Xun the Wealthy’s death triggered a series of changes throughout the mansion. In the spreading darkness, the villa became the most terrifying core of it all. It resembled a giant, grotesque growth, writhing unevenly.
The group came to a halt outside the villa, feeling a sense of unease.
After feeding the fish, the college student had grown a bit bolder: “Should we set the place on fire?”
Zhou Qi’an glanced at him, as if looking at an idiot.
The college student scratched his head awkwardly.
Zhou Qi’an was now the most human-like among them, yet also the least human. While everyone else was turning into monsters, he resembled a demonic male fairy.
He casually tore off a strip of fabric to tie up his long hair and said flatly, “Fire can restrain NPCs, but that’s all it does.”
His hair was far too striking. As he moved, it occasionally swayed in elegant arcs, causing the others to glance at him several times.
Paying no mind to their attention, Zhou Qi’an’s thoughts remained solely focused on how to kill the NPCs.
Xun the Wealthy hadn’t been able to kill him when he was alive, let alone now. Zhou Qi’an was almost certain that in order to kill him, he’d need to rely on a five-star+ divine treasure.
The villa’s doors were wide open, the interior now a pitch-black nest of darkness.
“Let’s go in,” he said in a low voice.
In contrast to the frantic, blind escape they had made before, the players now walked in with their backs straight.
The college student even felt a bit proud, a sense of arrogance creeping in. By the time he realized it, his mouth was open, greedily inhaling the air… the stench of rot and decay.
He thought something was wrong, but he found himself thinking that the smell wasn’t so bad.
Zhou Qi’an caught this out of the corner of his eye, feeling a sense of being surrounded.
The blood and mud on the first floor wasn’t too deep compared to the second and third floors, where the effects were much worse.
“Food…” Han Li, who had eaten raw fish, was more profoundly affected by the mutation. The scales on her face opened wider as she swallowed, displaying an intense craving for food.
In just two minutes, she completely lost control of her hunger, muttering instinctively:
“Big fish eat small fish, eating the weaker ones to absorb their nutrients and gain more power.”
Zhou Qi’an stood next to her, sweating profusely but maintaining his composure, trying to steer their focus back to the task at hand. “There are more bloodstains on the stairs. After we left, Xun Er might have come down.”
Chen Jian, drooling, added, “As long as it’s not people, it’s fine. Let’s share some of Xun Er, we won’t fully turn into monsters.”
Han Tiansheng, with his fish mouth unable to form words, suddenly looked at Zhou Qi’an. “Why do you smell so good?”
“!” Zhou Qi’an froze.
Beasts always have sharper instincts than humans. Han Tiansheng’s large fish head allowed him to retain this sense, licking his lips, his eyes fixed on Zhou Qi’an, as if he might pounce at any moment.
The others, hearing this, also turned their attention to Zhou Qi’an. As they looked at him, they were reminded of the sensation of smelling Tang Seng’s flesh.
“Smells good.”
“It smells so good.”
They instinctively surrounded Zhou Qi’an, the sound of saliva swallowing echoing around them.
Unlike the foul odor in the air, the subtle scent around Zhou Qi’an seemed to pull them in deeper.
The small fish in the lake refused to eat Zhou Qi’an, but that didn’t mean the monsters wouldn’t.
Wanting to avoid ending up like Xun Er on a dining table, Zhou Qi’an raised his flashlight high and coldly said, “You really aren’t afraid of turning into monsters.”
His words had some effect.
As the others slightly snapped out of their trance, he quickly shifted gears. “Since you’re all so hungry, let’s find Xun Er and feast.”
Without warning, he kicked open a nearby cabinet. “Is he here?”
The cabinet was empty.
Zhou Qi’an bent down. “Still not here?”
His voice was eerie and laced with playful mischief, like a cruel child in a horror film.
Zhou Qi’an excelled at immersive acting. On the surface, he was searching for Xun Er, but in reality, he was imagining what it would be like to work overtime on a weekend when the boss asked.
Just putting himself in that mindset filled him with more resentment than any vengeful ghost.
He succeeded.
Zhou Qi’an finally had that feeling of being neither human nor ghost.
His performance was so convincing that it distracted the others for a moment, and they began looking for Xun Er as well.
Han Li, her connection with her brother so strong, couldn’t help but swallow repeatedly, pretending to casually ask, “Where is the five-star+ divine treasure? Xun the Wealthy’s room?”
