《Deadly Game of Fate [Oriental Mystery and Suspense]》


 **Chapter 1: Welcome to the Realm of Death**

    **Midnight, Twelve O''Clock.**


    Qin Nan received a private message containing an unknown link.


    He moved the mouse, hovering over the ¡°¡Á¡± in the upper right corner, and clicked the left button. Instead of closing the page, it automatically redirected him to a video.


    The title flashed in the top left corner: *Death Crew*.


    The film opened with a dramatic scene of a high-altitude fall, accompanied by a loud ¡°bang.¡± A bloody, mangled corpse filled the screen.


    ¡°Holy crap!¡± Qin Nan was caught off guard, startled by the gruesome image on his computer.


    The body on the screen had a head that was a bloody mess, yet the eyes remained intact, staring directly at him. Qin Nan could even see his own reflection in those wide-open eyes.


    Reflection?


    He must be seeing things. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to focus on the scene before him.


    When he opened his eyes again, the image had changed. The bloody corpse was replaced by a black background with a line of ominous red text:


    *Welcome to the Realm of Death.*


    What the hell? Qin Nan¡¯s mind was a whirlwind of confusion.


    ¡°Last player has arrived.¡±


    He heard someone speak and instinctively looked up. At that moment, a blinding white light flashed, forcing him to shut his eyes. When he opened them again, everything had changed.


    In an instant, life and death were at stake.


    The dimly lit room had transformed into a brilliantly lit space. The sights around him became clear, causing his pupils to constrict in disbelief as he froze in place.


    Qin Nan took a moment to gather himself, but his body remained stiff, only his eyes scanning the surroundings to confirm his new environment.


    He was on a bus.


    In the blink of an eye, he had gone from his study to this unknown bus.


    ¡°Newbie?¡± The same voice spoke again, tinged with surprise.


    Qin Nan instinctively followed the voice, landing on a young man in his thirties sitting directly in front of him, turned halfway around with one arm resting on the back of the bus seat. Beside him was a young woman in her twenties, their posture intimate, like a couple.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    He had never seen these two before.


    Before Qin Nan could react, the bus that had been stationary suddenly lurched forward. Strangely, the driver''s seat was empty.


    The man turned his gaze back, his tone casual: ¡°Let¡¯s roll.¡±


    Qin Nan cursed under his breath.


    All these bizarre, unexplainable phenomena made him suspect he was just dreaming.


    ¡°This is all real.¡± A cold male voice interrupted his thoughts.


    Turning to look, he saw a man sitting across from him, dressed in a white shirt and simple jeans. He was thin, with an unnaturally pale complexion that made him look somewhat sickly. Yet his expression was icy, radiating an aura that screamed "stay away." His gaze was fixed on the earlier speaker, eyes unreadable.


    His words made the first man turn back, a smirk playing on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re as charming as ever, but too bad, newbies always drag you down. I bet he won¡¯t make it past this round.¡±


    He then turned his attention back to Qin Nan. ¡°Welcome to the Realm of Death. You¡¯re lucky to be a new player here.¡± His tone dripped with malice, raising Qin Nan¡¯s alertness.


    The Realm of Death.


    Qin Nan recalled the ominous phrase he had seen on his computer screen.


    ¡°A prank?¡± he blurted out, the most logical explanation given the circumstances.


    The man chuckled, raising an eyebrow. ¡°This is a deadly prank.¡± He made a slashing motion across his throat as he spoke.


    ¡°Newbie, be careful. If you die here, your life in the real world will be erased too. I think you¡¯ll need a guide.¡± The man continued.


    Qin Nan glanced between the two, then stood up and moved to sit next to the cold, sickly-looking guy. ¡°I¡¯m Qin Nan.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t show any kindness in response, merely giving him a cold glance. The first man, seeing Qin Nan¡¯s choice, chuckled and turned away.


    Qin Nan was naturally outgoing, and faced with the unknown, he urgently needed information. Even if the man beside him seemed distant, he felt safer than dealing with the sarcastic guy.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Qin Nan asked, putting on his friendliest smile.


    ¡°Jian Fan.¡± The other man stared ahead, his tone indifferent, but he answered.


    Not deterred by his coldness, Qin Nan pressed on. ¡°What¡¯s this Realm of Death?¡±


    ¡°No one knows what the Realm of Death is. You just need to follow its rules. Survive each death game, accumulate enough points, and return to the real world.¡±


    ¡°Points?¡± Qin Nan was puzzled. Why didn¡¯t he have any? Was there some sort of discrimination?


    ¡°You need to pass the first level to trigger the points system.¡± Jian Fan¡¯s tone grew impatient; he clearly wasn¡¯t interested in helping the newbie.


    Qin Nan nodded, pressing further. ¡°So, what¡¯s the first level?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Jian Fan interrupted coldly, shooting him a warning glance before closing his eyes to feign sleep.


    Feeling a bit frustrated, Qin Nan realized this opening scenario was not in his favor.


    Still in a fog, he saw that Jian Fan had no intention of answering more questions. Despite the absurdity of it all, he held onto the belief that in a lawful society, how bad could things get?


    With that thought, he suddenly felt a sense of acceptance wash over him and closed his eyes, attempting to rest.


    Time passed, and the bus came to a halt.


    ¡°Get off.¡±


    Qin Nan opened his eyes at Jian Fan¡¯s voice, noticing the bus doors had swung open. The passengers in front began to exit, and the man who had spoken to him earlier turned to glance back, smirking. ¡°You¡¯re the most optimistic newbie I¡¯ve ever seen. I hope you can keep that attitude.¡±


    As he spoke, he made a shooting gesture towards Qin Nan, his lips forming a silent ¡°bang.¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡± Qin Nan thought poorly of the man.


    Jian Fan had already moved past him, but paused slightly at the question. ¡°Xia Zeqin. He has the highest points among us.¡±


    Qin Nan nodded, understanding the implication. The two clearly had a history, and if Xia Zeqin was first, then Jian Fan must be second. What confidence did a low-scoring player have to challenge someone like that?


    ---

 *Chapter 2: No One Survives in the Crew (Part 1)

    **After Getting Off the Bus**


    Once they got off the bus, the group was gathered in an open area. Qin Nan set aside his playful thoughts with Jian Fan and began to assess the situation around him.


    He hadn¡¯t paid much attention on the bus, but now that they were outside, the dynamics of the twelve people became clearer. Including himself, there were twelve individuals: nine men and three women. Xia Zeqin and the woman beside him appeared to be a couple, closely connected. Surrounding them were four other men, indicating that these six were familiar with each other. The remaining four seemed to be independent entities, maintaining a certain distance from one another, yet not too far from Xia Zeqin¡¯s group.


    With that in mind...


    Qin Nan glanced at the distance between himself and Xia Zeqin.


    He was standing next to Jian Fan, the farthest from Xia Zeqin, making it seem as if they were isolated from the rest.


    What kind of grudge could cause this? Qin Nan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    ¡°You guys finally made it! Hurry up, there¡¯s a lot to do!¡± A middle-aged man with a potbelly jogged over from a distance, waving at them.


    Xia Zeqin was the first to approach him.


    As he moved, the others followed suit.


    ¡°Bro, what¡¯s going on?¡± Qin Nan asked.


