Chapter 35: Order
The fog grew increasingly dense, panic escalating, yet the enemy remained unseen.
Tang Cuo’s health cap was still ticking down 1% by 1%, yet he walked through the stairwell with steady footsteps, his expression as calm as ever. Chi Yan followed tightly behind him, clutching the Boom-Boom Eggs Jin Cheng had given him, vigilant at every second.
The attack had yet to manifest; they needed to relocate to ensure they wouldn’t be caught like turtles in a jar, and wouldn’t drag Jin Cheng down. Jin Cheng had originally wanted them to slip out of East Cross Street quietly, but Tang Cuo had refused.
“On all of East Cross Street, we are the most conspicuous targets. If two out of three vanish, the enemy will definitely get suspicious.”
Chi Yan didn’t know how he had ended up boarding this pirate ship. It felt as though ever since he raised his arms and gave that shout that night, he could never get off. Since getting off was impossible, he could only charge forward with his ges and fuck shit up.
“Ge, whoever you tell me to throw them at later, I’ll throw. I’m all ready.”
Tang Cuo wanted to say never mind, you’re too weak, but looking at the young man’s earnest eyes, he quietly swallowed the words. The two dashed from one building to another—vaulting windows, scaling stairwells, avoiding main doors entirely.
Five minutes later, they finally found an ideal hiding spot—One-Eyed Auntie’s breakfast stall.
This shop was very close to Tang Cuo’s original residence. Tang Cuo had always been bold, subscribing to the logic that “the most dangerous place is also the safest,” completely fearless of death.
Conveniently, shops in Yong Ye City never pulled down rolling shutters. It was night, so One-Eyed Auntie wasn’t around.
On Jin Cheng’s end, the fighting hadn’t started yet.
Tang Cuo leaned out to glance, frowning slightly. This was odd. Since those people had decided to make a move, catching Jin Cheng off guard for a quick, decisive battle should have been their best play. Why proclaim their arrival, putting Jin Cheng on alert, only to drag their feet without attacking?
Tang Cuo couldn’t figure it out, and Chi Yan was even more clueless. Outside, the black stone street was practically empty, shrouded in haze. All the players turtled inside their rooms, one person per room, which at least minimized the spread of the virus.
Yet as they waited, instead of an attack, they saw someone being pushed out of a stairwell onto the street. He stumbled and fell to the ground, coughing, his face ashen.
“If you’re infected, don’t stay in the building! Are you trying to drag us all down to die with you?!” An angry voice rang from inside the building—hearing the voice without seeing the person.
No second voice spoke up.
The man pushed out sat slumped on the ground with his head hung low, as if he lacked even the strength to stand. He simply buried his face in his hands, his back hunched, shoulders trembling in soundless tears.
The night in Yong Ye City was bitter cold, and the sudden fog cast an icy veil over it, making every breath feel as though it carried shards of ice.
Chi Yan pressed his lips tightly together, fire surging in his eyes, but he held back.
The hazy fog gradually enveloped that man. As the mist thickened, their vision blurred, and the creeping chill began seeping into the bun shop.
Dark night, long street, streetlights, cold mist, and a despairing man—it resembled a painting.
Tang Cuo suddenly understood the enemy’s plan: they were deliberately stalling for time. The fog bred panic; the more people died, the greater the pressure on Jin Cheng.
If Jin Cheng was truly infected, then he would inevitably die as long as he couldn’t get the vaccine. The vaccine would have to be brought in from outside East Cross Street, which those enemies would definitely do everything in their power to block. And once Jin Cheng died, the Twelve Movements would immediately drop.
The roles of attacker and defender had instantly flipped. Now, it was Jin Cheng who needed to find them, rather than them initiating the attack. Otherwise, if Jin Cheng refused to die after so long, the bluff would be exposed immediately.
That strategist named Jiang He…
Tang Cuo suddenly developed a bit of interest in him. According to Jin Cheng, he was an exceedingly ordinary-looking man whom nobody could pick out of a crowd. Clearly not someone easy to deal with.
Meanwhile, across various corners of East Cross Street, Jiang He’s name was also being repeatedly mentioned.
