[DF Club's Game] [Author: cyn] [Complete 1-27]

page views:1 Publication date:2023-06-09 21:21:12

The school heartthrob, gleaming under the sunlight, was thrown into the DF Club's game as revenge. From then on, he began a journey of scheming, bloodshed, and hardship in various brutal games where victory and defeat were clearly determined, striving to earn enough savings to return to a normal life.

He was schemed against,

betrayed

, used

, and even killed;

yet, he still believed in one person, and while struggling to survive, he silently prayed: at least there was one person he wouldn't have to worry about betraying him, even if that person stabbed him in the back.

I feel this is an infinite flow novel, but if you have any doubts, then it's not. However, this is definitely not an online game. 0v0 Content Tags:

Search Keywords: Protagonist: Lan Yi, Feng Qi | Supporting Characters: Qian Lan, Midnight, Qiao Wenbo, Yao Chengfei | Others:

Chapter 1: The Result of Revenge

After regaining consciousness, Lan Yi looked around:

it was a very ordinary single room in a three-star hotel. The date and time on the electronic clock on the wall, 11:12 PM, told him that the effects of the drug had lasted for more than three hours.

A postcard sat on the bedside table, giving him no chance to waste brain cells, clearly conveying the information he craved:

You broke my arm and leg, it wouldn't be in my nature not to teach you a lesson. You're about to participate in the [df club] game, the focus of which is your left wrist. Have fun, and don't die too quickly! I hope I can watch your performance from the sidelines for a little longer.

Lan Yi had no thoughts, staring blankly at the thing that looked like a digital watch, firmly wrapped around his left wrist, dazed!

He was stunned for a full five minutes before reluctantly starting to think: What's going on?! It seems I've been targeted for revenge?

I was drugged at a party and then dumped here! The [df club] game? What's that? The focus of the game was on my left wrist. My gaze, caught in a jumble of thoughts, settled on my left wrist, carefully examining the device on it:

it felt like pure metal, yet it was surprisingly lightweight;

it clung tightly to my wrist, but I couldn't find an opening or closing mechanism;

directly in front of my palm was an LCD screen about 5 centimeters in diameter; the upper right corner displayed: d7t24:00:00, the lower right corner: Lan Yi, and the center: 0$; the upper left corner had two touch-sensitive buttons: + and -, and the lower left corner had similar touch-sensitive buttons: up and down; besides that, there was nothing else.

Lan Yi's thoughts raced:

clearly, Lan Yi in the lower right corner represented my identity; the 00:00:00 in d7t00:00:00 seemed to be a 24-hour clock, and the current 00:00:00 meant the game hadn't started yet; if 't' represented time, then 'd' must be days, so 'd7' meant seven days, right?!

$ is the US dollar symbol, and + and - are probably buttons to control the increase or decrease of currency! Up and down probably mean upload and download.

What does the 0 in the center of the screen mean? Does it refer to the amount of currency?

He subconsciously touched the + button with his right index finger, the cold screen catching his eye, and gently pressed it. A piercing alarm sounded from the side of the screen!

A chill ran down his spine; he withdrew his finger and stared warily at the screen!

The content displayed on the screen flashed rapidly with the alarm, but nothing else changed.

After about five or six seconds, a mechanical voice slowly and deliberately announced: "

The game has not started, the above operation is invalid!"

This repeated three times before the alarm stopped and the screen returned to normal!

He was once again enveloped in a silent space, deeply realizing: without experiencing noise, one cannot know what true quiet is!

But this quiet was filled with an eerie unease.

******

His phone had been taken away, and there were certainly no other communication devices in the room.

He instinctively walked to the door, and sure enough, it was locked.

He cautiously approached the window, peeking through a crack in the curtains:

complete darkness in the distance, he couldn't see anything;

there seemed to be faint lights on either side, probably from the next room.

He mustered his courage and tried to open the window, then realized: the small latch was firmly locked.

Smashing the glass or breaking down the door seemed to be the only way out of this room, but in the pitch black of night, he dared not attempt it rashly!

Waiting for the game to begin was his only option.

But what was this game?

Facing the inexplicable unknown in a confined space was a suffocating fear!

Lan Yi stood by the window, her brow furrowed, peering through the thin curtain gap into the unfathomable darkness... 13, 12, 11 Lan Yi stared at the digital clock on the wall, silently counting the seconds until midnight!

Based on d7t00:00:00, the game is most likely to start at midnight, 6 AM, noon, or 6 PM.

Of course, it's also possible the organizers could arbitrarily choose any time to start.

3, 2, 1

Beep beep beep beep beep…

The device on my wrist suddenly warned! A cold, mechanical voice rang out:

The game starts now! The game starts now! The game starts now!

The voice repeated three times, then everything returned to calm, except the d7t24:00:00 on the screen started flashing:

d7t00:00:01

d7t00:00:02

d7t00:00:03

d7t00:00:04

Sure enough…

My guess was confirmed. Lan Yi frowned deeply, her worry growing stronger:

The game time really is 7 days! If I suddenly disappear, my parents will go crazy!
Chapter 2:

The newcomer turned the doorknob again, and with a simple click, the door opened!

Lan Yi took a deep breath, pulled open the door panel, and stepped out.

Outside was a typical three-star hotel corridor, perhaps intentionally dimly lit.

"Hello, hello~~~"

About five or six rooms away, a tall, thin man emerged. Seeing Lan Yi, he excitedly greeted her and approached!

As he drew near, he chuckled and chatted:

"Looks like I won't be alone again this time!"

Suddenly, the doors to the rooms on either side of Lan Yi's room opened almost simultaneously. Judging by the light shining from the room, a young boy emerged from the left, and a tall woman from the right.

The tall, thin man exclaimed in surprise, "

No way! So many poor people came this time?!

" "Shut up! So noisy!"

The woman spat fiercely and turned to leave. "

Hey! Girl! Let's walk together! Keep each other company!"

The man let out an exaggerated, lewd laugh and quickly ran past them to catch up with the woman.

The boy snorted in annoyance, brushed past Lan Yi, and walked leisurely towards the woman.

Lan Yi remained silent, somewhat bewildered.

But it was obvious that those three had played this game before!

He glanced at his room number, 309, closed the door, and quickly followed the boy.

******

The lighting was indeed so dim that walking side-by-side, they couldn't even make out each other's faces!

His physique was easy to discern: the boy was half a head taller and more robust than him.

Lan Yi began to casually try to elicit information.

Lan Yi: My name is Lan Yi.

The boy suddenly stopped, his sharp gaze fixed on Lan Yi's face:

You're a newbie?

Lan Yi was startled, forcing himself to continue his pretense:

How could I?

In any game, "newbie" is never a good word!

The boy sneered:

Here, you tell strangers your name directly! If you're not a newbie, you're an idiot!

Lan Yi smiled casually:

Is that so? Perhaps I gave a fake name earlier.

The boy smiled mockingly:

I happened to watch the "School Heartthrob" program on S City TV.

Faced with a boy who knew his background so well, Lan Yi had no choice but to abandon his pointless insistence and frankly said:

Indeed, information is the key to success or failure. How many times have you played this game?

The boy: Don't try to get close, I have no interest in meeting people in a place like this.

Lan Yi:

The boy said coldly and sarcastically:

Newbie, I wish you a long life!

Suddenly, a phrase popped into his mind: "Don't die too quickly!"

Lan Yi stiffened slightly: Is this game really that dangerous?

******

Speaking of the "School Heartthrob" program on [S City TV], Lan Yi is considered a public figure! He's a student at [S City No. 1 High School], a top-tier high school in [S City], and has just been admitted to one of the top four universities, [B University]. He's currently in the summer break, having finished high school and not yet having to worry about university!

In the first semester of his senior year, Lan Yi participated in a school heartthrob entertainment program hosted by the TV station. In short, each episode of this school heartthrob program features nine school heartthrobs, with ten episodes making up a season; each season ends with a grand finale, and the champion receives a generous prize: a 100,000 RMB education fund and a luxury European trip for two.

In the grand finale of the season he participated in, various types of handsome young men gathered together, scheming and vying for the championship. During the talent competition, one handsome young man wore a maid outfit, claiming to be a stunning beauty who could charm both men and women.

Lan Yi finally succumbed! He lay sprawled at the feet of the handsome young man, clutching the hem of his maid outfit with one hand and pounding the ground with the other, laughing uncontrollably until he was breathless and struggling to breathe!

The handsome young man, enraged and embarrassed, fiercely stomped on his back, yelling: "

Are you here to be a joke, or to be laughed at?!"

Afterwards, Lan Yi's talent performance was a set of Moon Shadow Fist techniques, a martial art passed down from the Tang and Song dynasties called "Moon Shadow Kung Fu." A dazzlingly beautiful style, its power aside, the sheer captivating movements alone stunned wave after wave of viewers.

When Lan Yi was six years old, he was taken in as the 78th generation successor of Moon Shadow Kung Fu by Ye Binghan, a teacher at Zhan Hong Martial Arts School. His decade-long dedication to training had cultivated a chivalrous aura, which, combined with his elegant and handsome appearance, resulted in a solid and rapidly expanding fanbase!

In short, despite his serious breakdown and extreme loss of composure, Lan Yi still became the champion of the season's school heartthrob, currently enjoying immense popularity! The

newcomer

's identity had been exposed, so Lan Yi stopped hiding and pretending to be profound.

He followed the boy, smiling slightly, and asked the essential question directly: "

Can you tell me what this game is? I was attacked for revenge, drugged, and dumped here, still completely clueless."

The boy glanced at him and sneered: "

I thought you were pretty impressive, a newcomer, it's rare to see someone as composed as you! Turns out you know nothing! Ignorance is bliss!"

The boy mocked him a couple of times and then fell

silent. It seemed this kid had no intention of sympathizing with the newcomer. The tall, thin man caught up with the woman and they took the elevator down together; Lan Yi and the boy were a few seconds later, each silently waiting for the next elevator.

Lan Yi glanced discreetly at the boy's left wrist and noticed: the device on his left wrist was tightly wrapped with a strip of white cloth!

His heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly realized something. Without hiding it, he lifted his pale white t-shirt, and with his teeth, tore a strip of cloth from the hem, slowly wrapping it around his left wrist.

The boy watched his actions out of the corner of his eye, his cold expression filled with a detached, almost amused, indifference.

*Ding!* The elevator doors opened, and the boy walked in.

Lan Yi followed him in, the dazzling lights many times brighter than the corridor, causing his eyes to squint unnaturally, stinging and moistening.

Quickly adjusting to the light, he glanced at the boy without ceremony, only to find the boy staring at him with unabashed scrutiny!

Lan Yi smiled politely, continuing his unabashed observation of the boy's appearance: after all, he was now his only acquaintance!

The boy was tall and slender, though somewhat thin, his slightly bulging arm muscles exuding a powerful strength; his long hair fell in front of his eyes, dark and dull, clearly dyed but neglected; his face was ordinary, but his lips were strikingly beautiful, naturally upturned, playful yet sexy; he looked quite tall, but Lan Yi instinctively felt: he wasn't older than him, and remembering his current appearance was pointless. "I have a disguise, and perhaps I'll change it soon."

The boy shifted his gaze to the elevator doors, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Before Lan Yi could react, the elevator dinged and stopped, the doors opening!

******

The scene on the first floor was no different from an ordinary three-star hotel, except there were no staff at the counter. The dim lighting and the deserted atmosphere created an eerily lonely atmosphere!

As Lan Yi looked around, the boy had already walked out the door, shouting at him without turning back:

"Newbie, follow me."

Lan Yi was slightly taken aback, then smiled faintly and quickly chased after him!

******

Outside the hotel was a small courtyard, with dense trees beyond the gate, resembling a wild forest.

They walked leisurely through, estimating that the woods they were walking in were about 500 meters away.

Then, a brightly lit area came into view, and the tall, thin man and woman ahead of them were rapidly approaching the brightly lit location!

He followed the boy for about three or four minutes before entering the dazzling light.

Here, it was a magnificent palace!

High walls, imposing gates, flowers, trees, a swimming pool, and pavilions were illuminated by countless lights.

The boy, without looking to the side, walked in a straight line to the palace. The tightly closed doors were a heavy, oppressive metallic color!

He pressed a prominent gold button on the right door frame, and the door quickly opened, the lingering sound of the doorbell ringing out through the crack!

The boy pushed open the door and went in without a second thought. Lan Yi, not daring to think too much, followed closely behind. The space was as spacious as a city center square, with exquisite decorations, soft and tranquil lighting, and dazzling ornaments. A few men and women sat around. The door creaked shut behind them. Lan Yi stood quietly at the doorway, peering into the opulent interior.

The boy walked a long way, then turned back to give him a cold look, but ultimately, with a cold face, blended into the quiet crowd. "

Hey hey hey~~~ The lights in the slums are too dim, I couldn't see your face clearly!" "Kid, your beauty has reached another level!" A loud, exaggerated, and lewd voice rang out beside him.

Lan Yi turned to look: the tall, thin man she had encountered in the hotel earlier clearly came into view.

The man, with a smug grin, casually put his arm around Lan Yi's shoulder and laughed:

"Handsome, call me Brother Wen!"

Lan Yi pushed the man's arm away, flashing his signature smile:

"Lan Yi."

The man froze for a moment, then burst into laughter: "

You tricked me, kid! Your sincere and innocent expression when you said your name made me think it was your real name since it was your first time here! "

Lan Yi continued to probe:

"It's my real name."

The man didn't believe her:

"Really? Is this really your first time here?"

Lan Yi evaded the man's question: "

If you don't know which 'Yi' it is, what can you do?"

The man frowned deeply again, chuckling wickedly: "

Kid, don't just tell people your name! Even if you don't know which character it is, try a few more times, and you'll figure it out!"

Lan Yi smiled habitually, already certain in her heart:

In this game, it seems you can damage the owner of a name just by knowing their real name.

Is this the purpose of everyone hiding the information on the device screen on their left wrist?

He scanned the various people: without exception, they were all covering their left wrists!

The man who called himself Brother Wen was enjoying the boy's good looks, his intention for a long-term relationship was obvious: "

I'll call you Xiao Yi."

"Okay."

Lan Yi observed the situation in the hall and casually asked, "

Brother Wen, I heard this game is organized by the [df club]. How can I contact the club's staff? After all, my parents will be very worried if I stay here for seven days. At least give me a chance to call my family and lie that I'm going on a trip with my classmates or something."

Brother Wen patted the handsome young man on the shoulder and sighed, "

Don't worry, if you make it back alive, you'll find that the excuses the club people use to reassure your friends and family are definitely more professional than anything you could come up with on the spot."

He put his arm around the young man's back and led him towards the crowd, grinning, "

Let's go! We can't just stand in the corner forever. It's necessary to get to know the people in this place! After all, some of them might be entering the same game as you. If they become enemies, knowing your enemy and yourself will ensure victory in every battle; if they become teammates, you're not afraid of god-like enemies, but you're afraid of pig-like teammates!"

Lan Yi had too many questions about this place, this game, and the [df club], but he didn't dare to ask casually!

Because, in the conversation with the boy in the hotel, and in the conversation with Brother Wen just now, whenever the topic of "newcomers" came up, their expressions and tone made it seem as if "newcomers" and "dead people" were synonymous!

******

In fact, disregarding the time, place, and the watches hidden under everyone's wrists, this place wasn't much different from any lavish public place!

Perhaps, newcomers really are a rare species. Lan Yi carefully observed everyone's expressions and actions. Although most showed fear and unease, there was no panic or confusion about the unknown!

Therefore, he became even more determined: he had to deeply disguise his ignorance and naivety!

The man led him around, attracting many fiery gazes.

Brother Wen suddenly leaned close to his ear, pointed to the young man sitting on the sofa in the northeast corner, and chuckled: "

See that man? His real name is Midnight, but no one dares to do anything to him! That man is too strong. Anyone who tries to take advantage of him is either already dead or about to die! The key point is, he likes to mess with pretty boys! Did you see the way he looked at you?" If you can get close to him and keep his interest in you going, you should be able to go home alive!

Following Wen Ge's hint, Lan Yi glanced at him casually:

the man was wearing a tight black vest, his muscular arms gleaming under the light, and his piercing gaze was unabashedly fixed on him, his desire to tear off his clothes blatantly obvious! Moreover, the man seemed to sense that he was being stared at, and gave a wicked grin, extending his right hand and beckoning him with his index finger.

Lan Yi's scalp tingled, and he quickly looked away!

Wen Ge enjoyed watching the boy's embarrassed expression as he was being watched and teased, chuckling softly, then pointed to the center of the hall:

a slender, pale-faced boy wearing large black-rimmed glasses was curled up on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling!

That kid, you can call him Xiao Bo. His memory is phenomenal, almost a photographic genius! The lenses on those black-rimmed glasses were two-way lenses; his own side was like a mirror, while the outside was completely transparent glass, allowing others to clearly see his eyes! That kid wore those special glasses to prevent himself from suddenly seeing something offensive, something he'd never forget! Hehehe, Brother Wen then steered Lan Yi's gaze westward, secretly pointing to a refined and cultured gentleman, continuing his gossip: "

That handsome guy is Xiao Qian. Don't let his gentle appearance and easy-going nature fool you; he's the longest-surviving person here! I've never played games with him, but I've heard he's incredibly intelligent. He's usually mild-mannered, but once he gets ruthless, even that man at midnight is afraid of him!"

Lan Yi tried to calm himself, remembering the people Brother Wen had deliberately introduced! Although he didn't know what the game was, whatever the game, these people Brother Wen had mentioned would be quite troublesome if they became enemies or opponents!

Suddenly, a bald young man with delicate features, a thin face, and a bony build walked by in the distance. A metal ring was fastened to his belt, from which a silver-white metal rod, about four or five centimeters in diameter and over a meter long, was inserted. The rod stood upright against his spine, protruding about an inch from his left shoulder.

Brother Wen quickly followed with a grin, greeting him warmly:

"Little Yao, I couldn't find you anywhere! I thought something had happened to you and you couldn't make it!"

The young man chuckled dismissively, "

You overestimate me! If you don't come when you're supposed to, you lose 100,000 every minute, 144 million US dollars a day! I'm a poor man, how could I not come?"

Brother Wen chuckled sheepishly:

"If you and I become teammates in the same game again, you'd better look out for each other!"

The young man patted Wen Ge's back with a hearty laugh, a smirk playing on his lips: "

Wait until you're lucky enough to become my teammate!"

Wen Ge gave a forced smile, then walked back to Lan Yi's side, a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "

When will it be my turn to be arrogant?"

Wen Ge pointed at the boy named Xiao Yao, about to say something, when suddenly the north wall cracked open rapidly from the center, revealing a large LCD screen, as tall as the wall and over ten meters wide!

The hall fell silent instantly, hundreds of people staring intently at the screen, their expressions grave.

The screen lit up at the perfect moment, showing a terrifying, malevolent skeleton dragging a chain in its left hand and carrying a scythe in its right, standing in a pool of blood, emitting a sinister laugh!

As the laughter subsided, a deep, resonant male voice mechanically read out from the screen: "

Day 7, time 01:00:00, [DF Club] The 13th annual game officially begins!"

To help our players, who may have become lazy in real life, quickly get back into the swing of things, let's play a little game.

The club will randomly select ten players, and these ten players will take turns playing the game based on their ID numbers.

The game is simple: if you're lucky enough to play, you just need to randomly choose one of the players present (excluding yourself) and guess the amount of money in their watch. As long as the difference between your guess and the actual amount is within 1%, you will receive the absolute value of your guess from that player!

However, if the difference between your guess and the actual amount exceeds 1%, the absolute value of the difference will be deducted from your account and belong to the club!

Also, please note that if you want to guess the amount of money in one of the ten randomly selected players, you only need to state their ID number; if you want to guess the amount of money in another player's account, you need to state their real name; if you're hesitant and want to forfeit, you must pay the club a forfeit fee of 100 million RMB; each player's thinking time for guessing cannot exceed 5 minutes.

Now, I will announce the ID numbers of the ten players participating in the game on the screen.

Immediately afterward, the skull with the chain and scythe disappeared, and ten numbers appeared below a black rose, displayed in a row:

031, 048, 115

, 176, 203, 259, 284, 364, 371, 392. Wen Ge looked at each number and immediately breathed a sigh of relief! He muttered gloatingly, "

I wonder who's going to be unlucky this time !"

At this critical moment, Lan Yi had to ask the newbie's question:

How do I know my ID number?

This question made Wen Ge almost choke on his own blood! He gasped, "

When the Grim Reaper on the screen announced the start of the game, your ID on your watch screen changed from your real name to a number. That number is your ID number for this game! Quickly check your ID number!"

Now Lan Yi finally understood what it meant to let others know your real name!

Here, letting others know your real name meant: a game you could have avoided would be unconditionally dragged into by your real name!

He loosened the cloth binding his watch, carefully revealing the ID: 115.

These three numbers are lucky!

Wen Ge, staring at his furrowed brows, twitched his lips and asked, "

How is it?" Could it be...?

Lan Yi chuckled self-deprecatingly: "My winning rate is pretty high."

Wen Ge widened his eyes, sighing: "Good luck!"

Chapter 3: The First Round of the Game

The deep, resonant male voice on the screen mechanically sounded again: "

Players now have 10 minutes to gather information! After 10 minutes, please stand in front of the screen and stand according to the displayed numbers." "

I can't help you in this situation. You should move around more and see if you can find anything!" "I'll go get a drink first."

Wen Ge shook his head, walked to the center of the hall, sat at the bar, and ordered a glass of baijiu.

Lan Yi crossed his arms, frowned, and focused on the bustling crowd, deep in thought:

Gather information! How to gather it?

On one hand, he didn't know who the other nine players were; on the other hand, even if he did, how could he find out how much money each of them had in their bank accounts?

What should he do? Guessing randomly wouldn't be accurate by even 1%!

If the bank accounts on the table represented real currency, a poor man like him might not earn millions of RMB in his entire life, let alone with the currency displayed as US dollars!!

So, how could he minimize the discrepancy?

In this unfamiliar place, facing unfamiliar people, he was completely helpless! He could only wait for the game to start and act accordingly!

******

10 minutes, both short and long!

When the ten players stood below the numbers displayed on the screen, Lan Yi discovered that the refined-looking Xiao Qian was actually her neighbor: number 176!

A deep, resonant male voice on the screen began calling out numbers:

"The first player to guess the amount of bank accounts is 031, please begin!"

Number 031 was a middle-aged man with a somewhat neurotic appearance. He gave a barely perceptible chuckle and called out: "

I want to guess number 115's bank account amount!" It was negative $160,000.

Instantly, various ambiguous gazes fell upon Lan Yi, causing his heart to skip a beat. He quickly checked his apparent bank account balance: it was indeed -160,000!

How could this be? Shouldn't it be 0? Why was it -160,000?!

Suddenly, the words of the boy named Xiao Yao echoed in his memory: "If this place doesn't come when it's supposed to, it deducts 100,000 per minute, 144 million US dollars per day." Lan Yi suddenly realized:

if this place had come when it was supposed to, deducting 10,000 US dollars per minute, then from the start of the game until now, exactly a little over 16 minutes, deducting 160,000 US dollars, his bank account would indeed be negative 160,000 US dollars!

At that very moment, the number displayed on Lan Yi's watch changed to -320,000, which is negative 160,000 minus the absolute value of the amount guessed correctly by player 031!

The screen didn't announce player 031's guess; instead, after about a minute, it announced: "

The first guess is over. The second player to guess the deposit amount is player 048. Please begin!"

This meant that only the guesser and the guessed knew whether the previous guess was correct!

Player 048 was an ordinary-looking woman. She glanced at Lan Yi and said in a trembling, uncertain voice: "

I want to guess player 115's deposit amount!" It was negative 330,000 US dollars.

Lan Yi's body stiffened, his mind went blank. He understood:

he had been betrayed! Wen Ge, who knew he was a newcomer, or the boy who had come out of the hotel with him, were the prime suspects!

For the first time in his life, he tasted the bitterness of being betrayed without realizing it: fear, panic, and even more so, heartache and sorrow!

His mind was in turmoil, as if he had been hit on the back of the head with a club, not knowing how to escape this passive predicament!

His gaze wandered aimlessly, trying to find Brother Wen, or the boy who had disguised his appearance! Unfortunately, the gloating faces flashing before his eyes sent chills down his spine!

And the number on his watch screen had already reached a negative $660,000!

A minute later, instead of announcing the result of player 048's guess, the screen announced: "

Second guess is over. The third player to guess the deposit amount is player 115. Please begin!"

Player 115, it was his turn!

Lan Yi tried to compose himself, biting his lower lip hard to quickly clear his dazed mind:

Now is not the time to be anxious about being betrayed! How can I minimize my losses in this game?

I know nothing about the other nine people; guessing the wrong way could result in heavy losses!

The only saving grace is that after I guess, my deposit amount will no longer be transparent!

He subconsciously glanced at the nine other participants to his left and right, then suddenly realized something:

No! My deposit amount is still transparent to the people I guessed!

"In that case, I should guess number 031 or 048. They've already guessed, they won't have another chance to guess me!"

He took a deep breath, loosened his lower lip, and opened his mouth:

"I'll guess

." Suddenly, a voice interrupted him: "

Hey, think carefully before you speak.

" Lan Yi stuck "048" in his throat, looking in the direction of the voice:

an ordinary face, lips naturally slightly upturned, mischievous yet sexy; long hair falling in front of his eyes, dark and dull. Was it him? The boy who had walked here with him from the hotel!

The boy had his thumbs tucked into his jeans belt, a lazy smile playing on his lips, facing Lan Yi, a mocking smile in his eyes!

The warning to "think carefully before you speak" quickly calmed Lan Yi down:

"Indeed! Even if I guess 031 or 048, there's no guarantee they won't use some kind of code to pass on my bank account number to the next person!" A

cold sweat broke out on his brow: "Here, no one can be trusted, everyone could be an enemy!

What should I do?"

He glanced blankly at the nine other contestants to his left and right. When his gaze fell on number 176, his neighbor—the seemingly frail and refined, yet supposedly incredibly strong Xiao Qian—

he decided to take a gamble:

rather than blindly relying on luck, he'd guess this man's number, keeping his savings transparent to him!

Of course, when it was his turn to guess, he'd probably deliberately guess wrong to avoid revealing his own savings to others! However, he could use his savings to minimize his losses!

Since this man was so intelligent, he should understand that his actions were a deliberate attempt to curry favor with him!

Even if he guessed randomly, he couldn't make the difference too large, otherwise his debt would reach a terrifying amount!

How much should he guess?

Forfeiting incurred a 100 million RMB forfeiture fee, meaning that 100 million RMB was a painful but not outrageous amount in this game! If this man was strong, his savings shouldn't be small. Lan Yi had hesitated for almost five minutes. He took another deep breath and said, "

I want to guess number 176's savings." "52.63 million RMB!

This amount!" A murmur of astonishment rippled through the hall. Aside from Number 176 himself and the mental arithmetic experts, everyone else would need a calculator to guess the amount!

Number 176, Xiao Qian, looked at Lan Yi with a gentle smile: "You're quick-witted."