The treasure was definitely on the third floor, but unfortunately, Xun Er had blocked the way earlier, and there wasn’t enough time.
Zhou Qi’an pretended not to notice her hidden hunger, casually replying, “I’ll take you there later.”
He squinted slightly, sensing that the experienced players were starting to grow suspicious.
As time passed, their hunger would only grow stronger. The current restraint was just their fear of becoming full-blown monsters. Once they knew where the treasure was, they’d lose their usefulness…
They’d end up as the next meal.
The flesh and blood on the ground slowed them down. Zhou Qi’an frowned slightly. “This won’t do.”
If they took too long, the mutated stairs would catch up with them, and he’d be thoroughly exposed.
He reached out to the college student. “Come here.”
Sometimes, being foolish had its advantages. The college student’s fish eyes lacked any killing intent, and his gaze was more like that of a stupid dog.
“Carry me,” Zhou Qi’an said. “My shoe soles are almost melted.”
The poor quality of the rubber soles had already started to dissolve.
Without waiting for a reply, Zhou Qi’an jumped onto his back, and the college student reflexively carried him.
It’s uncertain whether it’s related to his overly kind worldview, but the influence on the college student is relatively low. This instance seems to have a certain preference for this type of person.
Zhou Qi’an chose to have him carry him for another reason: the back is special for any living being.
Even monsters, when ridden by prey, will feel a sense of crisis and discomfort, which can suppress part of their appetite.
Compared to the college student, Zhou Qi’an at this moment seemed less like a human.
“Look at the sofa…”
“Then look inside the potted plants…”
The icy tone came from his back, causing the fine hairs on the College student’s ears to stand up.
Zhou Qi’an, seemingly unaware, spoke in the tone he had after killing Xun Er for the first time: “My dear brother, come out and play with me.”
Xun Er had been blown apart, leaving only half of his body, with the other half slowly recovering. Thus, subconsciously, Zhou Qi’an searched first at a lower level.
— Come out and play with me.
Zhou Qi’an did not know that his words were heard by the person involved.
Above them, the luxurious crystal chandelier held a half-bodied man, crouching on it, his disheveled hair obscuring most of his face. Xun Er’s head peeked through the gap between the light bulbs, quietly watching below.
The villa’s ceiling was high, and from above, everyone appeared as miniature versions of themselves.
Zhou Qi’an stood out in particular.
He had once removed his headgear and glasses in front of Xun Er, but nothing compared to the feeling when he had just emerged from the lake. As he crouched around the sofa searching, his entire reflection appeared in Xun Er’s pupils.
Unable to find Xun Er’s shadow, Han Tiansheng grew somewhat anxious: “Where could he have run off to?”
He glanced at Zhou Qi’an, his fish-like eyes narrowing: “It feels like your scent is masking him.”
Zhou Qi’an ignored this remark, and suddenly his gaze shifted, as if he had discovered something.
Without addressing it immediately, Zhou Qi’an paused for a moment before smiling and saying, “Anyway, Xun Er can’t escape, let’s go look for the treasure first.”
After searching with no results, mentioning the treasure rekindled everyone’s interest.
The college student carried Zhou Qi’an upstairs, feeling that his weight was lighter than expected.
During this, Han Tiansheng stubbornly asked about the treasure’s location: “Around the statue?”
Zhou Qi’an said nothing.
When they were almost on the third floor, the cold wind from the stairwell kept creeping in. Even with a monster’s body, the players still felt an impulse to back out.
The leading Chen Jian suddenly stopped, and Han Li collided with his back unexpectedly. The stairs were now a sludgy mess, and Han Li nearly fell, grumbling, “What are you…”
His words turned into a sharp intake of breath.
At the last step, a frail old man was there, coldly staring at them.
The hunched back made Xun the Wealthy appear quite small even after his death. He had only died recently, and his face was already covered in corpse spots, his expression cold and numb.
The players, caught off guard, locked eyes with him, immediately sensing the deep resentment hidden in his jujube-like eyes.
Han Li wanted to turn and run but forced herself to resist that impulse.
“The thief should die…” Xun the Wealthy’s shriveled lips repeatedly muttered, “The thief should die…”
Han Li took a small step back.
A chill from the vengeful ghost swept toward them, and everyone instinctively thought about retreating.
