Global Collapse-Chapter 652 - 620: When everyone thinks I’ve slacked off, I’ve updated three times. This is also a kind of slacking off_1

Gu Mian felt that these people from the low-dimensional world were all seriously messed up in the head. Some loved to wear short skirts, some came to fiddle with his gas cylinder every day, some spent the whole day cosplaying under a cloak, and some even crawled into his bed in the middle of the night to rest their heads on his chest. It was utterly absurd.

Gu Mian reached out to pull Xiao Qiao out from under the quilt, but she seemed so fond of it that she thrashed about, trying to get back in. Having no other choice, he found a rope, tied Xiao Qiao up securely, and placed her by the bedside.

「The next morning」

Fatty, having just woken up, saw Xiao Qiao trussed up tightly under Gu Mian's bed and fell into deep thought.

Does the Doctor have such a strange fetish? He took out a small notebook and jotted it down. He also grabbed a few lengths of rope and gestured with them on his own body.

Nearby, Chu Changge glanced at Fatty, who was fiddling with the ropes, then continued to read the list of worlds Gu Mian had compiled the day before.

Fatty sensed something was amiss. He approached Chu Changge. "Brother Chu, I've noticed you've been very quiet since the Doctor came out of the Circus Dungeon. You haven't been possessed by a ghost, have you?"

Chu Changge looked up at him.

Fatty, sensing Chu Changge's gaze, smiled sheepishly and retreated two steps. "Just kidding, only kidding..."

Just then, Liu Ruyan's voice came from the doorway, "You're all here."

Fatty looked up and saw their landlady, who had appeared at the doorway at some point, smiling at them.

From Liu Ruyan's vantage point, she could see Xiao Qiao tied up in the room. However, she made no comment about her roommate's predicament, feigning ignorance.

Fatty walked a few steps towards the door. "Miss Landlord," he began, lowering his voice because Gu Mian was still asleep in the room, "do you need something?"

Liu Ruyan rarely came to find them, so if she did, it was bound to be for something important.

"I have something to discuss with Chu Changge," Liu Ruyan said, her gaze sweeping across Gu Mian's room before settling on Chu Changge. "Do you have a moment?"

Chu Changge rose and walked towards the door without a word.

Just then, another slightly husky voice came from behind Liu Ruyan, "What a coincidence, I also have something to discuss with Mr. Chu."

Even without seeing the person, Fatty recognized the pleasant voice as Xie Bi'an's.

Surprised, Liu Ruyan turned around and was met by the sight of a dark cloak. Indeed, it was him.

What's going on? Fatty was puzzled. "Is this some grand assembly of surviving Guardians? If so, they should have brought Miss Xiao Qiao along!"

Xiao Qiao was currently sleeping soundly under Gu Mian's bed. No one thought of her, so the three left with a tacit understanding.

Gu Mian was awakened by a fragrant aroma.

When he opened his eyes, he subconsciously sniffed for the source of the aroma; it was Fatty's breakfast. Roast duck soup dumplings, to be precise.

A glance revealed Xiao Qiao by the bedside, already awake for some time. Her eyes sparkled as she stared intently at his chin, as if he were more captivating than the soup dumplings on the table.

It was now ten-thirty in the morning. Xiao Qiao had been quite a handful the previous night, causing Gu Mian to wake up late.

Noticing the person under the bed still staring at his chin, Gu Mian touched the area. "Is there something on me?"

Seeing Gu Mian awake, Fatty came to the bedside. He carefully examined Gu Mian's chin for a moment. "Nope, nothing there."

Why was Xiao Qiao so interested in that spot then? She looked as if she wanted to detach his chin and run away with it.

"Perhaps she finds the Doctor's jawline exceptionally attractive," Fatty conjectured, deeming it a plausible explanation.

Being stared at like that, Gu Mian found it impossible to eat. He decided to send Xiao Qiao away first and then return for breakfast.

As Gu Mian carried Xiao Qiao out, he glanced around the room. "Where's Chu Changge?"

"He was called away by Miss Landlord and Cloak Guy," Fatty said, scratching his head. "Looks like they're planning some secret meeting."

Miss Landlord and Cloak Guy... Fatty really had a knack for names.

Muttering to himself, Gu Mian carried Xiao Qiao out the door.

It was rather odd. Every time he left the apartment with a girl, he would run into Accompany me next year. And upon seeing him, a peculiar expression would invariably appear on her face. It was as if she were looking at some heinous archvillain.

This time was no exception. Gu Mian had barely taken a few steps up the stairs, carrying Xiao Qiao, when he encountered Accompany me next year in the corridor.

She stopped in her tracks upon seeing him, her gaze fixed on the tied-up Xiao Qiao. Then, Gu Mian saw her expression become quite animated. Sadness, anger, fear—Gu Mian could roughly discern these emotions.

What's wrong with this person? Gu Mian paid her no mind, intending to continue downstairs.

