Chapter 177
At this moment, there are quite a few people who have doubts.
However, the players did not question the authenticity of Xie Xu's words.
Putting aside the fact that Xie Xubai just saved them, in the previous instances, when did Xie Xubai ever mislead anyone? He mostly kindly saved them from dire situations and helped them pass the trials.
To question whether such a benevolent God has ulterior motives is utterly heartless.
Most importantly, with Xie Xubai's strength, he only needs a thought to harm someone, so why go through all this trouble?
Immediately, some players pondered the key information such as "Black King's Game" and "Participation Qualification".
Is the Black King the boss of this dungeon?
Does failing to qualify for the game mean certain death?
They wanted to ask for more clues, but the incomparably handsome young god decisively shook his head: "This is your own trial. You can't rely too much on external things and take shortcuts."
Seeing the players' confusion, Xie Xubai explained solemnly, "It's a given that you have to pay a price to get clues. But my appearance has broken this rule—you're all still alive, which greatly surprised those guys and made them very unhappy."
Xie Xubai said, "For your safety, I will not appear often from now on, nor will I give too many hints."
Those clear, starry eyes lifted and swept over each player in turn, gently embracing them like a vast, azure sky. Suddenly, they lowered their eyelashes, their helplessness revealing obvious guilt.
"As your guiding NPC, I can't provide any more clues," Xie Xubai said softly. "I'm sorry."
What's going on? Is He feeling guilty?
Players who were still analyzing the information felt their hearts clench.
Xie Xubai's tone made it seem as if he knew all the inside stories and what dangers the players would face.
However, due to certain rules or restrictions, they cannot directly disclose all the information, nor can they openly offer assistance.
Even though it was the Infinite Game that wanted to kill the player and put them in a predicament, and it had nothing to do with Him, the kind-hearted Him still felt guilty and remorseful for it.
Immediately, someone felt extremely sorry for her: "This is not your fault at all, why are you blaming yourself?"
"Yes, you don't need to apologize at all!"
Before Xie Xubai could answer, another person stepped forward: "Excuse me for asking again, but was the position of NPC guide... something you actively sought out?"
He asked this question without much confidence, after all, Xie Xubai was a proper god, why would he condescend to be a mere guide NPC?
But he seemed to be overwhelmed by the excitement of meeting his idol, and the look of self-reproach in Xie Xubai's eyes broke his heart, making him desperately want to clear Xie Xubai's name.
"……right."
Xie Xubai looked at his stubbornly expectant expression, paused, and awkwardly looked away, his ears turning red: "But I have my reasons, and it's not entirely for you."
The players present were all shaken.
Just as I thought!
Looking back at previous trial instances, the system seemed to want to hide every clue deep inside. Didn't they rely on repeated trial and error, with countless deaths, to painstakingly pave a way out? When has there ever been a guiding NPC?
Therefore, Xie Xubai must have wanted this identity himself.
As for Xie Xubai saying it wasn't entirely for their sake.
Doesn't that mean that part of the reason is for them?
Looking at Xie Xubai, who was embarrassed to meet their gaze, he actually blushed! Was he worried about them on one hand, and too shy to admit it on the other?
Aaaaaaahhhhh!
How can their God of Thanks be so adorable!
As her emotions fluctuated, Xie Xubai coughed lightly again, his eyes softening as he spoke solemnly, “Don’t worry. Although my power is somewhat limited, if they cause trouble and send out monsters like those that were impossible to defeat, I will definitely step in to stop them, just as I have now.”
Xie Xubai's power is limited because he recklessly split his spiritual body into multiple parts. When the power is distributed among them, the power that each clone can use is naturally reduced.
However, when players hear the two sentences together, they can easily understand them as a cause-and-effect relationship by connecting them to the context.
In their ears, Xie Xubai's power was limited because he wanted to be an NPC.
I was immediately moved to tears.
On the charm of language.jpg
"This journey has been difficult, but I know that those of you who have made it this far will not stop. You are all very good and excellent." Xie Xubai's gentle and moving voice was like a warm breeze in March in Jiangnan, blowing into the hearts of the players present. "Keep going, I am with you."
After saying this, Xie Xubai's body transformed into wisps of golden lines, as holy and radiant as when he appeared, and quietly dissipated.
Even though the time spent together was short, just a few words, the encouragement and emotion I received were profound.
Even those who weren't particularly fond of Xie Xubai couldn't help but be moved by this unexpected turn of events.
Thus, the cloaked figure in the ink-wash space watched helplessly as the deceived players believed Xie Xubai's words and generated more than twenty faith lines, which slowly connected to Xie Xubai's palm.
Cloaked Man: "..."
Although the color was pale and could disappear at any time, they all believed that Xie Xubai was a true god.
Once a certain amount is accumulated, Xie Xubai may be able to ascend to godhood without needing to elevate his divine status, simply by leveraging the massive amount of faith he receives.
The cloaked man sighed at his shamelessness, "You are truly despicable."
Listen to what Xie Xubai has to say.
What does it mean that "they are very unhappy that you are still alive"?
