Duosheng Danyuan

"It's almost time," I said, looking at the clock on the wall that showed 8:30.

"Let's go in early, don't be too tight on the time, to avoid any accidents." Lin Xu stood up and smiled.

"Okay." Su Wanqing nodded and stood up as well.

Just in case, do you have alarm clocks in your rooms?

"have."

"I don't have one, is my phone okay?"

"Is the phone...insured?" Lin Xu pondered for a moment and asked Su Wanqing.

"Huh? I'm sure you can be safe, I've never been late because of my phone alarm before..."

"I have an extra one in my room, how about I give you a mechanical alarm clock? I think a mechanical physical alarm clock makes me feel more at ease."

"Is that alright? Of course, that would be the best." Su Wanqing smiled and accepted Lin Xu's suggestion.

"Do you want to take a shower? Who wants to go first?"

"I'm not going to shower." "Hehe, my room has a private bathroom, you know."

"Really? Okay then."

"Should we go back to our rooms to rest now?" Su Wanqing was a little hesitant when the topic of rest came up, but she also longed for that safe and comforting place.

"Okay, get some rest, remember the rules, see you tomorrow."

"Bye-Bye."

We soon dispersed.

At 8:45, I went to the kitchen, looking for something to eat. Compared to Yangyuanzhai, the food at Jingxilu was clearly more reassuring. My schedule is irregular, and late-night snacks have become a habit.

The kitchen here is neither too big nor too small. The refrigerator is right next to the stove. I opened the refrigerator and started rummaging through it for something to eat. Fortunately, the refrigerator here is just like I remembered; it's not just for storing meat, eggs, dairy, and vegetables, but also for storing some drinks and snacks.

"Oranges, milk, and some bread—the food in the fridge is really well organized; there's no cross-contamination of flavors." With that thought in mind, I started picking out some things to eat for dinner.

About three to five minutes later, I closed the refrigerator door and prepared to leave. Just then, Lin Xu happened to come into the kitchen.

"Finished showering?"

"Hmm, I'll check on the kitchen before I go to bed. I have a big appetite."

"It seems like it's almost time?"

"Ten minutes left."

"Hurry up."

"rest assured."

I nodded and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute," he suddenly called out as I walked past Lin Xu, "I have another question."

"..."

I glanced at him, speechless.

"I'm going to ask that question, but you don't have to answer it."

"..."

I didn't say anything, which was taken as tacit agreement with Lin Xu's words.

Why did you put me in a position where I can lie?

"..."

I glanced back at him again, but this time I just smiled and didn't say anything.

For me, who had stood up for myself in the Ancient Elixir Pavilion and angered everyone, being isolated was a natural consequence. Especially since I didn't show up during the later group formation and the reunion just now, it only deepened the distance between everyone and me.

Therefore, if Lin Xu wanted to, he could easily interfere between me and others, manipulate information gaps to make me suffer, or even kill me. Of course, it would be his skill if he could actually kill me.

Placing Lin Xu in a position where he could choose between open honesty and ulterior motives was the fundamental premise for building trust with him. There are never flawless lies, only lies that cannot be verified. What I gave Lin Xu was both an ambiguous communication position and a teammate position where we could build basic trust.

After all, unlike the simple Su Wanqing, Lin Xu clearly had some stories to tell. Being abroad, being a painter, and having a windowless room all added a layer of mystery to his identity, just like mine.

However, we're still teammates, so there are some things I don't want to say too explicitly. Now that Lin Xu understands my intentions, it means he's unlikely to tell too many lies about this, which also demonstrates his trustworthiness and competence.

So I smiled at him and then went back to my room.

I opened the door and went straight in. I don't know what to say. Maybe it's because my family doesn't have any good memories, or maybe it's because of my own problems. Unexpectedly, yet somehow, my room was like a dormitory, my university dormitory.

I've also wondered if the rooms that refresh here are the ones I stayed in last time. But judging from Su Wanqing's experience and the rules, that's not the case.

