Chapter 11 (2/2)
Spider, ”Go ahead.”
”I'm a newbie, and my Hp is low. Please, when you attack, be gentle.”
”Sure.” Spider answered on everyone's behalf. He raised his chin at someone, ”You go first.”
That person looked warily at Spider. ”Why am I going first? What do you want to do?”
”In any case, someone has to go first. Why not you?”
Ling Xiaolu tried to mediate the situation. ”Everyone's taking their turn, it doesn't matter who's going first or last.”
”No way!” The person who had been singled out refused staunchly. ”He should go first. I guarantee I won't interrupt, and I'll make my move after he leaves.”
”Then, this Mr. Spider, why don't we…”
Spider cut him off, snorting, ”What are you afraid of?”
”I'm afraid someone's too greedy, and wants to eat more than his fair share.”
”I agree!” Another person concurred. ”Spider should go first. We can temporarily take a few steps back.”
”No way!” Someone else objected. ”What if when we retreat, he runs off with him? Can anyone of you even catch up?”
These people all had something to say, completely infuriating Spider. A murderous look gathered in his eyes.
”Thanks everyone for your reminder. I suddenly remembered, a hundred thousand each is a way worse bargain that a million just for one person.”
Ling Xiaolu already noticed the spider poker card he was secretly holding between his fingers. The rest of the nine people were all set for a showdown, and the next round of the battle was about to break out.
”Hold on! Wait!” Ling Xiaolu stopped them loudly. ”If you guys continue being at a stalemate like this, no one would be able to collect this money. Mr. Spider, I know you're very strong. However, if all 9 of them were to combine their strength to deal with you, you also won't be able to beat them. Why don't I think of some method that everyone can settle this amicably?”
Spider clearly did not believe his words. ”As a prey, why are you so enthusiastic?”
”As a prey, my time is also very precious. As you're fighting between yourself, what if someone pa.s.ses by and just take my life? Won't I have died in a very dodgy manner?”
”Don't worry, other than us here, no twelfth person would dare come close.”
”Really?” Ling Xiaolu pretended to look around, observing his surroundings. He suddenly pointed diagonally ahead. ”Eh? Isn't there someone right there?”
Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing at. The branch shook, and someone really jumped down from above.
Ling Xiaolu's intention was to get that person down, and he had not seen how that person looked like. Only when that person landed, revealing his appearance to the crowd, did Ling Xiaolu pull his hand away, startled.
This person was dressed in tight, black clothes, combining a vintage and futuristic style together perfectly. His visual impact was strong, but not incongruous. Seeing his outfit, Ling Xiaolu wanted to give the game's design department a Paris fas.h.i.+on design award.
And the most eye-catching thing on this person had to be that mechanical, metal black helmet in the shape of a bird that covered his entire face. A few incisive lines made up a sharp beak, and over his eyes, there were slightly protruding protective lenses that gave off a red gleam.
”So, so cool…” Ling Xiaolu whispered unknowingly. That helmet was basically his dream G.o.d-tier item.
Realising that something felt wrong, Ling Xiaolu turned back to take a look. He discovered Ling Long hiding behind his back, curled up while s.h.i.+vering.
It was not only Ling Long. Other than Ling Xiaolu, after seeing who that person was, it was evident that everyone was on extreme vigilance. Even Spider's face had changed subtly.
Ling Xiaolu then noticed the name above the man's head. It was not a gentle and harmless green, or a PVP red, and it also was not a gold that signified his status, but a spine-chilling black.
The person who Spider had pointed at unconsciously took a step back. Z-Zhen Jiu2… I didn't know you had your eyes on this bounty. I'll take my leave now…”
”Me too…” Other people too had the same opinions at him. However, a sentence from this Zhen Jiu glued all their feet to the ground.
”Don't go,” He spoke through his mask. ”I'm not here to hunt, but to watch a show.”
He turned to Ling Xiaolu. ”Continue talking about what you've come up with. I'm very curious.”
Ling Xiaolu could not see his face, and did not know what sort of expression he had. Despite speaking very lightly, the command in his voice was very irresistible.
”What I want to say is, since everyone is unwilling to give in, let's just play a game. The losers will be eliminated, and the last one standing will get that one million gold reward. How about this?”
The ten people looked at each other, as though they were calculating if the temptation of that one million was bigger, or if Zhen Jiu was scarier.
”What sort of game? If it's to answer maths questions, I'm not going to do that.”
”Not idioms-sequencing too.”
”I object to Seven Up.”
Everyone chimed in, objecting to games they were not good at.
Standing by the side, Zhen Jiu spoke up again. ”When you guys want to take people's lives to gain a reward, you also never asked if they agree. Now, asking you to play a game, you're all being picky and selective.”
