“The Final Bride”—counting Su Man, a total of four people escaped the game alive.

All four had suffered injuries of varying severity. Chu Huaijin immediately arranged for people to treat them.

Bai Youwei’s injuries were the lightest—only superficial scrapes and bruises. With her constitution, she would recover quickly even without medicine.

She and Shen Mo returned to the three-bedroom apartment the organization had arranged for them.

A number of strangers had appeared in the residential complex. The moment they spotted Bai Youwei and Shen Mo, they drifted over in twos and threes to exchange pleasantries. Beneath the cordial surface their words were probing—testing for details about Game No. 24 and its rewards.

Everyone has their curiosity.

All the more so when a game involves one’s life. If the rewards were generous and you knew the game’s content in advance, you could gather a group and “grind” the game for rewards.

But Bai Youwei had no heart to deal with any of these people.

She followed Shen Mo home, then shut the windows and door and lay down on the bed to rest.

She had walked far too much inside the game. Even with crutches, her feet ached, her hands ached, and her armpits burned with a searing pain.

She had been used to sitting in a wheelchair whenever she went anywhere. When had she ever suffered like this?

Bai Youwei exhaled slowly.

The room, with its curtains drawn, was dim and tranquil like dusk. She let her whole body go slack and closed her eyes.

Considering that organization members might come knocking at any moment asking about the game, entering the dollhouse right now would not be convenient. She could only make do and rest this way for the time being.

Cheng Weicai came in carrying a bowl of steamed egg custard, murmuring away: “Youwei, come and eat this first—Shen Fei sent over the eggs, and I added sliced ham and scallions. Very nutritious…”

He had just reached the bedroom doorway when Shen Mo stopped him.

Shen Mo made a quieting gesture at Cheng Weicai, then silently glanced back toward Bai Youwei.

Cheng Weicai followed his gaze and discovered that at some point Bai Youwei on the bed had fallen asleep.

“She must be exhausted.” Cheng Weicai sighed and said quietly to Shen Mo, “I’ll set it aside for now. When she wakes up I’ll heat it again for her to eat.”

He turned to go, then turned back and held the bowl out to Shen Mo: “You eat it then. You’ve been standing watch all these days—you must be worn out too. I’ll make Youwei a fresh bowl in a while.”

Shen Mo shook his head gently: “Give it to Xiaoxin. I’ll stay here with her for a bit.”

Tan Xiao overheard from the living room and immediately called out, “Xiaoxin is so little—he can’t finish it! Give it to me, give it to me! I’ll eat half for him first!”

Pan Xiaoxin said very quietly, “I can finish it…”

Shen Mo smiled despite himself and said to Cheng Weicai, “Sorry to trouble you—please make another one.”

……

The voices outside did not wake Bai Youwei. She slept deeply, falling asleep almost the instant her head touched the pillow.

After she fell asleep, she had a nightmare.

In the dream, she was being chased by a Duke who had transformed into a beast. She ran and ran with all her might… In reality her legs could not run at all, but in the dream she was sprinting.

Just as she was about to be caught, her legs suddenly reverted to their crippled state, and she tumbled to the ground!

In a panic she searched around her for her crutches and wheelchair. But everywhere was pitch-black—she could see nothing.

At that moment, the Duke caught up!

In that critical instant, she reached into her pocket with a final desperate hope—

But there was nothing.

Her hand was empty.

She had given her jigsaw piece to Su Man. It was gone.

The Duke’s gaping, bloodied maw bore down on her. She lurched upright in bed, jolted awake!

“Hah…”

Bai Youwei gasped frantically. She saw Shen Mo sitting at the bedside, and only then did she finally realize she had been having a nightmare.

Shen Mo reached out and gently patted her back. His hand felt the cold sweat beneath her shoulder blades.

“I’ll go get a towel.” He rose to go.

“Don’t.” Bai Youwei caught his hand, pressed her forehead against his arm. “Stay with me for a while.”

Shen Mo said nothing and settled back down.

Bai Youwei leaned against him with her eyes closed. After steadying herself, she said softly, “Shen Mo, I used my jigsaw piece on Su Man.”