Lan Yi returned an extremely unnatural smile, silently praying to all sorts of gods and Buddhas: "

I hope this man will let me off the hook! If he wants to ruin me, he only needs to tell the others my bank account number." Xiao Qian seemed to see through Lan Yi's thoughts and smiled slightly:

"Don't worry, in this game, nobody trusts anyone else. Even if I said your current bank account is 61 million USD, no one would believe me!"

When Lan Yi checked the change in her bank account number on her watch, her face almost turned green:

it was negative 55.95 million USD, which is more than 350 million RMB!

This number—unless someone has the most accurate information, whoever guesses it is doomed!

At this moment, Lan Yi desperately wanted to wipe his forehead with a towel; the feeling of cold sweat and hot sweat flowing together was so miserable!

However, his mind was in complete turmoil, but on the surface he had to remain calm and indifferent, which was even more miserable!

******

One minute later, the screen did not announce the result of player number 115's guess, but instead announced:

The third guess is over, the fourth player to guess the amount of deposits is player number 176, please begin!

Xiao Qian's smile was his trademark, always the same expression, always the same degree! He glanced at the boy number 115 and said:

I want to guess Midnight's deposit amount. It's 83.7 million US dollars.

Lan Yi suddenly looked up at his neighbor Xiao Qian, just in time to see the refined man looking back at him with a smile:

there was actually a hint of provocation.

Lan Yi instantly understood:

I had been too superficial in my thinking!

I guessed Xiao Qian's deposit, and then my deposit was transparent to him, in fact, his deposit was also transparent to me!

He had to be wary of the danger of me revealing his deposit information to other players!

Therefore, his guess of Midnight's deposit had many meanings.

First, and most importantly, I need to make his deposits no longer transparent to me!

Second, the amount he reports should be close to the amount deposited at midnight; otherwise, if the difference is handed over to the club, neither of them will benefit!

Third, the discrepancy between the amount he reported and the actual amount should be greater than 1%. Otherwise, Midnight's savings would almost entirely belong to him, a situation Midnight would absolutely not allow. Thus, while the exact amount of their savings remains unknown, it undoubtedly tells others that they each have hundreds of millions of RMB. Anyone who tries to guess should be prepared to lose hundreds of millions of RMB!

Fourth, announcing his partnership with Midnight will make anyone who wants to challenge him, Xiaoqian, consider the combined strength of him and Midnight.

Lan Yi lowered her eyelashes and sighed deeply:

"So tiring! The game has only been going on for a few minutes, and I'm already over 300 million RMB in debt! Moreover, when considering problems, even a slight mental shift can lead to oversights. There are still nearly 7 days left. What should I do? If I go home with such a huge debt, I'll never be able to repay it in my lifetime. Besides, there might be more games in these 7 days that will burden me with even heavier debts!

If I just end it all and commit suicide, will the club come after my parents for the debt?"

Living under the bright sunshine, admired by boys and adored by girls, the handsome and talented school heartthrob, at this moment, felt a fear of dying!

Chapter 4: Game 1 of the Second Round of the Game.

Lan Yi dazedly endured until the game ended!

Actually, he was quite glad that his number was relatively early. If his number had been the last, and everyone had been targeting him from the first to the ninth digit, his debt might have increased to around 80 to 90 million US dollars, or 500 to 600 million RMB!

He walked blankly away from the screen, his previous impulse vanished:

to find that boy, or Brother Wen, and question them about who betrayed him? And why would they admit it! Even if they admitted it, what could he do!

The large screen behind him suddenly lit up again with a skull with a chain on the left and a scythe on the right!

A deep, resonant male voice mechanically announced from the screen: "

Day 7, time 03:00:00!

Next, there are three games for players to choose from. Game 1 is a magic game; Game 2 is a supernatural game; Game 3 is a competitive game.

If you wish for another player to participate in a particular game, please enter that player's real name, game number, and in-game faction on your watch screen within 5 minutes. If a player's real name is entered multiple times, the first entry will be used!

Furthermore, for each game, the club will randomly select ten players who must participate. Their player IDs will be announced in 5 minutes.

Please note that the IDs of players who must participate and those who enter their real names will not be duplicated.

Please consider carefully; the timer is now on."

Lan Yi tried to stay alert, his mind racing:

Magic games, supernatural games, competitive games—of these three categories, the first and second sounded too fantastical. For a complete novice like me, competitive games seemed more suitable, perhaps even allowing me to utilize my abilities. Therefore, I absolutely couldn't be randomly selected by the club to participate in a game I had to play!

He discreetly typed on his watch screen

: Player Name: Lan Yi

Game: 3

Faction: Please select A or B: A

Just as he typed the letter A, a slightly mocking voice whispered in his ear:

"So naive! You actually chose a competitive game!"

Lan Yi quickly took a few steps forward, spun around, and distanced himself from the person behind him, a chill running down his spine:

It was that hotel kid again! He had silently approached me from behind, and I hadn't even noticed!

The kid, hands in his pockets, glanced at Lan Yi and sneered: "

First, do you even know what a competitive game is? Second, do you know how many people are in faction A and faction B?" For example, in a competitive game like soccer, faction X has only you, while faction Y has a dozen or twenty players. On the field, you're playing against 11 people, while they have a dozen substitutes cheering you on from the bench. How many goals do you plan to lose to faction Y in the entire match? If faction X gives faction Y 100 million US dollars or 100 million RMB for every goal lost, how many billions will you be in debt by the end of the game?

A chill ran through Lan Yi's body, her spirit teetering on the brink of collapse:

How could it be 1 vs 11? Don't clubs select ten players to balance the numbers? The boy scoffed: Balance the numbers? Clubs only kick someone when they're down; they wouldn't be kind enough to balance the numbers!

Lan Yi took a deep breath, found a sofa, sat down, and closed her eyes to rest:

It's come to this; all she can do is try to face it!

******

Five minutes are up. The screen displays the IDs of all players who participated in game 1, game 2, and game 3 in the left, center, and right sections respectively!

Therefore, judging from the screen alone, it was impossible to distinguish which IDs were chosen by the club and which were registered with real names!

Lan Yi looked over but didn't see his ID number, 115, under Game 3!

Before he could even be surprised, a finger hooked his chin, pulling his face and gaze towards Game 1:

Number 115 had actually appeared below Game 1!

The boy's slightly mocking voice rang in his ear again:

I've put your real name in Game 1! You don't need to thank me.

Lan Yi gritted his teeth inwardly: This guy has silently crept up behind me again! He's definitely a dangerous person!

The boy sneered and instantly drifted away: My name is A Qi, don't hold me back later!

A Qi, real name Feng Qi!

Lan Yi was, after all, a direct disciple of the Moon Shadow Technique, yet Feng Qi had twice quietly crept up behind him without him noticing!

Therefore, Feng Qi was an absolutely dangerous person! 　　The large screen began broadcasting:

" 　　Players of Game 1, please proceed to the 2nd floor lobby; players of Game 2, please proceed to the 3rd floor lobby; and players of Game 3, please proceed to the 4th floor lobby. Detailed rules for each game will be explained in the respective lobby." 　　A surge of people rushed by, creating a visually chaotic scene; however, the auditory environment was unusually quiet! 　　Those participating in the games and those not, each with their own thoughts and serious expressions, were all preoccupied. 　　Most of the players heading towards the stairwell were from Game 1, while those waiting for the elevator were mostly from Game 2 and Game 3. 　　Lan Yimo calculated the population ratio, various thoughts flashing through his mind: the number 　　of players taking the stairs was more than double that taking the elevator! 　　Was it really because the supernatural games were more difficult, and the number of players in the competitive games might be extremely unbalanced?

Furthermore, how are these games implemented? Are they live-action interactive games like the King's Game, cosplay role-playing games, or online games?

"Hey!" Feng Qi blocked Lan Yi's path at the top of the stairs, a smirk playing on his lips: "

Stop giving me that 'I'm a complete newbie' look! Didn't you get bullied badly enough in the first round?"

Lan Yi was powerless to retaliate against his sarcastic remarks, forcing a fake smile while inwardly muttering:

"Don't act like you're one of us, you haven't cleared up the suspicion that you betrayed me yet!"

Feng Qi, with a cold and sharp aura, scoffed: "

Here, every game involves deception and betrayal. Just remember that, and you won't lose so badly!"

Lan Yi tentatively voiced her suspicion: "

I remember you said not to let me get close, that you weren't interested in meeting people in a place like this! You seem a little too enthusiastic towards me now, aren't you?"

Feng Qi shrugged, instead showing a rather helpless expression, scoffing: "

I always have a stronger sense of pity for those who have been betrayed!"

This kid! Lan Yi grinned through gritted teeth, following the boy up to the second floor!

******

The layout of the second-floor lobby wasn't much different from the first-floor lobby, only noticeably smaller.

Surrounding the lobby were individual rooms with light apricot-red doors, closely spaced, presumably single rooms!

She counted them one by one—42 in total, densely packed and dizzying to look at!

When the stairs stopped moving, a gentle female voice emanated from the ceiling: "

Game 1 is a magic-based game. Real-time duration is 24 hours, and virtual time in the game is 7 days.

Players, please choose any room, lie down in the game pod, and press the red start button above your head to enter the game.

Please note that at the 8th and 16th hours of real-time, the game will shut down for half an hour. Players can eat in their rooms during this time, but must not leave their rooms, otherwise it will be considered abandoning the game, with a fine of $100 million."

A game pod?

Lan Yi was immediately filled with melancholy!

The sudden intrusion of those realistic online game novels into his real life, if not for the bizarre nature of the situation itself, would have shattered his worldview, values, and outlook on life once again!

Suddenly, a series of clanging sounds of metal hitting the floor drew everyone's attention!

It was

Xiao Yao, the bald, wiry, and slender boy carrying a metal rod, who pulled the rod out, tossed it into the air, and let it fall freely to the floor with a crisp sound, spinning and spinning until the patterned end stopped pointing towards a door in the northeast direction!

Hmm, that's the one! Xiao Yao used his toes to pick up the metal rod, grabbed it, twirled it a few times, and walked towards the room.

At this moment, Brother Wen, who had been hiding in the crowd, popped out, quickly chased after him, and chuckled:

"Xiao Yao, you're into superstition too!"

"How could it be superstition?!" For this kind of virtual game, the login machine is very important! Just like birth, some people are born into royalty, rich kids, or nouveau riche, while others are born to be African refugees, impoverished, and plagued by disease! I'm certain that among these machines logging into the game, there's a super-lucky, cheat-like, cheat-like Xiao Yao, endlessly proclaiming his theories.

Brother Wen followed behind him, chuckling incessantly, but dared not refute him. "

That kid makes sense," a gentle voice chuckled, brushing past him.

Lan Yi looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xiao Qian's refined face, and Midnight's arrogant and ambiguous glance!

Xiao Qian waved his finger at him, smiling slightly:

"Boy, I hope you and I aren't on opposing sides."

Lan Yi watched Xiao Qian and Midnight enter the adjacent room, understanding: in this game, those two are still cooperating.

He sincerely prayed that he was on the same side as those two! Otherwise

... Let's go! Don't be so dazed! Feng Qi gave Lan Yi a sharp shove, and the two chose two nearby rooms to enter!

Lan Yi was already filled with resentment at Feng Qi for sneaking up on him from behind!

The moment he stepped into the room, Feng Qi suddenly threw a sentence at him: Choose wood, or I'll just chop you out of the game.

Lan Yi was stunned again! He really was a newbie, okay? He really had no feel for professional jargon, okay?

Chapter 5: The Trap of the Golden Finger

The room was small, with a device resembling a life pod from a sci-fi spaceship, a small dining table, a swivel chair, and a bathroom.

The floor, walls, and ceiling of the room were all snow-white, the device was silver-gray, while the dining table and swivel chair were bright red, appearing abrupt and eerie!

Suddenly, the watch hummed, the mechanical voice coldly ringing:

Player 115, please enter the game as soon as possible, Player 115, please enter the game as soon as possible. Lan Yi's normal thinking was still broken. He looked at the time on the watch screen: Day 7, Time 03:15:00! He

lay down in the game pod, closed the lid, saw the red button above his head, touched it with his index finger, and then pressed it hard!

After a slight dizziness, the surrounding scenery completely changed!

He inexplicably stood up, surrounded by boundless emptiness and darkness!

Five flickering lights enveloped him in the center, and a soft voice whispered in his ears: "

Player ID 115, welcome to the magical world of [df club]!

You belong to faction A. Please choose your magic faction: Orange light represents fire, yellow light represents metal, green light represents wood, blue light represents water, and indigo light represents earth. If you have decided, please touch the corresponding light."

Lan Yi remembered Feng Qi's warning the moment he entered, and hesitantly walked to the green light, reaching his right hand inside!

Instantly, green light covered the entire space, and the whispering in his ears continued: "

Player ID 115, faction A, wood element. Game quest now issued!"

Task 1: Individual Leveling Task: The game's level cap is 60. The last player to reach level 60 will be penalized with a fine of 100 million RMB, while the first player to reach level 60 will receive a reward of 100 million RMB.

Task 2: Faction Leveling Task: Players will be ranked according to the time they reach level 60. The faction with the most players in the top five will win, and each player in that faction will receive a reward of 100 million RMB. This reward will be distributed equally among the players in the losing faction.

Task 3: Boss Quest. There are three bosses in the game, each located at the deepest part of a different dungeon. Players can team up to enter the dungeon and challenge the boss. The team that successfully defeats the boss will receive in-game currency, materials, and equipment dropped by the boss. The team that achieves the first kill of a boss will receive a bonus in addition to the boss's drops. This bonus is contributed by all players outside that team, with each player contributing 100 million RMB. The bonus will be divided equally among the players on the first kill team. If a player participates in the first kill of all bosses, then all players who do not achieve the first kill of all three bosses must each contribute 100 million USD. The total bonus is divided by the number of players who achieve the first kill of all three bosses to determine the bonus amount for each player who achieves the first kill of all three bosses.

Task 4: City Siege Quest. Faction A's main city is Dark City, and Faction B's main city is Flower City. If the lord of Dark City is killed, each player in faction A will be fined 100 million US dollars, and the total fines for faction A will be equally distributed among the players in faction B who participated in the massacre. If the lord of Flower City is killed, the total fines for faction B will be equally distributed among the players in faction A who participated in the massacre.

This game has the above four tasks; player number 115, please proceed according to your capabilities.

Please note that resurrection in this game costs 100 million US dollars. If a player's savings fall below -100 million US dollars, they will be immediately kicked out of the game upon death, but must not leave the room before the game's designated time, otherwise they will be fined 100 million US dollars.

The muttering voices faded into the distance, the green light receded, and a blinding portal appeared in the darkness!

Lan Yi walked towards the portal, sighing:

This game is incredibly profitable, but the penalties are even more outrageous! Players' bonuses are all provided by the players themselves; players even have to pay resurrection fees to the club! Before, I was always confused about the purpose of [DF Club] creating such a mysterious game; now, I completely understand that the club is simply using mysterious methods to make a fortune! But has human technology secretly advanced to this level? This game is like a real dream; he truly hopes that everything here is just a dream!

******

Stepping out of the portal, the scenery instantly changed!

Lush, verdant trees stretched endlessly, a very ordinary forest scene, with flowers, grass, insects, and butterflies on the ground—a vibrant sight!

After turning 360 degrees and calming down, he noticed:

in the upper left corner of his vision, his ID number, level, health bar, and mana bar were always displayed; in the lower left corner, something resembling an iPad was always suspended.

Reaching out to touch the iPad, it instantly teleported in front of him, revealing four clearly visible buttons on the screen:

Communication, Skills, and Luggage—professional!

Clicking Communication brought up a submenu for SMS and Calls; clicking Call prompted him to enter his player ID number or real name.

Lan Yi tentatively entered Xiao Qian's ID number: 176!

The next second, the iPad's voice prompt said: Players of different factions cannot communicate.

Lan Yi sighed silently: What a tragedy!

He wanted to try Ah Qi's ID, but tragically discovered that he hadn't asked Ah Qi for his ID!

Clicking on skills brought up several icons and skill names, but they were all grayed out, indicating they were unusable!

Clicking on luggage revealed it was empty! Clicking on

professions brought up sub-menus: Cooking, Alchemy, Crafting, Herbalism, Mining, Skinning.

Unfortunately, these were also all grayed out, indicating they were unusable!

Lan Yi was once again bewildered!

He looked at his black linen clothes, gazed at the endless forest, and with an irrepressible urge, cried out: "

Where's the newbie village?!"

Suddenly, a gust of wind stirred behind him. He frowned slightly, nimbly lunged forward and rolled, hiding behind a large tree. Immediately after, a wooden arrow whistled past!

Someone ambushed him?!

Was it a player from faction B?

Sigh, newbies are so behind the times; everyone else is already doing PvP (player versus player), and he still doesn't know how to do PvE (player versus player)!

He quickly popped his head out to check the arrow's position in the ground, thus estimating the attacker's approximate location!

Whoosh! Another wooden arrow flew past the spot where his head was peeking out!

With two arrows in position, Lan Yi understood. He grabbed a pebble from the ground, threw it with a thud, making the grass tremble, and then burst out from behind a large tree, his steps unsteady, heading straight for the player whose head was barely visible and the tip of the arrow!

Seeing his position exposed, the guy abandoned all concealment and fled!

Lan Yi's running pursuit wasn't a straight line, but a complex, interwoven, and elusive movement, accompanied by extreme agility and speed, almost ghostly!

This was the Moon Shadow Step of the Moon Shadow Technique! Although he couldn't unleash his full power in the game, it was still somewhat effective!

As he fled, the guy glanced back and saw that player number 115, whom he had ambushed, was moving like a ghost, and the distance between them was rapidly closing. He panicked, slightly slowed his escape, drew his bow, and fired wildly!

Lan Yi easily dodged some, caught a few more, and suddenly accelerated, crouching, jumping, leaping, spinning, and delivering a flying kick!

The guy's head was hit hard, he groaned, and fell sideways, struggling to get up, but the pursuing player pinned him down on his spine, and a sharp arrow was pressed against the back of his neck, rendering him immobile!

Lan Yi hesitated about what to do with this guy:

after all, he was an enemy, and not killing him would be a disaster! However, if he killed this guy, as long as his bank account was above -100 million US dollars, he could resurrect, and it would also provide the club with 100 million US dollars in resurrection fees! So, it was meaningless to kill him no matter how many times he was killed, unless he was kicked out of the game!

Suddenly, the guy under his feet shouted hoarsely:

You can't kill me! I am the guardian of this forest! If you kill me, it's the same as making an enemy of all the inhabitants of this forest!!!

Good heavens! It's not a player from faction B! It's an idiot!

Lan Yi maintained her perfect, suppressed stance and asked, "

Why did you ambush me just now?"

The NPC shouted, "I thought you were a poacher or a lumberjack, so of course I had to attack you! But I never intended to kill you; I was just trying to scare you as a warning!" "

Is this part of the game's plot?"

For Lan Yi, online games were usually things like Counter-Strike, KartRider, and StarCraft; she'd only ever heard of large-scale story-driven online games, never actually experienced one. Not knowing how to continue, she could only awkwardly ask, "

So, what do you suggest we do now?"

The NPC spoke in a conciliatory tone: "

You don't seem like a poacher or lumberjack; it was just a misunderstanding! How about this, you let me go, and I'll take you back to the village and treat you well."

Lan Yi pondered: "The village he's talking about is probably some kind of starting area!" It seemed going to the village with him was inevitable, but letting him go like this wouldn't be right! After all, those two arrows would have been fatal or severely wounded for an ordinary player. How could it just be a warning? Would the club really be so ruthless as to send players back to the starting area as soon as they enter the game? That's terrifying!

What kind of "good treatment" will they give them?

He stomped hard on NC's spine, subtly embedding the arrow tip into the back of his neck, a calm smile playing on his lips, yet undeniably intimidating.

NC quickly raised his voice, roaring:

"Don't mess around! I am the guardian of the forest, even the village chief treats me with respect. Letting you go is far more valuable than killing me!"

Lan Yi hummed in agreement.

Lan Yi withdrew his foot, sheathed the arrow, and helped NC up with one hand, returning the four arrows in his hand to him, a slight smile playing on his lips: "

Guardian, you've witnessed my skills. I hope I can understand the value of sparing your life, otherwise, I don't need to emphasize the consequences, do I?"

NC's expression was unfriendly, but under the pressure, he remained silent, pointing northeast, gesturing for Lan Yi to follow him.

******

The village was peaceful, with all-wood houses and buildings of various styles, possessing a secluded, idyllic charm.

The forest guardian led him to the village chief's house, leaned close to the chief's ear, and whispered something with a shifty expression.

The village chief's expression grew increasingly uneasy as he listened, staring intently at Lan Yi's calm and composed face, deep in thought. Suddenly, he waved his hand, indicating that the guardian understood. After exchanging a few polite words with Lan Yi, he told him to wander around the village and see if there was anything he liked, assuring him that he would do his best to meet his needs.

Okay, now he could take on some quests and buy some items.

Leaving the village chief's house, the guardian wanted to take his leave, but Lan Yi stopped him: "If you leave, the people in your village won't take good care of me. Where will I find you?"

Perhaps it was a game setting that required the guardian to stay alive at all costs, so he held his breath and obediently stayed by Lan Yi's side, following him around the village!

After wandering around for a while, unsure of where to continue, Lan Yi glanced at the guardian and gestured for him to lead the way!

The guardian froze for a moment before leading Lan Yi to a clinic.

The clinic consisted of two rooms, an outer room where the doctor practiced medicine and an apprentice performed simple treatments on patients in the inner room.

The guardian introduced Lan Yi to the healer: "

Master, look, this is my friend 115. He's planning a long journey to a dangerous place. Could you teach him some simple healing magic so he can overcome dangers and return safely?"

The healer nodded, recited a spell to Lan Yi, and then chuckled, saying, "

When you or your companions are injured in the future, use the 'Wood Rhythm' spell I just taught you, and you'll experience its power!"

Lan Yi saw the skill icon on the iPad hanging to her left flash green, and casually tapped it:

the bottom skill, "Wood Rhythm," lit up. The description said it was a single-target healing spell, instantly restoring full health!

A healing spell, a non-offensive spell—can it be used to level up? Should she get a weapon and use Moonshadow Technique for physical attacks?

Just as Lan Yi was about to feel disappointed, she was enveloped in green light, and the level after her ID changed from 0 to 1.

Lan Yi breathed a sigh of relief: learning skills does give experience!

At this moment, a player with ID 273 emerged from the inner room, limping and staggering.

Lan Yi cautiously recognized his face and exclaimed in surprise: "Xiao Bo?"

The player was thin, pale, with large, somewhat vacant eyes—only his in-game avatar lacked the large black-rimmed glasses!

It was indeed Xiao Bo, the boy with the photographic memory that Brother Wen had only shown Lan Yi!

Hmm?

Xiao Bo glanced at the person who called his name, his eyes flickering slightly before quickly returning to their vacant expression. He limped away: "

Number 115, the one who lost badly guessing the amount of money in the bank account."

Lan Yi smiled through gritted teeth: "Are you injured? "

Xiao Bo's expression was blank; he weakly whispered: "

It's obvious!"

Lan Yi smiled through gritted teeth: "How do I use skills?" Xiao Bo

patiently instructed the newcomer: "

You call out the skill, then the skill name. When the skill icon appears, click on the target, then click on the skill icon."

Lan Yi did as instructed, calling out: "Skill, Wood's Rhythm!"

In an instant, a glowing green icon, "Rhythm of Wood," appeared before their eyes, along with a green cursor-like dot!

Moving the cursor over Xiao Bo and instantly clicking the "Rhythm of Wood" icon, the green light emitted a gentle, cool visual effect that exploded on Xiao Bo's body!

To their horror, their mana bar was instantly depleted!

This meant that the healing spell "Rhythm of Wood" would likely empty their mana after just one use. In actual combat, this could be a fatal crisis for magic-based classes!

Xiao Bo kicked his healed leg, looked up at the Guardian, then at Lan Yi, his expression and eyes blank: "

You've already learned healing? So fast! Right now, I need to drag my injured leg to the herbalist, collect herbs to bring to the alchemist, who will then prepare a potion for me. Only then will the healer heal my leg injury first. Learning healing will probably come later."

Lan Yi suddenly realized the benefits of having connections!

But he didn't know how to explain it to the child, so he just gave a few perfunctory words and they went off to do their respective tasks!

******

Later, the Guardian took him to the herbalist's house. After a few polite words, the herbalist taught Lan Yi the [Herbalism] profession, and his level after his ID number changed from 1 to 2.

Then, the Guardian took Lan Yi to the alchemist's house. After a few polite words, the alchemist taught him the [Alchemy] profession, and his level after his ID number changed from 2 to 3.

When the Guardian took Lan Yi back to the clinic, they encountered Xiao Bo, who had collected the herbs and was running back to find the alchemist!

The Guardian led Lan Yi to see the doctor again. After a few more polite words, the doctor taught him the skill [Rejuvenation], a single-target resurrection skill, and his level after his ID number changed from 3 to 4.

It seemed too smooth, didn't it?

This way of learning skills and leveling up could easily lead to overkill, and Lan Yi felt vaguely uneasy!

He didn't believe that a game created in this place would really allow some players to use cheat codes or hacks, as that boy named Xiao Yao had said!

However, he was, after all, a complete newbie. He could only console himself with the thought that it

was probably just a game mechanic. Unlike him, Xiao Bo didn't have the ability to subdue the Guardian, so he had to obediently complete the quests. He, on the other hand, had completely subdued the Guardian, altering the game's original quest progression. The chef taught him to cook, giving him a large pot, a flint and steel, and many spices; the alchemist taught him to make medicine, giving him a cauldron and many medicine bottles; the herbalist taught him to identify herbs and some herbalism supplies; the physician taught him the single-target healing spell [Spring Blossom of Cold Wood] and even the group healing spell [Rejuvenation of All Trees].

He had already reached level 10 thanks to the Guardian's silver tongue!

Now, what does reaching level 10 mean? It should be quick! And very easy!

The guardian led him, about to leave the clinic, when the young boy, Xiao Bo, pale-faced and covered in dust, returned to find the doctor to complete the quest and learn [Rejuvenation of Withered Trees]!

Hmm, my leveling up should be pretty fast, right? Lan Yi's vague unease subsided slightly!

However, the row of healing skills and support professions—healing, resurrection, cooking, alchemy, herb gathering—gradually amplified his anxiety!

Could it be that healing and support are the true essence of the Wood element? Could it be that the Wood element is what's commonly known as a professional healer in online games?

If that's the case, then Lan Yi's tragedy will be unbearable!

Everyone knows that this kind of class with weak attack power levels up at a snail's pace!

He only hoped that, thanks to his special experience of relying on the guardian, he wouldn't be the last one to reach level 60!

Otherwise, the leveling-up quest would cost him another 100 million RMB!

******

Game time d1 t02:43 (i.e., 2:43 AM on day 1)!

The guardian led Lan Yi to the carpenter's door and mechanically, in a formulaic manner, said:

"Have the carpenter make you a bow and some arrows, then have the blacksmith attach iron arrowheads to the tips of the arrows. After you have these tools, come to the village's security office and I will teach you shooting skills!"

Upon hearing this, Lan Yi's pent-up frustration instantly dissipated! So, wood-based magic does have offensive capabilities!

