For the whole exam, the fraud case is the main line on the surface. Then the background of the headless ghost hidden in it is at least an extremely important branch line. As a clue between the two, Shi Qingqing's importance can be seen.
Furthermore, if it weren't for Li Qi's magical soldiers descending from the sky just now, it would be impossible for Zhang You and Zhang You to crack the hole dug by the NPC so quickly. Regardless of emotion or reason, 606 has no reason to refuse.
Only Tang Xinjue raised a question: "But it's too difficult to find this way. The dormitory building is so big, hiding in it alone is like finding a needle in a haystack. Isn't there an easier way?"
"No." Li Qi was very determined.
Her attitude is also very clear, if she wants to find Shi Qingqing, she can only use the most time-consuming bit of groping, and the success rate is not guaranteed.
Tang Xinjue frowned: "That is to say, even if we spend the rest of the time until evening self-study looking for her, it is still possible to return without success?"
Li Qi saw her hesitation, and said directly: "If you don't want to go, don't go, this is just a request, there is no coercion."
Anyway, whether she helps or not, it will not affect her actions and determination to continue looking for someone.
Guo Guo quickly interrupted them: "Of course we will help! Should we act separately or go together?"
Zheng Wanqing also said: "Don't worry about me, you can just go find it, and report it at any time if there is anything to do."
In the end, in order to find Shi Qingqing as soon as possible, several people still decided to divide the work and cooperate: except for Zheng Wanqing, the three people in 606 plus Li Qi happened to be in charge of one floor each.
Perhaps it was really because the "Speaking out" came into effect. When they went out again, notices for late self-study were posted on the doors of every bedroom in the building. For a while there were swearing voices everywhere, and countless shadows moved in the dormitory room, but when they looked carefully through the crack of the door, the inside was empty and nothing could be seen.
[Be careful, don't be affected by the environment, and don't be dragged by other NPCs. ]
Zhang You specifically emphasized the word NPC.
Even Zhang You sensed that the environment was changing in a dangerous direction, and Guo Guo naturally noticed it long ago. She had already covered herself with a thick layer of defensive props, and was so cautious that she tried not to meet anyone's eyes along the way, only searching for Shi Qingqing's figure precisely.
Fortunately, the spiritual connection is always on, and they can share the situation in time. Zhang You is the fastest: [There is nothing on the second floor from the corridor on the left to the gate. ]
Guo Guo followed closely behind: [There is no left corridor on the third floor either, I am walking to the right. ]
Tang Xinjue: [I'm still looking for it in the left corridor on the fourth floor. There are a lot of people on this floor, and they are very emotional. I am afraid that it will be bad for Wan Qing if they break into 404. ]
After a while, she said again: "Perhaps, have you ever thought about another possibility... That is, it is impossible for us to find Shi Qingqing?" ]
Guo Guo: [? ? ? What's the meaning? ]
Zhang You was silent for two seconds, and said: [You mean, this is the hole dug for us by the dungeon? ]
So far, this dungeon obviously has many unknown rules. For example, with the alternation of plots and no plots, the division of the internal space of the dormitory building, the confusing traces of NPCs, the unpredictable attitude towards the group of four, etc... just like they can never "actively find" the students in certain dormitories , if the setting of the dungeon is "the escaped Shi Qingqing cannot be found", then they still can't find what they should find, let alone spend an afternoon, even if it takes ten afternoons.
Zhang You: [Even if we really can't find it, we have to try our best first, at least not to disappoint Li Qi. ]
Guo Guo nodded fiercely: [Yes! This is the truth. ]
…
[Why can't she be disappointed? ]
After a moment of silence, Tang Xinjue suddenly asked this sentence.
She added in her usual calm voice:
[In terms of identity, she is the NPC of the exam, and we are candidates, and we have neither responsibilities nor obligations to each other. ]
[From a standpoint, even if she has helped us objectively, it does not mean that everything she does will be beneficial to us—don’t forget that the sole interpretation of the dungeon rules belongs to the dungeon itself, not an NPC. ]
[Most importantly, from the purpose of behavior, her purpose is to protect her roommate, but what does this have to do with us? Shi Qingqing is not our roommate, our only purpose is to pass the exam. Do you remember what the name of this test was? ]
Guo Guo: [… a documentary about online dating fraud. ]
Tang Xinjue: [So far, what about online dating? What about fraud? We haven't even seen the shadow of a scam gang, have we? Has the real main plot of this exam advanced a bit? It will be evening self-study soon, no one knows what we will face there, but now we have to spend a lot of time on satisfying the needs of an NPC, even if she is related to the hidden plot, I don’t think it’s a good deal transaction. ]
[…]
Before Zhang You and Zheng Wanqing could say anything, Guo Guo had already given up thinking: [As you know, I have never been good at this kind of logical thinking. So discuss it yourself, I'm just in charge of execution. ]
After all, Guo Guo unilaterally cut off the spiritual link and never made a sound again.
