Su Shisan wiped the blood from her dagger and followed the hidden passage back to the command room.
[Sparta] had already returned. The moment she saw Su Shisan, she broke into a radiant grin that didn’t match her usual icy persona.
“You’re a real lucky charm—no, more like a weapon of mass destruction!”
It was only the first day of the dungeon, and already five players were dead. That level of efficiency was unheard of.
Usually, early stages of a dungeon were designed to protect players. The real difficulty only kicked in later. To wipe out nearly half the players on Day One?
Practically impossible.
But for Su Shisan, that still wasn’t enough.
Sure, the high death toll would make the others more alert to the dungeon’s brutality—but it also meant they were less likely to take risks, like choosing the advanced quest paths she needed them to walk. Even though she already had a plan to persuade them, there was no way to control everyone’s thoughts. So the better strategy was simple: eliminate as many players as possible before they had time to adapt.
“Can you execute players on the spot if they’re still outside their cells by ten tonight?” she asked over dinner, after a long silence.
Sparta, calmly moving a slice of beef into her bowl, replied with a mix of confidence and caution:
“They’ll be flagged as fugitives the second the clock strikes ten. Once that happens, I can unleash the full power of the prison guard system to hunt them down. But instant kills?”
“That’s a bit much. Let’s just say I’ll have… unlimited authority.”
Early-stage players were protected, yes—but not invincible. If they crossed certain red lines, the prison wouldn’t hesitate.
“Good. I’ll try to stall one or two of them outside till ten. I need you to eliminate them instantly—don’t give them even a second to warn the others.”
Su Shisan knew it was risky. But she also knew how terrifying the prison’s “wanted” system could be. Even if a player resurrected with an item, they’d be immediately flagged again.
And once she shut the cell door, they’d be cut off from spreading any warnings.
By 9 p.m., Su Shisan saw through the surveillance feed that [Warlord] and [Inch of Time] were making their way back. She immediately headed for the cells and got there quickly.
The atmosphere was heavy.
The body of [Heaven Above All] lay stiff on the bed, a clean cut across his throat. [Warlord] stood while [Inch of Time] sat nearby, both of them shrouded in grim silence.
As Su Shisan entered, [Warlord] turned to speak—but paused, startled.
“What happened to you? You look awful.”
Su Shisan looked pale as a ghost. Her lips had no color. Sweat soaked her hair, making her look like she’d just been pulled out of a river.
“Don’t ask,” she said weakly, waving her hand.
“Side effect from a tool. I need a full night’s rest. Anyway, what happened here?”
Many powerful tools came with side effects, so [Warlord] didn’t press her further.
“No idea. He was already dead when we got back.”
Su Shisan took the bed closest to the wall and pulled the blanket over her.
“Didn’t [Old Money] say the cells were a safe zone? Judging by that wound, [Heaven Above All] was probably using a skill when he got attacked.”
“Maybe [Old Money]’s the mole,” [Warlord] muttered, twirling a strand of her scorpion braid.
“Or maybe the mole killed him outside and dragged the body in to frame him.”
“I think it’s the second one…” [Inch of Time] added softly.
“No way the mole would be that dumb.”
Fair point. If [Old Money] really were the traitor, leaving the body in the safe zone would’ve been a clear confession.
Then again, maybe he was playing reverse psychology. Nothing could be ruled out.
Not long after, [Blackback] returned. He asked about the death, got nothing useful, and silently took a seat.
With three witnesses now present, Su Shisan slumped dramatically.
“Ugh, the tool’s effect is hitting me hard. I need to sleep. But here’s a spoiler: I found the sixth level of the prison. We’ll talk tomorrow. Oh, and don’t touch me. Anyone who does is automatically the mole.”
With that, she yanked the blanket over her head and curled up inside.
[Blackback] shot a puzzled glance at the others. [Warlord] whispered a brief explanation.
