Taking Your Heart (5,308 Words)

"They actually agreed..."

"And, 100,000 points?"

"..."

Xiao Xiao couldn't describe the ecstasy he felt at that moment. He forced himself to suppress his joy and only showed elegance.

He held the parchment in his hand, seemingly without even glancing at its contents. To the messenger of the Hell Organization, this behavior was quite surprising. Everyone else dealing with the Hell Organization would be extremely careful, fearing being deceived.

This person, however, didn't even glance at it closely.

You trust us that much?

We don't usually trust our partners this much...

... But such grace is truly hard not to like...

After all, this time, the Hell Organization really wasn't lying.

The Hell Organization often lies, but when they want to show sincerity, they really have to be sincere.

The Hell Organization showed its sincerity, which led to this bet.

The fact that the other party showed confidence in the bet was a response to their sincerity.

What does "going both ways" mean?

That's it!

Xiao Xiao did not read the contents of the bet carefully, mainly because it was unnecessary.

In a state of Mind Burst, he only glanced at it before memorizing all the terms and even analyzed them carefully. In addition, the Insightful One was too good at discerning whether the other party was lying, so he was certain that this was a genuine bet.

Of course I had to agree.

Because this bet is too advantageous for Black Gate City.

Previously, Black Gate City was prepared to mobilize everyone and risk their lives to fight against the Hell Organization, but now it has become a matter of hiding and being searched for. For the Insightful, hiding should also be considered a talent skill. After all, the Insightful are very good at finding people. People who are good at finding others are naturally good at hiding and not being found. At least they have radar.

Furthermore, with the bet in place, there's a time limit; if you can endure three hours, the situation isn't so hopeless.

Thirdly, this bet can indeed help Black Gate City retain some of its weaker members.

Many newcomers have emerged in Black Gate City, and they are still confused. On average, each person may not even have ten points. If such people encounter the Hell Organization, they will only face death, with no possibility of resistance whatsoever.

This bet can effectively protect these newcomers.

Therefore, I am determined to sign this bet. Since I have decided to sign it, why not be more elegant?

"Bang!"

He pondered this question with a gentle smile on his face.

Suddenly, he pulled Silver Revolver from his back waist and fired a shot into the air.

While everyone was still in shock and confusion, their minds filled with all sorts of guesses, they were startled by the loud gunshot and all looked over. They saw that Xiao Xiao had already put down his gun, bit his fingertip, dipped it in blood, and written his name on the contract. Throughout the process, there was no hesitation or delay; his movements were swift, and he exuded a sense of composure, confidence, and nonchalance.

After he finished writing, he raised his hand and tossed the parchment back to the messenger.

The messenger glanced at Xiao Xiao with admiration, took the contract, looked at it with satisfaction, and then stretched out his hand holding the contract. In mid-air, the sparse and diffuse mist slowly gathered, and then a hand suddenly emerged from it.

Rotten, bizarre, covered in eyes.

The hand snatched the parchment from his hand and then retreated into the mist.

There seemed to be a mysterious power, activated from the depths of the world, enveloping everyone covered by the contract.

"From this moment on, the bet between the Hell Organization and Chairman Xiao is officially in effect."

The Hell Messenger had completed his mission and seemed quite relaxed. He smiled and nodded, then spoke to Xiao Xiao opposite him.

Xiao Xiao smiled and nodded, "Yes."

"This gamble..."

The Hell Messenger laughed as he took two steps forward, as if he wanted to say something.

But the next moment, his chest suddenly burst open, and amidst the splattering of blood and flesh, a dark blue hand emerged from his chest. The appearance of this hand was unusually abrupt and bizarre. In the extremely impactful scene, it instantly stretched forward, spanning a distance of four or five meters, and as easily as cutting tofu, it pierced into Xiao Xiao's chest, grasping Xiao Xiao's heart.

Even amidst such intense activity, his voice remained calm and steady.

"... We took it seriously, so we planned it carefully."

"Since the core of the bet is to take you away, then let's take your heart first. Why worry that you won't leave with us?"

"..."

"Hahaha..."

Amidst his loud laughter, the monster, clutching Xiao Xiao's still-beating heart, quickly withdrew.

Only then did everyone realize that his chest cavity was empty. They grabbed Xiao Xiao's heart and placed it in their own chest cavity. At the same time, the surrounding mist rapidly settled downwards, threatening to engulf him.

"What?"

The abrupt and shocking scene instantly took everyone around by surprise.

They could hardly comprehend this turn of events, and were even less able to accept the scene in a short period of time.

Didn't the Hell Organization say that their first principle was to invite Xiao Xiao? Why did they try to kill him right away?

The first to react was Yang Jia. Her face suddenly paled in shock as a semi-transparent floating doorway appeared in front of her. In an instant, she passed through the doorway and arrived before the pervasive mist. She reached out to the messenger's figure, whose body was not yet completely engulfed by the mist, and grabbed his exposed arm just before the mist completely enveloped him...

Not long ago, Yang Jia had just learned a lesson.

He allowed the White Devil to escape from his sight using the power of the mist, failing to stop him.

