Chapter 116 The Singer, Oh, Singer 49

Li Dongwei.

Him again.

He was also the one who guessed Zhang Minxian's true identity as a paper figure in the stairwell this morning.

And now it seemed he was a member of the Return to Position Gang.

Lin Xiangjun pondered for a moment. Judging the rule to be useful, she showed Rules 14 and 15 to her, sharing her own speculations as well. As for whether she believed them or not, that was none of her business.

After finishing the trade and returning to the house, Lin Xiangjun took a shower.

She had expected something to be in the bathroom and even released Patrick Star specifically, but unfortunately, there was nothing in the bathroom for Patrick Star to snack on.

Lin Xiangjun poked Patrick Star's head.

"The weirdness in this instance is too powerful. It's almost over, and I still haven't gotten you anything to eat. Just bear with it; I'll make it up to you in the next instance."

Patrick Star didn't realize its master was making empty promises.

It slowly extended two hands and patted its own head, mimicking Lin Xiangjun as if comforting itself.

After showering and having a meal to fill up, Lin Xiangjun chatted with Zhang Minxian through her headset while making Patrick Star stand at the head of her bed.

Then, she pulled out the suitcase.

[Sky Blue Low-Quality Plastic Suitcase: This suitcase cannot store items. Any items placed inside will be decomposed as flower fertilizer. The suitcase produces a bouquet of fresh flowers every day. Once taken out, it will refresh the next day; if not taken out, the bouquet remains the same. A suitcase that only wants to bloom flowers and can't hold anything—it's complete junk.]

Yesterday, the suitcase gave her a blue and white bouquet.

Today, the suitcase was particularly helpful. As soon as it opened, a large bouquet of roses sprayed out.

Lin Xiangjun, who was looking down to open the suitcase, was caught off guard and hit in the face by the flowers.

Looking at the ninety-nine roses that had practically "exploded" out of the suitcase before her eyes, Lin Xiangjun marveled at the space-folding technology in the game for the umpteenth time.

"Impressive..."

It was hard to imagine how an ordinary twenty-six-inch suitcase could fit a bouquet with a volume equivalent to twice its size.

The diameter of the bouquet was even longer than the height of the suitcase.

These ninety-nine roses were likely meant for a confession of love; they were all a very vivid red, interspersed with white baby's breath, and the edges had a black gauze wrapping that looked like a mosquito net—solemn yet unique.

She pulled out two stems and put the rest away.

The rules required red, white, and yellow flowers.

Now she had red and white; only yellow was missing.

Generally, white flowers could be turned into any color through absorption, as long as you had the relevant dye.

It wasn't completely dark yet, so there was still time.

While talking to Zhang Minxian on the phone, Lin Xiangjun took out a yellow watercolor pen from her pocket to let the white flower absorb the color.

Although Zhang Minxian successfully found the Moon in the Clouds Bar and its owner, she didn't get much information from him.

After all, Hu Zhengzheng only came three times a week and left at midnight after singing. The owner only knew she was a student and didn't know much else.

However, the owner did provide a very useful clue.

On the day Hu Zhengzheng died, she seemed to have received a phone call. Usually, she finished work at midnight, but that day she left at eleven.

The owner didn't know who called, but Hu Zhengzheng looked very anxious. Since she had been a very responsible employee, he allowed her this occasional early departure.

Who would have thought Hu Zhengzheng would be gone just like that?

Speaking of this, Zhang Minxian bluntly expressed her current situation.

"This bar is a mini-instance and very dangerous. I'll probably have to die in here."

Lin Xiangjun offered appropriate comfort.

"It's okay. This instance is almost over anyway. Once I'm out, I'll summon your soul."

Zhang Minxian thought about it and felt she had done a decent job, so she wouldn't be secretly fired by her boss after dying. Thus, she agreed.

She continued explaining the clues she had obtained.

"This instance should be a merged instance. There are ten rules in the bar alone; it can already be seen as an independent instance. Of course, it's also possible it will truly become a separate instance in the near future," Zhang Minxian said.

"Besides that, Jade Lake High School has also been confirmed as an independent instance, likely four stars, with the junior and Senior High Divisions connected."

No wonder.

This instance map was so big she had to take a taxi.

It turned out several instances were merged together.

The bar, the high school, Xieyou Alley—there were at least three instances on one map, not to mention there might be others in places she didn't know about.

What a hassle.

Lin Xiangjun sighed and told Zhang Minxian to die in peace at the bar, promising to summon her soul as soon as she got out.

Afterward, she comforted Patrick Star, who kept touching its own head.

"In a while, a high-level weirdness might break in and attack me. Don't move yet; only come out when I call your name, okay?"

Patrick Star paused for another three seconds before slowly nodding.

Now, Lin Xiangjun didn't think it looked mentally challenged anymore.

Although Patrick Star was slow to react and move, it had developed a bit of a brain and could understand human speech. If she told it to go east, it would never go west. Who wouldn't like an obedient pink five-pointed star?

Another half hour passed. The white flower had finished absorbing the color. She put the three colored bouquets away, tucked them into her pocket, and lay on the bed, waiting peacefully for Hu Zhengzheng to appear.

She kept her eyes open, waiting for midnight to arrive.

...

"The sky is dim, the night is deep, whose daughter cries in the dark so steep?

"Don't soothe, don't hush, let her cry, until on the seventh day, the ghost draws nigh..."

When the singing began, the well-prepared Lin Xiangjun immediately checked her phone screen.

Midnight, 11:40 PM.

Lin Xiangjun had asked Zhang Minxian; the taxi ride from the community entrance to the bar was eight or nine minutes, but walking would take an average adult half an hour.

Hu Zhengzheng was an orphan and poor. Generally, she would choose cheaper public transport or just walk.

Half an hour—if nothing happened on the way, that was roughly the time it took for her to return from the bar to Xieyou Alley.

The remaining ten minutes... must have been the struggle before her death.

Lin Xiangjun heard the singing.

She didn't get up but continued to lie quietly.

Just like last night, the Songstress's singing started from the entrance of the alley and slowly moved toward the end.

But today, because Lin Xiangjun didn't react and remained lying obediently on the bed, the singing didn't stop once it reached her building. Instead, it turned and entered the building.

The singing was slow, with long trailing notes full of an indescribable resentment, following the stairwell from the first floor to the second, then the third.

Finally, it stopped at Lin Xiangjun's door.

"...

"Black long dress, white brooch pin, be a good woman in the life to begin.

"Reincarnation is far, the path unknown, at midnight seek the killer to appease the soul."

Before the singing had completely faded, the sound of the door lock turning rang out.