Chapter 190: Chapter 190
Of course, those two IF scenarios might not happen at all.
It’s entirely possible that Jiang Ye was just overthinking things.
But he really didn’t want to gamble his fate on whether those “possibilities” would happen or not!
He wanted to be absolutely certain—to take control of his own destiny!
When that madwoman slapped him across the face, to be like Ouyang.
Not to mention fighting back—he wouldn’t even dare to breathe too loud in his pitiful state!
When the Apartment Trader changed his face and came at him with thunderous means.
What does it mean to take control of one’s own fate?
It means, when others try to control you, you have the right to say no!
But right now, whether it’s the Apartment Trader or that madwoman...
Both had terrifying strength to manipulate him as they pleased!
He had to change this powerless situation as soon as possible!
Jiang Ye hardened his heart, his gaze firm.
Meanwhile, Ge Ge’s Replica silently helped the trembling Ouyang steady himself while quietly messaging him:
【Do you still think that madwoman is the Apartment Boss?】
Ouyang didn’t reply right away.
He was too overwhelmed!
That slap just now...
Compared to life-or-death combat injuries, of course it wasn’t serious.
But while the pain wasn’t much, the humiliation was enormous!
Ouyang had never been slapped like that in his whole life!
And in front of Jiang Ye and Ge Ge, no less!
It was... too humiliating!
He couldn’t calm the surge in his chest for a long time, until Ge Ge messaged again:
【Now, we’re all grasshoppers tied to the same rope.】
【You saw her condition yourself.】
【If I’m right, and the ‘Yu Hu’ she’s looking for really did die in Apartment 9999...】
【Then we’re not just being forbidden from showing joy.】
【She might drag us to die along with Yu Hu!】
【Which means, our lives are on a ten-minute countdown!】
【Aren’t you usually quick-witted? Get it together and think of something now!】
Because of the Puppet Shadow the madwoman left behind to watch them,
the three of them naturally didn’t dare speak aloud.
And words, after all, weren’t as emotionally compelling as voice.
Jiang Ye wasn’t sure whether his message would get Ouyang to snap out of it.
The fact that he’d managed to suppress his fear and go talk to that madwoman just now,
meant Ouyang really did have some fight in him.
He wasn’t so easily crushed.
That bit of fight was still burning in him, and after that humiliating slap,
it even carried a hint of darkness.
He silently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and took half a bottle of a small red healing potion.
At last, Ouyang’s usually bright and smiling eyes were now clouded with gloom.
He looked at Ge Ge quietly.
Then, he picked up the registry and began examining it carefully.
He acted like it was nothing, but at the same time, he finally replied to Ge Ge:
【Ten minutes isn’t much. Might not even be enough to finish checking the registry, let alone come up with a way out.】
【But I do agree with one thing you said—】
【Now, we’re all grasshoppers tied to the same rope.】
【So, if there are enough grasshoppers on this rope...】
【Maybe we’ll have strength in numbers.】
Jiang Ye wasn’t stupid—he could obviously hear the implication behind “strength in numbers.”
Clearly, he wanted to drag others into the mess!
And in fact, while still private messaging, Ouyang really started acting on it.
After scanning just one page of the registry,
he respectfully addressed the Puppet Shadow the madwoman left behind:
“This apartment has too many Eerie Beings. I’m not sure I can finish reviewing all resident info in 10 minutes...”
“Would the boss permit us to call in some outside help?”
The Puppet Shadow was just a mass of darkness, no facial features.
But it trembled slightly.
It looked like it really had heard Ouyang’s voice.
Then, from within the shadow, came the madwoman’s voice: “Do what you want.”
So Ouyang gave Ge Ge and Jiang Ye a look—clear meaning:
Anyone we can drag down with us, we drag down!
If we die, we die together. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
With more people under the threat of death,
the chances of someone finding a way out would increase.
So right away, Ouyang didn’t even bother hiding from the Puppet Shadow.
He directly took out his Survival Jade Token and started calling for reinforcements.
