Lin Xiao seemed like a robot that had undergone the most rigorous programming. After exchanging greetings with Bai Lixin, he walked to the other bed and sat down.
There was no emotion in his eyes, and they seemed to only serve the purpose of receiving light from the outside world.
He sat down in a still posture, his gaze numbly fixed on the metal door, blinking only once every ten seconds.
If Bai Lixin didn’t speak, he could probably maintain this position for the entire night.
“Lin Xiao, although it might be a bit impolite, what role are you currently playing here? A player? Orderly? Or…” Bai Lixin paused, “an NPC?”
Lin Xiao’s statue-like body turned slightly. With emotionless eyes, he glanced at Bai Lixin and replied coolly, “Player.”
Bai Lixin: “Oh.”
The air fell silent again.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, Bai Lixin spoke again, “What does ‘Orderly’ mean?”
If Lin Xiao’s voice had a bit more of an electronic tone, he would have sounded like an emotionless announcement machine. “Orderly, you can understand it as a corrector. When the atmosphere inside a copy becomes too chaotic, an Orderly appears to maintain stability. You can think of it as a defoamer. When the copy begins to bubble up like foam, the Orderly appears to eliminate such bubbles.”
Bai Lixin: “Is your existence a secret? It seems like no one knows about Orderlies.”
Lin Xiao paused in the cold prison cell for several seconds. “An orderly doesn’t need to appear in anyone’s memory.”
“You appeared in the Mermaid Laboratory copy. Did that copy also experience chaos? When you say the atmosphere is too chaotic, what does that mean?”
“Atmosphere refers to the murky gas and inherent essence enveloping the copy. If the copy’s core is contaminated with too many impurities, it will completely deteriorate. I appeared in the Mermaid Laboratory copy because it was on the verge of destruction.”
“Then the fact that you appear in this copy now means that the atmosphere of this copy has also become chaotic?”
Lin Xiao remained silent.
Bai Lixin silently waited for Lin Xiao’s response. However, after a long wait, it seemed Lin Xiao had no intention of speaking.
———————————-
In the live broadcast room
[Finally found God Xin’s livestream. How long has it been going on?]
[It’s been two hours already. Too bad, you missed the most exciting scenes at the beginning.]
[Wide-eyed.jpg, exciting scenes?! What exciting scenes?!]
[Don’t listen to him, what exciting scenes? Can God Xin being bound and whipped be called an exciting scene?]
[??? Brother, if you say that, I suddenly feel energized. God Xin actually got beaten?!]
[Hey, why is my signal so bad? Can you guys hear what God Xin and that person are talking about? Mine has been “crackling” the whole time, I can’t hear anything.]
[Huh, I thought it was just my dorm’s bad signal. Turns out it’s not just mine that’s messed up.]
[I can’t hear either.]
[Seems like no one can hear, this damn game is becoming more and more pirated. Even the livestream is stuck, trash game.]
——————————–
Seeing Lin Xiao’s lack of response, Bai Lixin didn’t ask any more questions.
He closed his eyes, and sank his consciousness into the system.
Bai Lixin: [Eight people simultaneously accused me, what’s the situation?]
The Escape System sounded somewhat puzzled: [I’m not sure about this, Master Bai Lixin. There’s no such setting in the game. According to the normal game setup, you and the other nineteen are suspects, but there’s no substantial evidence. At the start of the copy, you shouldn’t be in prison; you should be in the museum, and investigate the museum step by step to find the real thief.]
[But now you’re in prison.]
Bai Lixin: [Yes, I’m in prison now. So, is the actual game location in the museum?]
Escape System: [Yes, Master Bai Lixin, you need to leave here. Let me see if I can report the information of those eight people who accused you.]
After the system’s voice disappeared for about ten seconds, it spoke again with a hint of peculiarity: [Master Bai Lixin, I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?]
Bai Lixin chuckled: [It will all come to me, and there’s actually good news? Well, tell me the good news first to lift my spirits.]
System: [The good news is that I found the information of those who accused you.]
[The number of people in this copy is ten. Apart from you and the player named Lin Xiao, the other eight can move freely. The ones accusing you are the other eight players.]
Bai Lixin: […]
This news wasn’t surprising to him. It seemed that aside from Lin Xiao, the other eight were members of the Shentian Guild Alliance.
