'Tap tap tap...'
The sound of running footsteps echoed continuously.
Kyou Fujibayashi and Sawada Yoriko ran with gritted teeth. Sweat overflowed from their foreheads, and their backs were already soaked; the blue patient uniforms and their skin were completely stuck together.
"Huff..."
"Huff huff..."
The sound of breathing was rapid. Kyou Fujibayashi was panting heavily.
Sawada Yoriko wasn't doing much better; her breathing was disordered. However, she expressed astonishment at Kyou Fujibayashi's stamina.
Because she had become a formal player of the Strange Game, she had started self-training, consciously increasing her stamina, strength, and reaction capabilities. Furthermore, she had attribute point bonuses provided by the Strange Game. Although not much, they had increased her constitution.
Yet, Kyou Fujibayashi's performance was not much different from hers. This physical strength, this willpower, made her increasingly envious. A person who was beautiful, had good stamina, and high willpower. If such a girl wasn't pursued by men, who would be?
"Big... Big Sister... wait..."
"Play... with me..."
"Doll, I have a doll..."
'Clack clack...'
At this moment, the little girl was already climbing rapidly on the ground using both her hands and feet, chasing from behind at a speed that completely defied human posture, just like a four-legged spider.
Her cheeks became increasingly hideous, white bumps bulged obviously, and liquid flowed from her red eyes.
'Thump thump...'
'Whoosh...'
The little girl gathered strength and catapulted up.
"Dodge..."
Kyou Fujibayashi subconsciously pushed Sawada Yoriko away.
With a 'Boom...', the little girl landed heavily in the position where the two had just been.
This distance... Compared to before, the distance the little girl leaped was even farther.
"Sister..."
'Clatter clatter...' The sound of rapidly crawling footsteps.
The little girl arrived at Sawada Yoriko's side in an instant. "Sister, Sister..."
The ugly, hideous appearance drew close, a foul stench constantly assaulting her face. Sawada Yoriko felt terrible all over.
Why come looking for her! Weren't you chasing Kyou Fujibayashi and calling her Sister the whole time?
Sawada Yoriko suddenly realized in this moment that she had mistaken the target. This little girl Strange entity came chasing after her!
She opened her mouth, revealing sharp teeth.
"Give me..."
"Yi-chan..."
At the same time Kyou Fujibayashi shouted loudly, an iron block she had picked up from the roadside earlier was thrown by her with full force.
'Swish...'
The iron block hit the little girl Strange entity's brain in the blink of an eye.
With a 'Thud...', the little girl Strange entity's brain trembled.
Sawada Yoriko took this opportunity to turn around and kicked out ruthlessly. She hurriedly scrambled up, but her legs went soft and her body sank. However, at this moment, Kyou Fujibayashi grabbed Sawada Yoriko's wrist with one hand and dragged her into a sprint.
"Kyou."
A touch of emotion emerged. Wouldn't it be better to leave her behind and escape at this time? As long as she was left behind, Kyou could absolutely escape successfully.
Sawada Yoriko's mood was complex, feeling increasingly uncomfortable looking at that hand tightly gripping her wrist.
The little girl Strange entity's limbs moved heavily with 'clack clack...' sounds, her petite body catching up rapidly.
"Sis, Sister..."
The hoarse voice circled around them. In a short time, the distance between the two sides decreased rapidly.
In the blink of an eye, the little girl Strange entity was about to catch up to the two.
Kyou Fujibayashi could already feel the waves of coldness coming from behind.
Faster, just a bit faster! Let me go a bit faster.
Her legs already showed obvious fatigue, soreness spreading. Kyou Fujibayashi gritted her teeth tightly, but her thigh muscles seemed to have reached their limit; there was no way to further increase her speed.
"Kyou..."
Sawada Yoriko glanced at her friend beside her out of the corner of her eye.
A powerful force came from her back, and the two fell to the ground one after another. Kyou Fujibayashi let out a cry of pain. She wanted to crawl up, but discovered that her legs couldn't even perform the action of pushing off.
