Twenty-four hours went by swiftly, almost like a blink of an eye.

During this time, Mo Bai stayed at Sheng Yan's place, running simulated training sessions with him, and did not return to the Newcomer Residential Area. However, she left Gu Tiandong a message. That way, even if Mo Bai hadn't exited the instance by the time Gu Tiandong woke up, he would still see it and could pass the news on to Ding Xun and Ye Pingjun if they came looking for her.

Ten hours before the instance opened, the two of them returned to their respective rooms. They rested properly for a few hours, allowing both their physical strength and mental energy to fully recover and reach peak condition.

As usual, the instance opened at 9 a.m. When Mo Bai opened her eyes, she already found herself lying in a white room.

The walls were white, the bedsheets were white, and the tables and chairs were white. If not for the grey clothes that she was wearing, Mo Bai's eyes might have suffered from light pollution.

"Still a single room," Mo Bai muttered softly.

The room was slightly smaller than her apartment. It had an independent bathroom, while the door and all the indoor appliances were voice-activated, giving it a strong sense of advanced technology.

There was also a bracelet on her wrist. Unlike the one from the Infinite World, this one was pure white. On the inner side, the words "Test Subject No. 07" were engraved.

Mo Bai tapped the contact list on the white bracelet and discovered that this time, there were far too many people listed. There were several hundred test subjects alone, more than thirty researchers, and three directors: two vice directors and one chief director.

There was also an overwhelming amount of chat history. Group chats and private messages, which were far too many to read through.

Seeing so many listed people made Mo Bai's vision go dark for a moment.

The number of people was simply perfect for something like Phantom Butterfly to hide among them. Worse still, she had no idea which of these people were instance monsters, which were normal NPCs, and which were players.

Mo Bai stared at the list of test subjects for a long time, but still couldn't determine who Sheng Yan was.

She could only infer from the system's background information that all the players should be test subjects.

At that moment, Xiao Qi's voice sounded beside her ear: "Would you like to view your character background?"

"There's a character background this time, too?" Mo Bai thought. "Let me see."

A light screen that only she could see appeared before her. On it was a large block of background text, written in bold Song font, just as Mo Bai preferred:

 

【

Brave investigator Mo Bai, first of all, we thank you for accepting this dangerous mission to investigate the hidden secrets of Biological Research Institute No. 7. According to our preliminary investigation, Institute No. 7 appears to be conducting some kind of secret research. Recent incidents involving escaped mutants, living manipulation threads, and patients with schizophrenia are all linked to Biological Research Institute No. 7. In order to uncover the truth, we have dispatched three batches of investigators.

The first batch consisted of six investigators. Two months ago, all of them were confirmed dead. They managed to send back only four words: "Create a new life."

The second batch consisted of nine investigators. Half a month ago, we found partial remains of seven of them. These seven have been confirmed dead. The remaining two investigators are still missing. We have reason to believe that even if they are not dead, they may be in an abnormal state. You may attempt to find them, but before you determine their condition, do not reveal your identity.

The second batch did not transmit any information. However, we detected a peculiar toxin in their remains. This toxin is biological in nature and appears capable of reproducing inside the human body. Yet once we attempt to observe it, it becomes as quiet as an inorganic substance. Only when it is not being observed does it rapidly reproduce. We suspect it possesses intelligence.

This toxin can rapidly alter human physical characteristics. We suspect that Institute No. 7 has created so many monsters in an attempt to find conditions that can suppress the toxin and bring it under control.

Based on the characteristics of this toxin, we have developed a serum that can temporarily inhibit its reproduction. The serum is effective for only three days. After three days, the toxin will adapt to the serum and continue reproducing. The serum is hidden in the last tooth on the lower left side of your mouth. When needed, simply bite down hard with your upper and lower teeth, and the serum will enter your body.

You are a member of the third batch of investigators. You have six teammates. Please rendezvous with them and work together to uncover the secrets of Biological Research Institute No. 7.

May you all return safely.

Central Institute of Biological Research.

】

 

There was so much text that it took Mo Bai quite a while to finish reading it. When she was done, she asked Xiao Qi, "Is there any other information?"

"No," Xiao Qi replied, and then fell silent, allowing Mo Bai to think quietly.

The amount of information the system provided this time was enormous.

The first key point was the mutants and the living manipulation threads. These two elements corresponded perfectly to two instances that Mo Bai had previously cleared. This made her suspect that the three instances were connected, and that even the origins of Playing House and The Count's Castle might trace back to Biological Research Institute No. 7.

In Playing House, Dad and Mom formed a family because Dad, an Enhanced Mutant, escaped from the research institute and fell in love with Phantom Butterfly. Under Phantom Butterfly's guidance, he became entangled with Mom, which led to Mo Bai's very first instance.

