A thick, profound darkness surged in from outside—deeper, more suffocating than mere darkness. Zhang Yuanqing possessed eyes that could penetrate the night, yet they could not penetrate this eerie, oppressive atmosphere. He could only vaguely make out the figure in a bridal gown, moving steadily and calmly, stepping over the threshold. In that moment, Zhang Yuanqing experienced his greatest terror since birth. This terror was not the startle of being drained of vital energy by the "spine-pressing ghostly spirits," nor the panic of being pursued by zombies. It was the terror of having emotions surge and explode within him, while his body remained utterly still and inert—helpless, unable to resist, unable to defend, overwhelmed by endless despair. His ability to summon the night-wanderer spirits was completely suppressed at this moment. Even the usually cheerful little comic was trembling so much he could hardly cry, and the sturdy little fat one was shaking uncontrollably; within seconds, his helpless master joined him in the tremors. The darkness poured into the house, and the figure in the bridal gown advanced step by step, a dense, lifeless aura enveloping every corner of the room. At that moment, the Cat King speaker that Zhang Yuanqing had tucked into his pocket once again broke in unexpectedly: "She's here, bringing an unparalleled terror... The groom is seated by the bed, thinking through his plans, but though he appears calm, he is actually afraid..." As the speaker spoke, it seemed to be disturbed by something, emitting a series of crackling electrical sounds. After a few seconds, the voice returned—but the words that came out left Zhang Yuanqing stunned: "The groom appears calm, yet is profoundly joyful—because the bride is beautiful and graceful, gentle and dignified, a rare match indeed. Yes, that's exactly it... crackling... silence." Then, the speaker went completely quiet. Actually joyful? Did you really mean to say that from the very beginning? This passage is full of inconsistencies—Zhang Yuanqing couldn't bring himself to speak. He lowered his head, unable to look at the ghost bride. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and his body trembled slightly. Then, as he kept his head down, he noticed a pair of red embroidered shoes resting right before him. … Time passed second by second. Xie Lingxi sat by the bed, motionless, her delicate and refined features contrasting beautifully with the wedding setting—at first glance, she seemed the very bride. According to the original guide, anyone chosen by the ghost bride would inevitably die. This should remain unchanged in the updated version as well. Whoever she chose, would surely meet their end… Xie Lingxi quietly swallowed a lump of saliva. She had always known the ghost house’s guidebook, but had never mentioned it. Originally, she intended to use it as leverage once she entered the house. However, upon discovering that Wang Tai was the night wanderer, and that the mission had evolved—adding new elements such as dowry and wedding invitations—she realized the original guide was no longer valid. Thus, she had never brought it up again. Xie Lingxi felt deeply afraid. Though she had experienced two solo spirit realms and two group spirit realms, and had encountered dangers along the way—especially in solo realms, where the outcomes were consistently fatal—her own profession, while thrilling, was never truly terrifying. The Jinshui Theme Park was the first spirit realm that Xie Lingxi had experienced with supernatural elements—so terrifying, not just in terms of life-threatening crises, but ghosts and spirits themselves have an innate ability to stir human fear. "I'll never watch horror films again," she vowed silently. She eagerly pushed open the checkered door and stepped outside, glancing left and right. The night was hushed and misty, with lanterns hanging high at the eaves—no movement at all. But soon, footsteps echoed from behind, and Xie Lingxi immediately turned to see the redhead fire demon stepping out from behind the wedding chamber. The fire demon’s face was bright with joy, his eyes full of anticipation. "It seems the one who died was either Wang Tai or the Great Sage of Heaven." Seeing him alive, Xie Lingxi slightly furrowed her elegant brow. The fire demon was in high spirits. "The most perilous phase is over. The next detective puzzle should be manageable. As long as we make it out, we’ll achieve our S-level first kill. Oh, I’m already looking forward to the rewards—by the way, there’s also the guidebook. Just the guidebook alone will keep me entertained for a long time." Xie Lingxi glanced at him with a quiet expression. "Our guide for the haunted house remains somewhat unclear. Wang Tai is the one who knows it best. Your guidebook’s value might be significantly reduced." "The Fire Demon shrugged, 'Even so, it's still quite precious.' They didn't have to wait long before hearing footsteps behind them. Turning around, they saw, 'You?' The Fire Demon was momentarily taken aback, then composed himself, chuckling, 'It seems the Great Saint of Heaven has decided to stay here as the new bridegroom. This young man is so timid—he'll only be fair if he manages to survive and leave the Spirit Realm alive.' 