In Virtual Reality 99 ☆ The Hydrangea Park (23/33)

The players gazed at the false sky above, transfixed by the ethereal light of the blue moon. They squinted their eyes, searching for a sign of change, but it remained as if taunting them with its placid facade. Fox Snap was the first to break the spell, feeling the stiffness in her shoulders from holding the same position for too long. She looked down at Lone Wolf, squatting alone, its enormous body crowled into a ball.

"Wolf bro, do you feel anything?" she teased with a raised eyebrow, but her jesting fell flat.

He raised his head, staring up at the moon with a mournful expression. "What feeling?"

"Howling at the moon, wolf bro..." Fox Snap trailed off, noticing his eyes glimmering with tears. She couldn't bring herself to tease him further. After a moment of hesitation, she summoned the courage to ask, "What's wrong?"

Asmodeus, silently observing the blue moon, covered his ears, anticipating the drama to come. The most prominent player among them, who had been seething with anger, finally erupted.

"What's wrong?! You're asking me what's wrong?!" he bellowed, his voice full of indignation. "Your tactical play is heartless!"

Asmodeus frowned and regarded him with a cold stare. "Is it possible that you're just too foolish to understand the game?"

Lone Wolf stood up, his anger simmering to the surface. "What kind of talk is that?!"

Asmodeus gave him a disdainful look and said nothing, silently dismissing him as unworthy of his time.

【Hey hey, big bro, don't be angry; who knew... no, Wang Jin Long is that kind of person. Don't be upset, don't be upset; you can still respawn, right?】

【Do you not understand what happened earlier? Big bro lost not only his life but also his dignity!】

【But let's be honest, Asmodeus is genuinely clever.】

【Shh, keep quiet; there's a new development down below!】

The barrage of messages on the screen abruptly ceased, leaving a blank space that echoed the tense silence in the virtual world.

The blue moon, once a source of wonder and awe, had now become a symbol of dread. Its translucent blue veil, once a thing of beauty, now signalled the end of the game. The players held their breath, their eyes fixed on the scene below, waiting for the final act to unfold.

Everyone except the disconnected player was now trapped in the fog of Excelsior, uncertain if even the moon could be trusted. Its fullness was impossible to gauge, so the remaining time remained beyond their control.

Madam Stargazer couldn't help but glance up at Asmodeus perched on a treetop. He engaged with the live audience and muttered unintelligible terms, raising her suspicion. Was he collaborating with the barrage to hack the game's internal system?

Furthermore, what made him so confident that Excelsior had chosen to resurrect them? As long as the fog persisted, the blue moon would soon render the fate of all players. Winning and losing were inevitable.

"Because that guy's initial goal was Wang Jin Long." Asmodeus looked down at the two players quarrelling, and spoke nonchalantly. "I'm not sure why, but I can guarantee that all the events that have happened since we entered the game were prearranged by Excelsior."

The realization left a sour taste in their mouths. Even the inky Asmodeus couldn't help but click his tongue.

"Excelsior anticipated everything, from Wang Jin Long's disguise to his interactions with us. Otherwise, they wouldn't have issued that sudden wanted order."

He pondered for a moment, tapping his chin in thought. "It's clearly a targeted move, but I'm not certain if the official Murphy is aware," he mused, his words laced with uncertainty. "Given that it's a large online game, they should be aware. But if that's the case, what is the connection between the NPC Wang Jin Long they created and Excelsior? Wang Jin Long's reaction shows that he knows who Excelsior is."

Was this a new official setting, or a hint of what's to come in the future version of 《Murphy's Playground》?

Once the seed of doubt is sown, it will grow into something much more significant.

Compared to the noisy Lone Wolf, Asmodeus stood atop the tree, calmly observing the scene below. Both main characters were surrounded by a throng of onlookers and displayed varying degrees of indifference. However, the identical faces of the two revealed that Wang Jin Long was more melancholic.

Initially, they had assumed that the cunning and resourceful Excelsior, as described by Asmodeus, would be a conniving individual. But when Lone Wolf saw the real person, he was left astounded. Seeing the protagonist, he realized how to counterfeit the impersonator was. The feigned gentleness and inherent temperament were utterly different. While the disguise could deceive Lone Wolf's sense of touch, it could not deceive his keen eyesight.

**

"It appears," Excelsior chuckled, their gaze shifting from his face to the knife stained with blood, tightly grasped in Wang Jin Long's hand. "You have been preoccupied?"

Wang Jin Long grinned, but his presence gave off a bone-chilling sensation. He lifted his hand, using his blood-soaked left palm to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "I've just finished up," he said courteously. "Now, we can discuss our business." He met Excelsior's gaze from afar and smiled.

