Chapter 849: 366 thriving on the internet

“I protest! I have human rights, I deserve reasonable treatment!”

“Why didn’t you say anything when the people were here just now? Now they’ve left, and you start acting up? If you’re capable, go and say it to their face!”

“Alright, alright, everyone stop complaining and quickly go back to rest. The crew might come back at any moment.”

“What are they up to!” “So annoying! If they come again, I’m not going out no matter what they say, let them come if they wish!”

“Keep your voice down, we’re here to participate in the program, the crew has the right to eliminate us, let’s not conflict head-on.”

“Although things seem calm now, this might be a signal from the crew. If we can’t decipher its mystery, we may get into trouble.”

The contestants were grumbling one after another, then opened the dormitory door full of grievances and walked inside with heavy steps.

Unlike most contestants who were visibly upset and complaining, Lin Mo, Sherlock Holmes, Bao Zheng, Detective L, and others remained exceptionally calm. After the production team left, they were the first to return to their dormitories. It wasn’t that they didn’t feel annoyed, but they understood that negative emotions were useless in this situation, and complaining would only increase distress. The urgent task was to recover physical strength as quickly as possible, which was key to facing upcoming challenges.

At the same time, in the vast internet world of America, discussions about the purpose of “Perfect Escape’s” production team were fervently unfolding. Various speculations and conspiracy theories were emerging like mushrooms after rain, spreading rapidly. Countless video creators worked overnight, meticulously recording videos to delve into the intentions of the production team with in-depth speculation and analysis. In no time, “Escapeology” — a playful term for research about “Perfect Escape” — was thriving online, becoming the focus of heated debate among the public.

“Is anyone willing to bet? I think the crew will definitely come again!”

“Sunny day ahead? Highly unlikely! I bet most contestants think the same.”

“I just saw an analysis by an uploader on Bilibili, which makes a lot of sense. They said the production team wants contestants to think they’ll come again, but they won’t. They’re doing it to disrupt contestants’ sleep, poisoning them is simply nonsense.”

“Deprive sleep? That’s not possible, right? Even though the realism of the virtual escape chamber is as high as 99%, to my knowledge, physical consumption in the virtual world and reality don’t affect each other.”

“That uploader is purely talking nonsense! Earlier, they said Lin Mo was an undercover for the production team, just here to stir things up. Do you believe that?”

“I don’t care about anything else, tonight I’m staying up against the ‘Perfect Escape’ crew, let’s see what tricks they can still play!”

“I can’t sleep even if I want to! My mind is filled with the crew’s nonsense.”

“Clearly, it feels absurd and funny, but the show is full of mystery, making it hard to grasp.”

“I’m not concerned about anything else, just want to know what’s going on between Bingbing and Lin Mo? Wasn’t Bingbing quite afraid of Lin Mo before?”

Users were heatedly discussing on various social platforms, arguing lively with each other.

Meanwhile, in the core area of the show’s production — the meeting room, though it was already 2:14 in the morning, the lights were still bright, like daytime.

An oval meeting table was covered with various snacks, exuding enticing aromas. Many senior staff were enjoying the food while intently focusing on the latest developments of the show.

Lieutenant General Wolf Head sat in the exclusive chair for the person in charge, rubbing his temples wearily, unable to hide his fatigue. As a lieutenant general, he had long passed the age of charging on the front lines. After a day of busy meetings in the Imperial Capital, he rushed back to the meeting room without stopping. Such high-intensity work was indeed difficult for a middle-aged person. The passage of time had diminished his energy, and prolonged sleeplessness was overwhelming him.

Zhang Hao, the chief director, keenly noticed Lieutenant General Wolf Head’s exhaustion, hurriedly stood up with a flattering smile, cautiously poured him a cup of hot water, and persuaded: “General, it’s past two o’clock in the morning, why don’t you rest for a while? We will keep an eye here, there won’t be any big problems.”

Lieutenant General Wolf Head’s expression immediately became serious, frowning tightly, glaring at Zhang Hao sternly, mercilessly questioning: “No big issues? If it weren’t for the major trouble during the day, would we need so many people watching the contestants at night?”

Faced with reprimand, Zhang Hao felt annoyed inside, but dared not show it on his face. He quickly bent over to apologize, forcing a smile: “Yes, yes, you’re right, it’s all my fault for not handling the conflict between the contestants and judges well during the day.” He intended to flatter but inadvertently blundered, holding the cup of steaming hot water awkwardly, unable to advance or retreat.

“Hmph!” Lieutenant General Wolf Head snorted coldly, showing no intention to help Zhang Hao out of the predicament. He turned to look at Long Yun, dressed in a red uniform beside him, his expression softened slightly, and asked: “Long Yun, after this toss-up, how do you think the contestants are doing? Did the results meet expectations?”

Long Yun maintained a cold expression, replying concisely: “Slightly below my expectations, the contestants are quite vigilant, especially Lin Mo. It seems he’s already sensed we’re targeting him.”