Ling Xiao suddenly asked Tang Xin, "Last night, when you and Fei Xueying kicked the door open and rushed in, did you see her face?"
Tang Xin shook her head. "Her hair was long and dense, completely covering her face."
Ning Su immediately understood why Ling Xiao was asking this.
It seemed Ling Xiao hadn’t seen the face of the woman from room 612 last night, either.
Twice they entered the room, and both times she remained motionless with her back to them. Moving around the doorway, they could only glimpse the line of her jaw.
Even last night, when they purposely went to see if she showed any signs of becoming a Desire Monster, they still couldn't see her face.
Ling Xiao said, "It seems we’ll have to go again tonight."
At eight-thirty, Uncle Li shooed them out of the cafeteria.
When Ning Su went to ask him for bags to pack some steamed buns, the two children followed him. They saw Uncle Li’s granddaughter, the little girl, washing a huge pile of bowls, chopsticks, and trays.
Gui Sheng said, "I can wash them!"
Ning Su: "…"
It suddenly occurred to him that in the <Flower Servant> dungeon, Gui Sheng had indeed worked washing dishes at a shady restaurant.
Even though he’d lost a few fingers in the process, washed away to who-knows-where, and had been cheated by the boss for not knowing how to count, he had genuinely honed a skill for washing dishes.
Manman said, "I can do it too. I can help this sister wash."
Ning Su blinked and said, "Uncle Li, they really know how. Could they stay here and wash dishes for you, and in exchange, you could feed them?"
Uncle Li said angrily, "They’re so little, and you’re having them wash dishes already?!"
Ning Su: "Mainly, staying cooped up in such a tiny room isn’t good for them either. If they help you wash dishes, you give them meals, and let them study here too, is that okay?"
In this dungeon, they would be dealing with Desire Monsters. Aside from Room 612’s woman and desires related to sex, there would certainly be other desires not suitable for discussion in front of children.
The cramped, dim pigeonhole rooms in the tube building really weren’t fit for children either. In contrast, the cafeteria, with its large windows overlooking lush green tree branches, was much more suitable.
Of course, Ning Su had other selfish reasons too.
For one, they really didn’t have money for food.
Also, with the two children here building rapport, it might be easier for him to get information from Uncle Li later.
After some back-and-forth, Uncle Li reluctantly agreed.
The two children stayed right there.
Their somewhat heartless mother waved his hand and said, "No need to come upstairs. I’ll bring your textbooks at noon and teach you then!"
Qin Wu, waiting for him outside, said to Ling Xiao, "Your roommate is not ordinary. I’ve never seen a newcomer like this before."
Especially when he refuted their claim about the desires of the woman in Room 612 not necessarily being sexual desire, Qin Wu immediately felt that Ning Su was not simple.
Qin Wu said, "You need to be careful."
He was reminding Ling Xiao to have some guard up.
This was a very normal thing to do.
But Ling Xiao replied, "That might be a bit difficult."
Qin Wu: "?"
He looked at Ling Xiao incredulously, only to see Ling Xiao's dark eyes fixed on the young man's… chest?
The other players hadn’t left either. They gathered under the old elm tree next to the cafeteria, exchanging information they had gathered that morning.
Ning Su went over and listened in for a while.
"This is too hard. Every time I mention her, those people immediately think of that. All I found out is that her name is Xue Fei, and she’s 25 years old."
"It seems like she wasn't originally living in this apartment building. She moved here later."
"I heard... at least half of the men in this building have probably slept with her. Many of the women who comfort other women don't even know that their husbands or sons have been to Room 612."
The players fell silent for a moment, unsure of how to feel.
When they saw Ning Su, they all asked him to share what he knew.
They had all seen the woman deliver breakfast to Ning Su and assumed he might have some information.
But Ning Su really didn’t have any concrete information about her.
He only mentioned that Xue Fei’s desire might not be sexual desire and said he wanted to see her face at night.
The tattooed man said, "We have to wait until night again? Day after day, it’s already the fifth day, and we haven’t eliminated a single Desire Monster!"
Many others felt the same way.
The dungeon had a time limit of 30 days, and each person needed to eliminate 10 Desire Monsters within that time. Four days had already passed, and they hadn’t even eliminated one. They were already anxious, and after witnessing the terror of an unkillable Desire Monster last night, their anxiety deepened even further.
Hearing Ning Su say they would have to wait until night again made it hard for them not to feel impatient and frustrated.
Ling Xiao lifted his eyelids and said, "You are free to take action on your own."
His single sentence silenced all the complaints.
While walking upstairs, Ning Su said, "Nothing happened in the first three days of the dungeon. It takes time to figure out the first Desire Monster. It feels like the dungeon is deliberately making players anxious, doesn’t it?"
Ling Xiao nodded. "That's possible."
Qin Wu was a bit puzzled. "What's the point of creating anxiety among players?"
Ning Su replied, "Figure it out yourself."
Qin Wu: "..."
Don't hold a grudge like this.
Wasn't it enough that he publicly said Ning Su claimed Ling Xiao liked men?
Didn't we settle the score already?
Ning Su said, "Did you think I didn't hear you telling Ling Xiao to be careful of me?"
Qin Wu: "..."
What kind of ears does he have?
Are new players these days this terrifying?
Ning Su didn't tell Qin Wu not because he held a grudge—though he did remember it a little, he didn't dislike Qin Wu.
He didn't say anything because he hadn’t fully figured out this instance yet.
From what he could see so far, the Desire Monsters were not easy to eliminate.
The instance task was clear: judge and eliminate ten Desire Monsters.
Before entering this world, Ling Xiao had told him it was a rather difficult instance. When he described it as difficult, did it only mean the Desire Monsters were hard to eliminate?
Ning Su wasn't sure, so the more anxious the other players became, the more he had to stay calm and take things step by step.
Unlike Ning Su, the other players couldn't remain so composed. That same day, they all tried to find ways to gather information about Room 612's Xue Fei.
But it was a bit difficult. Even during the day, the doors in the tube building remained tightly shut.
The main gates were sealed, and the world was starting to feel chaotic. Everyone knew about the existence of ghosts and monsters. It was fine to chat in the cafeteria, but no one wanted to open their door when someone came knocking.
Several players had no choice but to follow Ning Su and the others during their nighttime activities.
In situations like these, the two female players were the most capable contributors, and they were willing to cooperate.
However, Tang Xin said, "If Xue Fei’s desire isn't carnal, then it should be fine for male players to enter too."
Qin Wu immediately added, "Ning Su was the one who said Xue Fei’s desire isn't carnal—let him go with you!"
"?"
Ning Su and Ling Xiao looked at Qin Wu at the same time.
"Alright." Ning Su said: "I actually want to see it too."
He had only ever seen Xue Fei's back. Even when her head was removed and her legs were chopped off, she never turned around. Ning Su was very curious.
Jia Yahua: "This is very appropriate. Even if something happens, Xue Fei probably wouldn't hurt Ning Su. She's been decent to him."
Everyone else chimed in in agreement.
The scene from last night of Xue Fei sitting quietly amidst the scattered limbs and debris, with her own limbs and head growing infinitely, had left a terrifying impression on them. Not many dared to recklessly approach her and push aside her hair.
A world where only Ling Xiao had a cold, stern face had been successfully created.