He raised his eyes lazily and glanced at the man sitting quietly on the neighboring bed.
Lin Xiao had a special status and probably had priority access to the copy. If it weren’t for Lin Xiao joining, there wouldn’t be eight people accusing him; it would be nine.
But logically, this didn’t seem like good news for him, right?
Bai Lixin: [What about the bad news?]
Escape System: [The bad news is that the clues in the museum have been destroyed. There’s no concrete evidence proving you’re the thief, but there’s also no evidence proving you’re not. Until you can prove your innocence, you can’t leave here. But if you want to prove your innocence, you need to leave. It’s a paradox.]
[…] Bai Lixin’s chin gestured towards Lin Xiao: [How did he get in again?]
Escape System: [He showed disrespect to the museum’s police officers, kicked a security guard, got detained for a night, and will be released early tomorrow.]
Bai Lixin felt a dull pain in his head after hearing this: [So, I’m the only one who got detained?]
The Escape System hesitated for a moment but was honest: [Yes, Master Bai Lixin.]
[Hehe.] Bai Lixin let out a low laugh from his throat, [Very well.] They had successfully provoked him.
Escape System shrunk its neck: [Brother, Master Bai Lixin’s laughter is a bit chilling.]
S419: [I think it’s not chilling when he laughs; he probably wants to kill someone now.]
Escape System: […]
After laughing, Bai Lixin made a shocking statement: [I’m planning to escape.]
Escape System: [Master Bai Lixin, please think twice. Escaping now would only solidify you as the suspect. You won’t have a way out.]
Bai Lixin: [What does it matter? As long as I have five days of freedom and can find the real culprit within those five days. This isn’t the real world; it’s a game copy. Is there any other way for me to get out of here?]
There was the sound of hurried footsteps outside, followed by the hurried and flustered respectful voices of the guards: “Warden, you’ve arrived.” The three words were not particularly loud, but they instantly quieted the previously noisy prison.
The air fell into a deathly silence. The inmates who had been wailing just moments ago seemed to close the dam gate on a rushing river in an instant, their voices disappearing without a trace.
The crisp tapping of hard leather shoes echoed in this excessively quiet and dim space.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The footsteps were clear but unusually heavy.
In this now eerily quiet air, the “Warden” seemed like a terrifying beast, exerting a breath of horror that oppressed every nook and cranny. Bai Lixin curiously looked out, and even Lin Xiao, who had been numb, raised his eyelids.
The footsteps drew nearer.
In the end, a pair of glossy black leather boots and a perfectly straight black trouser leg appeared in Bai Lixin’s sight.
Bai Lixin followed the gaze along the trouser leg, slowly moving upward, and a heavy black felt coat caught his eye.
It was a man estimated to be around 1.9 meters tall.
He wore a black uniform that differed slightly from the other guards, and the leather belt and harness under the coat emitted a few cold white glints. Over the black military uniform, the man casually wore a black felt military coat. The insignia on his broad shoulders and the medals hanging on the coat all displayed the man’s outstanding achievements.
Under the black military cap were silver strands of hair, starkly different from the black attire.
The man stopped outside Bai Lixin’s cell, his stern expression showing indifference as his cold silver eyes scanned Bai Lixin and Lin Xiao through the iron bars. “Who is suspected of stealing the crown?”
Bai Lixin and the man locked eyes, and he silently communicated in his mind: [I take back what I said earlier.]
[It seems like I have another way to get out of here.]
S419: [The Lord God never disappoints, always appearing to provide warmth at critical moments.]
Bai Lixin remained non-committal: […]
‘Envy me; my husband has come to rescue me.’
One of the guards answered in a tone more fearful than respectful, “Sir, this person on the right is the suspect.”
The warden glanced at Bai Lixin, and under Bai Lixin’s expectant gaze, said coldly, “Are you treating criminals too gently? Take him out, shackle him, and I will personally interrogate him early tomorrow.”
Bai Lixin: “???”
‘Hello? What happened to providing warmth?’
The man looked at Bai Lixin with indifference, coldly stating through the iron bars, “You may still be unfamiliar with me, but I believe you will have a comprehensive understanding of me in the coming days.”
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dijia Kang Yashar, the overseer of this prison.”
“Tonight is my welcome gift to you. We’ll meet again tomorrow.”
Bai Lixin: “???”
