Chapter 15: Searching for Clues

The one in his hand was the same, perhaps even more so.

It just got shocked once, after all.

It was trembling in his hand like a motorized plush toy turned on. Xie De even felt this little centipede was whimpering quite humanely, like a spirit pet that had gained sapience in a cultivation novel, knowing the person in front of it was not to be messed with and couldn't be beaten. Now caught in his hand, it didn't even dare to bite.

It instantly lost a great deal of its threat level.

Gibberish said directly, "Host, ask if it can understand you. If it can, this is a treasure! If you sell it outside, I guarantee it can fetch over 5 million! Plus, it's a good item produced by the scenario. Although a bit weak, it's not bad for showing off. At least its appearance is quite intimidating."

Needless to say, a bug that can understand human speech is a 99% rare commodity. If it could stay this docile all the time, it would make a very rare pet.

Xie De held its antenna, shook it slightly, and asked in a low voice.

"Can you understand human speech?"

The little centipede immediately wiggled its only remaining antenna.

It seems it does understand.

The little thing was terrified. Xie De put it on the ground, and it didn't dare to move. Then, Xie De opened his hand towards it. The little centipede hesitated, but the man's gaze was too icy. It had accidentally kicked an iron plate this time and had to yield to his superior power, taking the initiative to climb up his arm and onto the man's shoulder.

Palm-sized, it crouched there, its slender antennae drooping down, like a quiet ornament.

Coincidentally, the little centipede had white patterns on its body, and its densely packed limbs also carried a gothic aesthetic. A random wisp or two of cold silver hair fell onto the centipede, making it match Xie De even more perfectly.

A mysterious sense of danger assailed the senses.

It was also thanks to Xie De not being afraid of bugs, even being used to them, that he could truly remain straight-faced.

Just treat it as picking up a pet.

Looking back, Lao You was staring at him dumbfounded, and Hu Wei once again widened her eyes slightly.

They didn't dare turn on the lights, so it was terrifyingly dark inside. From the perspective of those two, Xie De simply took a step forward, and the sound of a stick striking came over along with the sound, it was incredibly surreal. They didn't know what formidable method he had used to make a randomly spawned monster in the scenario as obedient as a pet.

You have to understand that these monsters eat people. You can only kill them, how could they possibly be this obedient?!

Their gazes lingered on the centipede, and then they shivered violently. Seeing Xie De looking over, the two of them hastily averted their eyes, their expressions varying, not knowing what they were thinking.

Xie De felt he had been misunderstood again. After all, this little bug was just a bit ugly, it wasn't actually that strong.

Suddenly, there was a noise from outside the door.

The three of them found cover with extreme speed and hid. Then, a figure wearing a white apron slipped in. Wei Yanchi took off the apron.

"It's me, let's go quickly. The chef is coming. I got a clue. This place is going to collapse soon."

He threw the apron onto a wooden crate and, without closing the door, moved his feet and walked out extremely quickly.

With no time for suspicion, the three hurriedly followed.

From the corridor outside the cafeteria where they ate, the sound of workers walking could be heard. The chef, with his potbelly protruding, had his back to them as he moved the prepared food to the corner.

As soon as they came out, Gibberish spooked Xie De nervously, "If you are discovered in a scene recreation, you'll be skinned and have your tendons pulled out, and you'll stay here forever, never to be reincarnated."

Xie De wanted to cry, "Why are you scaring me for no reason?"

"To make you more alert, so you don't get left behind for failing to keep up with the protagonist."

Great, successfully scared once again.

Now, not daring to make even the slightest sound, Xie De could hear his own breathing mixed with the sound of his heartbeat. His gaze closely followed Wei Yanchi's back. Perhaps it was adrenaline, or maybe the training he underwent during the three months before entering the scenario was taking effect.

He actually kept up with the protagonist's speed.

They were successfully brought to another utility room. The utility room directly faced the storage room they were just in, with a palm-sized small window that provided a perfect view of the storage room's situation.

Wei Yanchi occupied the spot at the window, looking out with a normal expression, and verbally shared the clues he had obtained.

"My information was all from among the workers...inquiring. On the surface, the boss has a tendency toward domestic violence. Rumors are spreading in the factory saying his wife had an affair. Based on this, I can deduce the future course of events is that the boss killed his wife. Wu Yong and Chunju are a couple. Chunju is the factory beauty and very gentle, many people in the factory like her. Li Qiang confessed his love to Ma Hui, but was rejected."

No, wait.

Why are these relationships a bit convoluted?

For a moment, it felt like his brain didn't have enough processing power.

Xie De pondered sluggishly. He still remembered clearly that the answers obtained during the dungeon's questions were: Ma Hui likes Chunju, and the boss enshrined a Kuman Thong.

Soon, the workers filed into the cafeteria one after another. Despite being at a bright and youthful age, they were all as numb as empty shells. However, when a voice spoke up, complaints gradually echoed everywhere.

Naturally, there was one who was pampered, currently on the phone crying to their parents, saying they absolutely didn't want to continue working.

Until there was a very violent BANG!

The hall fell silent for two or three seconds, followed by piercing screams, and all the workers ran outside.

Xie De saw the protagonist's brows furrowing and then relaxing. He also leaned over to take a look.

His pupils quaked. Keeping in mind that he couldn't make a sound, combined with the unalterable habits formed over three months of training, he could only scream in terror in his heart.

"Gibberish! I know where the headless ghost in the cafeteria came from!!"

The storage room they had just been in collapsed. The chef's obese body was directly crushed until it burst, like a juicy, plump watermelon. Blood splattered everywhere, and a head, its eyes wide open in grievance, rolled to the entrance of the cafeteria hall.

The protagonist whispered in his ear.

"Actually, the person who entered the storage room just now shouldn't have been the chef, but Wu Yong."

"Someone wanted to kill Wu Yong," Xie De said with a frown, disgust flashing in his eyes as he took a step back.

Wei Yanchi wanted to say something, but happened to lock eyes with the centipede on his shoulder.

?

"What is this?"

Xie De answered him indifferently.

"A pet."

The centipede lazily lifted its head towards him.

Wei Yanchi laughed, "What a special pet. It suits you very well, Mr. 39."

Lao You asserted his presence, saying quietly, "The environment outside has changed again."

Cobwebs hooked back onto the walls, and food began to rot anew. A head that died with grievances rolled its eyes, opened its mouth wide, and said angrily:

"Who killed me?"

"Tell me, who killed me?!"

The head's gaze pierced straight through the utility room and landed on them, the resentment inside seeming to want to gouge a piece of flesh from their bodies.

Hu Wei pursed her lips and quickly glanced at Xie De.

As for Xie De, he froze again…

The dungeon system's icy voice rang out, "Player Four, please answer the headless ghost's question. If the answer is wrong, compensate the headless ghost with a head."

Hu Wei clenched her fists.