    ¡°You can think of him as the NPC who gives out tasks,¡± Jian Fan explained succinctly.


    As they walked towards the man, Qin Nan took in his surroundings. They seemed to be in a film studio, and it was quite large. Oddly, though, there were no other people in sight except for the middle-aged man.


    They were led to a film crew.


    Outside the crew was a sign that Qin Nan¡¯s keen eyesight caught:


    *Death Crew Filming Base.*


    Furrowing his brows, Qin Nan felt a mix of surprise and inevitability.


    ¡°I¡¯m the stage manager here. You can call me Old Wang. If you need anything, just come to me,¡± the man said, glancing at his watch. ¡°Time is tight, so let¡¯s get moving!¡±


    They were brought to a table where various name tags were laid out, indicating different roles: actor, cinematographer, crew member, etc.


    Xia Zeqin stepped up first, casually grabbing a name tag. His identity information quickly appeared:


    *Cinematographer, Xia Zeqin.*


    Following him, the others began to choose their tags. Qin Nan noticed that Jian Fan selected ¡°actor.¡± After Jian Fan finished, someone led him away to the makeup room. Qin Nan didn¡¯t have time to ask questions before Jian Fan turned and left.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Being the last to choose, only a tag labeled ¡°crew member¡± remained on the table.


    Unsure of what was happening, Qin Nan took the tag and obediently started moving props, working up a sweat.


    As nothing unusual occurred for a while, Qin Nan gradually relaxed. He thought back to Xia Zeqin¡¯s earlier behavior on the bus and chuckled to himself¡ªwas he just trying to scare him?


    What a distasteful prank, he thought.


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he scanned the set. Everyone was busy¡ªboth the original crew members and those who had come down from the bus like him.


    Then he noticed a familiar face: a chubby guy who had been standing near Xia Zeqin earlier. The man had a comical appearance, and Qin Nan couldn¡¯t help but watch him as he, too, had chosen the crew member role.


    The chubby guy was holding a heavy vase, but surprisingly agile as he moved. Just as Qin Nan began to smile, everything changed in an instant.


    The chubby guy seemed to trip over something, and as he fell, his head suddenly detached from his body, blood spraying everywhere.


    From a distance, Qin Nan hadn¡¯t noticed before, but now, stained with blood, he saw a taut wire where the chubby guy had fallen.


    Drip, drop.


    Blood dripped from the wire onto the ground. The sound echoed in Qin Nan''s chest, resonating like surround sound in his ears.


    In a daze, he noticed something round rolling towards his feet.


    He instinctively looked down.


    It was the chubby guy¡¯s head, face down, staring right at him. Their eyes met.


    Qin Nan stumbled back several steps, creating distance from the severed head, unable to suppress a curse.


    This was just a prank, a mere illusion, he reassured himself. Yet, the words of Xia Zeqin and Jian Fan echoed in his mind. Witnessing the chubby guy¡¯s death forced him to confront a terrifying truth: he had entered a very dangerous place.


    ¡°This world seems very difficult,¡± Jian Fan had appeared at his side without him noticing.


    Qin Nan turned to him, gritting his teeth. ¡°What the hell is this place?¡±


    ¡°Realm of Death,¡± Jian Fan replied, his tone unchanged, as if the chubby guy¡¯s death hadn¡¯t affected him at all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what it¡¯s called; I just want to know how to get out of here.¡± Qin Nan was losing his earlier calm.


    Jian Fan looked at him, his tone still matter-of-fact. ¡°Clear the levels, accumulate points. There¡¯s no other way.¡±


    Qin Nan held back a torrent of curses. Jian Fan was his only source of information about the situation, and he couldn¡¯t afford to make an enemy of him. With that thought, he fought to suppress his anger and asked, ¡°How do we clear the levels?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Each world is different. We have to figure everything out ourselves. This is a game of survival against death, and we must leave before we die. We don¡¯t even know if our deaths will come in the next second.¡± Jian Fan¡¯s last words carried a hint of self-mockery.


    A heavy stone pressed down on Qin Nan¡¯s chest, making it hard to breathe.


    ¡°What are you all standing around for? Get the scene cleaned up and prepare for the next shoot!¡± Old Wang shouted, having appeared out of nowhere.


    Qin Nan was momentarily stunned, while Jian Fan stepped forward to help.


    Xia Zeqin and the others seemed completely unfazed, moving the chubby guy¡¯s body aside without a change in expression. The blood was quickly cleaned up, making it seem as if it had all been a dream.


    But the chubby guy was indeed gone.


    For the rest of the afternoon, Qin Nan felt dazed. The chubby guy¡¯s death had a profound impact on him. Sometimes, he would stop, even when there was nothing in front of him, needing to reach out and feel the air for a long time, ensuring there were no taut wires before daring to move forward.


    Fortunately, no further incidents occurred.


    By ten o¡¯clock that night, Qin Nan and the others were permitted to leave. They were taken to a hotel near the set, where they received their room keys at the front desk.


    Those who knew each other paired up into rooms. As a newcomer without a companion, Qin Nan found that Jian Fan had already taken his key and left. Gritting his teeth, he took his key and returned to his room alone.


    ---

 *Chapter 3: No One Survives in the Crew (Part 2)

    Qin Nan checked into a standard room, number 3907.


    He examined the entire room. It was no different from an ordinary hotel room, but there was one notable item¡ªon the bedside table lay a script titled *Death Crew*.


    The script contained a brief synopsis: *Death Crew* tells the story of a film crew that, while shooting a film, faces multiple accidents, with crew members dying one after another, until the filming is completed with no survivors left.


    A strange thought flickered through Qin Nan''s mind.


    He continued flipping through the script.


    The script was disorganized, arranged by shooting scenes. The first scene was set in the hotel where the crew members were staying, clearly stating¡ªRoom 3909.


    Next door to him.


    At the sight of this number, Qin Nan''s pupils instinctively constricted.


    Just a coincidence, he thought.


    His gaze returned to the script.


    In the first scene, a crew member dies in bed, the cause being an explosion of the ceiling lamp. While sleeping, the lamp shatters and cuts into the carotid artery, resulting in massive blood loss and death.


    As a well-known figure on social media, primarily known for critiquing films and dramas, Qin Nan''s long-standing habit prompted him to instinctively seek flaws in this death method.


    What a terrible script.


    He chuckled, tossing the script back onto the bedside table. However, this terrible script pulled his thoughts away from the chubby guy''s death, allowing him to take a deep breath, as if the heavy weight on his heart had lightened considerably.


    Today¡¯s experiences had left Qin Nan mentally exhausted. After a quick hot shower, he lay down on the bed, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell into a deep sleep.


    He slept soundly through the night until dawn.


    Qin Nan was jolted awake by a scream from next door.


    Rubbing his hair, he opened the door and went next door.


    ¡°What¡¯s all the noise this early?¡± Qin Nan''s tone was not pleasant.


    No one answered him; the room was eerily quiet. Slowly realizing something was off, Qin Nan blinked his still-drowsy eyes and focused on the bed in the room.


    Room 3909 was also a standard room, and like his, it housed a single occupant.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    That person was now lying on the bed, lifeless. The white sheets beneath him were stained red, blood spreading out beneath him in a shocking manner. Qin Nan froze for a moment, a few lines flashing through his mind. He instinctively looked up at the ceiling.