It's over. Going to die here.
A whistling sound came from behind.
"Yi-chan..."
At least, at least let Sawada Yoriko survive. One person dying is better than two people dying.
Kyou Fujibayashi turned around and reached out, attempting to intercept the Strange.
"Ryou,"
"Goodbye..."
In the end, all the purple-haired young girl had in her heart was longing for her sister. If I'm gone, you must be happy too! Don't get deceived by some random man casually!
'Bang...'
At this moment, an ear-piercing gunshot rang out.
The forehead of the Strange entity that was brandishing its claws and fangs suddenly sported a dark bullet hole. The entire thin, small body fell to the ground with a 'clang'.
The Strange entity lay on the ground motionless, as if it had already died.
This...
Kyou Fujibayashi was stunned.
Sawada Yoriko, who had climbed up preparing to flee, was also stunned.
The eyes of both were full of astonishment as they gazed at that corpse on the ground. The Strange entity that was raging and roaring just a moment ago, constantly shouting 'Sister', had now become a corpse.
Dead. The Strange entity died.
They... were saved.
Kyou Fujibayashi slowly turned to look and saw a man who had appeared beside her at some unknown time. He held a pitch-black pistol in his hand. Faintly, there was still some thin gunpowder smoke at the muzzle.
Zero, a Level 3 veteran player.
The one who, along with another veteran player, Holy Knight, successfully seized Storage Room 105 from other players earlier.
Kyou Fujibayashi breathed a sigh of relief, but also let out a sigh. When they decided to head in the direction of the gunshot, they had intended to seek help from the veteran players, hoping the veteran players would take action to help them.
Now the veteran player had appeared and solved the Strange entity, but thinking of the veteran players' attitude toward other new players, she inevitably began to worry again.
"Thank..."
"Thank you."
Kyou Fujibayashi voiced her gratitude. Her voice was somewhat hoarse; running too intensely had made her throat a bit dry.
So thirsty, want to drink water.
"Here."
Lin Ye walked to the girl's front and handed over half a bottle of water.
At this moment, his mood was complex, mostly filled with lingering fear. After confirming that the dusty-faced young girl in front of him was Kyou Fujibayashi, Lin Ye's back went cold. If he hadn't chosen to attack actively and save more new players, would Kyou Fujibayashi have died here?
If Ryou knew, she would probably cry herself to death. Her sister Kyou Fujibayashi disappearing for a long time via 'Spirited Away' was no different from being confirmed dead.
Lin Ye's gaze made Kyou Fujibayashi's flesh crawl, and she involuntarily shrank her body.
"Water,"
Lin Ye said again.
"I..."
"Drink it if you're thirsty. Rest assured, I didn't drug it." Lin Ye thought of the girl's worry. "If I wanted to do something to you, do you think the current you could stop it?"
This vigilance was good, but applied to the wrong person.
Kyou Fujibayashi hesitantly took it, unscrewed the cap, and took a few small sips. "Can, can I give it to my companion?"
She just wanted to hand it to Sawada Yoriko, but finally took the initiative to ask Lin Ye's opinion first, seeking Lin Ye's consent.
"You may."
"Yi-chan."
Kyou Fujibayashi handed the remaining half of the water to Sawada Yoriko.
"Thanks."
Sawada Yoriko took it and began to drink. Running wild all the way until now, she was also unbearably thirsty. Water was precious here too; who let this instance mission rule that players couldn't bring in items from reality.
'Tap tap tap...'
Footsteps approached. Ai Hoshino and Lilith also rushed over.
Ai Hoshino was currently a bit puzzled because she hadn't fallen into the stagnant state of Time Stop this time, yet Lin Ye flashed from one place to appear in the distance. This matched Time Stop.
Could it be that Lin Ye used another ability, such as Teleportation? Or was it that Lin Ye discovered the fact that her consciousness exists during the Time Stop state?
