Chi Mu finally found a black chicken on the balcony. Without hesitation, he grabbed it with one hand and carried it toward the bathroom. Just as he reached the door, Yang Qu happened to walk out.
Chi Mu quickly tossed the chicken into the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind it.
The moment the chicken was locked away, the room fell back into silence.
"Chi Mu, let's go have breakfast together," Yang Qu suggested with a soft smile.
"Alright," he replied.
Though leaving the room would certainly bring about unknown dangers, Chi Mu had already uncovered the clearance conditions. To progress further, he needed more information. Hiding in the room all day wasn't a smart move.
Before stepping out, Chi Mu checked the pocket of his jacket. The "Child Goes Poof Kit" was still there.
After heading downstairs with Yang Qu, Chi Mu noticed something strange—the hotel was drastically different from the day before. Many guests had vanished, and the entire building felt eerily empty.
During breakfast, Yang Qu remained unusually silent. Chi Mu didn't initiate conversation either, and a tense, almost suffocating atmosphere settled between them.
"Chi Mu, I'm full now… I was thinking of going shopping. Want to come with me?" Yang Qu looked up, her gaze fixed on him.
Chi Mu instantly thought of Rule #6 from Sequence Two and began analyzing the situation.
Rule 6: Unless your online girlfriend explicitly asks you to leave the hotel, you may not do so on your own initiative.
He realized that the S-rank clearance required escaping the hotel. But because of Rule #6, he couldn't leave unless Yang Qu asked him to.
And right now, Yang Qu wasn't giving a command—she was merely asking if he wanted to go.
So Chi Mu couldn't say yes.
At the same time, in the Soccer Nation, their Chosen One, Poligaro, was also being cautious. He, too, had noticed the subtle flaw in Yang Qu's wording and chose to refuse.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry, I can't go shopping with you…"
Yang Qu tilted her head slightly. "Poligaro, why not?"
"Uh… I have a stomachache. I need to rest," he replied with a forced smile and a hand over his stomach, trying to appear in pain. He believed this excuse wouldn't break the rule about maintaining a good relationship with his online girlfriend.
He was wrong.
The next second, Yang Qu snapped. With a twisted expression, she grabbed a fork from the table and plunged it straight into Poligaro's chest.
"Liar! Liar!"
Poligaro's eyes widened in horror as he collapsed, clutching his chest.
The Chosen One of the Soccer Nation… was dead.
—"Damn it, Poligaro! That idiot forgot about Rule #9 from Sequence One—he lied to his online girlfriend!"
—"No! My house is on fire! The horror game has arrived in real life!"
That day, homes across the Soccer Nation spontaneously caught fire. Tens of thousands perished in the flames.
In the Dragon Nation's war room, a covert observer embedded in the Soccer Nation's stream urgently relayed the news. The white-haired elder narrowed his eyes as he watched Chi Mu's expression turn hesitant.
"This is bad. Use the hint! Chi Mu might have forgotten about Rule #9. He mustn't lie to her!"
With a single order, the think tank activated the hint system.
A voice echoed through Chi Mu's mind. It was Elder Qin Jianghe, from the Dragon Nation's think tank.
"I am Qin Jianghe... Remember Sequence One, Rule 9: Do not lie to your online girlfriend. If you're going to refuse her, your reason must be truthful. No fabrications."
The warning repeated three times in his head.
Chi Mu was startled. He had indeed almost forgotten about that rule and had been seconds away from making up an excuse.
Thank goodness for the reminder.
His brain kicked into high gear. "Babe, I didn't sleep well last night, and I'm really exhausted. I think I'll head back upstairs to get some rest… You go ahead and shop, I'll transfer you some money—buy whatever you want."
Yang Qu's hopeful expression fell in an instant, replaced by a strange, unreadable look.
—"Oh no, that excuse is too weak! She doesn't want money—she wants him to go with her!"
—"This could break the rule about maintaining a good relationship with your online girlfriend!"
Then Chi Mu quickly added, "Oh, and babe, before you get back, I'll prepare a surprise for you. Just a little something to make up for not going shopping with you."
The strange look in Yang Qu's eyes disappeared. She smiled again, looking genuinely delighted.
"Really? Then I'll go now. But if there's no surprise when I get back… I'll be very upset."
She didn't call his name this time, so Chi Mu chose not to respond. Instead, he simply smiled and nodded.
Yang Qu picked up her bag and left the hotel.
—"Bro what?! That's straight-up romance strategy! He handled that like a pro!"
—"If you want to learn how to handle girls, study Chi Mu! He's got Yang Qu wrapped around his finger! Hahaha!"
Back in the war room, Elder Qin Jianghe finally let out a relieved breath and smiled.
"It seems our Dragon Nation has a real shot at clearing this horror trial! Everyone—analyze every rule we have so far. Overtime if you must!"
"The deeper this story goes, the more dangerous it becomes. We only have one hint left—we need to make it count. Let the world see: the Dragon Nation's Chosen One isn't fighting alone!"
Chi Mu watched Yang Qu's retreating figure, his eyes narrowing in thought. After a pause, he stood and made his way back to the elevator.
He pressed the button for the ninth floor.
The elevator rose smoothly—until it stopped at the fifth floor.
The doors slid open.
Standing there was a little girl clutching a porcelain doll, dressed in a blood-red dress.
Chi Mu's pupils dilated.
She was here—the girl in the red dress!