    The lampshade was destroyed, and he could see some cracks remaining at the edges.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Qin Nan finally found his voice, asking in a hoarse tone.


    Xia Zeqin stood not far from the bed. Upon hearing Qin Nan''s question, he turned to look: ¡°We came to call him for breakfast and found the door open. When we came in, it was like this.¡±


    Qin Nan¡¯s gaze returned to the bed and then slowly shifted to the floor.


    There were shards of broken lampshade glass scattered on the ground.


    Qin Nan instinctively clenched his fists. ¡°I¡­¡± Just as the words left his mouth, he noticed Xia Zeqin''s expression. He was looking at the corpse on the bed with a strange smile. In that moment, Qin Nan felt a chill run through him.


    Whether it was the chubby guy who died yesterday or the person lying lifeless on the bed now, both were associated with Xia Zeqin. His attitude towards their deaths was unsettling; he was not a good partner.


    Qin Nan chose to remain silent.


    ¡°Everyone disperse,¡± Xia Zeqin said, casually wrapping his arm around the waist of the woman beside him and leading her away.


    His departure prompted the others to start moving as well.


    Perhaps they were still fearful of death, but it seemed they had begun to grow accustomed to it. Among the twelve people, Qin Nan realized he was likely the only newcomer, which was not a good sign for him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jian Fan patted his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it soon.¡± His tone was as usual, but his gesture felt like a warm light in the freezing cold.


    Qin Nan turned to look at Jian Fan, who had already started walking away, and suddenly had an idea.


    ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± Qin Nan said.


    Jian Fan paused and turned back. He raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised.


    Without further explanation, Qin Nan stepped outside. However, as he left the room, he glanced back. The layout of the hotel¡¯s standard rooms was identical, just like his own.


    Except for an extra camera in the corner.


    Qin Nan quickly averted his gaze.


    Jian Fan followed him into his room.


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Jian Fan asked first.


    Qin Nan didn¡¯t answer. He walked to the bedside table, picked up the script, and handed it to Jian Fan. ¡°Have you read the script in the room?¡±


    Jian Fan nodded. ¡°The first scene predicts death.¡± His expression was calm. ¡°Everyone here is an experienced player; nothing in the room could be overlooked.¡±


    Qin Nan pressed his tongue against his cheek. ¡°So you all knew, but no one said anything.¡± This realization complicated his feelings even more.


    Jian Fan chuckled softly, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. ¡°No one can guarantee that what you think are allies won¡¯t stab you in the back.¡±


    Qin Nan fell silent.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Jian Fan asked.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t have to tell me all this,¡± Qin Nan replied.


    Jian Fan smirked. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°You need a partner,¡± Qin Nan stated bluntly. ¡°You extended an olive branch to me; I can give you an answer now.¡±


    Jian Fan laughed. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°All you need to consider is whether you want to accept me as your partner,¡± Qin Nan said.


    Jian Fan did not answer immediately. Instead, he began explaining the situation of the Realm of Death: ¡°Every time the Realm of Death opens, there will be twelve players in a storyline world. Once a player dies, when the next world opens, new members will automatically be matched to fill the numbers. They could be experienced players from other worlds or newcomers like you. Surviving one world grants you five hundred base points. Players who break the world will earn extra points based on the number of survivors at the end. For each additional survivor, you gain an extra hundred points. Accumulate ten thousand points, and you can return to the real world. However, often, one world can consume the points you¡¯ve gathered over several worlds.¡±


    The rules were straightforward, but that didn¡¯t mean the task would be easy.

 *Chapter 4: No One Survives in the Crew (Part 3)

    Qin Nan furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°How many points do you have now?¡±


    ¡°2200. I¡¯ve been through seven worlds. The one with the highest points among us is Xia Zeqin; he probably has close to 6000 points, but I don¡¯t know how he used them,¡± Jian Fan replied without hesitation.


    Accumulating points was slow, but spending them was fast. Ten thousand points seemed like a lot, but gathering them was challenging.


    Qin Nan quickly processed this information. ¡°So I¡¯m the only new player this time?¡±


    Jian Fan nodded. ¡°Xia Zeqin and I were the earliest players in the same world. Many died in between, and new players joined later. The people around him, including the two who died, are from later worlds. The other four were matched to this world; they haven¡¯t revealed their information, but I suspect they were together in their last world.¡±


    So besides Jian Fan, who seemed to have a grudge against Xia Zeqin and chose to go solo, everyone else had formed groups, and now there was a newcomer like him. Even so, Jian Fan was still his most suitable choice; having a reliable teammate was essential.


    ¡°Only after clearing a level can the point system be triggered. This is quite unfriendly to new players; there must be other settings, right?¡± Qin Nan said with certainty.


    Hearing this, Jian Fan laughed. ¡°You¡¯re clever.¡± He extended his hand. ¡°Welcome to be my partner.¡±


    Qin Nan reached out and lightly grasped Jian Fan¡¯s fingertips.


    After Jian Fan withdrew his hand, his expression quickly turned serious. ¡°New players don¡¯t have a point system, but they receive some crucial information before entering the world. The clues are likely hidden in that information.¡±


    Jian Fan¡¯s words made Qin Nan¡¯s expression shift.


    Could the gruesome body he saw falling from a height be an important clue? Or was it his death forecast? Qin Nan¡¯s face turned strange as he recounted everything from the moment he received the private message to Jian Fan.


    ¡°Not likely,¡± Jian Fan denied his guess. ¡°The game doesn¡¯t explicitly set the methods or order of player deaths. You might die, but the method of death and the order will depend on your choices.¡± He glanced at the script in his hand.


    At that moment, a connection clicked in Qin Nan¡¯s mind. ¡°If today¡¯s death has a forecast, then what about yesterday¡¯s on set? If what I saw is also one of the death forecasts¡­¡±


    The answer lay within that script.


    As long as they didn¡¯t trigger the death settings, they could at least survive longer, buying themselves some time. Thus, the death forecasts in the script became crucial clues.


    The timeline in the script was jumbled, with scenes shot together. Their task was to finish reading the script and restore the original timeline of the story.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Though it took some time, it wasn¡¯t particularly difficult.


    Jian Fan returned to his room to grab the script, and the two began to flip through it, dividing the sections for a collaborative effort.


    In this world, they needed to act according to the rules, meaning they would soon have to return to the set, with limited time left. A film script was not small; they decided to first focus on the earlier parts, gathering as much as they could.


    Following the script¡¯s timeline, the story began on set.


    Everyone was busy preparing for the upcoming shoot. Suddenly, a mishap occurred: an employee tripped while carrying a vase and, as he fell, his neck got caught on a wire, causing his head to be severed by the force of the fall.


    The accident threw the crew into chaos. They called the police and dealt with the incident. By evening, everyone returned to the hotel, exhausted, and went back to their respective rooms.


    Then came the scene Qin Nan first read in the script: Room 3909, where the lampshade exploded, severing an artery and causing death from blood loss.


    Another accident cast a shadow over the crew, but filming still had to continue. Qin Nan quickly skipped over the mundane dialogues and found the third death.


    The next incident occurred on set.


    The third victim died suddenly from a heart attack, gasping for breath in mere seconds.


