Fifth, the moment Xiao Lou drew the Two Kings card, the entire card wall collapsed before everyone's eyes as if destroyed by a mysterious force. Countless cards shattered and fell from the wall. This bizarre scene left his teammates staring in astonishment. However, before they could even speak, Xiao Lou's vision suddenly went black, and he lost consciousness. When he awoke, he found himself lying in a bed.
The room was incredibly familiar to him. The light blue sheets and blankets, the matching cotton curtains, and the sparse decorations—just a large wardrobe against one wall. The ceiling light was a simple round fixture with a decorative line around it; Xiao Lou remembered clearly that he had bought it himself from the lighting store.
Xiao Lou rubbed his throbbing temples and got out of bed.
The floor was covered with his favorite light wood-colored flooring, and his pajamas and slippers were also bought from the supermarket. Xiao Lou walked to the window with a puzzled look in his eyes, and pulled back the curtains. Downstairs was the familiar artificial lake with a large fountain in the center. The willow trees surrounding the artificial lake cast a circle of reflections in the water, and in the wooden pavilion, several elderly people were playing chess.
These scenes were so familiar that Xiao Lou momentarily thought he was hallucinating. He rubbed his eyes hard and looked closely at everything in front of him. It all seemed so real, just like what he saw every morning when he woke up.
This is his real-world residence, located in the Yuhua residential area on Nonglin Road in Jiangzhou City.
He bought this apartment last year and put a lot of effort into decorating it. The neighborhood is very nice, there's a supermarket downstairs, and the transportation is very convenient; it only takes him ten minutes to walk to school. He remembers leaving the complex to go to the supermarket across the street when he was hit by a bus while crossing the road, unexpectedly ending up at Card World.
But why has he returned to his home now?
The absence of his teammates immediately put Xiao Lou on alert. He quickly left the bedroom and looked around. The entire room was furnished exactly like his house in the real world, and even the small ornaments on the shoe cabinet by the door were exactly the same as he remembered.
They were teleported back to reality.
Or is all of this a hallucination created by Card World based on his memories?
Xiao Lou calmed down, quickly went back to his bedroom, opened the wardrobe, changed into clean clothes, grabbed his phone and keys from the bedside table, and prepared to leave. But just as he reached the door, his phone rang, and the caller ID showed his mother.
Xiao Lou's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers trembled as she pressed the answer button, "Hello."
The voice beside him was so familiar it brought tears to his eyes. The woman asked gently, " Xiao Lou, when does your school break? Go back to your grandma's house this spring to celebrate the New Year together. Grandma has been thinking about you a lot, and she said she'll make your favorite dumplings for New Year's Eve dinner."
Xiao Lou's nose suddenly stung with tears, and she didn't know how to reply.
How long has it been since I last heard my mother's voice?
Although he has grown up, in his parents' eyes he will always be their son. In the past, his mother would call every weekend to ask about his situation and occasionally inquire whether he had someone he liked or when he would bring his girlfriend home.
Because Xiao Lou has been very sensible since childhood, and his parents have always been tolerant, supportive, respectful of his decisions, and understanding of his choices, Xiao Lou feels that they are the best parents in the world. And this phone call was indeed made by his mother herself just before the holiday, and she said every word exactly the same.
Xiao Lou remembers saying, "Mom, we have a holiday on the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, but after the holiday, I have to represent the school to attend an academic conference. This conference is very important and may not end until the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month."
Xiao Lou recounted what he remembered saying. After a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, he laughed and said, "It's okay, work is important. If you really can't come back, we'll fly to Jiangzhou to see you."
Xiao Lou said, "I should be able to go back. After the meeting, I'll go home and pack, then take a flight on the morning of the 30th. I'll arrive home around 3 pm, and then we can have New Year's Eve dinner together."
The voice on the other end of the phone clearly showed a hint of surprise: "That's great! I'll wait for you at Grandma's house."
Xiao Lou hummed in agreement, gave a few words of advice to take care of himself, and then hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, the initial excitement of hearing her mother's voice quickly subsided. Xiao Lou calmed down, frowning as she carefully considered whether she had traveled back to before the accident or if it was all an illusion.
Xiao Lou reached into his pocket but couldn't find the familiar card holder.
He paused for a moment, then opened his phone's contact list. The familiar names filled Xiao Lou with increasing confusion. He simply scrolled down to the letter "y" in the contact list and found the name " Yu Hanjiang ".
Without hesitation, Xiao Lou dialed the number. After two rings, the call was answered. There was some noise on the other end, but soon Yu Hanjiang's deep, calm voice came through: "Hello, Professor Xiao, is there something you need?"
Xiao Lou ""
Professor Xiao —that's how Yu Hanjiang addressed him a long time ago, when they weren't very familiar with each other. If the Yu Hanjiang on the other end of the phone were the same Yu Hanjiang as he is now, he would never call him that.
Xiao Lou tentatively asked, " Has Captain Yu been busy lately?"
