INSIDER Chapter 121

With Zhang Xin’s death, Lu Chu and the others, unburdened, swiftly dealt with the remaining three enemies and prepared to retreat to the small clinic.

Before retreating to the clinic, Luo Qi bent down, grabbed one of Zhang Xin’s legs with one hand, and slung her gun over her shoulder with the other, intending to drag Zhang Xin’s corpse inside. Song Gui stopped her in time: “Leave it. We don’t need his body.”

Hearing this, Luo Qi pouted disdainfully, tossed Zhang Xin’s leg aside, shook her wrist, shoved her hand into her pocket, and walked into the clinic.

Once everyone was inside, Lu Chu pulled down the iron roller shutter and looked at the group: “Is anyone injured?”

The others shook their heads.

They outnumbered and outpowered the enemies, making it a sure-win battle, which they handled with ease and not even a drop of sweat.

Confirming no one was injured, Lu Chu rolled up his sleeve to check his forearm. As expected, the kill count above his health bar had changed from “21” to “27.”

Those six people they just fought were players too.

At this moment, Dai Chenggong sighed: “With Zhang Xin dead, it feels like we lost our goal…”

They had been through numerous rounds and completed many missions, but this might have been their only chance to capture the abnormal NPC. Now with Zhang Xin’s suicide, all their previous efforts seemed wasted.

Qian Zhen apologized: “I failed to keep an eye on him.”

Luo Qi also self-criticized: “It’s my fault this time. I’ll accept any criticism.” Dai Chenggong quickly waved his hand, jokingly thinking he wouldn’t dare scold this hot-tempered, high-output young lady.

Lu Chu comforted them: “Don’t blame yourselves too much. Zhang Xin has been reborn and looped through ‘Cleansing Day’ countless times. He knew everything that would happen in this ’round.’ He was like a prophet with foresight in this ’round.’ If he wanted to die, he would find a way, if not now, then at some point later.”

Song Gui, lounging with his legs crossed, continued Lu Chu’s point: “Besides, the method we discussed to return to the real world requires the NPC’s cooperation, right? Zhang Xin wasn’t someone who would cooperate willingly. Keeping him around would be like strapping a time bomb to ourselves, ready to explode at any moment. There are countless ’rounds’ in the rules. As long as we’re alive, we’ll find a suitable and willing NPC.”

Indeed, there was one right in front of them, though Song Gui didn’t say this out loud.

Hearing this, Dai Chenggong and the others nodded thoughtfully: “That makes sense.”

As Dai Chenggong pondered, he felt a gaze filled with inexplicable amusement. Turning towards it, he saw Song Gui smiling at him.

Feeling unnerved by the look, Dai Chenggong stammered: “Wh-what?”

“I was just thinking—” Song Gui paused for two seconds, watching Dai Chenggong’s confused and anxious expression before continuing with a smile, “maybe we should part ways here.”

“Huh… what?” Dai Chenggong didn’t get it.

Song Gui explained with a smile: “Our common goal was the abnormal NPC ‘Zhang Xin.’ Now that he’s dead and you’ve shared all your information with us, I think it’s best we separate here.”

He finished, looking at Lu Chu, who nodded in agreement. They had the same thought.

They weren’t from the same team and had only joined forces for temporary mutual benefit. Now that their common goal was gone, it was time to part ways. In fact, if Lu Chu and his team weren’t trustworthy, Dai Chenggong and his companions might have been dead by now.

It was up to Dai Chenggong and his team to decide how to proceed.

In situations that posed no threat to his side, Song Gui didn’t mind being honest and trustworthy. But if their safety was at risk, he wouldn’t hesitate to be a cunning villain.

Dai Chenggong quickly understood the implications, had a brief conversation with his teammates, then said to Lu Chu and his group: “Alright, then we’ll part ways here.”

Lu Chu nodded: “You can take your weapons and medicine. They’re yours.”

The weapons and medicine were mostly acquired through 7’s strong combat skills. Allowing Dai Chenggong and his team to take their weapons and medicine was already very generous.

Dai Chenggong and his team sincerely thanked them: “Thank you. We’re leaving. Goodbye.”

He glanced at 7, who had been silent all this time. They were about to lose this powerful ally. It was a bit sad.