Ai Hoshino was a bit panicked, but thinking carefully about her relationship with Lin Ye, even if Lin Ye really knew that her consciousness existed during Time Stop, Lin Ye wouldn't say anything.
Mmn.
Ai Hoshino decided that the next time she saw Lin Ye in reality, she would confess this matter to him.
The young girl made a decision.
Lilith, recalling the scene where Lin Ye flashed, felt increasingly that Lin Ye definitely had special skills, perhaps even a super-strong Blessing.
A carry!
Hugging the thigh of such a big shot, she would definitely be able to pass this instance mission safely. Establishing a friendly relationship with Zero was absolutely the best choice.
Two minutes later, Kyou Fujibayashi caught her breath and recovered a little energy. She pounded her sore legs with both hands and barely supported herself to stand up.
"Thank you for saving us."
"No need to thank me."
"We plan to find a place to hide next and wait for the time to end."
Lin Ye understood Kyou Fujibayashi's thought as soon as he heard it. She planned to find a place to hide with this red-haired woman and didn't intend to act with him.
Thinking of the several newcomers saved earlier, all of them wanted to stay by his side seeking his protection, yet the person he wanted to keep most planned to leave.
Kyou Fujibayashi really was different from the masses.
Sawada Yoriko noticed there was no sign of Holy Knight, and she rejoiced inside. Choosing to come to the gunshot side for help earlier was also out of desperation; rather than being killed by the Strange, it was better to ask for help. Even if they encountered Holy Knight, at least there wouldn't be life-threatening danger.
But now that Holy Knight and Zero weren't traveling together, she felt for a moment that her luck today was really quite good. At least, she had turned danger into safety and lived until now.
"Is that your thought as well?"
Lin Ye asked Sawada Yoriko.
"Yes, yes. We will find... a place to hide. We won't cause you trouble, please rest assured."
The crisis had been resolved; separating was the best choice.
But Sawada Yoriko analyzed carefully. With the number of Strange entities skyrocketing now, if they really continued to hide alone, she feared it would be impossible to live to the end. This instance wasn't hide-and-seek where whoever chose a good spot and hid secretly could clear the game.
"Follow us."
Lin Ye spoke.
As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned.
Ai Hoshino and Lilith placed their gazes on the two women. They quickly confirmed that these were two beautiful girls. Could it be that Lin Ye had taken a fancy to these two girls, so he proposed the suggestion for the two girls to follow the action? The goal was to better protect these two girls?
Several thoughts emerged in their minds. But neither Ai Hoshino nor Lilith could think of an accurate answer.
"This..."
"I am considering your safety. In another ten minutes or so, we will reach the final hour of this instance. In the final stage, the strength of the Strange entities will further increase. If you plan to continue hiding, avoiding the Strange entities will be an almost impossible thing."
Kyou Fujibayashi subconsciously looked toward Sawada Yoriko. She thought what Lin Ye said made sense, but she lacked relevant experience, so she still needed someone with more experience than her to judge.
Sawada Yoriko actually approved of the speculation Lin Ye put forward. In the last hour, situated in the Strange instance, they would face the greatest crisis. Many players would die in this final stage. Relying purely on hiding to live to the end had a very low probability.
They could only rely on pure luck.
But Sawada Yoriko had concerns.
"Follow us, only then do you have a possibility of surviving."
"Why do you want to do this?"
Kyou Fujibayashi stared at Lin Ye. Lin Ye's abnormal behavior aroused her vigilance.
"Wanting to let you survive also requires a reason?"
"Us two newcomers following you isn't adding trouble for you? Are we not your burdens?"
Lin Ye knew Kyou Fujibayashi would have this worry. "That is exactly why I need you. If we truly encounter a Strange entity we cannot solve, you two will be my new meat shields."
Since Kyou Fujibayashi suspected him, Lin Ye gave Kyou Fujibayashi this specific reason directly.
He knew deeply that denying it wouldn't make the girl believe him, and he couldn't provide evidence. When Kyou Fujibayashi had this worry, this idea had already taken root in her heart. To eradicate this idea of the girl's, he could only speak with facts.
