Chapter 12: Deduction! The Empress’s Secret!

Day One

You feel a pang of guilt for planning to kill a kind-hearted music diva, yet you have no choice but to save your parents. You attempt to sneak into the hotel where the diva is staying. Upon reaching her room, you find the door locked, barring your entry.

You must decide...

A: Tear the identity card and transform (in reality, you won’t lose the “Wolf King Identity Card” by choosing this).
B: Ask the hotel staff for a master key card.
C: Wait for the diva to come out.
D: Other.

Let me choose? Zhou Quan pursed his lips. He was certain now—the version of himself in the simulation was not the real him, because in reality, he hadn’t done a thing, and the orphanage’s old director had died. The reenactment must have been a creation of the evil god, using him as a template to produce a doppelgänger who would kill in the real world.

“Is the fourth option for me to customize?”
“That’s quite free,” he mused.

After some thought, Zhou Quan decided on the first option: tear the card and transform. Simple and brutal! Since he wouldn’t lose the Wolf King Identity Card in reality, he could just transform, teleport inside, and end the diva’s life with a single claw—give her a swift and merciful end!

You choose to tear the card and transform.
On this night that is not a full moon, you descend in the form of the Wolf King, teleporting instantly into the room.
You discover the diva is taking a bath.
You feel deeply guilty.

Zhou Quan sighed deeply. Let her depart from this world swiftly; all sins shall be mine.

The diva rushes out of the bathroom.
She knows kung fu.

Kung fu? Zhou Quan blinked, the words bringing to mind the old director. Could it be—the diva also knows kung fu?

The diva launches a flying kick off the wall, her whip-like leg striking your head squarely.
Dizzy and dazed, you swipe back with your claw.
She grabs your arm and bites off a chunk of flesh.
You flinch in pain and withdraw your claw.

The words flowed rapidly, painting a vivid scene of fierce combat. Zhou Quan found it unbelievable. The diva was evenly matched against him in his Wolf King form—and he was the one at a disadvantage, having lost flesh to her bite! What kind of kung fu was this?

You use the Cloud Piercing Arrow on the diva.
She anticipates your attack and dodges the arrow, launching an even fiercer counterattack.
You struggle to fend her off.
She leaps atop you, biting through your throat.
You die.
Simulation failed.

---

Zhou Quan was stunned. The diva bit through my throat—how could that be? Wasn’t I the Wolf King?

“Kung fu?”
“More like supernatural power!” He gasped.

When he killed the old director, he hadn’t considered supernatural forces, only thinking the director was a hidden martial arts master. But the Grey Night Society had reminded him: supernatural powers exist in this world. Though not widespread, they are certainly not rare.

The old director was already frail; if not for supernatural strength, how could he have been knocked out twice in succession, forcing Zhou Quan to resort to quicklime and pepper spray? Clearly, both the director and the diva possess supernatural abilities—especially the diva. She might even surpass the Grey Night Society’s leader.

A voice like a bell, with whip-like kicks—talented people shine in any field!

“This was a mistake.”
“I shouldn’t have transformed the moment I entered.”
“I should have used the Cloud Piercing Arrow to break down the door first.”

Zhou Quan reflected: If he tore the card after seeing the diva, he could have used the Wolf King’s tearing skill then. The Wolf King’s tearing skill was formidable; he’d already tested it on the Grey Night Society’s leader, relying on surprise. But that skill only worked at the moment of transformation. He hadn’t expected the diva to be so powerful, so he wasted the precious skill just entering the room.

Simulation begins again.

Day One
You are determined to kill the kind-hearted music diva, for you have no other choice.
You sneak into the hotel where she is staying.
You arrive at her room and see the door is locked.
You decide...

A: Tear the card and transform.
B: Ask hotel staff for a master key card.
C: Wait for the diva to come out.
D: Other.

“I’ll use the Cloud Piercing Arrow to break the lock,” Zhou Quan said without hesitation. Since using items in the simulation wouldn’t affect reality, why not?

You choose to use the Cloud Piercing Arrow to break the lock.
The Cloud Piercing Arrow lives up to its name, sending the lock flying all the way to the moon.
You enter the room.
You find the diva bathing.
You feel deeply guilty.

Reading this, Zhou Quan’s expression shifted; he looked back at the words: “The Cloud Piercing Arrow lives up to its name, sending the lock flying all the way to the moon.”

“That’s a strange description.”

He imagined himself shooting an arrow to break down the door. Was it a cool, straight shot, or a sneaky crouch-shot? He favored the former—there was no reason to crouch.

But shooting straight and sending the lock to the moon? That was odd. Could the arrow curve?

The diva bursts from the bathroom. She knows kung fu.
You tear the card and transform.
You teleport behind her, clawing into her body and tearing her apart.

It’s over.

Zhou Quan felt heavy inside. This death must have been painful, but he wanted to give her a swift end. Without the Wolf King’s skill, he couldn’t defeat her; he certainly couldn’t expect her to surrender…

Suddenly, a twist!

A worm jumps out from the diva’s body and crawls into your mouth.
You die.
Simulation failed.

“A worm inside the diva’s body?” Zhou Quan was dumbfounded, stunned by this sudden turn. The words on his notebook seemed unfathomable, stirring unrest deep within.

“Incredible!”
“There’s a worm inside her, controlling her body?” Zhou Quan was shocked.

“If it’s the worm controlling her, wouldn’t others notice something’s off? And how could a worm persistently perform acts of charity?”
“No, it can’t be the worm doing charity.”

His mind raced. He speculated: “That worm might be the source of her supernatural power. The diva and the worm are either in a symbiotic relationship or a master-servant one.”

The more he thought, the more plausible it seemed. The worm couldn’t be the charitable one—obviously, the diva was. So she must hold the dominant role. This was her secret!

“I have to get rid of that worm, burn it to ashes so not even a single cell remains!” Zhou Quan’s expression darkened.

“Keeping the worm hidden to preserve her reputation—that’s the only thing I can do for her.”

Simulation begins again.

Day One
You decide to kill the kind-hearted music diva but also wish to preserve her reputation, so you bring a lighter.
You sneak into the hotel where she is staying.
You arrive at her room and see the door is locked.
You decide...

“Let me test the Cloud Piercing Arrow, to see if it really can shoot to the moon from any angle,” Zhou Quan said, curiosity piqued.