Chapter 187
Without Captain Xu's reminder, everyone silently prepared for battle at this moment.
Even when they saw the lightning crackling in Brian's palm, almost ricocheting off to the people around him, no one complained that he was being careful.
The moment the players saw the human-shaped outline on the floor, their thoughts were perfectly aligned.
—They want to smash that murderer to pieces.
Following the classic horror game formula, the next step will inevitably be the door-opening kill, followed by a final showdown with the killer boss, allowing players to finally vent their frustrations in a thrilling battle.
However, players overlooked one point: if reality could align with the trajectory of video games, it wouldn't cause such suffering.
The front-line players, acting as tanks, resolutely stepped into the next living room, only to freeze in shock for less than half a second. Xie Xubai stepped forward, and at the same time, saw the scene inside, his breath catching in his throat almost imperceptibly.
The weather in the entire space changed instantly, as if simulating the night the tragedy occurred. Dark clouds quietly covered everyone's heads, dimming the view.
Thunder roared, rain poured down, and suddenly a terrifying bolt of lightning ripped through the sky!
There was no murderer, only two silent corpses lying in pools of blood, and two enormous heads floating in the lightning.
Hearing the noise, the two heads slowly turned around, and pale lightning illuminated their faces.
Its skin was bluish-black and rotting, its eyes were dull and whitish, and its features were completely distorted as they were stretched and enlarged, like an infinitely inflated balloon. Its jet-black hair grew to the ground and danced wildly in mid-air, and its two eyes turned into cold, beastly pupils.
Two enormous shadows floated in the lightning, like Medusa from mythology with her head covered in venomous snakes, hissing out bright red tongues.
The two sweet young couple who only wanted to live an ordinary life and dream of a bright future, like their child, turned into real monsters.
Xie Xubai's pupils suddenly contracted.
No matter how tragic the imagined ending may be, it's not as good as seeing it with your own eyes.
The air was silent for a few seconds, then the monstrous woman's head suddenly moved and slowly floated towards Xie Xubai and the others in the front row.
Captain Xu thought she was going to attack someone, so he quickly pulled Xie Xubai to the back of the group. But the next second, her head opened its mouth, and blood gushed from the corner of her mouth. She asked in a daze and anxiety, "Have you seen my child?"
A putrid stench wafted over her; she looked very unwell, muttering to herself as if suppressing some kind of near-limit madness.
The players snapped out of their daze and immediately parted to make way, revealing dozens of ghostly infants behind them: "...Yes, yes, yes! See if your child is among them?"
Upon hearing that there were ghost babies, the woman's dim eyes lit up instantly, and she rushed towards the ghost baby horde like the wind.
The man's head followed without a second thought.
Compared to the woman's head, he seemed to still retain a sliver of fragile sanity.
But the details around him all pointed to a cruel truth: the man was caught off guard and killed by the murderer after witnessing his wife and children being murdered.
The hatred for the tragic deaths of his family members festered in his heart. The man was gloomy and taciturn, with a cold light flashing in his eyes, like a bomb filled with gunpowder. If it were to explode, the danger would probably be no less than that of the woman's head.
The player was somewhat intimidated and quietly retreated.
As Xie Xubai brushed past the crowd, he felt the man's head stiffen and his pale eyes glance at him, seemingly casually.
He paused, seemingly confused, and slowly approached Xie Xubai.
The next second, he heard a commotion coming from his wife's side, and he instantly looked away, hurriedly chasing after her.
Seeing that they showed no signs of harming anyone, the players breathed a sigh of relief, hoping the couple could find their child quickly so they could...
Then...
Everyone froze instantly.
At that moment, they suddenly realized a particularly damn problem.
The rules emphasize that a "hit" must involve physical contact.
If the child is the real ball, doesn't that mean they not only have to snatch the child from the couple, but also "give" the child back to the murderer right in front of them?
Although the "sending" here isn't a literal act—it's just letting the child touch the murderer—who could bear to see the grieving couple approach their child again, reliving the despair they felt before their death?
No wonder the couple tore them to pieces!
Players once again felt the system's sinister intentions and were filled with dread.
No wonder they wanted to experience that heartwarming time.