Several guards escorted the aloof and arrogant man away, leaving two guards to open the cell. They pulled Bai Lixin, who had been thrown into the cage not long ago, out again.
One of the guards was a bit more amiable, and kept talking while escorting Bai Lixin.
“You, kid, you really did something big this time.”
“You actually caught Lord Warden’s attention.”
“Kid, I advise you to confess and reveal where the crown is. Stealing a national treasure like the crown could lead to execution at most. Disturbing the Lord Warden will only make your life worse than death.”
“Soon you’ll be begging the Lord Warden to give you a quick death. Instead of enduring so much suffering, you might as well confess now to avoid a miserable existence.”
Seeing that the guard kept talking, Bai Lixin asked along the way, “Who is the Warden, and why does everyone in this prison seem to fear him?”
Guard: “I’ll scare you if I tell you. Have you heard of Black Hell?”
Bai Lixin shook his head, “Never.”
Guard: “I forgot you’re a foreigner. Black Hell is what the people in this country call the Lord Warden. He’s always wearing a black military uniform, and became the enemy’s nightmare on the battlefield years ago. After retiring, he followed the Queen’s orders and took over this prison. Since he too charge of this prison, the previously chaotic criminals were instantly suppressed. This prison has been called Black Hell ever since, and our Warden is the king of this hell.”
“Everything here fears him, even the air and wind tremble in his presence, let alone a weak little pretty boy like you.”
“The Warden hasn’t personally interrogated anyone for a long time. Now, he only follows the Queen’s assignments. The only one who can make him move is the Queen. It seems like the news of you stealing the crown has alarmed Her Majesty. Kid, take care of yourself.”
While they were talking, they had already returned to the interrogation room he was in before. Bai Lixin, who had just been taken out not long ago, was tied up on the cross.
Another guard glanced at Bai Lixin with annoyance, “Damn it, it’s all because of you brat that I can’t sleep tonight. God, I really hope you go to hell after death. It’s such a big sin to disturb someone’s sleep, so hateful.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘If you have the guts, go scold your boss.’
He half-closed his eyes, sinking into his thoughts. Just as he was about to inquire about the museum’s situation from the escape system, a basin of cold water poured down from above without warning.
The cold water instantly made his scalp shrink and numb entirely. It then swiftly flowed down his neck, running through his entire body.
A needle-like sting came from the not-yet-healed wounds. Bai Lixin frowned, and opened his eyes to see a guard coldly looking at him while holding an empty bucket. “No closing your eyes, no sleeping. I stayed up all night watching you, and you still want to sleep? You’ve got it backward.”
The cold water soaked his already muddy clothes. Though not very painful, the dampness on his wounds created an irritating sensation, like ants continuously biting him, making it uncomfortable.
Ignoring this discomfort, Bai Lixin didn’t close his eyes this time but instead kept them open, sinking his consciousness into the depths of his mind.
[Sister System, can I know what happened in those ten minutes?]
The escape system’s voice was now docile and gentle: [Certainly, Master Bai Lixin. Since there’s no video footage, I can only describe the situation to you through narration.]
[In the Imperial Capital Museum, precious national relics are displayed. This museum attracts many visitors each year, and yesterday was no exception.]
[Because the items in the museum are genuine, protecting each piece from theft is of utmost importance. Therefore, this museum has what is known as the most stringent anti-theft system in the country.]
[Due to the less advanced technological development of this era, surveillance cameras have not yet appeared. However, electronic devices like cameras, steam-powered trains, and camcorders have emerged.]
[The museum has a total of five floors of exhibition areas, each with vigilant patrol personnel.]
[The crown, as the treasure of this museum, is displayed on the third floor. This floor is divided into four semi-partitioned exhibition rooms.]
[Two patrol personnel are stationed in each exhibition room, and they rotate every two hours. However, yesterday at ten in the morning, there was a problem with the shift change.]
[The previous set of patrol personnel left, but the next set was ten minutes late. When the second set of patrol personnel appeared, the Kiss of the Sun was already missing.]
[During these ten minutes, a total of twenty people were seen in this exhibition area, and you were one of them.]
[That’s roughly the situation. I don’t have images here due to the limitations of this copy’s background era.]
[Only ten people were taken in for questioning, and eventually, you were identified as the suspect. The others were temporarily released, but until the crown is found, their suspicion has not been cleared, and their actions are monitored. At least, their movements are not restricted.]