He faced the guardian with a friendly smile: "

Don't you already have a bow and arrows? Give them to me. "

The guardian's suppressed anger erupted:

"115, don't push your luck!"

Lan Yi calmly threatened: "

I'll give you my life, and you give me a bow and some arrows; I don't think you're losing out."

The guardian's face hardened with anger for several seconds, then suddenly softened in his tone and manner:

"Fine! But one day, you will regret your greed!"

Lan Yi half-heartedly took the bow and quiver, then followed the guardian, who was now seething with rage, back into the forest!

******

Game time d1 t03:56 (i.e., 3:56 AM on day 1)!

Lan Yi, following the Guardian deep into the forest, learned:

【Hundred Steps Piercing Arrow】, a single-target horizontal shot skill;

【Piercing Arrow】, a single-target upward shot skill;

and 【Volley of Arrows】, an area-of-effect shot skill. The number of targets attacked simultaneously depends on skill proficiency and the total number of arrows carried.

For example, Lan Yi's 【Volley of Arrows】 can currently only fire a maximum of 10 arrows at a time.

The Guardian's quiver is automatically replenished, with a maximum capacity of 20 arrows, but Lan Yi only had 8 when he received it.

In this situation, 【Volley of Arrows】 can only attack a maximum of 8 targets.

Since both 【Piercing Arrow】 and 【Volley of Arrows】 consume mana, while waiting for his mana to recover, Lan Yi gathered some herbs, picked up the butcher's knife given to him by the cook, and used the Slicing skill from his cooking profession to butcher and butcher the animals he had shot.

At this point, he had reached level 15!

When the guardian, with the expression and attitude of sending away a plague god, said to him, "

This is all our village can do. Go do what you need to do!"

he specially took out a cooking pot, lit a fire, stewed a pot of meat, and had a farewell meal with the guardian.

The sentimental parting still had a slight

...

Following the direction indicated by the guardian, Lan Yi headed to the next village.

As the trees gradually decreased and the terrain became more rocky and sandy, these places were no longer entirely the territory of the wood element.

Suddenly, the iPad beeped loudly, and the communication icon flashed brightly!

He clicked on the communication, calling his player ID 167, which filled the entire iPad screen!

Immediately afterward, a familiar, sarcastic voice rang in his ear:

"Hey, you haven't died yet, have you?

Ah Qi!"

Although the arrogant words were infuriating, Lan Yi still felt a sense of relief, as if he had finally found his tribe! "

What level are you?"

"Just level 15." Lan Yi was momentarily tense and apprehensive: finally, he could find out if his leveling speed was fast or slow!

"You!" Feng Qi, in a vicious voice, roared: "

Only level 15? Don't tell me you're afraid of dying, hiding in the newbie village, sleeping, hiding away!"

Instantly, Lan Yi's heart, which had been hovering in suspense, sank to the deepest depths of grief:

It seems that level 15 is currently a very low, very pathetic level!

Sure enough, this game doesn't let players have a cheat code and easily become awesome!

Feng Qi coldly sneered:

"You wait for me in the wood-type newbie village! Without special means, the last one to reach level 60 will be you, no one else!"

Lan Yi, feeling guilty: "

I've already left the newbie village and am going to the next village, called the Drywood Village."

"You!" Feng Qi coldly laughed, his anger turning into a sneer: "

If you don't stay in the newbie village and finish learning your skills, are you going to get slaughtered somewhere else?"

Lan Yi feigned calmness:

"I've learned everything I need to learn."

Feng Qi snorted coldly: "I haven't finished learning yet, I'm already level 34!" "Once you finish learning, you won't just be level 15!

Level 34?!"

Dizzy, Lan Yi found a wooden stake by the roadside and sat down to rest, trying to alleviate the weakness in her legs from the blow!

It seemed the experience gained from learning skills was far less than the experience gained from completing quests during the skill learning process.

His greed and opportunism had resulted in a tragedy!

Oh well, it's too late now; despondency would only make the tragedy worse! Finding another way out was the only way to survive!

Lan Yi forced herself to cheer up, her voice soft and weak, yet terrifyingly calm: "

I'll probably be at the bottom of the leveling quests! I'll help you level up; I hope you're the first to reach level 60. I'll also try to think of a way to recoup some of the losses in the boss quests."

Feng Qi was silent for a moment, then chuckled mockingly: "

You're quite optimistic! Fine, I won't tell you what debt means!"

Actually, Lan Yi really didn't want to know what being in debt meant right now, lest she completely lose her fighting spirit and fall even deeper into debt!

A notification sounded in my ear, and the iPad displayed: Player ID167 has sent you a team invitation. Below the text were two options: accept or decline.

Lan Yi accepted Feng Qi's invitation to join his party. His character information, including his ID 167, displayed his level, health bar, and mana bar.

The party leader's symbol was a pentagram-like object displayed before ID 167.

Simultaneously, some of Lan Yi's information was also made transparent to Feng Qi as he was in a party.

Feng Qi looked at the level 15 after ID 115, a surge of inexplicable anger rising in his chest. He sneered, his lips slightly parted, and coldly said, "

At your level, you're doomed as soon as you leave the starting village! Go back to the wood element and continue doing quests! Anyway, you're destined to be at the bottom of the rankings if you try to reach level 60, so don't worry about the 100 million RMB penalty! I'll come find you after I've learned my skills, and then we'll decide what to do!"

Lan Yi carefully considered his options. A 100 million USD penalty for resurrecting someone was simply too much for him to bear!

Therefore, level 15, this extremely fragile and awkward level, required a cautious approach.

Going back to the starting village was the only thing he could do at the moment! However, even if he went back, there wouldn't be any more quests for him to level up easily and quickly!

Recalling the curse the Guardian had given him not long ago—"One day, you will regret your greed!"

—this "one day" had come far too soon!

He reluctantly obeyed Feng Qi's arrangement and returned to the forest!

At least he could gain some experience from gathering herbs, identifying medicinal plants, alchemy, cooking, and killing wild beasts!

Chapter 6: The Meaning of Cooperation

Game 1 Game time d1 t06:30 (i.e., 6:60 AM on day 1)!

Lan Yi was in the forest, cooking at a wolf pack's gathering place!

Thanks to the power of [Volley of Arrows] and the effectiveness of the mana potion, once the wolf pack was full, three or four arrows rained down, leaving wolf corpses scattered everywhere!

Unfortunately, there were only 8 arrows in the quiver. If the number of arrows could reach the quiver's maximum capacity of 20, two [Volley of Arrows] attacks would have been enough.

After gathering wolf meat, he circled the area to collect herbs, using the time while waiting for the quests to respawn to identify the herbs, make some mana potions, and stewed wolf meat!

If this were a normal online game, Lan Yi's attitude and style would be a testament to his mastery of life skills in the virtual world!

Unfortunately, this is a place where rewards and penalties can easily reach hundreds of millions of RMB!

He spent a considerable amount of time in the forest, and his level did increase, but not nearly as rapidly as his herbalism, alchemy, and cooking skills!

When Feng Qi broke through the level 40 barrier, learned all his skills, and prepared to leave the metal-elemental starting village, Lan Yi was only level 26!

Resisting the urge to rush over and kick the kid out of the game, Feng Qi opened the party chat, dragged Lan Yi into the party channel, and coldly berated him: "

These mundane newbie quests are so difficult for you?!"

Lan Yi's response wasn't words, but a rapidly depleting health bar!

Feng Qi fell silent for a moment! He understood: Lan Yi had been ambushed by players from faction B. Saying anything more would only disrupt his concentration!

******

Lan Yi had indeed been attacked, but not ambushed!

About half an hour earlier, he sensed someone approaching, so he quickly put away his large cauldron and medicine pot, and swiftly climbed the nearest large, leafy tree, hiding among the dense foliage to observe.

A moment later, three humanoid figures stealthily approached the swarming wolf pack.

Lan Yi, already experienced in distinguishing between NPCs and players, truly understood the difference between players from the same faction and those from different factions this time!

These three players, with their bright red IDs, were quite eerie!

This was clearly different from Xiao Bo's ID, which was a light green and visually pleasing!

ID112, ID049, and ID309 were three players from faction B. Two were observing the terrain, while the third started a fire within the wolf pack:

instantly, the densely packed wolves had no chance to retaliate and were all wiped out!

Lan Yi hid in the tree, too afraid to move! The player who could instantly slaughter a pack of wolves was definitely a high level, especially since they were a group of three. If she were discovered, escape was out of the question!

In the real world, the boy, who had never lost a 1vN fight, crouched in the tree, quietly savoring the bitter reality of level suppression in the virtual game world!

The three whispered in a language that the players from faction A couldn't understand. Suddenly, the short, thin man, ID112, pulled out a bottle of potion, unscrewed it, walked into the wolf carcasses, and sprinkled it on a pile of white bone-like things!

The other two stood apart, one keeping watch and the other vigilantly watching where the potion was poured!

Gradually, a strange smell filled the air

. A deafening wolf howl grew louder as it approached!

When a huge, grayish-brown wolf suddenly appeared in front of him, the short man staggered and fled to his companions!

Instantly, ice, fire, and arrows rained down on the giant wolf!

Lan Yi realized this giant wolf was a wild boss! In games, bosses are always valuable, sought-after and fiercely contested by players!

Unfortunately, three of them were high-level players, while he, a low-level one, could only watch with envy. Suddenly

, his iPad communication beeped. He checked and found a private message from player ID 273, Xiao Bo!

Xiao Bo's message: This wolf king drops the alchemy scroll "Wolf King's Wrath." Learning it allows you to create the potion "Wolf King's Wrath," which, when applied to melee weapons, slows down the boss's health regeneration. Most importantly, it also works on the city lords of both factions! We must stop them!

Lan Yi cautiously looked around and spotted Xiao Bo crouching in the bushes some distance away.

Lan Yi's message: Stop them from killing the wolf king? Or, when the wolf king is killed, steal the scroll "Wolf King's Wrath"?

Xiao Bo, moved by Lan Yi's grand ambition, showed a slight shift in his stunned expression!

Xiao Bo whispered: "The three of them are surrounding the Wolf King. We're so far away, how can we possibly steal it? It's safer to go with the Wolf King and kill them."

Lan Yi decided to reveal a secret: "

I'm only level 26. They only need to divert a little of their firepower, and they can take me down quickly!

" Xiao Bo's whisper was punctuated by an exclamation mark: "26!!!"

Lan Yi understood the meaning of those three exclamation marks perfectly.

Xiao Bo whispered: "I've also received this alchemy quest! This scroll is unique in the entire game, and it's the only thing that can suppress a boss's health regeneration! If they get it, it will be very troublesome for our faction A to defend our own city lord or attack the opposing faction's city lord! So, even if it's difficult, even if it's dangerous, the two of us must try to stop them!"

Indeed! A player dies once, and resurrecting costs 100 million US dollars; if a city lord dies, all players in that faction lose 100 million US dollars!

Lan Yi whispered: "In this game, what is the system protection time for items dropped by monsters?"

Xiao Bo's Secret: No! In all virtual games, players can freely steal items from each other as long as they are not in their luggage.

Lan Yi suddenly made up his mind!

******

Although this might not make much difference to a player,

anyone who isn't the type to drag others down with them will know how to make a choice!

Lan Yi was someone who knew how to make choices, but he didn't have a saintly heart, so he quickly negotiated with Xiao Bo:

"In the first game of guessing the deposit amount, I lost over 50 million US dollars, so I can only die once in this game! If I'm willing to die this time to get the scroll, are you willing to lend me over 50 million US dollars so I can have another chance to revive in this game? Of course, if I don't get the scroll, it's like I died for nothing; if I do get it, the scroll is yours, and I'll pay you back the money we borrowed after the game ends."

Xiao Bo stared wide-eyed, unable to see the boy named Lan Yi, and wondering what kind of aura this breathtakingly handsome boy had when he said such a thing!

Was it because the boy was a newbie that he didn't know that the amount of US dollars on the watch was a real monetary amount for those participating in the club games?

Otherwise, how could $100 million be lost so easily, and $50 million borrowed so readily?!

Besides, for this game, the scroll's value far exceeds $50 million!

Xiao Bo whispers: Don't go to your death if you're not very confident!

Lan Yi whispers: Of course! But I need your full cooperation, and the risks are huge for both of us!

Xiao Bo maintains a blank expression and sends a team invitation to Lan Yi, only to find that she already has a team.

Oh well, we can cooperate in this kind of open-world battle without a team!

Xiao Bo whispers: Tell me your plan.

******

The Wolf King's attacks are incredibly powerful. The three players from the B faction dare not get close, standing at three points and bombarding them with ranged attacks!

The relentless attacks lasted for more than ten minutes. Several times, one of the three players was rushed up to by the Wolf King, slapped in the face, and his health bar was almost depleted!

Lan Yi felt a chill run down her spine, a cold sweat filling her chest: this was just a quest boss; if it were a dungeon boss, how powerful would it be? Thankfully, the alchemist's healing and mana potions had no limit on the number of uses or cooldowns, so she could drink them indefinitely!

As the Wolf King's health bar gradually dwindled to near its limit, the behemoth suddenly roared to the sky and launched a series of frequent and fierce charges at the players in the battle!

To save their lives, the three members of faction B frantically drank potions, scattering and quickly adjusting their attack positions to increase their attack range!

At this moment, taking advantage of the three players' frantic focus on the Wolf King and their inability to distract themselves, Lan Yi climbed down the tree, crept stealthily through the bushes, and quietly approached the circle of fire surrounding the Wolf King.

Xiao Bo also stealthily approached, until Lan Yi fell within his healing range... The Wolf King finally fell!

The short, thin player 112 let out a long sigh of relief, his exhaustion showing, and lifted his heavy legs to take a step towards the Wolf King!

A blurry figure darted into the three's encirclement!

Shouts, curses, and skill activations erupted in a chaotic cacophony—who dared to brazenly run into their attack range and steal loot?!

The figure lingered briefly beside the Wolf King, but a barrage of ice, fire, and arrow attacks had already ravaged both the figure and the Wolf King's corpse! As

the smoke cleared, the Wolf King's body remained, but the ghostly figure had vanished without a trace!

The three breathed a sigh of relief:

that reckless guy was dead at the respawn point! Daring to steal the boss's loot? What a lunatic, a $100 million respawn fee!

Player 112 rushed to the Wolf King's corpse, reaching out to touch it:

game currency, materials, armor!

And then nothing!

Nothing?!

Where's the scroll [Wolf King's Wrath]?! Player 112

screamed

: Holy crap! The scroll's been stolen!!!

Player 309, breathless and with a throbbing pain in his chest, exclaimed: "

How is this possible?! How could he possibly have gotten to the Wolf King's corpse and stolen the scroll while being targeted by the three of us?!"

Player 049 roared:

"Damn it! Anything we say now is pointless! The three of us need to get to the respawn point in the newbie village and keep an eye on things! 112, contact Xiao Qian and have him send reinforcements! Anyone from faction A in this area must be eliminated! We absolutely cannot let the scroll leave this village! Then, whoever has the scroll will be a mystery!"

Player 112, enraged, slumped to the ground, spitting out curses: "

Without the scroll, I've given up leveling up and focused on alchemy. All my time and effort will have been wasted! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all!! Without learning the [Wolf King's Wrath] skill, I'll be abandoned by Xiao Qian and Midnight!! I have to go back to the newbie village to reach level 60! I can't be the last one to reach level 60!" "Xiao Qian and the others won't talk to me anymore, they won't save me!"

Player 049 grabbed 112 by the collar, lifted him up, and dragged him away forcefully: "

If that guy had taken the scroll out of this village, and it had fallen into the hands of the A faction players, allowing them to get the first kill on the boss and take down the city lord, you wouldn't just be abandoned by Xiao Qian and the others! You'd be completely hopeless!"

******

The instant Lan Yi charged towards the Wolf King, Xiao Bo cast the single-target healing spell [Cold Wood Spring Blossom] on Lan Yi, then decisively retreated, carefully slipping into the newbie village, waiting at the resurrection point for Lan Yi to die and return!

Lan Yi, enduring his own [Cold Wood Spring Blossom], Xiao Bo's [Cold Wood Spring Blossom], downing a potion that restored health per second, and eating a herb that restored health per second, actually managed to survive an extra second in front of the Wolf King's corpse!

And that one second was enough for him to throw the scroll he had obtained into his luggage!

A flash of white light, and he died!

A flash of white light, and he was alive again, but in a different place!

Without a second thought or a word,

he handed most of the herbs and scrolls from the package to Xiao Bo.

Xiao Bo unwrapped the bandage on his left wrist, revealing his watch screen. He tapped the touch button, entered 60 million US dollars, and pressed the "up" button. From the options displayed on the screen—player's real name or in-game player ID—he selected the in-game player's ID, entered "115," and pressed confirm.

Lan Yi's watch beeped, and after removing the covering cloth, a message appeared on the screen: "Player ID 273 has gifted 60 million US dollars. Please click 'down' to receive!"

Lan Yi received the money, ate and drank to replenish his health and mana, bought some cheap wooden arrows from the carpenter, filled his quiver, climbed onto the roof of the village guardhouse, and peered into the village along the path leading into the village.

The village is surrounded by mountains on the back, left, and right, and in front is a dense forest. Even after running for an hour or two towards the left and right of the forest, you can't find the edge. Since Lan Yi had left this area before, he knew that after passing through the forest, there would be steep mountains, and at the bottom of the mountains there would be a cave. Passing through the cave would lead to a completely different scene!

This terrain made the forest and the starting village feel like they were trapped in a narrow-mouthed bottle, oppressive and closed off; Faction B wouldn't need many people to trap them here!

******

Xiao Bo obtained the scroll and rushed to the alchemist's house to complete the quest and learn the skill [Wolf King's Wrath]!

However, when he saw the materials needed for the potion [Wolf King's Wrath], he felt a chill run through him, as if he had fallen into an ice cave!

Xiao Bo whispered to Lan Yi, showing him the materials needed to make Wolf King's Wrath:

the required herbs were fairly common, but the essential ingredient, the Wolf King's Heart, was unique in the entire game!

Lan Yi's face paled slightly!

His original plan was this:

he would grab the scroll, die, and respawn; Xiao Bo would get the scroll and learn Wolf King's Wrath!

To prevent the scroll from leaking out and Wolf King's Wrath from falling into Faction A's hands, Faction B would surround this starting village and kill all Faction A players here until their net worth was below -100 million USD, making them unable to log back into the game!

If Xiao Bo could quickly produce a batch of Wolf King's Wrath potions, he was confident he could escape the starting village and out of the forest before the main force of faction B arrived!

Then, Xiao Bo could use the readily available Wolf King's Wrath potions to raise a white flag and negotiate with the leader of faction B: firstly, to save his life; secondly, to sell the potions to faction B to compensate for the amount he, as a player from faction A, lost when faction B achieved the first kill on the boss and eliminated the city lord!

In this way, at least faction A and faction B would be on the same starting line again, neither would lack Wolf King's Wrath, and neither he nor Xiao Bo would be eliminated from the game!

This original plan seemed to benefit only Xiao Bo!

However, compared to faction B obtaining Wolf King's Wrath while faction A had no advantage whatsoever in fighting the boss and eliminating the city lord, it was already extremely fortunate!

Moreover, this greatly increased his chances of achieving the first kill on the boss and eliminating faction B's city lord!

As expected, the players in faction B, with Xiaoqian and Midnight working together, rallied other players, formed a team, and divided tasks, making them difficult to deal with; while faction A was like a pile of loose sand... But the Wolf King's Heart!

A miscalculation!

Even if he knew that when grabbing the scrolls, he had to also get the Wolf King's Heart, he only had one second to get one of them!

Now, what should he do?

Without the potion, Xiaobo had no right to negotiate!

Even if Xiaobo told faction B that he could make the potion, the Wolf King's Heart was with those three players in faction B. If they knew that making the potion required the Wolf King's Heart and faction A would never have the potion Wolf King's Wrath, then they would rather just kill Xiaobo out of the game, ensuring that neither faction B nor faction A got the Wolf King's Wrath! After all, players who weren't in their faction could betray them at any time!

Lan Yi remained silent, unsure how to tell Xiaobo:

I'll escape first! I will definitely work hard to level up, kill bosses, and kill the city lord! Once we're out of the game, besides returning your money, we'll split the prize money.

However, this kind of shared honor and disgrace isn't suitable for the two of them!

Because he and Xiao Bo are just strangers! A stranger sacrificed will feel cold inside!

From now on, it's a small matter if the other harbors resentment; if the other escalates resentment into hatred, they might find an opportunity to stab him in the back at some point in the future. Xiao Bo remained silent, awaiting Lan Yi's decision. He even suspected:

that agile boy with dazzling footwork and speed, capable of snatching a scroll from the encirclement of three high-level players, had already run away!

Xiao Bo stared blankly, inwardly mocking himself:

Serves him right! Knowing full well there are no true comrades or companions here, he still unconsciously relied on them, entrusting his fate to them! Knowing full well there's only a relationship of exploitation and being exploited here, he still unconsciously acted impulsively, leaving himself in a situation of being used and rendered worthless!

Chapter 7: A Decision That Had No Other Choice

Lan Yi made a decision that had no other choice!

Lan Yi whispered: What level are you?

Xiao Bo whispered: Level 36. I've learned all the skills here. I received the Alchemy quest "Wolf King's Wrath" when I was about to leave the newbie village.

Lan Yi whispered: Players from the B faction will be coming to annihilate us soon! We have to find a way out now!

Xiao Bo whispered: How do we get out? I'm much slower than you! Even if the B faction's reinforcements are late, we'll only be killed if we encounter those three!

Lan Yi stared at the lush forest in the distance, his thoughts racing: We have to leave immediately! Once those three B faction players find their way out of the forest and reach this place, we're doomed!

He didn't even have time to say goodbye to his teammate A Qi, and immediately left the team, whispering to Xiao Bo: Invite me!

The two opened the team voice channel, saving the trouble of writing messages by hand.

Lan Yi: Staying here is just waiting to die! Two minutes, bring enough arrows and potions, and come with me. Xiao Bo

: I only have four mana potions! I don't know how to make health potions. You don't need to prepare anything else.

Lan Yi: Come to the village entrance.

At this moment, Feng Qi, who was heading to the Wood-type beginner village, suddenly stopped!

Originally, Lan Yi's health bar had plummeted to almost nothing during the party formation, and his ID turned gray in less than a second, meaning he had already died once; then, shortly after, he silently left the party channel!

This gave Feng Qi three pieces of information: First, Lan Yi was on the verge of death; second, even if players from the B faction ambushed him, he wouldn't have the ability to fight back, indicating Lan Yi was too weak; third, Lan Yi's sudden, sullen departure from the party seemed like a defiant act, as if blaming his teammate for being indifferent and uncaring!

Feng Qi smiled coldly, turned around, and changed his destination, no longer interested in Lan Yi's life or death!

******

Lan Yi divided half of his health potion and half of his mana potion into half for Xiao Bo.

When Xiao Bo stared blankly, surprised by the amount of potions, Lan Yi realized how extravagant it was to drink potions like water!

The two entered the forest from the left, hugging the foot of the mountain. After about a hundred meters, the mountain suddenly turned a right angle to the left, and continuing forward led into endless dense forests on both sides!

Therefore, the probability of encountering players from the B faction in the forest was not high! The truly dangerous places were the starting village and the cave leading out

of the forest! Lan Yi, with Xiao Bo under the cover of trees and bushes, carefully made their way towards the cave leading out of the forest.

Passing through areas where wolves gathered, the two used [Volley of Arrows] to simultaneously target two or three targets, ensuring an instant kill and avoiding the wolves howling when they were half-dead, attracting their own kind and B faction players!

Lan Yi walked past wolf carcasses, and out of his professional chef's habit, picked up a butcher's knife and began to slaughter the dead wolves!

He threw the fresh wolf meat into his luggage and was about to leave when he suddenly realized something. Holding his breath, he swung the butcher's knife and cut open the wolf's chest, exposing its bloody heart!

A thought churned in his chest, and he gestured for Xiao Bo to follow, then sprinted towards the spot where the wolf king had died!

******

The wolf king's corpse was still there!

Quickly clearing away the wolves lingering nearby, Xiao Bo curled up in the grass, peering out and keeping watch vigilantly!

Lan Yi rushed to the wolf king's corpse, a white knife plunging in, a red knife flashing: a blood-red heart lay quietly within the flesh and bone cavity!

Sure enough! The heart could only be obtained through cooking skills!

He carefully separated the wolf king's heart from the flesh, quickly put it in his luggage, and told Xiao Bo to run wildly to the left. ******Because there was only one wolf king's heart, the potion [Wolf King's Wrath] was limited! After Xiao Bo finished making the potion, he held up four fingers to Lan Yi, indicating that only four bottles could be made, and sent Lan Yi the potion's information.

The potion was bound to the player who made it and could not be traded, but it could be applied to other players' weapons. After the weapon was coated with the potion, it became bound to the player wielding the weapon; it was only effective when applied to melee weapons that were in direct contact with the target, and each potion's effect lasted for half an hour!

The binding nature of [Wolf King's Wrath] effectively prevents trading between different factions because only players of the same faction can apply beneficial substances to each other's weapons and equipment!

Lan Yi lowered his voice, somewhat regretfully: "

Judging from the three bosses and the city lord, this potion is very targeted! If there were no limit, it would be too ferocious for melee combat!"

At this moment, Xiao Bo had enough leverage, making him valuable enough to be rescued and protected!

Lan Yi decided to spread this news among faction A: "

Remember the player IDs of all those participating in Game 1 that were posted on the screen in the lobby on the first floor?"

Xiao Bo gave a soft "hmm." His expression remained expressionless throughout, somewhat blank, even indifferent.

Lan Yi quickly climbed up a nearby tree with dense foliage, looking around to make sure no players had ventured into the area!

He jumped down, let Xiao Bo climb onto his back, and with some effort, climbed back up the tall, densely foliaged tree, instructing: "

Stay here. If you spot any players from faction B, message me immediately!" I'll go check the situation at the exit cave. While you're at it, send the information about "Wolf King's Wrath" to all the players participating in Game 1 displayed on the screen. If the ID belongs to a player in faction B, it will show "Unable to communicate." If communication is successful, it means they are a player from our faction. Remember their ID!

Xiao Bo nodded.

Lan Yi ate a piece of roasted wolf meat, which increased his physical attack power for half an hour.

As he jumped down from the tree, he suddenly remembered something and instructed: "Don't spread the news 　　that

'Wolf King's Wrath' is player-bound! If anyone in our faction cooperates with faction B, it'll be troublesome! Also, don't tell them that this potion is limited!"