At this moment, Zhou Qi’an’s voice suddenly came from behind: “Everyone…”
His voice was very low, carrying a sense of urgency: “The treasure is behind a door on the third floor. Cover me, I’ll use the key to open it.”
This sent chills down their spines.
Han Li’s scales shuddered with a twitch at the corners of her mouth. She finally understood what was so frustrating about this instance. Like all instances, the players had been plotting against each other, with malicious intentions since the beginning. Yet, every time, without exception, they ended up charging ahead for someone else.
Just a minute ago, they had been thinking about how to take out the others.
Scared, Han Li now even doubted if the treasure was really on the third floor.
Just a step away, Chen Jian’s face didn’t look much better.
They didn’t have the key, didn’t know the location, and were relying on Zhou Qi’an to lead the way. The original plan had been to surround and attack the greatest competitor once the door to the treasure opened.
Without time to think, Xun the Wealthy suddenly darted toward them in an unexplainable twisted posture, his claws outstretched, and he muttered rapidly the word “fraud,” which sounded like a twisted incantation.
The once most friendly Zhou Qi’an became his first target.
Han Li instinctively shouted, “Protect him!”
The words left her mouth, and her heart chilled further.
“I hate you.” Han Li pulled out a high-level item, saying this.
Zhou Qi’an jumped off the College student’s back, hiding behind Han Tiansheng’s sturdy shoulder, using his large fish-like head to shield himself. For safety, he didn’t use his white silk to attack Xun the Wealthy.
The hate value had already risen enough; the priority was to minimize their presence.
“I’ll rush forward.” Zhou Qi’an lowered his voice and finally revealed the rough location of the treasure: “When I get close to the statue, Xun the Wealthy will inevitably chase me. Buy me a minute.”
One minute sounded short, but it felt like a century when facing vengeful spirits.
Han Tiansheng almost bit through a fish tooth: “You’d better succeed.”
Failure meant death here, and Zhou Qi’an didn’t dare relax for even a moment. Spotting an opening as Xun the Wealthy was blocked by a high-level item, he summoned his white silk to cover the ground, reducing the absorption of the flesh by the floor, while he desperately rushed toward the statue.
Charging, moving the incense burner… all the actions were completed in one go without any hesitation.
To save time, instead of simply moving it, Zhou Qi’an practically shoved and kicked it.
The huge incense burner fell from the offering table with a loud crash.
It seemed to awaken the statue, which slightly moved, and the lacquer outside grew thicker.
Zhou Qi’an saw its eyes, far more terrifying than Xun the Wealthy’s. The legendary wise eyes were nearly devoid of any sclera, and the statue’s “slightly opened” eyes grew larger, with blood mist rising around the corners.
“Mom, please bless me, don’t wake up now.”
If the statue happened to have passed its rest period, he wouldn’t even have time to cry.
Zhou Qi’an’s series of movements infuriated Xun the Wealthy, and the blood and mud on the ground gathered into a pair of large hands, reaching toward Zhou Qi’an’s neck to strangle him.
“Brother Tiansheng, save me.”
This call for “brother” was heartfelt.
Han Tiansheng: “!”
He had no choice but to save him. The bugs inside the villa had almost all been devoured, and his summoning abilities were temporarily disabled. Han Tiansheng summoned an item, and a rope appeared out of nowhere, tightly binding the blood hand.
But the blood hand wasn’t Xun the Wealthy’s real body. It was momentarily halted but quickly shifted direction and moved toward Han Tiansheng instead.
The blood hand struck Han Tiansheng, sending him flying several meters, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The large hand’s fingers curled into claws and continued reaching for Zhou Qi’an.
The scent of blood behind him sent chills down Zhou Qi’an’s spine as he continued searching for the door.
“Han Li, save me!”
Han Li: “…Shut up.”
A small burst of electricity shot toward the blood hand, buying him a few more seconds.
“Where is it…” Zhou Qi’an didn’t turn back, frowning as he wondered if he had been tricked by the multi-eyed spider.
The area beneath the incense burner was as flat as concrete, and there seemed to be no sign of a door. After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Qi’an took out the key and moved it around, covering it with his palm.
His nearly desperate actions seemed to work. As he reached a certain point, the offering table slightly recessed, and a burst of golden light suddenly shot out. Numerous copper coin-like patterns appeared above, each hole seemingly wriggling, and one of them was likely the keyhole.
