INSIDER Chapter 153

“Woof, woof, woof!”

Lu Chu’s wandering thoughts were abruptly called back by a few barks from Carrot.

Surrounded by towering skyscrapers and bustling traffic, the vibrant city was overwhelming, and Lu Chu stood amidst it all, feeling lost.

Where is 7?

Anxiously, Lu Chu turned his head, scanning the crowd of hurried strangers, but failed to spot the familiar figure he longed for.

Lu Chu didn’t even know how to call out 7’s name.

Stay calm.

Lu Chu reminded himself.

If he couldn’t find 7 or anyone else, it meant that after coming out of the light portal, they didn’t land in the same place. This suggested that 7 wasn’t necessarily in trouble but was likely somewhere in this world, just like everyone else.

Now, they were no longer in “the Game.” 7 was no longer the formidable enforcer who controlled his own movements, traversing different worlds at will to be by Lu Chu’s side.

This was a world Lu Chu had never seen before—a “complete” world.

It was vast and immense, unlike “the Game,” where the sky and earth had clear boundaries and each game’s worldview was confined within a specific scope.

This was the real world.

Here, nature and humanity followed their cycles without interruption. People and society interconnected in a perfect circle. The world was diverse and relatively peaceful, though not without conflict. Without the constant chase and oppression by death, human complexity, driven by greed and desire, began to manifest, leading to the exploitation of the weak.

But all these vast and complex matters had nothing to do with Lu Chu at this moment. All he cared about was where his loved one was and if he had safely returned to this “real world.”

“Woof, woof!” Carrot sniffed the air, barking continuously.

The locations of the others were scattered, so why did Carrot and he appear so close to each other?

Lu Chu’s heart calmed as he thought for a moment, realizing that it was because he and Carrot, unlike the others, were not players chosen by “the Rules.” Both he and Carrot were creations of the Rules, following each “game” to its predetermined conclusion, from birth to death.

With this in mind, Lu Chu pondered if the others, as players, were bound within the Rules with their complete bodies or just their souls…

If they were in complete bodies, they should appear somewhere just like him; if it was just their souls or mental strength, what would their original bodies be like?

Countless thoughts and complex questions swirled in Lu Chu’s mind. The only thing he was sure of was that regardless of how Song Gui and the others entered “the Game,” the most likely place they would appear after escaping would be the cities where they originally lived in this world.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t shared their birthplaces in the real world with each other yet.

To be precise, they hadn’t had the chance to share. Lu Chu wasn’t sure about the others, but for 7, it was clear. Not only had he forgotten detailed information like his address, but after the long struggle between life and death, he had even forgotten his own name.

Lu Chu stood motionless in the crowded street, lost in thought, unnoticed by the passing strangers.

Suddenly, Carrot barked twice, bit Lu Chu’s pants, and tugged.

Lu Chu looked down at him, patting his head, “What’s up?”

“Woof, woof!”

Carrot barked again, ran a few steps forward, then turned back, barking at Lu Chu.

Having been with Carrot for many years, Lu Chu understood it wanted him to follow.

Thinking Carrot might have discovered something, Lu Chu immediately followed it.

Although Lu Chu had a keen sense of smell and could distinguish different scents, or rather, could identify more scents than Carrot, this ability was most effective only at close range. If the distance was too far, unless the smell was extremely strong, Lu Chu couldn’t accurately sense it.

When it came to finding people, Carrot was the expert.

Carrot sprinted ahead, and Lu Chu jogged after it through the unfamiliar, modern city.

Finally, Carrot stopped and looked towards an alleyway.

Lu Chu followed its gaze, his heartbeat quickening, with a faint sense of anticipation.

He walked into the narrow, cool alleyway, faintly smelling a hint of blood.

Lu Chu quickened his pace involuntarily.

The further he went, the more the tall modern buildings faded from memory, replaced by five or six-story brick buildings with moss-covered, dilapidated balconies holding makeshift clotheslines. Looking up, he saw the connected buildings overhead, with scattered clothes forming irregular blue patches in the sky.

At this time, most people were at work or school. The houses on either side were almost empty, with only the occasional sound of a TV coming from a balcony.

It was hard to imagine such a simple neighborhood hidden in the midst of the bustling modern city.

Lu Chu reached a narrow bend, the smell of blood thickening. His heart raced as he ran on the uneven path.

Finally, he saw a man sitting against the wall at the end of the alley, clutching his abdomen, covered in blood.

It was 7.

Despite his disheveled state, the man still exuded an aura of invincibility, leaning against the peeling wall, silent yet commanding.

Carrot seemed moved too, barking incessantly and circling around Lu Chu, wagging his tail.

Lu Chu walked slowly towards the injured man, crouching down to hold him.

7’s breath was weak, showing he had endured immense pain and suffering. Fortunately, though his body was temporarily numb and immobile, he was not in mortal danger. The wounds on his skin had begun to heal, leaving only dark red blood stains on his clothes and skin.

“Thank goodness,” Lu Chu murmured with a soft smile, his eyes gentle, his voice trembling with relief.

Carrot quietly sat beside them.

7 strained to extend his right hand, carefully wiping the blood off his clothes before slowly grasping Lu Chu’s hand.

A faint smile appeared on his lips, his voice hoarse, his wolf-like eyes filled with deep affection.

“Qi Xiuming,” he said. “That’s my name.”

Epilogue