Chapter 91
"Three people were attacked within one day. For some reason, the person looking for a scapegoat couldn't wait any longer?" Bei Qiao closed the forum and touched his chin: The shopkeeper said that there was a man named Cen in the inn. What did he have to do with this matter?
The news of the Fourth Scourge mission spread quickly, and players responded one after another. However, some players, out of their own interests, obstructed the mission in every possible way.
At first, the other players didn't notice this. The Cen family they were dealing with was a behemoth, and they weren't the protagonists of a classic novel. They didn't have cheat codes or benefactors, so they couldn't just rush in and do whatever they wanted. Many things needed to be planned out first. However...
Player D: Damn it, brothers, be careful, there is a mole among us!
Player Ding: I just noticed that the Cen family suddenly became defensive!
Player B: It's strange that a guy like this doesn't have to be on guard against others, right? He even had to change rooms in the middle of the night. He deserves it.
Player D: No, believe me, they really did become defensive all of a sudden.
Player B: Damn, which bastard leaked the news?
As soon as the news of the leak spread, the entire spam group went ballistic. Everyone was a fellow player in another world, and they considered themselves at least closer than the natives, even if most of them had only met each other. Yet, today, someone had secretly sided with the natives, and with a group of evildoers at that. How could the other players tolerate this?
Player A: Who is it? Stand up!
Player B: Are you so angry that you're confused? How can someone who did something bad stand up on their own?
Player C: I came up and cursed while the horse was resting, who the hell is so inhumane!
Player A: Damn, you really set off?
Player C: What else?
The Cen family went beyond mere defenses; they also bribed the city guards, tightening entry checks several times over. Outsiders who had never been to Luodan before and didn't have a local friend or relative to claim them were likely turned away by the soldiers. In just two hours, several unfortunate players and several other locals who had been shot were stranded outside the city, helplessly staring at the towering walls.
A player in the group offered to claim them as a friend, but they refused: "There's a traitor in the group. If you send us your identity information as a witness, what if it gets leaked later? We'll try other gates. If that doesn't work, we'll just find somewhere else to stay."
In addition to preventing players from entering the city, the Cen family also conducted a massive search throughout the city, impacting many inns. To prevent players from being harmed, the official inns in Luodan City housed all players in underground tunnels, waiting for the storm to subside before allowing them out openly.
Player A: I see. That means I can sneak out at ordinary times.
Player D: You can talk about it after you get there.
Player: Wait, why do I remember that the innkeeper is a snob and only has a good face towards big families?
Player B: Maybe he came to his senses when faced with major issues?
Player E: You're overthinking it. That snob was just fired. The placement of players is automatically arranged by the system.
Player D: Wow, this is so satisfying! Who was the charismatic Lei Feng who finally managed to successfully report that snob?
Lei Feng Lu: Guess? Even if you guess right, I won't admit it.
Because Shopkeeper Sun was fired, the waiters in his faction were also implicated, their game accounts immediately locked by the system, with the possibility of unlocking them only after the incident was resolved. As for Shopkeeper Sun's own account, it was destroyed on the spot, with no possibility of recovery.
Although players couldn't take any major action, the official inn couldn't stop operating after laying off so many people. Some courageous players offered to work as waiters for a few days. After a systematic interview and training, they were immediately hired as waiters.
It's not that hard for players to be a waiter, as long as they don't treat it as a job. After all, the inn is full of magically modified otherworldly appliances, and many things don't require them to do themselves. The only pity is that they can't leave the inn at will.
The Cen family's raids continued throughout the city until nearly sunset, affecting shops and even the homes of ordinary people. The other families had initially been reluctant to intervene in the Cen family's affairs, but the commotion was so intense that some even broke into their own shops to round up outsiders, severely impacting business. A young lady from a certain family, who was patrolling the shops, was so enraged that she immediately ordered everyone from the Cen family to be thrown out.
"You are so brave to pull my customers in my shop!" The young lady stood at the door, crossed her arms and stared at the thugs as they threw the last member of the Cen family out of the shop: "Make a list of the losses in the shop and send it to the Cen family." No matter whether the debt can be recovered or not, this anger cannot be suffered in vain.
"Miss, the person you hired last time was also stopped outside the city."
"...Take a few people to bring the person back, and by the way, have a chat with those bastards who blocked the road." It was a close call. I almost cursed in public. What the hell is wrong with the Cen family today! Isn't it just a cousin getting married soon? And they started clearing the whole city?