Silence spread.
Kyou Fujibayashi and Sawada Yoriko both thought Lin Ye would at least find a few better excuses and reasons, but the result was unexpectedly a direct admission that he planned to use them as meat shields.
"Currently, Strange entities have an infection condition. Humans dying from Strange entity attacks will mutate into new Strange entities after death. Moreover, Strange entities cannot be killed."
Lin Ye walked to the side of the little girl Strange entity, raised the pistol, and smashed it down ruthlessly.
'Crack...'
The sound of bone fracturing.
"Even if bullets hit vital points belonging to humans, the Strange entity will not die completely, but will become active once again."
After some more time, this Strange entity would also be captured and re-become a member of the hunting Strange entities.
"You guys can't even solve one Strange entity; do you still think you can survive under the hunting of multiple Strange entities?"
Can't.
Kyou Fujibayashi didn't have this confidence.
Sawada Yoriko didn't have this confidence either.
"Of course, if you insist on leaving, I will send you on your way."
"Hm?"
Kyou Fujibayashi froze.
"I want to know if after I kill you, whether you will mutate into Strange entities. I think you shouldn't mutate. This way, it can also be considered lightening the pressure for us in the final hour."
A naked threat!
Either agree or die.
A touch of indignation emerged in Kyou Fujibayashi's eyes. She thought about making a move to flee for a moment, but... she deeply understood she was fundamentally not Lin Ye's opponent.
"I..."
"We will follow you."
Sawada Yoriko made the decision. She couldn't afford to gamble. Since there were no other better choices, she accepted reality.
"A very wise choice. By the way, what I said just now was all a joke."
Joke?
Exactly which sentence was the joke?
However, in Kyou Fujibayashi's view, no matter what this veteran player Zero said, her vigilance toward him only increased, not decreased. This wasn't something a single act of rescue could completely eliminate.
"Lilith, you are responsible for protecting the two of them. Don't let the two of them have an accident."
"Eh, hey hey hey! So excessive, making me protect the two of them. I'm so sad."
Lilith put on a feigned expression of sorrow. "But when the time comes and we really encounter danger, and need to abandon one, who will you make me abandon?"
Once this question came out, let alone the involved parties Kyou Fujibayashi and Sawada Yoriko being curious, Ai Hoshino was also full of curiosity. She also wanted to know what choice Lin Ye would make.
"Isn't this a very simple matter?"
Lin Ye turned sideways, his peripheral vision meeting Lilith's gaze. "Choose you."
"Ah! We've fought side by side for so long after all!"
"Have we?"
"Woo, Big Brother is too mean. Lilith won't be good with Big Brother anymore."
Lilith whimpered, expressing her dissatisfaction. But whether she was truly unhappy or fake unhappy, only she herself knew.
At this time, another burst of cries for help rang out in the distance.
"You guys stay here, I'll go rescue."
At this moment, watching Lin Ye's receding figure going to save people, Kyou Fujibayashi for a moment generated the thought that Lin Ye was trustworthy. Even if it was to reduce the number of 'Strange entities', at least this veteran player was genuinely saving people.
Five minutes later, the group walked on the road returning to the Experiment Center Hall. The number of people had also increased. Along the way, quite a few players also actively joined the team.
Finally, the number of people in Lin Ye's team reached eight.
The hands of time finally reached the three-hour node.
"Bzz bzz bzz..."
A burst of electric current sound. The broadcast rang out.
At every one-hour node, the Strange instance would provide certain information and intelligence support.
[Research... bzz bzz bzz... discovered,]
[Strange Experiment Subject has... bzz bzz bzz... command and control capabilities over Strange infected bodies,]
[It will share... senses.]
[Material Reserve Rooms have been... fully... un...]
[Please stand fast, stand fast until support personnel arrive,]
[Final hour... please make sure to...]
...
...
The intermittent words quickly constructed a piece of shocking information.