Xiao Bo paused, then nodded again, his pale face regaining a little vitality. 　　In the team channel, Xiao Bo told Lan Yi the results of his investigation: 　　5 people have died and left the game. Now there are 16 people in faction B and 11 in faction A. In faction A, three people have expressed interest in cooperating, four have sent team invitations, and two haven't replied. 　　Lan Yi, concealed in the grass and behind a large tree, stared at the cave at the edge of the forest. He could tell from the looks of it that the two people weren't among the three players who killed the Wolf King! 　　It seemed the three Wolf King killers had likely already gone to the starting village. Including these two, at least five people from faction B were stuck here! 　　He asked Xiao Bo: 　　"What was ID 167's reaction? 　　" Xiao Bo: "A faction player, no reply." 　　Lan Yi: "What's the other ID that didn't reply?" 　　Xiao Bo: "ID 079." 　　Lan Yi stared at the cave entrance, pondering: " 　　The allure of [Wolf King's Wrath] is undeniably strong! Otherwise, faction B wouldn't have mobilized so many people!" ID 167 was A Qi; that kid was too arrogant. After all, killing bosses and city lords required strong teammates, and he was confident in his abilities, certain he was needed, so he probably disdained replying to curry favor. Was ID 079 not replying because he already had a fixed teammate, and his communication with Xiao Bo was handled by his teammate? Or was it another guy who was very confident in his abilities? 　　In short, anyone seeking cooperation or team-ups is likely colluding with faction B, and id079 is no exception! 　　Therefore, the purpose of this investigation is actually quite important: 　　further reducing the possibility that id167's Aqi is a spy for faction B. 　　It was precisely because of her distrust of Aqi that Lan Yi re-teamed with Xiao Bo after leaving the team, to prevent Aqi from finding Xiao Bo's exact location on the map through the team! 　　However, for now, Aqi is the only one she can trust! 　　After considering this, Lan Yi sent a team-up invitation to Feng Qi! 　　****** 　　Still not dead yet? 　　Feng Qi whispered a teasing message to Lan Yi! 　　After joining the team, seeing Xiao Bo's presence, he paused slightly, then continued to whisper mocking Lan Yi: 　　"The allure of [Wolf King's Wrath] is too great; even if you try to curry favor with its owner, it won't help!" On one hand, if you're not strong enough, they'll definitely kick you out when fighting the boss; on the other hand, the maximum number of people in a boss dungeon team is 5. It's not just the B faction that wants to steal the potion; the A faction is also eyeing it. The closer you get, the more dangerous it is. Even Xiao Bo, who currently possesses the potion, could be threatened with having it stolen! 　　Lan Yi pulled Feng Qi into the team voice channel and spoke in a way that only the three of them could hear: " 　　Xiao Bo and I stole the Alchemy Scroll 'Wolf King's Wrath' right under the noses of the B faction players. Xiao Bo learned it, and the potion he made is player-bound! Now the B faction has us cornered in the Wood-type newbie village. If this drags on, once most players reach level 60, the boss and the city lord will become their main targets. The B faction will definitely send all their forces here to besiege us, preventing the potion from leaking out and harming them! We must get Xiao Bo out of here as soon as possible! 　　" 　　Feng Qi finally understood: Lan Yi's death was from fighting the B faction over the Alchemy Scroll! 　　Lan Yi: The exit here is a cave. There are two people at the cave entrance on my side, and about three more people are searching the newbie village! I'm worried there might be others at the cave entrance outside! So I don't dare to act rashly. I need you to come and scout out the situation on the other side of the cave. 　　Feng Qi's lips curled into a playful smile, his interest in Lan Yi, the handsome school heartthrob and successor of the [Moon Shadow Technique], reignited: 　　Wait for me. 　　Chapter 8: Forced to Die to Get Out 　　Game time d1t13:34 (Day 1, 13:34)! 　　After more than two hours of trekking, Feng Qi finally reached the entrance of the cave leading out of the forest for wood-type characters! 　　Lan Yi, with Xiao Bo, hid a few hundred meters away from the cave entrance! 　　Feng Qi stood openly in the center of the cave entrance, looking around: 　　There's no one here! They're probably hiding nearby, and won't show themselves until the crucial moment. 　　The crucial moment, of course, refers to the player carrying [Wolf King's Wrath] showing up!

Lan Yi signaled Xiao Bo to stay put and shout if attacked, then slipped into another patch of grass. He aimed 20 arrows at a player from faction B standing guard at the cave entrance and unleashed a barrage!

Due to the distance, the player's curses couldn't be heard, but he frantically gulped down a potion and leaped into the cave. His companion, not daring to engage rashly, followed him into the cave, cautiously observing the outside.

Lan Yi sighed deeply: 20 arrows couldn't kill him instantly! The level difference! It's unscientific! Unrealistic!

He lowered his voice and asked Feng Qi: "Any movement over there?"

Feng Qi: "No."

Lan Yi: "Let me show my face so the two over here can see."

He deliberately exposed most of his body and for a slightly longer time when shifting positions, ensuring the two inside the cave could clearly see his ID!

Lan Yi hid again and asked Feng Qi, "How's it going over there now?"

Feng Qi shamelessly snorted: "No movement."

Lan Yi frowned slightly: There really is a spy in Faction A! Faction B has now identified Xiao Bo as the alchemist who wields [Wolf King's Wrath], their target is clear! However, aren't they worried that Xiao Bo is a decoy, and the alchemist of [Wolf King's Wrath] is someone else?

Xiao Bo uttered a detached whisper:

Faction B's target, and trapped in the newbie village, who would want to be a decoy? Therefore, Faction B wouldn't even consider the possibility of someone else.

Feng Qi sneered arrogantly: It's better if they don't all show up, making it easier for me to take them down one by one!

Lan Yi stopped him: Don't come any closer! Be careful they trap you in the cave and attack from both sides!

He received no response from Feng Qi. After more than a minute of silence, the health bar of ID167 in the team member icon in the upper left corner suddenly dropped by half!

Ah Qi!

Lan Yi exclaimed in shock: Ah Qi's respawn point is either some far-off place, or in that wood-type newbie village being raided by those three Faction B players!

He absolutely cannot let him die!

Lan Yi disregarded everything else and sped towards the cave!

Just as he used the Moon Shadow Step technique, his shadowy figure darting into the cave, Feng Qi's health bar was almost empty again!

The cave wasn't long, and there was a dim light inside. When Feng Qi's voice rang out in the team channel again, Lan Yi was already facing a tall, slender figure in the dim light; ID 167 was vaguely discernible!

Feng Qi's clear voice carried a hint of sarcasm:

Magic? That's ridiculous! If this were the real world, I wouldn't be in such a sorry state!

Lan Yi breathed a sigh of relief, approached, and tossed him several bottles of health and mana potions, a slight smile playing on his lips:

If this were the real world, how could there be any magic potions that instantly restore health!

Feng Qi tossed the potions into his bag, plopped down on the ground, and closed his eyes to rest:

Drinking potions to recover after disengaging from combat is too extravagant; let's just let it regenerate automatically.

Lan Yi felt deeply once again how shamelessly wasteful he had been, drinking potions like water!

He shoved several stacks of roasted wolf meat at Feng Qi:

"Eat some food to recover health after disengaging from combat; relying solely on automatic regeneration is too slow."

Feng Qi suddenly growled coldly:

"Why is your leveling speed so incredibly slow?! You're wasting all your time on life skills! Do you think this is a casual online game?!"

Lan Yi felt speechless.

So, he remained silent.

But then Feng Qi lowered his voice even further, humming heavily through his nose: "

I have quite a bit of animal meat in my bag; roast some for me!"

Lan Yi.

******

Feng Qi remained outside the cave, vigilantly watching the surroundings; Lan Yi returned to Xiao Bo's side, leading him to join Feng Qi!

Outside the mountain was still a forest, but the density was far less than inside!

Outside the cave entrance, the bright sunlight bathed Feng Qi's figure as the two huddled at the entrance, peering out.

This was the first time Lan Yi had clearly seen Feng Qi's true face.

The words "stunningly handsome" were an understatement to describe his appearance! However, the coldness and ruthlessness in his eyes made that breathtakingly beautiful face extremely menacing! Moreover, his arrogant "I'm the boss" attitude and naturally mocking smile were simply irresistible!

If Lan Yi's beauty was the ultimate visual pleasure, then Feng Qi's beauty was the ultimate visual torture! With

these two extremes so close, Xiao Bo's pale face finally showed some emotion. His gaze swept back and forth between Lan Yi and Feng Qi's faces before quickly returning to its expressionless, blank state.

Feng Qi, standing in the alluring light, glanced at them sideways and beckoned: "Let's go!"

******

However, the three of them hadn't gone more than ten steps out of the cave when suddenly, Feng Qi roared: "Go back!"

Almost simultaneously with this roar, Lan Yi dragged Xiao Bo towards the cave, and ice, fire, arrows, darts, and even ground spikes rained down on them!

Shrinking into the cave, the three were still shaken, their health bars nearly depleted!

Feng Qi sat cross-legged, gnawing on roasted meat to recover his

health, somewhat annoyed: "The B faction is really going all out to blockade this place! Three in the newbie village, two at the inner cave entrance, and at least five at the outer cave entrance—a total of 16 people from the B faction, and 10 of them are stuck here. They're really good at drawing fire!"

Lan Yi bit her lower lip, a chill running down her spine, and gave a bitter smile: "

We can't just sit here and wait to die! Xiao Bo's position has been exposed, and the two who died probably won't dare to come back, but others will take their place. They outnumber us, and we only have three! If we dare to call for reinforcements from other A faction members, we're worried they might be spies cooperating with the B faction." He glanced at Xiao Bo, who was pale-faced, cowering in a daze, bit his lower lip hard, lowered his eyelashes, and said in a low, somewhat ethereal voice: "

We must fight our way out immediately!"

Feng Qi glanced at Lan Yi with a cool, indifferent expression, a slight smirk on his lips. He said, "

Using the direction directly opposite the cave entrance as 12 o'clock, there's someone playing with fire in the tree at 1:20, someone playing with water behind the tree at 2:15, someone playing with earth at 9:30, 14 meters from the foot of the mountain, someone playing with earth, someone with metal in the tree at 10:18, and someone with wood behind the tree at 11:23! As long as we show ourselves, five of us focusing fire will be an instant kill!"

Lan Yi, munching on roasted wolf meat, pondered for a moment before asking, "

If there are only three of them, can you handle them?"

Feng Qi, radiating arrogance, replied, "

Three people focusing fire can't kill me. I can kill them all while drinking potions—a piece of cake. "

Lan Yi started a fire, set up a pot, and held out her hand to Feng Qi: "

Where's the meat? Let me roast some for you."

Feng Qi:

Xiao Bo:

******

Lan Yi left plenty of healing potions, stuffed the other potions and all the roasted meat from her luggage into Feng Qi's hands, and handed the herbs, medicine cauldron, longbow, and bow and arrows to Xiao Bo. Then, she took a deep breath, sprinted a few steps, and dashed into the depths of the cave, returning shortly after!

Xiao Bo:

Lan Yi walked to Feng Qi's side: "Do you have a sword? A dagger will do too."

Feng Qi seemed to understand something, offering a gleaming silver dagger. A powerful, domineering aura emanated from her cold, beautiful face, a smile playing on her lips: "

Go ahead, don't worry. I'll share half the money you get from killing the boss and the city lord!"

Lan Yi froze!

He still had one chance to revive. Hearing Feng Qi's words, he immediately realized:

if he revived in the newbie village now, those three guys guarding the revival point would instantly kill him again!

Well, this heroic sacrifice was truly a resolute farewell!

To avoid wasting the $100 million revival fee, Lan Yi planned to return $60 million to Xiao Bo!

Then, after thinking about it, he decided to lend Xiao Bo and Feng Qi a few hundred million dollars to improve their survivability.

But then his watch beeped, indicating: "

Players with negative bank balances can only gift a maximum of $100 million to other players."

Feng Qi:

Xiao Bo:

Lan Yi chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Luckily, the limit isn't 100 million RMB, otherwise I wouldn't even have a chance to pay off my debt!"

After trading 100 million USD to Xiao Bo, he walked righteously to the cave entrance, then turned back to Xiao Bo with a smile: "

Remember to pay me back 40 million USD after you leave the game!"

Xiao Bo's expression remained blank, but he couldn't describe the feelings in his heart!

Lan Yi's communication image flashed, a private message from player ID 167: "Feng Qi, my real name."

He suddenly looked at player ID 167, looking at the faint sincerity in the other's cold and sharp eyes, a smile slightly spreading across his lips!

******

Lan Yi darted back and forth in the cave, his purpose: to test whether his Moon Shadow Step technique could achieve a similar effect to leaping across rooftops in the game!

After he had sprinted around the cave vertically, 360 degrees, he let out a long breath: "There's always a way out!"

He and Xiao Bo stacked their single-target healing spells, consumed a herb that instantly restores health, and the moment he stepped out of the cave, revealing his full body, the first wave of attacks roared towards him!

Without stopping, he darted sideways, traversing the 90-degree steep mountain wall, his swaying figure hurtling towards the earth-elemental player who was 14 meters from the foot of the mountain at 9:30!

This was his first target, for two reasons: closest to the steep mountain wall; far from the wood-elemental player with powerful healing skills!

Darts, fireballs, ice spikes, arrow rain, even cracks in the mountainside rained down on him, constantly in front of, behind, to his left, and to his right. His movements were like swaying sand thorns, circling the edge of the attacks, swift as a startled swan, whistling as he attacked the earth-elemental player's side, raised his dagger, and with a snap, slit the enemy's throat!

Ah~~~~ Ah~~*%~~ These were the earth-elemental player's screams!

"Hey, he's not dead even with his throat slit? That's illogical!"

The other four members of the *^%$$%9b faction screamed, cursed, and roared in unison!

It was a pity that the a and b factions couldn't communicate, otherwise he would have heard them exclaim: "

So fast~~~~ What kind of skill is this insane speed sprint?

Wow~~~ This kid isn't using any skills, just pure physical attacks~~~" However, with one less person attacking and the others hesitant to go all out and injure their own teammate—after all, Lan Yi's ID wasn't their target for a fatal blow, Xiao Bo—they didn't want to sacrifice their comrade and opponent right now!

Lan Yi grabbed the player by the collar, dodging the less intense attacks while slashing and slashing at his neck. Feng Qi, hearing the commotion outside, knew Lan Yi wasn't doing well, so he popped out to draw some fire before instantly disappearing back into the cave!

The white light of the player's death finally flashed before his eyes, and Lan Yi immediately pushed his speed to the extreme, charging straight towards the gold-element player on the 10 o'clock tree!

Because he had just killed someone, a ghostly ferocity emanated from him, turning the gold-type player's fight-and-run into a chase!

All four were firing at full power, and Lan Yi's health was almost depleted. Even the potions she was guzzling and the instant health regeneration couldn't withstand the concentrated damage!

Suddenly, a volley of arrows shot out, embedding themselves in the gold-type player's body. Xiao Bo emerged to draw fire!

Lan Yi, fighting with her last sliver of health, finally closed in on the gold-type player. A flurry of stabbing and slashing daggers enveloped his terrified, distorted face!

Game time d1t14:07 (Day 1, 14:07)!

Feng Qi's attack officially began!

Lan Yi and the gold-type player almost simultaneously vanished in a flash of death. Chapter 9: Must Not Leave the Room? Real-world time d1t05:21:36!

14 hours and 7 minutes in the game, converted to only 2 hours in real time!

Just two hours later, Lan Yi was kicked out of the game, lying in a sci-fi-movie-like enclosed space with a watch worth $198.34 million, staring blankly!

Game 1 lasts 24 hours in real time. Every 8 hours, all players are forced offline for a group meal.

There were still 6 hours until the first meal, and Lan Yi was completely eliminated!

His mind was hazy, and even when he tried to think carefully, he didn't know what he was thinking about!

After a long while, he felt dazed, as if he had returned to the game and was trapped in the Wood-type newbie village by players from the B faction, unable to get out no matter how hard he tried!

Suddenly, he felt unusually clear-headed and realized that he had actually fallen asleep!

Opening the hatch, he saw a metal plate about 70mm x 70mm protruding from about a meter above the door!

Upon closer inspection, on the metal plate were a bowl of rice, a plate of small ribs, a plate of unfamiliar green vegetables, and a bowl of milky white seafood soup.

Of course, there was also a more crucial little note on the board, which read:

Price: $100,000. Please return the tableware here before the end of the meal, otherwise, you will have to pay the price of the tableware, $1 million.

$100,000 for a meal!

Lan Yi was speechless:

In normal life, he would spend over 600,000 RMB on a meal, how happy he would be as a foodie!

He looked at the time on his watch screen: d7t11:33:56.

It was still possible to eat at this time, which meant that the start time of Game 1 was calculated from the start of the game, i.e., d7t03:20:00.

This also meant that the first meal time ended at d7t03:50:00!

Eat! No matter how expensive, you can't go hungry!

He transferred the rice, dishes, and soup to the small red table, and his watch immediately deducted $10,000!

******

In less than ten minutes, he was full and satisfied, feeling immense pressure!

He put the plates and bowls back on the metal plate, glanced at the doorknob unintentionally, and suddenly remembered a rule from Game 1:

Do not leave the room, or you will be considered to have forfeited the game and will be fined $100 million.

This means the room can be left!

That is to say, the door to the room is not locked!

He subconsciously checked the structure near the doorknob but did not find a lock-like structure!

He tried hard to recall that when he entered, he turned a similar doorknob, opened the door, and then entered!

His heart pounded wildly in his chest at this moment, and a certain thought made the terrifying emotion surge:

Is this door something that can be entered and exited at will?! $100 million seems to imprison the player in the room, but is it actually a fee for freely entering and exiting these rooms?! If that is the case, Lan Yi broke out in a cold sweat, quickly pulled open the door, rushed to the door of the next room, grabbed the doorknob, and turned the first meal time was about to end. Feng Qi lazily yawned and walked towards the game pod. Suddenly the door was pushed open and Lan Yi rushed in with a solemn expression!

Feng

Qi, disguised by an ordinary face, his eyes slightly narrowed and his aura chilling, stared at the start button on the game pod, pondering:

"I wonder if this button can force players to leave the game!"

Even if the button can't, dragging the player out of the pod would at least force them offline!

Lan Yi frowned slightly, imagining the potential dangers.

Feng Qi's lips curled into a cold smile:

"Unless the game rules require players to attack and kill each other, physical violence is prohibited."

Lan Yi hesitated, then asked:

"What's the penalty for violating this?"

Feng Qi pointed to the watch on Lan Yi's left wrist: "

Any violation of the prohibited rules will result in this thing injecting poison into the player's body, basically an instant kill."

At that moment, Feng Qi's watch buzzed, its mechanical voice cold and clear: "

Player 167, please enter the game as soon as possible! Player 167, please enter the game as soon as possible!" Simultaneously, the door opened a foot wide, and a metal plate carrying cutlery was pulled out through the crack. Then, with a click, the door closed perfectly!

Their curiosity ignited, and they darted to the door, each on one side, pressed against the doorframe, and carefully pulled the doorknob open a crack! In the blink of an eye

, a low shout came from outside:

"Stop looking! I'm a player too, I've been given a game quest to deliver food and collect tableware for Game 1."

Lan Yi:

Feng Qi:

Player 167, please enter the game as soon as possible! Player 167, please enter the game as soon as possible! The mechanical voice was cold and irritating!

Feng Qi admired Lan Yi's feigned composure and face, a sly smile playing on his lips: "

Don't waste the free access you bought for 100 million US dollars! That guy who calls himself Brother Wen is from faction B, do you remember which room he's in?"

Lan Yi understood, chuckled slightly, and watched Feng Qi lie down in the game pod and press the red start button!

Brother Wen's room was in the northeast!

Because he was neighbors with the eccentric bald boy, Xiao Yao, Lan Yi remembered the location of his room vividly.

Lan Yi pushed open the door. The dishes in each room had been cleared away, and the second-floor hall was deathly silent!

He went into Wen Ge's room, opened the game pod, and pressed the red button!

Chapter 10: A New Cooperation

Wen Ge's emotions shifted from fear to anger, then to panic, and finally to compromise!

He curled up in the game pod, sighing with his head down: "

I didn't expect you to be so innocent-looking and gentle-smiling, yet so ruthless. You're quite the tough one!"

Lan Yi smiled modestly: "

I was inexplicably sold out in my first game, so I'm a little traumatized. Being ruthless is to be expected. "

Wen Ge stiffened for a moment, his face turning red and white. He straightened his neck and raised his right hand to swear: "

You don't suspect me of selling you out, do you?! I, Wen Ge, may be a bit sleazy, but I would never betray a friend!

" Lan Yi chuckled indifferently: "

We've only known each other for a few hours. How deep is our friendship?"

Wen Ge hurriedly tried to exonerate himself: "

It really wasn't me! Even if I wanted to sell you out, I would need to know your exact bank account balance at the time!"

Lan Yi's expression turned slightly cold: "

In the hotel, when I first left the room, my watch wasn't concealed. You had the opportunity to see all the information on my watch screen!"

Wen Ge cried out in protest: "

The light was dim then. I was only focused on chasing the beautiful woman. My close contact with you was just a fleeting moment. Besides, the watch screen was on my wrist, pressed against your body. How could I have seen it so easily! "

Lan Yi lifted her right elbow with her left hand, her right fingers stroking her chin, her index finger lightly tapping her chin. She glanced at the time, using the corner of her eye to pressure him: "

Remember when we first entered the lobby, and you greeted me? I said my name was Lan Yi. What was your reaction?"

Wen Ge nervously racked his brains, trying to recall:

"It doesn't seem like anything special!"

Lan Yi smiled slightly, reminding him:

"You said I was playing you, that you thought I was using my real name since it was my first time here!

" Wen Ge pondered this carefully: "It still doesn't seem like anything special!

Why did you think I used my real name?"

Lan Yi's expression remained gentle and refined, but her voice was icy cold: "

Here, Lan Yi is my code name, which is only natural! Considering your surprised expression back then, there's only one reason: you saw the information on my watch screen and know my real name is Lan Yi! That's why you didn't react immediately when I told you my name!

" Brother Wen stared wide-eyed and speechlessly for a long while before guiltily and viciously snorting: "

Hmph, here, how can a newbie not get tricked or deceived! You can only blame your ignorance, carelessness, and lack of caution! Besides, you've forced me offline from the game now, so we're even!"

In other words, Brother Wen admitted to betraying Lan Yi in the first game!

Lan Yi didn't continue the topic, instead showing Brother Wen his watch's balance to see if there was a significant change after being forced out of the game.

Brother Wen carefully pulled back the cover, roughly estimated, and breathed a sigh of relief:

a normal deduction of $10,000 per minute.

Lan Yi gestured for him to try logging back into the game to see the situation.

As a result, when Brother Wen lay obediently in the game pod and pressed the start button, his watch started alarming:

Player 170 has been forcibly logged out of the game and cannot re-enter! Player 170 has been forcibly logged out of the game and cannot re-enter!

Brother Wen's face instantly turned ashen!

Lan Yi checked the exact amount of her bank account on her watch screen for final confirmation:

How are the various tasks progressing?

If violence outside the rules weren't prohibited, Brother Wen would definitely use force against Lan Yi!

He glared at her with hatred, his teeth clenched: "

The first to reach level 60 was Midnight, and three of the top five at level 60 are from the B faction! Currently, boss! However, with Xiao Qian strategizing within the B faction, even if your A faction manages to steal the [Wolf King's Wrath] potion, you're destined for a complete defeat!"

Lan Yi ignored Brother Wen's hatred and murderous gaze, calculating the decrease in her savings:

When she was kicked out of the game, it was -198.34 million US dollars; after violating the rules by leaving her room, she was penalized with a 100 million US dollar deduction, making it -298.34 million US dollars. Now, at time d7t12:15:34, subtracting the amount normally deducted every second, it should be -302.48 million US dollars. However, my bank account showed a deduction of $32,748, an overpayment of $25 million, approximately 160 million RMB!

This means that even when I'm not in the game, I still have to accept the penalty according to the mission rules!

******

Through Wen Ge's experiment, the results were unexpectedly ideal!

Lan Yi believes that Feng Qi will deliberately let Xiao Bo meet most of the players from faction A, and even faction B!

If Xiao Bo enters a room late when players choose rooms before game 1 starts, then by the second meal time, Xiao Bo will be able to use his photographic memory to tell him the room distribution of players from factions A and B!

This means that when the game restarts, he can force all players from faction B to leave the game and prevent them from re-entering!

However, this approach is too enviable! It would offend those people from faction B to the point of death!

It's difficult to defy public anger! Moreover, this method is too insidious and despicable!

Insidious and despicable.

Suddenly, a chilling thought popped into Lan Yi's head. She involuntarily held her breath, her mind racing:

If I were last in the individual leveling task, I should be penalized 100 million RMB. If the faction leveling task failed

, I should be penalized 60 million RMB! Obviously, assuming there are 16 people in faction B and 10+5 people in faction A, then each person in faction B would win 100 million RMB, which, if shared equally by faction A, would amount to 110 million RMB! Therefore, the individual leveling reward didn't penalize me 100 million RMB, perhaps because I was eliminated from the game and couldn't reach level 60, thus falling outside the rules of Task 1!

So, the 160 million RMB I was penalized was entirely due to the failure of the faction leveling task! This number is exactly 1.6 billion RMB divided by 10!

This means that there are only 10 players in faction A. Of the 16 people in faction B, 10 in faction A, and 5 eliminated from the game that Xiao Bo had previously investigated, all 5 were from faction B!

It seemed that the B faction had also figured out the rule of gaining free movement for 100 million US dollars, and planned to use this to forcibly remove all A faction players from the game!

This thought sent a chill down his spine! He whirled and rushed out of the room, creating a gust of wind!

However, he stopped abruptly as soon as he stepped out of the door, his mind racing with calculations, quickly suppressing his impulse!

The spacious hall was filled with rows of doors that swirled around him, making him dizzy!

He tried to calm himself:

Don't panic! Don't panic! The B faction wouldn't act too soon!

After all, if too many A faction players couldn't log in, the chances of the B faction being retaliated against and forced offline again would be high!

Besides, the first kill of the boss was unrelated to faction, and there was competition even within the same faction! Therefore, the B faction would use this forced offline tactic when killing the city lord!

According to Wen Ge, when he logged out of the game, the first boss had just been defeated. Without running the dungeon boss a dozen or twenty times, weapons, equipment, and skills wouldn't be upgraded. To massacre the city and kill the city lord guarded by high-level NPCs and players from the opposing faction was simply impossible!

Therefore, at this point, faction B wouldn't attack faction A players in the real world, to avoid alerting them!

He stood motionless in the center of the hall, his mind more exhausted than ever before:

What exactly would faction B do? What exactly was Xiao Qian's plan?!

Why did Xiao Qian need five faction B players to leave the game so early?!

Was it to test the effect of forced offline as soon as possible?

Was it because one minute in reality equals seven minutes in the game, so at a crucial moment, five people needed to rush into faction A players' rooms at top speed to force offline players and prevent them from retaliating against faction B?

The more he thought about it, the more complicated it seemed, and the more he analyzed it, the more powerless he felt against Xiao Qian's strategy:

Fighting against someone who relied on intelligence was too exhausting!

Suddenly, his hazy, wandering vision caught a glimpse of a door frame, giving him a strange feeling!

His feet, drawn by his gaze, instinctively led him to a door, its panel embedded in the wall! He touched the door frame, about the width of a fist, with his fingers… Lan Yi returned to Wen Ge's room, his mind heavy. The guy, his face contorted with anger, looked bewildered by his erratic behavior!