The players won't all die on this floor!
Also, "For your safety, I cannot give too many hints"?
Is it that they can't give it? It's that they simply can't give it! They need to maintain secrecy, afraid of being exposed, which is why they dare not accompany the players!
The clever part is that, even when you take it seriously, Xie Xubai's words are almost flawless. He deliberately speaks in a way that is half true and half false, ambiguous, so that even if he is exposed later, he has a lot of room to justify himself.
The cloaked figure said quietly, "I really wonder what those who admire you will think if they see you like this now."
Xie Xubai had long since regained his calm and composed expression, and the reserved shyness he had shown in front of the players just now had completely disappeared.
Actually, he rarely smiled after leaving the hospital instance.
But only Xie Xubai knew about this, because when facing Pei Yuheng and the others, he could laugh from the bottom of his heart, and he could also adjust his smile to make everyone feel at ease.
When I'm alone, I can't bring myself to smile.
Hearing the cloaked man's sigh, Xie Xubai raised his eyebrows slightly, his calm demeanor becoming even more profound, even a little cold: "I have never said that I am an upright and honest person."
Even back in the orphanage, he knew how to use sweet words to gain extra attention from adults, and in elementary school, he learned on his own how to understand and guide people's hearts.
In junior high school, someone tried to bully him because he was an orphan. Instead of exposing him, he escalated the conflict to use this as leverage against the other person, threatening him to become his bodyguard for four years.
High schools often resort to extreme measures to reclaim scholarships that have been taken from them.
Because Ms. Xie had personally inscribed many inviolable principles in his heart, Xie Xubai always adhered to his bottom line and would not degenerate or become bad.
But he wasn't that good, at least not as good as Yan Shuo and the others thought.
The cloaked figure twitched an eyebrow, then slowly let out a strange, excited smile: "I guess you've remembered what kind of person you were at the beginning, haven't you?"
It is the very beginning, the very beginning before all cycles of rebirth have even begun.
It was also the beginning of his life as an ordinary person who had lost his father at a young age, without Xie Yuchun's timely adoption, without meeting Yan Shuo, and without getting to know Ping An and the others.
A journey without support, a life like duckweed battered by rain, gloomy, gray, and covered in mud. Only ruggedness, no peace.
Provoked by him, Xie Xubai remained calm without reacting.
Can a person really completely forget the pain of the past?
The cloaked figure stared intently into his eyes, which were focused on the world of the chessboard. After a while, the excitement vanished, and the figure raised an eyebrow with a mocking indifference.
Perhaps Xie Xubai really doesn't care now.
This person disregards everything about himself, even his life.
He would save everyone but himself.
Xie Xubai pondered for a moment, then looked up from the chessboard and suddenly said, "You seem very puzzled as to why I can give the players the correct guidance."
The cloaked figure's gaze was even more dangerous than before, staring at him like a viper eyeing a frog. His hands were clasped under his chin, unsurprised by his words, and he simply asked lightly, "What are the terms of the exchange?"
She still understands Xie Xubai well and knows that she is particularly disliked now.
If the other party is willing to talk to them, they definitely want to get something from them.
Xie Xubai met his eyes, his calm gaze carrying a hint of intimidation: "On the condition that you also tell me the truth about who you are."
The cloaked figure grinned, his face showing no sign of anything amiss, except for that maniacal smile: "Alright—"
*
The player on the other side, holding the few hints they had, was also scratching their head: "How do I get game access?"
I looked up, hoping to find some clues, but all I saw was devastation and ruins. Steel bars and pipes were exposed, and the scorched earth was filled with smoke.
Damn.
Everyone roared with grief in their hearts.
How can we possibly find any clues like this?!
Feeling uncomfortable under the blaming gazes of countless people, the proud dreadlocked boy clenched his fist in annoyance, his fist crackling with electricity: "What are you looking at?"
"Asa!" His teammate, sweating profusely, called out to him anxiously in the team voice chat, "Brian's condition is dangerous... Don't get into a fight with them!"
What?
Asa was startled and quickly crouched down to check on Brian's condition, but what he saw filled him with dread.
A huge hole had been ripped out of Brian's chest, his bloody flesh torn open, his ribs exposed, and his heart, which was mostly ripped open, was clearly visible!
If Brian hadn't been protected by the power of the Contract God, an ordinary person would have died long ago if their heart had been injured!
But Brian's injuries just wouldn't heal, no matter what he tried, whether using skills or items.
A teammate said in the team chat, "There's a black mist over his wound, and this mist makes it impossible for us to heal him!"
Asa realized that the black mist must be a curse left by Slender Man, and felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, chilling him to the bone: "What should we do? Will Brian die if this continues?"
"No, not for now..."
Asa's companion pointed to the collar around Brian's neck. He saw that the collar emitted a translucent golden light, like an ethereal ribbon extending to Brian's shattered heart, standing in opposition to the black mist.
His companion said, his voice trembling, "It seems that the collar given by that mysterious man has barely prevented Brian's injuries from worsening. We must find a way to break the curse of the black mist as soon as possible, and we can't afford to fight them any longer."