The Strange Experiment Subject possessed the ability to command and control infected bodies. This was equivalent to the Strange entities being able to coordinate in combat. This difficulty increase wasn't just a little bit.
If the eight people on his side were all veteran players possessing weapons, Lin Ye felt it wasn't impossible to fight. But now, besides him, the only ones who could be of use were Lilith, and Holy Knight and Jack who hadn't regrouped yet.
"Calm down."
"Don't panic."
"Everyone keep quiet."
...
Lilith's physique truly lacked deterrence. Lin Ye drew his gun. Facing the dark muzzle, the few newcomers all became honest.
"Very good."
"If you don't want to die, obey orders. Only by cooperating can we survive as much as possible. The Experiment Center's storage rooms have all been unlocked. What we need now is to find more weapons and supplies before the Strange entities come attacking in swarms."
The Strange Experiment Subject wouldn't command the infected bodies to come and attack them immediately. Otherwise, if it really did so, the information given by the broadcast about 'unlocking storage rooms' would lose its meaning.
Lin Ye judged that there was still a period of time from now until the Strange Experiment Subject commanded the infected bodies to attack. At most thirty minutes, at least ten minutes.
They needed to utilize this remaining final golden time.
"Jack and Holy Knight haven't returned yet. They will also search for unlocked storage rooms immediately upon hearing this broadcast."
"Lilith, you stay here to look after the newcomers. I, Rina, and..."
Lin Ye pointed his finger at Kyou Fujibayashi. "Miss Fujibayashi, you come with us to search for storage rooms."
"Eh..."
Kyou Fujibayashi was astonished.
Zero named her to go along. This... was why? Wouldn't she be a drag if she went?
It couldn't be that he was really preparing to use her as a meat shield to be abandoned when necessary, right!
"Kyou, no. Kyou can't go with you."
Sawada Yoriko immediately blocked in front of Kyou Fujibayashi. She took a firm stance of protecting Kyou Fujibayashi.
Lin Ye's reason for wanting Kyou Fujibayashi to go along was also very simple: just to protect the girl. He was still a bit worried about Kyou Fujibayashi staying here alone. Only by bringing her by his side would it appear safe.
"I have some things I want to say to you alone."
Lin Ye looked at Kyou Fujibayashi.
But Kyou Fujibayashi shook her head. "What words can't be said now? What does a veteran player like you have to say to us newcomers? You aren't coveting our Kyou's beauty and wanting to do something, are you!"
A single sentence instantly made Lin Ye the center of focus.
Lin Ye frowned slightly.
"Heh, worrying blindly."
Lilith sneered with her arms crossed. "Do you really think just because you have some looks, you can make a Level 3 veteran player have thoughts about you, and do that sort of thing in this kind of critical moment? You want to make me die of laughter?"
"If Zero wanted to play with women, isn't Rina good? Does he need her?"
Lilith pointed at Ai Hoshino.
This made the eyes of several newcomers soften a bit. Lilith had a point. This Strange instance was so dangerous, and veteran players were all shrewd individuals; how could they do that sort of thing? If they were truly lecherous veteran players who didn't understand the occasion and propriety, how could they have lived until now?
"Then, then it is... to use Kyou as a sacrifice. I, I won't let Kyou go with you."
Sawada Yoriko protected Kyou Fujibayashi behind her.
Lin Ye had a headache; this woman was truly overprotective.
And just as Lin Ye wanted to speak, urgent footsteps came from a passage entrance below.
'Thump thump thump...'
'Thump thump thump...'
Soon, a figure appeared.
An acquaintance. It was the short black-haired male, [Kuroko · Level 2].
Previously he had regrouped with Holy Knight and was responsible for taking care of three newcomers. After separating later, he never returned.
Now, he appeared, and he was holding a newcomer.
"It's Xiao Yu."
Lilith recognized her at a glance. It was the newcomer who followed her initially, but was later assigned to follow Holy Knight and Jack.
That female newcomer was stained with blood, held by Kuroko as he appeared in the Experiment Center.