If they only see news reports of a family being murdered, they, who are used to death, will not feel anything profound, and will not hesitate at all when making choices.
Now, the system is forcing them to choose between life and conscience!
Captain Xu wiped his face in anguish, but he made his decision quickly, gesturing to the others: "Now we'll split into two groups. One group will go find the murderer, and the other will follow the couple and get there before they do..."
He didn't finish his sentence because he was afraid the couple would hear him. Everyone knew what he was doing "getting ahead of them."
Some struggled with pain on their faces, while others quickly obeyed the orders.
Most people acted quickly. They kept in mind that this was an infinite game—even if the world was real, it had to be treated as a game when necessary, or they wouldn't survive.
But another unexpected event occurred.
Those ghost babies were actually resisting the touch of the woman's head!
They roared the moment their heads got close, threatening the woman not to come any closer. Their sharp claws and teeth tore at her hair, their ferocity suggesting they wanted to tear her head to pieces.
Meanwhile, the woman used her hair to quickly search through the horde of ghost babies, but she couldn't find her child again and again. Along the way, she was bitten several times by the ghost babies, and her face was covered in scratches. The strong hope in her eyes gradually turned into despair.
Finally, when she found the last ghost baby, she screamed hysterically, "No! My child isn't here! Where is my child! Where is my child?! Aaaaaaah!!"
Her long hair suddenly burst open and lashed out like a whip!
A deafening explosion rang out in the air; the television and refrigerator shattered with a crack, and tables and chairs snapped in half! Strands of hair slammed onto the floor with a tearing sound, easily ripping open the hard floor tiles like paper, sending shards of stone flying and leaving deep ruts.
One player got too close and couldn't dodge in time. He was hit by the hair and flew backward like a kite with a broken string. He landed and coughed up a mouthful of blood. All his ribs were broken!
If Xie Xubai hadn't rushed over to catch him and used his healing ability at the same time, he would have died on the spot.
The player who got sent flying was an A-level player!
Xie Xubai was in even worse condition than when he first emerged from the illusion. His face was completely bloodless, and cold sweat dripped down his temples. Compared to the heavily injured players, it was impossible to tell who had been sent flying.
The woman's screams, the man's gaze, the wailing of the ghost infants, the damp rain in the air, and the endless thunder all transformed into invisible pressure, crushing him.
He was almost out of breath.
The others who rushed over almost thought Xie Xubai would collapse at any moment, and were terrified: "Are you alright? Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Quickly, someone take the injured away!"
"No, no need." Xie Xubai shook his head gently, using the hand that was helping him to stand up with difficulty. His cheeks were so tense that they trembled, and the veins on his face bulged slightly.
He took a breath and said clearly, "Don't fight them, go to the first room."
The very first room, the beginning of the illusionary scene, the "head" of this replicated maze.
Xie Xubai's ability to find the crucial pacifier was purely by chance.
Or perhaps he remembered the sense of security he felt as a baby sucking on a pacifier in a woman's arms, which is why he was able to spot the key item at a glance.
He then tried to spread this sense of peace to all the ghost babies, successfully drawing out the unusual one.
Even after they left for another living room, the ghost baby remained curled up asleep in the crib—perhaps he was the couple's real child.
The others suddenly realized what was happening and rushed back to the original room.
Someone tried to help Xie Xubai over, but Xie Xubai said softly, "You go ahead. I've actually been hiding my abilities... I can hold them back, and no matter what happens to me, I can't attack them."
Then he took a step, stopping frequently, and walked with difficulty but determination toward the two enormous heads.
"Captain, what's wrong with him...?" The top members looked at their captain with surprise and uncertainty.
Captain Xu stared at Xie Xubai, equally surprised and shocked, before finally making a decisive decision: "Trust him, let's go!"
An invisible spiritual force emanated from Xie Xubai's palm, and the misty golden light transformed into thin sand, gently enveloping the collapsing woman's head.
Unsurprisingly, the woman's head suddenly exploded as she sensed the stranger approaching, her two eyeballs converging into dangerous needle-like vertical lines.
"Who are you? Where is my child? Did you hide my child?! Give him back to me!!"