[Only you were locked up.]
Bai Lixin: [… You don’t have to emphasize every time that only I was locked up.]
Escape System: [Uh, sorry, Master Bai Lixin, I just feel your situation is quite deserving of sympathy.]
Bai Lixin: [Are those eight cooperating now to find the real suspect?]
Escape System: [Yes, Master Bai Lixin, they’ve started their tasks now.]
It hesitated for two seconds: [Master Bai Lixin, don’t be sad. How about I sing you ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ to cheer you up?]
Bai Lixin: “…”
Was the situation so miserable that even the escape system sympathized with him?
Unlucky constitution, game black hole, player sniping – was there anything unluckier?
Yes.
His old gong didn’t care.
The old gong this time was so powerful and stood tall, will he also torment his wife?
A cold glint appeared in Bai Lixin’s eyes.
But that would be a challenge for him.
————–
In the live broadcast room
[Hmm, I’m a bit confused. Can someone explain to me? So, is the big boss going to torment his wife right from the start this time?]
[The character of the big boss this time is quite intense, it’s so dark.]
[The prison clothes, the bondage, and the chains. I really want to say this is my XP, but now I can only feel sorry for God Xin. Wuuu, my poor God Xin.]
[God Xin now has the words “beauty, strong and miserable” on his forehead. Although I want to feel sorry for him, doesn’t he look appealing like this? This sense of brokenness, this messy humiliation, who wouldn’t scream after seeing it?]
[Can I see the scene of the big boss interrogating God Xin alone in my lifetime?]
[Enough, my radar has already started flashing.]
[Why do I feel that, according to the previous pattern of getting along, God Xin will end up pinning the big boss against the wall during the solo interrogation?]
[No, I feel the big boss in this copy is really tough, he’ll definitely stand tall this time.]
[Big boss, you’re the big boss. Whether we can see stimulating scenes depends entirely on you.]
[…By the way, shouldn’t your focus be on the fact that God Xin is being targeted? Besides, the other eight have already started searching for clues. Why is the atmosphere in this livestream room still so lively and romantic?]
[Uh, sorry, it’s a habit. Mainly, God Xin’s livestream room always makes us feel exhilarated. We just enjoy it, so we speak freely. Although I haven’t chatted with God Xin face to face, in the livestream room, we’re all God Xin’s natal family.]
[I haven’t seen God Xin’s livestream for over half a month. The child is almost going crazy without God Xin’s company. How can the child live without God Xin in the future?]
———————————
The heavy metal door was pushed open, and a harsh “creak” broke the cold silence of the dark room.
The interrogation room had no windows, and the pitch-black room was illuminated only by a desk lamp on the interrogation table.
A man in a felt military coat walked into the interrogation room. Under the thick white smoke was the young man’s excessively fair face.
The young man’s cheeks were tinged with an unhealthy red, and his eyes had a hint of redness His face was almost as white as paper, and he emitted a series of muffled coughs one after another.
The man’s brow remained unchanged, but his eyes shifted to the interrogator who stood up straight and panicked.
The interrogator hurriedly put out the refreshing cigarette in his hand, lowered his head in fear and said respectfully: “Sir, why are you here so early?”
There was a flash of disgust in the man’s eyes, and his gaze slowly moved from the top of the interrogator’s head and landed once again on the young man on the cross. “Did you smoke?”
“Ahem, ahem, ahem.”
The young man’s suppressed coughs were like the meows of a kitten, weak and hoarse, echoing in his ears one after another.
A layer of cold sweat broke out on the interrogator’s forehead, and he explained in a panic, “Sir, I-I’m s-sorry, I smoke to stay alert.”
The man: “If you can’t even manage your own mind, are you qualified to manage this prison?”
The interrogator shuddered, and pulled his shoulders back, “Yes, sir, you’re right.”
The man’s voice remained as calm as a straight line. “Seek punishment for yourself.”
The interrogator’s face instantly turned pale, and he looked at the man with fear, “Sir…I understand.”
As it was a sealed space, the smoke residue in the room couldn’t dissipate. The rich smoke made the young man continue coughing.
His suppressed coughing made his face continuously blush, and every cough made him seem to fall apart.
After the interrogator left, the man remained silent for two seconds before instructing, “Get him down and take him to my office. Also, summon the doctor.”
