Chapter 540: The Wave Yet Unsettled

A few seconds later, Cheng Shuili's message popped up.

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: Hmm.

Just one word.

But that one word is clearer than any explanation.

Xinxue stared at the reply, her pupils slowly dilating; she finally understood why the bounty was posted.

Lao Da had guessed it long ago.

From the moment the bounty went out, Lao Da knew those people would be silenced.

So she said, "Regardless of truth, as long as it looks real, pay."

So she also said, "The more you give, the better."

Because those ambiguous clues and the overwhelming bounties were not aimed at finding those few people or tracing back to the mastermind, but at their lives!

Xinxue suddenly laughed.

【Ai Mi Li】: So Lao Da, does this count as revenge?

It does!

Why wouldn't it count?

The direct murderer is already dead; although the mastermind hasn't been identified yet, this dog‑vs‑dog drama is enough to console Black Feather's members!

Sure enough, a moment later…

【Qing Shan Yuan Xing】: It does.

After Chen Qing Shan's message was sent, the group fell silent for a few seconds.

【Xin Xue Chuji】: Qing Shan, you…

【Qing Shan Yuan Xing】: What am I? Guanghui is dead, the one who killed him is dead; what else is this if not revenge?

【Ai Mi Li】: But the mastermind…

【Qing Shan Yuan Xing】: We'll investigate the mastermind slowly. But the one who killed Guanghui is already dead. Guanghui, knowing from the afterlife, would be pleased.

Xinxue stared at that line, suddenly at a loss for words.

Chen Qing Shan was right.

The direct murderer is already dead.

Whether silenced or for other reasons, they are dead anyway.

Guanghui's vengeance has at least been partially avenged.

【Wan Yi】: Qing Shan, are you okay?

【Qing Shan Yuan Xing】: I'm fine. Lao Da spent so much money; shouldn't I earn some back?

The group fell silent again for a moment.

Then Jiang Tang sent an emoji—a cat giving a thumbs‑up.

Xinxue also sent one.

The group's atmosphere finally improved a lot; Xinxue sighed, opened a private chat with Cheng Shuili.

【Xin Xue Chuji】: What do we do next, Lao Da? Do we just let the people of Xi Da Qu go?

Cheng Shuili's gaze shifted from the World Channel to the message Xinxue sent.

Let them go?

The corner of her mouth twitched slightly, a barely perceptible curve.

There's no way to let them go.

But she didn't rush to reply; instead, she suddenly looked up at the mechanical screen of 001 and asked, "Haven't found it yet?"

001 seemed startled by the prompt, the lines on the screen flickered anxiously, and the data flow beside it sped up.

Cheng Shuili didn't withdraw her gaze, nor show any expression, just kept looking up at it.

The data flow's speed increased, almost spilling over the screen.

A few seconds later, 001's voice sounded, clearly exhaling, "Lao Da! Found it!"

Cheng Shuili looked over.

What 001 found were the initial messages on the World Channel that mocked Black Feather.

At that time, even members inside Black Feather were unaware of Guanghui's murder; anything posted on the World Channel must have come from the mastermind.

Even if not the person themselves, there must be some connection, right?

Cheng Shuili's gaze fell on the screen.

The few messages 001 retrieved were neatly arranged.

【Ge Lei Ke Si】: Heard the news? Black Feather's Ai Mi Li is dead, and some guy named Guanghui is dead too; they just finished ranking yesterday, and today the top exec died—so funny. (image)

【Chosen One】: What's "server‑wide first"? I think the system's rating is blind; they can't even protect their own, what trash.

…

Cheng Shuili shifted her gaze, opened the friends list and casually searched for an ID.

That person's avatar was... bright.

Good.

Clue—so that's found, right?

She opened a private chat and packaged what 001 had found, sending it to Xinxue.

Xinxue was stunned at first when she received the message; after seeing what it was, her eyes lit up instantly.

【Xin Xue Chuji】: I'm going to take Ailin and question everyone one by one! I guarantee we'll get a crystal‑clear picture of what really happened!

【Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji】: Leave it to me, I'm at ease.

After saying that, she thought for a moment, then added: "Invite Qin Wen as well."

Xinxue understood; it was out of concern for their safety.

【Xin Xue Chuji】: Yes!

She closed the private chat page, and Cheng Shuili finally felt half the weight lift, collapsing onto the sofa.

She raised her hand, pressing a finger against her eye socket, and the sour ache eased a little.

From the moment she became aware of Guanghui's death until now, her mind has been racing; although her body hasn't expended much, her head is already exhausted.

Cheng Shuili lowered her hand, leaned against the chair back, and closed her eyes for a few seconds.

001's screen flickered once, as if wanting to say something, but seeing her eyes closed, it swallowed the words back.

Cheng Shuili was scheming in her mind.

There should be no more problems from now on.

From those few people found by 001, she could definitely get clues; then it would be time for revenge, time to settle accounts.

Black Feather is strong enough, so even if she faces Freedom Wings head‑on like this, Cheng Shuili is not worried.

Cheng Shuili leaned against the chair back, eyes closed, and her breathing gradually steadied.

Just after relaxing for a moment, the notification sound for a message rang again.

Cheng Shuili thought perhaps something went wrong on Xinxue's side, slowly opened her eyes, and was slightly startled when she saw the ID that sent the message.

It's Hei Shi Lao Mao.

If there were no issue, this person wouldn't message her directly.

Cheng Shuili's heart sank a little, and she resignedly opened the private chat.

【Hei Shi Lao Mao】: Lao Da, didn't you post a bounty on World Channel? The Black Market suddenly issued a bounty too, saying… saying whoever kills you can claim the reward, the reward is a full ten million Game Coin!

Ten million Game Coin?

What kind of joke is this?

Cheng Shuili herself opened a safe zone, and took advantage of the chaos a few times; her assets only just topped ten million Game Coin.

How could any player be willing to put up ten million Game Coin to bounty her?

Cheng Shuili first doubted the accuracy of the news, then asked, "Does anyone believe it?"

【Hei Shi Lao Mao】: Lao Da, when I first heard this news I scoffed. That's ten million Game Coin! How could anyone afford that?! My clients in the group certainly didn't believe it.

【Hei Shi Lao Mao】: But just now, the system notarized the news. Now anyone who can fulfill the bounty's conditions can receive that ten million Game Coin.

Cheng Shuili knows the system notarization function.

A notarized bounty means the person who posted it really set aside ten million Game Coin for the system to hold.

Her mouth twitched, not knowing whether to laugh or what.

She had placed a bounty on those attackers herself; a clue was worth a thousand Game Coin, and that already made World Channel boil.

Now someone has put a bounty on her, offering ten million Game Coin.

That's a thousandfold increase.

Indeed, one wave hasn't settled, another rises.