Chapter 13: Such a coincidence, truly no one else…

【Desire for liberation…】

【Desire to touch the outside world…】

【Discarded "item", even stepping on the world's land…】

【Perhaps know, jumping from a foul-smelling mud patch into another dirty swamp.】

【Repudiating the nature of outsiders…】

【These outsiders are fit to survive in society!】

【They should be expelled!】

【———Observer (recorded in Blue Star Era: 2541, kind and agree with those outsiders alike】

Lu Ming, who arrived relatively late, the prayer had already started.

Those in the church lowered their heads, palms together, silently praying for their hopes.

Lu Ming followed Yang Xin to sit in the back row, knowing what to pray for; the girl beside him had already clasped her hands and began praying silently.

He could only mimic, closing his eyes, and used Phantom Shadow.

The view switched to the shadow's body.

Lu Ming controlled the shadow to shuttle along the wall, a platform resembling a priest, apparently also praying.

Not seeing any clues, Lu Ming had to inspect the platform; the shadow slid down the steps, brushing past the placed greenery.

Lu Ming deliberately avoided some women in skirts, because from that angle he would see similar scenery.

Suddenly, the view stopped, the main body's forehead broke out in layers of cold sweat; the boy was staring at himself.

Discovered!

If causing a disturbance would likely be troublesome, Lu Ming immediately decided to retract the shadow.

"Are you also a player?" the boy said, looking at the extra shadow beside his feet.

The prayer lasted a while, finally the priest said a few words.

Basically, saying that demons are still around, and if you want to avoid monster harassment, kill demons, etc.

"My daughter is missing, how can I find her?" a woman stood up, tears streaming, her voice especially striking in the church.

"Following the Island God's guidance, I can only say, all is safe." the priest said.

Several beside also stood up to comfort the woman.

"They have already filed a case."

"Our island only has..."

"Just one, we agreed to go to the house of a friend we just met."

After the prayer ended, townspeople left the church one after another.

Amidst the crowd, Lu Ming glanced at that boy, and the boy also happened to notice.

The two locked eyes silently.

"What's wrong?" Yang Xin followed Lu Ming's gaze: "Liang Shu? Playing some wordless game?"

Just Liang Shu?

Lu Ming's gaze narrowed.

"Let's chat a bit." Lu Ming greeted and walked toward that boy.

The boy seemed to understand as well; the elderly couple beside him said a few words, then also walked toward Lu Ming.

"Chang'an." Liang Shu said: "Want to go for a walk?"

Seems afraid Lu Ming might misunderstand, he lowered his voice: "No ill intent; this difficulty is surely higher than the new dungeon, cooperation among players is better."

Lu Ming glanced at Yang Xin in the distance: "Okay."

To convince Yang Xin to let him go home first, Lu Ming spent some words; finally Liang Shu repeatedly assured he would look after Lu Ming, then he felt relieved to leave.

The two began to stroll around the town, finally stopping at a cliff; in the distance, sea and sky meet to form the horizon.

"There's nothing inside, I can say with confidence." Liang Shu leaned on the railing.

Lu Ming didn't speak, just watched silently.

Liang Shu helplessly spread his hands: "Alright, first, call me Mo Yan."

"C Country?" Divided into tens of thousands of instances, yet we could still match together; there's no one else.

"How do you know?" Mo Yan was somewhat surprised.

"Lu Ming, Lu Ming." Lu Ming secretly exhaled in relief, also leaning on the railing.

"What the heck?" Mo Yan stared, realizing his gaffe, quickly coughed twice: "Such a coincidence… tens of thousands of instances, yet there's no one else… after all, I've been looking for this, but found it."

"Hmm." Lu Ming nodded: "Any clues?"

"." Mo Yan said: "Regarding the island's monster, Liang Shu privately investigated, looked at the memory… that kind of monster indeed exists."

Mo Yan rolled up his sleeve, revealing a ferocious wound: "These bite marks look like they were caused by a canine."

Lu Ming leaned in to observe; the wound's edges were neat, forming a symmetrical semi-arc.

"What does it feel like it was bitten by?" Mo Yan lowered his sleeve.

"." Lu Ming said.

"Also completely." Mo Yan said: "The monster bit."

【Clue: Monster's bite marks (bitten by what?)】

Lu Ming looked and said: "Do you still remember that night, Ling Chang'an and Liang Shu together in the forest?"

"I remember, but the memory is vague; clearly that night's events." Mo Yan nodded, brows furrowed: "But things definitely aren't that simple; Liang Shu's wound was left that night, the two must have encountered something."

The diary had three pages torn out, and even Mo Yan remembered what happened that night.

Lu Ming had no clue at all.

"We also ran into S Player," Mo Yan said, "... the players must be... some players even showed their heads."

"It's okay, just follow the main line," Lu Ming thought, planning to consider those matters first.

Mo Yan touched his head and said, "Then... the skill you asked about?"

"Shall I say it?" Lu Ming asked.

"A skill similar to fire magic, gathering fire and then shooting," Mo Yan extended his left hand, a ball of flame hovering on his face: "The current rating is B; to get a better skill... what's the rating?"

"S." Lu Ming decided to hide it; after all, the leaderboard will be posted after the instance ends, so concealment is meaningless.

Mo Yan was stunned and asked, "Then the S Player who spoke in the arena?"

"Hmm." Lu Ming admitted directly.

"So that's it..." Mo Yan wasn't very surprised: "He was indeed powerful; before anyone could react, he fired, next... don't be so impulsive."

"Ding—ding—" a sudden phone ringtone blared.

Mo Yan pulled a phone from his pocket and glanced at it.

"Liang Shu's mother..." Mo Yan said, "We can leave first."

"Then let's go first," the light dimmed, and indeed it was time to head back.

"Planning to gather the target players together, confirm those players have clues, then... clear, right?"

Lu Ming thought for a moment and said, "If possible, we'll discuss it later."

Lu Ming was uncertain whether Yang Xin would let him, watching today's reaction and estimating the situation.

"That'll do," Mo Yan waved his phone, "The time and address, I'll send them later via phone."

"Alright."

After parting, Mo Yan left, and Lu Ming walked alone along the island road; although it wasn't fully dark yet, the neon lights were already on.

Lu Ming recalled Lin Jiu, saying not to trust anyone around, but up to now there has been no news.

The friends list on the panel wouldn't open, so Lu Ming had to pause for now.

He opened the quest list.

【Main Quest: Unravel the Island's Monster Mystery】

【Side Quest: Watch the Sunrise Again with Yang Xin (NPC)】

Each player has corresponding side quests; only when both main and side quests are completed with high ratings will they achieve S.

Lin Jiu told Lu Ming.