Lin Xiao seemed like a robot that had undergone the most rigorous programming. After exchanging greetings with Bai Lixin, he walked to the other bed and sat down.
There was no emotion in his eyes, and they seemed to only serve the purpose of receiving light from the outside world.
He sat down in a still posture, his gaze numbly fixed on the metal door, blinking only once every ten seconds.
If Bai Lixin didn’t speak, he could probably maintain this position for the entire night.
“Lin Xiao, although it might be a bit impolite, what role are you currently playing here? A player? Orderly? Or…” Bai Lixin paused, “an NPC?”
Lin Xiao’s statue-like body turned slightly. With emotionless eyes, he glanced at Bai Lixin and replied coolly, “Player.”
Bai Lixin: “Oh.”
The air fell silent again.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, Bai Lixin spoke again, “What does ‘Orderly’ mean?”
If Lin Xiao’s voice had a bit more of an electronic tone, he would have sounded like an emotionless announcement machine. “Orderly, you can understand it as a corrector. When the atmosphere inside a copy becomes too chaotic, an Orderly appears to maintain stability. You can think of it as a defoamer. When the copy begins to bubble up like foam, the Orderly appears to eliminate such bubbles.”
Bai Lixin: “Is your existence a secret? It seems like no one knows about Orderlies.”
Lin Xiao paused in the cold prison cell for several seconds. “An orderly doesn’t need to appear in anyone’s memory.”
“You appeared in the Mermaid Laboratory copy. Did that copy also experience chaos? When you say the atmosphere is too chaotic, what does that mean?”
“Atmosphere refers to the murky gas and inherent essence enveloping the copy. If the copy’s core is contaminated with too many impurities, it will completely deteriorate. I appeared in the Mermaid Laboratory copy because it was on the verge of destruction.”
“Then the fact that you appear in this copy now means that the atmosphere of this copy has also become chaotic?”
Lin Xiao remained silent.
Bai Lixin silently waited for Lin Xiao’s response. However, after a long wait, it seemed Lin Xiao had no intention of speaking.
———————————-
In the live broadcast room
[Finally found God Xin’s livestream. How long has it been going on?]
[It’s been two hours already. Too bad, you missed the most exciting scenes at the beginning.]
[Wide-eyed.jpg, exciting scenes?! What exciting scenes?!]
[Don’t listen to him, what exciting scenes? Can God Xin being bound and whipped be called an exciting scene?]
[??? Brother, if you say that, I suddenly feel energized. God Xin actually got beaten?!]
[Hey, why is my signal so bad? Can you guys hear what God Xin and that person are talking about? Mine has been “crackling” the whole time, I can’t hear anything.]
[Huh, I thought it was just my dorm’s bad signal. Turns out it’s not just mine that’s messed up.]
[I can’t hear either.]
[Seems like no one can hear, this damn game is becoming more and more pirated. Even the livestream is stuck, trash game.]
——————————–
Seeing Lin Xiao’s lack of response, Bai Lixin didn’t ask any more questions.
He closed his eyes, and sank his consciousness into the system.
Bai Lixin: [Eight people simultaneously accused me, what’s the situation?]
The Escape System sounded somewhat puzzled: [I’m not sure about this, Master Bai Lixin. There’s no such setting in the game. According to the normal game setup, you and the other nineteen are suspects, but there’s no substantial evidence. At the start of the copy, you shouldn’t be in prison; you should be in the museum, and investigate the museum step by step to find the real thief.]
[But now you’re in prison.]
Bai Lixin: [Yes, I’m in prison now. So, is the actual game location in the museum?]
Escape System: [Yes, Master Bai Lixin, you need to leave here. Let me see if I can report the information of those eight people who accused you.]
After the system’s voice disappeared for about ten seconds, it spoke again with a hint of peculiarity: [Master Bai Lixin, I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?]
Bai Lixin chuckled: [It will all come to me, and there’s actually good news? Well, tell me the good news first to lift my spirits.]
System: [The good news is that I found the information of those who accused you.]
[The number of people in this copy is ten. Apart from you and the player named Lin Xiao, the other eight can move freely. The ones accusing you are the other eight players.]
Bai Lixin: […]
This news wasn’t surprising to him. It seemed that aside from Lin Xiao, the other eight were members of the Shentian Guild Alliance.