“What on earth does Tianzhi’s Jiang He mean by this? Stalling without moving—does he want someone else to move first? Trying to let the mantis stalk the cicada while the oriole watches from behind?”
“Likely. Jiang He has always been insidious and cunning.”
“So do we make a move or not?”
“Wait and see.”
“I heard Wu Dao’s Puppet Master also came.”
“In person?”
“Don’t know, but someone saw his mechanical puppets. Might also be operating through someone else. Didn’t he already suffer a loss at Jin Cheng’s hands last time? He might not dare show up in person.”
“Could Jiang He be waiting for him to strike?”
“Wu Dao, Tianzhi… who else came?”
“I saw Zone B’s Luck King, the one ranked third on the Blacklist.”
“Fuck, how is he not dead yet?”
“That fucking dog 66666.”
“…”
In the shadows, the rest of Tianzhi were growing restless too.
“Damn it, how long does that bastard Jiang He want us to wait? I said we should attack directly, skip all these convoluted schemes! If someone else snatches it first, we’ll lose the bait along with the fish! Our entire Tianzhi will become the laughingstock of Zone A!”
“Trust Jiang He. Wait a bit longer.”
They could wait, but Jin Cheng couldn’t. Having clashed with Jiang He several times, he realized Jiang He’s plan earlier than Tang Cuo did. If Jiang He succeeded, everything Jin Cheng had done would be in vain. Yet going after Jiang He directly wasn’t wise either—that would be telling the enemy: you guessed right.
So Jin Cheng’s target was everyone else.
The white fog blocked everyone’s sight, save for Jiang He himself. Jin Cheng didn’t know where Jiang He was, so he didn’t move. Instead, he pulled out a palm-sized Whack-A-Mole-like device and pressed the red button on top.
A bizarre clack-clack sound immediately drifted from the fog. Listening closely, it came from every corner of East Cross Street—not loud, but distinctly rhythmic.
Clack.
Clack.
Mingled with the sound of turning gears, it sounded like tiny creatures scurrying across the ground, drawing nearer and nearer. Chi Yan grew nervous, unable to resist peeking out with one eye. In the hazy mist, a palm-sized object was hopping forward.
It didn’t hop high—gray, trailing a tail behind it.
“Rats!” Those who spotted them widened their eyes. If someone looked down from above, they would discover countless mechanical rats pouring out from the shadowy corners of East Cross Street, scampering toward the edges of the street.
Out of dozens, one or two were bound to bump into an enemy’s hiding spot.
Clack-clack-clack-clack! The rats’ eyes glowed red like infrared scanners. Upon detecting a living being ahead, they immediately let out a screech, and the next second—Boom!
A rat exploded.
Another rat exploded.
The scattered lurking enemies operated independently, unaware of each other’s plans. Hearing explosions elsewhere, they immediately suspected their rivals had made a move.
“Which son of a bitch was that?!”
“We can’t wait any longer! Charge in!”
Pulling one hair moves the whole body.
East Cross Street instantly descended into chaos. The mechanical rats scattered everywhere detonated the moment they detected human activity. The smoke and dust from the explosions blended into Jiang He’s white mist; the dual layers of smoke disrupted Jiang He’s vision as well.
“Wind!” Fierce gusts of wind whipped up immediately as everyone showed off their skills. It was only a matter of time before the thick fog was blown away. Furthermore, everyone knew that Jiang He being here meant Tianzhi was already here; to kill Jin Cheng and seize the Twelve Movements before them, speed was the only way.
Tianzhi was determined to claim the Twelve Movements; how could they let others succeed? Just as the gale began to howl, a deep, resonant male voice boomed from a certain rooftop, carried across East Cross Street by the wind.
“Jin Cheng, I have the vaccine for BS101. If you don’t want everyone here buried with you, hand over the Twelve Movements willingly.”
Tianzhi’s boss, Chong Yanzhang.
Someone recognized his voice and scoffed, speaking up first: “Chong dog, you shameless bastard! Trading low-level players for the Twelve Movements—what kind of fucking wishful thinking is that?”
