Chase Game

"Hehe, who could have imagined that one day karma would come back to haunt you?"

"You fucking believe in karma and retribution?"

"I used to be a monk."

"Damn it, I'm only asking you this because you were a monk. I can't even bear to look at the things you've done, and you actually believe in karma and retribution?"

"Hehe, Benefactor Liu is joking. Everyone has a beast of desire in their heart. I just opened the cage."

The man in black robes surnamed Liu wanted to say something more, but Crow interrupted him:

"Li Fang's matter is minor, but it has disrupted the emperor's plans, which is a major issue and must be investigated."

"Well done, Crow Benefactor. If the Association intervenes in Li Fang's defeat, it will surely affect the grand plan ten days from now."

"Damn you, you bald monk! You're not a monk anymore, can't you stop spouting those monk's platitudes?"

"Ahem, Benefactor Liu, as you know, I've been a monk for decades, and there are some habits I just can't break."

"I give up... Crow, you should check it out, you're the only one here who knows this."

"Hmm... Actually, this humble monk also has some knowledge of the art of investigating cases based on cause and effect."

"Bald monk, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute."

The crow shook its head and ignored the two.

His method of "investigating" was actually quite simple.

All the crows on Li Fang's side need to do is plunge their hard, thick beaks into Li Fang's eyes, pull out the eyeballs, and swallow them whole. Then, some fragmented memories can be synchronized to the crows on the other side.

"Ling Yi, a junior at Beiguan University, is a freshman... Oh? He lives across from Li Fang..."

"……etc!"

The crow was suddenly shocked, and after confirming several times, it continued, "Li Fang was killed in a counterattack."

This statement was like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly causing an uproar.

"What? A newbie killed Master Li? Did I hear that right?"

"Although Li Fang is indeed arrogant and annoying, she was still defeated by a newbie..."

"Interesting, interesting. This humble monk would also like to have a go with that newcomer..."

The crow shook its head, suppressing its shock, and rationally reminded the crow:

"Let us not forget that our primary objective is to ensure the execution of the Lord's plan."

"I only know that among the major organizations capable of stopping the Lord's plan, all of them except the Association are supportive, but the Association's attitude is still unclear."

"Go to hell with that bald monk! I know you're unhappy with the association, but there's no need to blame everything on them, is there?"

"No, no, no, I'm just stating the facts."

The man in black robes surnamed Liu rolled his eyes. He was already used to the monk's hypocrisy.

These two are actually pretty much the same; one throws all the blame onto the association and makes them take the fall, while the other is clueless and doesn't think things through at all.

Only the crow remained silent for a moment before analyzing:

"Li Fang's failure is not enough to shake the Lord's plan. My previous concern was that some organizations might use this as an opportunity to show or change their attitude."

However, no trace of any organization's involvement was found in the fragmented memories.

Li Fang didn't leave me any information either; clearly, she thought Ling Yi was just an ordinary newbie, but she didn't expect to be defeated.

After listening to the crow's analysis, the monk remained unmoved and calmly said:

"It must have been the association's doing. Those guys just love to meddle in other people's business."

The man in black robes surnamed Liu also said, "I don't believe that a novice could kill Li Fang without someone standing behind him."

The crow's black eyes darted around, looking somewhat troubled.

"That makes sense... but we're about to move on to the next game."

He thought for a moment, then continued:

"Hmm... I remember 'Butterfly' is also at Beiguan University. Let her get in touch with her first, and we'll see how things go when we get back in a few days."

"That's the only way... Oh right, I think the next game is multiplayer, right? Without Li Fang, shouldn't we find another teammate?"

"In my humble opinion, either 'Hibiscus' or 'Peony' would be a good choice."

"You bald monk, are you choosing concubines here? And you're a gigantophile, for crying out loud."

"No, in this vast world, 'great' is justice."

The crow was used to the two bickering.

After finishing its business, the other crow slipped out through the window crack, ignoring Li Fang, who was bleeding profusely behind it.

It seems that only death awaits Li Fang.

However, the crow did not fly away immediately. Instead, it circled around and, under the cover of night, circled to Ling Yi's bedroom window.

He had already showered, turned off the lights, and gone to bed. The windows and curtains were tightly closed, so the crows had no chance to enter the room.

The night was long, and Ling Yi slept soundly.

Physical fatigue from running normally in the game won't carry over into real life, but mental strain is unavoidable.

I didn't have a single dream all night; when I closed my eyes and opened them, it was already dawn.

"Holy crap, it's 10 o'clock, and I'm supposed to be on 8 AM!"

"Wait a minute, it's Friday today. I have afternoon classes, not 8 AM. Although even if there were 8 AM, I wouldn't go..."

He rubbed his eyes, scraped off two large clumps of eye boogers from the corners of his eyes, and then grabbed a tissue from the bedside table to wipe them clean.

After a quick wash, he was about to go out for dinner. He hadn't had a late-night snack the night before, and his stomach was empty when he woke up this morning.

When he passed by Li Fang's house, he only glanced at it briefly, as if nothing had happened last night.

In fact, he also had many doubts in his heart, but—

Since things have come to this, let's eat first.

When he arrived at his favorite steamed bun shop at the entrance of the community, he sat in his usual spot, and without saying a word, a basket of steamed buns and a bowl of soy milk were served.

"Hehehe, I thought you had something to do and wouldn't be coming today. My little shop is all thanks to you, my regular customer."

The proprietress chatted happily with Ling Yi while wrapping steamed buns.

"Hehe, Sister Zhou, you're just joking. Your steamed buns are round and plump, with thin skin and generous filling. Everyone's lining up to buy from you, why would you need one more?"

When customers appreciate her products, the proprietress can't help but smile.

Just then, a cat slipped in through the shop entrance, and Ling Yi spotted it immediately.

"Hey? Isn't this a tricolor dumpling? Sister Zhou, are you raising it?"

The proprietress paused for a moment, then realized he was referring to a cat.

"Oh, you mean that cat? I don't own one. A girl has been bringing it over these past few days... Look, here she is."

She was a young girl, tall and slender, with her hair tied in a high ponytail. She wore a dark red knitted sweater, a brown pleated skirt, black over-the-knee socks, and small leather shoes, revealing most of her smooth thighs.

A faint smile graced her face, radiating youthful energy.

"Emma, ​​the steamed buns smell even better than usual today."

Ling Yi felt her appetite had increased, and she could even eat another basket of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).

"Hello, Sister Zhou."

"Hi, hello, what would you like to eat?"

"A hard-boiled egg and a cup of soy milk will do."

"Okay, the egg is 1.5 yuan, the soy milk is 2 yuan, that's 3.5 yuan in total!"

As the sound of payment being credited to his account rang, Ling Yi withdrew his gaze. Everyone has a love for beauty, but staring at someone for too long would make him look like a pervert.