After learning about Zhuang Li's true intentions, everyone's perception of him changed dramatically again.
Before, when they realized that there was something wrong with Zhuang Li, they could distance themselves from him as much as possible. After all, they couldn't afford to offend him, but they could avoid him. But now, they could only stand there stiffly, like lambs to be slaughtered.
A mere glance could control your body at will. What a terrifying ability! Running is useless in front of such a person.
Even the battle-hardened Xiaodao and Huangmao had goosebumps. They stole glances at the boss, sincerely admiring his courage. How brave must the boss be to date such a monster?
Noticing that everyone's expressions were getting stiffer than the last, Zhuang Li waved his hand to appease them, "Don't be afraid. Ever since I met Xuan Ming, I've been silently telling myself that you must never use an unrestricted ability like this unless absolutely necessary.
"So, I haven't used this ability in a long time. My mental control of you is just the most basic verbal suggestion and taking advantage of the situation. After the mission is over, all you have to do is find a safe place to sleep. When you wake up, you will be completely free of my influence. I am also a person with morals and bottom lines. You can trust me a little more."
He stretched out his arms and made a gesture to hug everyone.
Xuan Ming smiled and rubbed his head, his face full of satisfaction. In his opinion, Zhuang Li was probably the most well-behaved child in the world.
Everyone: "..." This couple is so fucking weird!
No one felt comforted. Seeing Zhuang Li's gentle smile only made everyone feel a deeper chill.
It was inevitable that one would be afraid of such a person with such treacherous abilities and unpredictable temperament. In fact, looking back, one would realize that even before stepping through the iron gate, every word Zhuang Li said and every action he took had already had a profound impact on the current situation.
He told everyone to be careful of themselves because this is a world where one’s own hell is oneself, and subsequent developments were exactly as he predicted.
He has already set his own pace before the game even starts.
And what can we do with such a person? Even trust, a precious feeling that needs to be maintained between two people, he can forcefully plunder it from others. Because if you don't trust him, you will die, so you must trust him!
Thinking of this, everyone nodded obediently, but their faces were as pale as paper.
Zhuang Li clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "Very good, we have become a very united team, which will help us pass the customs smoothly."
Xuan Ming looked up at the sky and laughed to himself. He knew that these people didn't really trust Zhuang Li, but they had to.
This so-called united team was firmly bound by Zhuang Li's powerful control, not a unified team. But it didn't matter. After completing the quest and leaving the dungeon, who would know who?
Having gained the trust he wanted, Zhuang Li stretched out his hands and hooked them slightly, signaling everyone to gather around him.
So everyone gathered around him obediently, like a group of obedient lambs.
"Now that we've established a solid foundation of trust, I'm going to plant a defense deep within your hearts. This defense will prevent you from being easily captured by my will the next time you encounter me. If my lookalike wishes to control you through telepathy, he'll have to break through this defense first. I estimate this will take at least five minutes. Is five minutes enough time for you to kill a weak D-rank player?"
Everyone nodded silently, but they were a little scared. They couldn't imagine what it would look like if they killed Zhuang Li.
After playing a game, they had developed a great fear of this man.
Zhuang Li looked around at everyone's face and said soothingly, "You see, my greatest weakness is my extremely low physical fitness. Now that you have grasped my greatest weakness, what are you afraid of?"
"Hehehe." Zhao Feng and the others laughed dryly.
As long as this person can still speak and see with his eyes, they will be afraid!
Seeing that soothing him had no effect, Zhuang Li gave up on the gentle guidance and ordered in a deep voice, "Look into my eyes!"
So everyone couldn't help but look at his eyes, and their pupils gradually dilated.
Zhuang Li's authority had long been rooted in their hearts, leaving them unable to resist.
"Please make sure first whether it is me or not. If not, please kill me without hesitation!" Zhuang Li spoke slowly, word by word, his deep gaze making contact with everyone's eyes.
So everyone nodded with determination in their eyes.
The defense was thus planted.
Xuanming did not participate in this ceremony because he knew very well that he could accurately identify who was a little devil by feeling. If that person only had the appearance of a little devil but did not have this vivid and lively soul, he would eliminate them without hesitation.
Being soft-hearted, hesitant, or having difficulty taking action does not exist.
The little devil killed the mirror man so easily and decisively because he knew that this evil creature, disguised as his lover's skin, was a blasphemous existence.
And how could he hesitate about something that was blasphemous?
Xuanming also felt this way.
As if sensing his murderous intent, Zhuang Li shook his hand, signaling him to remain calm. The two looked at each other and smiled in tacit understanding.
Such feelings cannot be replicated by any divine power.
After setting up the defense, Zhuang Li began to examine his teammates. His eyes were like a sharp scalpel, dissecting everyone inside and out.
Everyone quickly lowered their heads to avoid his scrutiny, but stood there not daring to move.
This is probably what a frog feels like when it is targeted by a poisonous snake.
After a long moment, Zhuang Li withdrew his gaze and said, "I can confirm that everyone present here is you. There are no mirror images among us."
