Chapter 10 "Third-Person Perspective" Do You Really Think So?

Six monitors were connected by cables sprawling across the floor like the dark, repetitive patterns of circuit boards, casting the room in an aura of cold, rigorous order.

This was Shang Hexing's original workspace, also serving as his living quarters a secret space unknown to anyone else.

The place easily accumulated dust due to static electricity, and since Shang Hexing himself suffered from dust allergies, he had always been meticulous about every item in the room. The slightest change would not escape his notice.

It was precisely for this reason that on March 24th (Monday), the first day Shang Hexing began living as Fu Lin, his immediate instinct upon stepping out to search for clues about Fu Lin was to return to his secret apartment and check for any traces Fu Lin might have left.

The number of masks at the entrance remained exactly as it was before he entered the God Realm Space. If Fu Lin had been active outside using his body, the seasonal changes would have necessitated wearing a mask otherwise, "Shang Hexing's" body wouldn't have been able to endure it. The bed showed no residual warmth, and the positions of the computer tower and mouse were precisely unchanged. There were no signs of disturbance in the wardrobe containing his disguise outfits.

Though Shang Hexing knew every inch of this space intimately, he found no evidence of any outsider's intrusion or departure, causing a slight sinking feeling in his heart.

He quickly analyzed the possibilities Fu Lin might indeed have swapped bodies with him but hadn't shown up, or he might already be on Azure Star. The worst-case scenario was that they were sharing this body, and he was only temporarily in control of it.

Shang Hexing powered on his monitors and connected to the city's largest video surveillance system. It utilized facial recognition data to swiftly and accurately lock onto target individuals a privilege he had acquired while working for the former mayor, Ethel.

The system ran for over eight hours straight, yet there was no sign of "Shang Hexing" anywhere, as if the person had completely vanished from the face of Anubis.

For Shang Hexing, this was an ominous signal.

His gaze was lifeless and somber as he stared at the blue-glowing screen.

Having spent over a year in this world, clinging to the hope of escaping it, only to be outmaneuvered and brutally deceived Shang Hexing felt his blood boil with fury and resentment.

His fists clenched instinctively, consumed by an urge to destroy everything in sight.

Just then, Fu Lin's phone rang.

Shang Hexing stared coldly at the vibrating device. Unlike that Fu Lin, he had never wanted any interaction with NPCs. His conversation with Li Zhi that morning had managed to avoid raising suspicion, but now he had no desire to return to that university campus either.

The ringing persisted for about forty seconds before stopping.

As Shang Hexing was about to look away, the phone rang again. It was the same caller An Qingyan, a student from the same major as Fu Lin. It seemed this person would keep calling relentlessly until the phone was answered.

"..."

Regulating his emotions and breathing, Shang Hexing picked up his phone and glanced at its black screen. "An Qingyan, what's up?"

An Qingyan's tone remained calm: "You still have a few days before returning. How about we have a meal together?"

Shang Hexing wanted to refuse, but An Qingyan continued: "I have some questions for you. Meet me at the fast food restaurant near the school."

There was something peculiar about the way this was phrased.

Perhaps he was being overly sensitive, but he felt An Qingyan's manner of speaking about Fu Lin carried a certain firmness.

This didn't match his understanding of the small team that supposedly followed Fu Lin's lead unquestioningly. Yet Shang Hexing currently stood at the edge of anger, and the thought that there might be more friction within Fu Lin's team than he knew actually gave him a perverse satisfaction at potentially exposing their other side. He immediately agreed, "Fine."

"Bring Li Zhi's letter too," a more forceful voice emerged from the other end of the line, carrying an undeniable tone of command. "Don't tell me you're unwilling?"

Shang Hexing hadn't paid much attention to Li Zhi's letter originally, but the morning's events combined with An Qingyan's words had genuinely piqued his curiosity.

After agreeing, Shang Hexing returned to his dorm room to search for the letter. He looked for a long time without finding it anywhere in the room. Then he remembered that Fu Lin had worn the same clothes to the God Realm Space as he had to the farewell party. Checking the pockets, he quickly found the letter in the inner pocket.

The envelope was open.

Shang Hexing recalled Li Zhi telling Fu Lin at the end of the farewell party to open it only after leaving. He hadn't expected Fu Lin to have opened it already.

The letter's content was rather generic, much like narration that plays at the end of a game summarizing past experiences while looking to the future, all filled with hollow well-wishes.

He frowned. The letter itself was clearly nothing remarkable.

There was only one explanation: what truly drew attention were the person behind the letter and their relationship.

Recalling his encounters with Li Zhi that morning and evening, Shang Hexing realized the man indeed had more facets than he'd imagined, even giving him a sense of danger.

Perhaps he needed to understand this person better to find his weaknesses.

Thus, he now had one more reason to meet An Qingyan.

*

There were many fast food restaurants near the university.

Shang Hexing hadn't asked where they were meeting, but it was obvious Fu Lin's small team had their preferences even the takeout ordered for the previous farewell party had come in boxes from that particular fast food joint.

Sure enough, when Shang Hexing entered the restaurant, An Qingyan and several others were already waiting.

Shang Hexing adjusted his expression, mimicking Fu Lin's tone as he greeted them.

However, their expressions were now solemn, completely lacking the warmth and friendliness from the farewell party. The atmosphere was unusually silent.