Lu Chu smiled: “Hopefully, we won’t meet again.”

“Yes, hopefully not,” Song Gui patted Dai Chenggong’s shoulder, “because next time we meet, we’ll be enemies.”

With that, Dai Chenggong and his team left the small clinic. Soon, their figures disappeared into the night among the city’s tall buildings.

.

After they left, Lu Chu organized his equipment and said: “We should get going too.”

As Lu Chu packed, 7 picked up his weapon and stood by Lu Chu’s side.

Song Gui stretched: “Let’s go.”

Without questioning their reason for moving, Luo Qi and Qian Zhen packed their weapons and prepared to leave.

Still, Lu Chu, always gentle, smiled and explained: “We need to change our base. Our current hideout has been compromised.”

Song Gui added: “We can’t fully trust Dai Chenggong and his team.”

Maintaining vigilance was crucial to avoid danger.

Luo Qi scoffed: “Let’s go. So much talk.”

Song Gui shook his head: “Still as unlovely as ever.”

Luo Qi immediately kicked at him, but Song Gui deftly dodged. The group left the small clinic.

.

In the following hours, they encountered several attacks, all of which they easily fended off. Unfortunately, these attackers were not players, just regular NPCs.

Until the next day at dawn, they didn’t encounter any more players.

By noon the next day, when the broadcast signaling the end of “Cleansing Day” echoed through the deserted, dilapidated streets, the scene was drastically different from the previous day’s cleanliness. Corpses lay at intervals, blood stained the ground, and trees and buildings were damaged. The interiors of supposedly secure rooms were yet to be discovered. Survivors opened their doors and windows, breathing in the outside air as if reborn. Cleanup crews began clearing the bodies, and within a few hours, the city regained its appearance of light and life—at least on the surface.

The dead would be buried in the memories of “Cleansing Day,” seldom mentioned again.

A new year began with a seemingly peaceful life, hiding all the rot and dark desires that festered quietly, waiting to erupt again the next year.

However, Lu Chu knew that day would never come because this was not a complete world. Soon, they would face another cycle, with the living continuing to struggle and the dead perishing in similar ways.

Until the “rules” destroyed this abnormal world.

.

Lu Chu and his team stood on a central street, awaiting the evaluation results.

Suddenly, a searing sensation spread through Lu Chu’s forearm. He immediately looked down at the spot where his health bar was. The kill count disappeared, replaced by the word “Passed.”

Passing was inevitable, just as they had anticipated.

Simultaneously, flashes of light appeared before them, gradually coalescing into a human shape. In a few moments, it solidified into Yuan Kejie.

Revived in full health, Yuan Kejie examined herself with curiosity and smiled: “I knew you guys were awesome!”

Song Gui asked: “How does it feel, lying there like a corpse?”

Yuan Kejie grinned: “Honestly, it felt like nothing. Just a nap.”

Before she finished, Luo Qi said: “Alright, we should get going.”

“No problem, let’s move!” Yuan Kejie said, turning to 7, “Big guy, see you next time!”

However, before they could head towards the door, 7 spoke in a calm voice: “Wait a moment.”

Everyone stopped, looking at 7 with puzzled expressions.

Lu Chu understood what he wanted to do.

Yuan Kejie asked loudly: “What is it, big guy?”

Song Gui raised an eyebrow, guessing what was coming.

7 rolled up his sleeve, revealing his well-defined, honey-toned forearm—completely bare.

No health bar, no “Passed” mark.

This powerful man was not a player.

Previously, when 7 was injured, Lu Chu had deliberately shielded the view, preventing others from seeing 7’s forearm. Now, discovering that their comrade wasn’t a player, the group felt varying degrees of surprise.

Luo Qi and Qian Zhen quickly regained their composure, crossing their arms in anticipation; Yuan Kejie looked contemplative but not wary.

Song Gui had long suspected this. Seeing 7’s intention to be honest, he was intrigued: “What’s your true identity?”

7’s eyes were cold and sharp as he nodded: “Cleaner.”

The others understood.

Song Gui smiled: “I thought so.”

He looked at Lu Chu. A Cleaner and a regular NPC—an interesting pair indeed.

Ah, this feeling of envy in his heart, what was it?

Outside the ‘Round’