"They've been spotted at the entrance of the entertainment street, over by the ATM. The Buddhist scriptures seem to be with the one named Qun Zhongting. Run left from your position; you should catch them in about half a minute. I'll start sniping in twenty seconds... Zheng Zha, make it quick. Get the scriptures back before the police arrive."

"...Got it!" Zheng Zha and the other two bolted toward the left side of the road. As he ran, he asked Zhao Yingkong, "Zhao Yingkong, is there any way to stop them from leaking our location to the police?" Zhao Yingkong paused for a beat. "Kill them."

"Killing deducts points."

Zheng Zha stated, "What other methods are there? You assassins must have other viable options, right?" "That's simple enough. Chop off their hands and feet, gouge out their eyes, slice off their tongues, deafen their ears. If you want something simpler, just inject silver needles into their spines and turn them into vegetative states... Need my help?" "No!" Zheng Zha murmured, "I will bear my own responsibilities..." As they ran, they could already see the ATM ahead. Standing by it were the three—Lu Renjia, retrieving cash, and Qun Zhongting, clutching Wen Biao while looking toward the machine. Only Ming Yanwei, the one in pajamas, noticed the three charging figures of Zheng Zha's group. She actually offered them a bewitching smile.

"Boom!" With a deafening report, Qun Zhongting's left leg instantly vanished. A massive impact pulverized his limb into shredded meat. The sheer force of the Gauss sniper round bored into the concrete floor beneath him, carving out a bowl-sized crater.

After the gunshot, the three froze noticeably. Lu Renjia reacted the fastest, spinning around to seize Ming Yanwei, shielding himself with her body, while his pistol was jammed tightly against her head. Beside them, Qun Zhongting was screaming madly on the ground.

The moment Lu Renjia saw Zheng Zha's trio approaching, he roared, "Don't come any closer! If anyone dares to step forward, I'll kill her... and the Buddhist scriptures, Qun Zhongting! If they dare take another step, crush the scriptures!" Zheng Zha and his companions immediately stopped, now less than fifty meters from Lu Renjia's group. Zheng Zha said coldly, "I won't waste words. Put down the scriptures, and I'll let you leave safely."

Qun Zhongting, cradling his shattered leg and howling, screamed back, "Leave my ass! Do you know how terrifying 'that thing' is? Without the scriptures, we'd be better off killing ourselves—it would be less painful! Damn it, why did you chase us out? Why wouldn't you let us take the scriptures peacefully? You're so powerful, why couldn't you just let the scriptures go to us, who are much weaker than you! Hah! Stop talking about leaving the scriptures in the hall for everyone—it was clearly you veterans trying to monopolize them! To hell with your whole families!" Zheng Zha gritted his teeth in suppressed rage. This ugly display of human nature was something he had never witnessed before. Though it often appeared in books and on television, seeing it unfold before his eyes was a shock beyond words... (Was... I truly wrong?) As Qun Zhongting spoke, another shot rang out. The arm cradling the scriptures was severed at the shoulder. The severed limb, along with the scriptures and Wen Biao, tumbled to the ground. Seeing this, Zheng Zha and Zhao Yingkong simultaneously rushed forward.

Qun Zhongting seemed utterly resolved. He knew Zero Point must be sniping him from somewhere; he recalled Zero Point mentioning being a sniper during their first introductions. Wasting no more time, he let out a frenzied howl and hurled the Buddhist scriptures violently toward the road. As he threw them, his remaining arm was blasted clean off at the shoulder. But the scriptures, irreversibly, landed on the asphalt. With a crisp crack, a speeding sedan ran directly over Wen Biao, grinding the Buddhist scriptures to dust, pages scattering in the wind, leaving only specks of gold catching the eyes of those watching.

"No!" Zheng Zha’s eyes were slit with fury. He raised his dagger and slashed fiercely at Qun Zhongting, who was cackling maniacally. With a sharp sizzle, Qun Zhongting's grotesque head was cleanly severed, flying a great distance to land on the road... where it was immediately mashed into pulp by another passing vehicle.

"Member killed: one. Reward points deducted: one thousand..." The distinct, solemn voice of the 'Main God' echoed in Zheng Zha's mind. He barely registered what the 'Main God' said, his eyes bloodshot as he turned his gaze back to Lu Renjia.

Lu Renjia was paralyzed with terror, his legs and hands limp. Yellow liquid was steadily soaking his pant leg. When he saw Zheng Zha looking at him again, the university student began to tremble violently. "No, don't kill me, don't kill me! Isn't killing someone a deduction of one thousand reward points? Don't kill me..." "Boom!" Another massive sound erupted. Lu Renjia’s hands shook uncontrollably, the one holding the pistol trembling most violently. Then, a muzzle flash erupted from the gun pressed against Ming Yanwei's head. Half her skull instantly disintegrated—white, red, and yellow matter erupted outward. Everyone stared dumbly as the beautiful woman slowly slumped to the ground. After a few seconds, Lu Renjia suddenly burst into maniacal laughter.

Before Zheng Zha could make a move, Zhao Yingkong, standing beside him, lunged forward. The small girl darted to Lu Renjia's side, a swift movement of her fingers slicing off the arm that held the gun. Then came the other arm, followed by both legs. Despite being drenched in spray of gore, the little girl didn't even blink. Finally, she completed the grim task she had outlined to Zheng Zha earlier: hacking off hands and feet, severing the tongue, blinding the eyes, and deafening the ears. Only then did Zhao Yingkong shake the blood from her hands and slowly walk back to Zheng Zha's side.

