The game placing players in the cafeteria at the beginning wasn't without significance. It was a silent hint, a veiled clue—just like the parasitic organisms bursting forth from within—it all pointed toward a singular transmission route: contamination through ingestion.
She had already scoured the cafeteria. Nothing.
Then what else could have been consumed by the entire student body?
Water.
Yes—water!
The direct-drinking fountains stationed outside every classroom, at the foot of each dormitory staircase—those must be it!
And if there were fountains, then somewhere on campus, there must be a centralized water filtration and supply system.
She hadn't noticed such a facility during her morning search. She needed to look again.
Erik descended the stairs, abandoning her previous meticulous, grid-pattern search method. Now, she moved quickly, her sole focus to locate the water supply room.
Within a dozen minutes, she found it—tucked in the southwestern corner of the campus: a compact, central direct-drinking water room.
The door was locked. As she worked on the lock, Iris arrived.
"I saw you from the upper floor. Why'd you come all the way here—did you find something?" she asked quickly. "This area was assigned to Micah. Where is he?"
"No idea. He's unreliable."
Iris clearly shared that sentiment. Seeing Erik focused on the lock, she scanned the wall, located a glass window, and climbed a nearby tree to peer inside. After a few moments, she climbed back down.
"Everything looks normal in there."
Without pausing her lockpicking, Erik spoke calmly. "The problem might be in the tanks."
Iris's eyes widened in realization. "That makes sense!"
Not wanting to distract Erik further, Iris stood guard nearby, gripping a kitchen knife tightly.
Suddenly, a parasitized student staggered around the corner. Upon spotting the living, the thing's face split open—a grotesque maw tearing halfway through its head as fleshy tendrils writhed out, snapping in the air. It charged, rapidly closing the distance.
Iris stepped in its path, trying to lure it away, but it didn't even glance at her. It bolted straight for Erik.
Surprised, then thrilled, Iris realized the truth—they were right. The source of infection really was in the water room. All the more reason to stop this one!
Behind her, Erik focused. The final click sounded—the lock gave way.
Iris, too, had managed to slice the parasitic entity into writhing chunks. But things weren't looking good. More of them were pouring in from all directions.
"Hurry! We're getting surrounded!"
"Got it."
Erik kicked open the door and rushed inside. The room was filled with towering water tanks. At first glance, nothing seemed amiss. But as she pressed her ear to one tank, she heard it—an eerie, slithering, splashing murmur from within.
It reminded her of something she'd seen once at a seafood market—a large basin swarming with slim, wriggling loaches. The vendor had said they didn't need gutting. Just toss them into hot oil, fry until crisp, and eat bones and all.
Her skin prickled with goosebumps.
Stepping back, Erik retrieved two gas canisters from the nearby supermarket, opened the valves, and backed away swiftly.
The reek of gas spread.
Only after exiting did she fetch an alcohol lamp. Lighting it, she hurled it toward the building.
"Run!" she shouted to Rao Zhuyu.
The lamp arced in—
*Smash!*
*BOOM!*
The blast wave flung both Erik and Rao Zhuyu off their feet. They rolled across the ground, skidding to a painful halt.
The parasitized swarmed forward relentlessly, seeking new hosts. Erik was barely up before she slashed out with her blade.
After fending off several, she pulled Rao to safety behind a wall. From there, they watched the parasitized horde rush not toward them—but into the flaming wreckage of the water room.
Erik blinked. In that split second of the explosion, she was almost sure she'd heard it—a shrill, drawn-out buzz, far beyond human perception. A call. A cry.
A death wail.
And the parasites had answered.
They surged into the inferno like moths to flame.
Sitting down beside the wall, Erik and Iris watched in exhausted silence, scorched by heat and singed by the blast. The fire devoured the water room—and with it, the parasitized dead.
Among them, Erik glimpsed three players intermingled with the NPCs.
Half an hour later, the flames still roared. Micah arrived, full of questions. But seeing neither Erik nor Iris willing to speak, he fell silent and sulked in a corner.
When the fire finally died, Erik was the first to move. Beneath layers of charred bone, something gleamed.
"You dig," she told Micah.
"…O-okay!" Grimacing, he found a stick and began clearing the remains, revealing a glowing portal.
"G-goodbye!" he stammered, leapt in, and vanished.
"Farewell," Erik said softly to Iris.
"Bye-bye." Iris waved with a smile.
Back in the stone pillar forest, Erik didn't head straight for the hall. She found a secluded corner, wiped the grime from her face, and changed clothes.