But then, Accompany me next year suddenly opened her mouth, "P-p-p-put her down!"

He recalled that she didn't stutter before. Combined with her righteous, knight-in-shining-armor tone, Gu Mian realized she must have misunderstood something.

Xiao Qiao cooperatively squirmed, perfectly resembling a virtuous lady being abducted.

The situation became exceedingly awkward for a moment. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

At that moment, Liu Ruyan's voice suddenly interjected from nearby, "It seems we've arrived at an inopportune moment."

Gu Mian turned to look. Liu Ruyan was standing on the landing below, flanked by Chu Changge, with his fondness for skirts, and Xie Bi'an, the avid cosplay enthusiast.

"On the contrary, your timing is perfect," Gu Mian said, placing Xiao Qiao in front of Liu Ruyan. "Quick, take her back."

Liu Ruyan smiled, untied the ropes binding Xiao Qiao, and said, "Then we'll be on our way." With that, she took Xiao Qiao by the hand and departed.

Xie Bi'an's hood stirred. He turned towards Gu Mian, his voice emerging from beneath the pitch-black cloak, "Well then, you two, I shall take my leave as well."

Neither Gu Mian nor Accompany me next year showed much reaction, not that he minded. He strode off alone.

Watching Xie Bi'an's retreating figure, Gu Mian found himself genuinely curious about what lay beneath the cloak. Too bad the man wouldn't show him.

With that thought, he turned back to Chu Changge. "What were you three doing?"

Chu Changge pushed up his glasses. "Xie Bi'an said he wants to join us for the next instance."

What's gotten into Xie Bi'an? He was actively avoiding them not long ago.

His stomach rumbled; Gu Mian recalled he still hadn't eaten breakfast. Ascending the stairs, he asked Chu Changge, "You said before that he died once. Did you sense his death?"

"Yes," Chu Changge replied, following Gu Mian.

"So now that he's standing in front of you, is there still any connection between you two?"

"In my perception, he is already dead. I can no longer sense his presence, though he might still be able to sense mine."

"Are you sure he is Number Four?"

"Certain."

This was peculiar. Xie Bi'an had died and then revived. Post-resurrection, he kept himself completely concealed, not revealing even a sliver of skin, as if to hide something. Now, he was volunteering to enter an instance with them. Could he have an ulterior motive?

Lost in thought as they walked, the two soon arrived back at their door.

Fatty was sitting on the sofa, chin in hand, waiting for them.

Xiao Hong was sprawled under the bed, looking utterly dejected. She had been out all night, her face a mask of grievance.

Her brother remained inside the disc, uncharacteristically silent instead of calling out for his sister.

What a warm morning indeed.

Gu Mian planned to enter the next instance on August 20th. The intervening ten-odd days passed pleasantly enough, aside from Xiao Qiao occasionally emerging from under the bed late at night to stare fervently at his chin. He had no idea where she'd gotten a key.

「August 20th arrived quickly.」

Gu Mian turned down the enthusiastic Fatty, insisting he stay home, then departed with Chu Changge.

Xie Bi'an shadowed them like a persistent ghost, and Keke, surprisingly, also joined their party.

Gu Mian listened to her reasons for entering the instance, but only three words registered: short on cash.

The ticket seller still wore that same look of utter despair. By the time Gu Mian emerged from the instance, the ticket seller's expression would likely be one of near-death.

While the ticket seller was rolling his eyes in utter despair, Gu Mian's group began the instance matching process.

[Instance matching in progress, please wait]

[Instance match successful, teammate matching in progress...]

[Teammates successfully matched]

[Instance: The Screaming Courtroom]

A courtroom? Gu Mian pondered for a moment. He vaguely recalled someone mentioning a "Courtroom instance" to him before, but he couldn't remember who.

Isn't this instance a career-specific one, like for the Judge profession?

[Content: Players will become partners of justice within the instance. Each group will consist of four players: one Judge and three Assistants. All players must gather evidence and adjudicate the cases assigned to them.]

[Number of players: 12]

So, it's a team-based instance. That means the four of them should be in the same group, Gu Mian mused as he continued to read. Twelve players in total, so besides their group, there are two others.

[Task: Render a correct judgment on the assigned cases within three days. Players will exit the instance after delivering their verdict and adjourning court.]

As he finished reading the last line, Gu Mian's vision suddenly brightened. He looked up to find himself in an unfamiliar grand hall. A survey of his surroundings revealed it to be a sizable courtroom, similar to those depicted in television dramas.

Just as Gu Mian was about to examine the details more closely, he sensed a gaze fixed on his back.

He turned and was met by a familiar face—and a familiar look of terror.

Seeing the familiar white coat, Coach Che's jaw dropped, and the case files in his hand scattered to the floor in his astonishment.

Can anyone tell me why he's in my instance again?! This has to be a nightmare!