It was already too late.
Several agile gray wolves leaped out of the forest, bringing a chilling gust of wind.
Ruan Yuan quickly pulled out her folding fan and waved it with force, sending the leading gray wolf flying. Lu Haidi summoned a wooden spear, brandishing it with fierce momentum before thrusting it at another gray wolf charging toward him.
Ge Guang fired his energy gun at the wolves.
Gu Jiu also drew her Lingyuan Blade. Lu Ji followed half a step behind her, wielding a black longsword. Together, they killed a gray wolf that had been biding its time under the cover of the others.
When the gray wolf was slain, dark red blood spurted out.
The scent of blood was overwhelming, mixed with a putrid stench. As the wolf’s body collapsed to the ground, the seemingly full and robust corpse suddenly deflated, and thick black blood oozed from it.
The stench was so revolting that everyone was nearly overcome with nausea.
They finally understood how Qi Yuheng felt earlier when he was overwhelmed by the stench—it was worse than death.
The abnormal state of the gray wolves after death made it clear to the players that these creatures were no longer normal. They were like decayed monsters, which only made killing them even easier on their consciences.
Soon, the gray wolves had surrounded them.
The six of them gathered together, their backs against a large boulder.
A gray wolf leaped onto the boulder and was about to pounce when several paper cranes appeared, blocking its path. A black longsword intercepted the descending wolf midair, slashing through it with a flash of light. The wolf’s head was severed, and its body tumbled to the ground, lifeless.
Lu Ji jumped onto the boulder, scanning their surroundings.
“Ah Ji, well done!” Ruan Yuan cheered loudly.
Lu Ji remained silent, his eyes fixed on Gu Jiu. He noticed that as she wielded the Lingyuan Blade, any wolf struck by it became significantly weaker.
Her movements were agile, her steps light and effortless, a testament to the past month’s rigorous training in the Boundless City arena.
Every time she attacked, it was swift and unexpected. Any gray wolf that approached her met a quick and decisive end.
The only one who hadn’t moved was Qi Yuheng. When the gray wolves appeared, the companion puppet on his shoulder jumped to the ground and quickly transformed into a half-meter-tall figure.
Even as a half-sized puppet, it had a round head and slender arms and legs. It stood in front of Qi Yuheng, engaging the gray wolves in combat.
Qi Yuheng leaned against the boulder, his fingers tracing patterns in the air as if drawing something on the puppet. It was clear he was controlling it in battle.
Seeing this, Ruan Yuan couldn’t help but express her envy. “Brother Qi, your companion puppet is amazing—it can even protect its master.”
Qi Yuheng replied in between his focus, “I’m just controlling it to fight.”
The technique of controlling puppets consumed considerable mental and physical energy. Only players like him, who had awakened the art of “Questioning the Heart” and possessed immense computational power, could manage it. It was one of his unique talents.
Ge Guang commented sarcastically, “Boss Qi just doesn’t want to get his hands dirty, so the puppet makes things more convenient.”
He thought that such an extreme level of cleanliness was unique to Qi Yuheng. Even Qi’s awakened spirit ability catered to his obsession with cleanliness.
Questioning the Heart. It wasn’t just about questioning humanity—it also probed the worldly heart and the heart of the mundane.
Because of the Art of Questioning the Heart, Qi Yuheng often perceived too many twisted and dark truths about human nature, making him reluctant to use this power on people. However, some truths about the human heart couldn’t be avoided, no matter how much he wanted to ignore them. To escape the constant torment, he channeled most of this ability into his puppets.
Puppets would never develop thoughts of their own and were immune to the corruption of darkness within human hearts.
—
The gray wolves were numerous, and despite the group’s strong combat abilities, it felt as though there was no end to them.
Qi Yuheng used his Art of Questioning the Heart to scan their surroundings. His expression turned resolute as he said, “We need to leave. Don’t waste time fighting them head-on.”
Ruan Yuan gripped her folding fan tightly and fanned a fierce gust of wind toward the wolves, yelling to the group, “I’ll hold them back! Use this chance to escape.”
Without hesitation, the others retreated. After Ruan Yuan’s repeated gusts forced the gray wolves to back off momentarily, the group fled, retracing their steps as quickly as they could.
Although the wolves were massive, their speed was astonishing. They moved through the dense forest with ease, pursuing the players relentlessly.
Lu Ji lowered his eyes, then threw a dozen more paper creatures behind him.
These paper creatures—small animals like paper rabbits, cats, and dogs—were deceptively powerful, holding their own against the wolves. However, they were fragile and were quickly torn apart.
Even so, the distraction gave the players enough time to widen the gap.
Eventually, the gray wolves disappeared from view. Still, the group didn’t stop running, darting through the forest at full speed. After nearly an hour of running, they finally made it out of the woods.
Seeing the villa standing by the seaside, the players finally breathed a sigh of relief.
When they had entered the area earlier in search of the “Love Stone,” it had taken them half a day. But escaping had taken just an hour.
Even so, Gu Jiu and the others were utterly exhausted, parched, and physically drained.
Among all the game worlds they had experienced, this one had the most demanding physical challenges. Gu Jiu, abandoning any sense of reserve, leaned directly on Lu Ji when she offered her support.
By the time they returned to the villa, it was already 3 p.m.
The villa was eerily quiet; the other players had yet to return.
Qi Yuheng massaged his temples, looking pale and fatigued. “Let’s go upstairs and rest,” he suggested.