Soon, she looked completely different from when she'd entered the hall. She was confident—even if she stood face to face with Vincent, he wouldn't recognize her.
She didn't return to the quest hall that night. Instead, she leaned against a dim pillar and slept. At dawn, she left.
Back at the inn, she soaked in a hot bath, pondering how to tell Sarah about her latest discovery.
She hadn't yet decided whether to tell Kevin.
She and Sarah had joined the Mingyang Mutual Aid Society together—they shared a quiet understanding. But Kevin… While he had proven his resolve and insight during the Dinosaur Park instance, his true stance remained unclear.
"He needs testing," Sarah said when she heard Erik's account. Her eyes flickered with excitement and caution. "If he's planning to use us, there's no reason we can't turn the tables. One advanced instance is worth 444 points. That's more than ten average ones!"
"Yes. Still waiting on the fifth team member. Wonder when Justin will find someone."
"Should be soon. He joined just a couple of days after us."
This time, Sarah was wrong. Justin moved fast—and with conviction.
Barely half an hour later, he returned with a new player.
"This is Wesley. From now on, we're all family," Justin grinned. "Kevin's not here?"
"No, he's out." Sarah shook Wesley's hand. "Hi, I'm Sarah."
"Nice to meet you, Sarah."
Wesley and Erik exchanged greetings. The atmosphere was pleasantly cordial.
Wesley moved his luggage into Justin's room—they'd be roommates for now.
After the brief introductions, Erik went to the gym, followed by an hour-long swim. After lunch, she and Sarah headed out together. In the elevator, Sarah said she would ask around for information about five-player instances, giving Erik a chance to test Kevin's intentions.
"You're closer in age. If you approach him, Justin won't get suspicious." Kevin had once mentioned that he and Erik had entered two instances together by chance. Erik had admitted it. A convenient coincidence—it made a meeting between them perfectly natural.
"I understand."
They split at the inn entrance. Erik hesitated, then returned via the elevator to her old monthly-rented room. It had since been reassigned to another Mutual Aid member.
She didn't recognize anyone familiar in the lobby, so she decided to try her luck upstairs.
Nicole had given the room to Ivy.
Hearing Erik's name, Ivy opened the door enthusiastically. "It's you! Come in!"
Erik smiled and shook her head. "No need. I just want to ask—what's your leader's room number? I need to speak with her."
"Nicole's in 2877, but I'm not sure she's in right now."
"Thanks."
She knocked on 2877—and Nicole was indeed inside.
Nicole welcomed her warmly, then asked, "What brings you here?"
Erik had questions, but didn't want to raise suspicion. So she framed it differently: "Nicole, I heard from Natalie that your group has been experimenting with entering instances as a team. Any success? I have a friend who just joined the game. I'd love to help her adjust—if we could enter together, it'd be ideal."
"We've been trying," Nicole sighed. "We often coordinate for simultaneous entry, but results are disappointing. Since the portals merged, even if members step into the same circle at the same moment, some land in standard dungeons, others in supernatural ones. Getting into the same instance is even harder now."
No useful leads.
Perhaps the problem lay in their organizational foundation. Nicole had once mentioned she was only the second-generation leader.
Still, Erik thanked her sincerely and left two apples as a gift. These were from her own supermarket—worth 2 points each. A present of value.
"Oh, you don't have to—really!" Nicole had a favorable impression of Erik and felt bad for being unable to help.
"I insist," Erik replied. "I may come asking again."
Nicole could only smile and accept.
Leaving Nicole's room, Erik finally set out for the quest hall.
At the Mingyang base, Justin was mending clothes.
Wesley returned from outside, grinning. "Presidential suites really are something! No more paying for gyms."
Justin laughed heartily. "Glad you like it. From now on, we help each other—one big family."
Once Wesley entered the shower, Justin's smile vanished.
His gaze drifted as he stared at the needlework in hand.
The team was complete.
The thought of the 444 points per advanced instance made his heart race. Two more, and he'd have enough to resurrect. Dangerous or not—he would risk it all.
He was the captain. He had the best chance of survival.
If the others were lucky, they'd profit with him. If not… they'd become his stepping stones.
Every man for himself. Besides, he gave them free meals, free rooms, and endless intel. A little repayment—what's wrong with that?
If they died, well—bad luck.
A smile crept across Justin's lips. The mask of composure, warmth, and reliability slipped away, revealing ambition, greed, and a ruthless core.