As for The Count's Castle, its origin lay in the Count's desire for a living doll: an eternal friend who would never betray him. He conceived the idea of making living dolls because the ringmaster of the Smiling Circus gave him the Manipulation Threads. Now, the system declared that the living Manipulation Threads originated from the Biological Research Institute No. 7. Without them, the Count would never have invited young men and women, and the Count's Castle instance would never have existed.

The source of both instances seemed to be Biological Research Institute No. 7.

What puzzled Mo Bai, however, was the timeline. Playing House took place in a 21st-century modern society she was familiar with. The Count's Castle, judging from its architecture and clothing, belonged to the 19th century. Meanwhile, Biological Research Institute No. 7 gave off an unmistakably futuristic feel, wherein its technology suggested at least the 22nd century or later.

It was astonishing how past, present, and future were somehow connected.

Besides Mutants and living Manipulation Threads, the background also mentioned patients with schizophrenia. Mo Bai believed this element must correspond to another instance she hadn't yet experienced.

The second key point was the three batches of investigators.

The players were the third batch. So what about the first two? Were they players too, or merely part of the system's background?

Normally, forced instances were unique and could only be opened once. When players enter, regardless of whether they cleared it, barely survived, or all died, the instance would never open again.

But this was a mutated instance.

Mo Bai could understand why forced instances were one-time events: their bosses usually had a very strong purpose.

The Count wanted a living doll friend. Clearing the instance meant a player became that living doll. Bare survival might mean the Count kept someone. Total annihilation might also leave someone trapped in the instance forever. No matter the outcome, the Earl achieved his goal, so there was no need to open the instance again.

But at the Biological Research Institute No. 7, each batch of investigators brought back new information, constantly changing the purpose of the instance. Under these circumstances, it seemed possible for players to enter multiple times until the instance fully evolved.

Based on this, Mo Bai had reason to suspect that the investigators who entered the instance before might also have been players.

To verify this, she would need to find the two potential survivors from the second batch.

The third key point was the serum provided by the system.

This was the first time Mo Bai had received tangible assistance from the system. But instead of making her happy, it made her uneasy.

This standard-issue serum clearly indicated that she would definitely come into contact with this toxin, and she would definitely need the serum.

The serum lasted only three days, yet the system required them to survive for ten days inside the instance.

"This is so difficult," Mo Bai couldn't help but say.

"This is the first time I've heard the Player say it's difficult," Xiao Qi's voice rang out. "Players aren't like this. Players aren't defeated by adversity! Don't lose heart!"

Xiao Qi was actually trying to encourage her.

Mo Bai smiled. "When I say it's difficult, it's not because the instance is complicated. It's because this time, I'm here with a responsibility."

She had to protect Sheng Yan, after all, she had been paid.

In previous instances, Mo Bai only needed to be responsible for her own life. Even in the team-based Count's Castle, she had drawn most of the Count's aggro. If something went wrong, she alone could bear the consequences.

But in this instance, she carried Sheng Yan's life on her shoulders. And the toxin here would likely be injected indiscriminately into every player. Even if Mo Bai found the final boss and drew all the aggro herself, she still couldn't guarantee that Sheng Yan would survive.

That was what troubled her most.

"In this situation, it's hard for me to go all out. I'll be constrained at every step," Mo Bai said.

But it was fine because she still had time. When troubles arrive, she would deal with them as they come.

Right now, the priority was to find the research institute's rules and reunite with Sheng Yan. If she could also find other players and cooperate, that would be even better.

There were no rule sheets posted in the room, but Mo Bai found mirrors in both the wardrobe and the bathroom. The reflection showed her exactly as she normally looked.

That meant if she had the chance to see Sheng Yan, she would recognize him instantly.

Mo Bai studied herself in the mirror. She was wearing a grey test-subject uniform, and her face was pale with a sickly look. She didn't look healthy at all.

After that, Mo Bai opened the bracelet again and found the "Test Subject Guidelines."

 

【

1. Biological Research Institute No. 7 has developed a new drug to treat human diseases and is recruiting test subjects with illnesses. Test subjects participate voluntarily and sign an agreement with the institute. The drug's effects are still being tested. The institute bears no responsibility for any side effects experienced by test subjects.

2. The new drug trial is divided into three stages, each lasting three days. In each stage, the institute will use different methods to influence the drug's efficacy.

3. The institute will not restrict the personal freedom of test subjects. Except for the daily centralized drug experiment at 10:00 and the daily ward checks at 8:00, 14:00, and 22:00, when test subjects must remain in their rooms for researchers to measure biological indicators. Test subjects may move freely within the base, except in restricted areas such as laboratories and archives.

4. Test subjects and the institute are in a cooperative relationship. The institute fully respects the wishes of test subjects. Test subjects may terminate the experiment at the end of any stage.