'Brother Wang Tai!' Xie Lingxi beamed with a sweet smile. Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly, looking at the Fire Demon with a low tone, 'After all, we've been companions through this journey—there's no need to be cold toward each other.' 'Yes, yes,' he agreed, 'whatever you say. Just go—now! I can't stand another minute here. Let's get out of this place and finish our mission as soon as possible, and then each of us can go our separate ways.' The words 'go our separate ways' were emphasized with great weight. Thus, under Zhang Yuanqing's guidance, the three of them passed through the inner courtyard, the main hall, and the outer courtyard, encountering no obstacles, and smoothly departed from the The three of them hurried out of the alley, moving without pause, in perfect synchrony, as if they all carried a significant psychological unease about this place. Ten minutes later, following the signs along the roadside, they reached the Detective's Reasoning Pavilion. It was a white building, supported by sturdy columns that upheld a triangular roof, in a classic Western style. The iron gates were open, and there was a fountain in the forecourt. "Shall we take a break?" Zhang Yuanqing paused outside the iron gates, asking for the opinions of his two teammates. Xie Lingxi and the Fire Demon shook their heads. The terror of the haunted house primarily took a mental toll, not much physical strain—this ten-minute walk had already allowed them to steady their emotions, and they didn't need further rest. Moreover, by now, they were eager to conclude this nightmarish mission. The three of them entered the gates, passed the fountain, and stepped into the building, which resembled a museum. The hall of the Logic Pavilion is paved with square tiles, and eight elegant crystal chandeliers hang from the vaulted ceiling, casting a brilliant, luminous glow. Display cases line the hall, housing a diverse array of artifacts—cigarette holders and walking sticks, red neckties and footballs, symbols of dancing figures, and bound editions of *The Washing of Injustice*... Cigarette holders and walking sticks are ordinary, but the presence of red neckties feels like a clear nod to a running joke. As Zhang Yuanqing, a devoted fan of detective work and aspiring to become an outstanding chief officer like his grandfather, these items are not unfamiliar to him. The three of them glance over the display cases, then move their attention to the six sculpted figures draped in red cloth, positioned at the center of the hall. The Fire Demon gazes at the red-covered sculptures, his eyes flickering, and remarks, "What's the objective for this stage? Is it another puzzle-based task? I detest anything that requires mental effort." Xie Lingxi remains silent, thoughtful. Zhang Yuanqing points to the six sculptures and smiles, "The question hasn't been clearly stated—has it?" "As soon as the words were spoken, task prompts appeared simultaneously in Zhang Yuanqing, Xie Lingxi, and the Fire Demon's minds: 【Ping! Welcome to the Detective & Riddle Hall!】 【Excess items have been cleared. This is a hall of intellectual challenges—physical conflicts are prohibited. Violators will be eliminated. Please proceed with the队长 to lift the red cloth.】 Xie Lingxi and the Fire Demon remained still, while Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward and lifted the red cloth covering the sculpture. Six identical statues stood before them, each bearing a name plaque on their chests: Citizen, Neutral, Neutral, Guard, Insider, and Villain. "So there's a Villain among our team? That explains why the roller coaster strategy remained unchanged, yet He Bo perished. Wang Tai, you must have wanted to alert us at the time," said the Fire Demon, suddenly enlightened, then stared at Zhang Yuanqing in surprise, asking, "Are you the队长?" Zhang Yuanqing smiled and turned back, saying, "Didn't you all know that already?" The Fire Demon fell silent immediately. At this moment, the replica's notification sound resonates once again in the ears of the three: 【Ping! Now announcing the captain's task: Note that one of your team members is a malevolent agent. Ensure the team size is at least three; otherwise, you will face penalties and your current level experience will be reset. Please keep your identity concealed.】 【Ping! Each member of the team has a distinct role. The captain must deduce their identities and attach name cards to them. If any member's identity is incorrectly assigned, the "Detective's Pavilion" mission will fail, and all members of the captain's faction will be eliminated.】 【Each team member retains the right to defend themselves.】 【You must complete the deduction within half an hour. Failure to do so will be deemed a mission failure, resulting in the elimination of all members of the captain's faction.】 【There are two things in the world that cannot be gazed upon directly: the sun, and the human heart.】 Timer starts: 00:30:00] I've been wondering—why can't the hidden task requirements reveal each person's identity? The reason is right here... Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself, and, as if sensing something, he noticed an extra item appearing in his inventory. Upon opening it, he saw that most of the items were gray (unusable), but one slot stood out—colorful and ready to use: a stack of business cards. He took out the cards, totaling six, each bearing the names of the team members. "Given the time constraints, I'll start my analysis with the teammates who have already passed away. Does that work for you two?" he held up the cards, looking at Xie Lingxi and the Fire Demon. "Agreed—this will save us time," the Fire Demon nodded in agreement. Xie Lingxi also gave her approval. Zhang Yuanqing arranged the cards fan-like and glanced through them, then drew out the card labeled "A Man Who Feels Unworthy to Be a Father," saying, "To be safe, I'll begin with the most reliable—this person is a neutral. He personally told me this right before he passed away." To be honest, I didn't believe it at first, since he was an evil occupation." It was then that Zhang Yuanqing truly confirmed that everyone had received the hidden assignment. "An evil occupation?" the Fire Demon was surprised, "Then could he possibly be an evil disciple? After all, since his death, no one in our team has died without a clear cause." "Evil disciples don't kill people for a reason—I'll explain that later. But as for being an unworthy father, he isn't an evil disciple. After the underground parking garage task concluded, I quietly asked Ling about it." Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward and gently affixed the "Unworthy Father" business card to one of the two neutral figures. 【Correct inference.】 Then, the three of them saw a message appear above the sculpture bearing the "Unworthy Father" card: 【Neutral: One team captain and one evil disciple are among our ranks. You must choose your faction before the first task concludes. Do not reveal your identity.】 This is the hidden task of the neutral players. "Before completing the first task, choose your own faction..." Zhang Yuanqing smiled and turned back to look at the young woman. "So it seems, Lingxi, you're also one of the neutrals. Well, now I've got you." Xie Lingxi smiled brightly. "Yes, Mr. Wang Tai. Choosing a faction requires careful thought—back then, I didn't know who the leader was or who the villain was. If I made a wrong choice, I might have perished. That's why I proposed the roller coaster as the first task. It's the simplest one, unaffected by outside forces. As long as its route remains unchanged, it serves as the perfect platform for the leader and the villain to engage in strategic competition. Then, based on the outcome of their competition, I would decide which faction to join. Mr. Wang, you're truly brilliant—your solution resolved the issue perfectly. So I've decided to join the leader's side." Zhang Yuanqing chuckled and affixed Xie Lingxi's business card. After the roller coaster ride, she has been remarkably well-behaved and has consistently shown genuine goodwill toward him. The private conversation was Zhang Yuanqing's initial probe, and the response he received was positive: "Great! Excellent!" [Ping! Inference correct.] Then, the neutral player's hidden task reemerged. Zhang Yuanqing pulled out Xi Shi's business card and said, "This woman has been largely inactive throughout the process. During the roller coaster ride, she merely agreed to stay awake; when facing the Autobots, she never took initiative. Aside from being somewhat proactive in self-preservation, her actions throughout the evening have lacked momentum. Therefore, I conclude she is a civilian." "How do you see it, Fire Mage?" Fire Mage frowned, "Too hasty. The same reasoning could apply equally well to a villain." Zhang Yuanqing smiled, "Actually, it's not hasty at all—though I can't share the exact reason with you." He then affixed Xi Shi's business card to the civilian statue. [Ping! Inference correct.] 】 【Commoner: Your identity is that of a commoner. Before the first task concludes, locate the队长and secure his protection. Do not reveal your identity.】 Besides the reason just mentioned, Zhang Yuanqing has two additional grounds for believing Xi Shi is a commoner: First, during the retrospective process of uncovering her underlying illness, he noticed that Xi Shi consistently tested the identities of others—initially asking whether Xie Lingxi was an official staff member, and then, during the roller coaster ride, hesitating between him and He Bo. This subtle behavior would have gone unnoticed had it not been for Zhang's ability to revisit the past. Evil agents, once aware of the队长's existence, would not make such overt attempts to probe. Second, in that same probing conversation, Xi Shi responded that she did not need to be treated with respect—she preferred to be treated roughly and wild. This response actually signaled her commoner status. Of course, there is also the matter of asking Ling. Commoners do not require respect; they are consistently treated with rudeness and wildness. But at the time, Zhang Yuanqing had thought this was merely a way for the other side to express their dependence. It wasn't until just now, upon seeing the "commoner" designation, that