Chapter 43: Panic Sweeps the City! The Proclamation of Death

“Ladies and gentlemen, especially you… the so-called ‘elites’ on the detective rankings,” the man in black announced with a solemnity that brooked no opposition. “Listen well. This is only the beginning.”

Slowly, he raised three fingers in front of the camera.

That simple gesture made every heart in the room skip a beat.

“Starting today, every three days, I will kill someone from the detective rankings.”

“I’ll begin with Fat Cat at number ten. Then number nine, number eight, number seven…”

That eerie, synthesized voice sounded like the tolling of death’s bell, hammering into the ears of all who heard it.

“One after another.”

A piercing scream finally shattered the oppressive silence, setting off chaos throughout the studio.

Panic erupted instantly—staff, contestants, and guests all wore expressions of terror. Screams, cries, and the clatter of tables and chairs mingled together in a cacophony reminiscent of doomsday.

“Nobody move! Stay where you are!”

A furious roar cut through the noise.

Yan Zheng’s face was livid as he pointed at Su Qingzhu beside him, his words firing out like machine-gun rounds: “Qingzhu! Report to the higher-ups at once! Request top-level authorization, have the tech team track all abnormal signal zones continuously! Tell them—regain control of the network at any cost!”

Su Qingzhu nodded hard, already dialing, sweat beading at his temples.

The man in black seemed more than satisfied with the chaos, tilting his head as he laughed.

“Don’t waste your energy, Captain Yan.”

“By the time you find him, it’ll only be to collect his corpse.”

That sentence struck everyone like a bucket of ice water.

Yan Zheng froze, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.

The other party not only knew exactly what he was doing, but had also predicted his every move. The sensation of being utterly exposed brought an unprecedented sense of humiliation to this seasoned detective.

On the screen, the man in black ignored Yan Zheng’s near-murderous glare, slowly sweeping his gaze across the room as if surveying his prey.

Foul, Pipe, Bubble Girl… Every detective he “looked” at instinctively shrank back, the color draining from their faces.

Citywide panic.

If Fat Cat’s death had only shocked them moments ago, this pronouncement was a nuclear bomb of terror dropped over River City.

This was no longer an isolated murder, but a serial hunt targeting every detective in the city.

Finally, the mask of the man in black—those two black voids for eyes—locked onto the camera once more.

This time, his target was unmistakable: the man at the center of the studio, who had remained calm from the very beginning.

“And you, ‘Zombie Bro’—Chen Yu!”

A chill ran through Chen Yu’s heart.

It had come.

“Do your best to solve the case! I look forward to seeing…” The man in black paused, his tone brimming with mockery. “Whether your mind is faster, or their deaths come first!”

As his words fell, all the screens snapped back to the regular broadcast.

But the atmosphere of panic in the studio reached its zenith.

“It’s over… it’s all over…” Director Wang slumped in his chair, his face ashen.

“Dear viewers, today’s live broadcast… is suspended due to an emergency!” Lin Bing, trembling, squeezed out the final announcement before clutching the table, gasping for breath.

“Seal the scene! No one is to leave!” Yan Zheng immediately ordered Su Qingzhu and the arriving officers to take control. “Protect all contestants—they’re witnesses now, and… the next potential victims!”

His gaze swept over Foul, Pipe, and Bubble Girl.

Especially Foul, who had been so full of swagger—now shivering like a quail in a winter wind.

He finally understood—this was no mere game of deduction, but one that would cost lives.

Meanwhile, the internet exploded.

#MysteriousManLiveMurder

#OneEveryThreeDaysNowhereToHide

#MysteriousManDeathGame

Multiple hashtags rocketed to the top of trending lists, igniting social media.

River City plunged into unprecedented terror.

And Chen Yu—called out by name by the killer code-named “Wind”—was instantly thrust into the eye of the storm.

Online, opinions split sharply.

“It’s all Chen Yu’s fault! If he hadn’t insisted on digging for the truth, that lunatic would never have shown up!”

“He’s a jinx! He got Fat Cat killed!”

But his “Zombie Squad” fans drowned them out with a different outcry.

“Nonsense! The killer’s the psycho—what’s it got to do with our Zombie Bro?”

“Only Zombie Bro can catch him! Didn’t you hear? That lunatic is challenging Zombie Bro directly!”

“Zombie Bro, you’re the chosen one! River City’s hope rests on your shoulders!”

In that instant, Chen Yu’s identity morphed in the eyes of the world.

He’d gone from a bit-part corpse actor, to a dark horse contestant on a detective show, and now—forced into the role of a hero standing alone against evil to save the entire city.

“A hero? You’ve got to be kidding me.” Chen Yu complained inwardly. “Whose script is this? Are they paying extra? Because I’m not acting without a raise.”

Amid the turmoil outside, Chen Yu suddenly froze as a cold, mechanical chime sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Major causal event detected. Mission updated!]

A pale blue interface unfolded before his eyes.

This time, the mission title was an unprecedented crimson.

[Main Mission (S-Rank): The Hunting Game]

[Mission Description: The killer known as “Wind” has issued a death notice to the entire city. Every three days, he will hunt and kill one detective. Before he eliminates them all, the host must uncover his real identity and stop him.]

[Mission Reward: 5,000 Skill Points.]

[Failure Penalty: System will forcibly unbind, erasing all traces of the host’s existence from this world.]

Erased… from existence?

Chen Yu nearly fainted on the spot.

This was no longer about winning money to enjoy life.

It was literal “vanishing from the human world”—even the proof of his existence would be wiped clean.

“System, you’re ruthless,” Chen Yu cursed under his breath. “You’re really forcing me to work overtime, aren’t you!”

He slowly lifted his head, gaze cutting through the chaos, locking eyes with Yan Zheng.

Yan Zheng’s expression was tangled—shock, fury, but above all, a gravity borne from facing an unprecedented evil.

Yet when he met Chen Yu’s eyes, he faltered.

There was no fear or hesitation there—only a fighting spirit, utterly ignited.

Chen Yu spoke, his voice not loud, but clear as a bell through the tumult.

“Captain Yan, let’s work together.”

“I accept this game.”