章 10: You Killed My Child
Zhou Bai instinctively tightened his grip on the phone receiver. The woman on the other end continued, "We've received internal information that this city is no longer safe. Staying here poses a life-threatening risk. Our company is organizing an evacuation for all employees. Due to limited resources, each employee can only bring one family member. Your wife has chosen to bring you. Please be prepared. Our company's staff will pick you up tomorrow at 6 PM."
The sudden news left Zhou Bai's mind in a whirl. The third method of clearing the game, which seemed the simplest, now appeared far from it. If the phone call was genuine, the entire city might be in danger. Staying home for 30 days would be akin to waiting to die.
Eliminating the third method, Zhou Bai considered the first and second methods, both requiring him to find a safe zone. Was "Effective Pharmaceuticals" the safe zone? Assuming his wife was the key figure in the scenario, Zhou Bai had already gained her trust, and she chose him as her family member to take along. This seemed plausible, but Zhou Bai felt something was missing.
The woman in the red dress continued to sit on the sofa, staring at Zhou Bai. Fortunately, "it" had to follow the rules. As long as Zhou Bai adhered to the rules, "it" couldn't harm him. Despite feeling uneasy, Zhou Bai scrutinized "it." Young, beautiful, and dressed in an expensive-looking red dress, why did this woman die in his home?
Shaking his head, Zhou Bai returned to the study. The viewers in Great Xia's live stream finally felt a bit relieved. However, the viewers in Kimchi Country were far from calm. They knew from other countries' live streams that the city was in danger, yet their Chosen One, Nam Myung-gi, had locked himself in the study all day without coming out. Kimchi Country had used up all three hint opportunities, and the experts were frantic but helpless, praying for a miracle.
At 5 PM, it was time to give the black dog its medication. Zhou Bai went to the living room and opened the cabinet where the medicine was kept. The black pill from the pet hospital was inside. As Zhou Bai reached for the black pill, his gaze fell on the other two bottles of pills. "Effective Pharmaceuticals" was printed on both his wife's and mother's pill bottles. So his wife's company produced the contamination-suppressing drugs. This made it more reasonable for the company to know the city was in danger.
The experts watching the live stream agreed. "Companies that produce contamination-suppressing drugs usually have official backing. It seems Zhou Bai's wife's company is the safe zone."
"As long as Zhou Bai goes with them tomorrow, he can achieve an S-level clearance."
"With only one day left, uncovering the full storyline is too difficult. An SSS-level clearance seems out of reach."
"To fully understand the storyline, one must actively explore. But in the world of rule-based horror, any action could lead to death."
"An S-level clearance is already the best result so far. We shouldn't expect too much from Zhou Bai."
The experts felt confident about Zhou Bai's clearance and weren't overly worried. The black dog grew restless. Zhou Bai stopped thinking and fed it the black pill, calming it down. Zhou Bai watched the dog with mixed emotions. The woman in the red dress continued to sit on the sofa, her eyes never leaving Zhou Bai.
Time passed quickly. At 6:30 PM, the sound of keys turning in the lock signaled his wife's return. The woman in the red dress remained on the sofa. Zhou Bai's wife, looking dazed, started to remove her high heels but froze when she saw the woman on the sofa. Her eyes sharpened.
"Why are you here?"
Zhou Bai watched his wife warily. Knowing the effects of her medication had worn off, he quickly opened the cabinet to get the white pill. What would happen if his family members became aware of "it"? Zhou Bai didn't want to find out. The experts in Great Xia's live stream knew the gravity of the situation. Zhou Bai was close to reaching the safe zone. They couldn't afford a mistake now.
His wife was agitated. "My child. It's you! You killed my child."
Zhou Bai looked sharply at the red figure. The storyline was unfolding before him. Perhaps because Zhou Bai had exposed "it," it no longer bothered to disguise itself. Smiling, "it" stared at Zhou Bai's wife. She was on the verge of a breakdown, her face contorted with rage as she lunged at "it."
Zhou Bai grabbed his wife's hand. Veins bulged on her face, and small bumps appeared near her ears, as if something was trying to emerge. Zhou Bai's heart pounded. He remembered his mother's pig ears and his father now being a black dog. If he didn't stop his wife, she might transform into something else.
Holding her tightly with one hand, Zhou Bai shoved the white pill into her mouth with the other, covering her mouth until she swallowed. Her expression slowly softened, and she collapsed, exhausted. The red figure remained, but her focus shifted away from "it."
"Honey, why am I on the floor?" she asked, confused.
Zhou Bai handed her a glass of water, comforting her. "You must be very tired."
She took the glass, nodded blankly, and drank. Zhou Bai finally understood the importance of Rule C, fourth rule: [Always pay attention to your family's emotions; it's key to maintaining a harmonious home.]
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