Hearing these words, everyone couldn't help but relax.
Zhuang Li continued, "So, now I can tell you the conditions for passing the level. First: No one is allowed to enter the basement where the mirror is placed."
Of course. Everyone nodded.
"Second, no team member can be alone. We must work together and monitor each other. Third, we must develop a code that allows us to quickly identify each other. Every time we meet again after separation, everyone must use the code. Anyone who can't match the code will be killed without mercy!"
Of course, of course, everyone nodded in agreement.
"The so-called separation means disappearing from your sight. When you reach a corner in the corridor, your teammate goes around it faster than you, but you are a step slower, so that your teammate briefly disappears from your sight for a few seconds. This also counts as separation. Even in such a situation, you must exchange secret signals, understand?" Zhuang Li further detailed the rules.
"Isn't this too exaggerated? This castle is full of corners. You'll turn several corners every few steps. It's like a maze. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it!" Huangmao said with a distressed look on his face.
"If you are too busy, don't participate in the mission of hunting down the mirror man. I will hang you in the middle of the living room with a rope full of bells, and then let you down after I'm done." Xuan Ming took out a bundle of ropes and dozens of bells from his backpack while speaking, and skillfully tied an extremely complicated knot that only he knew how to operate.
Players who frequently play dungeons know that simple alarm devices like this are actually very useful.
Xuan Ming looked up at the ten-meter-high dome, where a huge crystal chandelier hung. He was considering letting Huang Mao take over the chandelier's place.
Huang Mao: "...Boss, are you serious?"
Xuan Ming: "I never joke. Don't worry, when I hear the bell ring, I promise to come back to save you within five seconds."
Huang Mao quickly raised his hands in surrender: "OK, fine! I'll give the signal!" If he was hung up, wouldn't he become a target for the Mirror Man? The boss is really cruel!
Xiaodao silently held his forehead. What's the point of this? Do we have to wait for the boss to use his ultimate move? How shameless!
Zhuang Li glanced at the yellow-haired man with a smile, then looked at the people who were looking embarrassed and explained, "Don't think this rule is complicated. Just now, when we were tracking Zi Wei's mirror image, he pushed aside a wall and hid in a secret passage. But when we knocked on this wall, we found that it had become solid.
"This means that this castle is filled with hidden magical passages, and these ever-changing passages allow those mirrored people to appear anywhere without anyone noticing. When you think you're just turning a corner, in just a few seconds, and nothing will happen, they may have already dragged your companions into the secret passage, killed them, and replaced them.
"Believe me, this will definitely happen, because familiarity with the terrain is one of their great advantages. If I were the hunter, I would make full use of the terrain advantage. I would drag you into the darkness one by one."
Hearing this, everyone shuddered.
When Zhuang Li was thinking about how to strangle the Mirror Man, he must have also carefully planned how to strangle his teammates, right?
"Captain, don't worry, we will definitely not forget the secret code!" Xu Yingying quickly raised her watch to show her loyalty.
She gave the captain title to Zhuang Li without authorization, and no one raised any objection.
"Very good, then let's come up with a code now." Zhuang Li looked around the hall and noticed many portraits hanging on the walls. He led everyone to a dark compartment behind the stairs and said, "Let's meet here."
"It's so dark here." Dalong turned on the flashlight.
Xu Yingying burned a talisman, and the talisman paper turned into a ball of bright flame, hanging above everyone's head.
"There must be secret passages around the hall, and the portraits on the wall may have surveillance functions, so it's best here." Zhuang Li explained.
Everyone suddenly understood.
"Knock on the wall and see if there is any echo." Zhuang Li ordered.
Everyone knocked on the cubicle wall quickly, then shook their heads. It was solid, and there was no secret passage yet. They would knock every few seconds later, which would be enough to prevent the mirror people from eavesdropping.
Only then did Zhuang Li raise his chin and say, "Think of a code and demonstrate it to us. Remember, it must be subtle body movements, not counting or reciting poetry. This castle is full of secret passages. If you frequently use the same language for code, the mirror people hiding in the secret passages will eventually discover this trick."
The yellow-haired man, who originally wanted to say "pagoda suppresses river monster", closed his mouth in embarrassment.
Xuan Ming glanced at him and said with understanding, "Pagoda suppresses river monster?"
Huang Mao quickly explained, "No, Boss, the first line is 'The Pagoda Suppresses the River Monster', and I definitely can't follow it up with 'The King of Heaven Covers the Earth Tiger'! This code is something anyone can figure out. The next line I've thought of is 'Suppress Your Mother'. Isn't this interesting?"
Xuan Ming just smiled and said nothing. It was interesting, but useless. It was better not to make any sound.
Xiaodao lowered his head silently and held his forehead. Before, everyone was equally stupid, so it didn't matter. Now, in front of his sister-in-law, why did he feel so ashamed?
Zhao Feng and the others also looked up at the sky, their cheeks flushed. The code they had come up with was something like each person saying a number.
Without Zhuang Li, this team would have died hundreds of times, right?
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