A Precarious Trust

"Cockroach Jade Feet, you'll be in charge of covering our rear. You'll be at the very back, so we'll have a Priest at the front, middle, and rear of our formation."

"The Elder Priest needs to be my eyes; otherwise, I can't see the path ahead clearly. I can't rely on a little girl to cover our rear. If any special situation arises from behind, a woman won't have enough time to react."

"So, let Grandpa Niu walk in the very center of the team. You can cover the rear, alright?"

Just then, the 'Eagle of Justice' spoke again.

Hearing this, Qin Shang nodded slightly.

"Alright..."

In fact, that was what he intended.

He wasn't a Priest himself. If the 'Eagle of Justice' had asked him to be at the front or in the center of the team, and others asked him what was in the darkness ahead, he wouldn't have been able to answer without night vision skills, and he would have been exposed in minutes.

So, covering the rear was perfect. He could at least see about a meter ahead.

He could follow behind the Little Loli.

[You have entered Car No. 2]

[Exploration Progress: 5%]

As the team gradually moved forward, they stepped into the carriage filled with Hello Kitty.

Everyone heard the same voice in their ears.

Qin Shang's heart stirred. It seemed this instance wasn't that difficult to complete...

Although he didn't know how many carriages there were in total, the main quest was singular.

He figured the quest would be completed once the exploration progress reached 100%.

However, the pungent, unpleasant smell they'd encountered upon first entering the train grew stronger as they moved into the second carriage. It was like something rotting, a mixture of mold and an overpowering stench.

Just then, an electronic prompt sounded in their ears again.

[Car No. 2 Background Information]

[Passengers embarking on their first journey were unaware of the dangers that awaited them. Initially, everyone believed it was just an ordinary trip. However, after passing through a tunnel, a long, seemingly endless one, all the train lights went out]

[Darkness enveloped the carriage, and fear spread for the first time. Some were killed in their sleep, while others were killed amidst cheerful conversations. The smell of blood began to permeate the entire carriage]

[Upon exiting the tunnel and seeing the light again, the passengers were met with a horrifying scene. The entire carriage was filled with dismembered limbs and severed arms. Amidst terrified screams, everyone scattered in panic]

[It was as if an invisible hand reached in from outside the window, wielding the scythe of death, reaping lives. At this point, only sixteen passengers remained alive in the entire carriage]

[Miss Mary, being intelligent, suggested that the murderer might be hidden among them. She proposed that everyone hold hands and walk forward, counting as they went: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...]

[Sizzle sizzle sizzle]

The background information ended there.

Qin Shang's expression changed. He hadn't expected the background information for this instance to be more than what was initially presented.

So, the passengers were killed!?

Was a murderer hidden among the passengers, brutally killing all the passengers on the Death Train?

Was this the mystery behind the disappearance of the Death Train passengers?

No, it definitely couldn't be that simple!

Could it be a hint? A dungeon hint?

Was it implying that the God Slayer would attack the players when they passed through the tunnel?

And that's why they needed to hold hands and count their way through?

"Did any of you hear anything just now?"

'Don't Touch Me, I'll Turn Green,' the easily startled young woman walking not far in front of Qin Shang, suddenly spoke.

Qin Shang's mind was filled with confusion. He didn't want to speak rashly at this moment. Moreover, given the unique nature of his Trickster profession.

He wasn't sure if this new background information was something only he could hear or if all the players could hear it.

Therefore, Qin Shang rationally chose to wait and see, letting others in the team speak first.

"I heard a piece of background information, and then I received a side quest."

"It said that Miss Mary might hold the key to solving the mystery of the disappearing Death Train passengers. It suggests we prioritize finding Miss Mary, and there might be living NPCs ahead in the carriage..."

At this moment, the Little Loli in the pink dress, walking about two steps ahead of Qin Shang, suddenly mumbled and raised her hand.

Her expression was fearful and nervous, but as her words fell.

The entire Car No. 2 fell silent.

Boom—

Qin Shang was equally shocked.

She...

What did she just say?

A side quest!?

Didn't the Sheriff say only Tricksters have hidden hints?

Why does she have a side quest and hidden hints too?!

Could it be that each of them actually has a side quest in addition to the main quest?

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire carriage fell silent. Strangely, no one responded.

Everyone's expression was a bit odd. Some were embarrassed, some were taken aback, some were nervous.

At this moment, seeing their expressions, Qin Shang's Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed. He felt he was still too naive.

Even the Sheriff, who had been acting as the captain at the front, had a profound look on his face.

Qin Shang's heart sank.

'Eagle of Justice' wasn't telling them everything. These people were all harboring their own agendas...

Perhaps, besides the main quest.

Each player's side quest was different.

"You, do you guys not have side quests? Or is it just me who heard this hint?"

Sensing the strange atmosphere, the Little Loli swallowed nervously and asked.

Upon hearing this, the Sheriff, walking at the very front, took a deep breath, turned his head, and gave the Little Loli a deep look before saying nothing more.

Instead, he continued to walk forward with his head down, heading towards the Elder Priest.

The Little Loli felt a chill from that look and stiffly turned her head to look at Qin Shang.

"Brother, did... did I say something wrong?"

"No."

Qin Shang pursed his lips. In this environment where everyone had their own agenda, everyone was looking out for themselves.

He had already sensed that the Sheriff might not be someone he could trust 100%.

As expected, this guy was still holding back.

Leading them into the instance might have been a last resort.

After all, this was a team mission. If he had entered other Path of the Gods instances before, based on Qin Shang's speculation about the Path of the Gods, it was likely that this place not only had multiplayer instances but also single-player instances!

Common games were generally divided into these types...

Player single-player instances, player multiplayer instances, player single-player versus instances, player multiplayer versus instances, and player team PK player team versus instances.

And this instance was clearly marked as an exploration type from the start, meaning there was no need for overt player-versus-player conflict.

Then, to complete the exploration mission and uncover the mystery of the disappearing passengers, the Sheriff alone certainly couldn't do it.

And to have so many players appear at the beginning, with the first sentence from the electronic prompt saying, "All players please note, the player count for this round is full, the instance will begin in ten minutes."

In other words, 'Death Train' was a confirmed multiplayer instance that required players to cooperate and work together.

The Sheriff, 'Eagle of Justice', was well aware of this.

That's why... he was willing to explain so much to everyone and act as a semi-guide.

He did those things not just for everyone else, but also for himself to successfully survive and clear the instance.

Qin Shang's heart trembled.

[Herd Mentality]

When leading a herd, if you place a stick in front of the first sheep, and that sheep jumps over it, the sheep behind will subconsciously follow suit. This is an effect where animals, when uncertain of external dangers, subconsciously equate the same information with truth, seeking group recognition and a sense of security.

It is also known as conformity.

And that lead sheep was the Sheriff, which was why everyone initially trusted him implicitly.

But now, with the words of the pink-skirted Little Loli falling, the Sheriff's silence seemed to confirm a certain guess in everyone's mind.

No one here was stupid, especially in this terrifying environment where there was a God Slayer hidden within the team who could stab someone at any moment.

The girl had merely, innocently, wanted to share information and complete the main quest together.

However, she had unintentionally pushed the entire team, whose trust was already shaky, to the brink of disintegration.