So she’d used a powerful item. No wonder she got such a juicy clue. [Blackback] nodded, keeping quiet to avoid disturbing her. It was a shame to miss the first night’s strategic talk—but the intel made up for it.
The blanket lay still for a while… and then, not a single movement.
What no one knew was that inside that blanket wasn’t Su Shisan anymore—it was just a bundle of cotton. Hidden beneath the covers, she had slipped away through the secret passage.
Outside the cells, she stationed herself by the staircase, pretending to be heading up. Before long, two figures showed up—one with center-parted hair, the other wearing glasses.
Both were forgettable types, clearly the kind who just went with the crowd. Even among B-rank players, freeloaders weren’t rare.
“Where’re you going this late?” Center-part asked, stepping in front of her.
Su Shisan wore an anxious look.
“The meeting time’s been changed to eleven. I’m using the extra time to double-check something important. Don’t stop me.”
“Changed to eleven? I’m not buying it,” he replied, eyes narrowing.
“Yeah,” added Glasses.
“Are you the mole? Trying to delay us so we can’t get back in time?”
Su Shisan rolled her eyes.
“If I was the mole, dragging you along would out me instantly. Everyone would know when only I came back alive. Why would I expose myself just for you two?”
Hard to argue with that logic. They both relaxed a little. If the mole were targeting elite players, sure, but them?
“So what’s this discovery of yours that’s so urgent?” Glasses finally asked.
Su Shisan tapped the floor beneath her.
“Did you know there’s another level below this one?”
The guards she’d previously “convinced” had revealed the truth: the prison had five official floors—two below ground, three above.
But secretly, there was a third underground level. That was where the plane capable of escaping the floating island was parked.
Dropping a hint at the right time could pay huge dividends.
And just as she expected, both players’ eyes lit up. Even an idiot could guess—a hidden level meant high-value clues.
Maybe it was the escape route. Or maybe the key to destroying the enemy base.
“I’m coming with you,” said Center-part, eager to tag along. He’d made it to B-rank mostly by leeching off others’ discoveries.
Not to be outdone, Glasses added, “I’m coming too. I don’t trust just the two of you. One of you could still be the mole.”
Perfect. Exactly what Su Shisan wanted.
She feigned hesitation, then reluctantly agreed and led them to the hidden entrance of the B3 floor.
The corridor grew darker, more remote. The two players got a little tense—but seeing that the third level really existed, their doubts vanished.
Center-part rushed excitedly down the stairs, Glasses right behind him.
Su Shisan had delayed them earlier—taken detours, had guards stall them, all to drag out the clock. By the time they reached the bottom, it was already 9:55.
She stopped at the door and hesitated.
“I don’t know… I’ve got a bad feeling. Maybe we should call the others.”
“Call the others? That’s just more mouths to feed!” Center-part barked. The more players involved, the less score for each.
“Yeah, come on,” Glasses added.
“We’ve only got thirty minutes to explore. No time to waste.”
“But what if something happens?” Su Shisan stalled, pushing the limit.
She wasn’t just wasting time—she was probing. Testing their tools. Their escape plans.
“Don’t worry,” said Glasses, smugly.
“I’ve got a disguise item. Worst case, I’ll turn into that vase over there. No one’ll notice me.”
“I can fly through walls if needed,” boasted Center-part.
“Relax. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take you with me.”
So that’s what they had in their arsenal. Su Shisan smiled inwardly. She checked her watch one last time—then slammed the door shut.
“Forget it. I’m not going in. Good luck.”
Ignoring their frantic yelling inside, she pressed her earpiece:
“You heard everything. I don’t want to see either of them walk out alive.”
By 10 p.m., all the surviving players had returned to their cells. No one knew exactly how the dungeon worked, but as prisoners, being out during inspection was a clear death flag.
Yet tonight, the cell was half-empty.
Counting the one “asleep,” there were only six players left.
The survivors looked at each other in shock.
This dungeon… was absolutely brutal.