Chapter 129: Revisiting the Ominous Star, Familiar Faces in Changed Times

Chapter 129: Revisiting the Ominous Star, Familiar Faces in Changed Times

"It's your business if you don’t believe me. I don’t have much time left!"

"Once the Order starts its review, I’m done for."

"Whether that kid is dead or not, I don’t care. All I know is that the Lies Parchment is in our hands now."

"My mission is complete. The rest is up to you!"

The Tiger Player shoved the Lies Parchment into the Dragon Player’s arms.

Only by activating the Dragon Player’s [Plunder] ability could the Wish Privilege of other Zodiacs be used.

So, in the Tiger Player’s hands, it was just a piece of paper good for wiping his ass.

As soon as the Dragon Player held the parchment, the game’s notification echoed in his mind:

"Congratulations, Player. You have successfully activated the Wish Privilege [Plunder]. You have seized the Zodiac [Goat]’s Wish Privilege—[Lies Parchment]."

"Now, commence the final plan."

"You lied, so I had to hurry and issue new orders to deceive all the Supernatural Entities in this instance!"

The Tiger Player turned and left.

The Dragon Player stared at the corpse on the stretcher, frowning. He forced himself to believe the Goat was dead, but a thorn of doubt remained lodged in his heart.

……

……

Deep within the thick fog, Ji Yan walked along a narrow path until the outline of a familiar building came into view.

"Back to where the nightmare began."

"Why does it feel like coming home?"

His heart swelled with emotion.

He had no idea how much the [Crimson Apartment] instance had changed during his absence.

Was Liu Yitong still in the instance?

Had the Landlord, the Instance Boss, kicked the bucket?

As the fog dissipated, Ji Yan stood before the apartment entrance. He inserted the Key into the rusted lock and pushed the door open.

The icy lobby was empty.

A Supernatural Shadow approached soundlessly, its presence eerie.

"Welcome to the Crimson Apartment. May I ask which resident—"

The shadow was none other than the apartment’s butler, the Bandaged Supernatural Entity.

Mid-sentence, it caught sight of Ji Yan’s face and choked on its words, as if staring at an ill omen. Its eyes twitched violently. "You… the kid from Room 404?!"

Ji Yan mused inwardly—was his impression really that strong? Even a Supernatural Entity recognized him instantly.

"Butler, long time no see."

"No, how are you not dead? Wait—how can you even come back?"

The butler’s gaze fell on the Key in Ji Yan’s hand, and understanding dawned. It muttered under its breath, "What rotten luck…"

"Relax, I just missed home. I’ve been thinking of Grandmother and Mother, so I came back for a visit."

"I won’t stay long. I’ll leave soon."

"Why are you looking at me like I’m a jinx?"

Naturally, Ji Yan didn’t mention he was fleeing pursuit from the [Undead Hospital]. Instead, he played the role of a devoted son, waxing poetic about homesickness.

The Bandaged Supernatural Entity scowled. This brat had nearly torn the apartment apart last time—of course it wasn’t pleased. With a dark expression, it turned away, tossing back a warning:

"According to the apartment’s rules, you may only stay for 30 minutes."

"After that, leave on your own. Don’t make me escort you out personally."

Watching the Bandaged Supernatural Entity depart, Ji Yan sighed. "Ah, this place still feels right."

"Neither players nor Supernatural Entities here are half as sharp-witted."

"In the Undead Hospital, scheming and plotting against the eleven Zodiac Players was utterly exhausting, both mentally and physically."

Honestly, returning here felt like a breath of fresh air for Ji Yan—even the air seemed lighter!

As he walked down the corridor, he ran into another familiar face at the stairwell.

Outside Room 101, Cheng Fang was dragging dried-up player corpses out of the room, piling them up in a corner like trash.

He clapped his hands together, wiping sweat from his face.

Cheng Fang let out a long sigh. "Finally finished today's work!"

Then he noticed the tent in his pants.

He quickly pressed it down, covering it with his jacket.

"Damn it!" he cursed in frustration. "What the hell’s wrong with this stupid Talent lately? Why does that thing keep standing up on its own?"

"One of these days, this damn 32 cm is gonna be the death of me!"

Cheng Fang was starting to realize that his 32 cm "little brother" was a double-edged sword. Sure, length was a man’s pride—but too much of it just became a nuisance!

Lately, with fewer and fewer players taking on missions in Room 101, he’d noticed the Charming Specter licking her lips, staring at him with a "hungry" look.