He raised his eyes lazily and glanced at the man sitting quietly on the neighboring bed.
Lin Xiao had a special status and probably had priority access to the copy. If it weren’t for Lin Xiao joining, there wouldn’t be eight people accusing him; it would be nine.
But logically, this didn’t seem like good news for him, right?
Bai Lixin: [What about the bad news?]
Escape System: [The bad news is that the clues in the museum have been destroyed. There’s no concrete evidence proving you’re the thief, but there’s also no evidence proving you’re not. Until you can prove your innocence, you can’t leave here. But if you want to prove your innocence, you need to leave. It’s a paradox.]
[…] Bai Lixin’s chin gestured towards Lin Xiao: [How did he get in again?]
Escape System: [He showed disrespect to the museum’s police officers, kicked a security guard, got detained for a night, and will be released early tomorrow.]
Bai Lixin felt a dull pain in his head after hearing this: [So, I’m the only one who got detained?]
The Escape System hesitated for a moment but was honest: [Yes, Master Bai Lixin.]
[Hehe.] Bai Lixin let out a low laugh from his throat, [Very well.] They had successfully provoked him.
Escape System shrunk its neck: [Brother, Master Bai Lixin’s laughter is a bit chilling.]
S419: [I think it’s not chilling when he laughs; he probably wants to kill someone now.]
Escape System: […]
After laughing, Bai Lixin made a shocking statement: [I’m planning to escape.]
Escape System: [Master Bai Lixin, please think twice. Escaping now would only solidify you as the suspect. You won’t have a way out.]
Bai Lixin: [What does it matter? As long as I have five days of freedom and can find the real culprit within those five days. This isn’t the real world; it’s a game copy. Is there any other way for me to get out of here?]
There was the sound of hurried footsteps outside, followed by the hurried and flustered respectful voices of the guards: “Warden, you’ve arrived.” The three words were not particularly loud, but they instantly quieted the previously noisy prison.
The air fell into a deathly silence. The inmates who had been wailing just moments ago seemed to close the dam gate on a rushing river in an instant, their voices disappearing without a trace.
The crisp tapping of hard leather shoes echoed in this excessively quiet and dim space.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The footsteps were clear but unusually heavy.
In this now eerily quiet air, the “Warden” seemed like a terrifying beast, exerting a breath of horror that oppressed every nook and cranny. Bai Lixin curiously looked out, and even Lin Xiao, who had been numb, raised his eyelids.
The footsteps drew nearer.
In the end, a pair of glossy black leather boots and a perfectly straight black trouser leg appeared in Bai Lixin’s sight.
Bai Lixin followed the gaze along the trouser leg, slowly moving upward, and a heavy black felt coat caught his eye.
It was a man estimated to be around 1.9 meters tall.
He wore a black uniform that differed slightly from the other guards, and the leather belt and harness under the coat emitted a few cold white glints. Over the black military uniform, the man casually wore a black felt military coat. The insignia on his broad shoulders and the medals hanging on the coat all displayed the man’s outstanding achievements.
Under the black military cap were silver strands of hair, starkly different from the black attire.
The man stopped outside Bai Lixin’s cell, his stern expression showing indifference as his cold silver eyes scanned Bai Lixin and Lin Xiao through the iron bars. “Who is suspected of stealing the crown?”
Bai Lixin and the man locked eyes, and he silently communicated in his mind: [I take back what I said earlier.]
[It seems like I have another way to get out of here.]
S419: [The Lord God never disappoints, always appearing to provide warmth at critical moments.]
Bai Lixin remained non-committal: […]
‘Envy me; my husband has come to rescue me.’
One of the guards answered in a tone more fearful than respectful, “Sir, this person on the right is the suspect.”
The warden glanced at Bai Lixin, and under Bai Lixin’s expectant gaze, said coldly, “Are you treating criminals too gently? Take him out, shackle him, and I will personally interrogate him early tomorrow.”
Bai Lixin: “???”
‘Hello? What happened to providing warmth?’
The man looked at Bai Lixin with indifference, coldly stating through the iron bars, “You may still be unfamiliar with me, but I believe you will have a comprehensive understanding of me in the coming days.”
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dijia Kang Yashar, the overseer of this prison.”
“Tonight is my welcome gift to you. We’ll meet again tomorrow.”
Bai Lixin: “???”