Actually, Wen Ge was quite handsome, but his sleazy demeanor dragged down his overall image!

Wen Ge gritted his teeth menacingly:

"Kid, you dare come back?"

Lan Yi's lips curled slightly: "

Unless the rules allow it, you can't attack other players! So, what can you do about my return?"

He was speechless!

Lan Yi calmly said: "I want to make a deal with you."

Wen Ge asked in surprise:

"Trying to turn me against you?! Aren't you afraid I'll sell you out again?"

Lan Yi said calmly: "I'll take into account the possibility of your betrayal."

Wen paused, then chuckled lewdly: "

I didn't expect you, who looks like a brainless pretty boy, to have such a commanding presence when it matters!"

Lan Yi smiled lightly: "

Actually, what you need to do is very simple. Just block a door for me before the second meal.

" Wen exclaimed: "You want me to go out of the room to block the door? A $100 million fine! Can I afford that?!"

Lan Yi: "I'll give you a $100 million exit fee! If you can block that door by the time of the second meal, I'll give you another $50 million."

Wen fell silent instantly! Silence filled the room.

Gradually, Wen's shoulders trembled, a tremor from suppressing laughter!

Finally, his sarcastic mockery burst from his lean body:

"Hmph, hahaha, $100 million, $50 million, hahaha! You're treating the real money on your watch like game currency! Even if you don't know the numbers on the screen represent real money, what makes you think you can give me $100 million and then $50 million?" I bet you're already in debt and can't afford to allocate funds to other players anymore!

Lan Yi's demeanor was gentle and refined, neither cold nor warm:

"If I didn't have a powerful partner in the game, would I have wasted $100 million in travel expenses just to chat with you?"

A gloomy, uncertain expression flickered across Wen Ge's face.

He was a smart man, and also someone who dared to take risks! He knew that he was excluded from the core of the B faction by Xiao Qian and Midnight, and even if he stayed in the game, he wouldn't gain much benefit. Moreover, now that he was forced out of the game, even the only reward for defeating the city lord was gone! Rather than waiting to die, he might as well gamble. Chapter 11: The Two Key Figures. Half an hour before the second meal, Lan Yi's beautiful face couldn't hide the tension and unease deep within.

Before a door, Wen Ge's usually lewd face tightened, his hands gripping the doorknob tightly, extremely vigilant.

A quiet, eerie silence

. Suddenly, Wen Ge's expression changed, his body tensed instantly, his arms straining with all his might, his hands gripping the doorknob tightly, preventing the person at the door from turning it!

25 minutes to 24 minutes left.

The turning force of the door handle weakened and then quickly disappeared! Wen Ge didn't dare to relax for a moment, his expression tense, and he gave Lan Yi a wink!

Lan Yi signaled to him: Be vigilant at all times before the second meal time!

20 minutes later, the elevator moved, quickly climbing from the first-floor lobby, ding~~~ stopping on the second floor!

Whoosh~~~ The elevator doors opened, and a huge cart almost filled the spacious elevator!

The cart slowly drove out, and hidden behind it was a robust man in his thirties, wearing a black wristband on his left wrist!

This must be the player who received the game task of delivering food and collecting tableware for Game 1!!

Wen Ge stared wide-eyed at the robust man with a shocked expression; the robust man gaped, staring at the teenagers and young adults in the lobby!

Lan Yi approached the cart, a smile tugging at her lips:

Let me deliver your food.

The robust man quickly calmed down and chuckled: No need!

He pushed the cart carrying metal plates and tableware, clockwise, locking the plates in the door mechanisms, then placing two dishes, a soup, and rice on top.

Lan Yi followed the burly man, casually striking up a conversation: "

The reward for this mission shouldn't exceed $3.1 million per meal, right?"

The burly man shrugged, smiling enigmatically:

"Don't try to trick me, I'm just a food deliveryman! I don't know anything else."

Lan Yi forced a warm smile: "

I know, metal plates are more valuable than rice."

The burly man froze for a moment, his body stiffening noticeably, before quickly resuming his nimble delivery movements: "

I've always envied people with sharp minds!"

Lan Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he'd guessed right! He looked earnestly at the burly man: "

I'd like to ask you to earn some extra money, $1 million per plate."

The burly man shook his head: "If I fail the delivery mission, I'll lose $1 million for each room."

Lan Yi quickly increased the price: "Two million per plate."

The burly man still shook his head, his delivery speed gradually increasing!

"Please leave all the metal plates on the door! I'll give you $100 million after the game."

Lan Yi felt a chill run down her spine, secretly admiring herself: She was so incredibly indebted, yet she still had the audacity to make such a generous deal!

The burly man stopped what he was doing, looked at Wen Ge blocking the doorway, then narrowed his eyes, silently observing Lan Yi for a few seconds before slowly speaking:

"Deal!"

******

The door Wen Ge was blocking belonged to Xiao Qian's room!

Lan Yi had carefully studied the structure of the door panel and frame, discovering that the door panel inside the room was horizontal to the wall, while the door panel outside the room was perpendicular to the frame. This meant that when the metal plates were inside the door, it didn't affect the opening and closing of the door; however, when the metal plates were outside, the door could only open a crack at most!

If Xiao Qian was truly as intelligent and strategic as Wen Ge claimed, then during their first meal, he couldn't have failed to notice the special features of the door panel and metal plates, couldn't have been unaware that only two people were needed to control the advantages and disadvantages of the two factions in the battle for the city lord! These two people were himself and the player delivering the food!

The temptation was too great; players could easily leave their faction and team up with a few others to split the reward for killing the city lord!

Therefore, Xiao Qian couldn't possibly tell the other players in faction B about this secret; he could only trust himself!

Now, Xiao Qian was cornered in the room by Brother Wen, and his deal with the food delivery player had been stolen by Lan Yi. This meant that for the rest of the game, victory belonged to faction A!

******

The second mealtime arrived, and all the metal plates were placed across the door, embedded in the door frame, blocking the door and preventing it from opening!

The food delivery player taught Lan Yi how to insert and eject the metal plates, left eleven meals, and then pushed his cart to the lobby on the first floor to sell food and earn extra money.

Brother Wen was finally freed from the door, his mind and body exhausted from the tension and exertion. He collapsed onto the door of Xiao Qian's room, asked Lan Yi for a meal, and began eating and drinking cross-legged. At this moment, the door was blocked from the outside by the metal plates, but it could still be pushed open a crack!

Lan Yi was preparing to deliver food to Xiao Bo and ask him to tell him the room locations of all the players in faction A, while they discussed killing the city lord.

"Hey, Mei Zai!" Wen Ge suddenly shouted, attracting Lan Yi's attention. He then pointed towards Xiao Qian's door!

The narrow crack in the door drew Lan Yi's gaze.

He approached and heard Xiao Qian's clear, gentle laughter emerge from the crack: "

Let's cooperate.

" Lan Yi glanced at Wen Ge: that lewd face was actually full of anticipation for cooperation!

Wen Ge stammered, spitting out rice grains:

"Mei Zai, agree! Xiao Qian can definitely maximize our profits! Besides, offending Xiao Qian and Midnight won't do you any good!" "

The profits we make?" Lan Yi frowned slightly: "

Looks like the $100 million departure fee and the $50 million door-blocking fee aren't enough for you!

" Wen Ge chuckled: "A naked money transaction is too hurtful to feelings. I don't want the $150 million! Let me join the team, it'll be better for everyone!"

Lan Yi gave him a bright smile, a smile that, though seemingly radiant, sent a chill down Wen Ge's spine, making him shudder:

This kid is definitely not someone to be trifled with!

Chapter 12: The End

There's not much time left to discuss the cooperation, so please make a decision as soon as possible.

Despite being at a clear disadvantage, Xiao Qian's refined voice remained elegant and confident.

Lan Yi's mind raced, weighing the pros and cons of cooperation versus going it alone, feeling a pang of heartache at the speed at which his brain cells were dying!

Finally, he chuckled self-deprecatingly, gestured for Xiao Qian to step back, and pressed a small protrusion on the door panel below the metal plate, flicking the metal plate into the doorway!

The door opened, and the two faced each other closely, one inside and one outside. Xiaoqian: First, let's talk about the number of players cooperating. I have six.

Lanyi: I have three. Also, the $100 million for the food delivery players needs to be shared by everyone.

Wen Ge interjected: I have two.

Xiaoqian and Lanyi each gave Wen Ge a look that said, "How could he be so shameless!"

Xiaoqian: Since we're going to cooperate, some things should be explained frankly to avoid suspicion, each going their own way, wasting time and energy, and even causing unnecessary losses.

Lanyi nodded in agreement.

Wen Ge interjected: No problem, I promise I won't hide anything!

Xiaoqian and Lanyi were too lazy to pay attention to Wen Ge's shamelessness!

Xiaoqian: Currently, Xiaobo has already gotten the first kill of two bosses! You should be able to guess that he's on my side since he was able to obtain the [Wolf King's Wrath] and various top-tier equipment and auxiliary materials so easily.

Lanyi was completely stunned by this!

He had no doubt that Xiao Bo was the person he was looking for, and he didn't even have a chance to doubt it, because he was killed and kicked out of the game while protecting Xiao Bo!

Therefore, please make sure your people protect Xiao Bo, guarantee that Xiao Bo gets the first kill on the third boss, and players who participated in the first kills of the first two bosses, other than the collaborators, are absolutely not allowed to get the first kill on the third boss with Xiao Bo.

Xiao Qian's smile was gentle and elegant; that clean temperament was simply not associated with scheming or cunning!

Defeat once again sharply struck Lan Yi, leaving him dazed and vaguely heartbroken! His mental exhaustion far outweighed his physical fatigue; he forced a smile, full of helplessness: "

The first kill bonus will be split equally among all collaborators, otherwise I can't guarantee that my collaborators in the game won't try to expel us!"

Xiao Qian: "Of course. Also, there are far more players in faction B than faction A, so faction A should be the ones to kill the city lord." I'll have Midnight find the best route and location to kill the city lord in Faction B's main city. You need to ensure that Faction A's people attacking and killing the city lord stay in the open, and that the number of people is less than 5 when the city lord is about to fall. Midnight will kill all Faction A players except for the collaborators in time to prevent other players from taking away the reward for the city lord kill mission!

Wen Ge interjected: What do I and my people need to do?

Xiao Qian and Lan Yi gave the lewd and shameless man a contemptuous smirk, but they were also helpless. Who told him to know all the secrets of the cooperation? He was more likely to ruin things than to succeed!

Xiao Qian's lips curled up slightly, her smile was cold: I can only add you! Pass on the message to Midnight and Xiao Bo for me.

Okay, okay!

Wen Ge nodded and bowed with a grin, a shameless scumbag!

******

When Lan Yi arrived at the door of Feng Qi's room, she saw the small crack in the door and understood: This child was also wary of the movement outside!

He flicked the metal plate into the door, entered, and met Feng Qi's cold and sharp eyes!

Lan Yi didn't waste any words, describing the situation outside the door in the most concise language.

He had thought that even if Feng Qi was unhappy, he wouldn't object, but the boy mocked in a sharp tone: "

Don't include me in your group! I discovered that Xiao Bo was problematic a long time ago, and I planned to use him to easily take down the first two bosses, and then handle the third boss myself! Killing the three bosses is a piece of cake for me, why should I share the spoils with seven, eight, or ten people?"

Lan Yi thought to himself: "What kind of people are these? Each one is more cunning, more ruthless, and more greedy than the last!

" Time was of the essence, and Lan Yi didn't have time to do any ideological work on him. He adopted an oppressive tone, smiling through gritted teeth: "

I didn't know Xiao Bo was on Xiao Qian's side, so I reported three people. When it comes to splitting the spoils, I'll get one share, and you'll get two! How about that? Besides, there's absolutely no benefit for us to go against Xiao Qian and his group!"

Feng Qi stared silently at Lan Yi until his scalp tingled, then he hummed softly, "

I'm hungry, get me something to eat."

So, this kid agreed?!

******

Xiao Bo told Wen Ge the detailed room layouts for players from faction A and faction B. Lan Yi told Wen Ge the player IDs that were considered invincible in the game. Xiao Qian asked Wen Ge to tell Midnight the details of the cooperation and important notes. Wen Ge ran back and forth between Xiao Bo, Xiao Qian, Feng Qi, and Midnight's rooms. At the end of the second mealtime, large numbers of players from factions A and B were forcibly removed from the game!

Curses, screams, and pleas roared from the narrow cracks in the doors.

Chapter 13: Revenue Sharing

Day 6 Time 03:20:00, the game, which had lasted 24 hours in real time, officially ended!

The wailing from the cracks in the doors was filled with despair and anger!

Lan Yi stood in the hall, looking around the densely packed rooms, his expression somewhat sorrowful and melancholy!

Xiao Qian, Midnight, Xiao Bo, and Feng Qi emerged from the room one after another, each looking at Lan Yi with a different mindset and a different gaze:

Xiao Qian's smiling eyes held admiration;

Midnight's tone was playful and provocative;

Xiao Bo's blank expression was hidden behind his large, double-lensed glasses, his eyes filled with evasiveness; Feng Qi stared intently at Lan Yi, slowly approaching, his dark, glassy eyes, like black marbles, gleaming beneath his eyelashes, radiating both fierceness and beauty!

Suddenly, Feng Qi hooked his arm around Lan Yi's shoulder and led her towards the stairwell:

"Let's go! Although players aren't allowed to attack each other outside the rules, verbal insults and curses aren't forbidden! When they come out, they'll surround you and say one thing each, enough to disgust you!"

Wen Ge opened the door for Xiao Yao, then pounced on him, tightly hugging the boy's legs to stop him from swinging the metal rod at Lan Yi: "

Xiao Yao, don't be impulsive! If you attack a player outside the rules, you'll die!"

Xiao Yao was forced out of the game by Lan Yi. Now, seeing his enemy, he was filled with rage:

"Let go! Damn it! If you stop me again, I'll kill you first!

Don't do anything rash! I cooperated with them, I got my share, I'll share with you!"

Wen Ge, though sleazy and cunning, seemed excessively kind to Xiao Yao. "

Get lost~~~~ I don't need your charity! I can't swallow this!"

Xiao Yao struggled, kicking and thrashing!

Wen Ge held him tightly, trying to calm him down: "

There are plenty of games here! When real player attacks are allowed, you can take your revenge!"

Xiao Yao was persuaded by these words. He swung the metal rod, pointing it directly at Lan Yi, and roared with his neck stiff: "

Kid, you just wait! See how I deal with you!"

Of course, Xiao Yao wasn't the only one who wanted to roar at Lan Yi like this, but unfortunately, they were still sealed in the room by the metal plate, unable to get out or vent their anger! In

******

Game 1, the rewards for the boss's three consecutive first kills, as well as the reward for killing the city lord, are all concentrated in the hands of Feng Qi and Xiao Bo: $2.9 billion (for the boss's three first kills) plus $21 (for killing the city lord), totaling $5 billion.

Feng Qi traded 2.5 billion to Lan Yi, and Xiao Bo traded 2.5 billion to Xiao Qian, also returning the 40 million USD Lan Yi had borrowed in the game. Lan Yi and Xiao Qian found a sofa in a corner of the lobby and sat down to divide the spoils.

Xiao Qian's group had 6 people, Lan Yi's group had 3, plus Wen Ge, making a total of 10 people, each receiving 500 million USD.

Lan Yi traded 500 million to Wen Ge, 500 million to Xiao Qian, and kept 1.5 billion for himself; the internal breakdown of accounts within each small group was handled by the three members themselves!

******

Lan Yi traded 1 billion USD to Feng Qi, then slumped wearily in the corner, his long hair framing his face. He keenly sensed that

the hostile gazes directed at him were growing increasingly intense!

It seemed more and more players were emerging from the second-floor rooms!

About two minutes later, Feng Qi came over, plopped down next to his head, and lazily snorted: "

Each boss's first kill leaves about 500 million RMB, 1.5 billion for the three bosses! I'm too lazy to calculate the details, so I'll just give you 200 million USD!"

Lan Yi's face suddenly pressed against a pert buttock, his eyes and lips twitching in unison. He quickly turned his head and feet around, continuing to close his eyes and rest!

Seeing Lan Yi's reaction, Feng Qi mischievously curled his lips, leaning back on the sofa and yawning repeatedly, mumbling indistinctly: "

Your savings are enough for you to live on for a while! Let's go, let's go to the sixth floor and get a room to sleep!"

Lan Yi pulled back the curtain and checked the information on his watch screen: Day 6, Time 04:00:23, $54,274, nearly 3.5 billion RMB!

He breathed a sigh of relief, but the emotions in his heart were still surging:

Is this really the amount of real currency? It seems no different from game currency! Even in games, you don't lose or win hundreds of millions or billions! It feels like gambling, and gambling with game currency at that!

Lan Yi got up, agreeing with Feng Qi's suggestion, and followed him to the sixth floor in the elevator!

******

The layout of this floor resembled a rather high-end hotel, only there were no staff!

There were no room numbers, but there was a sign indicating the room's price and service details.

Feng Qi randomly picked a room, pressed his watch against the electronic device near the doorknob, and clicked—the door opened!

He casually waved to Lan Yi, indicating he was leaving, then went inside and slammed the door shut!

Lan Yi walked to the door of the room next to Feng Qi's and carefully read the information on the sign:

$100 million/8 hours. During the stay, you can opt out of all games except those mandatory for players with negative bank balances; all items in the room are free, except for special services.

$100 million for 8 hours?!

Lan Yi felt a pang of regret and knocked on Feng Qi's door:

"Let's stay together, half price!"

Inside, a young man with an ordinary face smirked, gave a mocking laugh, and slammed the door shut!

Lan Yi lowered her eyelashes, hesitating: "Maybe I should just go back to the lobby on the first floor and make do!"

Suddenly, her watch beeped! She checked: Feng Qi had actually given her half of the $50 million for 8 hours of accommodation!

Lan Yi silently returned the $50 million to Feng Qi, then reluctantly deducted $100 million from the machine on the doorknob of the next room. With a righteous air, she walked into the guest room:

money is small, dignity is great; one shouldn't impulsively return charity!

******

Closing the door, Lan Yi looked around the luxurious guest room. Everything imaginable was there!

An electronic screen on the wardrobe door displayed scrolling text: free, brand new, washed an hour ago.

Inside the wardrobe, besides robes, there were underwear in all sizes, and sportswear, all in only two colors: bright pink and light green.

Lan Yi hesitated between the two colors, then took a light green pair of underwear and a light green robe, and went to the bathroom for a hot bath.

She tossed her own clothes into the washing machine, found a pizza in the refrigerator, heated it in the oven for a few minutes, ate it, drank a cup of hot juice, and lay down on the soft, comfortable bed. She closed her eyes to rest, intending to sort out her thoughts and think:

who was the enemy who dumped her here?

What kind of organization is this [df club]?

The games and currency here

... The comfortable and relaxing pleasure soothed his tired mind and body. He had only just begun to think when he drifted off to sleep!

Chapter 14: A or B? A

piercing alarm blared loudly, followed by a mechanical voice warning:

Player ID 115, please note that there are 10 minutes left before the end of your stay. Please leave this room immediately. If you exceed the time limit, $100 million will be forcibly deducted.

Lan Yi jumped out of bed, ripped off his pajamas, pulled the dried clothes from the washing machine, hastily put them on, and rushed out of the room at lightning speed!

He hadn't set an alarm! Feng Qi's slightly mocking greeting rang in his ear!

Lan Yi glanced sideways at the new, unfamiliar, ordinary face, panting slightly and gritting his teeth:

He'd actually changed faces, and he'd approached silently from behind! This guy is wasting his talent not being an assassin!

******

Day 6, 12:20:46 PM, Lan Yi, carrying $43,764, followed Feng Qi back to the first-floor lobby. On

the large screen on the north wall, a skeleton dragging chains and carrying a scythe glowed with a chilling light!

Lan Yi was quite wealthy now and desperately hoped to avoid being forced to participate in any more games and to safely endure until the seven days ended; therefore, this game's starting sign sent a shiver down his spine!

However, the game instructions seemed to have already ended, and he waited anxiously for over ten minutes, but the background on the screen remained unchanged!

Looking around, there were probably other games in progress; there were fewer than 200 people in the lobby. In

the eastern corner, Brother Wen huddled next to Xiao Yao, muttering something! The arrogant arrogance of the young man and the shameless lewdness of the man were starkly contrasted!

In the northwest corner, at midnight, a man sat on a sofa, flirting intimately with a beautiful, long-haired boy. The powerful, muscular lines of his arms were strong and domineering, and the boy's already slender frame seemed to slump under the weight.

On the sofa by the south wall, Xiao Qian was curled up, leaning lazily against the back cushion, toying with a gleaming silver butterfly knife. Two burly men sat beside him, the three of them in silent silence.

On the central sofa, still sat the delicate-faced, pale-faced, blank-looking boy, Xiao Bo! He habitually stared at the ceiling, his large, two-way glass glasses obscuring his view.

Lan Yi slowly surveyed the hall, many malevolent gazes hidden among the crowd fixed on him. He understood: in Game 1, as the executor of the tactic of forcing players to leave the game, he had indeed offended some people terribly!

More than ten minutes passed, and the large screen remained unchanged!

Lan Yi breathed a slight sigh of relief. Perhaps a game had already started, and he and Feng Qi had missed their turn. They were safe for now!

Feng Qi was definitely a glutton; Lan Yi had witnessed his enthusiasm for food more than once!

This guy had wandered to the central bar as soon as he entered the lobby, ordered a cheese pizza and a juice, and ate slowly for over ten minutes. Then he ordered some grilled bacon and had been eating ever since.

When Lan Yi's gaze fell again on the pale-faced boy, Xiao Bo, a very uncomfortable feeling welled up inside him!

He hadn't been in the game for long, nor had he interacted with Xiao Bo much, but that didn't diminish his heartache and sadness at having a trusted teammate turn out to be an enemy.

Here, in less than two days, he had participated in two games and experienced two crises of trust! He

subconsciously glanced at Feng Qi, a self-deprecating thought creeping onto his face: that enigmatic boy, wouldn't he also stab him in the back or shoot him in the back at a crucial moment?!

Feng Qi seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, noticing his gaze. He spun his chair, met his eyes, waved the bacon roll on his fork, and mouthed: "Don't stare at me, it affects my appetite while I'm eating."

Lan Yi smiled and looked away!

He could read simple lips, something he learned on the entertainment show "School Heartthrob Master"!

Although that show was exaggerated, to win the episode championship and the overall championship, you needed real skills!

Especially since the show frequently required them to learn and demonstrate on the spot, even for some very professional skills, giving them only a few hours of training before they had to compete on stage!

Strong adaptability, agility, and a sharp mind were the basic qualities that supported him to the end!

Of course, a beautiful but not seductive appearance, a slender but not thin physique, a strong but not muscular build, and a gentle but not weak personality were the key factors.

******

Day 6, Time 13:00:00, the skull on the big screen suddenly trembled its jaw and let out a chilling laugh!

A deep, resonant male voice echoed in the lobby: "

The 60-minute selection period is over. We are now announcing the number of

players who chose option A and option B. There are currently 217 players in the lobby: 93 chose option A, 109 chose option B, and 15 abstained.

Since players who chose option B have the advantage, the 'Option B' live-action bounty game will officially begin in 10 minutes!

The game will last 24 hours. Participants are all players in the lobby at this moment. Bounty missions will be displayed in real-time on the large screen. If you are interested in a particular bounty mission, please enter the mission number on your watch screen to accept it.

Please note that each player can only accept one mission at a time and cannot abandon a mission within its time limit. If a mission is completed or its time limit expires, you can accept another mission.

Now, players are free to move around. Please remember to check your bounty missions regularly, or you will be responsible for the consequences!

" Lan Yi was somewhat confused:

Another inexplicable game?

"Option B" live-action bounty game? What is option A?

If I choose A or B and then forfeit, does that not count as forfeiting during the game?

Can I just not do or claim those bounty missions?

Meanwhile, Midnight continued to unleash her domineering aura, leisurely teasing the handsome young man; Xiao Qian sheathed her butterfly knife, a faint smile appearing on her serene face as she spoke to the two burly men beside her; Xiao Yao suddenly saw Lan Yi, swiftly pulled out the metal rod from her back, and angrily swung it at Lan Yi a few times, fiercely demonstrating her power; Xiao Bo removed his glasses, stood up and sat on the sofa, carefully and quickly scanning all the players in the lobby. When he scanned Lan Yi, he clearly paused for a moment, then his gaze continued to sweep rapidly!

You don't need to look at Xiao Bo with that deceived, manipulated look. The relationship between players is one of mutual exploitation; there are no eternal enemies, nor long-term teammates!

Feng Qi's cold voice rang out behind Lan Yi, close to her ear!

Lan Yi's scalp tingled. Repeatedly caught off guard, he almost had the urge to grab a dart and throw it at the guy behind him! "

How about another collaboration?"

Feng Qi extended an arrogant invitation with a smirk. "

I don't intend to accept bounty missions." Lan Yi calmly and politely declined.

Feng Qi shrugged, his lips slightly pursed:

"May your dreams come true! Come beg me anytime you regret it."

Beg? Lan Yi maintained a fake smile, too lazy to engage in conversation.

******

Day 6, Time 13:10:00, three bounty missions appeared on the big screen!

Mission 1: Within 2 hours, retrieve a red key from a room on the third floor. This key is the key to the main gate of a villa located near Windsor, England. Please note that failure will incur a fine of ￡20 million.

Mission 2: Within 2 hours, prevent the player who accepted Mission 1 from obtaining the red key. Completion of the mission will earn a reward of ￡20 million. Please note that if the mission fails, a fine of ￡20 million will be imposed. The player who obtains the red key will receive half of the fine.

Mission 3: Before the end of the bounty game, player ID115 will be targeted once. The reward for completing the mission is ￡10 million. Please note that if the mission fails, all players who accepted this mission will be subject to a fine of ￡10 million, and player ID115 will receive the entire fine.

When Lan Yi saw ID115 appear on the big screen in this form, her face flushed red and then turned pale!

All the players in the hall stared intently at player ID115, who had been quite impressive in the first round of the game!

Feng Qi leaned close to his ear and chuckled gleefully: "

Just say you need cooperation. "

Surrounded by the colorful gazes of the entire hall, Lan Yi feigned calmness: "

Why would 【df club】issue such a mission?

" Feng Qi sneered: "

With club members paying, any kind of mission is possible. Mission 3 means you've been targeted by a member of the club, and with malicious intent!" "You're pretty enough, have a great figure, and are incredibly ruthless. There's no shortage of players interested in Mission 3. So, once you're controlled, you're highly likely to be ganged up on and killed. Why don't you consider teaming up with me? We'll split the money 50/50." 　　Lan

Yi raised an eyebrow, about to refuse

, when suddenly Feng Qi's gaze swept over his shoulder and looked behind him, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "The vanguard's here!" 　　Lan Yi spun around, and four muscular men immediately came into view. He instinctively took a few small steps back, quickly creating distance, his expression calm and slightly contemptuous: " 　　You can't abandon a bounty mission halfway through, right?! This mission lasts the entire game time; you should all accept Mission 1 or Mission 2 first. 　　" The leading muscular man, shaking his dark arm muscles, laughed arrogantly:

"Let's finish you quickly, so as not to delay the other tasks! Do you want to be violently assaulted in public, or find a quiet place and have us gang rape you?"

