All-player dungeon: These ancient tombs look kind of familiar.

The sudden appearance of Yamamoto Ichiro really startled Qin Mian.

"When did this guy sneak in? I didn't even notice!"

Qin Mian felt a chill run down his spine, alarm bells ringing in his mind.

If Yamamoto Ichiro had harbored malicious intent and chosen to launch a sneak attack when Qin Mian was subduing Scarlett and his attention was most diverted... the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The ninja's stealth ability was indeed extraordinary; not only was he not swept away by the earth dragon, but he also followed him here silently.

Most importantly, where did this guy get the dried corpse in his hand? How could it be such a coincidence?

Scarlett had just said she was the Corpse Keeper, and this guy showed up with a dried corpse?

Could this have been pre-arranged?

Qin Mian strongly suspected that the two had conspired beforehand to trick him.

He glanced at Scarlett, who seemed to know what he was thinking, and shook her head at him with a look of confusion in her eyes.

"Hehe, it seems I've interrupted your...good time? But I swear, I really didn't mean to. The sandstorm outside was just too bad, I had nowhere to go, and I finally found this place. Besides, I didn't want to miss the chance to witness the legendary 'corpse control technique' firsthand." He shrugged, indicating that he was "harmless."

Qin Mian found his smile so fake it was nauseating; the more he tried to appear harmless, the more creepy it became.

Although this guy always gave off a very immature vibe, Qin Mian inexplicably felt a sense of danger from him.

He immediately let go of Scarlett and stood up.

Scarlett felt the mountain on her body disappear, and she gasped for breath.

Qin Mian looked at Yamamoto Ichiro and asked, "Yamamoto Ichiro, where did you go? When did you get here? And where did this corpse come from?"

Yamamoto Ichiro, still grinning, answered flawlessly: "Qin Sang, I have to thank you for shouting that! I heard you yell 'Follow me,' so I chased after you as fast as I could, but the sandstorm was too strong, and I soon lost sight of you. I was almost swept away by a gust of wind, but luckily I grabbed onto this dried-up corpse lying on the edge of the dune, which added weight and helped me stay upright. It's quite a coincidence that, while carrying it and stumbling along, I somehow ended up at this site."

The reasoning sounded reasonable, and Qin Mian couldn't find any obvious flaws in it for the time being.

"Where are the others? Have you seen Andreev, Alice, and the others?" Scarlett stood up, straightening her disheveled clothes and hair, and asked anxiously.

Yamamoto Ichiro shook his head. "No, the sandstorm is too strong; we can't see anything at all. But Miss Scarlett, there's no need to worry too much. Haven't you noticed? None of the players chosen this time are truly ordinary people. We've each acquired a new skill set, and although we don't know all of them yet, they must be quite formidable. We should be able to protect ourselves without much trouble. Perhaps they're hiding somewhere in the ruins right now."

"I hope so..." Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief, but her eyes were still worried.

Qin Mian's heart stirred.

Yamamoto Ichiro's words reminded him.

Indeed, the participants in this instance were of exceptionally high caliber. So, was it really just a coincidence that this seemingly ordinary "fat college student" was chosen?

Or is it that the fact that the God of Dungeons judged him to "know the plot" itself is a kind of hidden "special ability" or "huge potential"?

Yamamoto Ichiro threw the dried corpse in his hand onto the ground.

The mummy was a male corpse, which was highly dehydrated. The skin was tightly attached to the bones and was dark brown. The clothes were tattered, and the facial features were distorted due to dehydration, making it look particularly grotesque in the dim light.

"Miss Scarlett," Yamamoto Ichiro stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with undisguised curiosity and excitement, like a child anticipating a new toy, "that corpse control technique you mentioned earlier, can it really make something like this move? That's so cool! If we could control it to carry our luggage and guide us, wouldn't that be... a super assistant? Please, please let me see it! This would definitely be an experience I'll never forget!"

Scarlett frowned, her face showing reluctance and embarrassment, and she felt secretly frustrated.

This instance is almost a combination of escape room and werewolf game. Whoever exposes their identity first will inevitably be in danger at all times and be the target of others' attention.

She gave Qin Mian beside her a resentful look.

Seeing that resentful look in his eyes, Qin Mian scoffed inwardly, "I kindly saved you, and you repay kindness with enmity, trying to control me. Now, you're blaming me? Where's your shame?"

However, he didn't say anything.

Scarlett's ability to hypnotize people was something he didn't want to tell Yamamoto Ichiro or anyone else. He wanted to keep this secret, as it might play an unexpected role at a crucial moment.

"Okay, but could you please keep this a secret?" Scarlett pleaded, looking at them.

"Of course! Of course!" Yamamoto Ichiro thumped his chest, making a solemn vow. "Miss Scarlett is my idol! I swear in the name of a ninja that I will never reveal your secret! Otherwise, I will commit seppuku!" He spoke with utmost seriousness.

Scarlett looked at Qin Mian again, her face filled with guilt.

"Qin, I was wrong just now, but I'm just a weak woman in this situation, and all I wanted to do was protect myself. I hope you can understand. I don't ask for your forgiveness, I just hope you can keep my secret, okay?" She resumed her pitiful appearance.

After what had just happened, Qin Mian knew that this woman was definitely not simple.

But he still nodded and gave a simple, honest smile.

"Haha, of course, I'll keep it a secret!"

"Thank you, Qin, you're so kind!" Scarlett said gratefully.

Then she went to the body.

Looking at the corpse, she seemed somewhat frightened, her face turning pale.

Immediately afterwards, she took out a dagger, and with a determined heart, cut her finger, from which bright red blood immediately flowed out.

She crouched down, her expression becoming solemn and eerie, and began to mutter incantations in a low, indistinct voice with an ancient and sinister rhythm.

At the same time, she steadily placed her blood-dripping finger on the withered, wrinkled spot between the eyebrows of the dried corpse.

The moment the blood touched the dried corpse's skin, it seemed to be absorbed, quickly seeping into the dry skin, leaving only a dark red dot.

Two minutes later, Scarlett stopped, brought her right index and middle fingers together, and suddenly raised them upwards. "Rise up..."

With a soft squeak, the corpse stood up straight.

Qin Mian and Yamamoto Ichiro were both quite surprised.

Scarlett seemed to be using it for the first time and was a little clumsy. Her fingers moved in unison, and the corpse twisted and turned like a marionette, just like a drunk person.

"Wow—!! So cool! It really moves!" Yamamoto Ichiro couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, clapping his hands, his excitement overflowing, just like a child watching a magic show.

A strange emotion flashed in Scarlett's eyes, but no one else noticed. They just thought she seemed to be struggling, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead.

"I'm not skilled enough to control him properly... He seems to have his own will and is trying to control me..." Scarlett's voice gradually turned terrified, and her face turned ashen.

Upon hearing this, Qin Mian and Yamamoto Ichiro both frowned, having no idea whether Scarlett was lying.

But the next moment, the dried-up corpse, which looked like it had drunk too much, suddenly pounced on Yamamoto Ichiro.

……