There's definitely something wrong with this murder mystery game

The adjutant had just contemplated, "Why would the Green Mist Legion appear here?" when he immediately regretted it.

Because he had actually triggered a side mission!

Why couldn't he control his own thoughts?!

After all, he might have been too reckless, failing to meet up with the organization's members in time, and now he had run into this military unit.

The conditions for triggering a personal side mission were usually based on specific events.

The adjutant squatted down with his head in his hands, deep in thought.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Whether or not to undertake this side mission was a question worthy of contemplation. If he didn't do it, the progress of the game might be slowed down by him, but if he did accept the mission...

Although the rewards for side missions were always quite generous, they also came with life-threatening risks.

Starting a side mission was like flipping a switch in the script.

The side missions in this game were different from those in ordinary games. Once a mission started, it would become part of the player's entire task list.

Maybe they originally only had seven missions, and completing four would have allowed them to finish the game.

But after the addition of a side mission, perhaps the count would increase to fourteen missions...

After that, they would either fail the mission or grit their teeth and complete eight missions, even though there was no penalty for failing a side mission.

However, the longer the players stayed in the game, the greater the mental strain, and the adjutant had just exerted considerable effort to leave the urban area, depleting his strength significantly.

Thinking of this, the adjutant took out the troop deployment map.

When he first discovered that the mission item was this thing, he knew that there was more to the script's background that could be unearthed.

But he never intended to undertake a side mission!

The adjutant clicked his tongue in irritation, put away the map, and turned away from the Green Mist Legion stationed here, continuing towards the organization's rendezvous point.

Perhaps once he completed the main mission, the game would suddenly start a countdown?

...

Practicing basic visual skills in darkness is an essential ability for every veteran player.

The adjutant walked through the woods at night, scanning the dense forest at the rendezvous point, and then saw crisscrossing lines on a tree.

It looked like something a wild animal had scratched out.

The adjutant always admired the person who could design such simple-to-write but complex-to-decipher secret codes; their brain must be wired differently from others.

Mentally complaining, he quickly decoded the message and then turned northeast, walking a few hundred meters.

Still in the vast expanse of the woods, where only the sound of insects could be heard in the darkness, and all else was deathly silent.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The adjutant approached a large tree and knocked rhythmically a few times.

It didn't take long before a person in black leapt down from the tree.

"Why is it you?"

The person in black was momentarily taken aback upon seeing his face.

This time, Doctor Kong was tasked with stealing the map, and only he knew the rendezvous point outside the city. After he delivered the item to the contact, they would also share the location with them.

Besides him, there was one other person who knew the location, the adjutant who had long been infiltrating the army headquarters in District 10.

He was also the one responsible for relaying messages all this time.

However, the adjutant wasn't supposed to be involved in this operation.

"You're compromised?" asked the person in black with a frown. "What happened?"

"That contact betrayed us," the adjutant said. He handed over the map, pressing it against the chest of the person in black, who subconsciously caught it.

[Congratulations on completing the task: Deliver the military deployment map of District 13 to the Radiant Corps.]

After the system notification sound ended, the aide-de-camp finally withdrew his hand.

He continued, saying, "I only received the news of the contact's betrayal at noon, and to prevent Doctor Kong from being captured unaware, I only had time to kill the contact at the Five-star Hotel."

Subsequently, the Five-star Hotel was sealed off by the military district.

Listening to the aide-de-camp recount the entire event, the man in black frowned tightly, "So Doctor Kong didn't leave with you?"

Far from leaving, the aide-de-camp almost had to add him to the list of the fallen.

If it weren't for the sudden appearance of a side mission disrupting the plan, that guy would probably have been organized dead by now, just waiting to be honored as a martyr later on.

The aide-de-camp sighed and added, "Also, there's another matter."

He spread out the topographic map, pointing to a place roughly two hundred miles away from the urban area, and continued, "I passed by here while evading pursuers from District 13; I encountered traces of activity by what appeared to be the Green Mist Corps. I suspect that we are not the only ones with eyes on District 13 now."

"The Green Mist Corps? The conflict between District 10 and District 13 has not been a recent development, but, where did they get the confidence to take on District 13 head-on?" the man in black said gravely.

There must be deeper scheming involved here.

After pondering deeply for a moment, he put away the military deployment map and took out a small bottle emitting a faint glow from his pocket.

The small bottle opened, and two golden bugs flew out.

After circling the man in black for a few times, the bugs, taking advantage of the night, headed straight for a certain place.

"I need to report this to the Parliament first, and in addition, I might need to ask you to continue your undercover work in District 13. Doctor Kong's choice to stay likely means he has discovered something; he needs an assistant," the man in black said.

"I understand," the aide-de-camp thought helplessly, though his expression was resolute: "For the glory of the Radiant!"

"Be extremely careful in everything!"

The two nodded solemnly at each other, after which the man in black turned and disappeared into the night.

The two glowing bugs, flapping their wings, continued their flight towards the Green Mist's location, in the pitch-black forest like two harmless fireflies.

This was a scouting method used by the Radiant Corps.

By establishing a psychic connection with the nurtured Light Bugs, they could vaguely sense the situation of the area being scouted; it was quite a mystical thing.

The aide-de-camp, as a member of the Radiant Corps, should also have this ability, yet he had no bugs.

After a long silence in the dark forest, the aide-de-camp sighed helplessly and resignedly began to walk back.

Having exposed his identity, returning to District 13 was undoubtedly very dangerous at this point, yet he had to risk his life for the side mission.

He could have just given up, considering the main mission was already complete, and maybe found a place to hide until the game ended.

After all, doing nothing could lead to either mission failure or success, or perhaps another player completing their tasks would start the game's countdown—a rather appealing choice.

But since the side mission was already launched...

He might as well go through with it, at least an additional generous reward awaited upon success, and he wasn't that cowardly!

Convincing himself, the aide-de-camp hastened his steps.

As he approached District 13, the air currents grew colder, and a light breeze, carrying moisture, blew from afar.

Was it about to rain?

This could provide good cover indeed.

Exiting from the heavily guarded District 13 was as difficult as ascending to heaven, but getting in from the outside was not as hard.

In such a vast urban district, finding a dark corner to climb over was all that was needed.

However, after being attacked by that sniper at the East City Gate, the aide-de-camp was somewhat worried that the snipers at other posts might also possess such skill, so he lay concealed in the forest for a while without moving.

Now, with the rain about to fall, it was just the right time.

...