The phone call was followed by the clear sound of leather shoes on the floor, then the sound of a door opening. He seemed to have entered the office and, once in a quiet environment, said in a low voice, "I've been really busy lately. By the way, I've come across a tricky case, a serial murder case. We found a rare drug in the victims' cups and would like Professor Xiao to help identify it."
Xiao Lou suppressed her unease and replied, "No problem, I'll go to the Forensic Doctor for testing today."
Captain Yu works at the center; he can come over anytime he's free.
Yu Hanjiang said, "Okay, 3 PM, see you there."
He hung up the phone after saying that.
Xiao Lou listened to the busy signal in his ear, his mind a jumble of confusion. The current situation was too bizarre. Normally, upon entering an escape room, there would be a notification such as, "Welcome to [Escape Room Name], the task for this escape room is [Question Name], and the completion time is [Time Limit]." But this time, he woke up in his own home, without any notification. It was as if he had a very long dream, and upon waking, he had returned to reality.
It was late December. Yu Hanjiang was asking him for help again because of the poisoning case. Xiao Lou remembered that the sun was shining brightly that day. It was Yu Hanjiang who called him first. Although he was the one calling Yu Hanjiang now, what Captain Yu said was basically the same as he remembered. He wanted his help to identify a rare toxin.
Xiao Lou took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and went downstairs.
The illusion surrounding the residential complex was exactly as he remembered. As he reached the entrance, the familiar security guard smiled at him. Xiao Lou returned the smile, hurriedly left the complex, and hailed a taxi on the street to Jiangzhou City. Forensic Identification Center. "
The taxi driver turned on the meter and took Xiao Lou to turn right at the intersection ahead.
Xiao Lou sat in the back seat and looked out the window. It was rush hour, and the roads were completely congested. People were rushing around, and many students in school uniforms were riding bicycles quickly. There happened to be a key middle school in the city nearby, and Xiao Lou would see those familiar blue and white school uniforms every day on his way to work.
The vibrant faces on the sidewalk, the crowded buses, the students in school uniforms, the familiar aroma wafting from the steamed bun shop by the street, and the driver's authentic local dialect complaint: "Sigh, this area is always congested every morning. The streets are packed with people like ants moving house. Why are there so many people?"
Xiao Lou snapped out of his daze, gave a polite smile, and said, "Life forces most people to go to work or school, and there's nothing we can do about the morning rush hour traffic jams. Please drive carefully, I'm not in a hurry."
His main job is as a professor of Forensic Medicine at Jiangsu City Medical University. According to his memory of the day Yu Hanjiang contacted him, he had no classes all day and did not need to go to school. He went to the Forensic Identification Center because Yu Hanjiang needed his help.
The driver led Xiao Lou through a maze of turns, and finally arrived at the testing center at nine o'clock in the morning.
Xiao Lou took the elevator upstairs and ran into two familiar colleagues. They greeted him with smiles, saying, " Professor Xiao, what brings you here today? I remember it wasn't your shift."
Xiao Lou said, "I have some things to take care of. I need to use the lab later."
The woman with a neat ponytail said, "Okay, Professor Xiao, you can just swipe your card to go in and register later."
Xiao Lou thanked him, and after the elevator stopped, he went into his office and changed into a white coat.
According to his memory, Yu Hanjiang would come to his office around 9:30 a.m.
There's still half an hour left.
Xiao Lou sat at his desk, carefully organizing his thoughts. His and his teammates' experience in Card World was definitely not a dream, so the world before them could not be reality either. Guardian wouldn't be so kind as to send them directly back to reality. Moreover, if the Twin Kings Secret Room were truly given away for free, allowing them to pass through directly back to reality, then Yu Hanjiang's reaction was far too strange.
what to do
What if this Yu Hanjiang is Hunter in disguise? Do I even have the ability to deal with him? My card holder has disappeared—that's the worst-case scenario. Without cards in hand, am I supposed to fight Yu Hanjiang hand-to -hand?
Xiao Lou frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.
To prevent Twin Kings from encountering a clone in the secret room who could impersonate a teammate and stab them in the back when they were off guard, Xiao Lou suggested that everyone whisper a message to their teammate as a code to verify their identities.
I won't go into detail about Yu Hanjiang's code; this Yu Hanjiang is definitely not Card World. The one Xiao Lou knew.
But CEO Shao's code is rather unusual.
Shao Qingge told Xiao Lou, "If you see me in the Twin Kings secret room, ask CEO Shao, 'I'm thinking of buying stocks recently. Which stock do you think is performing well?' If it's an imposter, Shao Qingge will definitely tell you a stock name. But if it's me, I'll say,'Stock code 18, right?'"
What Shao Qingge was referring to was not a stock code, but his real-world mobile phone number.
Xiao Lou discovered that CEO Shao had incredible luck at a crucial moment; what started as a casual mention of a phone number had now proven incredibly useful. At the time, no one expected the Twin Kings secret room to transport them to a real-world environment; they had assumed it would be a harsh wilderness survival scenario with countless formidable hunters waiting for them.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the peaceful, serene, and familiar Jiangzhou City.