Another voice sneered darkly: “How about I compensate each of them ten points, and Jin Cheng hands the Twelve Movements to me instead?”
One voice from the east, one from the west, playing a two-man show.
Chong Yanzhang’s face darkened. The subordinate beside him was about to shout back when Chong stopped him. “Follow Jiang He’s plan. Search with everything you’ve got for those two rookies. Capture them alive.”
“But—”
“No buts.”
Chong Yanzhang’s gaze was sharp as a blade, and the man silenced himself immediately. They already had people searching, yet Chong Yanzhang told him to go as well—a clear sign he trusted Jiang He over him.
The man ground his teeth, his expression shifting several times before finally stepping back.
Meanwhile, the detonations of mechanical rats hadn’t stopped. The native players of East Cross Street all cowered in their rooms, terrified to venture out; some of the more timid ones even barricaded their doors with beds, tables, and chairs.
The infected player pushed onto the street earlier had huddled into a corner, shivering violently.
Suddenly, the entire East Cross Street shook violently. A colossal explosion blasted the remaining mechanical rats away. The ones hit hardest by the tremors were Tang Cuo and Chi Yan. Chi Yan stared wide-eyed as a massive shockwave swept up smoke and dust—the building that had just been blown to pieces was Tang Cuo’s residence!
The entire building!
“Holy mother.” Chi Yan barely kept himself from screaming out loud. Fortunately, the players in that building had fled because of the virus; otherwise, this would have wiped out a huge crowd in one go.
Wait.
The players weren’t inside, but the virus was!
“Hahaha, Chong dog, let me lend you a hand!” An arrogant laugh rang out nearby, brimming with wild insolence. The faces of everyone around shifted drastically, and they decisively pulled out gas masks to put on.
Curses erupted everywhere.
“Fuck! Which dog’s bastard did that? Come here and I’ll end you!”
“Are you out of your mind?!”
“Lunatic!”
This move hurt the enemy by a thousand while harming oneself by eight hundred. The virus was released from the building in an indiscriminate attack. And right now, who were the most active people on East Cross Street?
None other than those vying for the Twelve Movements!
“It’s Miao Qi! That lunatic Miao Qi!”
With the troublemaker’s identity exposed, the curses died down somewhat; everyone seemed wary of him. Miao Qi laughed, casually appearing atop a roof and firing another shell down below.
He was lanky, dressed in black with a red scarf, a heavy rocket launcher hoisted on his shoulder.
“Hello.”
He offered a greeting and delivered a rocket.
Curses calling him a “lunatic” rose and fell, leaving everyone unsure whether he came to snatch the Twelve Movements or purely to stir up shit.
“Miao Qi, I don’t recall ever offending you,” Chong Yanzhang said, appearing near the ruins of the building.
“I want to play with the Twelve Movements too. Can’t I?” Miao Qi retorted. He didn’t fire a rocket at Chong Yanzhang, much to Chi Yan’s disappointment.
“Does Lin Yandong know you’re here?” Chong Yanzhang asked in a deep voice.
“What do you care if he knows? All I know is that you still haven’t flushed Jin Cheng out.”
“None of your concern.”
Chong Yanzhang had clearly taken the vaccine; even without protective gear, he dared to stand where the virus was thickest. Miao Qi didn’t draw closer. Smiling, he stepped back a few paces to a safe distance and called out, “Jin Cheng, how about a deal? I don’t want the Twelve Movements. As long as you let me kill you once, I’ll return the dropped Movement with both hands.”
The moment those words were spoken, Chong Yanzhang’s expression darkened completely.
Miao Qi continued shouting: “How about it? Better to make a deal with me than let Chong dog and Jiang dog kill you.”
What answered him was Chong Yanzhang’s direct, lethal strike.
Chong Yanzhang was an ability user without a fixed weapon. Catching an artillery shell with bare hands—Chi Yan had never seen such a spectacle in real life, but he was seeing it now.
Metal elemental ability—overbearing and fierce. The golden aura unleashed as that fist struck out nearly blinded Chi Yan. With a boom, Miao Qi’s rocket shell was shattered by Chong Yanzhang. The shockwaves even rattled Chi Yan hiding inside the breakfast shop, yet Chong Yanzhang remained completely unscathed.