【Oh my days, why do I shudder while watching those two grins?】

【But Wang Jin Long doesn't look like that at all? What's the deal? Did the data malfunction??】

【The previous data bundle was supplied by the developers. It's unlikely that it's incorrect. They're probably laying the groundwork for the upcoming Murphy gaming series.】

【Oi...it's the same face model, but I don't reckon they look similar in the slightest.】

【It's down to their personality. I believed Wang Jin Long resembled Excelsior when he was putting on an act, but it seems he was off the mark.】

【How could Excelsior be so meek? I could tell straight away that it was not Excelsior at all!】

【Are you a fan or a hater of theirs?】

【Did you all notice that Excelsior's voice is back to her avatar's voice??? I feel like it's a foreshadowing. I'm waiting for it!】

The barrage drifted past Wang Jin Long's eyes. Yet, he couldn't see it and remained fixated on the person before him, attempting to decipher Excelsior's character from their subtle expressions and movements. But no matter what the other person did or said, they remained nonchalant, with a casualness that Wang Jin Long found inscrutable. It was as if Excelsior didn't even consider him a worthy opponent.

This feeling both insulted and intrigued Wang Jin Long. He had a sense of familiarity with the other person yet couldn't quite place it. He decided to break the silence. "You're not the 'Cao Du' I know. Although I can't quite place you, you know him well enough to trick me into thinking you were him."

Excelsior chuckled, "You're familiar to me too. Don't you recognize me? You're making that exact same expression right now!" Excelsior raised their hand, slid it down their forehead and cheek, and then pointed at Wang Jin Long. "Why wouldn't you be familiar? After all, that face is a reward from 'Shenanigans'."

【It's appeared again!!】

【New term 'Shenanigans'! Reporting as a die-hard Murphy fan! Definitely an advertisement for a game later on!】

【Looks like it's a game developed by the game website.】

【You guys noticed that, but my focus is on Excelsior's movements? So sexy!】

【I really give up, don't rush ahead; hurry and pick up your pants!】

Wang Jin Long's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a menacing scowl. He squinted and directed a penetrating gaze at the person before him, his eyes sharp as a knife carving through flesh.

Excelsior remained unflustered, meeting Wang Jin Long's gaze with a half-smile.

"You seem to know a lot," Wang Jin Long said flatly. He had dropped his pretence and transformed into a ferocious predator ready to strike. "Let me contemplate your identity."

"I will wait patiently," Excelsior said with equanimity.

"You must have taken part in the same 'Shenanigans' as me and are well-acquainted with my identity. You even know that I was the one who emerged as the sole survivor and victor of the game, not Cao Du. You're the woman in black robes," Wang Jin Long sneered. "What's the point? Didn't you also relinquish your own identity for the sake of that colossal reward? Why are you making things difficult for me?"

Excelsior didn't immediately respond to his words but made a thoughtful sound. "I see, so that's your idea."

Wang Jin Long's heart sank. What did they mean?

However, Excelsior didn't elaborate on their remark, instead laughing. "But you're right about one thing. I'm here to target you. What? You don't believe me?Come and bite me, then."

Wang Jin Long: "......"

The viewers: "......"

【...Wow, this is so exhilarating. This is the real Excelsior!】

【Join my Excelsior cult! Kick the Old Attorney off the forum, and oust the hacker Asmodeus!】

【Charge, Excelsior!】

The two participants who were being referenced: "......"

They didn't relish being mentioned in this barrage group in such a manner.

Meanwhile, Wang Jin Long's thoughts grew even more convoluted.

Does the woman in black have a personality? Throughout the game, she never spoke. Apart from her figure, little else could be gleaned from beneath her heavy cloak.

Watching Excelsior, who smiled and provoked him, Wang Jin Long found it hard to remain silent. Fortunately, he kept a close eye on the time and knew what mattered most in the game.

He raised the knife, pointing it at the smiling person before him. "Though I know not what you aim to do, if stalling is your game, you've already lost." He slowly advanced towards the other person as if to exert pressure with his movements. "Before I met you, you were doing a task, right?" Arrogance laced his voice, his true nature bared to his opponent. "With a civilian card, you had to rely on the mysterious NPCs to help you eliminate the werewolves. But alas, 'tis futile." He stood still and sneered at his opponent, who was just an arm's length away. "I said it before, and I'll say it again: the winner of this game can only be me."

But to his surprise, his opponent bore no sign of distress or panic.

Xu Jin Yi smiled slyly. "Oh? Is that right?"

——— Translator's Notes ———

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