On the side of the remaining three people, Zhang You still insisted on checking the entire second floor before letting go: [It is true that there is no gain, I will check again, if there is still nothing...]
Tang Xinjue advised her: [Sometimes, sacrifice is a necessary condition for success. There is no perfect situation in the world. Imperfection is the norm, isn't it? ]
[… you're right. ]
Zhang You finally made up his mind.
Li Qi's search area was on the first floor, and obviously found nothing. When Zhang You found her to explain the situation, Li Qi's voice was no longer as sure and sharp as before, and she agreed wearily without saying anything.
There are still three or four hours before the evening self-study. The closer the time is, the more manic the other students will be. On the way Zhang You and Tang Xinjue went back, from time to time they could see girls with anxious or angry faces suddenly appearing or disappearing at the end of the corridor, and some people stared straight at 606 and asked them:
"Did someone come to the school in the afternoon? Has our appeal form been handed in?"
Zhang You replied calmly: "Because the number of appeal forms was not complete, we were rejected. But we refuted the school's unreasonable demands and obtained security protection. Now we need to find some people who have not submitted the forms. Can you help us find them?" ?”
The other side looked at them with complicated expressions for a long while, but in the end they still didn't do anything, turned around and left in a hurry after pointing in a random direction.
Back on the fourth floor, Guo Guo was already waiting in dormitory 404. When Zhang You came back, he whispered, "I feel that these people seem to be able to tell what we have done...they are not as aggressive as I imagined. "
In other words, since Guo Guo and Zhang You repelled the school NPC at noon, the maliciousness shown by these girls seems to have subtly decreased. In the continuously chaotic environment in the building, the group of four did not really suffer any attacks. Even near 4 pm, two new appeal forms were found on the ground at the door of the dormitory.
Taking advantage of this time, several people thoroughly reviewed the dungeon situation and made preparations.
Evening self-study is undoubtedly the most dangerous activity at present. At least in this process, the school is the biggest enemy, and the danger of other student NPCs is not so great.
But again, leaving the dormitory building means that many restrictions can be unlocked - such as mobile phone coverage.
"Look at it, maybe it's not necessarily a bad thing." Guo Guo said optimistically, "Maybe after we all go to evening self-study, there won't be any punishers attacking us in the middle of the night."
Zheng Wanqing snorted softly: "I hope your idea will come true."
At 4:30 in the afternoon, the building suddenly fell silent.
The four of them subconsciously walked out the door without even reacting. When they went down to the lobby on the first floor, there were already about twenty people lined up at the door.
But what was a little surprising was that Shi Qingqing was standing next to Li Qi, it seemed that she really got him back in time. The latter shrank and pulled Li Qi's sleeves tightly, but did not scream or run away again, but stood quietly in place.
The school teacher who came to lead the team this time was a tall, serious, middle-aged woman who led the crowd without saying a word, and drove them one by one onto the track to the teaching building as if guarding a flock of sheep.
Zhang You and the others helped Zheng Wanqing, who was the weakest, to walk behind the team. They noticed that there was a thin layer of mist outside the dormitory building. It didn't look thick, but it made people unable to see the specific environment clearly. It can only be vaguely perceived that this is a very large and vast campus, and the air is soaked in an uncomfortably cold.
[It is different from the last headless copy. ]
Zhang You said in the sea of knowledge.
If the last time could be said to be a weird event that happened on a seemingly normal university campus, then this time, there is no place in the entire school that can be described as "normal".
After walking quietly and at a constant speed for an unknown period of time, the teaching park slowly appeared in front of my eyes.
Guo Guo looked up subconsciously, and a tall building so tall that the top could not be seen suddenly burst into view. At first glance, it seemed to be plunged into an unknown depth of clouds, and countless glass uniformly reflected the dark cold light.
[You see...? ]
When she realized it, she was taken aback. The building in front of her had become an ordinary teaching building, about five or six stories high, and the building was shrouded in mist, making it difficult to see the details.
[What's wrong? ] asked the others.
They didn't see what Guo Guo saw just now, and their eyes were a little puzzled and hearing the news.
[It's nothing, maybe I'm dazzled. ]
Guo Guo shook his head, took a last look at the teaching area, and followed the team into the teaching building.
Jingle Bell-
The familiar bell rang in the quiet and empty teaching building, and everyone's heart beat wildly.
At five o'clock, evening self-study is about to start.