Just at that moment, an arrow pierced the air.
“Jin Cheng!” Someone with sharp eyes recognized the arrow shaft. In an instant, several figures darted toward the area, naturally seeing the arrow’s target—
Not Miao Qi, and certainly not Chong Yanzhang, but the shivering player huddled in the corner!
What was going on?
Chi Yan gasped internally, but Tang Cuo understood in a flash. That player was a fake—not an infected from Zone F, but Jiang He. Sure enough, when the metal arrow pierced the player, he abruptly dispersed into a puff of smoke.
The fierce wind had already blown away most of the smoke on East Cross Street. At this moment, any churning mist stood out glaringly, and about a dozen meters away, a figure coalesced within swirling fog.
It was indeed Jiang He.
Tang Cuo still couldn’t see Jiang He’s face clearly, but the instant Jiang He appeared, he grabbed Chi Yan. “Move!”
The two slipped out the back door of the breakfast shop. Tang Cuo ran so fast Chi Yan nearly stumbled, but managed to keep up. In the dead sprint, Chi Yan didn’t have time to ask why, only hearing Tang Cuo shout sharply: “Throw backwards!”
Throw? Throw what?
Chi Yan lagged a second before realizing, frantically tossing Boom-Boom Eggs behind him. He looked back—Holy shit, he’s chasing us!
The figure shrouded in mist flickered in and out of sight. One second he was here, the next second he blinked forward several paces, flashing ahead along an unpredictable trajectory.
Chi Yan’s Boom-Boom Egg only caught the hem of his clothes, stirring up churning mist, completely useless.
Tang Cuo unleashed Meteor Shower without hesitation.
Within a five-meter radius, a barrage of meteors rained down at high speed, finally forcing Jiang He out of the mist. He truly was an ordinary man with an ordinary face, even wearing drab, gray, completely ordinary clothes.
Whew! Jin Cheng’s arrow arrived as well.
Jiang He rolled upon landing, tanking the damage from Meteor Shower to dodge Jin Cheng’s arrow. With a flick of his wrist, a flurry of shuriken flew out—not targeting Jin Cheng, but heading straight for Tang Cuo and Chi Yan.
How could Chi Yan block darts raining down like flower petals? His pupils dilated in panic, looking scared out of his wits, but at the crucial juncture, he executed a ridiculously slick ninety-degree turn, darting into an alley beside him.
The turn caught everyone off guard.
Because the light there was too dim, even Tang Cuo hadn’t noticed an alley wide enough for only one person. Once inside, Chi Yan began throwing projectiles frantically.
Boom-Boom Eggs flew out one after another—Bang!Bang!—actually disrupting Jiang He’s rhythm.
Jin Cheng finally revealed himself, placing himself between Jiang He and Tang Cuo, a Split Arrow forcing Jiang He back. Jiang He was an assassin; in a direct head-on clash, he was no match for Jin Cheng, quickly sustaining an injury to his arm.
Yet this unquestionably validated his suspicion regarding Tang Cuo: this person mattered to Jin Cheng.
As long as he mattered, that was enough.
Risking further injury, Jiang He forcibly dispersed into fog. At the same time, a firework rocketed up from where he vanished, bursting above East Cross Street. Chi Yan saw it and his eyelids twitched madly, but knowing he would only drag them down if he went out, he noticed a few broken wooden crates nearby. Thinking on his feet, he placed a crate over himself.
He had to stay hidden and escape as soon as possible while no one was paying attention.
Chi Yan was indeed forgotten; a small fry didn’t warrant remembering. Meanwhile, Tang Cuo had only run a few paces forward when someone vaulted out of a window from a building on the right, the strike nearly shaving off his nose.
Tang Cuo slammed the brakes. The moment he raised his hand, he summoned the Goblin Broadsword. Clang! The broadsword parried the enemy’s long blade, the sheer force numbing Tang Cuo’s arm.
It was a sinister-looking stranger. The man kicked at Tang Cuo; Tang Cuo spun to dodge, holding his revolver in his left hand, aiming at the man’s chest—Bang!