    This should foreshadow the next death, indicating that someone else would die today. Qin Nan wanted to continue flipping through the script, but a knock at the door interrupted him, followed by the voice of the stage manager, Old Wang: ¡°Stop dawdling; it¡¯s time to change scenes.¡±


    Qin Nan looked at Jian Fan.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for now. In the Realm of Death, the methods of dying are completely unpredictable. I¡¯ve encountered players who were directly eliminated for not following NPC instructions. Until we understand the rules, it¡¯s best to follow their directions,¡± Jian Fan advised.


    Upon hearing this, Qin Nan felt all his thoughts dissipate, obediently leaving the hotel with Jian Fan.


    On their way to the set, Qin Nan remained at the back with Jian Fan.


    ¡°What do you think triggered the heart attack?¡± Qin Nan asked.


    Jian Fan glanced at him and replied, ¡°The first victim was carrying a vase, the second was in Room 3909, and the third¡­¡± He paused, then asked Qin Nan, ¡°Do you remember what the third victim was doing when he had the heart attack?¡±


    Qin Nan had a good memory, especially for crucial details.


    ¡°He was moving props,¡± Qin Nan quickly answered. ¡°Moving props is a stagehand¡¯s job. Excluding the chubby guy who died yesterday, there are three of us left. Only one of us died, so the trigger for death shouldn¡¯t be that action.¡±


    At this point, Qin Nan felt a bit anxious. If the role was based on yesterday¡¯s choices, then the third victim would be among the three stagehands, which was definitely not good news for him. Right now, he could only hope that today¡¯s role selection would change.


    Jian Fan didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing: the cause of death.¡±


    The third victim died from a heart attack.


    What could be associated with a heart attack? Qin Nan couldn¡¯t think of anything, and at that moment, they had already arrived at the filming location.


    The role selection remained the same.


    Qin Nan cursed inwardly. At the beginning, before any death forecasts, the choices were purely based on luck. From the moment he got off the bus, the game had begun, and every choice would have significant consequences.


    Clearly, his luck wasn¡¯t very good.


    ¡°Take care.¡± This was the only kindness Jian Fan could offer at the moment. After saying this, he headed to the makeup room. For now, he was safe, and he didn¡¯t seem too concerned about Qin Nan¡¯s life or death.


    The crew quickly got into motion.


    Stagehands essentially did a variety of tasks, not just moving props. All Qin Nan could do was avoid as much prop-moving as possible.


    Currently, there were three stagehands, including him. The other two were men who weren¡¯t part of Xia Zeqin¡¯s small team; they were other players.


    They were both experienced players, and Qin Nan noticed that they were also trying to avoid prop-moving tasks.


    However, setting up the scene was an essential part of filming.

 *Chapter 5: No One Survives in the Crew (Part 4)

    "You three, come over and move these things," Old Wang reappeared, directing them to work.


    Qin Nan¡¯s face turned pale.


    This wasn¡¯t just moving props; it was practically a death sentence!


    The expressions of the other two players were equally grim, and none of them moved. Seeing this, Old Wang frowned, his tone turning harsh. ¡°What are you dawdling for? Do you want to die?¡±


    The word "die" struck a chord with Qin Nan.


    Jian Fan had warned him that not following NPC instructions could lead to immediate elimination. Moving props could lead to death, and not moving could also lead to death. It was a fifty-fifty choice, and given his lack of information, survival was a gamble.


    Qin Nan glanced at the other two players.


    Their mental state wasn¡¯t much better than his, but they didn¡¯t have much time to waste. If they stood idle for too long, they would be assumed to be rejecting the NPC¡¯s orders, which could also lead to elimination.


    The taller of the two made a decision first.


    He gritted his teeth and stepped aside to start moving props. Once he moved, the other player followed suit. Qin Nan decided to join in, reasoning that if all three of them were moving props, he still had a two-thirds chance of surviving.


    Seeing them start to work, Old Wang smiled in satisfaction and turned to leave.


    Time continued to tick away.


    Qin Nan¡¯s mind raced as he pondered the clues related to the heart attack. While he tried to think of the answer, he also had to pay attention to every detail while moving props, avoiding any actions that could trigger the death setting.


    Fortunately, death seemed to have temporarily spared him.


    At that moment, Jian Fan was in the dressing room, facing a row of costumes. He needed to choose one, just like the other two players.


    As an experienced player, he understood the game rules better. When choices needed to be made, it often meant he was getting closer to death.


    He had told Qin Nan that this world was challenging, and that was the truth.


    According to the game rules, only triggering the death setting would lead to elimination. In simpler worlds, they could avoid death if they were careful, but this world was different. The script provided death forecasts, meaning they had to follow the script¡¯s timeline and methods of death, one by one. All they could do was try to survive, becoming the last few players to die before the time of their demise arrived.


    The game¡¯s design also meant they could never form a complete team. They needed to work together to find a way out, but at the same time, they were also each other¡¯s enemies.


    To survive, someone else had to die.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Death hung over them like a sword, always threatening to fall, and they had to be wary of other players stabbing them in the back.


    With no information, it was a choice entirely based on luck.


    Jian Fan smirked slightly, picked a costume, and then turned to enter the changing room.


    Qin Nan continued moving props.


    He felt anxious; the third victim hadn¡¯t appeared yet, and the metaphorical sword hanging over him constantly tormented his nerves. He didn¡¯t even have a partner to communicate with.


    Then, the situation changed in an instant.


    Just as Qin Nan put down a prop and turned around, he suddenly heard a thud. The first player to make a choice had just lifted a prop box when he suddenly turned pale and collapsed backward, dropping the box.


    The box fell open, spilling its contents everywhere.


    Inside were various decorative items, and Qin Nan¡¯s gaze instinctively fell on the fallen props. When he saw them, he froze, suddenly understanding what the heart attack was linked to.


    Among the spilled items was a heart-shaped lamp.


    Seeing this, Qin Nan couldn¡¯t help but curse. This was all a matter of luck¡ªwho would check the contents of a prop box before moving it? How could anyone possibly identify that this heart-shaped lamp would be the key to triggering death? It was utterly chaotic!


    Qin Nan seethed with frustration but had no outlet. This was the rule; he had no choice but to comply.


    Old Wang reappeared, instructing everyone to clean up the scene.


    Qin Nan didn¡¯t move.


    He even thought in a moment of despair that being eliminated might be better; dying would be a relief. Surviving meant constantly living in fear, and at this rate, if the game didn¡¯t eliminate him, he would go insane.


    This thought grew stronger in his mind. Qin Nan didn¡¯t help clean up; instead, he walked to the break area, sat down, and resigned himself to fate.


    Other players and NPCs busied themselves with the cleanup.


    The scene was quickly tidied up.


    ¡°Units, prepare!¡± a voice rang out on set. Qin Nan¡¯s gaze followed the sound to the director.


    The director was focused on the monitor, holding a walkie-talkie.


    Qin Nan¡¯s eyes moved to the side.


    A cameraman was setting up a camera, and Qin Nan followed the direction the camera was pointing.


    After changing, Jian Fan was called aside by an NPC. When the third victim appeared, he was already suspended on a wire at the NPC¡¯s request.


    The sight of the wire reminded Jian Fan of Qin Nan¡¯s earlier mention of a high-altitude fall.


