Free Web NovelLiu Jiayi pressed further. “Then what exactly is the identity of this [Rose Hunter]? I’ve never seen him in the current League player records. Anyone capable of shutting down a small TV should at minimum be a top-100 player, but I’ve never heard of someone this strange among the current rankings.”
“That’s because he isn’t a player who stays consistently within the top 100. His ranking has fallen now. You newer players probably don’t know much about the [Rose Hunter], but if you go back several years, he used to be a top-three player.”
Wang Shun pulled out his notebook, flipped through several pages, then turned it toward Liu Jiayi and Mu Shicheng.
“Look here. He’s a [Gunner] League player.”
“A Gunner player?” Mu Shicheng rubbed his temple with a headache brewing. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means the Rose Hunter doesn’t belong to any guild,” Wang Shun explained. “He works alone and refuses to cooperate with others. He seems to hate collective action to an extreme degree. No one even knows exactly when he entered the game, but he still participates in the League every year.”
“We all know League registration requires five players. One person alone can’t enter.” Wang Shun paused briefly. “So during League season, the Rose Hunter temporarily joins a guild team. Once the League ends, he immediately leaves again.”
“He’s what people call a roaming League player—a hired [Gunner Outsource]. Guilds willing to pay a massive price can hire him temporarily in exchange for overwhelming individual combat power.”
Privacy Settings
Mu Shicheng frowned. “Then what guild is he affiliated with right now?”
Wang Shun shook his head.
“None. The Rose Hunter hasn’t appeared in the League for the past two years. No matter how high the offers were, he never accepted.”
“The Rose Hunter has always been extremely elusive. He forbids people from following his small TV and constantly changes his appearance as a disguise. If he doesn’t want to show himself, almost no guild can track him down. So it’s normal that you’ve never heard his name before.”
Liu Jiayi stared directly at Wang Shun. “Do you know any concrete information about him? He’s very likely the one who captured Bai Liu.”
Wang Shun sighed and shook his head again.
“His Firewall is absurdly strong. The few times I encountered him, every attempt to steal information failed.”
Liu Jiayi bit down lightly on her lower lip.
“But...” Wang Shun hesitated slightly before continuing, “there was one time I managed to glimpse a fragment of his internal information.”
His expression gradually turned thoughtful, as if replaying the memory.
“It was during the League matches two years ago. The Rose Hunter arrived very late that day and looked like he was in terrible condition. Naturally, he lost the match.”
“I thought there might finally be an opening, so I waited near the logout point for him to leave the game.”
Mu Shicheng’s expression abruptly darkened as realization struck him.
“Wait a second—Wang Shun, when you went looking for Bai Liu at the logout point back then, while his mental value was unstable...” His face twisted. “Were you trying to steal information from him too?!”
Wang Shun smoothly pretended not to hear the accusation and continued speaking.
“I remember the Rose Hunter reeking of alcohol that day. He staggered out of the logout point, and even his system panel hadn’t been closed properly—it was still completely open. There was also a system notification displayed on it.”
“I deliberately brushed past him and activated my skill.”
Wang Shun inhaled deeply.
“And what I saw... was the strangest mental information I’ve ever encountered.”
“Most human minds are chaotic. People think about countless things—life, appearance, work, addresses, desires, relationships...”
“But the Rose Hunter’s mind contained only one thing.”
“One name.”
He slowly turned the notebook toward them.
“A single name written over and over again.”
Privacy Settings
The page looked as though someone had gone mad while scribbling on it.
A single name covered every inch of paper in frantic, chaotic handwriting.
[Su Yang]
Su Yang
Su Yang
Su Yang—!!!
It looked like the desperate grasping of a drowning man clinging to his final lifeline.
A name he longed for.
A name he missed.
A name he called out to again and again.
Silently, Wang Shun turned to the next page.
[You finally obtained the happiness you always wanted. Congratulations on your engagement.]
[Should my timeline end here, at the happiest moment across all your timelines? After all... this was the wish I wanted fulfilled most.]
[Once I eliminate every hidden danger, this heretic will remove every factor capable of destroying your happiness and leave you forever behind.]
Wang Shun lifted his eyes toward Liu Jiayi and Mu Shicheng.
“And that day, I also saw a system notification on his panel.”
He spoke slowly.
“The notification said: Congratulations, player. Your core desire has changed. Skill identity has evolved from [Rose Hunter] to [Withered Rose Hunter].”
Liu Jiayi and Mu Shicheng exchanged a glance.
“Do you know anything else about this Su Yang?” Liu Jiayi asked.
Wang Shun nodded.
“The Rose Hunter’s mind is practically overflowing with information related to Su Yang. Every time he thinks about him, his emotional Firewall becomes riddled with holes.” Wang Shun tapped the notebook lightly. “I managed to gather quite a bit.”
“I’ll organize everything related to Su Yang for you shortly.”
—
Mu Family Residence.
Privacy Settings
Not long afterward, Mu-fu’s phone rang again.
It was another encrypted network call.
Clearly, the hackers had found something.