Clearly, if things kept going like this, the day she lost her restraint, he’d become her emergency rations.

"How’s it going, 32 cm?"

A voice came from behind. Hearing it was a player, Cheng Fang immediately thought about tricking them into taking on a mission in Room 101—just to give the Charming Specter some business.

But when he turned around and saw the face, his expression paled, and he jumped in fright.

"Holy hell, are you a ghost or what?"

"I should still count as human, right?" Ji Yan was puzzled. He wasn’t covered in infected black fur or sporting the face of a Supernatural Goat.

Without the identity of the Goat Supernatural Doctor, why was Cheng Fang still so scared?

"Didn’t you leave for the next Instance?"

"You can actually come back? Damn, that’s insane!" Cheng Fang’s eyes widened.

Ji Yan didn’t bother explaining. He simply asked, "Is the Charming Specter still in Room 101?"

"Of course she is."

"Every day I survive is another day of anxiety."

"Her appetite’s getting worse, and players are getting fewer. I’m seriously considering joining the [Main Storyline Task] and leaving this Instance before she sucks me dry!"

As he spoke, Cheng Fang suddenly grabbed Ji Yan’s arm. "Bro! You’re the only one who can satisfy her."

"Do me a solid—help me conquer that Charming Specter one more time, just to buy me some breathing room!"

"With your 32 cm, why do you need my help?"

"Just charge in head-on and dominate her. That’s a Strategy Guide in itself, isn’t it?"

Ji Yan brushed off his hand and headed up the stairs. He had real business to attend to in the Crimson Apartment—not charity work.

Soon, he arrived at the true starting point of the Supernatural Game—Room 404.

Pushing open the door, he saw a player sitting stiffly at the dining table, looking like he was on pins and needles.

Ji Yan recognized him—he was the new player who had been matched into Room 403 the day Ji Yan left the Apartment Instance.

By now, he could be considered a veteran.

At the moment, he sat at the dining table while the sound of the Mother Supernatural Entity bustling in the kitchen echoed through the room.

"Blessing Activity."

When favorability progress with a Supernatural Entity reaches a certain level, a reward mechanism is triggered.

Just like with Liu Yitong back then, the new player's reward was a meal personally prepared by the Mother Supernatural Entity.

Ji Yan walked in, and the new player was utterly baffled.

"Uh, bro, you got the wrong room."

"Get out quick! The Supernatural Residents in Room 404 hate it when other tenants come in. If you stay, you’ll just end up with two more hostile Supernatural Residents for no reason!"

Ji Yan remained unfazed.

He had returned to the apartment through the archive.

Thus, his favorability progress in Room 404 was still intact.

Unconcerned about incurring the malice of the Grandmother or the Mother, he glanced around and asked, "Where’s Liu Yitong?"

Before the new player could respond, the sliding door to the kitchen opened.

The Mother Supernatural Entity emerged, carrying a steaming pot of meat soup.

The new player covered his face, feeling like the sky had fallen. "Seriously, what kind of fool is this?"

Yet, the Mother showed no signs of blackening.

She stared at Ji Yan, her pale face tilting slightly as if recalling something.

Then, just as before, she offered a gentle smile. "Welcome home, my good son."

Ji Yan nodded. "Mother, I’m back."

New Player: "???"

Wait…

Since when was there another son?

"Mom… I’m right here," the new player cautiously reminded her.

The Mother looked at him. "You’re the second child."

"..."

Clearly, the Mother favored Ji Yan far more than the new player.

The new player wasn’t particularly bothered by this blatant favoritism.

What concerned him was— In Room 404, one player had died, and another had completed the main plot and left. Logically, he should be the only player left.

So how did this stranger suddenly appear, and why did he already have favorability progress with the Mother?

"Where’s Elder Sister?" Ji Yan asked.

"Elder Sister? You don’t have an elder sister."

"You only have this dumb younger brother, though he’s not the brightest," the Mother said, glancing at the new player.

The new player opened his mouth but said nothing.

Ji Yan fell silent. Once a player dies or completes the main plot and leaves, the Supernatural Entities gradually forget them over time.

The only reason Ji Yan wasn’t forgotten was because of the archive.

Clearly, Liu Yitong was no longer in Room 404.

"You mean Liu Yitong? She completed the main plot and left a week ago," the new player whispered.

Hearing this, Ji Yan looked around the Room 404 Plague House.

An inexplicable sense of change washed over him—everything was the same, yet everything was different.