Su Wanqing said that she rented a house across from the school because she was in high school, and she had been living there recently. But the house that Jingxilu renovated for her was her own house.

Furthermore, I told Lin Xute that the rooms here would be updated to resemble his own house. After he went in to confirm, he came out without any further questions, just pure surprise. This means that his room is also his own house, just like Su Wanqing's.

So, does Jingxilu really think that my room is my dormitory? Sigh, it feels a bit pathetic.

Four bunk beds with desks underneath, and colorful curtains, sat quietly in my room, except for my three roommates. If the Quiet Abode really does create the illusion of family, then could my family members be my roommates?

This is truly disgusting. I'm not saying my roommate is disgusting, I'm saying myself.

I sighed, closed the door, turned off the light, set the alarm clock, climbed the ladder onto the bed, and placed the alarm clock next to my pillow against the wall.

Because someone at our university committed suicide by jumping off a building, the windows were welded shut during the dormitory renovation. No windows were left open; the windows were only for lighting purposes and could not be opened or closed.

Lying on the bed, my body quickly relaxed. I must say, this Tranquil Abode is truly humane; the bed they replicated was exactly the same as the one in my memory. From the smell and the feeling to even the occasional barking of dogs from the street at night, it was all a one-to-one replica.

Perhaps it shouldn't be described as a replica. If I close my eyes and don't think about today's experience, the place I'm lying here now, at least in my opinion, is my dormitory.

"I wonder how those guys are doing?"

Once a person relaxes, their brain starts recalling comfortable things. My three carefree roommates, the brothers in the gang, her in the village... sigh... why did I even think of her? Indeed, the interplay of relaxation and stress always makes people vulnerable.

My bed is near the window. When I open my eyes, I can see a bright, clear moon.

"They even simulated the view outside? Seriously, what's the point of doing this?" I pondered, starting to consider my own situation.

First, there are my two roommates. Su Wanqing is very innocent and genuine, just like a high school student. Lin Xu has many secrets, but these don't pose a problem. Moreover, he takes good care of Su Wanqing, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This person is definitely not a bad person at heart.

When I encountered the seventh person in front of the thatched hut, I didn't turn around. My gaze was focused on the hut, but I could feel that at first, Su Wanqing and Lin Xu's voices were one far away and one near, but later they became one near and one far. This meant that Lin Xu and Su Wanqing had switched positions. Considering that Lin Xu did not hesitate at all when he changed positions, this switch was most likely Lin Xu taking the initiative to protect Su Wanqing.

The fact that Lin Xu could instinctively make such a move when faced with danger shows that he is trustworthy, even reliable.

Secondly, there are the six people traveling with me. Chen Yu exudes a strong sense of righteousness. If we assume that all of us have the same information on our arms, then his being the first to act each time could perhaps be explained by a soldier protecting civilians, but that's not entirely true, since we haven't communicated with each other. However, the fact that he spoke up for me at the Ancient Pill Scripture Pavilion, combined with his previous actions, shows that he is definitely not a coward. In the future, when multiple people are needed for operations, he can be given priority.

Qian Zhe is the complete opposite of Chen Yu, and to be honest, I was surprised they ended up teaming up. But it's understandable; Zeng Yixi is clearly a strong, independent woman, so it's normal for her to choose the seemingly weak Zhang Muyun and Tang Anran. As for Qian Zhe... well, bad luck aside, his personality isn't suited to being a teammate, so it's best to be cautious in the future.

Tang Anran and Zhang Muyun are the same type of person as Su Wanqing; they were both intimidated by the strangeness of this place and had little presence. If Xie Qinghan had been with us from the beginning, I think she would have been the same type. However, since she arrived last, she definitely needs to be categorized separately.

Zeng Yixi... Hopefully, her temperament matches her abilities; otherwise, she'll probably be the one to bleed first.

Wang Hao's words were quite simple: he was full of energy, his expressions were rich, and his joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were all written on his face. I've been paying attention to him since Yangyuanzhai; all his emotions are written on his face. To be honest, if Lin Xu hadn't taken the initiative to talk to me, I probably would have approached him to be my teammate first. He seems like a very simple person, and simple people are trustworthy once you get to know them—that's my experience.