He also instructed Ge Ge:
【You said it yourself—it’s life or death. One wrong move and we’re dead.】
【In that case, you might as well find a way to trick Zhou Qiming into coming too.】
【From the madwoman’s words, anyone who arrives is stuck.】
【If Zhou Qiming boards this ship, with his powerful backers, he’s more likely to find a way out than me.】
To be honest, Ouyang had previously suspected that Ge Ge might be Zhou Qiming in disguise.
But after a few exchanges, he quickly ruled that out.
Zhou Qiming was knowledgeable, had access to more information than the average player, and was inherently arrogant.
But Ge Ge had just been asking Ouyang all kinds of questions.
That clearly didn’t match Zhou Qiming’s personality.
Now with death looming over him, Ouyang didn’t care why Ge Ge had come to Apartment 9999.
What mattered was survival.
Conveniently, Jiang Ye had thought about using the Survival Jade Token to contact Zhou Qiming when he got Ge Ge’s Replica.
He just hadn’t figured out a reason that wouldn’t expose himself too obviously.
Now it was perfect—he had a legitimate excuse.
So he took out Ge Ge’s Survival Jade Token and tried contacting Zhou Qiming.
Ge Ge: 【Boss, are you still at Apartment 4444? We urgently need help over here at Apartment 9999!】
Then he explained everything that had happened at 9999.
Actually, if he wanted to drag Zhou Qiming down like Ouyang suggested,
he shouldn’t have revealed the full danger of the madwoman.
After all, if Zhou Qiming had any brains, he wouldn’t risk his life coming to 9999.
But Jiang Ye didn’t intend to drag Zhou Qiming into it like Ouyang did.
He just wanted an excuse to make contact with Zhou Qiming.
Once they were in contact, he could probe and try to find out where Zhou Qiming actually was.
Of course, he didn’t have high hopes.
From the saved chat logs on the Survival Jade Token,
it was clear Ge Ge had tried contacting Zhou Qiming multiple times after resurrecting.
But Zhou Qiming had never replied.
Now, even with news about the madwoman, it wasn’t certain Zhou Qiming would take the bait and respond.
While sending messages according to his own plan,
he noticed that things seemed to be going well on Ouyang’s end.
He saw Ouyang working his Survival Jade Token, and then curl his lips into a wicked grin.
Ge Ge asked directly: 【You tricked Lin Jing into coming?】
Well, of course it was trickery.
If he’d explained everything truthfully, Lin Jing probably wouldn’t risk coming.
Ouyang just raised an eyebrow and didn’t answer.
While continuing to call for help, he looked to Jiang Ye’s Administrator Replica and said:
“Want to call over the White-Clad Woman too? Strength in numbers.”
Jiang Ye thought to himself: this Ouyang’s definitely gone full dark mode now.
He could find a way to bring the White-Clad Woman here.
But he decided to wait and see for now.
So, as the 9999 Administrator, Jiang Ye kept flipping through the registry and ignored Ouyang.
Ouyang didn’t care either. He read the registry while calling for help.
Luckily, up to now, they hadn’t found any resident named Yu Hu.
After a long wait, Ge Ge’s Replica finally received a reply from Zhou Qiming:
【You’re saying that madwoman is looking for an Eerie named ‘Yu Hu’?】
Finally, a reply from Zhou Qiming! Ge Ge’s eyes lit up!
And the message made his heart sink—he replied immediately:
【What? Boss, you know this ‘Yu Hu’? Do you know if it’s still alive?】
Just as he sent that message—
The registry Ouyang had been reading suddenly dropped to the ground.
His eyes looked dazed and puzzled.
And his face had gone deathly pale!
A bad feeling immediately flashed through Jiang Ye’s heart.
And the Puppet Shadow left by the madwoman seemed to notice Ouyang’s expression too.
It stepped forward, picked up the dropped registry—
And Jiang Ye seized the chance to glance over—
Sure enough, there was a resident listed in the registry: