novelraw Chapter 147: Confession
Chapter 147: Confession
Xu Zisheng had sensed something was off the moment Cheng He and Yang Qianqian mentioned the pyramid scheme organization they were investigating.
After just a little guidance from him, he obtained even more of the information he wanted.
Although he hadn't directly contacted the organization behind Gui Yi.
But during that period when Gui Yi had disappeared and couldn't be reached, along with Li Qiwen who followed him around, and later the investigators who came knocking, all indicated there were hidden circumstances.
However, Xu Zisheng had never been the type to dig relentlessly for answers.
Gui Yi seemed like someone who couldn't keep secrets well, and because of the Origin Contract in the Blood Book, it was difficult for him to pretend or lie in front of Xu Zisheng.
If he had truly known something bad would happen, he wouldn't have been so carefree during those two days—being constantly anxious or nervous would have been more normal reactions.
At that time, Gui Yi must have been taken away and involved in whatever was happening.
Since these two official personnel before him had consumed some kind of 'ghost object' brought out from inside, then hadn't Gui Yi eaten it too?
Xu Zisheng's definitive answer was that he had.He didn't know exactly why.
Perhaps even with his half-ghost powers, Gui Yi was unwilling to use them freely in the real world.
Or maybe the existence manipulating everything behind that organization possessed far greater power than Gui Yi in his half-human, half-ghost state, and everyone had been hypnotized into taking that so-called 'Admission Ticket'.
So his sensing back then hadn't been wrong after all...
Such a coincidence?
He needed to ask about this.
Xu Zisheng concealed his emotions well, and Cheng He couldn't tell whether he was trying to verify their identities or genuinely unaware of everything related.
Although this counted as classified information, given the abilities Xu Zisheng had displayed so far, it wasn't really a big deal.
If he truly put his mind to it, he might well uncover something.
By speaking it out himself, he hoped to further ease their relationship and strengthen this rather fragile alliance.
If possible, he might even be able to trace back and discover Xu Zisheng's true identity in the real world.
Both parties harbored their own thoughts, eventually parting ways.
Xu Zisheng wasn't sure if the [Writer] would come to his room again, so he could only wait.
Chant the other's true name?
The moment this thought surfaced in his mind, Xu Zisheng immediately suppressed it.
He had deep, heavy suspicions in his heart, but he wasn't insane.
Summoning a Death God Level ghost over this, potentially leading to questioning and conflict, would be the most irrational move.
Perhaps the [Writer] had also noticed something amiss, or maybe he just wanted to check how far this unique player Xu Zisheng had progressed.
The dark mist that had drifted unpredictably all night finally appeared again before the final Cursed Child.
"Sir, where is Gui Yi?"
Without any additional pleasantries or greetings, Xu Zisheng had already determined that the being before him knew all the answers.
Xiao Gui'an: ???
He had thought the name [Gui Yi] wouldn't appear again throughout this entire instance, never expecting it to actually come from Xu Zisheng's mouth now.
The other's directness meant he definitely knew something.
For Xu Zisheng to ask this question meant those two official personnel were truly connected to Li Qiwen!!
Who knew how much he had learned—probably everything about the 'Admission Ticket' and 'Arena'!?
Xiao Gui'an's worst fear had come true—that when he first descended into the 『Void Realm』, his soul fluctuations were unstable, and the Proxy System couldn't attend to everything at once.
Part of the aura that might belong to [Gui Yi] had been captured by the Blood Book!
This was the question Xu Zisheng had always wanted to ask the [Writer] but never voiced.
He clearly sensed the aura of his contracted ghost, yet ultimately, another powerful being had come to this place?
What connection existed between them?
What had happened?
After the [Writer] arrived here, the page in the Blood Book belonging to Gui Yi showed no movement at all, so Xu Zisheng could only assume his perception had been mistaken.
If Gui Yi were also in the orphanage as a player, Xu Zisheng wouldn't have failed to detect him.
But now, through the information revealed by Cheng He and the others, he knew the doubt he had tried to avoid pondering further was indeed real.
[Calm down! Calm down!]
Xiao Gui'an had anticipated this situation before.
