After entrusting Shen Bingmiao with the investigation, Lin Yu rode the shared bike back home again.  

Since he had informed "Lin Zhao" before going out this time, saying he was going to discuss "filming" matters, Lin Zhao didn't wait up for him at home and had gone to bed early.  

Returning to the silent house, Lin Yu lay on his bed, continuing to ponder the events of the day.  

"Hah..."  

In the darkness, Lin Yu stretched his hand toward the ceiling, spreading his ten fingers.  

After this dungeon and his conversation with the Tycoon, Lin Yu became even more certain...  

That "peaceful life" had truly left him far behind.  

Even his current life might be more thrilling than that of ordinary Death Game players.  

After all, normal players in the early stages only needed to worry about weekly dungeons at most.  

But after just two dungeons, he was already facing the Promotion challenge for his third...  

Moreover, various organizations had their eyes on him.  

Even a deity had personally appeared in the last dungeon.  

Lin Yu felt increasingly troubled by this.  

"They say I have 'potential,' but what the hell is this so-called 'potential' anyway?"  

Everyone treated him like some rare treasure—evaluating, inviting, testing, and trying to recruit him.  

But Lin Yu believed he had "clear self-awareness."  

He was just a college student who loved acting.  

Neither a "genius" nor a "madman."  

Although he had genuinely survived two dungeons, only Lin Yu himself knew how perilously close to failure he had been each time.  

"Originally, I thought someone like me wouldn't survive past the first chapter in those 'infinite flow web novels'..."  

Lin Yu sighed.  

All he could do now was take things one step at a time.  

"Let's just treat the rest of my life as a 'stage' and perform to my heart's content."  

"After all, my Class requires me to perform anyway."  

As Lin Yu muttered to himself, his phone vibrated slightly by his pillow.  

"Buzz—"  

Opening his phone, he found two files sent by Shen Bingmiao.  

One was titled "He Jucai."  

Opening it revealed a headshot of the Tycoon at the top.  

Lin Yu skimmed through it—Shen Bingmiao was indeed highly efficient at digging up information on semi-public figures like this.  

The Tycoon's life trajectory unfolded clearly on the screen—graduated from a private elite high school, paid his way into Jiangcheng University's international joint college.  

During college, he apparently had some disagreement with his family, started his own business, and ended up losing everything.  

That abandoned restaurant seemed to be something the ambitious Tycoon had acquired during that period, intending to turn it around—but the results were what Lin Yu had already seen.  

"Still keeping that office shows he's nostalgic and probably values relationships."  

Lin Yu mentally commented.  

Even the reason for his business failure was being too sentimental, getting dragged down by incompetent school friends.  

Though "dragged down" might not be accurate—the Tycoon probably wasn't cut out for business either.  

Since the other party was assessing him, Lin Yu felt he should return the courtesy by evaluating the Tycoon and others more thoroughly.  

Perhaps in future dealings with the Tycoon, he should take a more "emotional approach."  

Overall, the Tycoon's life trajectory was pretty much what Lin Yu had expected.  

"Someone slightly trustworthy, and more sentimental than I imagined."  

"Thinking about it, the name 'Jiang'an Hall'... sounds like something out of a gangster comic."  

Lin Yu closed the Tycoon's profile.  

Then, he opened the second file.  

This one was titled...  

"Li Nian."  

Just seeing the filename, Lin Yu already had an idea.  

And sure enough, upon opening it...  

A familiar face greeted him.  

A youthful high school girl, radiating innocence and liveliness, with a cute bob cut and straight bangs, shallow dimples visible at the corners of her smiling mouth.  

The kind of girl who ranked above average academically, got along with everyone, and served as many boys' first crush.  

However, looking at those lively, nocturnal-animal-like eyes, Lin Yu clicked his tongue softly.  

"Little brat's acting skills aren't bad—I almost didn't recognize her from this photo's vibe."  

This girl was none other than the renowned Thief A'Nian from the Death Game!  

Lin Yu continued reading her profile.  

"Currently a second-year student at Jiangcheng Shengle Private High School."  

Next, he saw Li Nian's family background.  

Both parents were university professors—the kind whose names frequently appeared in textbooks.  

Her father also served as an R&D consultant for an international corporation.  

Financially, Li Nian's family wasn't as wealthy as the Tycoon's.  

But still comfortably "well-off."  

At least this confirmed that Li Nian's "thieving" and Thief class were likely genuine quirks.  

Lin Yu rubbed his chin, feeling this little Thief's character was becoming more defined.  

In that case, her troublemaking in the Death Game, including joining the unconventional Free Alliance...  

Was it because her real life was too oppressive?  

Based on Lin Yu's observation, families with "professor" parents—top-tier intellectuals—tended to be either extremely open or extremely restrictive...  

Li Nian was probably the latter.  

"Maybe this can be exploited too."  

Lin Yu mentally noted his analysis and evaluation of Li Nian.  

Next time he encountered this girl, he'd try to "verify" it somehow.  

Ideally by intimidating her.  

After this thought, Lin Yu set his phone aside.  

Of course, these were matters for later.  

Right now, the most pressing concern was the Promotion!  

And...  

Tomorrow's 8 AM class.  

Thinking of tomorrow's schedule made Lin Yu's molars ache.  

"Hard to say which is more troublesome—early classes or the Death Game..."  

With this lament, he closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.  

......  

Meanwhile, elsewhere underground in Jiangcheng.  

A petite girl in white pajamas sat hugging her knees on a black ergonomic chair.  

The spacious room was heavily air-conditioned.  

The water-cooled PC hummed loudly, while LED lights and over a dozen monitors cast cold illumination, giving the space a sharp, futuristic feel.  

Pale blue and green lights reflected off the girl's face, outlining her predominantly cute features.  

Multiple windows opened and arranged themselves—some containing messages, others code, and some even images and videos.  

Her eyeballs moved at speeds far exceeding human physiological limits, scanning the rapidly scrolling information as she bit her thumb.  

"Good... all organizations and individuals survived this week safely."  

"No new movements from the Psychological Society, and 'Robin' has left Jiangcheng."  

"The Night Watchmen remain unchanged too."  

"Unfortunately, last week the General failed to capture the Diviner, and now he's completely vanished again this week..."  

"Seems the 'Rankings' don't need updating."  

The girl lightly tapped her keyboard, closing dozens of windows.  

Finally, only one chat window remained on the central screen.  

Her gaze settled on this window, no longer darting about rapidly.  

"But my dear Ace... I never expected you'd become the biggest 'variable' recently."