Mu-fu raised a hand toward Mu Ke, signaling him to stay calm while he answered.
After exchanging several brief sentences, Mu-fu covered the receiver and turned toward his son.
“We found information on the group. None of them show obvious financial instability based on income and spending records, and their loyalty toward the organization appears extremely strong. Buying them directly may be difficult.”
Disappointment flashed across Mu Ke’s face.
But Mu-fu continued.
“However, although the people in the portraits you drew weren’t identified directly, there is one person connected to all of them.”
“He recently had a child. The baby just passed its one-month mark, and their household expenses increased sharply afterward.”
Mu-fu’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You might be able to use him as an entry point.”
Mu Ke immediately asked:
“What’s his name?”
Mu-fu looked at him steadily.
“Su Yang.”
—
10:30 PM. Jianshe Avenue Middle Road.
By this hour, most of the city had already gone dark.
Only the dim streetlights remained lit, flickering weakly over the aging residential district. The neighborhood was populated mostly by middle-aged and elderly residents with fixed routines, so at this time of night, the streets were almost completely deserted.
Yet inside one apartment tucked deep within the complex, a single room was still illuminated.
Warm yellow light seeped through the narrow gap in the curtains.
Inside, a woman fresh from a bath sat beside a crib, gently rocking it while humming a quiet nursery rhyme beneath her breath.
Her movements were still somewhat stiff.
Not long ago, she had given birth, and her body had yet to recover fully. Sitting for too long caused a dull ache in her back. She frowned slightly and leaned against the cushion behind her, preparing to stand up and rest for a moment.
But the instant she moved, the baby in the crib whimpered softly, tiny limbs flailing anxiously as though trying to grab her fingers.
Ji An could only sit back down helplessly. frёewebnoѵēl.com
Leaning against the edge of the crib, she sighed with affectionate resignation as she looked at the infant.
“What’s wrong with you tonight?” she murmured softly. “You won’t let Mama leave even for a second? So clingy...”
As she spoke, she lightly pinched the baby’s tiny nose with her fingertips.
The infant sneezed immediately, eyelids twitching as it let out several soft “yi-ya” sounds.
Just then—
Knock knock knock.
Ji An’s eyes brightened instantly.
She rose with visible joy and leaned down to kiss the baby’s forehead.
“Your father’s finally back.”
But the moment she opened the door, her cheerful greeting abruptly stopped halfway.
“You’re ba—”
She stared blankly at the little girl standing outside.
The child looked extremely thin.
A strange gray haze clouded her unfocused eyes. Her clothes were far too light for the season, making her appear delicate and fragile. Combined with her sweet, porcelain-doll-like face, she looked pitiful enough to instantly soften anyone’s heart.
The little girl tilted her head uncertainly toward Ji An.
“Excuse me, Big Sister...” she asked timidly. “I can’t see very well. I think I got lost.” She paused softly. “This isn’t my home, is it?”
A blind child who had gotten lost at night.
The vigilance that had briefly risen inside Ji An immediately faded.
Having just become a mother herself, she had become especially softhearted toward children.
Her expression quickly gentled as she crouched down to speak at eye level.
“Where do you live? Do you remember your parents’ phone number? Big Sister can help you call them.”
The little girl lowered her head silently, fingers twisting together uneasily.
“...I don’t remember.”
Ji An’s maternal instincts surged even stronger.
“It’s alright,” she soothed gently. “Then do you remember your parent’s name? Tell me, and maybe I can help you find them. Honestly, your parents deserve a scolding for letting you wander outside alone this late.”
The little girl slowly lifted her face.
Her tone was serious and sincere.
“My parent’s name is Su Yang.”
She paused.
“Can you help me find him?”
Ji An froze for a second before slowly straightening up.
Confusion filled her face.
“This is Su Yang’s home,” she said uncertainly. “How could your parent possibly be my husband?”
Privacy Settings
The little girl—
Or rather, Liu Jiayi—
instantly lost all trace of her timid expression.
Her face returned to complete indifference.
She lowered the hands that had been nervously twisting together and casually waved behind her.
“Found it,” she said flatly. “It’s here.”
Then she called out:
“Mu Shicheng. Move.”
Only then ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) did Ji An finally realize something was terribly wrong.
She stumbled backward instinctively and tried to slam the door shut—
But no matter how hard she pulled, the door would not move.
A tall young man stepped out from behind it.
He towered nearly two heads above Ji An. Around his neck hung an exaggerated pair of monkey-themed headphones. He merely leaned one elbow lazily against the doorframe, and Ji An immediately lost all ability to close it.
Mu Shicheng lowered his eyes coldly toward her.
“Tell Su Yang to come out.”
Ji An hurriedly reached for her phone to call the police—
Only to realize her pocket was empty.
Her breathing instantly became erratic.
Then she watched as the young man opposite her casually pulled a pink-and-white phone from his pocket and raised an eyebrow.
“Looking for this?”
Ji An’s composure finally shattered.
“When did you steal it?!” she cried. “Who exactly are you people?!”