Several guards escorted the aloof and arrogant man away, leaving two guards to open the cell. They pulled Bai Lixin, who had been thrown into the cage not long ago, out again.
One of the guards was a bit more amiable, and kept talking while escorting Bai Lixin.
“You, kid, you really did something big this time.”
“You actually caught Lord Warden’s attention.”
“Kid, I advise you to confess and reveal where the crown is. Stealing a national treasure like the crown could lead to execution at most. Disturbing the Lord Warden will only make your life worse than death.”
“Soon you’ll be begging the Lord Warden to give you a quick death. Instead of enduring so much suffering, you might as well confess now to avoid a miserable existence.”
Seeing that the guard kept talking, Bai Lixin asked along the way, “Who is the Warden, and why does everyone in this prison seem to fear him?”
Guard: “I’ll scare you if I tell you. Have you heard of Black Hell?”
Bai Lixin shook his head, “Never.”
Guard: “I forgot you’re a foreigner. Black Hell is what the people in this country call the Lord Warden. He’s always wearing a black military uniform, and became the enemy’s nightmare on the battlefield years ago. After retiring, he followed the Queen’s orders and took over this prison. Since he too charge of this prison, the previously chaotic criminals were instantly suppressed. This prison has been called Black Hell ever since, and our Warden is the king of this hell.”
“Everything here fears him, even the air and wind tremble in his presence, let alone a weak little pretty boy like you.”
“The Warden hasn’t personally interrogated anyone for a long time. Now, he only follows the Queen’s assignments. The only one who can make him move is the Queen. It seems like the news of you stealing the crown has alarmed Her Majesty. Kid, take care of yourself.”
While they were talking, they had already returned to the interrogation room he was in before. Bai Lixin, who had just been taken out not long ago, was tied up on the cross.
Another guard glanced at Bai Lixin with annoyance, “Damn it, it’s all because of you brat that I can’t sleep tonight. God, I really hope you go to hell after death. It’s such a big sin to disturb someone’s sleep, so hateful.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
‘If you have the guts, go scold your boss.’
He half-closed his eyes, sinking into his thoughts. Just as he was about to inquire about the museum’s situation from the escape system, a basin of cold water poured down from above without warning.
The cold water instantly made his scalp shrink and numb entirely. It then swiftly flowed down his neck, running through his entire body.
A needle-like sting came from the not-yet-healed wounds. Bai Lixin frowned, and opened his eyes to see a guard coldly looking at him while holding an empty bucket. “No closing your eyes, no sleeping. I stayed up all night watching you, and you still want to sleep? You’ve got it backward.”
The cold water soaked his already muddy clothes. Though not very painful, the dampness on his wounds created an irritating sensation, like ants continuously biting him, making it uncomfortable.
Ignoring this discomfort, Bai Lixin didn’t close his eyes this time but instead kept them open, sinking his consciousness into the depths of his mind.
[Sister System, can I know what happened in those ten minutes?]
The escape system’s voice was now docile and gentle: [Certainly, Master Bai Lixin. Since there’s no video footage, I can only describe the situation to you through narration.]
[In the Imperial Capital Museum, precious national relics are displayed. This museum attracts many visitors each year, and yesterday was no exception.]
[Because the items in the museum are genuine, protecting each piece from theft is of utmost importance. Therefore, this museum has what is known as the most stringent anti-theft system in the country.]
[Due to the less advanced technological development of this era, surveillance cameras have not yet appeared. However, electronic devices like cameras, steam-powered trains, and camcorders have emerged.]
[The museum has a total of five floors of exhibition areas, each with vigilant patrol personnel.]
[The crown, as the treasure of this museum, is displayed on the third floor. This floor is divided into four semi-partitioned exhibition rooms.]
[Two patrol personnel are stationed in each exhibition room, and they rotate every two hours. However, yesterday at ten in the morning, there was a problem with the shift change.]
[The previous set of patrol personnel left, but the next set was ten minutes late. When the second set of patrol personnel appeared, the Kiss of the Sun was already missing.]
[During these ten minutes, a total of twenty people were seen in this exhibition area, and you were one of them.]
[That’s roughly the situation. I don’t have images here due to the limitations of this copy’s background era.]
[Only ten people were taken in for questioning, and eventually, you were identified as the suspect. The others were temporarily released, but until the crown is found, their suspicion has not been cleared, and their actions are monitored. At least, their movements are not restricted.]
