Chapter 26: Skill Failure?

Lu Xi rambled on, laying out all her conjectures and judgments.

The group fell silent.

Gu Yun tentatively raised a hand to signal before speaking: "But what would the game system's purpose be in doing this?"

Ji Chenling said with a half-smile, "Don't flatter the system. This wretched thing is itching for players to die in droves. It would prefer for everyone to be trapped in the game world forever."

"How do you know?" Ji Xuan frowned, staring at Ji Chenling.

It was too strange—it was downright eerie. Apart from the fact that they didn't look alike, his entire demeanor felt far too similar to *that person*.

Ji Chenling said nothing more, simply ignoring him.

Being disregarded, Ji Xuan's expression soured instantly. Whether in the real world or this game world, no one had ever dared to ignore him. As the young master of the Ji family, he was held in high esteem by everyone. As a high-scoring player who had cleared multiple game levels, other players were always desperate to join his team and bask in his protection. Yet here, someone actually dared to look past him.

Seeing this, Jiang Yanyan's expression was less than pleasant, though ultimately, she said nothing. Zhang Qiulan pulled her daughter, Meng Yuanyuan, to the side, away from the bizarre atmosphere. Jiang Chen stared daggers at Ji Chenling as if about to spit fire, while his current girlfriend, Chen Yiyi, looked completely bewildered.

The group stood there, each preoccupied with their own thoughts.

"Let's vote. I don't believe there is a mole among us, and I will not harm my companions without cause," Lu Xi said, taking a deep breath and enunciating every word clearly.

Holding her mother's hand, Meng Yuanyuan expressed her stance: "Um... I think Lu Xi makes a point. I'm on her side."

After all, Lu Xi was Meng Yuanyuan's savior. Ever since she had been trapped in the punishment world, Lu Xi's appearance had felt like a beam of light in the darkness. Ever since then, Meng Yuanyuan could not help but feel a natural affinity for her. She didn't dare show too much closeness for fear of being seen as a weirdo. Besides, while Lu Xi seemed friendly and easygoing, she was actually quite solitary, with Ji Chenling trailing behind her like a little shadow.

Gu Yun raised his hand: "I'm with Yuanyuan."

Jiang Chen’s gaze settled heavily on Lu Xi. "Fine, I’ll listen to you this once."

Since her boyfriend had made his choice, Chen Yiyi naturally had no objections. In this way, everyone had essentially agreed with Lu Xi's viewpoint.

Jiang Yanyan’s expression turned peculiar. Since when had everyone become so obedient? And to stand entirely on Lu Xi’s side, as if she were the center of the team? Jiang Yanyan’s heart sank; she lowered her long lashes, her hand hidden in her pocket twitching slightly.

The young man who had been standing behind Lu Xi with a devil-may-care attitude suddenly looked up, his gaze cold and sharp as a blade, lashing out toward Jiang Yanyan. For two brief seconds, he held her gaze, then withdrew it with a smirk, continuing to stand behind Lu Xi, idly twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

Jiang Yanyan, however, felt as if she were facing a formidable enemy. Her ability—the ability to manipulate emotions—why had it failed? Manipulating emotions was currently her most proficient and powerful skill. It could control not only players but even certain NPCs. The greatest advantage of this skill was that it could be used infinitely, consuming only a bit of mental energy. But just moments ago, when she had prepared to manipulate Lu Xi’s emotions, it felt as if she had collided with something in the void, causing the energy to rebound and leaving her head buzzing.

"Yanyan! What's wrong?" Chen Yiyi shouted suddenly, her eyes widening in terror.

Jiang Yanyan suddenly felt a warmth beneath her nose, and a stream of blood trickled down.

"What have you been eating lately? Why are you so inflamed?" Chen Yiyi, who truly considered her a friend, quickly pulled out a tissue to wipe the nosebleed.

A great beauty with a nosebleed—the sight was truly unsightly. Jiang Yanyan had always prioritized her appearance, possessing a heavy vanity, and being stared at by everyone like this, her entire face flushed a deep red.

"Yanyan..."

She swatted away Chen Yiyi’s hand and turned her back. "Don't look at me!"

This was the first time Jiang Yanyan had lost her temper. Used to her gentle and soft-spoken demeanor, Chen Yiyi was first stunned by the uncharacteristic outburst, then left in a daze.

"Alright, it's dawn. Everyone is tired from the night; let's go find something to eat," Ji Xuan said, taking off his coat to drape over Jiang Yanyan's shoulders before turning to the others.

No one had any objections.

In Muguan Village, meals were prepared in large pots over wood fires. As the smoke rose from the chimneys toward the clear, bright sky, the weather was beautiful. From a distance, it looked like a paradise on earth.

"Xiaoxi." Jiang Yanyan suddenly approached.

"Hm?" Lu Xi turned around.

Jiang Yanyan said, "Can we speak in private? I have something I want to tell you." As she spoke, she cast a glance at Ji Chenling nearby.

Jiang Yanyan was sensitive and had long sensed that the history between Jiang Chen and Lu Xi was not simple; she guessed they likely had an emotional entanglement. Perhaps they had even been in a relationship. She also knew that Jiang Chen did not truly love Chen Yiyi; his dating her seemed more like an attempt to make someone jealous or to spite them. And clearly, that someone was Lu Xi.

It was funny, though—this Lu Xi, passing up a handsome man like Jiang Chen only to spend her days hanging around an ugly person like Ji Chenling.

The female lead rarely took the initiative to chat with her, so Lu Xi was somewhat surprised. She didn't refuse. "Sure."

"Ji Chenling, go check the chicken coop and see if there are any eggs. I want a sunny-side-up egg in my noodles." She reached out and poked the young man’s waist.

The youth was lean; his waist was not soft, and touching it revealed perfect muscle definition, yet it wasn't overly bulky. He was the classic "slim in clothes, muscular without" type.

*Ahem...* getting distracted, Lu Xi looked away, her ears slightly flushed.

Ji Chenling smiled, his eyes crinkling, and he reached out to grasp the soft hand at his waist, rubbing his fingers over it a few times. "Alright, I'll listen to Big Sister."

Releasing her hand, he gave Jiang Yanyan a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. For some reason, just from that simple look, Jiang Yanyan felt a subconscious tightening in her heart. It was the feeling of being stared at by a poisonous snake... a chill ran down her spine.

After Ji Chenling left, Jiang Yanyan put on a gentle, amiable smile again and looked at Lu Xi. "Xiaoxi, do you remember the first time we met?"

The first time? That was the original host. Although Lu Xi had received the original host's memories, they weren't her own experiences; those memories felt more like a dream to her.

Jiang Yanyan didn't care about her answer and continued on her own. "You were timid back then. When you first entered the game world, you would scream at the slightest sign of movement. You begged me and Xuan to protect you and let you stay by our sides."

"In fact, along this journey, we have all grown accustomed to protecting you and sacrificing for you. You triggered some bad things several times..." At this point, she paused for two seconds.