Chapter 107: Luo Bai Is Dead

When Xi Yan woke up, he found himself tied to a pillar, with Lin Shuang also bound nearby.

Lin Shuang was still unconscious, showing no signs of waking.

“Lin Shuang, Lin Shuang…” Xi Yan called out tentatively, but there was no response. Lin Shuang remained in a deep slumber.

Seeing that Lin Shuang couldn’t be roused, Xi Yan began to carefully observe their surroundings.

They were in a clearing, the sky still cloaked in darkness. There were three pillars scattered about, each one binding one of them. In front of them flickered a campfire.

“Brother…” A Yuan slowly regained consciousness, noticing he was tied up and frowned in displeasure.

Hearing A Yuan’s voice, Xi Yan immediately turned to him and asked, “A Yuan, how are you?”

A Yuan shook his head with a smile. “I’m fine, but… where are we?”

“This is the resting area~”

Suddenly, a figure leapt out from behind them. When the person stood before Xi Yan, he recognized them—the Guide.

“What do you want?” Xi Yan looked at the Guide calmly, showing no hint of anger.

“Oh, you’re not angry? You’re really impressive! People like you are so rare!” The Guide lavishly complimented.

“Why haven’t you killed us?”

“Because I told you—I’m only here to capture you.”

With that, the Guide removed the black cloak she had been wearing.

Xi Yan realized, to his surprise, that the Guide was a woman!

“You…”

“Surprised? I’m a woman. There are too many people like you who underestimate women, and they all deserve to die!”

Her tone was normal at first, but the last sentence revealed a ferocious, twisted expression.

“Number 123, what are you doing?”

A cold voice suddenly came from the shadows. Upon hearing it, the Guide looked terrified and immediately stood respectfully aside.

The person from the shadows stepped forward, and Xi Yan recognized him as an old acquaintance.

“Is that you? Xi Yan?!”

“Is that you? Lin Ye?!”

Both Xi Yan and Lin Ye spoke simultaneously.

“Sir… you know each other?” The Guide panicked upon realizing their connection.

“Step aside,” Lin Ye ordered.

“But my performance…” The Guide hesitated, glancing at Lin Ye. But when she met his cold gaze, she immediately backed down and left.

Though the Guide departed, Lin Ye did not untie them; they remained bound to the pillars.

Lin Ye’s expression grew even more complicated as he looked at Xi Yan.

“I didn’t expect you to be caught by her,” Lin Ye sighed.

“Can you tell us what’s going on here?” Xi Yan remained cautious despite their familiarity.

“There’s not much to say. By the way, where’s the young lady?” Lin Ye noticed Qing Yan was absent.

“Qing Yan? Lin Shuang said she was taken away by Clara,” Xi Yan answered honestly.

From Lin Ye’s previous reaction to Qing Yan, Xi Yan knew he wouldn’t harm her. Instead, hearing this might prompt Lin Ye to rescue Qing Yan, which was what Xi Yan hoped for.

But reality proved puzzling. Lin Ye seemed relieved, not worried, upon hearing Qing Yan was taken by Clara.

Could it be that Clara took her to save her?

“If it’s him, then there’s no problem. It must be under the master’s orders.”

“Master?”

Xi Yan looked at Lin Ye in confusion, but Lin Ye wasn’t inclined to explain.

He sat beside Xi Yan, gazing up at the sky. “I didn’t expect you to be captured by him. But rules are rules, even for you—I won’t change them.”

With that, Lin Ye stood, sighed once more at Xi Yan, then left.

From his arrival to departure, Xi Yan was bewildered.

Why was Lin Ye here? Why did the Guide obey Lin Ye? Was Lin Ye the ruler of this place? And what rules was he talking about?

Before Xi Yan could dwell further, a loud broadcast suddenly echoed from the swing area.

“Swing Area:

Survivor Luo Bai has successfully captured two people and may now leave this area. We wish Ms. Luo Bai a pleasant next visit.

Captured: Xi Yan, Lin Shuang. Both must complete their assigned tasks within the stipulated time, or they will become permanent residents of the Swing Area.

Time: 3 days

Tasks: Capture two people and hand them over to the Swing Area’s administrator.”

What was this nonsense? So if they failed to capture anyone, they’d become NPCs here? Was this some kind of game dungeon?

One question was answered by the sudden broadcast, but another immediately surfaced in Xi Yan’s mind.

After the broadcast ended, the ropes binding the three of them loosened automatically, freeing them.

“Brother… I’m feeling unwell. I’ll revert to my card form first.”

Without waiting for a response, A Yuan transformed back into a card.

Xi Yan could only put him away.

“So, we’ve become… part of this game’s cast, tricking people on the swings? And we have to catch people too?” Lin Shuang’s tone was full of disbelief.

Xi Yan felt the same but regained composure faster.

“Let’s look for something more concrete. That broadcast was vague.”

“Alright.”

They agreed and began wandering aimlessly through the Swing Area.

Xi Yan hoped to find Lin Ye, who seemed to know everything here, including the rules.

He guessed the rule was this: capture two people, and you can leave.

That explained why the woman left and why he and Lin Shuang remained—to take over her job.

But wouldn’t this just trap more and more survivors, capturing without killing them, endlessly accumulating captives? What good would that do?

“Xi Yan! Look at this…”

Lin Shuang’s voice interrupted Xi Yan’s thoughts. He looked in the direction Lin Shuang pointed and saw a stone partially blocking the path. Xi Yan approached.

Next to the stone lay a corpse.

It was the Guide—Luo Bai.

“She’s dead?” Xi Yan was surprised. The broadcast said she fulfilled her tasks and could leave. How did she end up dead here?

“Look at her wounds—they look like beast bites,” Lin Shuang observed, moving closer to share his findings.

Xi Yan stepped forward to inspect and saw bite marks on Luo Bai’s neck, indeed resembling those of a wild animal.