“Rest? Weren’t the rooms destroyed last night?” Ge Guang asked skeptically. “Boss Qi, maybe you should rest in the lobby instead.” He was worried that the stench in the rooms hadn’t dissipated yet, and Qi Yuheng might end up vomiting again.
“It’s fine. The rooms should have been restored by now.”
The group exchanged uncertain glances but decided to check the third floor anyway. To their surprise, when they opened the doors, the rooms looked exactly as they had when they first arrived—completely intact, with no sign of the previous night’s destruction. It was as though the ocean creatures’ attack had been nothing but a hallucination.
The speed of the villa’s restoration was nothing short of miraculous.
With the rooms restored, they wasted no time heading in to wash up and rest.
Gu Jiu was so exhausted that she barely cleaned up before collapsing onto her bed.
Lu Ji, however, remained alert. Sitting by the bedside, he watched Gu Jiu for a long moment before turning his gaze toward the balcony.
Behind the glass doors stood two mermaid dolls and five little paper figures, all peeking in curiously. The moment they noticed Lu Ji looking at them, the seven non-human creatures quickly ducked out of sight.
—
By evening, Gu Jiu stirred awake, struggling to get up.
“If you’re still tired, just sleep a bit longer,” Lu Ji said gently. “I’ll go check on the first floor.”
Gu Jiu shook her head. “I’ll sleep later tonight.”
After splashing some cold water on her face in the bathroom, Gu Jiu quickly refreshed herself. She wiped the droplets off her face and looked toward Lu Ji.
Her gaze made Lu Ji’s heartbeat quicken slightly. “Ah Jiu, what’s wrong?” he asked.
Gu Jiu sighed. “You’re so full of energy! Ah Ji, aren’t you tired at all?” She couldn’t help but feel a pang of inadequacy. She was supposed to be the healthy one, while Lu Ji—who looked frail and in need of care—seemed to have more stamina than she did.
Lu Ji paused briefly before answering, “I’m fine. My complexion has always been like this.”
He had been born with this sickly appearance, which only invited suspicion and disdain from those who knew him in the semi-divine world. Many had wished to kill him and cast him into the Sea of Rules.
Gu Jiu gently touched her face, her fingers cool and soft against her pale skin. She didn’t quite believe her.
If her health were truly fine, her body wouldn’t be so cold, nor her face so deathly pale. She remembered their first meeting vividly—her voice had been faint and weak, a clear indication of her fragile state back then.
But dhe had improved significantly. At least now, her voice was stronger, carrying a hint of vitality.
She didn’t know what had changed but had a hunch it was connected to their frequent ventures into the game worlds.
Though Gu Jiu trusted Lu Ji, she was also aware that she harbored many secrets. However, she chose not to pry. Everyone had their own mysteries, and she respected her privacy as a friend.
—
The two went downstairs and found Ruan Yuan and several other players already in the lobby.
Most of these players didn’t seem to be in much better shape. It was evident that they had encountered perilous situations in the forest as well.
Gu Jiu sat next to Ruan Yuan and asked, “Why aren’t you resting?”
“I wanted to hear about the others,” Ruan Yuan said, her face still showing traces of fatigue. “I’m also wondering if the butler will show up again.”
Qi Yuheng chimed in, “We’re going to sleep later anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.” He rubbed his temples, looking slightly nauseated.
He had changed into a fresh set of clothes—a crisp suit, as usual. To an outsider, he might appear to be a corporate professional preparing for work, rather than someone stuck in a life-or-death game.
As they spoke, two more players staggered into the villa from outside.
Their condition was dire. One had lost an arm, the wound clearly from a savage beast’s bite, while the other’s face was ashen with exhaustion and injury.
The forest on this island was undeniably treacherous.
Seeing the state of these two, Ruan Yuan, Ge Guang, and the others felt fortunate. Their teamwork had allowed them to watch each other’s backs and escape the gray wolves’ siege.
As night fell, no more players returned.
By this point, there were 17 players gathered in the lobby.
Including the female player who had died during the ocean creature attack the previous night, and the two who had perished in the forest today, the total casualties had risen to three.
Although the death toll wasn’t high, the dangers they had faced weighed heavily on the survivors, leaving their faces grim.
When darkness fully descended, the butler appeared once again. He repeated the same words as the previous evening: urging the players to rest well.
The players couldn’t help but recall the events of last night. The butler’s advice to “rest well” had preceded the ocean creatures’ attack, which had cost a life. What awaited them tonight?
With this lingering unease, the players returned to their rooms.
The miraculous restoration of the previously destroyed rooms no longer surprised anyone. The players simply accepted it and entered their respective quarters. Once the doors were closed, the villa returned to its eerie silence.
That night, Gu Jiu entered a dream once again.
“Ah Jiu, where’s the gift you promised me today?”
Hearing this hopeful question, Gu Jiu replied expressionlessly, “There’s no gift today.”
The fish-faced man froze, clearly not expecting such a response. With a look of disbelief, he asked, “How can there be no gift? Didn’t you say you were going to give me one?”
“Who said I was going to give you a gift?” Gu Jiu retorted deliberately.
The fish-faced man fell silent.
Gu Jiu narrowed her eyes slightly. “Actually, I did go to the forest today to look for a gift. The butler mentioned something called the ‘Love Stone.’ But you know, I think this Love Stone looks a lot like a human heart. Don’t you agree?”
At the mention of the “Love Stone,” the fish-faced man’s expression visibly brightened. However, upon hearing the latter part of her sentence, he feigned confusion and said, “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
Gu Jiu chuckled coldly. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. There’s no gift anymore.”
Fish-faced man: “….”