Last night, when Xu Zisheng discussed his views and speculations about the official personnel, the [Writer] had spoken up to ask questions.
That could be seen as the [Writer] giving Xu Zisheng an opportunity to inquire further.
But at that time, Xu Zisheng leaned toward thinking it was his own misconception, and subconsciously didn't want Gui Yi to truly enter this eerie instance, so he didn't say anything more.
They maintained this unspoken understanding until Xu Zisheng confirmed that Gui Yi was involved in this incident and had been dragged into it.
Just as Xiao Gui'an thought, Xu Zisheng felt a hint of regret for not asking further last night—the [Writer] had clearly hinted at him, hadn't he?
Before the [Writer], Xu Zisheng didn't excessively conceal his abilities, as that would be futile.
He stared intently at the formless dark mist before him, hoping to receive all the answers.
"Young friend, you truly are quite perceptive..." The gentle, jade-like youth with ink-black hair slowly appeared before Xu Zisheng, speaking leisurely with a touch of helplessness and sigh.
They faced each other in the dark, cramped space.
The [Writer] looked at the unyielding dark light revealed in the youth's eyes before him, momentarily seeming to recall something, before this powerful ghost who always remained detached from the human world finally spoke again.
"Coming to this place was indeed not by chance..."
Xu Zisheng's heart tightened.
As a doppelganger, he naturally knew everything his main body had done.
And that black-haired youth who could be called both fortunate and unfortunate—he naturally knew about him too.
After all, 'his own' heart was currently beating within the other's body, wasn't it?
"This 『Void Realm』 is perpetually lightless, desolate and deathly silent, with nothing at all, yet inexplicably, a soul aura faintly connected to me appeared here, so I came searching..."
Within the 『Void Realm』, there was no concept of time, so after the [Writer] discovered that aura and went to find [Gui Yi], it was impossible to determine how much time had passed.
[Gui Yi] and Xu Zisheng and the other players didn't take the 'Admission Ticket' at the same time; forcibly entering afterward inevitably required paying some price.
He might never wake up, or he might get lost directly in the 'Void Realm'.
Without entering the orphanage instance during the implicit convergence of the two realms, the 'Admission Ticket' serving as an anchor would have inaccurate positioning, and anything could happen.
Now that Xu Zisheng knew most of the story, if he investigated a bit after leaving this instance.
He could probably deduce the series of actions Gui Yi took after witnessing his disappearance.
Following Xu Zisheng into this instance was Xiao Gui'an's own decision.
He genuinely didn't want to expose this, as it might burden Xu Zisheng psychologically.
Even if something really happened, they were all adults and had to take responsibility for their own choices.
[I'm filing a complaint, System! One day I'll complain about you all! Your insurance work is completely unreliable!]
[He really sensed it! What about Zero? What exactly is Zero doing?!]
[If I hadn't thought things through carefully last night, who knows how many of my disguises would have been stripped off tonight!!]
[Dock your pay!]
Proxy System: […………]
The Chosen Ones of Fate were truly unpredictable existences; it was still young and really couldn't handle them.
Xiao Gui'an could only split his focus to act, separating out a soul fragment belonging to [Gui Yi].
Before Xu Zisheng, the [Writer] slightly raised his hand, extending his slender, bony fingers as a weak soul enveloped by his power slowly materialized.
Now stripped of its high Hierarchical Status concealment, the familiar Origin aura carried by that soul was finally perceived by Xu Zisheng with absolute clarity.
It was [Gui Yi].
But he seemed so fragile now, as if he would shatter at the slightest touch.
Xu Zisheng frowned deeply, not quite understanding why it was like this.
If Gui Yi had also swallowed the ghost object to enter this instance back then, why would he be drifting in the 『Void Realm』?
Was it because of Gui Yi's unique half-human, half-ghost nature?
Or was it because he was affected by Xu Zisheng himself?
He didn't know what Gui Yi had done after his disappearance, so he couldn't deduce the true facts.
"That is the reason, young friend."
The [Writer] once again protected Gui Yi's soul, his eyes regaining that elusive, intriguing light, "The rules of this place do not acknowledge this child, so if you wish to break this deadlock, young friend, you'd better uncover the truth as soon as possible—"