he truly grasped its meaning. "The River God was the first to fall—let's set him aside," Zhang Yuanqing smiled gently at the Fire Demon. "Fire Demon brother, are you the traitor or the evil one?" The Fire Demon's face immediately darkened, and he spoke firmly, "I am a guard." "Nonsense!" Xie Lingxi rolled her eyes. "This broad-shouldered, well-built fellow doesn't look like a good person at all. From beginning to end, he's been acting like a troublemaker—well, not exactly a troublemaker, but just plain a pile of dung." The Fire Demon remained calm, calmly defending himself: "Brother Wang Tai, I truly am a guard. In fact, I've known you were the captain since the roller coaster ride. Think about it—if I were an evil one, I would have killed you just as I did the River God long ago." "Hahahaha…" "What's so funny?" the Fire Demon frowned. "I'm a master who's experienced countless spiritual realms, a seasoned traveler with rich experience—any lie I hear from you falls flat." Zhang Yuanqing smiled, then coldly added, "Just now, when I came out of the ghost house, you seemed quite disappointed, didn't you?" "I couldn't be more delighted—I'm thrilled!" the Fire Demon exclaimed, indignantly. "If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done so already. Isn't that logical?" Xie Lingxi hesitated, though she sensed the Fire Demon wasn't trustworthy. Yet she lacked solid evidence, afraid that speaking up might mislead the captain. Should she make a single misstep, the entire captain's team—including herself—would be eliminated. Thus, her heart was now racing. "Then explain," Zhang Yuanqing pressed, "why, during the roller coaster ride, you misled us by claiming the 'close your eyes' strategy had failed? Don't tell me you were frightened senseless—everyone isn't a rookie. No one would have been knocked out just by holding a person's head!" The Fire Demon took a deep breath, calming his fiery temper and patiently explained: "I admit that at the time, I made a misjudgment—I was in a hurry. But this is a matter of capability, not proof that I intended to harm everyone. What benefit would I gain by killing everyone? The roller coaster was merely the first task. How could I possibly complete the subsequent tasks alone?" "No, no, no!" Zhang Yuanqing shook his finger, smiling, "I never said you proposed that everyone open their eyes with the intention of eliminating the entire team. What could possibly be your ulterior motive? You simply wanted to identify the team leader." The Fire Demon's expression changed. Xie Lingxi, however, smiled. "That's exactly what I advised you all to do. If the roller coaster plan remained unchanged, opening one's eyes would mean total elimination. Compared to that, losing one team member per round was a more rational choice. Yet surprisingly, everyone chose to agree to open their eyes." Zhang Yuanqing hummed, "Of course you're not that foolish—you each have your own motives. One side wants to preserve itself, while the other seeks an opportunity to identify the captain, because you all know the captain will inevitably oppose them." The Fire Demon remained silent. Xie Lingxi's eyes curved like a crescent moon, "Wang Tai, you're truly brilliant." It was genuine. At the time of the vote, she had proposed the idea and hadn't yet chosen a side. She had stayed awake to test the captain's capabilities, and also feared that strong opposition might draw suspicion from the evil ones, leading to her elimination. Regardless of the outcome, she would still close her eyes. Xi Shi, too, likely shared the same thought—regretting her role as a father. Xie Lingxi hadn't expected Wang Tai to have already anticipated their intentions so clearly; the young girl now felt even more confident in the captain's subsequent reasoning. After a moment of silence, the Fire Demon repeated his point once again, "I am truly a good person, not an evil one. Otherwise, I would have killed you long ago." "You won't!" Zhang Yuanqing shook his head: "After the roller coaster, I knew I had been exposed. From that point on, I was openly playing my cards—I had to protect myself. So once I entered the underground parking garage, I repeatedly emphasized that we were all in this together, that we needed to work as one. Fortunately, the parking garage's task required manpower, and at that time I was actually very happy, knowing that at least initially, I was safe. Later, when Xie Lingxi was granted the permission card for props, I immediately stepped forward, volunteering to take on the task of countering the car people, and at the same time, I informed you about the deadly price of those dancing shoes. All of this was done to make the killer hesitate, to make him delay his move, not rush to kill me, because I still had value to him—he could enjoy the fruits of my continued usefulness." The Fire Demon's expression shifted constantly, as if he could no longer contain his anger, and he growled fiercely, "I should have killed you sooner. I should have killed you right from the start, in the underground parking garage!" "Xie Lingxi encouraged, 'You can act now.' The Fire Demon glared at her fiercely, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath: 