The man twisted sideways, but because of the point-blank range, he took the hit to his shoulder.
Tang Cuo never underestimated the players of Yong Ye City. Thus, despite his precise marksmanship and the short distance, he still aimed for the largest target—the chest—rather than the head.
Jin Cheng arrived, catching the enemy in a pincer attack with Tang Cuo.
Quicker than words can tell, the vanished Jiang He suddenly appeared behind Jin Cheng, viciously thrusting the dagger in his hand right at Jin Cheng’s back. Tang Cuo’s pupils shrank, and he instantly swung his muzzle around.
“Ding!” The bullet deflected the dagger, but a bloody gash was still torn across Jin Cheng’s back.
Blood flowed, and Jin Cheng’s complexion grew increasingly grim. He seemed to be hanging on by a single thread, his forehead covered in sweat and his movements slightly sluggish. Otherwise, given Jiang He’s understanding of him, he easily could have dodged it.
“Do it!” The man holding the long blade was Chong Yanzhang’s subordinate, the one who had argued with Jiang He earlier, named Chen Liu. He was hell-bent on killing Jin Cheng; seeing this opportunity, how could he wait?
Jiang He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately held his tongue. Just then, a dark cloud pressed down from above. A sudden shadow enveloped them, causing everyone’s movements to pause for a fraction of a second.
Looking up, Jiang He’s expression turned grave—the Puppet Master, Yao Qing.
He had finally come in person.
The mechanical bird dive-bombed from mid-air, its massive wings spread wide like two dark clouds, and its target was none other than Jin Cheng. Not willing to yield the kill, Chen Liu raised his blade and attacked as well.
Chong Yanzhang finally shook off Miao Qi and rushed over. With a sweep of his gaze, he intercepted Yao Qing, leaving Chen Liu and Jiang He to continue attacking Jin Cheng. As a Puppet Master, Yao Qing naturally possessed more than just this single mechanical puppet. With several puppets entering the fray alongside brawling experts, the black stone slabs on the street were cracked inch by inch.
Jiang He, however, felt something was odd.
Something wasn’t right.
Something definitely wasn’t right.
That lunatic Miao Qi, did he give up so easily? Why didn’t he chase after them? And what about that small fry from earlier? Only then did Jiang He remember Chi Yan. Sweeping his gaze around again, he realized Tang Cuo had also run away.
Jiang He immediately gave chase, but couldn’t pinpoint Tang Cuo’s escape direction.
Was it left? Or right?
Meanwhile, outside East Cross Street, a panting Wen Xiaoming finally caught up. He wiped his sweat, the vaccine tucked in his pocket, but didn’t immediately barge in.
He took out a yellow hard hat and placed it on his head. The hat had an antenna sticking up, its tip flashing with a red light.
“Beep beep beep beep!” The antenna sounded, pointing in a specific direction.
Without a word, Wen Xiaoming pulled out a Boom-Boom Egg and hurled it over. When it blasted someone out of hiding, he asked, “Why aren’t you guys going in?”
The ambusher exploded with anger and was about to say “None of your damn business,” when someone recognized Wen Xiaoming. Jin Cheng’s lapdog, the Poké Ball Master, Mobile Customer Service 10086.
Just as a fight was about to break out, Wen Xiaoming tilted his head and smiled. He suddenly pulled out a silver-gray cloth, threw it over himself, and performed a vanishing act right before everyone’s eyes.
“Quantum Invisibility Cloak!” Someone cracked the mystery. Countless attacks smashed into the spot where Wen Xiaoming had just been standing, but hit nothing.
Wen Xiaoming had already slipped away. He wasn’t good at fighting, but he was great at running. As he ran, he scanned for lurking personnel outside East Cross Street. Before he even ran half a block, he had bombed out a whole string of them.
Seeing that they could no longer hide, most of the exposed players simply charged into East Cross Street, intending to fish in troubled waters. Veteran players of Yong Ye City lacked neither caution nor audacity.
As long as the dust hadn’t settled, everyone had a chance to win.