This time, however, she clearly learned from her mistakes, reacting and moving faster and at more tricky angles than before.

He grabbed the other person's arm and was about to pull him out of the fog.

Unexpectedly, the messenger from the Hell Organization frowned, and suddenly raised his other hand to grip the knife. With a "whoosh," his arm was severed and pulled out of the mist by Yang Jia. The next moment, he himself was completely inside the mist.

He laughed heartily, and the mist quickly receded, turning into a ball that drifted rapidly out of the city.

Damn it!

Yang Jia abruptly shook off the severed arm, his figure instantly lunging forward, chasing the wisp of mist like lightning.

Having learned her lesson the previous time, and knowing that the enemy behind her was the Hell Organization, she carefully studied the fog.

[Special Element: Unknown Mist]

Rank: Class D

[Note: This mysterious mist is woven from the projected thoughts of countless lost souls in this world. Because of its immense quantity, it possesses the ability to isolate and distort everything. Those who are willing to enter the mist will be actively protected by it. However, spending long periods of time with the mist can easily cause one to forget their former goals, principles, and beliefs, until finally being completely assimilated by the mist.]

[...]

This fog, which permeates the area outside the city year-round, is a unique phenomenon.

Although its level is not high, its quantity is the highest among all elements. Due to the accumulation and fermentation of countless mists over the years, it has become a power element with an extremely low lower limit and an extremely high upper limit. If used properly, it can possess incredible power.

The Hell Organization and the pirates are undoubtedly the most adept at utilizing this fog.

She had successfully captured him this time, but she didn't expect him to be willing to cut off his arm to save his life in order to take Xiao Xiao's heart. She didn't know why he was doing this, but she immediately followed, intending to take back Xiao Xiao's heart. The mark between her eyebrows, which belonged to her alone, was already flashing with an eerie light. Her figure flickered as she chased after the mist.

"Damn it..."

At the same time, two other figures suddenly broke out of the crowd and chased after them with all their might.

One of them was Lin Bo, who was surprisingly proactive. Although his reaction was a beat slower, he instantly leaped into the air and pounced forward like lightning. Compared to Yang Jia, he seemed to have the potential to overtake her and barely caught up with the mist.

The last one was Ruan Ruan, who bit her lip and brandished a metal wrench.

The little legs chased after it with a clatter, but it was left further and further behind.

The others around the square were still stunned.

They stared blankly at Xiao Xiao, whose heart had been removed. His face was pale, and he collapsed to the ground, his face filled with a deathly bluish-gray aura. His eyes looked at them pleadingly, as if begging them to hurry up and help him...

They were so overwhelmed by panic and astonishment that they fell silent and stood motionless for a moment.

The Hell Organization is still as terrifying as ever.

They were talking nicely, then suddenly they attacked, and even killed each other...

Do we need help?

But judging from the contents of that bet, if I were to take action, I would be blocking the path of the Hell Organization, and they would try to kill me.

However, if you stay out of it, you won't be targeted by the Hell Organization.

So, what should I do?

The situation took a sudden and abrupt turn, leaving everyone unable to make a decision...

"What happened?"

While everyone around them stood frozen in shock, Xiao Xiao was also taken aback.

He was on guard the moment he signed the document.

After all, once the contract is signed, it means the bet is effective. According to the other party's terms, an attack must be launched within three hours. In other words, launching an attack immediately is also in line with the terms of the bet. How could I be careless about this?

But to his surprise, the messenger did nothing to him.

After handing over the contract, the other party simply smiled and said to me:

"... We took it seriously, so we planned it carefully."

"Since the core of the bet is to take you away, let's take your heart first, then why worry that you won't leave with us?"

"..."

Then, he suddenly waved his hand, gathering the mist that surrounded him, and then disappeared.

But at that very moment, Yang Jia suddenly stepped forward, grabbed the other person's arm, and tore it off in an extremely brutal manner.

Immediately afterwards, the messenger disappeared into the mist, which itself quickly flew out of the city.

Yang Jia followed closely behind, and then Lin Bo and Ruan Ruan also stepped out from the crowd and hurriedly chased after the mist.

Even the people around them wore expressions of disbelief and horror, as if they were caught in a deep dilemma.

"Something's wrong!"

Xiao Xiao immediately sensed something was wrong, and his brain went into a state of Mind Burst.

The Insightful One's abilities were pushed to their limit at this moment, taking in the expressions of everyone around him. From their faces, Xiao Xiao read guilt, fear, confusion, and apprehension. The strongest feelings of guilt and fear caught his attention, because these people were staring blankly at him, as if they were feeling guilty for having wronged him.

Only Little Four, perched atop a streetlamp not far away, stared blankly at himself, unaware of what was happening around him...

Immediately afterwards, the Eye of the Seer flew around him, making him aware of some strange power.

It seemed to be a trace related to some kind of Pain Substance, extremely faint and indistinct, and I didn't know what this ability represented.

But one thing is certain: there is some force influencing others besides oneself.

Boom!

Just then, an invisible tremor suddenly appeared in my heart, like a shadow pressing down on the entire city.