"Feeling quite pleased with yourself now, aren't you?" The most straightforward among them, He Qisi, made no attempt to conceal his attitude.

Shang Hexing couldn't help but sneer inwardly, "..."

As an outsider who had observed their fake friendship game for days, he found it impossible to believe that while "overthrowing the Anubis Mayor" had been the entire team's achievement, all the fame and benefits had landed solely on Fu Lin and they apparently bore no resentment about it.

Previously, he had treated them like NPCs in a game world mere stereotypical, one-dimensional existences.

Now seeing them reveal their true colors, this change left him astonished, yet Shang Hexing found it even more intriguing.

He Qisi didn't wait for Shang Hexing's response. With a sudden leap, he raised his hand directly in front of "Fu Lin."

If it were Shang Hexing's original body, he wouldn't have been able to dodge He Qisi's strike. However, now he not only easily caught He Qisi's wrist but also found his movements slow and clumsy.

But he quickly suppressed his surprise and was about to throw him off when He Qisi, undeterred by the counterattack, fixed his gaze on Shang Hexing's pocket. "The letter? Show it to me."

Shang Hexing paused mid-action, about to react, when An Qingyan's voice chimed in from the side, "He Qisi, calm down. Be careful, or Fu Lin might throw you out. You can't beat him anyway."

He Qisi retorted indignantly, "Come on, I haven't done anything. Why would he hit me?"

"You're about to snatch the letter, and you say you haven't done anything?" another person chimed in.

In just a few words, the atmosphere shifted from a bullying scene to one of harmonious camaraderie.

Shang Hexing had no choice but to tread carefully again.

After handing over the letter, Shang Hexing realized they were genuinely excited about it. He Qisi, in particular, exclaimed, "Wow, Li Zhi actually wrote you a letter! That's amazing!"

Even the usually composed and dignified An Qingyan seemed to brighten slightly upon seeing the letter, as if beholding something precious. The others leaned in, eager to see its contents.

"If you want, you can open it and read it," Shang Hexing offered.

An Qingyan took the envelope and gently traced its edges, chuckling softly. "Li Zhi's ideas are truly unique. Who would have thought he'd write you a letter when there are so many other ways to communicate?" His tone seemed casual, but Shang Hexing detected a hint of suppressed envy, even a touch of hidden admiration.

He added, "Though he usually smiles, his demeanor is somewhat aloof, and he does things just enough to make a point. For him to write a letter personally, he must truly care."

The others nodded in agreement.

An Qingyan then glanced at him, but his gaze wasn't solely fixed on "Fu Lin" it seemed as if he was thinking of someone else who wasn't present. He quickly caught himself, coughed lightly, and diverted the topic, slipping back into his familiar, sociable demeanor.

Shang Hexing suddenly realized they weren't as distant from Li Zhi as he had imagined. On the contrary, they held an unconscious, inexplicable obedience and respect for him.

Li Zhi was supposed to be the most silent and marginalized person in the group, yet the current situation suggested otherwise.

"..."

Shang Hexing grew suspicious and uneasy, especially since he hadn't forgotten Li Zhi's profound and inscrutable expression. He couldn't help but wonder if this person had some kind of brainwashing ability.

But now, in Fu Lin's identity, he couldn't ask.

Asking would risk exposing himself.

He Qisi sighed with envy, "Now you and Li Zhi are the closest."

Shang Hexing smiled, though he couldn't bring himself to feign a proud expression.

After spending two or three hours navigating their company that evening, Shang Hexing finally returned to his room and began searching for information on "Li Zhi," the NPC who seemed to exist only as a face.

Surprisingly, he found that rumors about Li Zhi were not scarce.

Li Zhi was almost like someone who had stepped right out of an idealized textbook. From elementary school onward, he had consistently won awards and was eventually recommended for admission to the university's forensic science program. Starting in his freshman year, he participated in research activities alongside his professors and successfully published papers in highly prestigious academic journals. These achievements earned him recognition from both mentors and peers, and he even became a central figure in his social circles.

What was most remarkable was his naturally warm and composed demeanor, which complemented his academic sharpness. Even now, discussions and admiration for him persist in his elementary and middle school forums.

Despite his excellence in every aspect, Li Zhi had never been involved in any romantic rumors, as if he had dedicated his entire life to his studies and career. He was an orthodox, impeccable student flawless and beyond reproach.

"..."

Yet, this person maintained an alarmingly low profile within the team.

Just as Shang Hexing was about to uncover his true nature, a text message from Li Zhi popped up on his phone screen.

Only then did Shang Hexing realize that he had lost track of time while searching for information about Li Zhi it was already late at night.

And Li Zhi had suddenly initiated a conversation with him.

Shang Hexing instinctively checked their chat history. Li Zhi rarely disturbed Fu Lin at night, yet here he was, starting a conversation again.

If not for the incident earlier that evening, Shang Hexing would have naturally assumed Li Zhi was testing him. But now, an inexplicable thought crossed his mind.

Perhaps this person genuinely regarded Fu Lin as his closest friend and couldn’t bear to let go?

It wasn’t until the end, when Li Zhi subtly brought up "Shang Hexing," that things shifted.

When Li Zhi mentioned, "Actually, having known him (Shang Hexing) for so long, not being able to become friends with him smoothly has always been my regret," Shang Hexing let out a cold laugh at those words.

"Do you really mean that?"