So, how exactly do we get out? I don't know much about the "Rule Tales" genre. A few years ago, I stumbled upon the wildly popular "Zoo Rule Tales" online and that's how I learned about it. Although I occasionally come across other Rule Tales later, most of them are mindless, fun games, and the few good ones all have some kind of cheat code.

I'm somewhat confident in my intelligence, but not much. A cheat code...

Thinking of this, I rolled up my sleeves again and stared at the dark red bloodstains on my arm.

"I guess everyone has this. Can this thing be considered a cheat code?" I complained helplessly.

At least, if we consider the prompts on the arm as rules, I have absolutely no idea what situations they might trigger or how to deal with them.

After all, conformity is a false proposition; how to define conformity is the only key point in this prompt. Broadly speaking, as long as one is not aloof or isolated, one is not considered unconventional; narrowly speaking, as long as one is in the minority of a group, one is unconventional.

What could this prompt mean?

As I pondered, my consciousness began to fade...

—The Gap Between Myriad Realms—

In a hazy, pale white expanse, a man and a woman were wandering around, one in front of the other.

The man was in his prime, with cold, silver-gray eyes, his black hair tied up high, and his black clothes neatly arranged. A faint, regular halo surrounded him.

The woman was younger, with a youthful face but a stunning figure. Her eyes were expressive and her pupils were soft and radiant. She wore light-colored hair and was surrounded by chaotic, flowing colors.

"Why are you following me like this?" The man opened his eyes and asked calmly.

"It's a bit boring."

"..."

"What are you doing?"

"Private matters. Wanqing, if you're bored, you can always escape to some other world to slack off, just like you used to. Demonic markings never punish you excessively, do they?"

The woman, annoyed at being called by name, pouted and grumbled, "Rinshu, why are you like this? I came to find you because I thought there were some interesting things going on here, and you really don't appreciate it!"

"There's nothing interesting here," Rin said casually, then continued walking forward.

"Come on, I can sense that there's a faint connection between this place and the realm of rebirth."

"..."

"Tell me about it. If it's interesting, I might be able to help you, wouldn't I?"

"Hehe," Lin Shu stopped in his tracks, looked at Wan Qing with a helpless expression, sighed, and said, "As long as you promise not to cause any trouble, I'll tell you."

"Hehe, wouldn't it have been better to do this earlier? I promise." As she spoke, Wanqing even saluted Linshu.

"To polish some wandering souls." With that, Rin took out a soul bead from his waist and placed it in his hand. Before long, the soul bead transformed into a soul lamp, with a ray of light at the top of the lamp connecting to the unseen heavens.

"A Rebirth Lamp?" Wanqing examined the lamp with a puzzled look.

"Not entirely," Lin Shu shook his head and explained, "It did indeed fuse with fragments of the Rebirth Realm, but it merely sent the souls that vanished within the Soul Lamp back to the Rebirth Realm. As you know, I never interfere with the laws governing the rebirth of souls. As for the origin of the souls, it's all due to some fortuitous encounters."

"Opportunity?"

"In countless worlds, people die all the time. The souls of those who are completely dead are scattered by the world, while the stronger ones are taken in by the realm of the dead. What I'm dealing with are those souls that are half-dead."

"Those who are teetering on the brink of collapse, their souls about to leave their bodies?"

"Yes, through divination, I know who absolutely cannot survive; their souls are destined to dissipate. And of these people who cannot survive, I will select some and place them into this soul lamp."

"Why put it in there? For alchemy?"

"No," Lin Shu shook his head, then said, "Raising Gu. Those that conform to my will, I will grant them the right to be reborn."

"Resurrection? Are you really that boring, offering to revive people for free? Please, I thought you'd be more interesting."

"Who told you they were resurrected?" Upon hearing Wanqing's words, Lin Shu revealed a maniacal smile. "They didn't return to their original world, but to the Thousand Realms."