“Especially you, Asa, for Brian’s sake, you must control your temper. We need their help.”
Asa pursed his lips. Just then, Brian seemed to vaguely hear their conversation and moved slightly.
His companions asked anxiously, "Brian, how are you?"
"I'm fine." Brian gasped for breath, gritted his teeth, sat up, veins bulging, pulled out a bandage, and tightly wrapped it around his gaping chest. "I won't die."
The excruciating pain tormented his nerves, and Brian's fingers convulsed wildly. He accidentally touched the golden light emanating from the collar, and the gentle warmth seemed to soothe the pain, clearing his mind for a moment.
The words of the alliance leader echoed in my ears.
"Brian, I suggest you have other players sign the Death Contract after you enter the game."
Brian remembers being shocked at the time: "Why?"
It was daytime outside, but the office was dark. The person in charge's expression was half-hidden in shadow, making him look particularly heavy: "Haven't you seen this damn world yet? Everyone has become very selfish. They might turn their guns on their own comrades at any time just to survive, especially those treacherous and cunning Central Continent people. They are often greedy for money and betray their friends."
Brian scoffed, quite arrogantly: "I don't need that. If anyone dares to make any underhanded moves, I'll take them out beforehand."
The person in charge looked at him helplessly: "No, you're oversimplifying things, Brian. Even if you're confident you can handle all unexpected situations, can your partner?"
Brian fell silent: "Then we can sign other contracts..."
"No, we have confirmed that players are unaware that they are being bewitched by evil spirits. Only by signing a death pact can you guarantee that those around you will never betray you, and if they do anything unusual, you can detect the clues immediately and prevent danger from happening."
"Think about the people you care about, Brian. Your parents and sister are waiting for you to save their lives."
Brian was almost convinced by him.
He figured that since he didn't care about other players' opinions and wouldn't cooperate with them anyway, he could just sign the contract, leave them aside to make sure they wouldn't cause trouble, and then cancel the contract after the trial was over. There would be no impact whatsoever.
In retrospect, how arrogant that idea was.
He suffered a terrible setback and almost died.
Brian said in a hoarse voice, "Before entering the trial, I went to see the [astrologer]. She said that I would soon encounter a fatal calamity this time, and if I was lucky enough to survive, it meant that someone had taken the calamity for me, and it would be best to follow that person's guidance."
A teammate asked excitedly in the team chat, "Is that the Astrologer who got the Eye of Destiny?!"
Legend has it that there was once a group of top players who were true geniuses who did not rely on contracts with gods but on their own to step into the threshold of godhood. However, for some unknown reason, they all perished, leaving only fragmented rumors for people to admire.
The Eye of Fate originated from one of the legendary players of the time, the "Prophet," who later became the "Goddess of Fate."
She foresaw her own death in advance, and before that, she sacrificed herself in a tragic and terrifying way, forging four divine artifacts of destiny from her organs.
These are: [The Eye That Sights the Future], [The Vast Apocalypse Containing All Possibilities], and [The Bone Pen That Can Rewrite Destiny].
And most importantly, the unwavering spirit to fight against fate.
Brian nodded weakly: "Now that her prophecy has come true, all the trial instances will likely be merged together next."
Using items, the players surveyed the area from high above and discovered a small, intact patch of land on the other side of the amusement park. They decided to try their luck there.
Suddenly someone behind them whispered, "Excuse me, I just found an amusement park poster. The slogan is 'Let the King Applaud for You,' and it lists the addresses of several rides, all of which are puzzle-solving or competitive."
Upon hearing that a clue had been found, the players were overjoyed and turned to look at the person who had spoken.
He was a young man, wearing black-rimmed glasses, around twenty years old, with delicate features but not particularly outstanding. He was thin on his arms, and his clothes made him look like a recent college graduate.
Despite his youth, he possessed an inexplicably calm and composed demeanor.
The young man looked around and, probably thinking that Captain Xu of the Peak Third Division was more reliable, handed over the poster, pointed to the slogan on it, and explained, "I have a guess. When Xie Shen gave the hint, he didn't mention the second king, so the 'king' here is very likely to refer to the 'Black King'."
"The prerequisite for the king to applaud us is that the king must see us first, that is, to be qualified to participate in the game. If the people of this kingdom respect or fear the king enough, they will not lie on the official posters that bear his name."
The young man pointed to the designated items below: "These must be the key ones."
"I guess we're going to play these games to get high scores, meet the requirements, or break records, to prove that we're good enough to participate in the Black King's game. There's a dodgeball game on the east side that wasn't affected by the lightning."
The young man's analysis, while not absolutely correct, was at least logical and convincing.
Captain Xu glanced at it briefly. For aesthetic reasons, amusement park posters are generally quite simple and contain little information.
His short-term speculation was similar to that of the young man, after all, there were no other options at the moment.
only……
Looking at the brand-new, clean posters, and then at the scorched earth, Captain Xu suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked at the young man suspiciously: "I don't think I've ever seen you before. Where were you when you first entered the game?"
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