After the various families took action, the Cen family members quieted down somewhat. Some players stranded outside the city headed for Qingtian City, while others, with luck, managed to sneak into Luodan City with the help of the locals. With members of the Cen family still roaming the streets, players who had just arrived in Luodan City had to remain dormant for the time being. Only those who had lived in Luodan for many years dared to continue walking the streets. Even so, they were stopped and questioned several times by members of the Cen family.
Player C: I'm so impressed! Are the Cen family crazy? It's only been half an hour, and four groups of people have stopped me four times, asking the same question four times!
Player B: Maybe they think you look like... a knight who will cause trouble for them?
Player C: Well, I feel a bit embarrassed when you suddenly praise me like this.
Player A: This ellipsis is a bit suspicious.
Player C: You are so smart, go on your way.
The Fourth Disaster Mission Group
Zhou Yaqi: Ladies and gentlemen, I have some new news to share with you.
Player A: Group leader, is this news important? Is it okay if the insider hears it?
Zhou Yaqi: You just need to cover yourselves, I'm fine.
Zhou Yaqi: What I want to say is, first of all, I am dead this time, so you don’t have to plan to save me, just focus on dealing with the Cen family.
Player A: No, group leader, we can’t give up!
Player B: That's right, group leader! We have strength in numbers, and we've almost completely checked your area. Don't give up!
Zhou Yaqi: What do you mean by giving up? It's because my account was badly damaged. Any movement could be fatal. I'm just telling you in advance not to waste time.
Zhou Yaqi: What was I about to say just now?
Zhou Yaqi: Oh, I remember now. I have confirmed that the person who arrested me is the one who wanted to find a scapegoat. Other female players can rest assured. After all, no one can snatch this scapegoat from me now, haha!
Player A: Group owner!
Player B: Group owner!
Player C: Group owner!
Zhou Yaqi: Stop, stop, stop! What? I'm not really dead! This is just an account. I'll be back as a hero in a year or two.
Player A: Group leader, please struggle a little longer, what if you can survive?
Player B: That’s right, what if?
Player C: What if that’s the case?
Zhou Yaqi: Are you guys telling crosstalk? You're not in any hurry to get going now, are you?
Players A and C: I'm looking for someone to share the carriage with. No one can stop me from playing in the group!
Zhou Yaqi: ...
Zhou Yaqi: I was almost led away by you. I haven’t finished talking about the main business yet.
Zhou Yaqi: Today I finally understand why this family is looking for a scapegoat. Life is so full of drama. Someone wants to fake the death of his sweetheart and then take her away from the Cen family!
Player A: Who is this guy?
Zhou Yaqi: I don’t know the person’s name. This is what the thug who wanted to kill me told me. He kept calling the other party "Young Master" and didn’t dare to call him by his name.
The man who kidnapped Zhou Yaqi called himself Gou Zi. As an incompetent son of the Cen family, he had poor ability to do things. The reason he became familiar with the young master this time was purely because he was lucky enough to catch Zhou Yaqi, who met the conditions of a scapegoat.
After the incident, in order to prevent the news from leaking, the young master ordered Gou Zi not to go home or tell anyone about it. Gou Zi had a lot of things to say but nowhere to confide them, and finally he poured it all out to Zhou Yaqi.
Zhou Yaqi: To put it simply, it is a story between a young master who is not valued much in the family and his cousin who is staying at home and is loved by the old lady.
Zhou Yaqi: It is said that this cousin is extremely beautiful and talented. She was previously engaged to a member of the royal family in the capital, but... do you understand?
Player D: I don’t quite understand. Aren’t they close relatives?
Zhou Yaqi: Not by blood, this young master was adopted from a side branch.
Player A: So the young master doesn't agree with his cousin marrying someone else and wants to elope with her? He also wants to find a scapegoat and fake the girl's death?
Player B: The one who runs away will be my concubine. This girl, if she is not stupid, can’t be happy about it, right?
Player C: Didn’t the cousin go to the old lady for help?
Player D: I don’t know the full story, but I think there’s probably something wrong with both of them.
Zhou Yaqi: Are you guys here listening to gossip?
Zhou Yaqi: Of course, this isn't that simple. As an orphan, how could she possibly be such a clueless idiot who could make Mrs. Cen so happy?
A quick search on the forums will reveal the Cen family's style of conduct. They're truly the kind of wicked people who are beyond the reach of justice. And how could the old lady, who holds the reins of power in the Cen family, be a kind and benevolent person? And how could anyone who could coax the old lady be a simple person?
Player A: Oh! I love this kind of twist!
Player C: So, did my cousin tell the old lady after all?
Player Ding: Of course not. If she had said that, why would that young master be looking for a scapegoat everywhere?
Player B: Hiss, then tell me, does this cousin know that an innocent woman will die because of her?
Player A: Holy crap!
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