time point of ‘July 3rd’ had been determined, it was unclear what timeline they were in. A parallel world? Or were they now at the scene of the murder just before it happened?
Still, the conclusion they could draw currently was that the woman wasn’t cut up with a kitchen knife. The reason was simple. This instance was based on clues and realistic logic. In the preliminary investigation, everyone had gone to the kitchen and focused on investigating the knives.
The bones of the human body were very hard. If the kitchen knife was used to chop bones then there would be traces of overuse on it or it would be discarded and the knife holder would contain a new, non-damaged kitchen knife. This kitchen knife obviously wasn’t new. There were traces of frequent use but no breakages or damage.
Secondly, a kitchen knife would make a loud noise when chopping meat. It didn’t matter if the dismemberment occurred on the 1st or the 2nd. The meat and bones would make an unusually loud noise. If a tool like a handsaw was used then it would be much more convenient and the cutting sound was easier to be ignored than the chopping sound.
Third, all the woman’s belongings had been removed from the home. Was it necessary to leave the murder weapon at home specifically?
To sum it up, cooking with a kitchen knife wasn’t a big deal.
“I’m eating. Let’s not talk about this for now.” Chen Sufeng immersed himself in taking a few bites of rice. “Once I’m full and my brain is supplied with enough blood, perhaps my thoughts will be clearer.”
Then Chen Sufeng rubbed his nose and asked Jiang Fang, “Is there a lunchbox? I want to leave a bit for Brother Yu.”
“There is. I saved two portions.”
Jiang Fang took off his apron and looked at the new matchstick house made by Nan Zhou on the coffee table in a thoughtful manner. He said, “Eat slowly.”
The thin monkey let go of his worries and also joined in the meal. Chen Sufeng’s words were very practical. If they didn’t eat enough then they wouldn’t be able to use their brains.
In the silent dining room, there was only the slight sound of chopsticks hitting the bowl. The smell of rice and other dishes permeated the surroundings. Everyone tried their best to focus on the delicious food, forcing themselves not to think about how a bloody and nauseatingly hellish scene had occurred in this 100 square meters apartment at some point in the past.
After the meal, Yu Tuisi was pushed out of the children’s room by the fitness trainer. His face didn’t look very good. “I had a dream.”
Yu Tuisi’s emotional management was very strong. He was obviously uncomfortable but he still grasped the key points and briefly described them. “There was nothing particularly specific. I just heard a sound similar to sawing wood which kept ringing in my ears.”
Creak—
Creak—
Such a subtle sawing sound lasted for two full hours in Yu Tuisi’s dream.
Li Yinhang bit her knuckle, took a deep breath and entered the children’s room. Next was her handicrafts task. This time, Jiang Fang accompanied her. He read Xiao Ming’s diary again.
The diary started on the first day of summer vacation which was June 15th. Previously, they hadn’t read it very carefully. Now that he re-read it, Jiang Fang found a clue in the corner. It was on June 18th that Xiao Ming mentioned his ‘home’ in his diary. It was just a short sentence.
‘There is no one at home.’
On June 28th, he mentioned it again.
‘Han Meimei and I went to see the lighting scenery. It was very beautiful. I wanted to tell people but there is no one at home. I made a bowl of mung bean congee for myself and added two pieces of ice. It was very delicious.’
Under the typos, pinyin writing and flowing narrative of a primary school student, there was very little valuable information. Moreover, due to the arrangement of the puzzle in the instance, there was no mention in the diary of how many people there were in the family as well as the family structure.
Jiang Fang closed the diary. Still… it wasn’t without any gains.
Outside the children’s room, Yu Tuisi listened to Chen Sufeng talking about their findings earlier and frowned slightly as he was lost in thought.
The thin monkey and fitness trainer were on the computer in the second bedroom. Surprisingly, the thin monkey was pretty good with computers. He quickly opened one file after another to look for clues.
Nan Zhou sat cross-legged in the hallway, staring at the white wall in front of him. No one knew what he was thinking. Nanji Star was crouched on his shoulder, holding a small piece of cake left over and nibbling on it in a cherished manner.
Shen Jie sat quietly beside him. She wanted to talk but when she clearly saw his movements, she couldn’t help feeling suffocated. He was still prying at that small lock with a wire. Shen Jie held back her complaints and asked, “What are you thinking?”
Nan Zhou was very honest. “Why is there no door? Why are we looking for a door?”
If Nan Zhou had previously asked such a question then Shen Jie probably would’ve rolled her eyes. Now after seeing his strength, Shen Jie respected him a lot. She patiently explained, “This is the arrangement of the instance. The instance will always have us complete a task to pass the level.”