Zheng Zha silently retrieved a hemostatic agent from his storage ring, spraying it over Lu Renjia’s wounds a few times. He then pulled out his communicator to speak to Zero Point. "Zero Point, if there are any street cameras nearby, please take them out. Also, find us a place to hide until the police leave; we'll come back later."

"...Understood. Proceed five hundred meters straight ahead from where you stand; there's a sewer entrance. Go into the sewer and keep moving right. At approximately the twelfth upward shaft, there's a park. Wait there until noon when there are more people, then come back. Remember to change out of your bloodied clothes first."

"Zero Point, thank you... That apology—I'll say it in person when everyone is gathered together..." (Did I truly do wrong?) It was the dead of night. The three successfully reached the park, but the depths of the area were pitch black, a sight enough to chill the bone just by looking at it. With no other option, the three stood back-to-back, each watching a different direction, with several protective talismans placed between their backs.

(Did I really do wrong? Was treating the newcomers like cannon fodder, distrusting them from the start, the correct approach?) Zheng Zha felt as if an invisible hand was stirring the mush in his mind. Just as the headache began to peak, his communicator vibrated again.

"Zero Point? What happened?" "It's me..." Zheng Zha stiffened. The voice was... Chu Xuan's! "I saw everything and can probably guess how you feel. Want to talk?" Zheng Zha let out a breath. "How did you know what happened? And where have you been hiding all these days?" "Where I was hiding isn't important. The Cursed Spirit won't spare anyone based on distance. I also visited the temple you went to during the day. Unfortunately, the gate marked 'Open' doesn't have its daytime function at night. In fact, the Buddhist scriptures you have might be the critical 'prop' for completing this horror movie..." "...Is it because the communicator can eavesdrop?" "Precisely. I have the 'Host' unit. I can hear everything your sub-units say, even if your devices aren't turned on."

Zheng Zha glanced at his communicator and gave a wry smile. "Are you here to mock me? Yes, I admit I failed. I admit I was wrong—to foolishly acknowledge comrades, only to be stabbed in the back by the very people I vouched for... Chu Xuan, you foresaw that I would make a mistake from the beginning, is that why you left this unsafe team?" "No, I just wanted to find a quiet place to watch the stars..." Atop a high-rise building not far from the Sunlight Hotel, Chu Xuan sat on the edge, quietly gazing at the sky. He continued calmly, "Nothing is absolutely right, and nothing is absolutely wrong. You're overthinking things... Comrades are important, but as the leader, you cannot place yourself on an equal footing with them. With greater ability comes greater responsibility; you bear the safety of every team member. What must be abandoned, and what must be held onto—perhaps you are lacking in that area..." "The only thing you did wrong was treating everyone equally... This horror movie reincarnation cycle demands choice—whether it's the path we choose, the newcomers the 'Main God' might evolve by selecting, or the choice of survival of the fittest within the film. You must clearly see who can become your ally; it isn't those who fundamentally cannot adapt to this horror cycle. If you choose them, when the world discards them, they will drag you down with them..." "A person's life is built through gradual growth. I envy you all... knowing you made a mistake and understanding how to correct it—not everything is known from the start. Zheng Zha, grow slowly. Remember, you must place yourself in the leader's position, not stand with your teammates complaining. And choosing partners is crucially important: those without talent, those prone to betrayal, those harboring ugliness—you cannot save them. Remember, you are not a savior; you do not live to save them. You need their strength to survive, so never reverse that order..." Zheng Zha listened silently to every word Chu Xuan spoke, and the confusion swirling in his mind slowly calmed. He said quietly, "Why are you telling me this? It doesn't fit your personality—offering kindness without any discernible benefit... Chu Xuan, are you listening to me?" "Yes, I am listening."

Chu Xuan suddenly laughed. "It’s not entirely unrelated. I owe you one. Remember the data I asked you to bring back? Thank you... Heh, thanking someone isn't as difficult as I imagined."

Zheng Zha was silent for a moment. "Do you really love that much..." "Patriotism? I think you might have misunderstood something. Factually speaking, those who enter this reincarnation world are no longer truly part of their original world. Talking about patriotism now would sound rather disingenuous... It's because I can finally rest properly. I'm very tired..." Chu Xuan suddenly froze, then laughed again. "It seems time is up... If we meet again, I hope you will become a true captain. Remember, in this world, nothing is truly right or wrong. What you want is simply to keep living, isn't it? So, crush every obstacle that prevents you from surviving!" "Oh, one hint: if the 'Main God' can be imagined as a program, then besides 'props' like the Buddhist scriptures, the numbers it announces might also be hints. Seven..." This was the last thing Zheng Zha heard. Then, a series of clicking sounds came through the communicator, a chilling, spine-tingling sound.

"...Seven days. Perhaps this seven hints at the number required to kill the Cursed Spirit's core... Has the connection broken?" Chu Xuan slowly turned his head. Not far behind him, a woman, deathly pale, hung upside down on the wall, emitting a constant series of clicking sounds from her mouth... Jump to