Lan Yi's eyes turned cold as she shook her ankles and wrists, preparing to give her buddies a scare. Suddenly, Xiao Qian's voice came from afar: "

Gang rape player ID 115 once. The description of this task is actually quite vague! First, gang rape naturally refers to two or more people gang raping a certain person. What's hard to grasp is how long the time interval between two gang rapes is before it counts as gang rape; second, according to the meaning of gang rape once, once the first person starts, it cannot stop, otherwise the gang rape ends, and any subsequent gang rape is considered a second time, which is not within the scope of task completion. Of course, these two points are just my guesses, for reference only." After

Xiao Qian finished speaking, he had already walked to face-to-face with Lan Yi! He smiled gently and clearly stated:

"I don't have the strength to subdue you, nor do I have the appetite for what others have left over, so don't worry, I won't take this task." The fact

that he could analyze this task so logically, each sentence a sharp retort and a decisive blow, all while remaining expressionless and serious, as if engaged in an academic discussion, left Lan Yi speechless once again!

Even more baffling was that Xiao Qian actually tried to pimp out Midnight: "

Hey, Midnight! If you're planning on doing Task 3, you need to hurry. I need to reconsider whether Task 1 or Task 2 is more worthwhile!"

In the distance, Midnight continued teasing the young man, glancing at the target of everyone's criticism, Player 115, yawning, his playful smile lazy yet impatient: "

The reward for Task 3 is only 10 million US dollars, too little! Besides, I haven't even started with the beauty 115 yet; if it ends because of this garbage task, it's not worth it!"

Xiao Qian shrugged, gave Lan Yi a gentle smile, walked to the large screen, stared at the rules of Task 1 and Task 2, and fell into deep thought!

Chapter 15: Fortune Lies in Risk

After the little interlude, Lan Yi could only face the four muscular men who had led the charge once more! However, at this moment, he had a different thought.

The explanation of Task 3 actually served two purposes:

first, to remind other players who were interested in Task 3 to be quick and efficient; second, to urge and tempt those who were hesitant. Since Task 3 couldn't be interrupted, some players were already trying to take advantage of player number 115. If they didn't accept the task and complete it, they would miss their chance!

After all, Xiao Qian's personality wasn't the kind to be kind enough to seek benefits for others. Lan Yi glanced around at the four muscular men who were far superior to him and decided: following the commotion caused by Xiao Qian, he would increase the temptation of Task 3!

He took a deep breath, lowered his eyelashes, and his shoulders slumped into a weak and powerless posture. His voice was soft and weak:

Let's find a secluded place!

Don't worry, as long as you cooperate obediently, I'll stop as soon as I'm done!

The muscular man's pride swelled instantly, and he excitedly shoved the boy behind him, slapping his round buttocks and shoving him upstairs.

His backside burned, but Lan Yi gritted his teeth, suppressing his anger, his head bowed low. Surrounded by the muscular man, he appeared timid and weak!

Reaching the second floor, he was astonished to find at least dozens of players following him, with Feng Qi at the very front!

Lan Yi was speechless at the sheer number of people! Exhausted, he asked Feng Qi, "What are you doing here?"

Feng Qi chuckled, "Doing quest 3."

Lan Yi frowned, "Where's your sense of shame as a human?" Feng Qi

scoffed, "Here, you could lose your life at any moment. What's the point of shame?"

Suddenly, figures appeared. In the next second, Lan Yi had slipped through the gaps between the muscular men and appeared behind Feng Qi, quickly forming a back-to-back position, and sighed softly, "

I need your cooperation."

Feng Qi laughed mockingly: "

You'll pay the penalty for my failed Mission 3."

Lan Yi: "Okay."

Feng Qi: "I know you and Xiao Qian already reached a cooperation agreement downstairs with your flirtatious glances! When all the bounty missions are over, you'll get half of your winnings."

Lan Yi coldly stared at the muscular man's approaching footsteps and said: "

Okay!"

Feng Qi: "Mission 3 is a gang rape mission, which inherently allows players to attack each other. However, as long as the mission doesn't mention words like 'kill' or 'death,' you absolutely cannot take anyone's life, understand?"

The four muscular men's enraged violent attack had already arrived. Lan Yi's figure blurred for a moment, and when his figure became clear again, he had already taken down one! He dealt with the second while answering:

"Understood!"

******

The players who accepted Mission 3 were also anxious and furious! They originally thought that with the four muscular men subduing the mission target, they could just hitch a ride and pick up the scraps, quickly and effortlessly. However, even an hour or two of human wave tactics couldn't overwhelm the slender beauty number 115! They couldn't delay any longer! The reward for this mission was already small, and although the penalty was also small, they couldn't abandon the mission within 24 hours. If they couldn't take down target number 115, they would be stuck in this stalemate and lose the chance to complete mission 1 or mission 2!

Several times, the two were surrounded and attacked, on the verge of death, and could only use their bodies to withstand wave after wave of attacks, desperately trying to break through to the stairwell. "

Damn it, they're swarming like locusts, and we can't kill them!"

Feng Qi cursed irritably, his disguised face swollen and distorted: "

We really should have used another plan! Find two people to gang rape you, then guard you until the first time is over, and the others will give up!

" Taking advantage of the chaos, Lan Yi punched Feng Qi in the face! "

You're asking for it!" Feng Qi didn't have time to fight back, so he could only vent his anger verbally.

It had been more than two hours since the game started, and they had fought their way up from the second floor to the third floor via the stairs!

The structure of the third floor was exactly the same as the second floor, and the huge space was completely empty!

Midnight leaned against the door of the room at the top of the stairs, giving the two battered men a wicked smile: "

Slow enough! Hurry up and come over. "

The crowd chasing Lan Yi and Feng Qi paused noticeably when they saw Midnight, and the two took the opportunity to escape into the room behind him!

Outside the door, Midnight leaned against the doorframe, pointed at Lan Yi inside, and lazily shouted to the crowd: "

Everyone disperse! If you want to touch him, you'll have to get past me first! It's not worth hurting our feelings for 10 million US dollars! Besides, Missions 1 and 2 are over, find a place to rest and wait for the next mission!"

Most of the players left cursing, while a few remained at the door to stand still!

When the bald boy, Xiao Yao, came out of the room wielding a metal rod and joined Midnight in a show of force, everyone else had already left!

******

Wen Ge and Xiao Bo were also in the room!

Wen Ge contributed the first-aid supplies he had bought from the bar on the first floor, applying medicine to Lan Yi while jokingly saying: "

It's really not easy, you've attracted almost half the firepower!"

Lan Yi collapsed on the spot, her face deathly pale and utterly exhausted! Feng Qi, on the other hand, was completely unaffected, full of energy, except for his ridiculously swollen face.

Jing Wen recounted:

Missions 1 and 2 were also chaotic melees! He and Xiao Yao joined Xiao Qian's team. Because of Xiao Bo's presence, Xiao Yao and Midnight protected Xiao Bo, carving paths through the crowd and searching every room on the third floor. Xiao Bo's photographic memory was impressive; in less than an hour, he had found the red key in dozens of rooms, in very hidden places!

Xiao Bo, wearing large black-rimmed glasses, huddled in a corner on the floor, staring blankly at the ground a few feet in front of him; Xiao Yao sat cross-legged outside the door, guarding it with the languid Midnight, occasionally glancing in and giving Lan Yi a menacing sneer!

Wen Ge treated Lan Yi's wounds on his arm and back, wrapping them in white gauze again and again.

Then, in his usual nonchalant manner, he continued to reveal information: Although Missions 1 and 2 were over, Xiao Qian believed that the red key was with Xiao Bo. The club hadn't explained the key's purpose or announced the rules for its retrieval, so there might be follow-up games related to it. To prevent other players from stealing the key, Xiao Yao and Midnight were to guard Xiao Bo here; Xiao Qian and his two helpers were on the first floor, watching the big screen for new bounty missions.

Lan Yi lay sprawled on the floor, eyes closed, resting. He recalled the events of the past few hours, the dark mass of people who had attacked him for what reason and purpose—a strange sense of terror gripped his heart! Although Xiao Qian's psychological manipulation of other players was very skillful, this brainwashing effect was something he could never have imagined! It's understandable that those he offended in Game 1 would try to take revenge, but for other players to gang rape a boy they had no grudge against, or even a complete stranger, seems like gang rape isn't a crime at all, but as commonplace as killing a monster or getting a quest item in a virtual game!

Could it be that spending too much time in this kind of game would shatter his values like theirs, leaving him without guilt, without shame, abandoning all morality, and willing to use any means necessary to make money? If he really became that kind of person, at least he should be as strong as Xiaoqian and Midnight, at least he could maintain his dignity!

He struggled to stand up, pulling open the white cloth on his left wrist to check the time: d6t 17:28:33, the watch screen showed $43,456 in savings. There were still more than 18 hours left until the bounty mission ended, with only Mission 3 still unfinished. With so much time, the possibility of a new bounty mission being released was indeed very high.

Chapter 16: A Familiar Unease

However, this highly probable possibility persisted until 13:00:00 on d5t and still hadn't materialized!

The combined prize money received by Lan Yi and Xiao Bo amounted to $2.05 billion. With nine people involved in this collaboration, each person received $230 million.

At 13:25:00 on d5t, the distribution ended, leaving Lan Yi with $659.34 million in savings. This figure filled him with a chaotic unease, a sense of unease born from overconfidence. It was like in Game 1, where he had captured the Forest Guardian and acted arrogantly in the starting village, thinking he had a cheat code or struck gold, only to discover it was a sweet trap!

This sense of crisis grew stronger with each passing second, driving him to want nothing more than to escape! He wanted to hide in a hotel on the sixth floor, to escape the game, to escape the trap of the game's rules!

However, with over 100 hours left before the seven-day game ended, a hotel room costing $100 million for eight hours would require at least $1.4 billion! Therefore, he couldn't afford to hide!

What tormented him even more was that after the bounty missions, he had offended a third of the entire player population. In the lobby, no matter which corner he huddled in, he was met with venomous stares! In real life, fans amassed wave after wave of support; here, enemies surged in waves, the difference so stark it chilled him to the bone!

He huddled on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling, the bruises and wounds from the chase and beatings in Bounty Mission 3 throbbing painfully! He hadn't even noticed when Feng Qi approached; the boy's face had donned a new disguise, the swelling from the beatings still there, but the distortion was gone.

When Feng Qi asked about his enemies, he gave a bitter smile, utterly bewildered: "

It's true I often stand up for my classmates, but I really don't know how I offended such a crazy person, or how I could have offended someone to this extent!"

As a result, Feng Qi's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he sneered:

"It's probably not because you offended someone that you were brought in; rather, someone just didn't like you and sold you to the club!"

Lan Yi responded to his provocation with silence.

******

This time, the wait for the new game lasted a long time, until d5t18:48:00, and no new missions had been released. The unease and worry that things were going too smoothly and the money coming in too quickly were getting worse and worse for Lan Yi!

When Feng Qi ate his third plate of grilled bacon next to him, this glutton's preference for food was quite obvious.

Lan Yi asked casually:

"By the way, what kind of people get thrown here to play the games at [df club]?" "

Healthy, without illness or disease, decent-looking, not deformed, and recommended by a VIP member of [df club], you can play these games." So, it's easy to get in here, but hard to get out!

Feng Qi swallowed the last bacon roll on his plate, slurped it down, and his eyes showed a satisfied and contented expression.

Lan Yi pressed, "How difficult is it to get out?"

Feng Qi glanced at him absentmindedly, "

First, it's very difficult to return to real life alive during each 7-day game; second, even if you get out, you have to come back to play when the club's next game starts, otherwise, you'll be fined $100,000 a day, which most people can't afford!"

Lan Yi pointed to his left wrist and asked, "What conditions must be met to completely remove this thing?"

"Earn $10 billion to redeem yourself, or find someone who loves you to redeem you."

Feng Qi suddenly hooked Lan Yi's chin with his right index finger, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The gesture was ambiguous and suggestive!

In Game 1, Feng Qi's disguised face flashed through Lan Yi's mind, his imagination and reality gradually overlapping, even trying to clearly replace reality:

slightly upturned red lips, long eyelashes, fair skin, a delicate nose, and even his sharp, cold eyes now carrying a frivolous smile. Okay, Lan Yi firmly believed: the attraction of a beautiful woman is powerful, and his excited mood was a normal reaction! "

You have those kinds of thoughts about me?" Feng Qi's teasing voice jolted him out of his daze!

Lan Yi then realized:

Feng Qi's breath was almost touching his lips, the warm touch tickling his heart; and he himself was leaning forward, close to Feng Qi's upper body, in a rather intimate posture, his head tilted to the side, his face tilted up at a 30-degree angle, in a typical kissing position!

Damn it! Being excited is fine; but this kind of behavior is really damaging to his image!

His values were already shattered, and now, his image was ruined too. Somewhat annoyed, he quickly got up and retreated far away, shrinking into a single sofa in the corner, his armrests furrowed in frustration!

To everyone's surprise, Feng Qi followed closely behind, his tight jeans accentuating his long, slender legs. He knelt beside Lan Yi, a faint smile on his lips still mocking, yet now tinged with a slyness: "

You pay, and I'll go to a hotel with you."

"So casual!" Lan Yi glanced sideways, defiant: "My front and back are both pure."

Feng Qi pressed the pad of

his thumb against Lan Yi's lips, maliciously rubbing and grinding: "So, only your top is impure? Are you planning to lick my back, or suck my front? Or perhaps my pure top can serve your pure front and back." From scalp to fingertips and toes, Lan Yi's body trembled, goosebumps erupting, and she burst out laughing: "

Your level is too high, I'm not on the same level as you, don't tease me."

The young body and mind are actually very easily agitated! Feng Qi was cold and arrogant, domineering and domineering, but he still couldn't escape the physical throbbing. He pressed close to Lan Yi, tentatively touching her waist and abdomen above her belt with his fingers, feeling this slender, lean, yet muscular body, like cooled egg white, cool, smooth, delicate, and firm, a comfortable touch that made his fingers bounce off.

Lan Yi, as if burned, slapped his hand away, a hint of annoyance in her expression. She feigned a smile, a mixture of aloofness and warning.

Feng Qi, however, was captivated by the allure of this close encounter: large, clear eyes, long, thick eyelashes, and sharply defined double eyelids that serenely framed her glistening pupils. Her habitual pursed lips and gentle smile created two beautiful, warm crescent moons in her eyes, drawing him to the depths of his emotions. "

I find you as tempting as grilled bacon now,"

he whispered, bringing his lips close to Lan Yi's ear. "Let me eat you up."

This glutton! Lan Yi forced a fake smile, about to tease him in return, when she heard a sinister laugh emanating from the large screen on the north wall! A chill ran down her spine

; a strange unease washed over her again.

Feng Qi rolled over, crossed his legs, and sat on the wide armrest of the sofa, scoffing coldly, "What a spoilsport!"

Chapter 17: The Game of Unknown Identity

d5t19:00:00, the club issued a new round of missions!

A chilling baritone voice, accompanied by darkly colored images of skulls and black roses, announced the game rules: This is a role-playing game with four roles: God, Angel, Demon, and Human; at this moment, players with positive bank balances must participate in this game, otherwise they will be considered to have lost.

In 15 minutes, all participating players should proceed to the second-floor lobby, each receiving an electronic card. Press the yellow button on the front of the card, and the card screen will display the information of the role each player is playing.

When the screens of two cards touch, pressing the red button on the back of the card will kill the opponent's character. If players press the red button simultaneously, the earlier action will be considered successful. If the screens of two cards touch, pressing the green button on the back of the card will revive the opponent. Each character has only one revival opportunity, which can be used on the same character or any other character. If a player requests that the card screens touch, the requested player cannot refuse; otherwise, that player will be fined $100 million. Forcibly viewing other players' cards is prohibited; otherwise, that player will be fined $100 million.

The conditions for each character to win are as follows:

God: All demons die; Angel: All demons die if God survives; Demon: God dies; Human: God, Angel, and Demon all die.

The penalty for each character's death or game loss is the same: zero in-game currency. If a character survives and wins, the reward for God, Angel, and Demon is doubled in-game currency, while the reward for Human is the total amount of currency lost by other characters divided by the number of Human characters. The game will award players with corresponding rewards and penalties at the end.

Please note that if a player's bank account is negative at this moment, their real-life body will also die when their game character dies or loses the game. If the player's game character wins, the debt will be cleared.

This game lasts for 48 hours. Please prepare in time and collect your cards to start the game!

It looks just like the online game "Three Kingdoms Kill" I used to play!

Lan Yi was deeply surprised. It was her favorite game, and she never expected to play it in this way. If there wasn't the pressure of winning or losing a huge sum of money, it should be very interesting! "Three Kingdoms Kill? What's that?"

Feng Qi slightly pursed his lips, jumped off the sofa armrest, ruffled the hair covering his eyes, and gestured for Lan Yi to go upstairs to collect cards. "

If you replace God, angels, demons, and humans in the game with Lord, Loyal Minister, Rebel, and Traitor, and then change some rules, it's pretty much like Three Kingdoms Kill,"

Lan Yi explained simply to Feng Qi. Actually, Three Kingdoms Kill is quite complicated and can't be explained in a short time. If there's a chance, he could play a few rounds with Feng Qi.

******

is quite different from Three Kingdoms Kill.

Xiaoqian sat on the sofa opposite Midnight, habitually fiddling with his exquisite butterfly knife.

After all, it's a game where character death means zero savings. Midnight, abandoning his usual carefree and lazy demeanor, sent the boy in his arms to play by himself.

Xiaoqian glanced at Xiaobo, who had already gone up the stairs to the second floor, and casually offered his opinion:

First, the God character's card isn't transparent, and the game rules don't state that the game ends early if God dies. So, if God dies at the beginning, the demons win and the angels lose, and the rest of the game is purely for the humans. Second, since the identity of God is unclear, guessing the player's role is even more difficult. Furthermore, there's only one traitor in Three Kingdoms Kill, but we don't know how many humans are in this game, so cooperating with humans and ultimately suffering losses is very risky!

Midnight's muscular shoulders and arms gleamed a deep honey-colored sheen under the light, as if coated with dark olive oil. He leaned back on the sofa, exuding a wicked aura:

You don't need to beat around the bush! "Our principle has always been: cooperation is beneficial, disbandment is not. This will never change."

Xiao Qian chuckled gently: "That's good."

He put away his butterfly knife, got up and walked to the second floor, leaving Midnight with a waving goodbye; Midnight's head was slightly lowered, his deep eyes filled with a cold and ruthless glint!

******

d 5 t 19:21:21, at the large round table in the center of the second-floor hall, Lan Yi and Feng Qi received their respective cards.

Before Lan Yi could check her character information, Feng Qi domineeringly issued the cooperation order: "Same as always, 50/50 split of profits."

Lan Yi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, a mocking smile playing on her lips: "

I remember someone once told me in a very aloof manner: 'Don't try to get close, I have no interest in meeting people in a place like this.' Now you're being so clingy, it seems very out of character for you."

Feng Qi, always cold and arrogant, suddenly sidled up to Lan Yi, his tone condescending and mocking: "

I seem to recall saying that I generally feel great pity for those who have been betrayed."

Lan Yi mentally berated Feng Qi from personality to character, too lazy to discuss or argue further. He found a quiet, secluded room and pressed the yellow button on the front of the card.

A pair of black wings bloomed on the 5-centimeter square screen—a demon!

He breathed a slight sigh of relief, thankful he wasn't human! Because if there really was only one human in this game, like the traitor in Three Kingdoms Kill, then only a non-human could control that character and achieve final victory!

Click! Someone pushed open the door!

Lan Yi and the newcomer exchanged glances inside and outside the door. The newcomer then hurriedly closed the door and left. It turned out to be another player looking for a safe place to check character information.

The soundproofing of this small room was excellent; despite the bustling activity in the main hall, it was so quiet inside that it was almost deafening!

He walked to the door, opened it a crack, and stared at the hurried players, trying to glean some information from their expressions!

According to his view:

players whose characters were human would be under a lot of pressure, with more severe anxiety and unease; players whose characters were gods would be slightly more relaxed, because even if a player killed their character, they could reveal their identity and have other angels resurrect them; players whose characters were angels should look very solemn, as they not only had to survive themselves but also ensure that their gods survived; players whose characters were demons would have a relatively strong urge to kill, as they had no complicated concerns, only needing to ensure that they could survive until the end of the game after their gods were killed! "

Hey, what are you hiding in there for? If you can't fulfill the game's quests, there's no point in you surviving to the end!"

Suddenly, Feng Qi's mocking voice rang out against the door frame.

The glutton had silently drifted to his side again!

Lan Yi stepped out of the room, glancing helplessly at the arrogant and cocky guy, and provocatively asked, "

Dare you tell me what character you got?"

He was just saying it casually; even if the kid told him, he wouldn't believe it was the truth!

But Feng Qi's next action shocked him again:

the kid actually pointed the card screen directly at his eyes, and pressing the yellow button revealed an ordinary male image—it was actually human!

Feng Qi's honesty shocked him, and the character information he saw stunned him! He didn't know if the kid was incredibly lucky or incredibly unlucky! Winning the game might mean earning the most, but only by killing all the other characters could he win!

He tried hard to disguise his facial expression so that other players wouldn't see through his actions!

Feng Qi put the card in his pocket, shrugged, and looked somewhat annoyed: "

Everyone's watching, and I can't be the first to attack and become the target. I hate these indecisive, time-wasting games!"

He strode past Lan Yi, entered the room, lay down in the game pod that Game 1 had used, irritably curled his lip, and snorted: "

Anyway, nothing can be done. I'll sleep first, you keep watch, then it's your turn to sleep and I'll keep watch."

Lan Yi genuinely admired the child's ability to eat and sleep well and adapt to his environment. Leaning against the wall outside the door frame, she continued to carefully observe everyone's behavior, expressions, and lip movements!

Chapter 18: A Strange Feeling

Ten hours into the game, someone finally couldn't resist making a move. A tall, thin man in a dark blue suit, a classic image of a business elite, attacked a burly man with a fierce face!

The elite man made an irresistible request to touch the screen to the burly man, and then, under the burly man's intimidating gaze, calmly and quickly pressed the red kill button! The

burly man's expression was ferocious and terrifying, but when the two cards touched the screen, he never attempted to press the red button on his own card! Even after the elite man killed his character, the girl, feeling humiliated, cursed him viciously before pressing the green resurrection button on the back of the card to revive her character!

This scene immediately triggered a frenzied chain reaction in the surging crowd. A girl (A) attacked the burly man again; then a guy (B) appeared and killed girl A, who revived and fought him again. B's character died, but he revived again; then guy C, without giving B a chance to recover, killed him. After Feng Qi fell into a deep sleep, Lan Yi quietly stood guard at the door, leaning against the wall for a long time, then sitting by the door. When the commotion of the characters killing each other suddenly erupted, he quickly woke Feng Qi, and the two continued to stand silently at the door, speculating about the situation in the hall!

The most logical explanation for this mutually destructive situation seems to be:

the muscular man was asked to touch the screen but dared not press the kill button because he feared the man in the dark blue suit was God, thus the muscular man's role was that of an angel; woman A had the same suspicion, so she immediately attacked the muscular man, indicating that woman A was a demon, though she could also be a human trying to mislead others; thus, man B wanted to kill woman A because man B could be an angel, God, or a human. Since God has angels to rely on and doesn't need to reveal himself early, while humans are better suited to sit back and watch the fight, man B is most likely an angel; man C completely eliminated man B, so man C is most likely a demon; then, what role did the elite-looking man in the dark blue suit play in this chaotic battle?

Because his card was God, was he fearless, and even if he were killed, would many angels come to his rescue once his identity was revealed?

However, if that were truly the case, why would the demon A and C not kill the elite man, but instead attack the other angel characters?

Lan Yi and Feng Qi exchanged glances, their eyes conveying their confusion!

Therefore, the seemingly clear-cut battle and group fight in the hall remained a chaotic mess!

Lan Yi frowned slightly; at this moment, his heart felt as if it were entangled in a soft spiderweb, endlessly and inextricably intertwined. Gradually, the situation of characters killing each other became increasingly chaotic, and his focus began to wander aimlessly!

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared at the door of a room—it was Xiao Qian speaking to the elite man.

Because of the distance and the constant movement of people blocking the view, Lan Yi couldn't understand the conversation between Xiao Qian and the elite man using his half-baked lip-reading skills. However, Xiao Qian uttered a few words: "

The behavior is very strange .

" Those words seemed like a pair of scissors cutting a hole in the spiderweb of thoughts coiled around Lan Yi's mind, causing a sudden awakening!

Yes, strange! This incomprehensible and tangled situation was strange!

Now, thinking about it carefully, the fact that A-woman didn't kill the elite man who was likely God, but instead directly killed the strong man whose angel identity was more clearly established, makes one possibility very reasonable:

A-woman knew God wasn't the elite man, so she teamed up with the elite man to kill an angel!

If that's the case, then A-woman's actions and understanding don't seem like those of a player at all; rather, it seems like... "How could this be?"

Surprise, doubt, and unease clenched in his heart. He suddenly realized something and turned to ask Feng Qi: "

Here, in real-life games, are there club staff members participating?"

Feng Qi had given up on using his wits. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, lips pursed, and coldly said, "

I've never seen a staff member here. "

Lan Yi's thoughts stalled again, frantically searching for a new breakthrough.

******

Perhaps the scene of Xiao Qian and the elite man together conveyed the message that some kind of scheme was unfolding to others. A small portion of the players killing each other with cards retreated to the doorway, watching nervously and cautiously, while others continued their bloodthirsty battle!

Lan Yi subconsciously muttered to herself:

Speaking of strangeness, the last round of the real-life bounty mission was quite strange!

Suddenly, Feng Qi's complaint about the game being a waste of time flashed through his mind, and the phrase "waste of time" inexplicably stirred up his unease and doubts!

He moved closer to Feng Qi and lowered his voice: "

I always feel this game is very strange! First of all, even though you know you'll lose if you don't kill all the enemy characters, all the characters are opaque, so you have no idea how to attack or who to deal with first!

If it weren't for that elite man in the suit breaking the deadlock, who knows how long this silent stalemate would have lasted!

Even now that God is dead and has maliciously revealed his identity, due to the existence of humans and the uncertainty of the number of characters, players have no choice but to continue killing and protecting themselves!

In particular, the game's penalties are very severe, almost completely eliminating the thought of players giving up.

This feeling is very similar to the previous round of the bounty game; even though the outcome of the mission was already decided, players had to stay on edge until the designated end time because of certain concerns!"

Feng Qi's usually cold gaze turned to one of confusion as he stared at the muttering Lan Yi: "

You mean: the club is trying to delay the release of this game and the last one?

Hmm, the feeling of delaying is strong, but I can't figure out why?!" Moreover, Lan Yi was worried about other lip-reading experts, so she didn't tell Feng Qi her other guess:

some players' behavior and logic seemed more like club staff members playing the roles!

The elite man who initially instigated the conflict was finally killed and kicked out of the game. However, relying on his certain cooperative relationship with Xiao Qian, he calmly went downstairs to rest.

