Infinite: Dawn Game

Chapter 883 Changed

"ah?"

Yu Shijiu looked at He Lingling with some surprise and sighed:

"Sister Lingling, you're so perceptive! Did you see that just now? That shouldn't be possible. I was so careful with my movements, how could I have been seen?"

He Lingling: "...I guessed."

Yu Shijiu blinked. "You guessed it? That's amazing."

He Lingling was a little embarrassed by the praise, wiped her face resignedly, and asked, "So what did you add?"

"Those are the things."

Yu Shijiu was a little confused when she heard this. "It's those things in the earthenware jar, the sticky, reddish liquid... Oh right, isn't that what Thumbelina used to cook this morning?"

While everyone was still stunned by Yu Shijiu's matter-of-fact statement, "liquid in a clay pot," the topic had already shifted to Thumbelina.

Thumbelina, who was suddenly cut off, was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a pale face as if she had just realized something.

"Yes, yes... This morning, I used that stuff from that earthenware pot to cook porridge..."

"..."

Before the group could recover from their shock, a system notification suddenly rang in their ears.

【Ding. 】

[Congratulations to the guild "Alive" for currently leading in exploration progress among all players.]

[Current guild exploration progress of "Eye of All Things" is 40%]

[Guild "Alive" Exploration Progress 48%]

"..."

The group was stunned. Xu Han finally recovered from the urge to vomit and cried out, tears streaming down his face.

"So the reason Grandma Field Mouse didn't get angry earlier was because the porridge she ate actually contained ingredients she liked?!"

Yu Shijiu nodded happily, "Yes."

Xu Han's mouth dropped open, and he gave Yu Shijiu a thumbs up, "OMG, Shijiu!!! You're amazing! You're amazing!! As expected, with you here, we have nothing to be afraid of!!!"

Xu Han's exclamation echoed in the empty hall, but the others couldn't laugh.

Although Yu Shijiu's move temporarily resolved the crisis and even inadvertently increased the exploration progress, the hidden risks and potential troubles made He Lingling, An Jie, and the other two feel a chill down their spines.

Yu Shijiu is not only bold, but also has a terrifyingly accurate grasp of timing and understanding of the old field mouse's psychology, which is actually a good thing. However, what is unsettling is that Yu Shijiu used that obviously problematic "red liquid"—now it seems that the substance is inextricably linked to Thumbelina's mutation and the monsters underground.

The fact that the old field mouse ate with such relish was precisely proof of how strange this thing was.

"Shi Jiu," He Lingling suppressed the chill in her heart and tried to keep her tone calm, "that jar of ingredients...where did you get it from? How much is left?"

Yu Shijiu pointed to the inconspicuous earthenware jar in the corner of the kitchen: "It's right there. I saw it was sealed, so I scooped out a little bit."

He made a small gesture as he spoke, "Don't worry, Sister Lingling, I only added a tiny bit, it won't be noticed, and the old field mouse was eating it happily, wasn't it?"

"The problem isn't whether we can detect it or not!" Chen Yi, usually so good-natured, couldn't help but speak up, his voice tinged with lingering fear. "That thing is clearly problematic! How could you..."

"Isn't our goal to keep the old field mouse happy and avoid triggering any penalties?"

Yu Shijiu tilted his head, looking completely matter-of-fact, "As for whether there's a problem... well, it's not like we're the ones eating it, it's like the old field mouse is eating it himself."

His expression and the naive yet cruel tone of his words left Chen Yi speechless for a moment.

To be fair, Yu Shijiu was right, but...

Anjie took a deep breath, stepped forward, and looked at Yu Shijiu with a serious expression:

"Shi Jiu, next time you make such a decision, at least let us know, or don't just reach out and grab it without any preparation."

Anjie knew that blaming was useless now, but she had to make some things clear to Yu Shijiu.

Yu Shijiu's ability is a double-edged sword; if used improperly, it could potentially harm her, although Yu Shijiu seems to have improved a lot recently.

Upon hearing this, Yu Shijiu blinked and nodded obediently, "Oh, okay, Sister An."

Whether he listened or not, only he himself knows.