Xiao Lou took out his phone and dialed the number Shao Qingge had given him, which he remembered. Soon, a familiar voice came from the other end; the man seemed to have just woken up, his voice carrying a slightly sexy huskiness, "Hello, who is this?"
Xiao Lou said, " CEO Shao, I am Xiao Lou."
Shao Qingge seemed taken aback for a moment, then raised an eyebrow and asked, " Who is Xiao Lou? How did you get my private number?"
Xiao Lou ""
Something's wrong, everything's wrong.
Has everyone forgotten their Card World experience, or are the Yu Hanjiang and Shao Qingge answering the phone not the actual individuals?
Xiao Lou took a deep breath and calmly asked, "Do you still remember Ye Qi?"
Shao Qingge laughed, " Who's Ye Qi? That's a mystery." He rolled over in bed.
He stood there lazily and said, "Sir, I don't know where you got my private number. I don't like getting close to strangers. Bye."
The call ended abruptly, and Xiao Lou stared thoughtfully at his now-alone phone.
A moment later, Xiao Lou made up his mind to go to the lab, find a miniature syringe, open a box of anesthetic, draw some into the syringe, and hide it on his person. In case Yu Hanjiang was the Hunter, and Xiao Lou didn't have a card, he couldn't just sit and wait to die. If he really fought Yu Hanjiang, he would definitely use the anesthetic, and maybe he would have a chance to escape.
Xiao Lou returned to his office and patiently waited for time to pass.
The clock finally struck 9:30, and sure enough, there was a knock on the door. Xiao Lou said, "Come in."
The door was pushed open, and Xiao Lou met a pair of familiar, deep eyes.
The man was dressed in casual clothes today. His well-fitting brown trousers made his legs look particularly straight and long. His handsome face was serious, and he was holding a stack of documents and a sealed sterile box commonly used by the Police Station for collecting evidence.
He walked gracefully to Xiao Lou and extended his hand, saying, " Hello, Professor Xiao."
This person looks exactly like Yu Hanjiang, who came to the identification center in his memory.
Xiao Lou's heart was pounding. He was terrified that Yu Hanjiang would pull out a gun and point it at his head at any moment. Xiao Lou's left hand gently gripped the tranquilizer dart in his pocket, while his right hand reached out and shook hands with Yu Hanjiang.
Yu Hanjiang placed the documents in his hand on the table and said, "I brought over the toxin sample found in the deceased's cup. I would appreciate it if Professor Xiao could do an analysis."
Xiao Lou was terrified, but on the surface she tried her best to remain calm. "Okay, Captain Yu, please come with me."
The laboratory tests finally yielded results shortly afterward.
Xiao Lou said, "This toxin is called ciguatoxin, which comes from deep-sea fish. Ciguatoxin is mainly distributed in the head, internal organs, and reproductive organs of fish. High-temperature heating or freezing cannot destroy the toxicity of the toxin. Small amounts of this toxin will only cause vomiting and abdominal pain, while large amounts can be fatal. Judging from the sample you brought, the purity of the toxin is very high. The murderer deliberately extracted ciguatoxin for the purpose of killing."
Yu Hanjiang frowned. "In other words, the murderer is familiar with deep-sea fish and knows how to extract toxins. He must be a professional in chemistry or pharmacy, and possibly has been in long-term contact with fish containing this toxin."
Xiao Lou nodded. "That should be the case."
Yu Hanjiang extended his hand again, "Thank you, Professor Xiao, I know what to do."
Xiao Lou shook hands with him reluctantly and said, " Captain Yu, you're too kind."
Yu Hanjiang said, "I'll treat Professor Xiao to dinner another day. I have to go now."
Having said that, he turned and left decisively. Xiao Lou stared at his retreating figure, stunned. Was this Yu Hanjiang not Hunter? Why hadn't he attacked her?
Xiao Lou instinctively called out, " Captain Yu."
Yu Hanjiang stopped and turned around, his expression indifferent. " Professor Xiao has something to say."
Xiao Lou smiled and asked, "Do you have a girlfriend? I have a very pretty colleague who I can introduce you to."
Yu Hanjiang frowned unhappily. "Thank you, but no need."
He turned and left without looking back.
Xiao Lou looked at his tall, straight back and felt a mix of emotions.
This Yu Hanjiang should not be Hunter, but rather the Yu Hanjiang from his memory.
The mother who initially called him wasn't his real mother; it was just a replay of a memory.
Perhaps, all the teammates are in such a closed world at this moment, unable to contact each other, and the teammates they encounter are all teammates from before entering Card World.
That's why Yu Hanjiang's attitude is so cold, and he politely calls him " Professor Xiao "; that's why Shao Qingge doesn't recognize Xiao Lou; that's why his mother calls him to ask if he's coming home for the New Year, and that's why his colleagues greet him with smiles.
Xiao Lou finally realized that he was trapped in his own "world of memories".