[Only you were locked up.]
Bai Lixin: [… You don’t have to emphasize every time that only I was locked up.]
Escape System: [Uh, sorry, Master Bai Lixin, I just feel your situation is quite deserving of sympathy.]
Bai Lixin: [Are those eight cooperating now to find the real suspect?]
Escape System: [Yes, Master Bai Lixin, they’ve started their tasks now.]
It hesitated for two seconds: [Master Bai Lixin, don’t be sad. How about I sing you ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ to cheer you up?]
Bai Lixin: “…”
Was the situation so miserable that even the escape system sympathized with him?
Unlucky constitution, game black hole, player sniping – was there anything unluckier?
Yes.
His old gong didn’t care.
The old gong this time was so powerful and stood tall, will he also torment his wife?
A cold glint appeared in Bai Lixin’s eyes.
But that would be a challenge for him.
————–
In the live broadcast room
[Hmm, I’m a bit confused. Can someone explain to me? So, is the big boss going to torment his wife right from the start this time?]
[The character of the big boss this time is quite intense, it’s so dark.]
[The prison clothes, the bondage, and the chains. I really want to say this is my XP, but now I can only feel sorry for God Xin. Wuuu, my poor God Xin.]
[God Xin now has the words “beauty, strong and miserable” on his forehead. Although I want to feel sorry for him, doesn’t he look appealing like this? This sense of brokenness, this messy humiliation, who wouldn’t scream after seeing it?]
[Can I see the scene of the big boss interrogating God Xin alone in my lifetime?]
[Enough, my radar has already started flashing.]
[Why do I feel that, according to the previous pattern of getting along, God Xin will end up pinning the big boss against the wall during the solo interrogation?]
[No, I feel the big boss in this copy is really tough, he’ll definitely stand tall this time.]
[Big boss, you’re the big boss. Whether we can see stimulating scenes depends entirely on you.]
[…By the way, shouldn’t your focus be on the fact that God Xin is being targeted? Besides, the other eight have already started searching for clues. Why is the atmosphere in this livestream room still so lively and romantic?]
[Uh, sorry, it’s a habit. Mainly, God Xin’s livestream room always makes us feel exhilarated. We just enjoy it, so we speak freely. Although I haven’t chatted with God Xin face to face, in the livestream room, we’re all God Xin’s natal family.]
[I haven’t seen God Xin’s livestream for over half a month. The child is almost going crazy without God Xin’s company. How can the child live without God Xin in the future?]
———————————
The heavy metal door was pushed open, and a harsh “creak” broke the cold silence of the dark room.
The interrogation room had no windows, and the pitch-black room was illuminated only by a desk lamp on the interrogation table.
A man in a felt military coat walked into the interrogation room. Under the thick white smoke was the young man’s excessively fair face.
The young man’s cheeks were tinged with an unhealthy red, and his eyes had a hint of redness His face was almost as white as paper, and he emitted a series of muffled coughs one after another.
The man’s brow remained unchanged, but his eyes shifted to the interrogator who stood up straight and panicked.
The interrogator hurriedly put out the refreshing cigarette in his hand, lowered his head in fear and said respectfully: “Sir, why are you here so early?”
There was a flash of disgust in the man’s eyes, and his gaze slowly moved from the top of the interrogator’s head and landed once again on the young man on the cross. “Did you smoke?”
“Ahem, ahem, ahem.”
The young man’s suppressed coughs were like the meows of a kitten, weak and hoarse, echoing in his ears one after another.
A layer of cold sweat broke out on the interrogator’s forehead, and he explained in a panic, “Sir, I-I’m s-sorry, I smoke to stay alert.”
The man: “If you can’t even manage your own mind, are you qualified to manage this prison?”
The interrogator shuddered, and pulled his shoulders back, “Yes, sir, you’re right.”
The man’s voice remained as calm as a straight line. “Seek punishment for yourself.”
The interrogator’s face instantly turned pale, and he looked at the man with fear, “Sir…I understand.”
As it was a sealed space, the smoke residue in the room couldn’t dissipate. The rich smoke made the young man continue coughing.
His suppressed coughing made his face continuously blush, and every cough made him seem to fall apart.
After the interrogator left, the man remained silent for two seconds before instructing, “Get him down and take him to my office. Also, summon the doctor.”
