Chapter 7

Game space, live streaming lobby.

Several screens float in the vast space, as thin as a sheet of paper, yet they have an unusually high level of clarity.

Tens of thousands of screens were distributed across different areas, some only the size of a mobile phone, while others were as large as a home theater projection screen, displaying the first/third-person perspectives of various players as they completed the trials.

As soon as the viewers clicked into the live stream, they were startled by the piercing screams.

"Help! Help...help me!" A terrified face suddenly appeared on the screen, spitting out dark red blood clots. He pounded on the screen, leaving a series of gruesome bloody handprints, and cried out in anguish, "I won't do it again! Let me go, let me leave this hellhole, help me!!!"

Before the words were finished, the anchor's frantic cries for help abruptly froze.

A sharp claw appeared silently and pierced his throat.

He trembled as he pressed his bleeding throat, trying to struggle, but was stomped to the ground without any resistance.

Then, a furry face appeared behind him.

It was a cat with a size comparable to an elephant. Its large face loomed close, instantly filling the entire screen, its deep green vertical pupils narrowing into dangerous needles, revealing an icy coldness devoid of any emotion.

It was at this moment that the cat's eyes, symbolizing a ruthless predator, looked down at the audience's faces through the screen, slowly and silently curving into an arc.

The viewers standing in front of the screen almost had their hearts explode upon seeing this.

How can I see it?! Help—

Snap!

Because the owner of the live stream died, the screen suddenly flashed and disappeared into countless points of light.

Several audience members finally recovered from their cold hands and feet and found that their hands were unconsciously folded over their heads and were still trembling.

For a fleeting moment, I really felt the horror that a big cat might come across the screen and kill them.

Is this the oppressive power of the A-level Ghost King dungeon?

While the audience was still in a daze, at least thirty or forty screens around them disappeared one after another.

In less than half a day, the live broadcast hall was emptied by more than half. Such a tragic casualty rate is unprecedented!

Panic and disbelief filled the hall.

"The seven-day limited-time dungeon is usually not too dangerous on the first day, so why is this time different?"

"The strange cat that attacked just now was just a small fry among them, not even an elite monster."

"No one has been seen to escape successfully so far. This is a complete disaster!"

More and more people are showing signs of despair.

Suddenly, a joyful shout broke the oppressive atmosphere, coming from a certain live broadcast area.

"It's a success! He survived! Oh my god!"

"A player has successfully dodged the first attack!"

These words were like ice water being poured into a boiling oil pan, causing an uproar in the entire central hall.

Countless players flooded in, shouting like a tidal wave, "Holy crap, is this for real?" "Awesome! Which expert discovered this survival method?"...

"Stop arguing, everyone! Is there any kind brother or sister who watched the live stream who could share how the streamer escaped? I'll give 1000 points!"

Bounties were being offered one after another, all demanding points for the survival strategy from earlier; it was urgent and pressing.

The newlyweds were dumbfounded by the frenzied scene: "What's wrong with them?"

Players who fail to complete the level will have their memories erased and will respawn at the exit of the central hall.

So even if the number of players is fixed, there will never be a shortage of new players here.

The veteran player explained to the bewildered newcomer: "In this place, any experience or tips for clearing the game can be likened to a kind of forbidden knowledge, and their dissemination is restricted in various ways. There are live streams, but you can't record them or make videos, nor can you preserve them by writing, drawing, recording, or taking pictures. They can only be remembered by the human brain."

The new players were immediately shocked: "So many restrictions, we can only rely on memorization? What if we have a bad memory and can't remember it?"

An experienced player pointed to the players frantically asking for the strategy guide and said, "Why do you think they're so excited? It's because they're afraid that viewers who know the strategy guide will forget the content, and then they won't be able to buy it later."

Veteran player: "You should know that once a dungeon is successfully cleared for the first time, it will be added to the trial pool for other players who did not participate to try. This is also the main source of points for most players."

Points are the resource players rely on for survival. Players can use points to exchange for resources, items, and skills in the system, and they can also be used as basic currency in the market.

Therefore, whenever a new trial is generated, the live stream's popularity and the audience's enthusiasm will soar to unprecedented heights.

Even pessimistic and world-weary individuals who have long given up on themselves and believe that the world is beyond saving will not refuse to watch the live stream.

As for the players who successfully complete the trial for the first time, they will be excitedly elevated to godlike status and lavishly praised by the remaining players. After all, their actions will genuinely benefit hundreds of millions of players and give everyone hope.

However, this has also given rise to some extreme fanatical groups, such as the fan groups of top-ranked figures, which often cause a great deal of trouble.

"This..." the new player belatedly realized, "Shouldn't we also keep an eye on that livestream?"

Before he could finish speaking, the veteran player next to him, seeing that the crowd had dispersed slightly, immediately rushed over with shining eyes, shouting as he pushed his way through, "Excuse me, please make way! Which streamer were you talking about? Let me write down the room ID!"

