The Return of the God Level Assassin

SHEN JI YUN glanced around as he opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow over the cabin. The walls were dark, polished wood with simple carvings, and the velvet seats in deep red looked soft and inviting. A small wooden table nearby held fine china and silverware. Thick velvet curtains were tied back, letting in the full view of the passing landscape. The air felt fresh, with a hint of leather and clean linen.

Shortly after, a notification window popped up before him, outlining the details of their main mission. His eyes quickly scanned the keywords: Orient Express, Jack the Ripper, and Sherlock Holmes. In that instant, the setting of this match became unmistakably clear to him.

It was a mystery set in Europe in the late 19th century. The mystery part was very obvious just by reading the main mission prompt. But the timeline was according to the characters involved.

Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes.

Although one of them was a fictional character, both of them existed in the late 19th century.

Shen Ji Yun stood up. Since he was alone inside the cabin, then he must be in first class. During this time period, the Orient Express was a train that traveled along the route from Paris to Romania. It was known for its opulent accommodations, fine dining, and exclusive service, making it inaccessible to most poor or working-class people.

The high cost of tickets meant that only the wealthy, including aristocrats, diplomats, and affluent travelers, could afford to ride the train. That's why it remained a symbol of wealth and luxury travel well into the 20th century.

Even those in the second-class cabins, where up to four people shared the space, were likely from upper-middle-class families.

He glanced at his reflection in the train window. The man staring back at him matched his real height, tall and lean. His blond hair was neatly combed, and sharp blue eyes looked back with calm confidence. He wore a tailored frock coat, paired with a high-collared white shirt and a silk cravat. A finely embroidered waistcoat peeked beneath the coat, and neatly pressed trousers completed the outfit. Polished leather shoes and a gold pocket watch chain draped across his waistcoat added to his refined appearance, fitting perfectly with the opulent surroundings.

As Shen Ji Yun was wondering what his identity was, a new notification window appeared before him.

[Player YUN, you will play the role of the Duke of Ashbourne, Edmund Carlisle. An infamous duke known as a rake and notorious playboy, his reputation for scandal follows him wherever he goes. With a long history of love affairs and rumors, Carlisle is both charming and carefree. His quick wit and good looks make him admired by some and envied by others, but no one can deny the influence he holds in high society.

You're traveling on the train, not for a specific destination, but to secretly meet your latest lover onboard.

Individual Missions:

1. Find Your Secret Lover: Your first task is to discover who your secret lover is. Once you find her, you'll earn points. Clue: She's not in the same class as you.

2. Play the Playboy: As a notorious rake, you must live up to your reputation. You are required to flirt with a woman every 15 minutes. The only exception is when you're asleep at night. If you keep this up for three days, you'll gain points. But for every missed opportunity, points will be deducted.

3. Stay in Character: Ensure you don't break character at any point. Sticking to your role will earn you points, while slipping out of character will cost you.

Good luck!]

Shen Ji Yun's brows furrowed. Play a playboy? The thought didn't sit well with him. He didn't want to, and since it wasn't mandatory, why should he? He had a boyfriend. How could he just flirt with other women, even if they were just made of data? It didn't matter if they weren't real—it still felt wrong.

But then, he realized how many points he could lose by not flirting every 15 minutes. There were 96 intervals in a day, and if he slept for five hours, that would leave 76 intervals. If each missed interval meant losing a point, that would be 76 points deducted from their team score. That was far too many to risk.

Not to mention, he might not even need to sleep at all—this wasn't the real world, after all. That meant he could face the full 96 points deduction. And that's assuming it was just one point per missed interval. What if it was two, or even three points? It could even be as much as 10 points for each time he didn't flirt.

The fact that the game didn't specify how many points would be lost made it clear—they wanted him to worry about this exact thing. It was a way to pressure him into completing the individual mission. The only way to ensure this wouldn't hurt his team was to succeed in the main mission. But who could guarantee they would pull that off?

Although he had great confidence in his team, claiming they would win by completing the main task felt like overconfidence. In the end, he couldn't take that risk. The conclusion was clear: he still had to complete his individual missions.

In short, he had no choice but to play the role of a playboy.

As he wrestled with his thoughts, the team channel suddenly popped up in front of him. In his focus on everything else, he had almost forgotten to check if they could communicate during this match. But with the channel appearing now, it was clear there would be no issues with staying connected.

Morganite: [How is everyone doing?]

White Marsh: [Don't ask. I want to curse this blasted game!]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [...]

Shen Ji Yun raised an eyebrow as he read Bai Ze and Luo Jin's replies. It seemed they, too, had been assigned roles they weren't happy with.

Noctis: [I'm in a second-class cabin, playing the role of a timid, shy seven-year-old girl. She's traveling with her wealthy, widowed mother who recently adopted her. I haven't seen my full face yet, but I have golden blonde ringlets.]