Long, whip-like hair bound Xie Xubai's body like a tidal wave, leaving bloody scratches on his fair skin.
The hair, like wriggling snakes, burrowed into the cracked wound, greedily devouring flesh and blood. Xie Xubai's already sickly face paled even more.
The other players watched in terror, shouting out Yan Chuyi's name.
Large beads of sweat slid down Xie Xubai's cheeks. More unbearable than the physical pain was the mental torment that had no apparent source.
But when he opened his mouth, he used only one sentence to bring the woman back to her senses.
"If I die, you will never find your child again."
The hysterical woman froze instantly.
Golden mist spread across Xie Xubai's body, flowing down his waterfall-like hair toward the woman's head.
In the scene outlined by the golden light, the head vaguely saw its own child.
She's chubby and fair-skinned, tiny and adorable, and lively. If you poke her soft little cheeks, you can't help but smile with crescent-shaped eyes.
Tears streamed down her face almost instantly, and her vacant, white eyes gradually regained their clarity.
The man's head returned silently, staring intently at Xie Xubai.
His body was covered in blue blood, the blood of the ghost infant.
The ghost baby looks a lot like their child, but it's just a resemblance.
The ghost baby tide's attack on the woman's head enraged him, unleashing terrifying power. The intense battle kept other players at bay, a truly breathtaking spectacle.
As the man's head drew near, Xie Xubai also enveloped the man in golden light.
The head seemed to try to dodge, but after glancing at his wife and then at Xie Xubai, it did not struggle.
The golden light blurred the sharp angles of the man's dark blue face, making him appear less fierce and violent, and even somewhat gentle.
With Xie Xubai's perception, it was not difficult to realize that these two heads were actually the embodiment of two intense resentments.
They are the obsession to find their child, the hatred to kill the murderer, and the grief of witnessing the death of their family members.
It's just not a real person.
The couple's true souls may have long since vanished, or they may have become vengeful spirits with hazy memories, wandering the outside world, relentlessly searching for their child's whereabouts.
In short, it's not here.
Between two lingering resentments and the lives of twenty people, no one of sound mind would hesitate about which is more important.
Just then, another deafening roar came from the player's side.
Xie Xubai raised an eyebrow and looked over, his brow furrowing deeply. The murderer had actually appeared so brazenly!
He was wearing a coat, a baseball cap, and a mask, revealing a pair of sinister and fierce eyes. He stood in front of the crib and stretched out his hands toward the sleeping ghost baby inside.
"We can't let him get the real ball!"
The players tried to attack and stop him, but the ghost baby horde was controlled and rushed forward one after another, and the two sides were immediately locked in a stalemate!
The commotion was so great that even the couple was startled, abruptly waking from the beautiful dream woven by Xie Xubai, and instinctively turning around.
Seeing the killer's hand about to touch the baby, their pupils contracted sharply, and they were about to explode.
Bang!
At the crucial moment, Brian made his move, his fist gathering countless bolts of lightning, sending the murderer flying hundreds of meters away with a deafening boom.
This is truly gratifying!
"Brian! Well done!" His teammates cheered with delight.
Tens of thousands of volts of electricity washed over his entire body. The murderer let out a shrill scream and was almost charred in the pale white light of electricity. His body crashed to the ground like a meteor, scattering rocks and creating a huge crater.
The murderer lay motionless in the pit, his body charred and still smoking, seemingly unconscious.
Players are calling it a great opportunity.
However, before the players could even launch their attacks and unleash their fury, a system notification sounded the next second.
[Player "Brian" illegally attacked another player and was given a yellow card. For the remainder of the game, all monsters in the dodgeball game will enter a berserk state until the game ends.]
Damn it!
Seeing the bloodshot look in the couple's eyes, as if they were about to tear each other apart in a fit of rage, Captain Xu roared, "Get the ball and end the game!"
A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one.
The player closest to the crib gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and pulled the ghost baby out, rushing towards the murderer in the pit.
He noticed the two heads staring at him, and in that instant, a wave of guilt and heartache washed over him. He cried out, "I'm sorry!!"
Then, carefully lifting the ghost baby's hand, he struck the unconscious murderer.