"Alright, now is not the time to discuss this." He Lingling interrupted their concerns. "It seems that the exploration progress has increased, which is a good thing."

He Lingling said, "The fact that the old field mice reacted favorably to food with added 'red liquid' is itself an important piece of information."

She looked at Thumbelina, whose complexion was still not very good, and asked, "Thumbelina, are you sure this is the one you used this morning?"

Thumbelina nodded timidly: "Yes... I'm sure it's this one, because, because Grandma Field Mouse said it's... it's the essence of the earth, and it's good for your health if you eat it."

"The essence?" Xu Han couldn't help but complain, "I think it's more like 'dross'..."

He Lingling pondered for a moment: "It seems this thing is quite important. It looks like it can soothe (or satisfy) Grandma Field Mouse's appetite... but why did it only tell Thumbelina?"

Their gazes unconsciously fell on Thumbelina's face.

Thumbelina's face paled, and she instinctively shook her head: "I don't know, I don't know either..."

Yu Shijiu stepped forward to comfort her, "It's okay, it's okay, I was just asking, don't be afraid."

Thumbelina then lowered her head and wiped away the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

Why are you crying?

Yu Shijiu comforted them, "We were just wondering why Grandma Field Mouse liked to eat that stuff, and we were also a little confused as to why you didn't tell us you were going to add it earlier."

"..." Thumbelina's face, which had just returned to normal, turned pale again.

Yu Shijiu's seemingly unintentional question was like a cold awl, instantly piercing the barely maintained tranquility in the main room.

Thumbelina's face turned deathly pale in an instant, even more so than when she was forced to drink that awful bowl of porridge that morning.

She suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with panic at being exposed and a deeper fear. Her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a single word.

"...I...I...I forgot..." She stammered, her eyes somewhat vacant. A strong, belated sense of guilt made her afraid to look at anyone, especially Yu Shijiu in front of her.

This reaction almost confirmed Yu Shijiu's guess—Thumbelina wasn't completely unaware; she at least knew the importance of the "red liquid" in the jar, and might even know some of its functions, but subconsciously, she seemed unable to articulate it.

why?

Is it the ever-present threat of Grandma Field Mouse? Or... does the "red liquid" in the clay pot also hold some irresistible attraction for her, making her subconsciously protect its existence?

He Lingling, An Jie, and Chen Yi exchanged a solemn look.

It seems things are more complicated than they thought.

Thumbelina, the main NPC who currently appears to be in a "protected" state, doesn't seem to be entirely on their side—or rather, Thumbelina's will seems to be being eroded and distorted by the power of the cave.

Even Xu Han noticed that something was wrong.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but was stopped by a look from Chen Yi.

In their view, pressing Thumbelina now would likely yield no useful information.

Perhaps we should wait for Thumbelina to calm down before considering the next step.

When Yu Shijiu saw the panicked and bewildered expression on Thumbelina's face, the hint of inquiry on his face disappeared.

He put on that harmless smile again, gently patted Thumbelina's shoulder, and said in a relaxed tone:

"Oh, it's okay if you forgot. We know now, don't we? Just remind us next time."

Yu Shijiu acted as if he didn't care at all, as if the sharp question he had just asked was just something he had casually mentioned.

But this "leniency" did not completely relax Thumbelina; instead, she twisted her fingers even more anxiously, lowered her head, and her body trembled almost imperceptibly.

Why...why did I forget...why am I not speaking...why? Why? Why is this happening? And, and time...and this time that always feels so incredibly long...why?

A strong sense of guilt grew heavier and heavier in Thumbelina's heart. For a moment, she even began to breathe rapidly and dared not look up to respond to Yu Shijiu's "forgiveness".

He Lingling noticed that Thumbelina was trembling. She sighed inwardly and guessed that Thumbelina was probably completely caught in a vortex of resentment, guilt, and self-justification.

This is not a good thing for them right now. If Thumbelina really breaks down, they probably won't even be able to figure out how to get out of the cave—no matter how the plot deviates, Thumbelina is still the main character of the story.

The protagonist is being driven mad; without using his brain, he probably won't have a good ending for the other players either.