Zhou Qi’an’s smile hadn’t fully bloomed yet when Xun the Wealthy’s furious shout echoed: “So it was you who stole the key!”
In his rage, Xun the Wealthy’s small form inexplicably expanded.
Han Li: “Not good, he’s getting stronger!”
Almost at the same time as Han Li spoke, chunks of flesh began falling off the walls.
Zhou Qi’an, while searching for something, was struck by a large chunk that landed squarely on his shoulder. The flesh not only emitted a foul stench but also carried a faint sourness, as if it were wrapped in stomach acid dozens of times stronger.
As his shirt rotted, the strong acid quickly reached the soft flesh beneath, burning holes in it like honeycombs. Zhou Qi’an let his arms hang limply, gritting his teeth against the pain, continuing to search for the location of the lock within the golden light.
The pain numbed his nerves and affected his arms’ movements, causing his brows to twist in anguish, and his face turned as pale as paper.
Zhou Qi’an: “Chen…”
“Don’t call me ‘brother’.” Chen Jian, covered in blood and equally disheveled, had almost been killed by Xun the Wealthy: “I’m about to die.”
“Brother Chen, you can do it!”
Damn.
You’re still encouraging me.
Controlling Xun the Wealthy might slow the falling of the blood chunks, but this small delay was nothing more than a drop in the ocean for Zhou Qi’an.
He relied entirely on willpower, and the golden light was too glaring. Most of the time, he could only see patterns resembling small copper coins on the table surface.
“College student.”
The college student, who had been running for his life, was startled. “What? You won’t even spare me?”
What can I do?
Zhou Qi’an: “Give me encouragement.”
Chen Jian: “…”
College student: “…”
Just when they thought Zhou Qi’an might say something even more absurd, a flicker of joy appeared on his pain-stricken face.
“I found it!”
Everyone was immediately invigorated.
No longer focusing on distracting himself from the pain, Zhou Qi’an’s hand slid to the west side of the center. The key was caught by one of the copper coin-like patterns and fit perfectly into the lock.
This offering table had no drawer and was as heavy as if it were poured with concrete. But after the key was inserted, Zhou Qi’an’s hand was enveloped by a pulling force, as if something was absorbing his blood.
The wounds on his body continued to bleed, and the falling flesh kept raining down on him—he would die sooner or later.
“Han Li…”
“Bastard, you already called me once!” As she spoke, Han Li was sent flying by Xun the Wealthy.
Almost forgot, it was her turn next.
Zhou Qi’an took a deep breath and began calling Han Tiansheng: “Tiansheng…”
“Damn you!” The voice came from the ground. Han Tiansheng’s fish-head body had almost been flattened by Xun the Wealthy: “You damned bastard!”
Zhou Qi’an raised an eyebrow. No wonder he almost forgot about him—he was literally being stomped into the ground.
With no time to waste, Zhou Qi’an called out again.
“Brother Chen, Sister Han Li, College Student…” Zhou Qi’an’s forehead was dripping with sweat as he called them one by one. It was a meaningless venting, just to help him focus and not pass out.
Xun the Wealthy sneered, stepping over Han Tiansheng’s body and moving toward the offering table.
He was going to tear apart this deceiver who had played with his trust, bit by bit.
As the grotesque old man’s face approached, Zhou Qi’an’s expression darkened.
“Aren’t you going to call anymore?” Xun the Wealthy grinned wider, his face twisting even more.
“Mr. Si… save me!”
Xun the Wealthy didn’t even glance back, looking at him like he was a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
Zhou Qi’an: “Si…”
“Who’s calling me?”
Xun the Wealthy froze. Was he really here?
He looked at Zhou Qi’an, who appeared even more surprised.
The rabbit-man had appeared in the stairwell at some point. When he saw the group of bluish-purple monsters, he paused in slight confusion.
Han Tiansheng, with a fish-head and human body, was only a meter away, and Mr. Si’s expression grew increasingly hard to describe.
Mr. Si’s gaze shifted around, finally landing on the bloodied, strange youth. His ice-blue hair spread out on the ground, obscuring his face. The extreme pain had caused his muscles to spasm, making it hard to link him to the young man who at least appeared to be honest and decent.
After a long silence, he asked, “Who are you?”
At this moment, Mr. Si felt as though the endless darkness outside was mirrored in his emotions. His large rabbit ears almost bent into question marks, each ear representing a separate question.
Where’s my bus?
Where’s my player?
