Chapter 43 - 40: The Third Transmigration

Chapter 43: Chapter 40: The Third Transmigration

6:32 PM.

Yin Zhen’s electricity, water, and internet had all been cut. She’d been in the middle of boiling her last handful of dried noodles when the gas went out too.

She picked up the bowl of half-cooked noodles and carried it slowly to the dining table.

Her phone still worked, at least — a community worker had topped up her balance so she wouldn’t miss her check-ins.

Yin Zhen swept her gaze around the pitch-dark apartment, looking for anything she could list on the "Seafood Market" to sell. There was nothing.

The wheelchair was useless to her now physically, but it was her camouflage — not for sale.

For the next few days, whenever she went out during the day, she’d still use it. Keep up the act. Blend in with the vulnerable.

That way, if Nan Jiamu started investigating Sheng Yehan’s enemies, she’d be the first one crossed off the list.

Who would ever believe a cripple could kill Sheng Yehan — a man with the Villain Aura?

The noodles had been sitting in the hot broth long enough to finally soften. After eating, Yin Zhen settled silently onto the couch and began easing herself into Lucia’s headspace ahead of time.

She had Bai Qiang to thank for that — the detailed psychological profile she’d drawn up for Lucia had let Yin Zhen pinpoint exactly how the woman thought and carried herself. Combined with Lucia’s own memories, slipping into the role had become second nature.

[00:15:00]

Fifteen minutes on the clock. Yin Zhen glanced at the forum and found a freshly posted thread.

[BOUNTY: Red Corpse World S704]

— Posted by Winter Night Fire.

Target designation: S704. Saint Group test subject. Has defected from the company. Suspected of fleeing to Rebel Army territory, but there is a strong possibility this is a smokescreen — she may still be lying low somewhere in Night City.

Extraordinary Abilities: C-level Speed Enhancement and A-level Water Manipulation. Last confirmed sighting: Night City, Seventh District.

Description: Long red hair. Caucasian female. Approximately 175 cm tall. Light brown eyes. Freckles on face.

(Hand-drawn sketch)

Anyone who helps me kill S704 will receive one Golden Item in return.

If you’re interested, head to the Abyss Bar on Ninth Street in Night City, ask the bartender for a "Hometown," and we’ll talk in person!

Worried about exposing your Identity in your own world? What about in the Red Corpse World?

Current views: 4

Replies: 0

Likes: 0

Nan Jiamu was getting desperate — desperate enough to drag someone else in to help her kill Zoe.

Yin Zhen stared at that last line in the post. Something about it felt directed squarely at her.

A dark shadow rose behind her, perfectly mirroring her silhouette — her Shadow Servant, fully merged with her now, bound to her will. A Golden Item in its own right.

And because it had been absorbed by her Player self rather than a Character, the fusion answered to her Player core regardless of whether she had a Character Card equipped.

It could do a lot for her. In an environment with enough ambient shadow, the Shadow Servant was essentially a second version of herself — same combat techniques, same combat stats.

With a Character Card equipped and Shadow Manipulation active, it was even more powerful.

A Golden Item like that was genuinely tempting. Yin Zhen could feel the greed taking root — she wanted the Golden Items Nan Jiamu was holding.

But she wouldn’t go. She wouldn’t work with Nan Jiamu.

She’d watch and wait a little longer. There had to be a way to kill Nan Jiamu. What Nan Jiamu had told Sheng Yehan — that she was bound to the world — might not even be true.

For now, she had more pressing matters.

She needed to get back to the Red Corpse World and keep Lucia’s Identity intact.

The Tuner’s suspicions she could handle. Victor and Ian were a different story — far more complicated. And then there were the people from the Dracula family...

Lucia’s noble Identity opened a lot of doors. She had to protect it.

The post had no likes and no replies. Even Naming is Too Troublesome, who was usually all over the forum, hadn’t said a word.

Yin Zhen had a feeling Naming is Too Troublesome had probably already been tracked down and recruited by Nan Jiamu. The others likely too.

She backed out of the thread and checked the member list. Eight people now.

After Sheng Yehan died, there should have been six left. Two more had joined?

The Blood Beast Player and the Blood Feeding Ground Player?

[00:00:03]

Yin Zhen closed her eyes. Her consciousness began to sink.

[Countdown complete. Time in this world is now frozen.]

[Trial run successful. Player slots will be opened this round. Player count increased to 100.]

[Veteran Players are encouraged to help newcomers. Rewards await upon return~]

Just like before, Yin Zhen found herself standing inside a dark, Gothic-style building, her card table laid out in front of her.

The news of the Player count increase didn’t surprise her. What she actually cared about was the public Event Card for this round.

After the system notification faded, a card floated up from the table. Silver, same as before.

[SLAUGHTER]

[Kill freely throughout this round — man or monster, it doesn’t matter. The Player with the highest score when the round ends will receive the following rewards.]

[Silver Item ×1, attribute points ×10, 10,000 words. One prize only. First come, first served.]

[Failure penalty: −5,000 words. If an Identity Card’s cumulative word count drops below the minimum threshold, the Identity will be downgraded. If word count reaches zero, the current Character Card will be forfeit, all memories related to entering the game will be erased, and the Player will be returned to their original fate.]

The rest of the notifications were the same as last time — except this round, there was an extra step on Yin Zhen’s end.

[Please draw your exclusive Event Card.]

Three Ancient Bronze Cards materialized in front of her. She picked one at random, same as always.

The card hadn’t even finished flipping over before little pink bubbles started fizzing off it. Yin Zhen’s stomach dropped.

[Copper Card Event: Butterflies]

[Even a minor side Character deserves a sweet little romance. It’s the perfect break between action scenes — a staple of every bestselling novel.]

[Event Requirement]: When you see this person, the phenylethylamine concentration in your brain must reach the "flutter threshold."

Note: It must be genuine. A real, involuntary reaction from the heart. Acting doesn’t count.

[Completion Reward]: +3,000 words, random Item ×1

[Failure Penalty]: −3,000 words, random Item −1

[Friendly Reminder]: This event is not mandatory. If you don’t want to fall in love, you don’t have to. We respect every Player’s choice.

"Respect my ass!"

The words had barely left her mouth when the blood-red moonlight from beyond the door swallowed her whole, and she slammed back into S717’s body.

Bang!

Yin Zhen kicked the coffee table in front of her clean off its legs. The shadow behind her flinched and curled in on itself — it had followed her into the Red Corpse World.

"Lucia!"

Victor’s voice came from outside. The Shadow Servant immediately straightened up.

Victor had come in person to "escort" Yin Zhen to her follow-up examination.

Lucia always talked down to Victor — but deep down, he was the person she admired most.

Victor had clawed his way to where he was entirely on his own, without a single Extraordinary Ability to his name, and risen to become the vice-captain of the Night City Guard Team.

The head captain was a council member, but in terms of actual strength, he was nowhere near Victor’s level.

Victor was an orphan that Lucia’s late mother had taken in. The two of them were close in age, and Lucia’s mother had always treated Victor like a younger brother.

In a way, that made Victor something like Lucia’s uncle.

Piecing together Lucia’s memories, Yin Zhen could tell that Victor genuinely cared about her. Lucia’s smooth rise through the Guard Team’s ranks hadn’t happened by accident — Victor had been quietly supporting and paving the way for her the whole time.

So she had to handle him carefully. If Victor ever found out she’d killed Lucia, he would crush her skull with his bare hands.