Thinking of this, He Lingling timely changed the subject, breaking the suffocating silence in the main room:

"Grandma Field Mouse only asked us to clean the burrows. I still maintain that this is an opportunity for us to explore the burrows some more, especially... to find Fang Youhua and Yang Hua."

He Lingling narrowed her eyes slightly: "Grandma Field Mouse mentioned them specifically just now, and I feel like something's not right."

Mentioning Fang Youhua and Yang Hua, who had "temporarily disappeared," drew everyone's attention.

Yes, finding Fang Youhua and Yang Hua is obviously more urgent than trying to figure out what a Thumbelina with an unstable mind is thinking.

"Yes, we need to find them as soon as possible."

Anjie nodded, her gaze sharp as she looked into the depths of the passage. "...But I have a problem. The path through this cave is really, a bit troublesome."

If they were to actually go looking for Fang Youhua and Yang Hua, and the two of them were deliberately trying to avoid them, it would be a real problem.

Fang Youhua is, after all, a seasoned player.

"Splitting up is more efficient, but it's also more dangerous."

Chen Yi sighed and frowned, a bit of a headache: "And we also have to keep an eye out for Grandma Field Mouse, who pops up every now and then to watch us 'clean up'..."

"How about this?" He Lingling lowered her eyes and thought for a while, then took out a few pieces of what looked like dried vines from her system backpack and distributed them to the four people.

“We can first define an area to maintain distance at all times, and communicate by voice or... we can use this thing.”

He Lingling glanced at Thumbelina, who was still lost in her own thoughts and motionless, and quickly whispered to the crab:

"This thing is called [Whispering Vines]. I got it when I first entered the game. Its function is that if a player talks to it within a certain distance, other players holding the same vine will experience a slight vibration and can vaguely hear the sound. Although the effect is not very obvious, it is better than having no effect at all."

This was a low-level communication item she obtained in a previous dungeon. It had been sitting idle since it hadn't been used, but she never expected it to come in handy here.

The four of them took the vines and, at He Lingling's instruction, attached them to their collars or wrists.

Yu Shijiu looked at the withered vine in his hand with great interest, then put it in his pocket together with the straw bracelet.

Come to think of it... I seem to have a few items myself, right? But I haven't really used them much...

“Xiaohan and I are in a group, Sister An and Shijiu are in a group, Lingling, you…” Chen Yi looked at He Lingling, then at Thumbelina who was clearly not in a good condition, and hesitated.

"I'll go with Thumbelina."

He Lingling volunteered that she needed to observe Thumbelina up close and keep an eye on her to prevent her from doing anything unexpected.

Upon hearing this, Thumbelina silently stood next to He Lingling, still keeping her head down and twisting her fingers without making a sound.

Yu Shijiu seemed a little unhappy. He opened his mouth and said, "It's still me and Thumb—"

"Girls understand what other girls are thinking better."

He Lingling smiled and rejected Yu Shijiu's words, "Shijiu, how about we girls have a little more privacy?"

“…” Yu Shijiu paused, swallowing back the words that were still in his throat.

"Ok."

Yu Shijiu had no choice but to agree to the group assignments.

Anjie and the other two breathed a sigh of relief, and Xu Han even secretly gave He Lingling a thumbs up, whose expression remained unchanged.

It means—amazing! Incredibly amazing!

He Lingling pretended not to see his astonished expression, still grinning like a fool.

With the groups settled, everyone agreed to meet at the main room before dinner, and to briefly communicate their situation via vines every so often. If any danger was encountered, they would immediately issue a warning and then begin choosing a direction.

After a brief conversation, Anjie and Yu Shijiu chose the passage leading to the warehouse. They wanted to check on Yanzi's current situation and also investigate whether there were any other clues about her escape near the warehouse.

Chen Yi and Xu Han then headed towards another path that looked narrower and seemed to lead deeper into the cave.

He Lingling chose to take Thumbelina with her and continue cleaning the area around the main room and the main passage they had passed through, hoping to find some overlooked details.

Before they parted ways, Yu Shijiu seemed to suddenly remember something, took out the straw bracelet he had hidden from his pocket, and handed it to He Lingling with a normal expression:

"Sister Lingling, here, take this."