Chapter 73: Lun Sang High School (25)
Ji Ning's wish came true. Xing Ye held her like that as he took her, making her cry from both above and below simultaneously, a pitiful, wretched sight. She couldn't even stop it, sending the three men into a flurry of panic to soothe her.
That night, even Ji Ning's dreams were sweet, a dream filled with the scent of strawberries, sweet to the very core of her heart.
However, the next morning, the blaring wail of police sirens echoed across the entire campus, casting a shadow over the temple of education that had just bathed in the joy of the school festival.
Zhao Jiamin had jumped to her death.
Without a moment's hesitation, she leaped from the top of the six-story teaching building. The manner of her death was gruesome, the blood spreading far and wide.
The time of the jump was right before morning reading, terrifying many students who had arrived early.
The long-dormant light screen finally stirred, updating its information.
The grayed-out "Clearance Condition" bar unlocked and lit up, displaying the following text:
【Clearance Condition: Correctly identify the person who caused Zhao Jiamin's death.】
【Time limit: 12 hours. Correct answer within 4 hours: 100 points / within 8 hours: 50 points / within 12 hours: 20 points. Countdown: 11:58:45】
【A correct answer clears the instance. An incorrect answer results in Elimination.】
From this moment on, all game players needed to use previously collected clues and subsequent investigations to analyze, organize, and deduce the final, correct answer.
After the death at school, apart from investigations involving relevant personnel, the teaching schedule continued as usual.
Quite a few people from Class 10 were called away by the police, leaving many seats empty. Panic spread, and the students had no heart for studying at all.
Fortunately, Ji Ning had the three men as her friends. She immediately created a group chat and analyzed the situation with them.
Ji Ning sent the first message: Apart from when we went to the locker room yesterday, there was nothing unusual at any other time. I wonder what happened when we weren't watching? Or was it something that happened this morning?
Jiang Ting: The midterm test results are out. Jiamin's ranking dropped by over sixty places in her grade. Dying at the teaching building is inseparably linked to her grades.
Xing Ye: The head teacher is overly nervous, looking flustered and panicked. He should be the one who disclosed the results to Jiamin, causing her to jump.
Song Weiyang: The hint "Death of a Camel," we can start from there.
Ji Ning: I've thought about those four words for a long time. There should be two interpretations. One is the literal meaning, the origin of the saying "Death of a Camel"—it's not so much that the camel died in the wolf's mouth, but rather that the camel died of fear. The second is the last straw that broke the camel's back.
If it's the former, the answer could be understood as "fear." If it's the latter, the answer can be understood as "the last straw that killed Zhao Jiamin."
Jiang Ting: The clearance condition is "Correctly identify the person who caused Zhao Jiamin's death," so we can pass on the first possibility.
Xing Ye: Ning-Ning's words inspired me. The death of a camel is caused by the last straw, yet it's not solely because of that one straw.
Song Weiyang: Agreed. If we only answer with the last straw, like parents or the head teacher, it's too superficial and one-sided. Besides, a single reason isn't enough to cause Jiamin's death.
Ji Ning: This is a one-star instance, and the answer time is compressed to twelve hours. Doesn't that imply we don't need that much time to find out who the main culprit is? In that case, the answer is quite obvious.
Xing Ye: Working backward from the rules to deduce the answer—a very clever method of verification.
Song Weiyang: Too many people need to bear responsibility for Jiamin's death. I agree the answer isn't just a single person's name.
Ji Ning: Everyone.
Jiang Ting: Everyone.
Xing Ye: Just like what was written in the deceased's diary. The head teacher, Yao Lu, Wang Lei, her parents, me, classmates, the school—everyone hurt her. Even she herself is included in that. Everyone was a straw that led to her death.
Song Weiyang: A one-star instance, truly simple. Then let's submit the answer together. Baby goes last.
Xing Ye: I'll submit first. You all watch for the notification.
Jiang Ting: The answer is no problem. No need to be so cautious. The three of us will go first. See you at the Wooden Cabin, Ning-Ning.
Ji Ning: Wave wave~
Livestream comments:
"Cracked it that fast?"
"This instance was free points for these four."
"Those last few lines were a real battle between men, I'm dying laughing."
"Low points for this instance with a simple answer, but the process was so heartbreaking. If it weren't for Xing Ye and the others holding things together, it would have been a terrible instance."
"Doesn't matter, raise the Ning-Ye flag high!"
"Ning-Ting refuses to concede!"
"Ning-Yang... As long as Ning-Yang exists!"
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