Chapter 19: The reason is a or b

d4 t15:05:00, when the role-playing game had progressed for 19 hours and 50 minutes, the player character killings were no longer so intense, rapid, and impulsive. However, due to the irresistible nature of screen touch, once a player who had participated in the killings and whose character's identity could be somewhat deduced tried to calm down and observe, they couldn't escape being affected.

Feng Qi and Lan Yi remained standing at the door, observing. No one was willing to risk being killed to probe the identities of players whose roles were unclear.

When Xiao Qian stepped through a door, the instant she entered, Xiao Bo's pale, calm face appeared. Lan Yi couldn't hold back any longer. She grabbed Feng Qi's hand, her steps swift, elusive, and fluid as she weaved through the crowd, chasing after her to the door. She turned the doorknob and saw Xiao Qian and Xiao Bo standing inside, staring warily at the person who entered.

Upon recognizing the newcomer, Xiao Qian's refined face blossomed into her signature smile, gentle yet aloof: "

I don't accept those seeking refuge."

Lan Yi pulled Feng Qi into the room, casually closing the door and gripping the doorknob tightly to prevent anyone from suddenly opening it from the outside.

He directly stated his suspicions, increasing his chances of cooperating with Xiao Qian: "

I feel this game, even the previous bounty game, has been deliberately stalled. Furthermore, some players' behavior seems more like that of club staff."

To his surprise, Xiaoqian paused slightly, then smiled and said, "

I don't trust you, so please leave. Or, this room can remain for the two of you, and Xiaobo and I will find another place to talk."

Lan Yi's delicate face hardened, and she slowly asked, "

Do you not believe what I say, or do you not believe me as a person?"

Xiaoqian's smile held a hint of appreciation, yet she maintained her distance and wariness:

"Both."

Lan Yi sighed, considering retreating, but as she turned the doorknob to leave, she glanced at Xiaobo, her heart pounding.

She abruptly released the doorknob, letting it fall back into place! Suppressing her panic and fear, she tried to remain calm:

"I want to speak with you alone for a few minutes, and then you can decide whether I am worthy of your trust."

Xiaoqian pondered for a moment, then gestured for Xiaobo to leave the room first. Lan Yi, with her back to the two, whispered in Feng Qi's ear: "

Keep an eye on him, don't let him suddenly come in.

" Feng Qi's face was cold, but he said nothing, opened the door, and left with Xiaobo.

The small room, empty except for the two of them, was heavy and cold. Xiao Qian stared into Lan Yi's eyes, waiting for him to convince her.

Lan Yi suddenly asked a strange question: "

You say you don't believe me, then do you think Xiao Bo is trustworthy?"

Xiao Qian chuckled: "Time is short, please don't use rhetorical questions, just state the facts."

Lan Yi pointed to his eyes, his brow furrowed: "

Just now, Xiao Bo stared at me, his gaze habitually dull and lifeless! I know he gives off that quiet, wooden, and somewhat dull impression. But in Game 1, I interacted with him and understand: when he's truly focused on someone, or Yang Dong, his eyes are sharp and deep!

Furthermore, because of something that happened in Game 1, after Game 1 ended, Xiao Bo's gaze towards me was always somewhat evasive! But since this role-playing game started, that evasiveness and avoidance has disappeared when he sees me!"

I've thought about it carefully. Even when the last round of the bounty game started, Xiao Bo looked around and paused when he saw me. That feeling wasn't like a complex pause, but more like an unconscious recognition of someone or something that needed attention!

So, I suspect Xiao Bo is a club staff member in disguise. How exactly did he do it? Perhaps it was disguise, or perhaps some other more advanced method.

Xiao

Qian's signature smile revealed a hint of amusement and surprise: "

In game 1, you cornered me in the room, forcing me to negotiate with you! Now, you've surprised me again."

Lan Yi breathed a sigh of relief, returning a fake smile, but inwardly she was filled with mixed emotions:

that show's school heartthrob leader, with his backstabbing and scheming like a palace intrigue, deserves much credit!

Xiao Qian tacitly acknowledged their partnership, no longer hiding anything, and frankly said: "

I suspect that we're not in reality right now, but in the world of a virtual game."

Lan Yi was shocked.

Xiaoqian didn't offer any explanation, but tentatively suggested a solution:

being trapped in a virtual game world without knowing the reason is extremely passive and dangerous. Therefore, the most important thing now is to leave the virtual game, return to reality, and check the big screen for any relevant game announcements!

Generally, there are three ways to leave a virtual game: first, the game time ends and you automatically leave; second, you cannot revive in the game and die completely; third, you are forced to leave the game in reality.

We currently have no choice but to use the second method to leave the virtual game!

However, the above is just my speculation, and I cannot rule out the possibility that my judgment is wrong. Therefore, the difficulty now lies in who is willing to risk their life to verify my point!

Lan Yi is shocked:

Using one's life to verify Xiaoqian's guess—what if this is the real world?—and choosing to die completely, leaving the virtual game world, would mean truly being dead! How could anyone dare? Who would dare?!

Xiaoqian slowly walked to the red round table, sat down, and lightly tapped the surface with her fingers. Her smile remained gentle, but the oppressive and heavy feeling suddenly intensified:

When exactly did she enter the virtual game world? Perhaps it started with the bounty game!

In the bounty game, I originally planned to use Mission 3 to attract some players, reducing the number of people competing for Missions 1 and 2. However, you attracted almost half of the players, which was beyond my expectations! Although that situation was quite good, the reward for Mission 3 was much less than that for Missions 1 and 2. You know, here, savings are a player's life. Almost half of the people chose Mission 3, which had a smaller reward and a longer duration, which made me deeply suspicious!

Unfortunately, your appearance was a trap. I used the attraction of your beauty to dispel my doubts.

Thinking back, the reason why the number of people accepting Mission 3 was far greater than estimated might be: the game's allocation of players to non-player characters, plus players who were forced offline by you in Game 1 and chose Mission 3 as an opportunity for revenge, some single-minded players who were persuaded by me, and some players who lacked confidence and completely gave up on the highly uncertain Missions 1 and 2!

Lan Yi crossed her arms, rested her chin on her fingers, and increased the focus of her deep thought:

Actually, in bounty games, I have a strong feeling of dragging things out, and this feeling is even more pronounced in role-playing games now! To be honest, this is my first time playing a club game, so I don't know if games with completely unclear mission objectives are common!

In club games, anything is possible. Xiao Qian chuckled:

To verify my guess in the virtual game world, I had a player with a demon character attack someone randomly: if that person retaliated, they were either a demon or a human; if that person didn't retaliate, they must be an angel; in this way, when the various characters have clear targets, those who attack angels but not those who seem to be God are completely contrary to normal human thinking!

I suspect they might know who the real God is, and their mechanical, programmed attacks are very similar to the behavior of NPCs in virtual games!

Lan Yi pressed further:

Assuming your guess is correct, what do you think is the reason we suddenly and unknowingly entered the virtual game world?

Xiao Qian's tapping motion on the table abruptly stopped, and she looked up at Lan Yi, answering:

The reason might be the choice between A and B!

Lan Yi recalled the cause of the bounty game:

93 players chose A, 109 chose B, and 15 players gave up. Because players who chose option B were in the lead, the club launched the B option real-person bounty game!

Perhaps the sharpness in Xiao Qian's smiling eyes grew even sharper:

The result of choosing A or B in 60 minutes doesn't mean whichever option has the most players, that option's game will start; rather, option A and option B represent two factions in the same game, and players who gave up automatically join the B faction!

Lan Yi's heart skipped a beat at this bold speculation! Because, if Xiaoqian's guess is correct, those who chose option B or abstained are being inexplicably manipulated by those in camp A, completely unaware of it!

Chapter 20: The Price of Mistakes

Xiaoqian scrutinized Lan Yi, who was taking deep breaths, his signature smile now somewhat grave:

Perhaps, the end of this role-playing game is the true end of game A or B, or perhaps a new round of bizarre games will perpetuate this situation! But, regardless, without knowing the real trap, we don't know how to avoid danger. Moreover, it's very likely that time now is different from time in the real world; we can't waste any more time here!

Lan Yi's eyelashes drooped, her eyes flickering uneasily in the shadow of her lashes:

Even so, there's a possibility that the guess is wrong! The price of verifying with death is too high, so Xiaoqian has been dragging his feet, constantly searching for evidence to support his guess! Now, he's told me his guess; it's clearly a temptation and manipulation. But I don't dare either; I'm also afraid of death, and I can't completely trust him or his guess!

Having said all that, Xiaoqian no longer hesitated, bluntly offering an even greater temptation: "

If my guess is correct, after you die and leave this virtual game world, help me force myself out of here, and we'll cooperate to win in the real game A or B. All the prize money I get will be yours!" I'm afraid of pain, even more afraid of death, but I don't want to lose the game so inexplicably!

However, it was this temptation that made Lan Yi make up his mind. He forced a fake smile and said, "

Sorry, the deal can't be done! Losing the game means losing money; failing to verify your point of view means losing my life. As for the prize money, I'm afraid I'll want it but not have the life to get it."

Xiaoqian secretly mocked himself:

"That's why I stopped cooperating with Midnight. If he hears my speculation, he'll definitely risk the rule against killing in the real world and kill me without hesitation, making me verify my own point of view!"

He amicably saw Lan Yi out of the room:

"It's okay. As long as no one else accepts my deal, you can come find me whenever you change your mind." 　　In the small room, Lan Yi and Feng Qi's faces grew increasingly grim, each lost in their own thoughts, staring at each other in silence. 　　Finally, Feng Qi couldn't help but break the eerie silence: "

What 　　do you think is the probability that your prediction is correct?" 　　Lan Yi shook her head, her face growing paler with hesitation and inner struggle: " 　　Even if it's 99% correct, that 1% means real death! 　　To die or not to die, that is the crucial question!" Although losing the game only meant losing money, the concept of the virtual game world grew stronger and stronger, tempting their curiosity and, as if brainwashing them, breeding a gambling idea that swelled endlessly! " 　　So annoying!" Feng Qi suddenly moved closer to Lan Yi, commanding in a threatening tone: " 　　Rather than suffer like this, I'd rather be decisive!" 　　He tilted his head back, pressing his throat against Lan Yi's face, and impatiently ordered: 　　"Strangle me! If this is a virtual game world, after I die, I'll force you out of the game; if this is the real world, you'll break the rules and die with me!" "This is our deal: I die, you die with me!" 　　This is insane! Lan Yi's face turned deathly pale: 　　"No! I don't want to die ! 　　" Feng Qi's eyes were sinister and lifeless: " 　　If you can't do it, I'll kill you! The effect of the deal is the same anyway! 　　Don't do anything rash! At worst, I'll lose the match and have some of my savings deducted!" 　　Lan Yi quickly distanced herself from the two, staggering to the door, trying to leave so the child could calm down! 　　Trouble! 　　Feng Qi's icy, ghostly voice, coupled with his silent movements, instantly appeared behind Lan Yi:

Lan Yi, you are the successor of the [Moon Shadow Technique]. If you're serious with me, although I can't beat you, I can kill you! Besides, you've openly exposed your back to me. At this moment, Lan Yi felt a weight on his chest. He instinctively looked down: a bloody hand had pierced through his chest!

Immediately afterward, excruciating pain, weakness, suffocation, and darkness...

Chapter 21: What is the real game? Not

reality, not reality, not reality! The thought of survival echoed fiercely in his heart and mind!

Lan Yi struggled with his consciousness and body, and with a jolt, he regained consciousness:

the red start button, the sci-fi-like game pod, breathing and a heartbeat, and his chest was intact!

Xiao Qian's prediction was actually true!

He calmed his breathing and composed himself!

Death in a virtual game is just death in Game 1; but just now, it felt like a real resurrection—fear, despair, followed by ecstatic joy!

Recalling Feng Qi's decisive, ruthless, and cold-blooded actions, Lan Yi climbed out of the game pod, cursing under his breath: "That freak!"

He walked to the door, intending to cautiously open it a crack to observe the situation outside before devising a plan.

But then he realized that if someone was watching outside and blocked the doorknob as soon as they saw it turning, he would be completely trapped in the room!

Therefore, he had to be quick, swift as lightning

. *Clang! Click!* He turned the doorknob, *whoosh!* He opened the door wide, *whoosh!* He rushed towards the doorframe, then stopped in the middle. Because outside the door stood a tall man, staring at him in shock!

The man quickly realized what was happening and shouted at the top of his lungs: "

More people from the B faction are coming out!!!"

Instantly, the hall erupted in noise and chaos! One phrase appeared most frequently:

"Block him out! Don't let him

out!" Thank goodness, they didn't capture him!

Lan Yi breathed a sigh of relief, understanding that physical attacks on players were still prohibited by the rules, and no matter how many people were outside, her life wouldn't be in danger!

Grabbing the edge of the door, she used the momentum to invert her body, pushed hard with both hands, and suddenly tilted her legs towards the doorway. Her feet pushed off the right side of the man's head, and her body, following her ankles, turned towards the upper part of the door frame. After a brief pause, she curled up into a ball, crossed the doorway, and then sprang into the air above the hall, landing lightly, rolling on the ground, and standing steadily!

The man was utterly astonished by the boy's swift and sudden escape from the room he had been blocking!

The shouts and gasps in the hall grew even more boisterous and intense. Lan Yi stood on the open ground and looked around:

42 rooms—except for the room furthest from the stairs, where there was one player guarding every two rooms, all the other rooms had players standing at their doors!

His escape sent shivers down the spines of every player in the hall, who huddled tightly against the doors of their assigned rooms, gripping the doorknobs tightly. Those who hadn't managed to trap him fled in panic to the unguarded rooms furthest from the stairs!

Amidst the shouts and wary, malevolent stares of the other players, Lan Yi cautiously spun around, retreating to the stairwell. Then, with her back pressed against the wall, she swiftly descended the stairs and ran to the first-floor lobby to check the large screen displaying the mission information!

******

The first-floor lobby was completely empty! The skull on the screen displayed a sinister, mocking smile—a smile that seemed to be a mixture of contempt, provocation, and sarcasm!

No game content or rules were displayed!

However, this seemed normal! In the previous rounds, the screen had only announced the game rules and content via voice; only certain special information was displayed in text!

Lan Yi stood frozen in the center of the empty lobby, staring blankly at the skull symbolizing death on the screen, utterly bewildered!

Players in faction B are inexplicably trapped in game pods in small rooms, playing meaningless games in a virtual world; players in faction A are guarding the door of these small rooms, preventing players from faction B from leaving or entering other small rooms!

What kind of game is taking place between the two factions?

How is victory or defeat determined for either faction?

Lan Yi checks the information displayed on his watch screen

: time is d4 t20:24:51, and his bank account is $40,400. This is the amount he had when he returned to the lobby on the first floor after staying on the sixth floor for 8 hours, minus the normal deduction of $3,364 due to time. The reward for Bounty Game Mission 3 doesn't exist! Indeed,

everything stopped being real from the Bounty Game onwards!

Moreover, the virtual world games don't actually reward or punish; their purpose seems to be simply to kill time!

What should he do?

Players in his own faction don't know what the real game is, and players in the opposing faction will definitely not tell him the true content of the game!

Suddenly, a lazy voice, tinged with a yawn, came from behind him: "

Even if you leave the virtual world and return to reality, you still have to guess! So annoying!"

Lan Yi broke out in goosebumps. Without thinking, he dashed forward several meters before turning around, stopping, and glaring at him: "

You actually forgot? You killed me, but you're perfectly fine yourself. That's the best evidence that you're in a virtual game world! You didn't commit suicide, did you?!"

Feng Qi sneered: "Of course!"

Lan Yi narrowed his eyes coldly: "

You came out alone? Did you tell Xiao Qian that your deduction was correct?"

Feng Qi's eyes flashed with a chilling light as he sneered:

"Why should others share the fruits of my labor?"

Lan Yi pointed angrily at the large screen that had no game content, gritting his teeth, trying to keep his face calm: "

What is the real game? Unknown; how to win, how to lose? Unknown; what is the punishment for failure? Unknown! And what can you enjoy all by yourself?"

A series of unknowns and provocative questions enraged Feng Qi, who sneered coldly, "

Don't think you can boss me around just because I haven't shown my power!"

The ticking seconds, the unknown game, the unknown punishment—all made Lan Yi as restless as a caged beast! He blurted out his resentment, "

Didn't you show me your power? Stabbing me through the heart with a knife, isn't that showing power?! The moment you pierced my chest, I felt all the betrayal and manipulation I'd experienced before paled in comparison!"

Feng Qi growled irritably, "

What are you babbling about?! Even if you really die, I'll be buried with you, what more could you want?!"

Lan Yi suddenly fell silent, a chill running down his spine as he realized: This guy is a cold-blooded psychopath!

Chapter 22: The Truth of the Game

Exhausted, hungry, and overwhelmed by grief and rage, Lan Yi rushed uncontrollably towards the elevator! He just wanted to hide in a guest room on the sixth floor, eat and drink his fill, and get a good night's sleep!

Fifteen minutes later, he returned to the empty, desolate lobby on the first floor, because he couldn't access the rooms on the sixth floor in the game!

Feng Qi was sitting at the bar in the center of the lobby, eating his grilled bacon and drinking his fresh juice!

How innocent that child was when he wasn't ruthless!

But once he witnessed his bloodthirsty, cold-blooded, and insane side, a sense of alienation and fear lingered in his throat like a thorn, impossible to spit out or swallow, leaving him with a tangled and painful feeling!

Lan Yi didn't want to approach that child anymore. He turned and dragged his tired and hungry body back to the second floor!

He planned to observe the reactions of the players in faction A more closely, to see if he could guess something, or find a suitable player in faction A to turn against him and negotiate a deal!

However, at the corner of the stairs, a thin boy sat on the steps, hugging his knees, staring motionless at the wall in front of him.

As Lan Yi approached, he removed his large black-rimmed glasses, revealing large, lifeless, and somewhat dull eyes. He tilted his head back and stared at the boy's face from the nose down! "

I represent all players of faction A to discuss a deal with you."

The boy's voice was calm, yet somewhat weak.

Lan Yi couldn't remain calm!

He was already chilled to the bone by Feng Qi's assassination attempt, and seeing Xiao Bo, the traitor from the other faction in Game 1, sent a chill down his spine, igniting his anger! "

Sorry, I have no interest in cross-faction deals." He curled a fake smile, mocking and indifferent.

Xiao Bo still dared not meet his eyes, his voice even weaker, yet without a trace of cowardice: "

I'm sorry, I lied to you in Game 1, but if necessary in the future, I will lie to you again. Deception and being deceived here are as natural as breathing, eating, and sleeping!" Besides, back then, when you cooperated with Xiaoqian, didn't you also betray Faction A?

Within Faction A, I only know you and Aqi. When I traded with Xiaoqian, I told him the number of people cooperating was 3.

Lan Yi coldly told Xiao Bo: At least I didn't betray you.

I regret that you dislike me, but please don't let your dislike for someone affect your judgment. I'll state the details of the trade first, then you can decide whether to refuse.

Xiao Bo's pale face was lifeless. He mechanically put on his large black-rimmed glasses, shutting people out of his sight:

At the moment the A and B options were finalized, all players who chose B, as well as those who abstained, fainted. Only then did the real content of the game appear on the big screen.

The game divided the players in the lobby into Faction A and Faction B. The conscious players were in Faction A, and the unconscious players were in Faction B.

The game rules required Faction A players to place Faction B players in the game pods in the small rooms on the second, third, and fourth floors within 10 minutes, and press the red start button on the game pod according to the prompts on the players' watches.

At the exact moment d4 t23:30:00, players in faction B still in the virtual game world will have their savings reset to zero if they have positive savings, and will die instantly if they have negative savings. If no player from faction B returns to reality beforehand, every player from faction A will receive a bonus equal to the total amount of savings lost by players from faction B divided by the number of players from faction A. Players from faction B who return to reality beforehand will also receive a bonus!

I can't tell you the exact amount, I can only say:

Now, faction A is willing to give you and Ah Qi 200 million US dollars each, please give up helping other players from faction B leave the virtual game.

Lan Yi lowered his eyes, bringing the boy's thin and frail figure into his vision. Just as he was about to refuse, he suddenly felt a slight breeze approaching from behind!

He frowned deeply, suppressing the urge to escape, and said coldly, "

Please don't silently approach me from behind anymore. Maybe at some point, I'll forget the rule against killing and accidentally retaliate! In that case, it won't be worth it for you and me to die together for no reason!"

Feng Qi, close behind Lan Yi, sneered arrogantly, "

If I weren't confident in my safety, why would I deliberately let you know my location?"

Lan Yi pursed his lips, glanced at Feng Qi, and strode past Xiao Bo, heading straight for the second floor.

Feng Qi's cold and domineering voice still echoed against the back of his neck: "

A little over two hours left, and you're going up there to fight over 90 people? Are you out of your mind?!"

Lan Yi didn't turn around, seemingly mocking Feng Qi, yet also negotiating with Xiao Bo: "

If you can't leave the virtual game by the time it's over, players in faction B will either have their savings wiped out or die. Such a severe punishment shouldn't only apply to players in faction B, right? Judging from how nervously players in faction A guarded the small room and their transaction with us, their punishment must be related to the number of faction B players who returned to reality early. Perhaps, when the number of faction B players who returned to reality early reaches a certain level, players in faction A will also have their savings wiped out or die!" "If my guess is right, isn't $200 million a bribe from Faction A too little?!"

Feng Qi suddenly circled around Lan Yi, blocking his way, annoyed and frustrated: "

Can't you stop causing trouble in a place like this?! Going against so many people, even if you manage to get the money, you won't leave here alive! "

Lan Yi remained expressionless, his face close to Feng Qi's disguised expression: "

Isn't harming other players outside the rules absolutely forbidden? As long as my bank account is positive, isn't there still some distance from death? Besides, I can hide in the guest room on the sixth floor, can't I?"

Feng Qi stared at him coldly for a few seconds, then silently brushed past him, returned to the lobby on the first floor, found a corner, and sprawled on the sofa to catch up on sleep.

Lan Yi asked Xiao Bo calmly: "

Why don't you discuss the bribery issue with the other players in Faction A again? I can wait another ten minutes."

Xiao Bo remained sitting quietly with his knees drawn up, weakly saying:

"$1 billion each, that's the limit." However, there's an additional condition: no other player from faction B must leave the game before the end time. Otherwise, the deal is void.

Lan Yi turned back to Xiao Bo, sat down, and feigned calmness: "

Including Xiao Qian, there are three of us, 1 billion US dollars each. "

Xiao Bo's body stiffened, his eyes glazed, but his words were without hesitation:

"Deal. When the game ends, the money will be transferred to you and A Qi. Should Xiao Qian's share be given to him directly, or transferred to you first?"

Lan Yi stood up, walked down the stairs, and said coldly:

"Give it to me first."

******

Lan Yi stood in the lobby on the first floor, at the elevator door. The flashing, decreasing red numbers were eerie, reflecting his current mood: heavy, fearful, and feigned calm, like the eerie calm before a storm!

"If the deposit is positive, the deposit will be zeroed out; if the deposit is negative, death is instantaneous." Xiao Bo's words repeated in her ears, accompanied by the child's mechanical, weak, and ethereal voice, as eerie as a ghostly summons!

Could it really be that large numbers of players would suddenly die?

Especially since the players in faction B had no idea what the game rules were; could they really die so inexplicably?

Perhaps, at some point, she too would suddenly die without any knowledge, without even a chance to struggle or resist!

In fact, hadn't it already happened that she was killed by that guy Feng Qi without even a chance to struggle or resist?

She wondered if she would be so lucky next time!

The illusory and unreal feeling, mixed with the primal fear of death, amplified the various pains of her weak body and unbearably hungry stomach. Lan Yi's face was pale, cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and her legs were weak and powerless! At this moment, he had only one obsession: to escape to a sixth-floor guest room after this game ended, and sleep until all seven days of games at the club were over!

Chapter 23: The Game Negative-Deposit Players Must Participate

d4 t23:30:00, Lan Yi sat weakly against the door of a sixth-floor guest room, half-asleep and half-awake!

d4 t23:35:34, his watch beeped, startling him awake! He untied the cloth covering him and, according to the prompts on the screen, received $2 billion from Xiao Bo, casually transferring $1 billion to Xiao Qian.

He struggled to stand up, but suddenly stumbled, almost falling over. Instantly: his chest felt tight, his stomach cramped with hunger, his whole body felt weak, and a burning, suffocating heat made his muscles ache. All sorts of bizarre images and thoughts swirled haphazardly in his mind! He

was probably exhausted, perhaps from being startled or chilled, and had a fever?

He struggled to raise his wrist, touching his forehead with his palm, but felt his palm was burning hotter than his head. Struggling, he swiped the $100 million accommodation fee on the machine near the doorknob, plunged into the room, slammed the door shut, and collapsed onto the soft bedding of the large bed. He rolled over, pulling the blankets tighter around his body, and 　　fell 　　into a deep sleep. ******* Buzzing 　　buzz

... 　　Player ID 115 is required to participate in the game "Steel Needle Killer." Please return to the lobby on the first floor before day 3 time 00:30:00! 　　Lan Yi, drenched in sweat under the covers, felt a throbbing headache. 　　Wasn't staying in this kind of room a way to avoid participating in all games except those forcibly assigned to players with negative bank balances? 　　He subconsciously stared at the watch screen on his left wrist, carefully checking it over and over: 　　Time: d3 t00:17:21, Bank Balance: 1.3167 billion USD—impressively high! 　　Why was he suddenly forced to participate in a game? 　　Could it be … 　　A terrifying thought suddenly crept into his mind— 　　someone had voluntarily signed up for the game using his real name! Currently, there are two people who know his name: Brother Wen and Feng Qi! 　　So, who is forcing him to participate in the game using his real name? 　　Is it Brother Wen, or Feng Qi?! 　　This thought rapidly sprouted countless tentacles that entwined his internal organs, making him feel disgusted and twisted. Lan Yi, struggling to stay afloat despite being drenched in cold sweat, arrived at the lobby on the first floor and quickly checked the large screen displaying the game. 　　The official announcement of the game content and rules has likely passed. Currently, the screen only displays the most crucial information: Game Name: Steel Needle Killer; Type: Live-Action; Real-Time: Day 3, 02:00:00 to Day 1, 20:00:00; Location: Remote Village, Moonwater Village. Important Notes: First, players with negative bank accounts must participate by Day 4, 23:31:00. Players who have entered their real names on their watch screens must also participate. Second, players must not leave the area marked by the yellow warning line; any other actions are permitted. Third, upon entering Moonwater Village, players will receive an electronic card. Pressing the red button on the back of the card will allow players to view more detailed game rules on the screen on the front. Fourth, players with negative bank accounts will lose the game and die instantly; players with positive bank accounts will lose the game and have 100 million USD deducted from their bank account. Fifth, since any player may die unexpectedly during the game, players with positive bank accounts must enter the real name or game ID of the person who will receive their bank account after their death on their watch screens before Day 3, 02:00:00. The recipient of the bank account must be a player in this game. 　　Furthermore, most of the screen displayed the IDs of nearly 100 players participating in the game. Two numbers in particular stung his eyes: 　　number 115, his own ID; and number 167, representing Feng Qi! 　　Lan Yi instinctively searched for Feng Qi in the restless crowd, pushing and shoving until finally spotting the boy in the northeast corner! 　　Feng Qi's face was completely unmasked: his captivating beauty drew throngs of piercing gazes! 　　When Lan Yi floated up to him like a ghost, his cold eyes and furious expression meeting his gaze head-on, Feng Qi's pink, delicate lips curled into a chilling sneer: " 　　Too many people die from stupidity; I hope you're not one of them!" 　　Lan Yi, enraged yet amused, brushed his wet bangs behind his ear with his fingertip, his clear, elegant eyes curving into brilliant crescents as he snarled through gritted teeth: " 　　Killing me once in the virtual game world isn't enough, is it?" However, in the real world, I'm not so easy to kill! I'll make a will: leaving my savings to you! Let's see if you have the ability to get it and the life to spend it! 　　Feng Qi was stunned by Lan Yi's retort. He suddenly realized that Lan Yi had misunderstood something, his expression turned cold, and his heart skipped a beat. He was about to explain: " 　　The person who entered your real name on the watch and forcibly pulled you into this game was not me!" 　　Suddenly, the large screen in the lobby on the first floor emitted a piercing sound, and then, a large number of players instantly fainted and collapsed to the ground! 　　At the same time, the game information on the large screen began to change, releasing new game content:

After safely transporting the unconscious player to Moonwater Village, and returning to the first-floor lobby precisely before day 3 time 02:00:00... Lan Yi stared blankly at his parents and the familiar living room. The whole world was as still as death, all colors had disappeared, only familiar people and familiar scenes presented a cold, pale white! A cold feeling flowed along his spine, a coldness he had never experienced before, so cold that his blood froze! He suddenly felt afraid, shaking his body and trying to escape, taking elegant and superb steps with the Moon Shadow Step, but strangely slow, as if he were walking in place! An overwhelming gray-black attack came, freezing all the characters together. Lan Yi was trapped in this gray-black, cold, dead, suffocating. Lan Yi suddenly woke up. The deathly paleness and coldness were all gone. He found himself sleeping on a simple, hard bed, with worn-out bedding that was not very clean!

