Welcome to Rewind World Game
Chapter 89 - Eighty-Eight: ’Battle Line

Chapter 89: Chapter Eighty-Eight: ’Battle Line

Xiao Xiao had a clear understanding here, like looking into a mirror, but the barrage of comments was jubilant, as if celebrating the New Year, floating across:

["What the hell, how could Su Ming’an say something like this? Is this Cloning??"]

["What’s going on? Did I switch to the wrong live stream?"]

["There’s no Cloning! Cloning Lord is gone, this is the real deal! It’s Ming’an himself! Ohhhhh——!"]

["Is he faking it? Is he? But he looks so genuine, I almost believe him sob sob sob sob..."]

["I remember that declaration under the street light in the First World... It’s very similar to the current state of Number One Player, I feel like he’s really speaking the truth..."]

["Has he changed? I like this Ming An’an!!!"]

["Why does this feel a bit off..."]

["Quick, screenshot and record! I’m going to recommend this Number One Player I adore to the whole world——!"]

[...]

"Cough cough..." Xiao Xiao subtly brushed off the other’s hand that was painfully squeezing his shoulder, vaguely understanding something, "Anyway, about the request for cooperation..."

"Survive till the end, this mission?" Su Ming’an pointed towards the hostel’s rooftop, "See that place? Just take enough food and water, and last there for five days, and you’ll complete the game."

"How do you know that? Do you have some clue..." Wang Zhenzhen leaned forward.

"Just a guess." Su Ming’an smiled, the morning light bright on his face, "If possible, I’d prefer you to fight for a better mission achievement. Of course, I won’t force you to come with me, if you just want to simply survive..."

"I certainly do want better!" Xiao Xiao said, somewhat excitedly clenching his fist. Everyone wants better, if not for the person in front of him, he wouldn’t be so hesitant.

...However, after meeting, he found that the other person seemed very different today.

"Then, let’s search for clues during the day first." Su Ming’an looked at him, "I remember you now, but there’s no need for cooperation at the moment. We will contact each other when further clues are found."

["’Ming’ status, good deeds, gain 1 Occupation Point"]

Su Ming’an turned around, waved his hand, and walked towards the dormitory area, this time Xiao Xiao didn’t stop him.

Wang Zhenzhen shivered slightly, but she quietly stepped out from behind Xiao Xiao, no longer that afraid.

"He seems, quite approachable?" she said softly, her eyes filled with admiration, "Worthy of the Number One Player... He looks super confident, as if holding a winning ticket, even pointed us in the right direction... I don’t think he is as scary as people say on the forums..."

As she spoke, she suddenly exclaimed, "Eh," and looked strangely at Xiao Xiao rubbing his shoulder, "...What are you doing? Did your shoulder suddenly start hurting?"

"..." Xiao Xiao turned his head away, forcing a smile, "...Nothing, just stretching a bit."

...He probably guessed the intention behind Number One Player’s sudden change in attitude and also saw his unwillingness from his actions.

As a fellow player, he chose to respect it and remained silent about the other’s change.

After all, if Number One Player became the stable and bright figure everyone hoped for, for him... an ordinary player, it would be a welcome outcome.

...

Su Ming’an first returned to his own dormitory. Under the morning glow, he saw the barrage of comments that flew by in the upper right corner of his vision. So numerous, each glance seemed like swiping past a huge blank board. If not for turning on the Barrage Purification and random selection, he wouldn’t be able to read a single word.

But with just a glance, he saw the content of the comments.

...It seems the viewers really liked it and could accept it.

An appropriate disguise wouldn’t alter his original intention, no matter how he really felt about these people, on the surface, he would strive to conform to an image that could be "accepted".

...It wasn’t because he wanted to be liked.

Rather, he had felt how being "undisguised" hindered his path.

In the morning light, he breathed in the fresh air, free of the dense auto exhaust prevalent in the city, the campus greenery was well-kept, with plants neatly scattered around, even the grey skies seemed relaxing.

He stood there for a while, organizing his thoughts about the clues, then headed towards the dormitory building.

The gigantic skeleton seemed to have disappeared; while going upstairs, he saw neither the terrifying black hole that had killed the cloning, nor did he smell the thick scent of blood. He observed the place where blood had been spilled before... spotless, as if nothing had ever happened, even the broken windows and doors were automatically repaired.

Terror belonged only to the night.

As the sunlight fell, it was as if all malevolent spirits were dispelled, the tranquil beautiful campus came to life, everything appeared too normal, starkly contrasting the peculiar atmosphere of the night.

He arrived at his dorm room and saw a completely intact door; he couldn’t even find a speck of debris on the ground.

He pushed open the door, and was immediately hit by a cool breeze, as if a wooden stick was swinging towards his cheek.

He swiftly stepped back, avoiding the sporadic drops of water, and stood in the doorway.

...Almost splashed by water again.

— That Zhang Jinfei, was washing his mop early in the morning again, as if it never ended.

"Yo, Su Jian, what brings you back from outside?" Zhang Jinfei slapped his shoulder casually, seemingly oblivious to the scene. His still wet hands left water stains on Su Ming’an’s shoulder: "You didn’t sneak down to the study room in the middle of the night for some secret study session, did you? Pulling an all-nighter? Such a big nerd, huh!"

Su Ming’an looked inside.

Last night because of the skeleton intrusion, the door should have been damaged, and there should have been blood on the floor.

But now, it was as if nothing had happened at all, even the tables and chairs were neatly arranged.

The NPCs like Zhang Jinfei and Li Xin, who were supposed to have become skeletons, seemed as if they had come to life early in the morning. Li Xin was busy packing his backpack, seemingly uninterested in interacting, while Zhang Jinfei, grinning from ear to ear, looked like a living normal person.

"Where’s Wang Ran?" Su Ming’an walked in, pulling paper to dry his shoulder, when he suddenly noticed—

The bed space of Wang Ran, who had already been killed by the monster, was empty.

Not only the sheets and curtains had disappeared, leaving only the bare mattress, but also the backpack, pencil case on his desk, and the scraps of paper in the trash can—every trace left by Wang Ran... had all disappeared as if spirited away.

That spot was barren, as if no one had ever occupied it, and was even gathering dust.

It was as if someone’s existence had been suddenly erased from the world, wiped clean without leaving a trace.

...And the ones who remembered him would only feel panic due to this bizarre disparity.

"Wang Ran? Who’s that?" Zhang Jinfei swung the mop like Zhang Fei’s spear, droplets of water flying everywhere, as he mumbled with a puzzled expression,

...

"Isn’t it just the three of us in this dorm? Who is Wang Ran? Right, Li Xin?"

...

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