He looked around, finally raising his head to place his line of sight on everyone on the high platform. Subsequently, holding the female newcomer, he ran over quickly.
"Save her! Who has medicine and bandages? Save her quickly!"
Kuroko shouted for help. The pale-faced female newcomer in his arms could breathe her last at any moment.
On the platform, the newcomers' gazes unconsciously converged on Lin Ye. In this group, Lin Ye had become the center.
...
...
A severely wounded female newcomer.
What happened to Jack and Holy Knight?
Several questions emerged in Lin Ye's mind. What danger could two Level 3 players not handle?
"Zero, do you have bandages and medicine? Need help!"
Kuroko shouted loudly from below.
"Lilith."
Lilith was stunned, but nodded immediately.
Lin Ye followed the steps and jumped from the platform, landing on the ground.
"How did she get injured? Where are Jack and Holy Knight?"
"Jack... he mutated into a Strange entity and attacked us. Holy Knight, he..."
Kuroko lowered his head. "I only saved her, but her condition is also very poor. She can't persist for much longer..."
Lin Ye looked at the pale-faced female newcomer. "Injured by the Strange-ified Jack?"
"En."
Kuroko nodded. "I actually wanted to kill her to help her find release, but she still doesn't want to die."
"Save... me..."
The female newcomer looked at Lin Ye, her pale lips moving, her eyes flickering with the hopeful luster of pleading. She wanted to live.
Lin Ye sighed lightly. "Hopefully injecting the potion is still useful!"
He took out a Suppression Potion and walked step by step to the female newcomer's side.
"Hope you can survive."
"Thank..."
'Splurt!'
The female newcomer's eyes widened. Her chest was suddenly pierced by a dagger.
It was stabbed by Lin Ye.
"You..."
Kuroko erupted, immediately drawing his sword and swinging it.
'Clang...'
Lin Ye was prepared long ago; he dodged sideways and opened the distance from Kuroko.
'Whoosh...'
From the high platform, an arrow from Lilith's hand broke through the air, shooting straight at Kuroko.
'Clang...'
A sound of metal collision.
The newcomers watched in a daze. How did they start fighting? Especially that scene of Lin Ye stabbing the female newcomer; no one had been able to react to it even now.
"Xiao Yu."
Kuroko swayed, his words unable to conceal an anxious tone, but at this time the female newcomer grabbed with her hand, spat out bright red blood, and her eyes gradually dimmed.
"I want to... kill you."
"No problem."
Lin Ye shrugged. "But before you make a move, won't you answer my doubts?"
He continued, "Why make a move now when we haven't even entered the ending phase? In this Strange mission, the more players die, especially veteran players, the harder it is for you perverted killer players to clear the level and get higher ratings, right!"
This guy is a perverted killer player?
The newcomers were shocked.
Kyou Fujibayashi stared. Wasn't it Holy Knight? Or was Holy Knight one too?
"Answer me first, when did you discover it?"
Kuroko's eyes stared deathly at Lin Ye, wanting to discover something from Lin Ye's eyes.
"Of the three newcomers following you, not a single one is left now, yet you would bring a severely wounded female newcomer fleeing here to the hall to ask for help?"
This was a point of suspicion.
But the most important thing was that Lin Ye used 'Perspective' and saw at a glance the fact that the female newcomer's skin was smooth and fair, without even a single wound.
Not injured, yet pretending to be severely injured—what was this for? This was obviously to trick him into relaxing and take the opportunity to kill him!
"Couldn't it be that I fell in love with her?"
"There is that possibility, but I don't gamble."
Lin Ye shook his head. "So, now it's your turn to say the reason."
"When players die to a certain number, the game difficulty will decrease."
Lin Ye knew this point. But he felt this reason wasn't enough.
Kuroko continued speaking. "My Blessing."
He actually had a Blessing.
Lilith was astonished.
Kuroko smiled; he enjoyed the envious and astonished gazes of this moment.
________________________________________
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