The horror game players already didn’t like the security members from the investigation centre. When Yuan Hui showed up in his state, those closer to him immediately moved away. This was not a game of hide-and-seek. They might die at any moment. No one was going to bet their lives on a stranger’s kindness. Seeing the corpse Yuan Hui was dragging, the kind Gao Ming gripped his fist. The corpse had many wounds, and there was a giant hole in his chest.
“They desecrate even dead bodies. The investigation centre is really evil!”
“There is a strangulation mark around his neck, and his chest is cut open. The wounds on his body are numerous. Based on his uniform, he was just a student!”
The whispers caused the leader of Team One to frown. No matter what, he was a member of the investigation centre. He didn’t feel good hearing the criticism. Dragging the corpse, Yuan Hui entered the lobby.
“What a lawless bunch.” Ou Yang Susu touched the ball in her pocket. She really wanted to toss it at Yuan Hui.
“Yuan Hui is not dumb. He’s purposely doing this to grab everyone’s attention so his teammates can move through the dark.” The man from Team One pulled his gaze back and warned them, “Don’t act rashly.”
Yuan Hui scanned the players but no one dared to meet his gaze.
“Bunch of cowards… Huh?” His eyes widened when he saw Liu Yi in the safety corridor. He kicked away the trash, dragged the corpse and walked towards the corridor with a smile. Liu Yi nudged backwards slightly. A figure went into a side room to hide.
Liu Yi didn’t mean to reply at all.
Yuan Hui didn’t give up. He pulled the corpse up by his hair. “I know you’re now a horror game player, and you go against the East City Investigation Centre every chance you get. I’ll give you one last chance…”
“Fuck your chance!” Fan Li shielded Liu Yi. “Get lost! Don’t make me cut you!”
Ignoring Fan Li, Yuan Hui smiled brighter. He slowly turned the dead body’s head to reveal Gao Ming’s face. “Aren’t you familiar with this face? I know you’re good friends with Gao Ming. If you insist on going down the wrong path, this is your ending.”
Liu Yi was unfazed while Fan Li’s lips twitched when they saw Gao Ming’s corpse.
The nearby players had heard of Gao Ming before. In the legend, Gao Ming had different identities. He was a teacher, a chef, a doctor and so on. The only unifying factor was the survivors in the stories had been saved by Gao Ming. It was Gao Ming who saved them from certain death.
The kind man who often helped the horror game players in the anomalies, a dark legend, died and was turned into a spoil of war.
“I was the one who killed Gao Ming. It’s time for Class 13 to get back on track. Your only choice is to put your trust in me, your monitor.” Yuan Hui held Gao Ming’s hair, but his eyes stayed on Liu Yi’s face. “You’re the smartest woman I’ve met. I anticipate your answer, but don’t make me wait too long.”
“Yuan Hui?” His blood band blinked. Zuo Jun’s voice came from the other corridor. His large body was covered in paint. His one eye was sealed by dirty blood. He looked pitiable.
“Leader Zuo, what happened to you?” Yuan Hui was lower in rank than Zuo Jun, but he was unwilling to serve the man.
“I was chasing after Gao Ming. That bastard had learned some strange powers. Even the mud figurine couldn’t suppress him.” Zuo Jun ordered Yuan Hui. “Do you have some food? I’m so starving.”
“You can stop the chase.” Yuan Hui moved Gao Ming’s corpse towards Zuo Jun, “He’s dead.”
After seeing the man’s face, Zuo Jun looked like he had seen a ghost. “Why is he here?”
“He has always been here.” Yuan Hui looked around and pressed his hand on Gao Ming’s head. He addressed the room. “You so-called horror game players are normal citizens who have been tricked by Gao Ming. I know your difficulties. Now that the main evil has been vanquished. If you cooperate with the investigation centre, I can not only lead you safely out of the anomaly but also help you join the security department.”
“Has Gao Ming really been killed?”
“But he’s the founder of Dead Water Forum!”
“He doesn’t sound like he’s kidding!”
“Of course! Who would dare to joke about this? The man wears a blood band. He’s from the security department!”
Humanity couldn’t be tested. The nearby players started to have other thoughts. The founder of Dead Water Forum was dead. They had to consider other options. People whispered among themselves. Yuan Hui enjoyed this moment a lot. He became the only focus around the girl everyone had a crush on, the players he hated and Zuo Jun, who looked down on him. Yuan Hui tossed Gao Ming like garbage towards Zuo Jun, “Send the death portrait fragment in your body into it as well.”
Zuo Jun hesitated before he didn’t want to expose the existence of the portrait fragments.
“Do you not trust me? Do you think I can’t kill him?” Yuan Hui laughed. The surroundings were silent. No one dared to speak.
Since Yuan Hui said that, Zuo Jun slowly moved his arm to the corpse’s chest. He gritted his teeth from pain. The fragments forced themselves out of his flesh as if they sensed something!
His blood vessels bulged. It looked like fishes were swimming under his skin. Zuo Jun was rendered speechless from pain. He wanted to get Yuan Hui to hold him down, but as he lifted his head, his gaze froze. He looked at the safety passage behind Yuan Hui dumbly.
The lights went out, and someone walked out in the dark. When the lights came on, every player’s eyes started to move again.
The dim light shone on him, reminding them of a hope being buried a long time ago. Blood mixed with paint. The man wore a bloody school uniform and a sunny smile.
“Zuo Jun, don’t you want your eye back?” Gao Ming’s voice echoed in the corridor. He opened his palm to show the drawing of Zuo Jun’s closed eye.
The familiar voice caused Zuo Jun to grit his teeth in hatred. The next second, the portrait fragment in his arm fell out and entered Zuo Jun’s body. The fragments became complete inside Gao Ming’s corpse. The curse disappeared. Zuo Jun was stunned.
Yuan Hui also realised the issue. He whipped around. When he saw the painter Gao Ming, the expression on his face was interesting.