Ye Lian and Bai Xue were completely baffled.
‘Who’s Chicken had disappeared.’
‘Was this some kind of code?’
‘Or, perhaps, was there actually a player called [Who’s Chicken]?’
“Is it really that bizarre?” Ye Lian thought the latter was more likely.
After all, there was no need to shout a code word so loudly and urgently.
Not far away, Boyang and the others, who hadn’t entered the house yet, were all standing where they were.
“What did you say!?” Boyang said angrily, his face full of rage.
He had already given them clear instructions not to wander off, not to go far!
‘How could they still get separated?’
“Let him finish what he has to say first.”
Dancing Elephant patted Boyang’s shoulder, signaling him not to get angry.
Jimite gave Dancing Elephant a grateful look, then began to recount what had just happened.
“It’s like this, the two of us were just searching the area for Ayu.”
But suddenly, [Who’s Chicken] said he saw someone who looked like Ayu in the alley ahead.
Before I could react, he ran over there.
I hesitated for a few seconds, but still followed.
However, when I entered that alley, there wasn’t a soul in sight.
Oh, and that alley is a dead end, with very high walls—an ordinary person couldn’t climb over them.
Dancing Elephant narrowed his eyes and said slowly, “So you’re saying [Who’s Chicken] just vanished into thin air?”
How was he supposed to believe that?
“Did something happen?” Just as Dancing Elephant was about to press for details, a melodious voice sounded from behind.
Everyone turned to look, and sure enough, it was the White Knight and her maid.
The one who had just spoken was the White Knight.
Dancing Elephant’s heart skipped a beat and he quickly spoke up, “Here’s what happened…”
He briefly explained the situation with Ayu.
“I see. That Ayu fellow does seem a bit odd,” Ye Lian said thoughtfully.
“Why do you say that?” Boyang interjected.
“I’ll explain.”
Bai Xue stepped forward.
“Before I entered the city, I was in a squad. One of my teammates—no, he’s my mortal enemy now.”
At this point, Bai Xue’s voice unconsciously grew colder.
“That guy suddenly started acting strange on the way. In the end, he mutated into a monster and went on a rampage.
If Master hadn’t happened to pass by and save me, I would’ve died at his hands too.”
“Now that you mention it, Ayu really does seem strange,” Dancing Elephant recalled the dangerous aura he’d sensed from Ayu.
“Indeed. After he left for a while and came back, he didn’t say a word, and…” Xingyue hesitated.
“And what?” Ye Lian asked.
After thinking it over, Xingyue finally said, “After Ayu returned, the way he looked at me was odd. Before, there was a bit of affection in his gaze. I’m not being narcissistic—I can tell the difference at that level.”
“Go on.” Ye Lian had no interest in whether she was narcissistic.
What mattered was the change in Ayu.
“After he came back, the way he looked at me was like how we look at livestock in a pasture.”
Xingyue said.
“I see.”
Ye Lian nodded lightly.
“It’s very likely he underwent some kind of mutation.”
“Is it because of the Pollution Value?” Boyang quickly asked.
“Pollution Value can indeed cause mutations.
However…” Ye Lian glanced at the players present, then continued: “Ayu has already taken a potion, so he shouldn’t be mutating. Unless he was exposed to new pollution afterwards.”
“Could it be related to the final mission?” Dancing Elephant suggested.
Back then, when his teammate [Xian Hong Zang Li] mutated into a monster, the system had given some hints.
“Very likely.”
Ye Lian nodded.
“That Chicken guy may have already been killed.”
***
At those words, everyone felt a chill down their spines.
They were no longer concerned about [Who’s Chicken]’s fate.
They were more worried about the negative effects of Pollution Value, and that mysterious final mission!
“Let’s go to the scene and see if we can find any clues.”
Ye Lian suggested.
“Jimite, lead the way.” Boyang looked at his subordinate and ordered.
“Yes, Captain.”
Jimite nodded vigorously and turned to walk ahead.
If the White Knight hadn’t come along, he really wouldn’t have dared return to that alley.
After all, [Who’s Chicken] had vanished mysteriously right there!
The group walked straight down the street for a bit, then turned left twice and arrived at the alley.
Looking around, it was empty; at the end stood a tall, sealed wall.
On both sides were the walls of houses, their windows tightly shut and difficult to climb.
According to Jimite’s account, neither Ayu nor Who’s Chicken would have had time to climb up.
That’s under normal circumstances.
If it were a special case, say, if Ayu had mutated like Zhao Gang, then it would be possible for him to escape quickly from here.
Even if he took Who’s Chicken with him, it wouldn’t be that difficult.
“Don’t come any closer. Let me check the surroundings.” Ye Lian extended her hand, stopping the others from advancing.
Bai Xue moved to the side to keep an eye on the players.
Naturally, Boyang and the others weren’t foolish enough to defy the White Knight, so they obediently stood still, not daring to step out of line.
Ye Lian walked quickly, reaching the end of the alley in just a few seconds.
Then, she turned and walked back.
***
The group was a bit puzzled by this.
After all, no one saw her lower her head to search for clues or anything like that.
Halfway back, Ye Lian suddenly stopped.
Then, with a flick of her fair hand, some black fragments and strands of hair floated up.
“These fragments are from equipment I crafted.
Most likely, [Who’s Chicken] met his end here.”
She said.
Upon hearing this, Jimite shuddered all over, feeling a chill in his heart.
He and Who’s Chicken had entered here just ten or twenty seconds apart.
If he’d gone in just a bit faster, would he have been killed too?
At that thought, he trembled even more.
“There are no signs of a struggle, no bloodstains, just some equipment fragments and hair.”
Ye Lian turned her hand, letting the fragments and broken hairs fall.
Then she looked up.
“The killer most likely attacked from above, ambushing Who’s Chicken. That strike shattered his equipment and ripped out quite a bit of hair. Who’s Chicken pretty much has no hope of survival.”
The group followed her gaze upward and saw only a patch of gray sky and those unclimbable walls.
Even if Ayu could climb up, he wouldn’t be able to maintain his posture, let alone launch a sneak attack.
Besides, the alley was a full three meters wide; trying to maintain a position to ambush from above was impossible.
“White Knight, that shouldn’t be possible, right?” Boyang voiced his doubts about the speculation.
His words echoed what most people were thinking.
“Not possible? That’s just wishful thinking on your part.”
With that, Ye Lian leapt several meters straight up, her body sticking to the wall like a magnet—completely motionless.
Everyone was dumbfounded at the sight, their jaws dropping.
This really wasn’t something an ordinary person could do.
But, if Ayu had mutated, it all made sense.
“Don’t use the common sense of the outside world to judge this Dreamland Space.”
Ye Lian dropped down lightly from above and spoke softly.