Chapter 231 - 231 Eighty-eight

Words : 1344 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

231: Eighty-eight. Investigator Simulation Event Seven 231: Eighty-eight. Investigator Simulation Event Seven “Next, Raimy helped you avoid the dangers and bizarre occurrences that kept emerging. There were bottomless pits similar to the ones before, monsters lying across your path, and passages that had collapsed halfway and were nearly blocked by rubble, updating ‘Progress (115%/100%).'” “Fortunately, with Raimy there, you couldn’t help but think. But this still couldn’t improve your situation... You hadn’t found an exit; instead, the passageways ahead became more and more dangerous, as though you were not only failing to get closer to the entrance but were actually delving deeper into the ruins.” “‘There’s a monster on the left fork ahead,’ Raimy whispered in your ear. You circled around it, heading towards the right passage, slowing your pace considerably. ‘Tired?’ Raimy inquired.” Lu Li: “Not tired, I’m full of energy.” Lu Li tried to use this method to have Tesla set him up with a profile of being full of energy— but it failed. “You told her you weren’t tired, but you knew your body had reached the brink of exhaustion. Your legs were trembling, and your heart felt as if it might leap from your chest to your throat. You trudged on for a few more minutes, your feet gave out beneath you, and you nearly fell.” ‘Perhaps we’re really going to be trapped here... Let’s find a side chamber to rest for now.’ Finally unable to stand it any longer, you leaned heavily against the wall, gasping for breath.” “‘Let me get down, I’ll lead the way,’ Raimy said as she got off you. What does ‘let me lead the way’ mean? You were a bit puzzled, then you felt Raimy’s cold, soft palms slip into your own. ‘Follow me,’ she said.” “‘What in the world is going on?’ You felt baffled as Raimy led you forward, as smoothly as if you were walking through the streets and alleys at noon.” “‘I’m sorry I lied to you... I said I could sense danger, but actually, I can see things in the dark. I don’t know why that is... I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d leave me behind...’ As you listened to Raimy’s story, your head buzzed, followed by an uncontrollable anger. You had carried her for hours through the eerie ruins to save her, shared your food with her, and yet she had been deceiving you... What else had she not told you? In your anger, you decided to—” Lu Li: “Ask for her help, to guide me towards the exit.” Lu Li was not misled by the fictional self in the story. He wasn’t one to dwell on blame, especially when it was utterly meaningless. Blaming Raimy at this moment was absolutely the stupidest thing to do; she might have hidden much information, but she was the biggest aide in getting out of the ruins. “Your calmness triumphed over your anger. You knew you needed Raimy’s help if you were to escape the ruins, even if she had been deceiving you all along.” “Under Raimy’s guidance, you followed her. Having lost all sense of direction, you had no idea where you were going until you saw at the end of the corridor a faint light emerging. Your spirits lifted, and your sore legs regained a bit of strength. But as you approached the light source, you realized it wasn’t the glow of an exit but illuminated stones embedded in the walls.” “Staring at these stones, you felt strangely unwell. Even more disconcerting was Raimy’s figure ahead.” “You saw her clothes weren’t the usual linen garments from the village but a white dress. You saw her body slightly translucent, despite still holding her palm. It was then you realized that Raimy had long been dead, she had deceived you again... and this time, the deceit filled you with an immense fear...” “At this moment, Raimy let go of your hand, turned around, and revealed a pale cheek with nothing but whites in her eyes.” “‘Thank you for helping me, and I’m sorry, I’ve lied to you again... But this is for your own good.’ She didn’t attack you but instead revealed the truth. She had died several days earlier, but her soul didn’t disperse due to the ruins.” “‘What do you mean it’s for my good?’ you couldn’t help but ask.” “Raimy did not answer, she turned her head to point towards the deepest part of the passage, where a dark altar several dozen meters tall loomed within the mountain, updating the ‘Mission Progress (150%/100%)’.” “‘It is calling me over, it says as long as I sacrifice myself on the altar, it will let you leave... I am very grateful for your help all this time, it has strengthened my conviction. If I can help you escape with my life’s end... I’m happy. By the way, tell my brother to take good care of father...’ Raimy said as she walked toward the dimly lit passage leading to the altar.” “You stood there, torn between whether to believe her words or what... Next, you must—” Lu Li: “Stop her and talk.” “You snapped back to reality, realizing Raimy had already walked out of the passage, in front of her stood the towering altar. You rushed over, wrapping your arms around Raimy as she stepped towards the altar’s staircase, and you said to her—” Lu Li: “Things haven’t gotten to this point yet, we still have food, enough to survive in the ruins for another day or two.” “She looked at you with a bitter smile, her eyes filled with reluctance as she said, ‘But I’m already dead...'” Lu Li: “That doesn’t matter. As long as you don’t lose yourself, you can still live as a human being.” “‘But the master of the ruins will not allow us to leave...’ Raimy’s eyes flickered with hesitation, and you planned—” Lu Li: “It will allow it. You are a soul, you can pass through walls, you can let the master of the ruins send me out first. Once I successfully leave the ruins, you can pass through the wall and come out.” Tesla gave Lu Li a peculiar look. “You told Raimy the plan you had in mind. This reignited her desire to live, and she signaled you to step back and began to communicate with the master of the altar. You began to feel an extremely evil and terrifying presence descending upon the altar, ‘Medium Inner Strength Disappears'” “You couldn’t help but retreat to the edge of the passage, watching the scene unfolding. The ‘Mission Progress (200%/100%)’ was updated. You couldn’t hear the exchange between Raimy and the consciousness of the ruins. After a while, Raimy ceased the communication and walked towards you.” “‘Run straight down the passage, the exit is ahead,’ Raimy told you. You instinctively looked back, the passage behind you stretched straight into the distance, and at the end of your vision, there seemed to be a light appearing.” “‘I’ll wait for you outside.’ You gave Raimy a deep look and turned to run into the passage. Strength surged from the bottom of your heart, driving you to run. Gradually, you saw the light ahead. It was neither an illusion nor the soft illumination, but the light from the outside world.” “You ran faster, the only sound in the dark passage was your breathing. You had never longed for the light as much as you do now. The light at the end became clearer, and it seemed like you could hear noises from outside. You were getting closer to the exit, rushing into the light, endless light wrapped around your body—” A long section here was not governed by Lu Li’s actions. Perhaps the story was drawing to a close.

Chapter 231 - 231 Eighty-eight

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