A ray of sunlight slanted onto the pillow, and the fresh scent of grass and trees in the morning filled the unfamiliar house. He was confused, struggling to sit up, peering through the tightly closed wooden door and the slightly ajar bamboo window.

The door creaked open, and Xiao Qian, with his refined air and slender, graceful figure, stepped through the threshold, carrying a bowl of water and a box of medicine!

He saw Lan Yi sitting on the bed, staring at him with a dazed expression. He instantly flashed his signature gentle smile, self-deprecatingly saying, "

Thank you for giving me 1 billion dollars. Too bad, we can't beat the club's rules! Day 4, 23:31:00. Players with negative accounts must participate, it's a rip-off."

Lan Yi squeezed out a disappointed joke: "

So, it's not time travel after all.

So, you didn't become mentally impaired from your fever!"

A sarcastic voice drifted in through the window!

No need to look, no need to guess! It was Feng Qi! Lan Yi was instantly furious!

Chapter 24: The Yellow Warning Line

Feng Qi burst through the door, tossing an electronic card onto the pillow. His sharp gaze softened slightly as he glanced at Lan Yi's slightly furrowed brows, but his words remained cutting: "

This is your card. I kept it safe for over three hours. No need to thank me! Also, don't look at me with that resentful look! Did your IQ drop after I stabbed you to death? Instead of harboring such hatred for me, you should think about how to get out of here alive!"

With Xiao Qian watching, Lan Yi dared not lose her temper or vent her anger at this resourceful and cunning man. She could only suppress her rage and change the subject: "

Have you seen my card? "

Feng Qi narrowed his eyes, his face cold and icy:

"Are you questioning my character?"

Lan Yi sat up straight, her fever just subsiding, her body drenched in cold sweat, weak and aching. He casually grabbed his own card and tossed it to Feng Qi, saying indifferently, "

Look at the game content of my card, then tell me how it differs from yours."

*Thud* Feng Qi caught the card in his right hand, examining it while a cold smile played on his lips: "

That's more like it! If your level dropped too much, wouldn't it have been a waste of my three hours of constant protection?!"

Lan Yi's face darkened, and she warned him harshly, "

Please don't keep testing my patience!"

*Tch* Feng Qi raised the corners of his lips and tossed the card back to Lan Yi: "

Exactly the same as mine."

Lan Yi pressed the red button on the back of the card and carefully examined the game instructions on the screen:

Before 19:35:00 on Day 1, find the Steel Needle Killer and reveal his identity to the other players. Success will earn you $100 million; otherwise, failure will result in a $100 million penalty. After success, kill the Steel Needle Killer before 20:00:00 on Day 1 for an additional $100 million reward. At 18:30:00 on Day 1, you must attend the wedding banquet and obey the banquet manager's arrangements. At 17:35:00 on Day 1, you must drink the toasts offered by the bride and groom.

A wedding banquet? Lan Yi looked at Xiao Qian with a questioning gaze.

"Yes, I asked the other 48 players, and they all have this rule of attending the wedding banquet." Any rule with words like "mandatory," "prohibited," or "must" without a clear penalty will result in immediate death if violated. Perhaps the wedding banquet is the key to this game.

A sharp glint flashed in Xiaoqian's gentle eyes:

Of course, it's possible that some players don't have this mandatory game rule, but lied to avoid standing out.

Lan Yi pondered the person with the identity of the wedding banquet manager and inquired with Xiaoqian:

Are there any other local villagers in this village besides the players participating in the game?

This village has 103 courtyards, each with one player, exactly the same number as the number of player IDs displayed on the big screen. Currently, no 104th person has been found.

Xiaoqian smiled slightly, but her face showed a hint of melancholy:

It's a pity Xiaobo isn't here, otherwise, he could easily identify whether there are any non-players mixed in with the village.

So, the wedding banquet manager must be a player, and the bride and groom must also be played by players, right?

Lan Yi thought: Players with special identities definitely wouldn't play such a common game as him.

Xiaoqian smiled: Yes, the bride is Midnight.

Ah? Lan Yi was instantly shocked.

Feng Qi couldn't help but twitch, his eyes and lips twitching simultaneously!

Xiao Qian laughed quite contentedly:

Midnight had been roaring for a long time: this game was purely to disgust him! Heh, Midnight lost all his savings in the last game, and now he's facing this special identity in this game, and right now he's in the middle of a storm! So, whatever you do, don't mess with him, lest he get so frustrated that he goes on a killing spree.

Feng Qi kept a cold face, suppressing his laughter for a few seconds, but couldn't hold it in any longer. He plopped down at the simple square table, pounding it and bursting into laughter.

The kid probably accidentally imagined:

Midnight, a muscular, handsome, cool guy in a bright red wedding dress, shyly offering him a toast!

Seeing the arrogant, conceited, ruthless, and bloodthirsty Feng Qi like this for the first time, Lan Yi's tense mood relaxed slightly:

after all, he's still just a child!

He withdrew his gaze from Feng Qi, not wanting to lose his composure in front of Xiao Qian, and feigned calmness and composure, asking: "

Who is the groom?"

Xiao Qian's smile carried a hint of schadenfreude: "

Do you think anyone would dare admit to being the groom?"

Lan Yi immediately broke out in a cold sweat: "Thank goodness the groom isn't me! "

Feng Qi, having had his fill of laughter, propped his arms on the table, crossed his legs, and asked: "

If the bride kills the groom, does that violate the rules of the game?"

Xiao Qian chuckled: "It's not prohibited by the rules."

Xiao Qian's smile remained gentle and refined, but Lan Yi suddenly sensed a chilling undercurrent:

If the groom's identity is exposed, Midnight will definitely kill him, right? I wonder if the game will change after the groom dies?!

Feng Qi seemed to have thought of this as well, a playful smile on his lips, his gaze cold and murderous!

Lan Yi's mood became heavy again:

although he was still a child, arrogance, conceit, ruthlessness, and bloodthirstiness had already been ingrained in his bones, and his nature was hard to change!

******

d3 t05:53:36, The morning sun was gentle and clear!

Stepping out of the simple hut, this quiet and unique courtyard came into view:

it was surrounded by willow fences, covered with bean vines, and interspersed with morning glory vines, like four sealed walls; there were also several cucumber trellises in the yard, and the pumpkin vines climbed up the roof of the three small houses, lying haphazardly on the roof.

The refreshing, natural scenery stirred Lan Yi's heart. He had a fleeting feeling that the owner of the courtyard was resting inside, and he was merely a guest!

Was it really only players here?

Lan Yi stood in the center of the courtyard, bathed in the morning sun, talking to himself, deeply observing every vestige of life.

Feng Qi burst out of the door again, but quickly suppressed his cold, domineering aura, staring intently at Lan Yi, bathed in the sunlight, lost in thought in his eyes: deep as a still pool, tranquil enough to stir the heart!

"Xiao Qian! Xiao Qian!!"

The man who often saw Xiao Qian rushed into the courtyard in a panic, running to the door of the room, and said to Xiao Qian, who had just stepped out, "

Aze is dead!

" Xiao Qian's expression hardened, and he asked for the reason.

The man glanced at Feng Qi and Lan Yi, his eyes avoiding his gaze.

Xiao Qian gestured for him to continue, and actively listened as he approached Lan Yi!

The man understood this was an implicit agreement to cooperate and stated directly: "

Aze and I went to check the yellow warning line mentioned in the game rules. We saw that the village was surrounded by the usual one-meter line, supported by a metal base approximately every meter, with a thin yellow strip stretched between every two metal poles. The strip had black lettering indicating the boundaries!

Aze wanted to check if the warning line could be moved, but when he was about four or five meters away, he suddenly stiffened, collapsed, and died instantly!

At the time, it happened so suddenly. I was cautiously approaching Aze, and my attention was too focused. I was attacked from behind and remained unconscious for over an hour before waking up!"

Xiao Qianwenxiu's face rarely showed such a chilling expression: "

The yellow warning line has been moved!"

This deduction struck like a hammer blow, leaving everyone present with cold expressions, their thoughts racing, and a sense of unease.

At the game headquarters, on the large screen in the lobby, the second rule of the Steel Needle Killer game was displayed: "

Do not leave the area defined by the yellow warning line; any other actions are permitted!"

The yellow warning line had been moved, meaning that near Moonwater Village:

some areas would inexplicably lead to instant death if entered;

others, seemingly safe, were cordoned off outside the warning line, concealing crucial information!

Death, that word, had been drawing ever closer to Lan Yi since Xiao Bo told him!

Only now, having personally heard of someone he had seen die, did the word truly evoke real fear in him!

His teeth chattered slightly, a sudden chill ran through his body, and the weakness from his recent high fever took hold. His legs gave way, and he couldn't hold back any longer, collapsing to the ground with a thud!

Chapter 25: Temporary Peace?

The only real corpse Lan Yi had ever seen in his life was his deceased grandfather, and that was when he was three years old, an age he couldn't even remember.

He followed Xiaoqian through the noisy, clamorous crowd and saw Aze lying stiffly on the ground. Although his posture resembled that of someone fast asleep, the pale, bluish skin and the deathly stillness emanating from his face intensely stimulated his vision and mind. A chilling, eerie feeling crept up his spine, up his neck, and then spread rapidly throughout his body, making him weak and unable to breathe properly!

Everyone kept a safe distance from Aze, their terrified gazes shifting between the corpse and the yellow warning line in front of it.

Xiaoqian didn't dare approach Aze either; after all, the true location of the yellow warning line was unknown, and if he rashly crossed it, he would become another corpse!

Suddenly, a deep, rough roar rang out:

"If I find out who touched the yellow warning line, I'll beat them half to death and throw them outside!"

Another panicked, piercing scream rang out: "

The Steel Needle Killer must have started his attack!"

The unknown fear drove the gathered players to vent their terror through shouts. They didn't know if the Needle Killer in the game was a player, a local resident, or someone from the club!

Leaving aside the Needle Killer's threat, the mere sight of the yellow warning line was enough to overwhelm them! They might just die while walking!

Damn it! I hate these indecisive, suspenseful games! Last time, I was inexplicably drugged and put into a game pod, losing over 200 million dollars!

I believe the Needle Killer isn't a player! Otherwise, moving the warning line would violate the rules and result in instant death.

Those metal bases aren't particularly heavy; two sturdy sticks or metal rods can support them, allowing for long-distance movement!

Asu, we can't let Aze's body be left to bake in the sun. Let's find some metal hooks and ropes to drag him into the safe zone.

Xiaoqian signaled to the man she often spent time with to split up, bid farewell to Lan Yi and Feng Qi, and hurriedly left.

Lan Yi deliberately concealed the eerie corpse in the sunlight from her sight, staring at the yellow warning line directly in front of her. She slowly moved her gaze along the thin yellow stripes, first to the left, then to the right:

here, the warning line expanded outwards, meaning the lines on either side must be contracting inwards in certain places. Was the movement of the warning line for murder, or for concealment?

Suddenly, a muscular arm wrapped around her shoulder, followed by Feng Qi's lazy yawning voice close to her ear: "

The game will last three days; we have plenty of time to observe carefully. It would be best if the Steel Needle Killer came to kill us; waiting for him to come to us is the easiest way!"

Another silent, close-quarters encounter! Lan Yi already had a vague thought: could this guy really be an assassin?

Feng Qi ignored Lan Yi's wariness and hostility, tightening his grip on her arm and leading her into his small courtyard: "

I've been watching you for over three hours; I'm so sleepy my eyes are practically popping out. It's your turn to watch over me; let me get some sleep!"

Lan Yi felt utterly powerless towards this guy who didn't know how to read people's expressions and didn't care if others were impatient with him!

******

Because the yellow warning line was still in effect, the two didn't dare to wander around aimlessly and went straight back to their residence along the densely populated alley.

Feng Qi's temporary residence was in the northeast of the village, consisting of three main rooms, a kitchen, and a warehouse. There was also a cowshed and chicken coop in the yard, but only the plants were fresh; the animals were nowhere to be found.

After exploring the courtyard, Lan Yi went straight into the kitchen, refusing to leave no matter how much Feng Qi tried to pull her away!

Feng Qi: I'm going to sleep first!

Lan Yi: I'm going to eat first!

Feng Qi: You need to cook with firewood, okay? By the time you finish cooking, I'll be exhausted!

Lan Yi: By the time you're done sleeping, I'll be starving.

Feng Qi: Why don't you eat the delicious food available at the headquarters bar and come here to experience ancient life?!

Lan Yi: If you really can't wait, you can bring your blankets and sleep in the kitchen.

Because Feng Qi was in a very passive and dependent position, he had no choice but to compromise. He indeed brought his bedding into the kitchen, found a spot about the length of a person, spread it out, and fell asleep immediately!

Lan Yi stared at his unguarded sleeping face, silently thinking:

Do I look very honest, reliable, and trustworthy? "Aren't you afraid I'll take this opportunity to retaliate and deliver a fatal blow?"

Feng Qi sneered with his eyes closed. "Your gaze is too intensely focused on me."

Lan Yi paused, releasing the anger she had been deliberately building up against Feng Qi, and snapped, "

You noticed me after just a couple of glances! Why do you need someone to guard you while you sleep?!"

Feng Qi snorted expressionlessly with his eyes closed, "

I've been guarding you for so long, and you haven't returned the favor. It makes me feel like I care too much about you, while you treat me with disdain. It makes me feel unbalanced!"

Lan Yi mentally snorted at him and began gathering ingredients for a simple meal.

Potatoes, scallions, green beans, tomatoes, eggs, flour, and chopped firewood. Lan Yi once again had the illusion that the owner of this place was still here!

Could it be that the village had just been cleared out because of the three days of the game?

If they had just been cleared out, were the villagers temporarily leaving, or were

they... He shook his head violently, banishing the thought of killing from his mind, his heart filled with panic and unease:

How could such dark thoughts arise so naturally? This is, after all, the real world. Slaughtering an entire village would destroy... Could it be that he'd been brainwashed by the club's games in just four days?

He gathered a few potatoes, some green beans, four eggs, two tomatoes, and two scallions from the vegetable basin, intending to make a simple noodle dish. However, after drawing water from the manual water pump in the yard, the liquid mixed with small solid particles troubled him for a long time!

"A little dirt won't hurt!"

he muttered to himself, trying to convince himself several times. Finally, he changed his cooking method, letting the water sit and using the clear top layer to boil four large potatoes and four eggs. He peeled and ate two of them, then ate two tomatoes with the skins peeled off, finally temporarily relieving his long-standing hunger!

Chapter 26: The First Clue

Feng Qi, having slept enough, got up and saw Lan Yi's culinary masterpiece. He twitched his lips and declined, saying, "

I never eat unofficial things or drink unofficial water during real-world games.

It's a good habit!" However, Lan Yi still casually offered a word of advice: "

Three days and three nights without food or drink, you can't handle that, can you?"

Anyway, he wouldn't starve or die of thirst.

Feng Qi glanced at the two potatoes and two eggs, but had no appetite. He walked out of the room, stretched, and leaped onto the roof. Facing the midday sun, he squinted and peered around.

Lan Yi followed him out, feeling that although his stomach was full, it was stuffy and uncomfortable.

Perhaps it was because he wasn't used to cooking with groundwater, coupled with the psychological suggestion from Feng Qi's unofficial remarks?

He ran a few steps on the ground, then sprinted up the wall of the main house, intending to climb onto the roof and check the village with Feng Qi. However, his weakness from the recent high fever prevented him from doing so until he was about three-quarters of the way up. He jumped back to the ground, found a ladder by the courtyard wall, and dutifully climbed onto the roof.

The village was full of single-story houses; the main house was the tallest, offering a panoramic view from above.

Feng Qi was intently watching the southwest. Lan Yi followed his gaze and noticed a commotion in a small courtyard to the southwest, as if something had happened! "

Let's go see!"

Lan Yi darted to the edge of the roof, then slammed on the brakes, calmly stopping.

He saw Feng Qi's mocking expression and muttered, "Conserve your energy."

Then, he obediently went around to the ladder and climbed down to the ground.

Meanwhile, Feng Qi had already disappeared, leaping and bounding away!

******

Before even reaching the crowd, they encountered a dozen or so players running out, all terrified and cursing uncontrollably!

A disheveled girl stumbled past Lan Yi, and he vaguely heard her mutter to herself, her teeth chattering, "Steel needle murder, steel needle murder, steel needle murder... Has the steel needle killer already made his move?"

Conserving his strength from his weakened state, Lan Yi used his ethereal, shadowy footwork to dash to the crowded courtyard. He leaped over the wall, then circled it, his footsteps crisscrossing as he ran to the side house, before forcefully sprinting onto the roof!

The people in the courtyard paid no attention to this modern-day martial arts master, who was leaping across rooftops, as they jostled and pushed their way into the house; those inside, however, were contorted in shock and screams, struggling and pushing their way out!

"Make way, make way !

" A deep, cold voice, not loud, forcefully cleared a narrow path!

It was Midnight!

After he shoved a few people with his strong body, the narrow path gradually widened, and Xiao Qian followed behind him, weaving through the dense crowd!

The moment the two of them entered the house, Lan Yi leaped from the roof, weaving into the gaps behind Xiao Qian, and followed them in!

This sudden appearance of the boy from the sky elicited gasps and gasps of amazement. 　　The room was crowded, but the bedroom, the crucial location of the incident, was nearly deserted! 　　The flow of people essentially stopped at the bedroom door; most players peeked inside, only to scream in terror and flee in panic!

Lan 　　Yi followed Midnight and Xiao Qian into the bedroom. The first thing he saw was Feng Qi crouching on the bed, followed by the corpse lying on it! 　　What a corpse it was! 　　Its face, neck, limbs, and torso were all covered in silver-gray steel needles; especially on the exposed skin, each needle protruded 3 or 4 centimeters long, densely packed like thick body hair! 　　Lan Yi realized once again that he not only had a phobia of ghouls, but also a severe case of trypophobia! 　　His gaze fell on the corpse, and in less than two seconds, goosebumps erupted, he lunged to the corner, his stomach churning, vomiting uncontrollably. Potatoes, eggs, tomatoes—everything he'd eaten came back up, and he even vomited bile! 　　Feng Qi continued to observe the needle-covered corpse, habitually scoffing:

With your skills, I thought you'd be an expert in realistic games! Too bad, too naive and cowardly, a complete waste!

Indeed, the key to this game is finding the needle-wielding killer. The first clue is right in front of him, yet he lacks the courage to examine it. Lan Yi forces himself to turn his head towards the corpse on the bed, his gaze inching closer, strained and painful.

Xiao Qian and Midnight, their expressions grave, are almost pressed against the corpse, studying the needles, just like Feng Qi; Wen Ge, who just squeezed in through the door, also quickly approaches the corpse, scrutinizing it closely!

Lan Yi's heart and stomach clench violently:

facing such a disgusting corpse that makes one want to self-harm, these guys are still staring intently—is this the difference between new and old players? The former's worldview hasn't been completely shattered, while the latter has completely treated these horrific things as just a game!

He's going all in! Even if he's a player with a positive balance, the unknown needle-wielding killer, the wedding banquet he must attend, the drinks he must drink—all seem like inescapable dangers and traps!

He gritted his teeth, jumped onto the bed, and moved closer to Feng Qi, staring blankly at the terrifying and horrifying corpse!

However, the next second, Xiao Qian actually touched the dense, dizzying, and hair-raising steel needles with his fingers. Lan Yi still couldn't hold back, clutching his stomach, squatting in the corner, vomiting until only clear gastric juice came out!

Chapter 27: Xiao Yao is Dead

Just thinking about the corpse covered in steel needles made Lan Yi's stomach convulse violently, a wave of nausea surging through his chest, and he couldn't stop vomiting!

Feng Qi led him out of the courtyard, scoffing and teasing: "

You're not a pregnant woman disguised as a man, are you?!"

Lan Yi's eyes widened, his lips pressed tightly together, he held his breath, suppressing another wave of nausea, shaking his head in silence! He dared not think, yet he had to think about that corpse.

The player who had so densely driven steel needles into the human body wasn't even killed by being stabbed in a vital spot, but was tortured to death in excruciating pain!

What deeper meaning lay in this perverse method of killing? Was it purely to vent their inner darkness, or to instill extreme fear in other players, throw them into a frenzy, and drive them to madness?

Suddenly, a piercing scream pierced the air:

"The Steel Needle Killer! The Steel Needle Killer has killed again!"

******

Day 3, 15:45:00, twenty-six people had already died, their bodies riddled with steel needles. Each person died alone in a room; there were no witnesses, no one heard their final screams or cries for help!

Afterwards, the players finally learned their lesson and dared not be alone anymore, always gathering in groups of three or five!

Because a clear agreement involving deposit transactions had not been reached, Lan Yi and Xiao Qian's cooperation was currently very strained.

However, the killing continued silently! Day 3, 20:19:00, five players who had been together died simultaneously, and still no one heard their final screams or cries for help!

Killing five people at once? Was the Steel Needle Killer a team?!

Lan Yi was shocked and frightened, her breath coming in short gasps. Her stomach was empty, and she felt nauseous, refusing to eat anything. Exhausted and weary, she was exhausted.

Feng Qi, unusually, frowned, deep in thought:

The possibility of a group killing is quite high! Inserting so many needles into one person is already quite laborious, let alone five at once, and silently at that!

Lan Yi scoffed at him, puzzled as she pondered:

So many people have died, yet the killer hasn't left a trace. This means the killer must be one of us players! Because, apart from Xiao Bo, it's extremely difficult for the others to recognize all one hundred or so people; however, each player will have a few acquaintances. With such connections, completely unfamiliar faces are very likely to be noticed. Therefore, I suspect that killing with steel needles is a task issued to certain players in this game, and these players have united to form a killing team. Who is in this killing team? Why would they be so perverse as to nail one person to death with countless steel needles?

Annoying! Feng Qi's face turned cold, and he snorted:

Kill all the suspicious people, and we'll be safe!

Just as Lan Yi was about to stop him, he burst through the door and disappeared into the darkness!

This guy, he's gone ruthless and twisted again! Lan Yi chased after him, worried:

even if he killed everyone else, the two mandatory rules of the game—attending the wedding banquet and drinking the bride's toast—were still chilling, unknown traps!

******

In his weakened state, Lan Yi was far slower than Feng Qi, and the old-fashioned village's lighting consisted of oil lamps and torches, making it absolutely pitch black in this starless, moonless night!

By the time his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Feng Qi had also been lost. Worried about stepping into a minefield marked with a yellow warning line, he dared not run recklessly and cautiously retraced his steps. Passing a courtyard in the south-central part of the village, three men suddenly emerged, one of them carrying a torch. The light was so bright that he quickly squinted to make out their faces, recognizing one of them as Brother Wen!

Seeing him alone, hurriedly running through the night, all three men wore complex expressions of scrutiny, suspicion, surprise, fear, and unease!

To avoid suspicion, explaining why he was traveling alone at night was necessary!

Lan Yi pondered the location of Xiao Qian's place and casually said, "

I'm going to find Xiao Qian.

You guys keep drinking with those guys, I'll be there in a bit."

Xiao Wen handed the torch and wine to the man traveling with him and quickly came over:

"Then I'll go with you! It's dark, it's not safe for someone to go alone. Besides, I have something I want to talk to you about."

Lan Yi could refuse Xiao Wen's first reason; but she could only accept his second.

******

Xiao Yi, Brother Wen is feeling very heavy-hearted right now.

Brother Wen sighed and said in a sorrowful tone: "Xiao Yao is dead."

That bald boy with the metal rod is dead? The kid who was clamoring to fight him to the death at the end of Game 1, is he really gone?

Lan Yi's heart skipped a beat, his pupils contracted sharply, and his stomach began to ache again.

Brother Wen didn't look at Lan Yi's reaction and continued, "

That kid was never afraid of games with real-life killing sprees because he learned kung fu at a martial arts school since he was little, he's very good at self-defense!" Once, in a game that players with negative bank balances had to participate in, I was severely injured and unable to move, completely at the mercy of others. It was that kid who saved me. I never expected the club to create a game where you couldn't die, or that in the virtual world, negative bank balances meant instant death! Although I knew that kid had accumulated a lot of negative bank balances after Game 1, I always felt that he could turn things around in a game that players with negative bank balances had to participate in. So, if I had known there would be such a game, I should have given him more of my bank balance!

Brother Wen's voice didn't have any particular emotion, but the deep sadness and regret were revealed between the lines! They

groped their way side by side in the dark towards Xiao Qian's residence. Lan Yi couldn't see Brother Wen's lewd expression, so when Brother Wen spoke seriously, he could hardly imagine that this man had once been so wicked and shameless.

He remained silent, because from his perspective, offering words of comfort and regret to Xiao Yao seemed hypocritical and superficial.

However, Brother Wen misunderstood his silence, and his tone suddenly became harsh: "

Now that I think about it, Xiao Yao's death seems to be closely related to you. First, your cooperation with Xiao Qian caused his savings to become too negative; second, in game A or B, you had already left, but you made a deal with faction A, allowing all players in faction B to either die directly or have their savings wiped out!"

[The End]

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