"Bro, you can't be serious?" Qin Nan was about to protest.

Jian Fan looked at him with a blank expression and replied, "Is it funny?"

Not funny at all.

So what Jian Fan said was true—Xia Zeqin was not Xia Zeqin.

Then who was he?

Qin Nan felt a sense of despair creeping in.

Although he had already accepted that he was inexplicably in a place called the Death Realm, being told that one of the players among them was also questionable left him at a loss for how to process this news.

Jian Fan seemed to understand Qin Nan's feelings and took the time to explain, "I'm just speculating right now."

Qin Nan forced a smile; that didn't comfort him. Although it was just a guess, he knew from his interactions with Jian Fan that if it were a mere whim, Jian Fan wouldn't have mentioned it. Since he brought it up, he must have at least a 70-80% certainty.

This uncertainty was even worse; it indicated that Jian Fan's information was still insufficient. The less they knew, the more dangerous their situation became.

As his thoughts spiraled further into this unsettling news, Qin Nan shook his head to dispel the grim thoughts and forced himself to focus on the present game world.

"What do you think caused the female companion’s erasure?" Qin Nan asked.

"You don't know?" Jian Fan looked puzzled.

"Why would I know?" Qin Nan replied, bewildered. Despite having experienced one world, he was still just a slightly older newbie compared to Xu Tian. Moreover, newbies usually received hints, but he was currently hintless, making his situation even worse than Xu Tian's.

"The rules of the murder mystery," Jian Fan reminded him.

"I know the rules, but how does that relate to being erased?" Qin Nan reflected on the moment the companion disappeared and hesitantly asked, "Was it because she said something she shouldn’t have?"

Jian Fan gave him a knowing look.

Their current situation seemed to fit the immersive style of a murder mystery, where everyone was playing roles from the script. However, they were not characters from the script, and there would inevitably be discrepancies in their words and actions. It was impossible for them to act perfectly in line with the script. Minor deviations were unavoidable, and they hadn't faced erasure yet. But then, the female companion's words...

Qin Nan recalled her statement and shivered.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Her remarks were indeed fraught with danger; it was clear that the script had not allowed for such statements to be made in a murder mystery game.

This meant that actions or words that deviated from the game's rules could trigger the death mechanism, leading to erasure. However, it seemed that only slightly crossing the line might be acceptable.

Qin Nan remembered his own introduction and broke into a cold sweat.

If this world were stricter, wouldn’t his statement about never having played before lead to his demise?

"Have you ever read a novel?" Jian Fan suddenly asked.

Qin Nan was puzzled by the shift in topic but nodded. "I have. What does that have to do with this game world?"

"In novels, authors often add commentary or annotations, which are unrelated to the main text. When you introduced yourself, you first stated your situation, then added a comment about your experience. Xia Zeqin did the same—he was reasoning but added a commentary about the murder mystery. Both you and he were following the main narrative, but the female companion was directly stepping on a landmine within the main text." Jian Fan elaborated, likely noticing Qin Nan's terrified expression and feeling the need to explain.

"Do you understand now?" Jian Fan asked.

Qin Nan nodded.

"You can’t be the only one who figured this out, right?" Qin Nan probed.

Jian Fan paused before responding, "Don't make me regret choosing you as a teammate."

Qin Nan: "..."

"This isn't foolish! After all, it’s only the second time. I still can’t accept that people can be so malicious. Just try to understand," Qin Nan replied, feeling somewhat helpless.

Jian Fan ignored him.

"Putting that aside, what did you think of everyone's comments just now?" Qin Nan asked, wanting to gauge Jian Fan's opinion to feel more grounded, as he was still a novice and had much to learn.

"Three people," Jian Fan stated directly, naming them: "Qin Weiyi, Mu Xin, and Xu Tian."

Qin Nan frowned. "I can understand Qin Weiyi; his performance has already made some things clear. Xu Tian, although she showed signs of panic at the end, did ask you a question during the discussion that deserves further exploration. But Mu Xin..." Qin Nan's frown deepened.

Jian Fan offered no further hints, and Qin Nan didn't need any.

"Mu Xin, I had some interactions with her before this world began. According to them, Mu Xin might just be lucky, winning without effort. But luck is too unpredictable. Winning in one or two worlds isn’t unusual, but consistently winning? That can't just be luck. And their trio..." As he spoke, Qin Nan suddenly realized.

He laughed. "Mu Xin is the center of their trio."

He had interacted the most with Lin Junru, and aside from being foolish, he couldn’t think of a more suitable word for her. As for Zheng Jueming, his performance during the discussion was awful. Neither of them seemed like seasoned players, which only highlighted Mu Xin's difference.

"But if Mu Xin is that clever, why not choose stronger teammates instead of these two..." Qin Nan's expression became complicated; having incompetent teammates was worse than having none at all.

"We can keep observing," Jian Fan suggested.

Qin Nan nodded. "True, maybe they’re just putting on a façade to lower our guard."

Jian Fan's expression shifted slightly as he added, "Remove the 'they'."

Qin Nan: "..."

Fine, you’re clever, Jian Fan. You must have the best input method in the world! Qin Nan silently complained, then changed the subject. "By the way, did you hide the clues from Xia Zeqin in your room, or was it intentional on his part?"

As they spoke, the two entered a corridor, distancing themselves from the larger group. There were no other players in sight.

Just as Qin Nan waited for Jian Fan's response, Jian Fan suddenly moved, twisting Qin Nan's hands behind his back and pinning him against a nearby pillar.

Qin Nan's face pressed against the pillar, bewildered, and at that moment, he felt a sharp knife pressed against his waist.

No way? A terrifying thought surged in Qin Nan's mind.

Could it be that the murderer in this world—was Jian Fan?

Qin Nan felt the overwhelming malice of this world directed at him.