[Ding!]
A cheerful system notification sounded.
[The "real players" are focused by the "real ball," congratulations to all players for winning this round!]
The final score is 2-0, and the player's side is declared the winner! Congratulations to the twenty players present who have qualified to participate in the "Black King Game"!
The game is over.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and before the scene faded away, they couldn't help but look back.
Both heads froze in place, about to enter a berserk state but forced to pause. Their expressions were blank, with a sense of helplessness, like "drawing a sword and looking around in bewilderment."
The continuous golden light behind them drew their attention back.
The couple looked at Xie Xubai, who was kneeling on the ground.
Xie Xubai's lips trembled slightly, cold sweat poured down his face, and with all his might, he raised one hand, using golden light to weave a harmonious and blissful dream.
In the beautiful dream that Xie Xubai wove for the couple, life went on as usual.
The man finished his night shift as usual. The woman opened the door, stood in the warm yellow light of the living room, and smiled as she took the briefcase from his hand: "You're back? Sit down and rest for a bit, I'll go heat up some food."
The fatigue from a busy day dissipates in his wife's loving smile.
There was no killer; the baby was sleeping soundly in his crib. Seeing the child whimpering and smacking his lips in his sleep, the young-minded father couldn't resist going to the bedside and poking him with his finger.
His wife quickly came over and slapped his hand away, scolding him playfully, "Why are you touching me like that? I finally fell asleep, and now you're waking me up to coax me back to sleep?"
The man quickly hugged his wife and apologized with a smile. The two of them looked at their sleeping child.
There has never been a happier moment than now.
However, the baby still woke up, seemingly sensing the presence of the two people who loved him most, and waved his arms in a coquettish manner, saying, "mu...a...ma...papa."
The couple's hearts were completely melted by how adorable it was!
They bent down and approached, each stroking the child's cheek with one hand, responding lovingly to the child's call: "We're here, baby..."
Xie Xubai was gasping for breath in pain, his vision blurred, and he had to hold onto the floor with his hands to keep from collapsing.
He persisted in using his mental strength to resolve the couple's resentment, and when he felt it was almost done, he was finally able to relax.
My mind was a jumble of thoughts, one moment I was figuring out how to get all the remaining hundred players through, the next I was thinking about how to take down the boss.
Slowly, he felt the woman's hair lift and gently stroke his cheek, as if she were treating him as her own child, her voice trembling with an indelible sob: "I'm here, baby."
"Don't cry, don't be scared, Mommy and Daddy are here, baby."
"Baby, baby..."
But at a certain moment, the pronunciation of the second half of "bao" suddenly changed.
"Bao...bao...bai..."
“bao……bai……baibai……”
"in vain……"
white?
Xie Xubai thought he had misheard and suddenly looked up.
But then they saw the almost transparent couple, their faces slowly losing their bruises and swelling, gradually returning to normal human appearance.
But that wasn't the face Xie Xubai saw in the illusion!
These two faces were both strange and familiar. They were strange because Xie Xubai had no memory of them, but familiar because they looked at least seven or eight points like him.
As if an outrageous and absurd truth was desperately surfacing, Xie Xubai's pupils trembled wildly.
The man leaned his head silently against his wife, gazing deeply at Xie Xubai, his grief tinged with an unspeakable love.
Just as the resentment was about to dissipate, the woman's mind finally cleared completely, and she realized who she had just hurt. Regret and heartache overwhelmed her.
She kept shedding tears of blood, her hair trembling as she touched the edge of Xie Xubai's wound: "Bai Bai, my baby, Bai Bai..."
*
"Xie Xubai, you really have no conscience." The cloaked figure in the ink-wash space suddenly spoke up.
"Aren't you supposed to have a great memory? Aren't you supposed to be able to remember everything you see? I thought you would have discovered this sooner."
He put the chess piece he was playing with back, leaned forward, his eyes narrowed into long, thin arcs, and stared directly into Xie Xubai's eyes, malice gushing out: "Who would have thought?"
"You can't even recognize your own biological parents."
boom--
These few words, though brief, crashed against Xie Xubai's heart like a raging storm.
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