5. Test subjects who terminate the experiment midway must leave the institute through the Lost Forest behind the institute. Monsters roam the Lost Forest. If a test subject meets with misfortune after leaving, it has nothing to do with the institute.

】

 

On the surface, these rules placed very few restrictions on test subjects, which was far more lenient than those of the Count's Castle.

But in reality, the Count's Castle rules protected the players. As long as players didn't break the rules, monsters like the maids and butlers couldn't harm them.

The institute's rules, however, offered players no protection at all.

Test subjects had no idea what side effects the new drug might have, and the institute took no responsibility.

Biological indicators would be measured at 8:00, 14:00, and 22:00 each day, but how? Blood draws? Bone marrow samples? Were the researchers monsters?

The test subjects knew nothing.

The three treatment stages made it seem as though one could quit after each stage, but the institute never said what state the test subjects would be in afterwards. As for "leaving through the Lost Forest filled with monsters," that was essentially throwing them into the forest to be eaten.

Test subjects could move freely within the base, but what would happen if they entered restricted areas? That wasn't specified either.

It looked like greater freedom, but in fact, the danger was much higher.

Still, these rules gave Mo Bai one useful piece of information: "recruiting test subjects with illnesses."

Mo Bai sat on the bed and lifted her trousers, revealing a pair of legs that were far from attractive and even somewhat ugly.

Although her body had recovered, her agility had not. That lost stat manifested as muscle atrophy in her legs.

Her legs were as thin as a child's, which was completely out of proportion with her body. That was also why she moved so slowly.

With legs like these, using a wheelchair would be perfectly reasonable in the research institute.

So Mo Bai simply converted her C-rank card, Windfire Wheelchair, into an item and sat securely in it. If anyone dared to ask why she was using a wheelchair, she would just show them her thin legs. With a body like this, using a wheelchair was entirely justified.

This rule not only allowed her to plausibly use a wheelchair to conceal the fact that she could walk, but it also gave her more insight.

Mo Bai had been curious why, besides herself and Sheng Yan, the other five players had also been assigned to this mutated instance. Now she had her answer.

She and Sheng Yan were both "defective."

Her legs were impaired; Sheng Yan's abilities were sealed. In the system's eyes, that was also a kind of defect.

The other five players must each have their own defects, to varying degrees.

This would help her identify other players.

In less than half an hour, Mo Bai had thoroughly explored all the clues available in the room. She checked the time and noticed that it was already 9:30 a.m. There were still thirty minutes until the centralized drug injection.

Since test subjects were allowed to move freely, she decided to take advantage of the time to look around the institute while searching for Sheng Yan.

Mo Bai skillfully maneuvered her wheelchair and left the room.

She was "Test Subject No. 7," and the room number was "007."

Outside the door was a long, pure-white corridor with no windows at any side. There were no windows in her room either.

A glass screen capable of displaying outdoor scenery was mounted on the wall, but it wasn't a real window. Furthermore, the residential area relied on central air conditioning for ventilation.

Mo Bai looked up at the ceiling of the corridor and spotted the ventilation outlets of the central air system twice along the way. This ventilation duct was connected to every room.

Mo Bai wasn't the only one in the corridor. Not long after she stepped out, someone also exited room "018" on the opposite side. It was a woman with ordinary looks whose long hair was tied up in an old-fashioned bun. She looked around thirty years old and, like Mo Bai, had a sickly appearance.

As soon as No. 018 came out and saw Mo Bai looking up, she approached and asked, "What are you looking at?"

"I wanted to see the sky," Mo Bai replied casually.

Mo Bai turned around. When No. 018 saw her face, a look of astonishment flashed across her face.

The next second, No. 018 covered her mouth and began coughing violently. So hard that Mo Bai wondered if she was about to cough out her lungs.

Mo Bai rummaged through her pockets and found a pack of tissues. They were daily necessities issued by the institute, and she'd brought them along when she left. The grey uniform had several large pockets that could hold quite a lot.

Mo Bai wheeled herself over and handed the woman a tissue, softening her voice as she asked, "What illness did you have that made you sign up as a test subject?"

Normally, Mo Bai's voice was cool and firm. Although it was pleasant to hear, it usually carried a strong, commanding presence that inspired trust. However, it also felt too aggressive, making it harder to gain a stranger's trust.

With strangers, Mo Bai used a different way of speaking.

Her deliberately softened voice was sweet, light, and gentle, making it easy to win goodwill and easy for others to overlook the power hidden inside her.

The woman took the tissue and wiped her mouth, then replied weakly, "During an… incident, I was eaten… I mean, a large part of my lung was cut out. It never healed properly, and I've been relying on medication ever since. The doctor said I wouldn't live more than three months, so I had no choice but to come to the biological research institute to try my luck. Maybe the new drug can treat my illness."

Eaten during what incident? Mo Bai had practically pricked up her ears, yet still couldn't hear what the woman said clearly. Almost as if she'd deliberately blurred that part. The woman said her lung had been "eaten," then quickly corrected herself to "cut out." But Mo Bai had been listening intently and was certain that she hadn't misheard.

The "three months" the woman mentioned was also suspicious. The time limit for beginner players to be forced into an instance was 3 months.

Too many coincidences.

Moreover, the woman spoke slowly and deliberately, choosing her words carefully. She didn't seem like someone who would slip up unintentionally.

If it wasn't a mistake, then it was a deliberate hint.

The system had instructed Mo Bai and the others to rendezvous with their teammates. While Mo Bai was searching for other players, weren't the other players doing the same?

At that moment, the woman asked, "Did you sign up for the new drug trial because your legs are bad?"

Mo Bai thought for a moment and replied, "Yes. I can't walk. Some people said that a crippled body like mine has 'Appeal Value,' but I still hope I can stand up again. Someone recommended this biological research institute to me, so I decided to give it a try."

When she heard the words 'Appeal Value,' understanding dawned on the woman's face. "My lungs are injured. When I look for work, they all say I have no 'combat ability,' so it's hard to find a job. If this keeps up, I won't survive. I could only come here and try my luck."

With that exchange, both Mo Bai and the woman confirmed each other's identities as players. The woman realized Mo Bai was an Observation-type player. At the same time, Mo Bai already knew the woman was a Combat-type player.

The woman said to Mo Bai, "I feel like we get along well. My name is Liu Congyi. What's yours?"

"You can call me Xiao Mo," Mo Bai replied.

"Let's add each other as friends," Liu Congyi suggested as she extended her bracelet.

This instance had advanced technology, so Players no longer needed special items to communicate. Using the instance's own devices was enough.

Mo Bai revealed her wrist and tapped her bracelet against Liu Congyi's. The two bracelets automatically added each other as contacts.

After adding her, Liu Congyi spoke first. "I know the survival rate of this instance is only 30%. With odds like that, cooperation between players is difficult. But I think this instance is very hard. If players start fighting each other, it'll only throw us into chaos. In the end, we might not even maintain that 30% survival rate. I suggest we cooperate to survive first. When the instance deadline approaches, then we can discuss the issue of that 30% survival rate."

She's smart, Mo Bai nodded inwardly.

Mo Bai had encountered organizations like Asura Path, where players hunted other players. It made her reluctant to fully trust anyone except Sheng Yan. But Liu Congyi was smart, and smart people don't make wrong choices at the wrong time. With three stages of drug experiments ahead, killing each other within these nine days would be extremely unwise. During these nine days, Liu Congyi would be a trustworthy teammate. After nine days, that was another matter.

Seeing Mo Bai agree, Liu Congyi continued in a low voice, "Let's gather the players first and form a united front. If there are players who don't know better, let them act on their own. If anyone tries to improve their survival chances by hunting other players, we eliminate that threat first. I—cough, cough, cough—"

Before she could finish, Liu Congyi began coughing violently again.

Mo Bai quickly handed her another tissue. Liu Congyi took it, covering her mouth as she coughed hard.

When the coughing finally subsided, Mo Bai saw that the tissue was soaked with blood, and in the blood was a black, wriggling worm about the size of an ant.

Liu Congyi pressed her fingers together, crushing the worm as hatred flashed across her face.

Mo Bai asked, "Your injury…"

Liu Congyi said softly, "In the last forced instance, a hunted player pushed me into a nest of insects. The bugs entered my body through my respiratory tract and ate most of my lungs. I barely survived and held on until the time limit to leave the instance. I never expected those bugs to follow me back to Peach Blossom Land."

"Bugs from the instance can follow Players to Peach Blossom Land?" Mo Bai exclaimed.

Liu Congyi coughed a couple more times. "The bugs from the instance can't. But they reproduced inside my lungs. The newborn bugs were bred by my body, so they were brought back to Peach Blossom Land. But once they leave my body, they die. In short, as long as I live, they live. If I die, they die. These past three months have been pure agony. Sometimes I even thought I'd rather have died in the instance."

Just imagining it made Mo Bai shudder. She asked, "Healing potions don't work?"

"They do!" Liu Congyi said bitterly. "The bugs eat, while my lungs recover at the same time, providing them with an endless source of food. It's torture. For these three months, I could only buy airborne poisons from the system that damage the respiratory system, then take healing potions to recover. I'm barely surviving by maintaining this balance."

Mo Bai: “…”

So injuries sustained in forced instances didn't necessarily fully heal upon returning to Peach Blossom Land.

Healing potions could treat external wounds, but there were far more horrifying injuries in this world than mere flesh wounds.

Once again, Mo Bai realized just how precious her A-rank card, Blessing of the Puppets, truly was.