Chapter 542: Chapter 542: Suspected Infected

Huang Shengjie and Zhou Xiaoying could only line up behind Zhang Yuan and Qian Li, while Du Peng awkwardly gave up queuing.

According to the game rules, each vending machine has two bottles of medication, and each player is limited to purchasing one bottle.

So, only four players can obtain medication each round.

Qian Li quickly completed her purchase, took her medication silently, and left the vending machine.

Behind her in line, Zhou Xiaoying approached the vending machine, ready to insert her Medical Card to purchase medication.

However, it was at this moment that Huang Shengjie suddenly realized something was wrong, because Qian Li’s actions this round were quite unusual.

He suddenly understood: "Wait, don’t buy it yet!"

Zhou Xiaoying was startled, and she looked at Huang Shengjie in confusion, momentarily stunned.

"Wh-why?"

Huang Shengjie pointed at Qian Li: "Didn’t you notice? Her state is obviously off; she’s ’Infected’!"

Everyone turned their attention to Qian Li.

Qian Li, who had already bought the medication, was trying to distance herself from the crowd to minimize her presence, but now she was suddenly exposed under the focused gaze of everyone.

She visibly panicked.

At first glance, Qian Li didn’t seem to have any trouble, not appearing to have just endured intense pain, but careful observation would reveal some unusual details.

Her eyes were somewhat red and swollen, and there were small beads of water at her temples, yet her face was clean, and there was no sweat on her forehead.

Moreover, her body seemed to be trembling slightly, though it was unclear if it was from nerves or for some other reason.

Facing the suspicious gazes of everyone, Qian Li lost her composure, pointing at Huang Shengjie: "You’re talking nonsense! Don’t falsely accuse me! I think you’re the Infected, the thief crying thief!"

Huang Shengjie questioned her: "Among all of us, you were the last to come out of the room, and then you went straight to the vending machine.

"Your eyes are red and swollen, and your temples have water drops, but your face is clean, and there’s no sweat on your forehead, so I guess you probably washed your face intentionally in the restroom and wiped it dry with a towel.

"But if it was just regular pain, why would you need to specifically wash your face?"

Qian Li’s eyes widened, appearing both angry and somewhat amused: "Just because of this, you’re accusing me of being Infected?"

Zhang Yuan, standing in front of Huang Shengjie, seized the opportunity and spoke up: "In the last round, didn’t you also accuse another player of colluding with the doctor just because they didn’t come out of the room?

"Compared to your suspicion of other players, our suspicion of you can even be described as ironclad evidence."

With someone speaking up in support, Huang Shengjie felt more assured.

He had been worried that directly confronting Qian Li might lead others to watch on indifferently, but upon realizing that Qian Li could be Infected, potentially spreading deadly pain, he had to stand up and expose it.

If Zhou Xiaoying were also Infected, the subsequent games would become even more difficult.

Now it seemed that his gamble was right.

Zhang Yuan’s attitude had always been clear, to do everything possible to target Qian Li.

Unknowingly, everyone was already siding with Huang Shengjie, looking at Qian Li with vigilance.

Qian Li pointed at Zhang Yuan: "Then why don’t you suspect him?

"He rushed to the vending machine to grab medication the moment it started, faster than me!

"And doesn’t he look unwell?"

Everyone looked at Zhang Yuan, whose face was also noticeably pale, with faint beads of sweat visible on his forehead, not yet fully dried.

Zhang Yuan didn’t offer much explanation, simply purchased his medication and stood aside.

Zhou Xiaoying looked at Zhang Yuan, then at Qian Li, and found herself hesitating.

Both of them seemed to be Infected, yet they used the vending machine.

For safety’s sake, it’s best to avoid using any vending machines now.

But this isn’t a long-term solution, as their medications are limited, leaving only one remaining now.

Come the next round, they’re likely to face the same situation.

Huang Shengjie shook his head: "In the last round, Zhang Yuan didn’t get any medication.

"Since there were only four bottles, and we four took them, this is very clear.

"Without any medication, if he experienced deadly pain, his reaction would be much more extreme than any of ours.

"Unless he has some special illness or physical condition, making him unusually resistant to pain.

"Given the current situation, his pale face without medication is a normal response to general pain.

"But you, on the other hand, are clearly trying to cover up."

Zhang Yuan nodded at Huang Shengjie approvingly.

Clearly, he had planned to argue this way, but hearing it coming from Huang Shengjie made it more convincing.

Qian Li opened her mouth; she instinctively wanted to say something, but with all the details brought to light, she found no words to counter.

Zhang Yuan sat down in a folding chair: "Heh, all I can say is, you analyzed the last round very well.

"You successfully got everyone to establish a ’segregate the Infected’ consensus.

"But who would’ve thought? You weren’t lucky, being chosen as the Infected right from the start.

"How does it feel to have your own scheme backfire?

"Walkway is never short of players like you who like to play smart, but clearly, only those with integrity and sincerity make it to the end."

Qian Li’s expression was uncertain, but clearly, the situation was no longer in her control.

Plans can’t keep up with changes; in the last round, she cleverly maneuvered herself to be the core of the lounge by targeting an imaginary enemy, but this round, she became that imaginary enemy herself.

Huang Shengjie was about to insert his Medical Card into the vending machine to buy medication.

But Qian Li seemed unwilling to give up, slightly approaching the retreating Zhou Xiaoying: "Sister, no matter what, you should trust me. I’m truly not the Infected, nor do I have any intention of hurting you."

Zhou Xiaoying warily stepped back again.

Although the ’special pain’ in the game spreads through machines, close contact with the Infected still instinctively scares people.

Qian Li pointed at Zhang Yuan and Huang Shengjie: "Don’t trust them; they talk about cooperation, but do they really mean to cooperate with you?

"Aren’t they just keeping the medication to themselves?

"In the future games, if everyone scrambles for medication, inevitably those male players with better physical strength and faster reactions will reach the vending machines first, and we won’t stand a chance!

"Think it through again?"

Huang Shengjie was utterly infuriated; he hadn’t expected that even at this point, Qian Li was still trying to destroy the relationships between players.

From the beginning, Huang Shengjie had a very poor impression of Qian Li. She was the type that liked to play smart and manipulate.

When Qian Li could benefit most from cooperation, she pretended to advocate for it; but as soon as player cooperation would harm her interest, she would find ways to undermine it.

Thinking of this, Huang Shengjie slightly stepped to the side: "Zhou Xiaoying, you buy the medication."