Death?

"This body... it's really uncomfortable.

After resting for such a long time, and not even skimping on sleep... how long has it only been? I can already feel my body can't hold on anymore."

Countdown: 8 hours.

Walking on the mountain path, Han Dong had to rest for a few seconds every five steps... His lungs weren't getting enough oxygen, and his legs trembled from lack of regular exercise and essential vitamins.

As for Akaman, his fellow traveler, she was actually in better physical condition than Han Dong.

Clutching her cross the entire time, she had dark circles under her eyes, and her gaze lacked any 'spark of hope.' She stayed close to Han Dong's side at all times.

Although Han Dong's body didn't seem to offer much in the way of support.

Han Dong spotted a building marker on the map. "There should be a farmhouse ahead. Shall we go in and take shelter?"

Soon, his flashlight beam landed on a stone and brick house built halfway up the mountain.

It was a single-story structure with many cracks in its walls, clearly abandoned for a long time.

Han Dong could no longer walk. If he pushed himself any further, his body would completely collapse... No matter how dilapidated the building was, he had to go inside and rest for a bit.

As soon as they entered the abandoned building.

Boom!

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed closely by rumbling thunder.

Swish, swish.

Heavy rain poured down.

Fortunately, the roof tiles were laid tightly, and there were no leaks... Otherwise, if Han Dong, in his current state, got caught in the rain, he might catch a cold in the final hours, and then it would all be over.

The two sat against the wall in the hall area.

Han Dong quickly took out some high-calorie food from his backpack, along with a bottle of pre-prepared Banlangen granules, to supplement his energy and prevent illness...

Compared to Han Dong, Akaman, sitting opposite him, seemed calmer.

She neither ate nor made any exclamations, simply holding her cross and staring blankly ahead.

The two sat in silence, listening to the sound of the heavy rain washing over the tiles, for about five minutes.

Suddenly, Akaman spoke.

"Do you know? The church's basement is very similar to this place, dark and damp... After finishing my volunteer work every day, the priest would ask me to stay down there for a while."

"Mmm..." Han Dong detected a strange scent.

"Although I didn't really want to... there was nothing I could do.

If I didn't bring money back, my father would beat me, and it hurt even more than when the priest hit me. I had to obey him; as long as I behaved, I could bring money home."

Akaman became more agitated as she spoke, even starting to scratch the dirt floor forcefully with her fingernails.

"Do you know... I could have become a full-time employee at the church in just a few more months, and I would have had a regular salary! I could have interacted with more and more people, and my life would have gotten back on track.

And at that very moment!

My father wouldn't let me continue working at the church. He had too many debts, and he needed to sell me to pay them off.

No... I wasn't willing to accept that! I 'dealt with' my father, and being homeless, I could only turn to the priest for help.

But the priest, who had always been 'good' to me, suddenly changed his demeanor. He refused to let me stay at the church and even wanted to have me arrested!

I really didn't want this, I truly... just wanted a simple life.

Can you understand how I feel!?"

Instantly.

Crack, crack, crack!

A series of joint-popping sounds came from within Akaman's body as she shifted from a sitting position to a 'crawling' posture.

Han Dong immediately used his 'prison' as a conduit to establish contact with Chen Li, sending her an extremely important piece of information... Whether this was successful would determine if Han Dong could survive.

Whoosh!

In her crawling stance, Akaman's black hair floated in the air.

Han Dong's guess was completely correct; the real evil spirit was among the six people.

Her speed was so great that Han Dong could barely see it, and her ten fingers were already pressed against Han Dong's cheeks.

A familiar sense of death.

It was very similar to the moment he lay on his hospital bed, struggling to breathe... except this time, death might come even faster.

"Wait... can you let me end it myself? This body wasn't going to live much longer anyway."

As Han Dong spoke these words, he pulled out a short knife he had prepared earlier and held it to his own neck.

Such words and actions caused the evil spirit 'Akaman' to halt her current movement.

Han Dong's reaction was completely different from the previous two individuals... Han Dong's eyes showed none of the fear that others displayed before death.

As Han Dong walked, she observed his physical condition.

Someone so frail couldn't possibly escape, let alone survive.

In Akaman's eyes, this youth named 'Nicholas' suddenly became interesting.

"...I'll give you one minute."

Han Dong offered a helpless smile. "Thank you. Before I die, I have one question.

Why didn't you kill most of us on the first night?

Since the memories of the deceased are erased from the memories of the event participants anyway, it wouldn't be disadvantageous for you, right?"

As Han Dong asked, the small knife in his hand cut into his own flesh.

Akaman had no defenses. Because he was quite 'interested' in Han Dong and was certain this person wouldn't survive, he answered his dying question.

"For the first few days, I could only kill one person per day! And only at night.

Only when the game reached its final twelve hours would such mandatory restrictions gradually decrease... Understand? In these final hours, I will kill all of you.

Don't worry, someone will be here to accompany you soon."

Han Dong's guess was once again confirmed.

The 'Restriction' indeed existed.

"Thank you."

Han Dong didn't hesitate much.

The blade sliced across his neck, cutting deep enough to be fatal...

Such a frail body couldn't withstand such a grievous wound. His pupils gradually lost their luster, and he died leaning against the wall.

Not long after.

Akaman received a system notification unique to it.

『Due to survivor death, cooldown time reset to 4 hours... Current number of survivors: 2.』

With that, Akaman no longer lingered. It crawled out of the abandoned shack like a spider and rapidly pursued the direction of the mountain where 'Edward' and the other had fled.

Down the mountain.

Inside a dilapidated farmhouse courtyard.

The blonde woman, Monica, stared with wide, hateful eyes at the indifferent captain, Edward, before her.

Her abdomen had been pierced by a steam-powered arm.

"Why..." Monica hadn't expected to be killed not by an evil spirit, but by the 'lifeline' she had intended to rely on.

"Because of 'her'!"

Edward glanced sideways at the woman in red standing quietly in the woods just outside the farmhouse.

"You lowly commoners, from the moment you entered Destiny Space, you were destined to be 'bait'.

The meaning of your existence is merely to buy me time."

Edward's long-standing image of a good person instantly crumbled.

As Monica fell, the woman in red, who had been lingering in the woods, also departed...

Seeing this, Edward let out a sigh of relief.

"I didn't expect my luck to be so bad; the evil spirit chased me first... I must immediately rendezvous with the weakest duo and continue to exploit their 'time'."

After a brief rest, Edward immediately headed back up the mountain!