Chapter 65 Part 2

Zhong Nian observed tensely for a good while. He heard no other sounds inside the apartment but did catch voices of neighbors greeting each other in the outdoor hallway, even a child’s crying. Everything he saw seemed perfectly normal and peaceful.

Temporarily lowering his guard, Zhong Nian slowly stepped out of the master bedroom.

The viewers in the live stream room watched as the youth moved like a cautious kitten entering unfamiliar territory, each paw step tentative, exploring bit by bit. Once safety was confirmed, his tense body relaxed, and he curiously poked at the flowers on the table.

The pale purple hyacinths were in full bloom, interspersed with a few white tulips. A faint floral scent wafted through, adding color to the somewhat overly simple decor.

It was clear that the owner of this home had some taste in life.

They were also very tidy; the apartment had some age to it, with parts of the furniture showing signs of wear, but everything was cleaned spotlessly. The windows were bright, the waxed floors gleamed, and items were neatly organized. The entire home was well-maintained.

They just probably weren’t much of a cook—the kitchen showed little use, condiment bottles were mostly full, and the fridge contained only fruits and frozen foods.

No other snacks either; Zhong Nian only found cereal and coffee beans in the cabinets.

Not much information gained, but better than nothing. He had a bit more understanding of the home’s owner.

After looking around the apartment enough, Zhong Nian pressed against the front door and eavesdropped on the people outside for a while.

The apartment’s soundproofing was poor; he could clearly hear them chatting about everyday trivialities, like how prices had risen on groceries. They dispersed after a short time.

Zhong Nian waited a bit longer before opening the door.

Just like when he had emerged from the bedroom, he confirmed no one was around before stepping out extremely cautiously.

The apartment had a “回”-shaped structure with a total of thirty floors. The identical corridors and rigidly symmetrical layout gave an indescribable sense of oppression.

Zhong Nian’s floor was in the middle. He looked up, stretching the line of his jaw and neck, resting his pale, scallion-like hand on his brow, and squinted upward.

His pretty little face caught the sunlight, taking on a translucent pallor.

The thin white linen clothes became semi-transparent in the light, revealing his slender, enticing figure without reserve.

Zhong Nian glanced up once and felt dizzy from the glaring light and the building’s structure. He quickly lowered his head, changing his shading hand to rub his forehead, and closed his eyes.

As he eased a bit, he keenly sensed a shady gaze sticking to him and whipped his head around.

“Bang!”

The iron door of the neighbor to the left slammed shut on the peephole, but Zhong Nian still caught a glimpse.

It was a man in an oversized hoodie with very long hair, extremely tall—his head nearly brushed the doorframe—yet he hunched and stooped, looking sneaky.

Combined with the peeping behavior, he didn’t seem like a good person at all.

“…”

Zhong Nian stared thoughtfully at the neighboring door.

Silently, a hand reached from behind Zhong Nian, about to land on his shoulder, but he dodged with lightning reflexes, leaving the hand grasping at air.

Zhong Nian had already gripped the dagger hidden in his sleeve, nearly swinging it, but froze in shock upon seeing the person behind him.

“How did you…”

“Meet again.”

Yu Jingshan curved his narrow eyes, grinning like a sly fox. “Seeing you a day early—isn’t it a pleasant surprise?”

Zhong Nian only felt startled: “Why are you here?”

“Well… pure luck?” Yu Jingshan savored Zhong Nian’s expression, unable to stop his lips from curving upward.

Zhong Nian glared at him.

“No lie.” Yu Jingshan crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “I calculated based on when you exited the last instance, figured out when your real rest period ended, and picked a B-level dungeon at the same time…”

He shrugged. “Who knew? Heaven favors me so much; I really hit the jackpot. Maybe it’s fate? Can’t avoid it no matter what.”

As he spoke, he reached out to hook Zhong Nian’s shoulder.

Zhong Nian slapped his arm away, lifting his chin slightly with a haughty expression: “Aren’t you a Lone Wolf Player? Why cling to me? Jie Jialiang and I just did a task in the same dungeon—no grudge, not friends. If you want revenge on him, no need to drag me into it.”

“This has nothing to do with that pup.”

Yu Jingshan snorted.

At that moment, the elevator dinged open not far away, and three people emerged together.

The girl with two small pigtails said dispiritedly: “What do we do, sis? Feels hard to get out. That security guard is so scary…”

The short-haired woman beside her soothed: “Don’t worry. We’ll take it slow. Let’s figure out this creepy place first. The apartment has plenty of oddities.”

The boy at the back wore glasses: “The missing half of the Apartment Rules must be key. We need to gather more info.”