    This was another death forecast, and unfortunately, it seemed he was the next victim. Even so, Jian Fan remained calm. The closer he got to death, the calmer he became, and his mind became more active.


    All the information about this world flashed rapidly in his mind, and he missed no details, especially focusing on what Qin Nan had seen and heard before crossing over.


    What important information was hidden behind those things he had seen?


    Not only Jian Fan thought about the death forecast; when Qin Nan saw Jian Fan being hoisted high on the wire, he suddenly jumped up from his chair. He realized that the high-altitude fall was likely Jian Fan¡¯s method of death.


    Qin Nan had just begun to feel at ease, thinking that the third victim had already appeared. But now, he faced the fourth victim, someone who had recently become his partner. He couldn¡¯t remain calm.


    What could he do to prevent Jian Fan¡¯s death? Once Jian Fan died, he would be left to fend for himself, and he would likely be the next to die.


    Qin Nan could no longer sit idly by.


    No one could replace Jian Fan; the only solution was to find a way to break the cycle.


    Qin Nan¡¯s gaze quickly scanned the surroundings, searching for key clues.


    As they prepared for filming, the players and NPCs exited the shooting area. The director was intently watching the monitor, and the filming equipment was all focused on Jian Fan.


    Everything seemed perfectly normal.


    What to do? Qin Nan¡¯s mind raced. Jian Fan had said that new players would receive an important hint. Was that hint just the method of death from a high-altitude fall? This had to be written in the script, so it couldn¡¯t be considered an important hint. What was the significant hint he had received?


    Film, death crew, shooting, script¡­


    Suddenly, Qin Nan¡¯s eyes lit up.


    The script wasn¡¯t a death forecast; it was simply a script! From the very beginning, the answer had been clear: this was the filming base of "Death Crew."

 *Chapter 6: No One Survives in the Crew (Part 5)

    The filming base.


    This single detail connected all the dots for Qin Nan.


    There were no death forecasts; they were actually shooting a movie called "Death Crew." They hadn''t crossed into a film but into the production crew of this film, and all the players were actors in this production.


    What he had seen before crossing over wasn''t just about a high-altitude fall; it was about the reflections in the eyes of the deceased. That wasn''t a hallucination; he was right where the deceased''s gaze fell, meaning he was a character in the movie, not an outsider.


    The actors in the film were this group of players.


    The reason it was described as a filming crew rather than the movie itself was that, aside from the death scenes matching the script, other plot elements were clearly different, along with the information that NPCs occasionally revealed in their dialogues.


    After the fat guy died, Old Wang appeared and said, "Next scene." In the hotel, Old Wang said, "Scene change." If they were in the movie, then every time a character died, the crew NPCs should display panic, fear, and behaviors like calling the police as written in the script, rather than using phrases typical for film production.


    But how to break the cycle?


    As a complete newcomer, even though Qin Nan had pieced together the situation, he still felt somewhat at a loss.


    Jian Fan had more thoughts than Qin Nan.


    There was another key element: the camera.


    When the fat guy died on set, the presence of the camera was less noticeable because it was part of the filming environment. However, in the hotel room, the camera stood out. It was unusual for a player who wasn¡¯t a cinematographer to have a camera in their room. Any unreasonable element could very well be the key to breaking the cycle.


    Jian Fan scanned the surroundings and quickly locked onto a location. Suspended in mid-air, he couldn''t do much himself. Reluctantly, he decided to use his points.


    Jian Fan activated the points shop in his mind.


    The shop offered various items and skills that could be exchanged for points, potentially saving his life at a critical moment. He quickly identified the item he needed, which cost 500 points and could destroy something from a distance. Just as he was about to make the exchange, he noticed Qin Nan suddenly springing into action.


    Though Qin Nan was a new player, his love for puzzle games had given him significant insights at this moment.


    He had also locked onto two important pieces of information: the oddly placed camera in the hotel room and the scene of the high-altitude fall he had witnessed. The camera might be the key to breaking the cycle, and finding out where the camera filming the death scene was located became crucial.


    From what angle could the fall be captured?


    Qin Nan quickly arrived at an answer and locked onto his target.


    Seeing Qin Nan rush toward the hidden camera, Jian Fan was a bit surprised but soon regained his composure. He didn¡¯t continue with the item exchange but kept the points shop open.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    He didn¡¯t mind coasting on Qin Nan¡¯s efforts; while he could earn enough points to cover the item himself, he was more in need of a partner. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t put his life in someone else¡¯s hands. It was better to rely on himself; he needed to ensure that if Qin Nan faltered, he could still find a way to break the cycle before meeting his end.


    Qin Nan had some knowledge of photography and understood the basic operations of the camera. However, after pressing the stop button for a long time, the camera remained unresponsive. Growing anxious, he glanced in Jian Fan''s direction.


    Suddenly, the previously steady pressure shattered, and Jian Fan fell from mid-air.


    This scene changed Qin Nan''s expression. Without a moment to think, he gritted his teeth, grabbed a nearby chair, and smashed it down onto the camera.


    Bang.


    The chair struck the camera with a loud crash, and at that moment, everything on set seemed to hit a pause button. The last thing Qin Nan saw was Jian Fan¡¯s falling figure suspended in mid-air, followed by that familiar white light appearing before him once again.


    Instinctively, Qin Nan raised his hand to shield his eyes. When the white light faded and he lowered his hand, the scene before him had transformed.


    He found himself in a completely white space, with several door-like structures lined up in front of him. Aside from that, there was nothing else.


    Where was this?


    Qin Nan quickly got his answer.


    An electronic voice resonated in his mind: "Welcome, player, to the official game of the Death Realm. The points system is now activated for you."


    As the electronic voice faded, a floating control panel appeared before Qin Nan. Upon first entry, there was some explanatory text. After reading the basic rules, two items appeared on the control panel.


    One was the points shop, currently closed, which would update with corresponding items and skills once he entered the game world. The other was the points Qin Nan had accumulated.


    Currently, he had 1,300 points: 500 for clearing a level and an additional 800 for the eight surviving players, excluding himself.


    The control panel was straightforward to operate.


    Just as Qin Nan was about to familiarize himself with it, a female voice sounded in his ear.


    "Hi there, handsome."


    Qin Nan closed the control panel and looked over.


    The girl, around twenty, smiled at him. When she noticed him looking, she quickly extended her hand in introduction: "I''m Lin Junru. What''s your name, handsome?"


    Lin Junru was one of the members of the four-person team, a mix of two men and two women, and they had lost a companion in the previous game world.


    Qin Nan didn¡¯t plan to create animosity with other players, so he gently shook Lin Junru''s fingertips: "Qin Nan, new player. I hope to rely on you in the future."


    "New player?" Lin Junru''s expression conveyed both surprise and admiration. "Qin Nan, you¡¯re amazing! You should teach me more in the future."


    Qin Nan chuckled. "I just got lucky, that''s all."


    "You¡¯re too modest! When I first entered the Death Realm, I was completely lost¡­" Lin Junru seemed eager to chat, while Qin Nan politely listened, his gaze scanning the surroundings.


    The surviving players had all appeared in this white space.


    The team of six led by Xia Zeqin had now been reduced to four. Xia Zeqin looked the calmest, wrapping his arm around a woman¡¯s waist as they walked toward a door. The other two team members lingered behind, glancing at Qin Nan with hesitant expressions. Meanwhile, the pair with Lin Junru, a man and a woman, stood nearby chatting.


