Chapter 76
Chapter 76
[The Four Rules for Desert Survival.]
[1. If you become desperately thirsty, you may drink your own blood. Nothing bad will happen.]
[2. Soulbugs emerge at night. Remember to light a fire, and be careful.]
[3. Do not consume the blood or flesh of crows.]
[4. Do not stare at the moon for too long. It is dangerous.]
The rules played over and over in Xiao Huai’s mind, but all his attention remained fixed on that man.
Lu Yuanshi. Why was he here?
Xiao Huai had chosen to enter a game precisely to forget him, only for him to appear yet again.
He looked away and refused to watch him.
Lu Yuanshi was the same as ever, indifferent to everyone else’s affairs, his gaze resting solely on Xiao Huai.
Even though Xiao Huai was currently pretending to be an NPC, Lu Yuanshi merely watched him as an observer.
Xiao Huai rose and addressed everyone. “Time to go.”
No one else dared say much. They followed him in silence.
Lu Yuanshi was unexpectedly obedient, following at the rear of the group with a hint of a smile in his eyes.
After they left, A-Zhuolang, who had been playing dead on the ground, abruptly opened his eyes and gulped down air.
“Good lord, that scared me to death.”
He wiped his face, smearing the foundation and fake blood together.
A-Zhuolang peered into the distance at Xiao Huai and the others as they departed.
“What a strange outsider,” he muttered.
Shaking his head, he bounced away, idly swinging the drawstrings of his casual hooded top.
Not long before, Xiao Huai had used the Red Finger to write the shortened form of his name, “A-Zhuo.”
At that moment, A-Zhuolang had seemed to see a long-haired female ghost in red clinging to his back, terrifying him into scream after scream.
Xiao Huai had sat on the ground with his chin propped on one hand, smiling mischievously as he watched the man lose his mind with fear.
“Aaaah! What is that?! I’ll cooperate! I’ll cooperate, all right?”
Xiao Huai handed him a compact of foundation so white it was almost unnatural.
“Play the corpse properly later. If you do a poor job, I’m sure the lady in red wouldn’t mind turning that fake blood real.”
A-Zhuolang’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
His mother had been right!
Beautiful things were dangerous!
So when Xiao Huai brought him back to the desert, he held his breath the entire time, terrified that someone would notice the deception.
But he had underestimated Xiao Huai’s acting.
Xiao Huai had portrayed a deranged NPC to perfection.
When he licked the blood, he looked exactly like a demon king who had slaughtered countless players. No one had paid A-Zhuolang any attention at all.
“That outsider was pretty generous, though.” A-Zhuolang touched the gold in his pocket, delighted.
He had given Xiao Huai a little food in return, though not much, since supplies were scarce in the Pudu Desert.
Perhaps deep down, A-Zhuolang thought Xiao Huai was not a bad person.
In the end, he had even told Xiao Huai the essential quality every guide needed to survive.
Stand by and watch.
Never meddle in other people’s business. The more one interfered, the more likely one was to bring disaster upon oneself.
Xiao Huai had merely smiled faintly and answered, “Mm.”
* * *
As time passed, the group walked through the desert for several hours, yet the sun showed no sign of setting.
Some players were so hot they wanted to strip naked, but the broad man hurriedly stopped them.
“If you take off all your clothes, you’ll be roasted into jerky.”
In a wasteland, it was better to cover as much skin as possible with cloth.
“He’s right. Clothing not only keeps your skin from burning, it also reduces moisture loss. By the way, my name is Ji Yelin.”
The woman who had warned everyone that the shop was unusable introduced herself and extended her right hand.
The broad man shook it briefly. “Cheng Shan.”
Ji Yelin studied his outfit. He fit her stereotypical image of an adventurer remarkably well.
There was no telling what filled his enormous backpack. A dagger was strapped to his high boot, and a flashlight hung from his belt.
All of those items could have been stored in the system inventory, yet he carried every one on his body.
“Are you a professional explorer?” Ji Yelin could not resist asking curiously.
Cheng Shan replied, “Something like that…”
A rat-eyed man beside him snorted. “You could say Cheng Shan works in an adjacent field. Isn’t that right, Mr. Tomb Raider?”
The rat-eyed man clearly knew Cheng Shan. Cheng Shan glared at him with a vicious look, while the other man appeared utterly disdainful.
They did not get along.
Then why had they entered the game together?
“A tomb raider? Is that what you do?” Ji Yelin asked.
In ancient times, accomplished tomb raiders were given the grand title of Mojin Captain, which suggested Cheng Shan was no amateur.
His equipment, then, was simply a professional habit.
“What’s in your bag?” Ji Yelin ventured.
Food could not be bought from the System Shop, and the food and water in their system inventories had also been locked.
“Do you really want to see?” Cheng Shan’s question left Ji Yelin unsure how to answer.
The rat-eyed man gave a nasty grin. “It’s this kid’s supernatural ability. Hee-hee.”
Cheng Shan looked at him. “Hey, Sun Xingye, do you have to ruin everything?”
Sun Xingye rolled his eyes. “What more do you want from me? I promised the guild leader I’d bring a newcomer through an instance. Sorry, but ruining things happens to be what I enjoy.”
Cheng Shan clenched his fists and forced out the word “You,” but did not continue the argument.
Ji Yelin also sensed the hostility between them and stopped bothering Cheng Shan.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted a tall figure walking slowly at the very back of the group.
She froze slightly.
Those ink-black eyes passed through the crowd and rested unwaveringly on Xiao Huai, sunlight falling across the man’s lashes.
Obsession and fervor seemed to hide within them. It flickered past, then dissolved into darkness until not a trace of light remained.
“Hello. May I ask why you keep staring at the NPC?”
Perhaps it was because Lu Yuanshi’s gaze was so unusual. Everyone else trudged onward with lowered heads, while he alone watched Xiao Huai.
Or perhaps his appearance was so striking that she could not resist approaching him.
Lu Yuanshi did not even look at Ji Yelin. The corner of his mouth merely rose slightly.
His thin lips parted, and he spoke.
“Because he’s beautiful to look at.”
Every distinct word rang unusually loud within the quiet group.
Everyone immediately turned toward Lu Yuanshi.
“What?” Even Cheng Shan gave him a puzzled look.
Yes, the NPC was beautiful, but he was also a murderer.
And there was a very good chance he was the final boss.
At the head of the group, Xiao Huai yawned, the tip of his nose turning red. He raised his face, and sunlight illuminated thick lashes as precisely defined as though painted with the finest brush.
The moisture clouding those lashes was merely a physical response to his yawn, yet the longer one looked into his eyes, the more it felt as though someone were fanning flames inside their heart.
An unbearable itch.
The languor between his brows made him resemble a cat basking in warm sunlight.
“My god…” Cheng Shan murmured involuntarily.
He really was beautiful…