Yang Jia and the others were quickly chasing after the fog, but the fog was also rapidly approaching the edge of the Black Gate City. Xiao Xiao saw that, at some point, large clumps of dark gray fog had begun to invade Black Gate City as night fell. Within the fog, high above the city, three huge black ship shadows were slowly revealing themselves.

Like moths to a flame, Yang Jia and the others rushed swiftly into that oppressive and despairing fog.

In Black Gate City today, no one can directly confront the three warships sent by the Hell Organization, not even Yang Jia and Lin Bo.

Not to mention how Ruan Ruan it is.

But even though they knew it was a suicide mission, they still chased after them.

Mingming to the terms of the bet, I should be hiding now to have the best advantage.

Why did they do the opposite?

"Whoosh..."

In Xiao Xiao's mind, the details of what had just happened and every subtle change in the expressions of the people around him began to replay repeatedly.

In less than a second, he reviewed all the details countless times and finally understood where the problem lay.

The messenger from the Hell Organization did indeed make his move the moment the bet was signed.

But not to oneself, but to others.

[Special Element: Britney of the Blood Puddle]

[Rank: Class B]

[Ability Description: Projects realistic illusions into the minds of others; the more the other person believes, the more realistic the illusion becomes]

[Note: Britney always felt that someone wanted to harm her. When she had breakfast, he was the lawnmower, his face pressed against the window, staring intently at her. When she was at school, he pretended to be her math teacher, always secretly watching her with greedy eyes behind her books. When she was about to go to bed, he would repeatedly make harassing phone calls to her home, seemingly enjoying it immensely.]

Britney was devastated. She was screaming and repeatedly telling people that she had been assaulted. She kept seeking help from her parents, the school, and the police. The lawnmower, the math teacher, and the telemarketer were all investigated. The math teacher, in particular, was suspended, his fiancée left him, and he became the object of hatred for everyone on campus and the target of media criticism.

[But Britney was still in pain because those people were demanding evidence from her, questioning her repeatedly. She Mingming explained herself so clearly, yet they still looked at her with suspicion. Some even said they would seek justice for the math teacher. Britney couldn't bear the questioning gaze. She was in pain and despair, so one afternoon, she went alone to the math teacher's house.]

The enraged math teacher yelled at her, calling her a liar and a devil, and stabbed her in the eye with a sharp compass, killing her.

[Britney of the Blood Puddle, stared wide-eyed at her blinded eyes, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.]

Now you should believe me, right?

[...]

[...]

At this moment, Xiao Xiao didn't even know what was working, but he suddenly understood the problem around him. It was an illusion, and everyone around him was under its spell. They thought they had been harmed, captured, or even dragged into the fog. That's why Yang Jia, Lin Bo, Ruan Ruan chased after the fog so quickly, regardless of everything.

Those around were also surprised by the scene and were conflicted, unsure whether they should offer help.

Was all of this planned in advance by the Hell Organization?

They acted the moment the bet was completed, showing others how badly they were injured. This way, those who cared about them would immediately come to their aid. By doing so, they were essentially entering the bet themselves, and the Hell Organization would mercilessly kill them... In fact, they were being deliberately led towards the main force of the Hell Organization's invasion.

When their lives are severely threatened, they naturally have no choice but to take action.

It's like handing yourself over to Hell Organization...

"Take your heart first, and then you won't have to worry about leaving with us..."

"..."

These words were spoken not only to his companion who was trapped in a hallucination, but also to himself.

Those who are willing to take action are actually the ones who truly care about themselves. They've fallen into the trap, so how could they possibly stand by and watch?

However, it's one thing for Yang Jia and Ruan Ruan to fall for it so easily, but why is Lin Bo also so eager to do so?

In addition, why is Little Four so calm, as if he is not affected at all?

... Xiao Xiao quickly realized this point. The more you believe in this illusion, the more real it seems, but Little Four doesn't believe it at all.

"Whoosh..."

Countless thoughts flooded Xiao Xiao's mind in an instant, plunging him into a state of extreme tension.

The Hell Organization isn't mindless. Even though this bet seems like a huge disadvantage for them, they actually had a sure chance of winning all along.

They were even ruthless enough to allow the messenger to complete this illusion at the cost of losing an arm.

Now, the incident has only lasted a second or two, and only someone in a state of Mind Burst can vaguely guess the truth. Yang Jia and the others haven't even had time to analyze the matter yet. However, they are moving too fast. Although it has only been a second or two, they have already chased after that fog and are rapidly approaching the Hell Organization in the northwest corner of the city.

Now, what I should do is immediately use the city's resources to hide.

However, Yang Jia and her team were rapidly approaching the main force of the Hell Organization, and it seemed that they were about to engage in a direct confrontation.

So how do we solve this problem?

As Xiao Xiao was quickly pondering this question, in the sky at the northwest corner of Black Gate City, the central warship had already emerged from the mist with half of its bow out. White Devil stood at the bow with a smile on his face, the notes on his face were more numerous and denser than the last time he was seen. The night wind made the notes on his face rustle, and he squatted at the bow, looking down at Black Gate City with his eyes full of anticipation.