    Qin Nan''s gaze quickly swept over them, finally landing on Jian Fan.


    Jian Fan seemed uninterested in acknowledging him, heading straight toward a door.


    "Sorry, I have something to do. Let¡¯s chat later," Qin Nan quickly interrupted Lin Junru''s aimless chatter, jogging a few steps to catch up with Jian Fan.


    He caught up and placed a hand on Jian Fan''s shoulder, smiling: "Jian Fan."


    Jian Fan had reached the door. Hearing the call, he turned to look at Qin Nan, his expression neutral, his tone indifferent: "What''s up?"


    Qin Nan hesitated for a moment but soon smiled again. "We¡¯ve been through a lot together; you¡¯re being a bit cold, don¡¯t you think?"


    Jian Fan raised his gaze and repeated, "What¡¯s up?"


    Qin Nan withdrew his hand, shaking his head. Seeing this, Jian Fan decisively turned away, tapping the door before stepping through, disappearing from sight.


    Tsk, Qin Nan puffed his cheeks in frustration. Jian Fan was indeed something; he thought of a fitting phrase¡ª"burning the bridge after crossing it."

 *Chapter 7: A New World Begins

    With one world ending, players could temporarily rest for a day in the virtual space.


    Qin Nan found himself in the virtual space of the Death Realm. Behind each door was a bedroom, allowing players to choose freely. Once a player entered and established their identity, others were prohibited from intruding.


    This meant that when Jian Fan entered his room, he severed all contact with Qin Nan.


    In stark contrast to Jian Fan''s indifference, Lin Junru was much more enthusiastic.


    She didn¡¯t mind Qin Nan''s earlier actions at all. After seeing him struggle, she approached him again: "Qin Nan, I have two teammates. Would you like me to introduce you?"


    Qin Nan immediately smiled. "Sure, thank you, Miss Junru."


    Getting to know more people and gathering information about the Death Realm was extremely beneficial for him at this moment.


    However, seasoned players were no fools. Although they were friendly, they wouldn¡¯t reveal too much information during initial interactions. They exchanged pleasantries for a while, and Qin Nan only got to "know" them briefly.


    Lin Junru''s teammates were a girl named Mu Xin, a high school student, and a man named Zheng Jueming, who was around thirty.


    As Jian Fan had guessed, the three had already experienced several worlds together. Zheng Jueming had the most experience, followed by Lin Junru, while Mu Xin seemed to have just been lucky, coasting through the challenges.


    Qin Nan wasn''t in a hurry. After exchanging identity information and chatting for a bit, they each returned to their rooms.


    Although he had cleared one world, the road ahead was still long. Qin Nan didn¡¯t dare to relax. To maintain a better mental state for the upcoming challenges, he lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.


    When Qin Nan woke up again, it was due to the system''s electronic voice.


    "Please prepare, players. You will be entering the next world in three minutes."


    Feeling a bit annoyed, Qin Nan ran his fingers through his hair. Reluctantly, he got out of bed and opened the door.


    In the once white space, a bus had appeared, and players were boarding it one after another.


    Lin Junru spotted Qin Nan first and waved at him with a smile. "Qin Nan, it¡¯s time to get ready to leave."


    Qin Nan returned the smile. "Miss Junru." He then noticed Jian Fan had already boarded the bus and hurried to catch up. Although Jian Fan had been indifferent, his guidance had helped Qin Nan successfully clear the last world.


    It didn¡¯t matter if Jian Fan was cold; as long as he was reliable and helpful, he was the right teammate. In contrast, Lin Junru seemed friendly, but Qin Nan trusted Jian Fan more.


    This trust stemmed not only from their previous cooperation but also from Qin Nan''s own judgment of people.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Jian Fan." Qin Nan sat down beside him, maintaining a warm demeanor despite Jian Fan''s coldness.


    Jian Fan glanced at him briefly before returning his gaze forward, responding with a calm "Hmm."


    When Xia Zeqin boarded the bus, he intentionally looked over at Jian Fan. Upon seeing Qin Nan, he paused slightly and then spoke with a smirk, "I didn¡¯t expect you to actually find a teammate. Are you sure he¡¯s reliable?" He pointed at his own head.


    Qin Nan''s expression darkened immediately.


    What was wrong with his brain? He was the one who had led them through the last world!


    Jian Fan¡¯s lips curled into a slight smirk, and with a hint of sarcasm in his indifferent tone, he replied, "If boasting can help you regain a bit of confidence, then by all means, go ahead. After all, you lost the bet."


    Xia Zeqin was unfazed by the jab, chuckling softly. "I¡¯ll be watching."


    Qin Nan grew increasingly curious about the animosity between Jian Fan and Xia Zeqin. What had happened to cause such a rift? What had Xia Zeqin done to provoke Jian Fan''s sarcasm? While he was curious, he knew that Jian Fan wouldn¡¯t divulge any answers, so he mulled it over in his mind for a minute.


    Soon, all nine players were in place.


    In the last world, three players had died, so they would be reassigned to three new players in this world.


    They didn¡¯t have to wait long.


    Shortly after, two individuals boarded the bus: a middle-aged man in his forties and a teenage boy. They clearly knew each other, as they remained together and didn¡¯t seem inclined to interact with the others.


    Once they settled in, about ten seconds later, another individual appeared on the bus.


    Seeing this familiar entrance, Qin Nan was taken aback and quickly turned to Jian Fan. "A new player?"


    Jian Fan''s gaze was fixed on the new player. Upon hearing Qin Nan''s question, he answered flatly, "Should be. The previous old players boarded from their respective virtual spaces. She¡¯s the second new player I¡¯ve encountered, and her entrance is the same as yours."


    "I¡¯m a bit surprised," Qin Nan remarked. It was rare for Jian Fan to speak so much to him.


    Jian Fan finally allowed his gaze to linger on Qin Nan for a moment, his expression as if to say, "Are you out of your mind?"


    Qin Nan: "¡­"


    The new player was a woman with short, clean silver hair and trendy attire. Upon opening her eyes and taking in her surroundings, her pupils widened in shock, and she exclaimed "What the hell!" multiple times.


    "Interesting, another new player," Xia Zeqin said first, his gaze landing on Jian Fan.


    Hearing Xia Zeqin''s voice, the new player quickly turned to him, asking, "What new player? Are pranks this high-tech these days?"


    "This is the Death Realm," Jian Fan suddenly spoke up.


    Qin Nan was taken aback by Jian Fan''s response. He didn¡¯t like interacting with others and had a cold personality, so this wasn¡¯t typical behavior for him. However, recalling how Jian Fan had extended a helping hand to him when he first arrived in the Death Realm, it seemed¡ªperhaps¡ªnot so surprising after all.


    The new player¡¯s eyes widened. "That sounds familiar."


    Xia Zeqin shot a knowing glance at Jian Fan before addressing the new player. "Once you die in the Death Realm, your life in the real world will also be erased. I think you might need a guide."


    Qin Nan frowned slightly at the identical phrasing.


    Jian Fan¡¯s gaze shifted from the new player to Xia Zeqin, his expression calm.


