INSIDER Chapter 65

Unlike Lu Chu and Song Gui’s astonishment, Ruo Qi and Qian Zhen’s most immediate feeling was that this person was formidable; they were no match for him.

Yuan Kejie stood frozen, her hand still paused mid-air, as she blinked and asked, “This person…”

Knowing they couldn’t win, Ruo Qi casually slung the shovel back over her shoulder and looked at Song Gui, “You know him?”

While Ruo Qi spoke, Yuan Kejie finally walked to the window, pulled down the iron shutter, and lit a candle they had found earlier. Then she turned to Song Gui and said, “Shouldn’t this be a familiar face… Weren’t we certain it was five of us for this multiplayer mission?”

Qian Zhen, with his straightforward nature, frowned and asked, “Who are you?”

7 stood up and, indicating he meant no harm, set down an old Japanese sword. The sword was simple in design, with a long wooden handle and a blade about eighty centimeters long. The slightly curved blade reflected a white gleam in the candlelight. This type of ancient Japanese weapon, Lu Chu had heard of, fell within the category of tachi—a weapon used for combat on horseback, with a longer blade, less convenient than a katana for foot combat, but providing greater reach. Clearly, 7 was using it for foot combat.

7’s handsome features appeared more profound in the candlelight. His black eyes reflected the flickering orange light as he looked at everyone present and said calmly, “Mind if I join your team?”

Song Gui frowned and questioned, “You’re not an ‘insider’ of the ‘game’?”

7 put away the tachi and looked at Song Gui, “I’m like you.”

In other words, he was a fellow player, just like them, navigating countless ‘games’.

While the others had already guessed, hearing him confirm it was still quite shocking.

“The rules stipulate that multiplayer missions are chosen by the team leader, then the team enters the ‘game’. This means that without such a choice, players under the same ‘rule’ wouldn’t enter the same ‘game’ together.”

Qian Zhen directly asked, “So, you belong to a different ‘rule’?”

7 nodded in affirmation.

Yuan Kejie shook her head, “That still doesn’t make sense. Typically, only one team of players can enter the same ‘game’ per ‘rule’. Even if others from different ‘rules’ choose the same mission, they are sent to parallel worlds, with each ‘game’ having infinite instances.”

When she mentioned ‘infinite’, Lu Chu glanced at Yuan Kejie. He had considered this issue as soon as he heard it—the same ‘games’ being infinite, the same ‘characters’ being infinite. Did this mean there were infinite ‘Lu Chu’s as well?

Lu Chu dared not ponder too deeply.

He knew 7’s identity but wasn’t sure how 7 intended to reveal it to the others, so he kept silent, simply observing 7 with a sense of security, dismissing the chaotic thoughts about his infinite counterparts.

7 didn’t beat around the bush and candidly revealed his identity: “I do belong to a different ‘rule’. Mine only has me left. I’m looking for partners for multiplayer missions.”

Song Gui, connecting this to their previous ‘game’ together, surmised, “So, you entered the same ‘game’ with Lu Chu and me to select teammates from different ‘rules’?”

While not 7’s initial intent, after Lu Chu’s question in the last ‘game’, 7 had decided to stand before them honestly, seeking cooperation, and protecting Lu Chu openly as a teammate.

Perhaps they might even find a way to escape the ‘rules’ together.

Ruo Qi shook her head, “I’ve never heard of two people from different ‘rules’ entering the same ‘game’.”

Of course, not hearing about it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.

7 asserted firmly, “You already believe my identity.”

Ruo Qi sat down, swinging her leg playfully, her expression innocent, “Believing you is one thing, I’m just curious.”

Ruo Qi and Qian Zhen had entered the ‘rules’ earlier than Song Gui, but they didn’t know as much as Song Gui. Yuan Kejie entered later and knew even less.

After a few words, Song Gui almost accurately guessed the truth and said, “From what I know, ‘rules’ and players are symbiotic. If all players in a ‘rule’ die, that ‘rule’ also perishes.”

Ruo Qi raised an eyebrow, “How come I didn’t know that? What else are you hiding from us?”

Song Gui shrugged helplessly, “Didn’t I say before, after this mission succeeds and we confirm we can continue doing multiplayer missions, I’ll tell you everything you want to know? Besides, in our ‘rule’, there are still over twenty survivors; it’s not yet time to talk about perishing.”

Yuan Kejie then added to 7, “So your ‘rule’, to preserve itself, chose to save you and gave you the ability to join missions with people from other ‘rules’?”

7 nodded. This was very close to the truth. He had revealed everything except his role as the ‘Cleaner’, mainly to prevent Lu Chu’s status as a former insider from being exposed. Ruo Qi, excited, whistled, “It’s like a cross-server battle.”

Song Gui rolled his eyes at her.

Song Gui had already believed Qi Li, sensing the overwhelming disparity in combat power between them. If Qi Li meant them harm, he could have acted long ago, using his absolute strength without wasting words.

After a brief discussion, Lu Chu, as the temporary leader, extended his hand to 7, “Welcome to the team.”

7 shook Lu Chu’s hand, a smile playing on his lips.

Song Gui looked at Lu Chu, feeling like he discovered something but couldn’t quite grasp it.

7 released Lu Chu’s hand and introduced himself to the group, “Qi Li.”

He chose to use “Qi Li” as his alias, partly because of the ‘qi’ sound, and because it was the name Song Gui knew.

Everyone else exchanged names with him.

They understood that they weren’t Qi Li’s match and that their team, which barely met the minimum number of five, needed a powerful member like Qi Li to make missions easier.

Thus, 7 seamlessly integrated into Lu Chu’s team as an outsider.

The process was unexpectedly harmonious and straightforward.

That night, they pulled the bedding they found to the second-floor living room and slept in shifts, keeping watch.

The night passed uneventfully.

Upon waking, Lu Chu felt a sense of unreality.

Ruo Qi and Song Gui, the kind who stood by their decisions, wouldn’t second-guess their choices, knowing every decision affected their survival rate. They wouldn’t hesitate after deciding, despite knowing Qi Li might have secrets, as long as they weren’t harmful.

After just one night, they fully accepted 7 as a teammate. Yuan Kejie even started worrying about how Qi Li would find them in future missions given their different ‘rules’.

7 assured them they needn’t worry about that.

Then, Yuan Kejie asked, “Does anyone have a watch?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“That makes it hard to keep track of time,” Yuan Kejie said. “We estimated the time roughly when we came out of the tower. If we miscalculate the 24 hours, either we’ll fail or risk exposure to more monsters.”

Ruo Qi was indifferent, “Then we’ll fight them head-on,” she said casually, sharpening her shovel. “Anyone else need the whetstone? If not, I’ll put it away.”

Lu Chu smiled, “Didn’t expect you to carry that.”

7, observing from the side, seemed to be contemplating something as he looked at Lu Chu’s makeshift weapon.

.

They were still struggling with the time issue but soon realized filling their stomachs was more pressing.

They were used to enduring hunger, but too long without food would affect their combat ability and reflexes.

Lu Chu suggested, “We need to go out and find food; this house has none.”

7 decided to search west alone. Given his formidable combat skills, the others had no objections. The remaining group decided Ruo Qi and Qian Zhen would search east, while Lu Chu, Yuan Kejie, and Song Gui stayed to guard the base and support the others.

After the others left, Lu Chu tidied up the bedding.

Song Gui teased, “Impressive.”

Lu Chu just smiled, not saying much. Maybe others saw these ‘games’ as missions, but he lived them as life.

He was originally an insider.

These seemingly fake, constructed worlds felt real to him, with flesh, blood, and deep emotions.