More and more people joined the chaotic fray. At the center of the battlefield, Jin Cheng finally faced off directly against Chong Yanzhang. Chong Yanzhang’s strength went without saying; he undoubtedly held a place in the top ten of Zone A. While Jin Cheng’s strength was also unfathomable, he was infected with BS101, which weakened him significantly.
“Bang!” Jin Cheng took a solid punch from Chong Yanzhang, his body crashing into the stairwell on the left, smashing a huge hole straight through the wall.
“Cough, cough.” He clutched his chest and stood up, but Chong Yanzhang was already attacking again. The two entered close-quarters combat, fighting their way up from the ground floor. The deafening noise alone was enough to make listeners tremble.
Chong Yanzhang’s subordinates had already changed direction, intercepting the others on their boss’s behalf.
Yao Qing snorted coldly. Hovering high in the air on his mechanical bird, he temporarily held back. He didn’t want to waste energy on the small fry below; his eyes remained fixed on Chong Yanzhang and Jin Cheng, still waiting for an opportunity for a one-hit kill.
More and more people gathered around, everyone’s eyes locked on the battle inside the building, not daring to be distracted for a second.
Jiang He, however, still felt something was off.
There were too many people. Why did so many suddenly show up?
And what was up with those explosions in the distance?
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit him, and he finally understood the unease in his heart. He abruptly looked toward Chong Yanzhang and Jin Cheng, who had already fought their way to the roof. Seeing Jin Cheng spit out another mouthful of blood, he opened his mouth to shout.
“Bang!” A bullet cut off his words.
It was Tang Cuo.
Jiang He looked over with cold eyes, seeing Tang Cuo standing before a window in the adjacent building. The smoking gun barrel was aimed straight at him, and Tang Cuo made no attempt to dodge. The two faced off from a distance, and Tang Cuo unhesitatingly pulled the trigger for another shot.
On the roof.
Victory was in sight for Chong Yanzhang. Catching a glimpse of Yao Qing making a move out of the corner of his eye, he said coldly, “You’d better not come over, Yao Qing, or I will definitely eliminate you first.”
Yao Qing’s face turned ashen, but he ultimately didn’t dare to move. In the end, Jin Cheng wasn’t dead yet, and Yao Qing was too wary of him. He felt that if he didn’t personally watch him draw his last breath, his heart wouldn’t be at ease.
Better to wait for Chong Yanzhang to kill Jin Cheng, let the two wear each other down, and then snatch the Twelve Movements from Chong Yanzhang.
Quite a few people shared Yao Qing’s thought. Compared to the martial artist Chong Yanzhang, they feared Jin Cheng more, even if he looked like he was on death’s door.
“It’s a trap!” Jiang He’s earth-shattering shout pierced the night wind.
Yao Qing and the others frowned and looked over. Knowing the voice belonged to Jiang He, they couldn’t help but be cautious. Was Jiang He warning them, or bluffing?
Was Jin Cheng really setting a trap, or was Jiang He setting one, deliberately scaring them away so Chong Yanzhang could secure the kill?
Jiang He could never have imagined that he had provided Jin Cheng with a layer of protective camouflage, causing even Chong Yanzhang to doubt for a moment. But regardless, the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be loosed.
Chen Liu also yelled anxiously, “Don’t listen to him! Do it, Chong-ge!”
Chong Yanzhang hesitated no longer, throwing a punch with all his might. Golden energy wrapped his fist, his clothes billowing in the wind. His gaze was resolute; he was bound to win.
But just then, two streaks of light struck like lightning. One aimed at Chong Yanzhang, the other at Jin Cheng.
Chong Yanzhang’s expression shifted slightly, but his fist didn’t lose its momentum, shattering that streak of light in one blow. He abruptly turned his head, looking at the man who had suddenly appeared in mid-air.
Zone A, E57456, Leng Miao.
Number two on Mr. Crow’s blacklist, the Grand Magus.
“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, Miao Miao.” The first to speak was actually Jin Cheng. He stood up straight, the bloody corners of his mouth suddenly curving up into a smirk. “I was wondering how you managed to stay so patient, Miao Miao.”