    The new player gasped, moving closer to Xia Zeqin, and introduced herself first. "Xu Tian, but you can call me Sweetheart. What did you mean by that? Are people really going to die?"


    "Of course," Xia Zeqin replied, smirking at Jian Fan while explaining the basics of the Death Realm to Xu Tian.


    As Xu Tian made her choice, Jian Fan closed his eyes and pretended to nap.


    Seeing this, Qin Nan understood.


    There was significant animosity between Jian Fan and Xia Zeqin. Jian Fan was alone now, needing reliable partners, while Xia Zeqin was clearly cold and indifferent, trying to recruit any players he could to isolate Jian Fan.


    Jian Fan, on the other hand, would proactively reach out to new players, casting a wide net for potential allies, then deciding whether to befriend them based on their behavior.


    Qin Nan didn¡¯t know whether to be angry or amused.


    He agreed with Jian Fan¡¯s approach, but Jian Fan¡¯s attitude¡­


    Not to mention that he believed his gestures of goodwill were still predominantly cold, very few would choose Jian Fan over Xia Zeqin in this situation. Despite being recognized as a partner, Jian Fan treated him with such indifference.


    Was he unworthy?


    No, it was Jian Fan who was being unreasonable.


    Qin Nan wore a polite smile.

 *Chapter 8: The Haunted Mansion Murder Mystery (Part 1)

    As the twelve players settled in, the bus to the next world began to move.


    When the bus came to a stop, Qin Nan, now experienced, took the initiative to get off.


    Unlike before, he found himself alone in a quaint, ancient-style room, devoid of any other players.


    "Welcome, players, to the Haunted Mansion Murder Mystery world. Please draw your identity cards."


    The electronic voice echoed in his mind, and twelve cards materialized before him.


    Qin Nan was well aware of the principles of murder mystery games; he had played many. However, this was the first time it was directly tied to his life. The identity card he drew would determine his path moving forward, so he had to be cautious.


    As he focused, three of the identity cards quickly faded to gray.


    The faded cards could no longer be drawn.


    Qin Nan realized that all players were drawing from the same set of identity cards. Once one player drew a card, it became one less choice for him. He pushed aside any lingering thoughts of sorrow and quickly drew an identity card.


    Six was his lucky number, so he chose the sixth card.


    "Player identity: the second young master of the family, the only legitimate son, but not favored by his father. His biological mother has passed away." The electronic voice informed him. "For more information, players will need to explore on their own once the game begins. Good luck, my player."


    As the identity cards faded one by one, the last card disappeared, and a sound of bells and drums echoed from the entrance. At the same time, Qin Nan''s outfit changed.


    Was this a one-click outfit change?


    Was the game starting now?


    At this moment, he only knew his identity, but he was completely unaware of the story''s background. The system hinted that the starting point only provided a superficial identity; deeper layers would require exploration.


    Qin Nan decided to search the room for any clues related to his identity.


    This was an ancient setting.


    The room he was in appeared to be a bedroom, likely belonging to the second young master. There was a desk with books like the "Analects" and an unfinished calligraphy practice sheet.


    It seemed his character was a somewhat educated scholar.


    He casually picked up the "Analects" and flipped through it. Suddenly, a piece of paper fell out, fluttering to the ground. His gaze instinctively followed it.


    The white paper was filled with ominous red characters spelling "death," which was quite alarming.


    Qin Nan cursed under his breath and hastily picked up the paper, contemplating for a moment before folding it and hiding it on his person.


    From his understanding of murder mystery games, each player would have clues that could arouse suspicion. This paper filled with death-related words could very well be a piece of evidence implicating him.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t mind, but now that his life was at stake, if he were voted to die, there would be no second chances. He had to be extremely careful.


    Leaving the paper in the room would inevitably lead to its discovery, so it was safer to keep it with him.


    Beyond this paper, he suspected there were more items to uncover, so he meticulously searched the entire room.


    He found three more items.


    The first was a small vial labeled "Crane Top Red," likely poison, hidden under a pillow. The second was a letter that appeared to be his character''s deceased mother¡¯s will, tucked away at the bottom of a wardrobe. The letter summarized that his father was a "phoenix man," who became successful through his father-in-law''s support but abandoned his first wife, leading to the mother¡¯s untimely death. Before dying, she left a will urging her child to reclaim the family property.


    The third item was a strange blood-stained white embroidered shoe.


    Qin Nan had no immediate thoughts about the shoe, but he had already pieced together the general plot of the game from the will.


    The deceased was likely his character''s stepfather. They needed to uncover the murderer who killed him. Given his background, he harbored resentment towards the stepfather, providing him with a motive for murder. The presence of poison in the room could further suggest his murderous intent.


    Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. "Second young master, dinner is ready. Please come to the front courtyard."


    Qin Nan had a rough idea of what was happening. The NPCs were appearing, signaling the end of the phase where players learn their identities. The group of players would soon gather, and the deceased would make their entrance for the first round of investigation.


    The servant led Qin Nan to the main courtyard, but before leaving, he placed the will back in its original spot.


    Having no clues left behind would make him less suspicious.


    The twelve players nearly arrived at the main courtyard simultaneously, with Xu Tian being a minute or two late.


    "Please take a seat," Xia Zeqin spoke first, choosing a spot. "I assume everyone knows the rules of the murder mystery? Let''s sit down and introduce our identities."


    Jian Fan remained calm, having already taken a seat when Xia Zeqin began speaking. Qin Nan chose a spot next to Jian Fan.


    The other players quickly followed suit, taking their seats.


    Once everyone was settled, Xia Zeqin spoke again. "I''ll go first. I¡¯m the eldest son of this family, a sort of illegitimate child? My mother... well, my mother and father were childhood sweethearts. Before they married, she got pregnant. I lived with her until I was thirteen, and after she died, I was brought here."


    Qin Nan glanced at Xia Zeqin.


    The backstory seemed to follow the clich¨¦ of a family drama: the deceased had a romantic entanglement before marriage, resulting in an illegitimate child. For money, he then married a wealthy girl and had a second child. Given the group of players and the will, it seemed the deceased had likely sought out mistresses after becoming prosperous, ultimately leading to the death of the wealthy wife.


    After Xia Zeqin finished, his female companion spoke up. "I¡¯m the youngest daughter of this family. My mother was a concubine who died during childbirth, so I¡¯m pretty much invisible at home."


    Qin Nan raised an eyebrow at this.


    The other players introduced themselves in turn until it was Jian Fan''s turn. All eyes naturally fell on him.


    Jian Fan slightly raised his head, speaking succinctly: "I¡¯m the family doctor."


    In this unfamiliar world, everyone¡¯s self-introductions were cautious, avoiding revealing too much information, but Jian Fan¡¯s brevity stood out.


    "Is that it?" Xu Tian asked, taking the initiative.


    Jian Fan responded with an indifferent "Hmm."


    Seeing this, Qin Nan took the opportunity to speak up. "I¡¯m the second young master of this family, the legitimate son. My mother was wronged and died of heartbreak. My relationship with my father is strained. I resent him for betraying my mother, and he doesn¡¯t want me involved in family affairs. That¡¯s my introduction." He added a note that he was unfamiliar with murder mystery games.


    Xia Zeqin looked at Qin Nan with a smirk. "You¡¯ve never played a murder mystery before?"


    Qin Nan smiled back. "Is that strange?"