Everyone fell silent, not daring to object anymore.
Ling Xiaolu looked at him, his eyes full of grat.i.tude. He explained the rules of the game, ”Don't worry, it's not about maths or idioms. Everyone here is an a.s.sa.s.sin, so let's just play a murder game that everyone is good at. Now, all ten of you are killers, and I'm the only prey. Think, ten wolves chasing a sheep, how is there enough for everyone? Why don't we reverse this instead.”
With a toss of his right hand, a silver gleam spun in the air before he grabbed it again. The blade of the dagger pointed down, and Ling Xiaolu stood in a battle-ready position. ”I'll be the killer, while you're all the prey. The damage this dagger can do is only one Hp, and once you're injured by it, you're out. You can hide and run any way you like, but you can't attack me. You also can't use your skills or your pets too. So, do you dare to play this game?”
After hearing the rules, all ten of them had no objections. If not for their fear of Zhen Jiu, they really would not have shown any respect to Ling Xiaolu this newbie.
”I'm fine with this.” Spider was the first to express his thoughts, and the others all followed.
”Then, we'll all agree, and no one is allowed to go back on their words when they lose. This older brother who wants to watch the show, I won't collect a ticket price from you, but could you be the judge?”
”No problem.” Zhen Jiu found a tree, casually leaning against it. He folded his arms, and really looked as though he was here to watch a good show. A simple game, now with Zhen Jiu watching it, was now laced with an oppressive feeling. Every partic.i.p.ant felt the pressure coming over them.
”Then,” Ling Xiaolu crouched down a little. ”I'm going to start.”
Before his voice even faded away, Ling Xiaolu had rushed ahead. Everyone thought that he would go for the person closest to him, and no one had expected that he would attack Spider, the person furthest away from him. Spider was careless, and he was the least prepared amongst the crowd. Ling Xiaolu's sneak attack nearly succeeded. Fortunately for him, he reacted very quickly, leaning backwards deftly. Ling Xiaolu's dagger swung past his nose, and he managed to avoid this blow.
The flash of the dagger seemed to travel in slow motion in front of Spider's eyes. Widening his eyes in astonishment, he thought, that's very fast!
He realised that putting himself on guard against Zhen Jiu and underestimating Ling Xiaolu was a grave mistake. This newbie was not as easy to handle as he thought he would be. In an instant, he sharpened his focus on Ling Xiaolu. Seeing that his attack did not land, Ling Xiaolu immediately leapt up. He spun towards a strange direction mid air, only landing on the ground after a couple of turns, right in front of Spider.
Spider's attention was fully on him, ready to take on his next attack. However, Ling Xiaolu pulled himself together, straightening up, and swung his dagger behind him. He shot Spider a smile, making him completely muddled.
Not far away, Zhen Jiu who had seen everything unconsciously straightened.
Ling Xiaolu smiled and turned around. The person standing closest to Spider was still staring at his own injured arm in disbelief.
”Out.”
”W-when did you…” Ling Xiaolu's speed when he landed was too fast, and that person had not seen anything. ”When you were feinting, did you already…”
The person who was eliminated three seconds into the game was so stunned that his sentences were incomplete. He was, after all, one of the top a.s.sa.s.sins in this game.
”It wasn't a feint,” Ling Xiaolu explained earnestly. ”I only took a gamble. If it worked, it was to my advantage, and if it didn't… I wouldn't have made any gains or losses either way.”
Hearing that Ling Xiaolu had treated him like a bet, Spider's expression could be described as ”what did you just say?”.
And the one who was treated like a side extra nearly vomited out blood.
But after replaying Ling Xiaolu's performance a few times in his head, he had to admit that even if he had paid attention, he might not have been able to avoid that swing of Ling Xiaolu's dagger.
Thinking about this, he felt relieved.
”I'm the one who underestimated you,” That person relaxed, giving Ling Xiaolu an affirmative smile. ”This time, I accept my… loss in this gamble…”
In that moment, ten people on the ground all looked alarmed. The ten people did not include this one who had surrendered, as he was falling down slowly, struck dumb. Behind him was a cold, mechanical head of a bird.
Looking at this mask from a close distance, the aggressiveness of the sharp pointed beak left one breathless.
Ling Xiaolu swiftly searched for the tree Zhen Jiu was just leaning on, then looked back, confirming that this was not someone else wearing the same helmet.
That was such a long distance. Ling Xiaolu did not manage to catch how he had made his way over.
Zhen Jiu's voice that was filtered through the mechanical mask sounded faint.
”A murder game needs to be real to be fun, isn't it?”
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