Miao Miao this, Miao Miao that—teasing, malicious.
Leng Miao should have been furious, but Jin Cheng’s drastic change in demeanor caused his expression to shift instantly, making everyone present realize: Jiang He was telling the truth.
Yao Qing turned and ran without hesitation. Chong Yanzhang, however, gritted his teeth, the coldness in his eyes even fiercer than before. In for a penny, in for a pound, he threw another punch.
“Decree.” With just a simple word from Jin Cheng, the air suddenly froze.
A drop of cold sweat slid down Chong Yanzhang’s temple. He stared in disbelief at the thin, faintly glowing paper blocking his fist, his body stiffened.
Leng Miao also retracted his magic with a dark face. He had just tried to cast Space Fissure to leave at top speed, only to find the space locked. He looked up. Now, the entirety of East Cross Street, perhaps even all of Zone F, and everyone gathered here because of Jin Cheng, were likely trapped.
The Twelve Movements. For Jin Cheng to do this, he must have written the decrees on the Movement long in advance, waiting for this exact moment to take effect. And he was certain these decrees would be approved; otherwise, if rejected, all his previous efforts would be wasted.
All of this was calculated by him, dragging it out until now just to wait for Leng Miao to show up. Figuring this out, Leng Miao gritted his teeth, barely able to maintain the icy look on his face.
An ethereal yet eerie song cascaded down right at that moment, exactly the same as what Tang Cuo had heard at the Lucky Wheel.
“God, lambs, and the crow,
Playing happily on the cliff together.
They sing and dance,
Flowers bloom from the stones.
God says, look,
That is my flower.
A lamb ate it,
Hurry up and die…”
Mr. Crow appeared amidst the singing. Holding his head arrogantly high, he saw that the one holding the Movement was Jin Cheng. He snorted coldly but still spoke, “Player G79081, announce your decree.”
Jin Cheng smiled in acknowledgment. “Yes, Mr. Crow.”
Jin Cheng: “Decree: All players within Zone F, regardless of their zone of origin, anyone who kills shall be distinguished by a red numerical cursor above their heads. If a killer is killed, double the penalty.”
Mr. Crow: “Granted.”
One declared, one judged. At this moment, Jin Cheng seemed to be in cahoots with Mr. Crow. The people around listened in silence; even if they were furious and clenching their fists, they didn’t dare to act out.
And just as Mr. Crow’s “Granted” fell, a red virtual cursor popped up above almost everyone’s head. However many people they had killed, that was the number shown, clear as day.
Almost none of the players from Zone A had a number below three digits, and even Jin Cheng had one above his head.
Jin Cheng: “Decree: East Cross Street in Zone F is a safe zone. Inside the safe zone, death is exempted.”
Mr. Crow: “Granted.”
Jin Cheng: “Decree: Any non-Zone F player carrying a red mark is forbidden from entering the safe zone. Upon entry, immediate imprisonment, with the penalty determined by the number of kills.”
This time, Mr. Crow didn’t answer immediately. He swept an amused gaze over the shocked faces of the crowd and began to laugh eerily. “How interesting, hahaha, the great Mr. Crow approves!”
“Can I propose one more then?”
“Shut up!”
The great Mr. Crow, flipping out at the drop of a hat as usual today.
“Ding!”
“Eleventh Movement detected, holder G79081.”
“Decrees are within the prescribed authority, review passed, effective immediately.”
“Now commencing zone-wide broadcast.”
Amidst the system’s broadcast, the Song of the God, Lambs, and the Crow spread throughout the city.
Some looked up in bewilderment, while others still hadn’t figured out the meaning of these three decrees. But the players on East Cross Street couldn’t help but curse frantically once they reacted. Halfway through their curses, they were choked by fate, turning into points of light one by one as they were forcibly sent to prison.
Especially Leng Miao. He had just arrived, only to be sent away, so angry he nearly fell backward.
In the blink of an eye, the entire long black stone street was empty.
Tang Cuo leaned against the window and opened his character panel. His maximum health cap was at 4%. The number wasn’t very auspicious, but thankfully, no matter how much he courted death now, he wouldn’t die.