    Xia Zeqin didn¡¯t answer, but Jian Fan did: "Haven¡¯t you never played either?"


    Jian Fan''s comment surprised the others, and their gazes shifted between Xia Zeqin and Jian Fan. The only calm one, apart from the two involved, was Xia Zeqin''s female companion.


    She seemed to know something.


    Xia Zeqin shrugged, smiling. "Is it wrong to ask?"


    Jian Fan ignored him, returning his gaze elsewhere. "Next."


    Beside Qin Nan sat Lin Junru, who cheerfully interjected to ease the tension. "It¡¯s my turn, then! I¡¯m the eldest daughter of this family. I¡¯ve never met my mother since birth, and I don¡¯t know her circumstances, but my father dotes on me."


    Everything began to return to the proper flow of the game.

 *Chapter 9: The Haunted Mansion Murder Mystery (Part 2)

    The twelve players quickly finished their introductions.


    In this world, there were eight men and four women.


    Xia Zeqin was the eldest son, Qin Nan was the second son, the third was a male player from Xia Zeqin''s team, the fourth son was a middle-aged man from the other team, Lin Junru was the eldest daughter, Xia Zeqin''s female companion was the second daughter, Jian Fan was the family doctor, Zheng Jueming was the accountant, Xu Tian was the eldest daughter-in-law, Mu Xin was the third daughter-in-law, the male player from the second team was a distant nephew, and the last player, also from Xia Zeqin''s team, was the family¡¯s younger brother.


    "Second young master is still single?" Lin Junru teased after everyone had introduced themselves.


    Qin Nan shrugged helplessly and replied, "So, my relationship with him is really not that good."


    Suddenly, a scream pierced through the conversation from outside.


    "Let''s go check it out," Xia Zeqin said, standing up first. As he moved, his female companion also got up, and they walked to the front. The other players followed suit, rising one by one.


    Jian Fan stayed at the back, and Qin Nan deliberately slowed his pace to walk alongside him.


    Jian Fan seemed a bit surprised. "Aren''t you worried I might be the murderer?"


    "You need a long-term partner," Qin Nan replied. Getting through a level was about surviving a bit longer. He believed Jian Fan''s goal aligned with his own: to survive and escape this deadly situation. They both needed a reliable and capable partner.


    Perhaps in some worlds, they would temporarily become adversaries, but one shouldn''t focus solely on the present. Losing a reliable partner could forfeit many advantages in future worlds. Although they were in a game and had to follow the rules, their ultimate goal was to clear the game, not to turn against each other and sacrifice their partners.


    Of course, given their current relationship, complete trust was still out of reach.


    Because of Qin Nan''s words, Jian Fan glanced at him again.


    "Do you think I''m reliable?" Qin Nan raised an eyebrow and asked.


    A strong look of disdain crossed Jian Fan''s face.


    Qin Nan paused, made a gesture to zip his lips, realizing he shouldn''t make jokes with someone so serious; it was akin to courting disaster.


    The group arrived at the main courtyard of the mansion, quickly discovering the body lying in the main room.


    The deceased was a middle-aged man, dressed in luxurious clothing, undoubtedly their stepfather. He lay face up on the ground, eyes wide open, seemingly unable to close them even in death. Beneath him was a pool of blood, which had coincidentally formed a pattern, blending perfectly with the ground''s color to create a Taiji symbol.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    In the crime scene, there was also a middle-aged man, the housekeeper, who had let out the earlier scream.


    "I came to call the master for dinner, and when I entered, I found him lying on the floor," the NPC housekeeper explained briefly. He continued, "Young masters and young ladies, you must find the murderer and avenge the master!"


    According to the rules of the murder mystery game, they needed to identify the murderer, and the housekeeper''s words reminded them of this.


    However, this was the rule of the game, not necessarily the world they were in. They had to follow the game rules while seeking clues to clear the game.


    As for Qin Nan, he had nothing to work with at the moment.


    "How about we form groups of three to search for clues?" Xu Tian, a new player, suggested first. Qin Nan could even see a hint of eagerness on her face.


    Was it good adaptability, or was she completely unaware of her situation?


    Lin Junru nodded in agreement. "I support her idea. Three people can supervise each other to prevent the murderer from acting up."


    "I have no objections," Xia Zeqin added.


    Xu Tian''s suggestion quickly gained unanimous approval.


    With twelve players, they could form four groups of three. Xia Zeqin and his female companion formed one group, Xu Tian volunteered to join them, Qin Nan teamed up with Jian Fan, Lin Junru opted to join them, Zheng Jueming, Mu Xin, and the distant nephew formed another team, leaving the last three together.


    Qin Nan chose to stay at the scene to examine the crime scene, and Jian Fan had no objections. Xia Zeqin and Zheng Jueming''s teams would check the living quarters of the twelve, while the last group would conduct an initial inspection of the entire courtyard.


    Once tasks were assigned, the players quickly got into action.


    Qin Nan began by inspecting the corpse.


    The deceased had two noticeable wounds. The first was on his forehead, likely caused by a heavy object, with blood streaming down and staining half of his face. The second wound was on his chest, where a dagger was still embedded, surrounded by significant blood.


    "Need a hand?" Qin Nan half-squatted in front of the corpse and looked up at Jian Fan.


    Jian Fan nodded and squatted down, asking, "What do you want to do?"


    "Strip him," Qin Nan replied, then turned to Lin Junru. "If you mind, you can step away." In general gameplay, corpses were usually props, and stripping them for inspection was fine, but this was a real body¡ªa male one at that.


    Lin Junru shook her head. "No need."


    Qin Nan didn''t press further and signaled Jian Fan to help him remove the deceased''s clothing.


    Once the clothes were off, more details became evident. Besides the two visible wounds, there were various scars on the corpse¡ªsome old, some recent.


    The deceased was a businessman, and these scars made Qin Nan more alert.


    After checking the front, he turned the body over, and upon seeing the back, he froze for a moment.


    The deceased had a large tattoo that nearly covered his entire back, depicting a stark black-and-white Taiji symbol.


    The back bore a Taiji symbol, while the blood on the ground formed a similar pattern.


    "This is¡ªTaiji?" Lin Junru was taken aback.


    "Yin and Yang give rise to the two forms, which give rise to the four images, and the four images give rise to the eight trigrams," Jian Fan suddenly spoke up.


    Lin Junru looked confused. "What does that mean?"


    Qin Nan turned to Jian Fan. "You understand the Book of Changes?"


    "I''ve read it, but I don¡¯t fully grasp it," Jian Fan replied, then looked at Qin Nan. "Do you?"


    Qin Nan shook his head. "Few people truly understand it these days." He continued examining the deceased. "The tattoo could indicate a passion for Taiji, but it''s quite a coincidence that even the blood is arranged in a Taiji pattern. There''s a lot more to this."


    Jian Fan didn¡¯t respond, his gaze falling on the deceased''s lower region. "Should we check there?"


    Qin Nan nodded. "Of course."


    Lin Junru''s eyes widened, initially looking puzzled, but when she saw the two actually removing the deceased''s undergarments, she quickly turned away.


    "Wow!" Qin Nan couldn''t help but exclaim, and Lin Junru jumped, instinctively turning back to see what was happening, only to freeze in place.


    The deceased had been castrated.