Chapter 23: Farewell, Qianqian Huo

Huo Qianqian's expression was calm as she rose and walked toward the frenzied animals. But to everyone's astonishment, the crazed creatures did not attack her, instead turning their gaze upon her in unison. It seemed almost as if they were... awaiting her command.

Lin An clenched his fists. "Sister Huo! What are you doing?"

Huo Qianqian stood amidst the animals, regarding Lin An and Ye Luo with tranquil eyes. Lin An’s gaze was filled with shock and fury, but Ye Luo remained as placid as ever, her serenity unbroken.

Curiosity stirred within Huo Qianqian. What sort of event could ever move Ye Luo?

Alas, she would never know.

Huo Qianqian spoke softly, "I am merely doing what I ought to do."

"You really are a frog?" Lin An exclaimed.

Huo Qianqian shook her head, a trace of bitterness shadowing her eyes. "I lied from the very beginning. The first project I participated in was not in the light zone, but in the dark zone. My project was called the World of Ice and Snow. There were five participants; in the end, only I survived."

Lin An's pupils contracted sharply.

Huo Qianqian continued, her voice quiet, "I am still human. Yet, I am no longer the same as you."

"Why? You..." Lin An's question faltered.

Ye Luo spoke calmly, "You joined the Little Frog faction, didn’t you?"

Lin An’s heart trembled.

Huo Qianqian nodded slowly. "To survive, I had no choice but to join the Little Frog faction. My victory condition requires not only participating in the games, but also killing or converting ten ordinary humans."

Ye Luo was unsurprised, merely nodding. She had guessed as much.

Where there was a Frog Prince faction, naturally, there would be a Little Frog faction as well. Based on her experience in the roller coaster game, if the Frog faction won in the end, that buzz-cut man would now be in a situation like Huo Qianqian’s.

She and Lin An’s secret task was to kill the little frogs. Huo Qianqian’s hidden mission was to kill or convert humans.

Thus, the opposing factions were established.

"The bespectacled man who was in your group..." Lin An suddenly recalled something.

Huo Qianqian nodded. "It was I who killed him."

Lin An’s pupils tightened.

Huo Qianqian smiled unexpectedly. "It was quite the accident. He tried to kill me first; I defended myself. I succeeded, he failed. Only after his death did I receive the prompt, learning that he too belonged to the Little Frog faction. He must have chosen me at the start because I was a woman, thinking it would be easier to strike."

And so, two members of the same faction ended up killing each other.

"What do you intend to do now?" Lin An asked gravely.

Huo Qianqian seemed able to command the frenzied animals. If she ordered them to attack, he and Ye Luo would surely perish.

Lin An glanced at Ye Luo, who remained serene. He could not tell if she was supremely confident, or simply indifferent to life and death.

Huo Qianqian curved her lips and suddenly looked at Ye Luo. "You’ve suspected me for a while, haven’t you? Since when?"

Ye Luo was silent for a moment. "From the very beginning."

"Hmm?" Huo Qianqian was puzzled.

Ye Luo explained calmly, "At first, you spoke to everyone about your daughter, hoping someone would check on her for you."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Ordinary people, if they have a loved one, would do everything in their power to survive and reunite. How could you, when fate was uncertain, entrust your hope to strangers? Sister Huo," Ye Luo said softly, "there must be a reason you believed death was inevitable. From the outset, you never intended to complete the Little Frog faction’s task. You... have always harbored the resolve to die."

Huo Qianqian was stunned, her eyes glistening with moisture. "You know I have no other choice."

"During the chase game, you deliberately fell. But your intention was not for us to lose, but to make us suspicious of you," Ye Luo sighed. "Such obvious exposure meant you never meant to hide. You succeeded—even someone as oblivious as Lin An became suspicious."

Lin An: "???"

He suspected Ye Luo was mocking him.

Huo Qianqian’s expression grew ever more complex. "But you—why didn’t you suspect me?"

Ye Luo spoke gently, "Sister Huo, don’t act rashly. Though our factions differ, perhaps we can still coexist. Give me a little more time; surely there’s another way."

Huo Qianqian gazed at her deeply, tears welling in her eyes. "But it’s already too late."

Too late?

Why was it too late?

As her words faded, the frenzied animals grew restless, slipping beyond her control. Huo Qianqian’s face turned pale, as if she was struggling to maintain command. "This pavilion is the Little Frogs’ headquarters in the Pet Paradise. Here, their influence is strongest. As a player in the Little Frog faction, I possess special abilities. I can control these animals briefly, but not for long. Now, turn back, and run east. Run, and don’t stop."

With that, Huo Qianqian suddenly placed her finger between her teeth and bit down hard, breaking the skin. Blood beads dripped to the ground. The animals, crazed and wild, caught the scent of blood, their red eyes fixed on her.

Huo Qianqian gave a bleak smile. "There’s no turning back. I can only buy you a little more time. Go—run. Whatever you do, don’t look back."

The frenzied beasts began to surge toward Lin An.

Moved to his core, Lin An opened his mouth to speak.

Ye Luo pressed her lips together. "I will visit your daughter and tell her how much you loved her."

"Thank you." Tears slid from the corners of Huo Qianqian’s eyes.

"Run," Ye Luo whispered, turning and fleeing without hesitation.

Lin An hesitated for a moment, his eyes reddening as he followed Ye Luo.

Behind them, countless animals bared their sharp teeth.

The first bite hurt terribly. But after that, the pain seemed to fade.

Huo Qianqian lay on the ground, feeling her flesh and blood torn away bit by bit, swallowed by the beasts. As consciousness slipped away, she struggled to look toward Ye Luo’s direction.

So strong—surely she would survive for a long, long time.

All she hoped was t