“So why aren’t we investigating the murder? Why find a door?”
Shen Jie, “……”
She was knocked down by the question. Nan Zhou also had no intention of getting an answer from Shen Jie. He continued to stare at the white wall in a daze.
Shen Jie bit her lip. She mulled over something before opening her mouth.
“I was at fault.” Shen Jie told him. “Previously when I said to let you newcomers die, I was wrong.”
Nan Zhou moved his gaze to her face and replied lightly. “Um.”
Shen Jie smiled. She laughed and her shrewd and serious energy was diminished a lot. “What does ‘um’ mean?”
Nan Zhou told her, “It means I accept your apology.”
Shen Jie, “……”
She told him, “You are really a strange person.”
Nan Zhou didn’t answer and refocused his eyes on the white wall again.
Shen Jie continued. “I have a daughter who is 8 years old this year… perhaps she is the same age as this Xiao Ming.”
“Yes.”
“I heard from a newcomer that she should’ve been sent to the special children’s shelter.”
“Yes.”
Shen Jie stared straight at Nan Zhou’s side profile. She found that this man seemed cold but was actually very simple. It was best to be straightforward when talking to him. Thus, she opened her mouth and said, “You and Jiang Fang, cooperate with us.”
“The system states that a team can have between two to five people.”
“My Shunfeng team has two more positions available. It is just right for you and Jiang Fang.” Shen Jie’s tone became more urgent. “Come with us and the chances of survival will be greater. That girl surnamed Li can’t help you much. We can give you more.”
“I don’t need to be the leader. I can give it to you or Jiang Fang.”
“We will listen to you regarding everything as long as we can win.”
Nan Zhou looked at the lock in his palm. Shen Jie’s suggestion meant more storage compartments, a higher team level and more experienced teammates. He calculated the benefits before gently waving his hand. “No.”
Shen Jie was already prepared to be rejected so she wasn’t very depressed. “Can I ask why?”
“I like my current team name.” Then Nan Zhou added, “Also, I don’t like you.”
“Because I wanted to sacrifice you?”
“Yes.” Nan Zhou made no secret of it. “I remember grudges.”
Shen Jie didn’t know whether to laugh or to feel embarrassed. Finally, she laughed. “Aren’t you too direct?”
Nan Zhou studied the lock with great concentration while telling her, “I’m not going. You can still ask Jiang…”
He thought of the conversation in the kitchen and seriously corrected the name. “…Brother Jiang.”
“No.” Shen Jie got up. “He won’t go with me.”
“How do you know without asking?”
“I can know without asking.” Shen Jie looked at the handful of dull hairs on Nan Zhou’s slightly raised head and laughed. “It is because you won’t come.”
“…Huh?”
Before Nan Zhou could understand, Shen Jie went to the second bedroom to find her teammates. As a result, Nan Zhou had another question that he couldn’t figure out in his mind.
The author has something to say:
Shen Jie: Please, you guys are very gay.
Proofreader: Purichan
the way that shen jie figured it out but nan zhou has two questions to answer now
Thank you for the chapter
Nan Zhou is emotionally a little… slow. But he’s very cute, and he also seems to have a past relationship of some kind with Jiang Fang. So sweet ~
When your hubby can cook tasty food and don’t like sweets so all sweets in house yours… I’M SO ENVIOUS!!!
thanks for the chapter~
I really appreciate Nan Zhou’s frankness.
thanks for the chapter <3
He keeps looking at that white wall, is the door there?
That would be good idea, I mean why else would there be a blank wall when all the other walls are decorated.
pats NZ head when JF isn’t around you’re very adorable!!
Lol it’s so funny how straightforward he is! JF is gonna have to work hard to not be rejected if (when) he confesses~
Thank you for the chapter!
I’m beginning to like Nan Zhou‘s character more and more~~
Thank you for the chapter 💜
When everyone around you knows that JF likes you—
Did he had an accident or something that made him forget or reset his memories? HAHAHAH I’m really curious to find out about their past considering the fact that all clues point to that being the case.
I’m thinking this door might be where the woman was murdered, since Xiao Ming didn’t know anything, you could say he was kept in the dark/kept in a box
If the door is the workshop where the body is dismembered, then that can mean letting Xiao Ming know what happened and letting him out of the protective wall?
LMAO Shen Jie figuring it out almost instantly while Nan Zhou is still clueless is hilarious 😂
Ok clue about MC so far:
sucks at cooking
great strength
his family eats his cooking regularly
he mentioned something about don’t underestimate ghosts
Are ghosts his family??? Hahaha