Newcomer: "..."

So the reason I didn't go up and squeeze in wasn't because I was being coy, it was because there were too many people!

At this moment, the emotions of the audience had been elevated to an unprecedented level.

But little did they know that the streamer hadn't found any way to save his life; the Demon King was simply too lazy to kill him.

ha?

That's a vengeful and malevolent king, willingly letting the players go?! What kind of world are you kidding me?!

Unfortunately, their curses could not be heard by the players in the trial.

This group of players were all of high caliber, with several experienced veterans among them. Even though the survivor was speaking incoherently, they didn't panic.

"Based on the monster's methods and reactions to killing, I guess those might be their past experiences. There's a sadist behind it all who enjoys torturing animals. Even if it's not a BOSS, it must be an elite monster or a key NPC."

"I searched for several hours and didn't see a single stray cat or dog. It's impossible for one person to do this."

"We'll ask nearby businesses and residents if there have been any recent cases of gangs committing crimes or killing stray animals in large numbers. If someone avoids the question, they may be one of the participants. We'll ask them more thoroughly when it's late at night."

When he said the second half of his sentence, his tone was cold and chilling, sending shivers down one's spine. This was a true ruthless criminal who had seen blood.

Someone added, "If it were just an ordinary case of torture and murder, it would be impossible for an A-level Ghost King to emerge."

“Yes.” The other person added, “We’ve experienced similar dungeons before, and at most we’ve only encountered a B-rank boss, so there must be a crucial hidden storyline.”

The mature, cold-faced man at the head of the group looked at the wounded on the ground again: "What were the Ghost King's emotions when he left the illusion? Joy and excitement? Anxiety and anger?"

The wounded soldier recalled the events carefully.

His consciousness was already blurred at that time, but an unusual image impressed him and slowly emerged from his mind.

—A colossal beast, the size of a building, lay on the ground, its entire body shrouded in a chilling, ominous black mist, as if it might merge into the darkness at any moment.

Suddenly, without warning, it stood up, looked up at the boundless space in the distance, twitched its ears as if it had heard something through the space, and the violent look in its eyes suddenly disappeared, becoming very gentle.

"It seems... she's happy."

The mature man pondered for a moment, then turned to the rest of the team: "Four more people, two go to the vet to check the medical records, and two go to the pet supply store. If there are customers buying large quantities of pet supplies, follow them, but don't get caught, and definitely don't hurt anyone."

"If I'm not mistaken, that will be the key to our victory."

At the same moment, Xie Xubai smiled and looked at Ping An, who was being bothered, and coaxed her gently, "Be good, be good, I won't bother you anymore."

He said, "My boss gave me a long vacation, and I can come see you anytime starting tomorrow. I bought you a super soft dog bed, a water fountain, a rain shelter, and all kinds of dog toys and canned food. There's a lot of stuff, and my boss said he can deliver it to me."

The dog had been facing him with its rear end, puffing up in anger and curling into a ball, its tail thumping on the ground.

Upon hearing that Xie Xubai could come often, their droopy, pointed ears instantly perked up.

"Then we can brush our Ping An's fur!" Xie Xubai rubbed its face. "I'll ask someone nearby to borrow a bathroom and see if I can give you a hot bath."

"Woof!"

Xie Xubai patted its head, glanced at the surrounding residential buildings without leaving a trace, and the smile in his eyes suddenly disappeared, replaced by a deep and calm demeanor, like the surging sea.

The eerie monologue rang out again.

I only recently discovered that I'm just an ordinary person in this bizarre world.

Knowledge beyond our comprehension is like a deadly poison, capable of transforming us into irrational monsters. But I haven't; I remain an ordinary person.

Does this mean I can endlessly steal and learn forbidden knowledge? Will I eventually transform into a form no one can imagine?

Xie Xubai ignored these lines of dialogue.

All he cares about now is safety.

Why can't Ping An leave this alley? Why do the residents hate it so much? And who has harmed it?

As if responding to Xie Xubai's strong thoughts, scenes from the past flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.

They were all mundane, ordinary matters, but Xie Xubai intuitively sensed that important information was hidden within them. He examined them carefully.

Finally, the camera focuses on the moment I boarded the bus this morning.

From left to right, there are lush, still trees, sparrows chirping on the branches, and pedestrians hurrying by.

A fat man leaned against the corner of the bus stop sign, wearing a mask the whole time to cover his face.

Cars passed by one after another, but the man didn't get on. Only when he boarded did he lean forward, his gaze like that of a sticky, cold, venomous snake.

Suddenly, memories became traceable.

Even details that were overlooked at the time will remain in the ocean of the subconscious, ready for him to use.

While at work today, I felt a strong gaze watching me from the shadows, filled with resentment and bitterness, as if I had ruined their plans. But I rarely make enemies.

Who could that person be?

Author's Note: