Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Qin Nan and the others returned to the bar’s main hall.

Jian Fan looked toward the bar counter. Qi Shuping was still sitting there, currently chatting with Xu Tian. It was unclear what they were discussing, but they seemed to be getting along well enough.

“Should we head over?” Mu Xin asked, her gaze following his.

Qin Nan chuckled and said, “If he’s looking for someone to be a temporary Partner, I think he’ll go for Qin Weiyi.”

Jian Fan glanced at Qin Nan. “Qin Weiyi is more reliable.”

Mu Xin laughed. “Qin Nan, you really do know him best.”

“After all, I was the first Partner he ever looked for.” Qin Nan arched an eyebrow at Mu Xin.

Jian Fan didn’t join in their idle chatter.

Qin Weiyi and Lu Jing had remained in the main hall the entire time. Their original booth had been taken by NPCs, forcing Qin Weiyi to choose a new one. Once he sat down, he hadn’t moved an inch until Jian Fan’s group found them.

He had been observing the various NPCs in the bar, as well as Xia Zeqin and Qi Shuping.

“Xiao Qin, are there really Vampires here? It looks pretty normal to me.” Now that there were no outsiders around, Lu Jing spoke more freely. He was a burly, middle-aged man, yet he spoke tentatively in front of Qin Weiyi.

Qin Weiyi didn’t dismiss him. Instead, he countered with a question: “Setting aside the Vampires, do you think there’s anything wrong with this bar so far?”

Lu Jing shook his head, then remembered something. “The Bloody Marys Qin Nan and the others ordered?”

“If you hadn’t tasted it, would you think there was anything wrong with a Bloody Mary?” Qin Weiyi continued.

Lu Jing shook his head again.

To him, this just looked like a perfectly normal bar. Bloody Marys, Vampires-he hadn’t spotted a single clue. Despite knowing he was more brawn than brains, he was still bewildered after surviving so many worlds. Even though they all went through the same experiences, he never seemed to see the problems the others pointed out.

“The Realm of Death implies danger. The places that look the most normal are precisely where things are wrong. Could an ordinary bar be called a Realm of Death? If you think it’s normal, it means the problem is massive,” Qin Weiyi said.

Realization dawned on Lu Jing.

“So, have you seen anything yet?” Lu Jing asked. He began mimicking Qin Weiyi, scanning the bar’s surroundings in an effort to keep up with the expert, but he still couldn’t make heads or tails of anything.

“If Jian Fan’s theory is correct and this is a Vampire’s hunting ground, then the Vampire must be looking for prey. Finding prey is a process,” Qin Weiyi said. “It’s likely just like what we’re doing-secretly observing others and wondering if they’re suspicious. Vampires are the same; they need to determine if a person is suitable food.”

Lu Jing understood the logic. “Then have you found one?”

Qin Weiyi shook his head. “I’ve narrowed it down to a few people, but I can’t be sure yet. Moreover, I’m not sure if there’s only one Vampire in this world or several.”

If there was only one Vampire, the Players might be able to team up and kill it; that might even be the way to clear the stage. But if there were multiple Vampires, it would truly be a one-sided slaughter. After all, they were just ordinary people. Killing one might be possible with enough effort, and killing two might happen with a stroke of luck, but if there were many, Qin Weiyi felt it was best not to get their hopes up.

Unless they staked all their Points on it, there might be a slim chance.

If there were multiple Vampires, they would have to find another way. Right now, with insufficient information, Qin Weiyi couldn’t be certain, nor did he dare to act rashly.
Fortunately, as long as they didn’t catch a Vampire’s eye as food and weren’t reckless enough to trigger any Death Settings, they should be safe for the time being.

They needed to gather as many clues as possible while ensuring their own safety.

“Xiao Qin, Jian Fan and the others are here.” Lu Jing had been mimicking Qin Weiyi by observing their surroundings. He hadn’t found anything unusual, but he did spot Qin Nan’s group of three walking toward them.

Qin Weiyi looked over and watched the trio approach.

“Temporary partners, did you find something?” Qin Weiyi guessed Jian Fan’s intent.

Although Qi Shuping seemed formidable, he didn’t know her well, and he similarly disliked Xia Zeqin. Thus, out of the twelve Players, the only Partner Qin Weiyi could think of and choose-besides himself and Lu Jing-was Jian Fan.

He had a brain, wouldn’t drag them down, and they wouldn’t interfere with each other. As long as there was no conflict of interest, Qin Weiyi didn’t mind forming a loose, temporary partnership with Jian Fan’s group.

Jian Fan’s trio sat down in the booth.

Qin Nan acted as the spokesperson for the three of them.

Jian Fan was a man of few words. Although Mu Xin had changed her usual style of doing things, she still subconsciously acted soft and weak. Qin Nan was the most normal one among them.

“Wang Hao’s body might have been taken over by a Vampire.” For the sake of accuracy, Qin Nan used the word ‘might,’ but then he shook his head. “No, there’s another possibility. It wasn’t his body that was stolen, but his soul. A Vampire has already controlled his soul. In short, Wang Hao should be considered out. The current Wang Hao is on the opposing side.”

Qin Weiyi frowned.

Qin Nan waited somewhat nervously for Qin Weiyi to speak, hoping he might have some clues.

“Who is Wang Hao?” Qin Weiyi asked a question he felt was very important.

Qin Nan: “…”

“He’s one of the two following Qi Shuping. Don’t worry about who is who; the two of them are together now, so the other one probably won’t survive much longer anyway. Just stay away from them,” Qin Nan said.

Qin Weiyi pondered for a moment. “The legend of Bloody Mary?”

Qin Nan nodded.

Qin Weiyi seemed thoughtful. “So that’s what the legend of Bloody Mary was referring to.”

“What clues do you have on your end?” Jian Fan asked.

Qin Weiyi shook his head. “Nothing yet. I’ve tentatively narrowed it down to a few people who might be Vampires, but I’m not certain.” Without waiting for Jian Fan to ask, Qin Weiyi took the initiative to point out the individuals he found suspicious.

There were five in total.

A woman in a red strapless dress with long, wavy brown hair was dancing in the middle of the dance floor, her gaze constantly scanning the room. A bar employee carrying a tray was moving through the bar, occasionally stopping to chat with customers.

The singer on stage was singing, but his eyes weren’t idle either; he frequently paused his performance to deliver drinks and fruit platters to guests, both men and women. The fourth was an ordinary-looking woman, though her face was slightly pale. She held a Bloody Mary in her hand and sat in a booth, seemingly just watching the crowd dance.

The fifth was a young man leaning against the bar, dressed in a sharp suit and wearing glasses. He looked like a refined scoundrel. One hand rested on the bar while the other lightly swirled his glass, a faint smile on his lips as his gaze swept over the surroundings from time to time.

Just as Qin Weiyi finished telling them about the five suspects, the man leaning against the bar seemed to sense their gaze. He suddenly turned his head and looked over, meeting the eyes of Qin Weiyi and the others directly.

His expression didn’t change. He even raised his glass toward them in a distant toast.