Chapter 126
Chapter 126
This difficulty belonged nowhere near a fourth-floor instance.
The survival rate might be only ten percent.
Realization made the players’ hearts tremble and nerves stretch taut, close to breaking.
The human players faced immense pressure. They had to collect coins, prevent vampires from stealing them, and… risk the Corpse Cage every night.
Follower No. 3 said, “Finally, rewards use points. A gold coin is worth three points, killing a player five, and winning a minigame one. At the end, points earned by the human faction are multiplied by one hundred, and those of the vampire faction by ten. But if fewer than ten vampires remain, their points are multiplied by one hundred.”
“Vampires may steal coins from one another. Coins are valuable. Besides points, they may bring surprise rewards during settlement.”
Her eyes grew stranger. “Points can buy items from a limited-time shop afterward. A secret: the more coins you have, the higher your chance of refreshing a Death-Exemption Medallion.”
Every player’s pupils widened at that name.
It was a supreme item. If certain lethal missions failed, it could exempt its holder from punishment once.
Xiao Qian remained silent, cold darkness hidden in his eyes.
Follower No. 2 snickered. “We certainly aren’t encouraging our vampire friends to slaughter one another. Vampires love each other, after all.”
His tone contradicted his expression, which openly hoped they would massacre each other.
Items held enormous appeal. No one knew what other players were thinking.
Follower No. 3 continued, “Each player may earn at most one coin per day, by participating in minigames held by the four lords. I hope you survive. Games run from eight in the morning to six at night. As for how you take their coins…”
“That’s a secret.” Follower No. 2 pressed a finger to his lips, finishing her line as the two explained the rules in tandem.
When they finished, Qi Sha laughed. “Humans are pathetic. One little scare and they can’t speak.”
She was not exaggerating. The players had been silent since the gods arrived, solemn pressure weighing on every heart.
It was not that they did not want to speak. They feared one careless sentence would expose their hand.
Not one player here could be trusted.
Killing earned points.
Were they friends or enemies?
Even members of the same faction would kill one another for profit.
This was no simple instance.
It existed to torment the human heart.
The hall doors opened onto an ordinary corridor leading to rooms, a restaurant, and other recreational areas.
Follower No. 2 had already reached the exit. He stretched, ready to leave, since only players needed to worry about survival.
The gods also prepared to enter their game spaces.
Then Xiao Huai’s low voice broke the silence.
Everyone looked up and heard him ask softly,
“When will the funeral be held?”
The players froze. Their fear had almost made them forget.
Who had dragged them into this game?
They were guests at Xiao Huai’s funeral.
Follower No. 3 looked back. “When you are ready.”
Remembering something, she added, “Your reward is already in your room.”
The players frowned. Why did it depend on when he was ready?
Unable to resist, a nearby player whispered, “Young man, who are you? Why does the NPC answer you so readily?”
Even if her answers were strange.
Xiao Huai lazily raised his eyes. “Because I’m Xiao Huai, the unlucky bastard who dragged you into this.”
He deliberately repeated the players’ own description of him.
Ling Chen raised a brow, a finger against his lips as he watched with interest.
The player stared blankly. “Huh? What did you say?”
Xiao Huai answered so directly that others wondered if they had misheard.
His name had attracted enormous hatred from the beginning.
Even if he truly was Xiao Huai, he should not admit it so easily.
Xiao Qian shook his head helplessly, though the confession suited Xiao Huai.
Denying it might fool them briefly, but they would eventually discover the truth.
Especially when he was the protagonist of this instance. How could the NPCs fail to recognize him?
Follower No. 3 and Follower No. 2 reached the door. Before leaving, she said,
“Players 15, 35, and 79, good luck tonight. Hee-hee. By the way, only humans enter the Corpse Cage.”
Meaning… if they killed before nine and became vampires, the danger would pass.
But their name tags could not be removed. While they developed murderous intent, other players would also target them.
Everyone would watch them more closely.
After the followers left, the gods entered their antique doors and opened the game spaces.
The players erupted like a naval mine exploding beneath the sea.
Everything they had suppressed became a torrent of curses, the simplest way to vent at the injustice.
Several glared viciously at Xiao Huai. Xiao Qian wrapped an arm around his shoulders and guided him out.
He whispered, “This place may genuinely be unsafe for you. Let’s go.”
Xiao Huai nodded while removing Xiao Qian’s arm and restoring some distance.
“Mm.”
Negativity smothered the hall. The three chosen for the Corpse Cage were nearly deranged, screaming like lunatics.
The corridor outside was much longer than expected.
They walked in silence until Xiao Qian finally asked,
“What are you thinking?”
Xiao Huai looked at the tag on his chest. Only after a long time did he say, “One person is missing.”
“Huh?” Xiao Qian did not understand.
Xiao Huai shook his head and looked ahead. “Nothing. I may have miscounted.”
But his dynamic vision far surpassed an ordinary person’s. How could he miscount?
Though he had appeared idle, he had counted everyone. Including him, only ninety-nine players were present.
His number was one hundred, confirming there were indeed one hundred.
Who was absent?
He admitted that from the moment he entered this world, he had been searching for someone.
Lu Yuanshi.
Not seeing Lu Yuanshi among the players left an inexplicable emptiness inside him.
But then he realized… one player was missing.
He could not stop wondering.
Could it be him?
How foolish. How could such an improbable thing happen?
Perhaps he truly had seen wrong.
Perhaps he had simply miscounted.
Perhaps there was no coincidence.
Perhaps he truly would never see him again…