'Wang Tai, you are strong—yes, I admit it. I have lost. I am indeed the evil one...' Zhang Yuanqing chuckled, extracted the 'Fire Demon' card, and pinned it to the traitor's chest. Xie Lingxi's face paled, and she gasped sharply: 'You—' But then she saw the Fire Demon's expression shift—his eyes filled with despair and panic. The fierce anger and hostility just moments before seemed entirely feigned. This... Xie Lingxi was momentarily stunned. [Success! Deduction achieved.] [The traitor: Your identity is revealed. You must identify the evil one before the first mission concludes, assist him in concealing his identity, eliminate the team leader, and ensure the leader's death—upon which the mission will be completed and you will receive a reward item.] 'I never said you were the evil one. You're just a traitor! Trying to mislead me and cause my deduction to fail?' Zhang Yuanqing spat. The Fire Demon seemed drained of spirit, his gaze vacant, murmuring, "You... how did you know?" "Because you were too obvious. If I were a villain, I would have done everything in my power to conceal myself, to go unnoticed, to remain completely silent." Zhang Yuanqing stared intently at the traitor's task, stroking his chin. "Then it's clear now who the true villain is. I'm confident—I've guessed right: it's Sun Wukong." He surveyed the dazed Fire Demon, coldly chuckling. "I suspected every single member of the team. I tested and investigated one by one. In the end, I found myself hesitating between you and Sun Wukong. Even before arriving at the 'Detective's Reasoning Hall,' I wasn't certain which of you was the villain. It wasn't until I saw the traitor's presence that the truth finally clicked into place." "Xie Lingxi is absolutely right—you're like a pest, always acting too much like a wolf. You first proposed to open your eyes, sit behind the River God, and aggressively target Xie Lingxi. When I hinted at danger within the team and spoke with you, you immediately showed goodwill toward me—this fits the behavior of a guilty party who's nervous. I must admit, you've been remarkably convincing. Precisely because of that, I'm still uncertain whether either you or Qi Tian Dashi is the murderer. Now I understand: all your actions have been carefully designed to serve as a shield for Qi Tian Dashi, diverting my attention as the team leader and making me suspect you." The fire demon's eyes revealed a touch of fear—this young man's thoughts were simply too sharp. "The Fire Demon gritted his teeth, saying, 'After the roller coaster, you hinted at danger within our team. I know my performance was too obvious—perhaps you've started to suspect me. The Evil One has the right to kill, and certainly the Captain does too. 'I'm afraid of being killed by you, so I suggested that the Monkey King had killed you in the underground parking garage. But he refused. He believed the parking garage was too risky at that moment, and killing you then wouldn't have been wise. The threat to his feelings wasn't him—it was me. This stubborn fellow completely treats me as a piece he can discard at any time. 'Later, when I realized you didn't kill me after passing through the parking garage, I finally breathed easier. Then came the haunted house—I suggested the same thing again, that you kill me there, but he still didn't...'" Zhang Yuanqing smiled, "Of course he won't kill me. Do you think I'd expose my identity as the Night-Wanderer Spirit just for that? During the parking garage scene, I was constantly on edge, but once I entered the haunted house, I knew I would never die." "You'll need the Night Wanderer to protect you—you know that... the Ghost Bride will definitely choose me. As long as I'm here, you can basically just lie back and enjoy the haunted house experience. To kill me would be to dig your own grave." The Night Wanderer has an irresistible appeal to the spirits; who the Ghost Bride chooses as her husband, even with just a fingertip's thought, is clear. The Fire Demon suddenly raised his voice: "Why didn't the Ghost Bride choose you? Why not?" This was precisely what puzzled him—this was exactly why he was both surprised and disappointed to see the living one emerge as Wang Tai. Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi both smiled at the same time. The young girl, arms crossed, proudly said: "Because we found a card in the underground parking garage—a card for transferring blame." She no longer pretended to be delicate or weak. "I chose to shift the Ghost Bride's attention to the Monkey King, because I believe his suspicion is greater than yours," Zhang Yuanqing added with a smile. "You two..." The fire demon felt a deep chill run through him, from beginning to end, realizing that both he and the Monkey King had been meticulously outmaneuvered. It left him utterly defeated. That selfish, foolish man—probably didn't even know how he'd met his end. Zhang Yuanqing didn't look at him; instead, he affixed the Monkey King's business card to the statue of the Evil One. 【Ding! Inference successful.】 【Evil One: Your identity is the Evil One. Note that there is a team captain who is your adversary. Find him and eliminate him. Do not reveal your identity.】 "Victory!" Xie Lingxi leapt up with a small, joyful exclamation. The fire demon glared bitterly at the two of them, chuckling coldly, "Don't celebrate too soon. I admit you're formidable—I admit I've lost. But what then? Our team now consists of just three of us. The captain's objective is to maintain a team size of at least three. Can you really eliminate me?" "You're so intelligent—you should have grasped the essence of the hidden mission. The malevolent agents are uncovered, and their fate is elimination. The traitor is equally at risk of being 'accidentally' killed. What punishment could possibly compare to death? Now, even if you identify me as the traitor, I will receive no penalty, since you yourself have relinquished your authority as team leader. Of course, you still have one final chance—but you cannot kill me unless you wish to reset the current level's experience points." Once he regains his senses, he will leverage his own networks to investigate the identities of these two and sell their information to the evil faction. Feuds formed within the spiritual realm are quite common; the conclusion of a quest does not necessarily mark the end of the conflict. Fire Demon has eliminated numerous opponents who had grown bitter in the spiritual realm, and he has extensive experience in handling rivals from the same faction. Xie Lingxi was momentarily stunned, her joyful expression instantly freezing. Zhang Yuanqing said nothing. After completing the haunted house mission, he had not chosen to exercise his role as team leader—this was precisely the reason. "Wait a moment, there's still one person left." Zhang Yuanqing spoke calmly. He affixed the final business card to the guard. 【Ping! Inference successful.】 【Guard: Your identity is that of a guard. Protect the team leader and ensure he is not killed by the evil agents. Should you be killed by the evil agents (excluding deaths incurred during the mission), all your progress will be paused. Upon the team leader's victory, you will be revived. Should the team leader fail, you will not be revived.】 Indeed! Zhang Yuanqing read through the message, feeling both surprised and unsurprised. By now, he was certain that when the River God first spoke, he had actively sought to assert his voice. The guard's motivation was identical to that of the traitor—both were shielding their respective "masters" by taking the blows. Initially, the River God had demonstrated a demeanor that was cold and subdued. This person tends to operate independently, rarely stepping forward to actively compete for a leadership role. Yet later, he dramatically shifted his approach, vying for influence alongside Zhang Yuanqing. This transformation must have been driven by a clear motivation—precisely this reason led the villainous figures to suspect him of being the team leader and to choose to eliminate him first. In contrast, Zhang Yuanqing has always exhibited a naturally outgoing, socially engaged personality from the beginning, showing little significant change throughout. Moving on: the hidden mission, after all, remains merely a hidden mission. The team members aren't long-lost siblings, so why would anyone risk their lives by stepping forward to take a blade to the chest—unless there's solid assurance? Thus, Zhang Yuanqing found it unsurprising. Still, for the guards, this was a bold gamble. The advantage: one death could secure a win, allowing them to avoid the subsequent crises in the S-tier realm. The downside: they might not survive the attempt. Yet, considering the already high mortality rate in the S-tier realm, what could possibly be worse than entering here? Zhang Yuanqing was surprised, because he hadn't expected the Ling Jing to be capable of reviving the dead—perhaps this "resurrection" ability applied only within the副本, yet it was still astonishing. As the information about the "Guardian" appeared on screen, the fire demon's face gradually grew paler. His lips began to tremble, his pupils violently contracting, and a powerful sense of fear enveloped him. The副本 notification sounded: 【You have completed the "Detective's Case" task. You are now progressing through the "Heart-Pounding Excitement" series of tasks. The facilities in this series are: Roller Coaster—Underground Parking—Haunted House (Afterlife Marriage)—Detective's Case. You have now completed this series of tasks.】 Zhang Yuanqing received the notification, with an additional message compared to Xie Lingxi and the fire demon: 【Ping! You have successfully led your team to complete a task. You now have one opportunity to exercise the authority of Team Leader—please identify the treacherous member hidden among your team members. The identified individual will be eliminated!】 【If no choice is made within thirty seconds, this opportunity will be automatically forfeited.】 Zhang Yuanqing’s face remained calm, and he said softly, “Fire Demon!” At that moment, fear erupted within the Fire Demon’s eyes: “No…!” With a cry of shock, his head separated from his neck and rolled to the ground, spouting a geyser of blood several meters high—terrible, bloody. His head’s eyes were wide open, lips still moving. Ding!