Song Mingchuan was silent, the deep wrinkles of his aged face grave and still, his eyelids heavy-lidded—even without saying a word, he gave off an air of solemnity.

Chu Huaijin beside him spoke up: “Section Chief Yu, I understand your meaning. But games are the assessment group’s responsibility. It would be better for the security group’s members to focus on their primary duties for now.”

Yu Yaqing furrowed her brow. “I understand that the security group’s foremost task is to ensure the safety of all research group members. But if the team members are never arranged to enter games, their game experience is zero. If they end up in a game in the future, they’ll be at a huge disadvantage…”

“If they wanted to enter games, why didn’t they join the assessment group in the first place?” Professor Song suddenly asked.

Yu Yaqing went still.

“Your suggestion is just wishful thinking on your part,” Song Mingchuan said bluntly. “The main reason your team members joined the security group is that they don’t want to enter games.”

Yu Yaqing’s expression flashed with irritation. Mindful that the professor was a revered and respected elder, she suppressed her temper and said, “Professor Song, neither I nor my team members are the type to cling to life and fear death!”

“Is clinging to life and fearing death such a bad thing?” Song Mingchuan lowered his eyelids, his voice flat. “I ask you: how many people in this world are there who don’t cling to life, who don’t fear death?”

Chu Huaijin stood up to ease the tension. He said to Yu Yaqing: “Section Chief Yu, you can discuss it with your team members before making a decision. The assessment group’s numbers have been significantly reduced—it genuinely needs new people. If you’re all set on it, I’ll consider transferring some people from your group.”

Yu Yaqing gave a solemn nod. “I’ll go back and relay this news to them.”

Someone knocked on the door outside.

An assistant pushed it open and asked, “Professor, the candidates for Game No. 21 have arrived. Would you like to see them now, or have them wait for a while?”

“Have them come in,” Song Mingchuan replied. He then looked at the four women before him. “You may leave. Thank you for the intelligence you’ve provided to the research group.”

Everyone said their farewells to the professor and left the temporary research office.

As they left, Yu Yaqing stewed inwardly. She couldn’t let go of what the professor had just said.

She believed in her team members. They just lacked the opportunity to be tested. If they entered games, their performance might not be any worse than the assessment group’s!

But then… remembering what Hu Ya had done inside the game, Yu Yaqing couldn’t help but hesitate.

At that moment, a group of people came walking toward them from ahead.

Men of all kinds.

Tall, short, stout, lean—every variety. A gymnast with an athletic build. A bank finance manager sharp with calculations. A tough, fierce-looking brute. A quick, nimble young man on the slim side…

As they passed one another, someone whistled at Zhu Shu.

Yu Yaqing was displeased and frowned, about to say something in warning. The words didn’t make it out—Zhu Shu pulled her back.

Zhu Shu shook her head at her without a sound.

Better not to make trouble.

Besides, she hadn’t lost anything. Consider it a fly that had flown past.

Yu Yaqing frowned at those people, swallowed her anger, and left with her companions.

Bai Youwei, however, turned her head for another look.

She fixed her gaze on the back of one particular figure. Her eyes drifted downward, sliding to his hands—

She saw a pair of white gloves.

In the scorching heat of August, he’d put on a pair of gloves and didn’t seem bothered by the warmth—which made one wonder about his occupation or identity.

From here she could only make out that he had a slender build, on the lean side, with a composed and cool bearing. He kept a slight distance from everyone else around him.

“Youwei, let’s go.” Su Man called to her from ahead.

Bai Youwei made a sound of acknowledgment and slowly followed along, propped on her crutches.

What she didn’t know was that after Su Man called to her, the men behind were also talking about them.

“Not bad treatment at this base—they even have a crippled girl. That’s a rare sight.”

“…She’s actually pretty good-looking.”

“Don’t mess with that crippled girl. You’re new here—you don’t know. The one who wants to exchange items for jigsaw pieces is her. She’s got a ton of items.”

“Really? Can’t tell just by looking…”

The man wearing white gloves gazed at Bai Youwei’s retreating figure, a look of contemplation on his face…