Return Trip

Chapter 36: Return Ticket

"What else is there to say? Of course it's for you!" Yuan Yao was the first to speak. "If it weren't for you, forget catching the Head Chopper Demon, we might not even have cleared the instance."

"And now we've got extra rewards on top of that. I've got no problem giving it to you."

Huang Junjie and Abel nodded in succession, while Liu Yuanyuan did so reluctantly.

"This vote is public. Every player can see who everyone else voted for, and it's a majority-rules system." Xu Huo reached out, signaling Huang Junjie to return the lighter to him.

Without hesitation, Huang Junjie handed it back, along with Wang Wei's props.

Wang Wei had died at his hands, so his belongings should naturally fall to him. That thread, in someone else's hands, was at most a tough guitar string.

What Xu Huo tossed to Huang Junjie wasn't the "Arsonist's Tool," but the tattooed big brother's lighter. He pocketed the thread and lit a cigarette for himself, saying, "Everyone, don't rush. One by one. If one or two are missing, the voting system still holds."

Liu Yuanyuan's brows furrowed. "Aren't you being a bit too domineering? If we don't vote for you, you'll kill us?"

"I'm just giving a heads-up," Xu Huo said. "This is also one of the game rules. Who knows, there might be plenty more voting opportunities later."

Huang Junjie and the other two shook their heads. Killing the instance boss and getting the boss's props—how often did chances like that come around?

"Brother Xu, don't mind her. She's not a good person anyway. We'll just vote for you," Yuan Yao said.

In the end, all five voted for Xu Huo, and he obtained the right to choose the replacement reward.

Facing everyone's gaze, Liu Yuanyuan cut straight to the point. "I have no problem voting for you, but that electric baton has to go to me."

"You already took Li Zheng's and Wan Zhikang's props, and now you want Wang Wei's? Wang Wei wasn't even killed by you!" Yuan Yao said angrily.

"I still contributed," Liu Yuanyuan said, crossing her arms. "I deserve one prop."

Huang Junjie and Abel were also displeased, but Xu Huo said, "I can give it to you, but you don't get a share of the props the Mountain Villa boss gave extra. Out of the hundred thousand White Cash, you can only have ten thousand."

Liu Yuanyuan's eyes darted around a couple of times before she gritted her teeth and said, "Fine!"

After they finished discussing, several stacks of White Cash and a seal carved with a skull fell to the ground.

Xu Huo picked up the seal:

[Cursed Seal (Note: A curse that can greet anyone's immediate family. Find the right moment to stamp the pattern. At least three people, including the user, will have some aspect of their power weakened, and the curse won't disappear until the pattern fades. Be careful—the direction and intensity of the curse depend on the situation. Do not use it on stronger players, or it will become your curse. Ah, it really is a cursed seal.)]

After reading it, Xu Huo chuckled and handed the seal to Huang Junjie and the others.

"This prop is way too useless. It's not even as good as that electric baton."

Although Liu Yuanyuan hadn't seen it, seeing everyone's disdainful expressions, she immediately said, "I'm not swapping."

Xu Huo took the "Queen's Mirror" and the "Fast Talk Notebook" from Wang Wei's belongings. "These two props, plus the seal—each of you pick one."

The "Queen's Mirror" was a portable compact mirror, palm-sized. Its effect was that when you said "You're the most beautiful" or "You're the most handsome" into it, anyone who saw you in the next three minutes would automatically add a filter to their perception of you.

The "Fast Talk Notebook" was a shorthand notebook that could automatically write down everything everyone said within a ten-meter radius for five minutes after being opened.

"You're way too generous," Huang Junjie said, feeling indebted. "We didn't really do much, and we already owe you a favor. Now we're taking your props... How about I give you my share of the money?"

Yuan Yao quickly nodded. He chose the mirror.

"Then I'll take five thousand." Xu Huo didn't refuse and accepted the White Cash they handed over.

The Cursed Seal was ownerless, so Abel could directly store it in his prop slot. The remaining three props currently belonged to Xu Huo. Even though they were held by different people, only if he chose to discard them could the others claim them.

As soon as Liu Yuanyuan received her prop, she couldn't wait to pull out her Return Ticket and vanished from their sight in an instant.

"Is it okay to let her go like this?" Huang Junjie asked. "She's a Cannibal Player."

"The game is already over," Xu Huo said. "Relax."

Huang Junjie let out a long breath. "Yeah, players aren't obligated to deal with Cannibal Players."

"Xu Huo, I hope I run into you again next time." He shook Xu Huo's hand solemnly before leaving the instance.

Abel walked over with the seal, grinning. "Let me give it a try."

Xu Huo raised an eyebrow and extended his hand.

"I curse you to have less and less bad luck." Abel stamped the seal on the back of his hand, then vanished.

"Brother Xu, you absolutely have to remember me." Yuan Yao gripped his hand earnestly. "I'm Cheng Xu Yuan Ni Bu Dong. Remember that."

Xu Huo smiled and nodded. Only after he had also left did he carefully examine his own Return Ticket.

Though it was made of the same material as a Ticket, it only bore a string of numbers: E27-014-A07.

With no leads for now, he put the ticket away, took out his flashlight, and headed down to the small wooden cabin at the foot of the mountain. He dug up the woman he had buried earlier, flipped open her coat, and used her own fingernails to scratch a few words on the inside of the fabric, then buried her again.

Dusting off the dirt from his pants, he went to the fruit grove ahead, broke off a branch of plums, and hoisted it onto his shoulder before using the Return Ticket.

"Beep-beep—!" After a brief blank, the sound of car horns rang in Xu Huo's ears. Opening his eyes, he found himself standing in a small alley. Under the bright lights was a familiar street scene—he was back in the back alley of the inn where he had stayed before.

His phone showed 10:30 PM. At this hour, the nightlife was just getting started.

Just as he was about to leave, he stepped on something that was neither soft nor hard. Picking it up, he found it was a bulging wallet.

So the power of the curse could be used like this?

Xu Huo glanced at the black skull on the back of his hand, pocketed the wallet, and entered the inn.

Actors often came and went here, so the front desk wasn't surprised by his outfit. When they learned he was there to pick up something, they explained, "You probably don't know this, but lately there've been a lot of weird things happening around here. Quite a few people have died. And then you suddenly disappeared, so we had no choice but to call the police. All your wallets and documents were taken by them—you'll have to go to the police station to get them back."

"You must've gone into the production crew, right? Look, this is really embarrassing. How about you stay here for the night, on the house?"

Xu Huo thanked him and left the inn, then checked into another hotel.

After closing the door, he washed up briefly before opening the game panel:

[Congratulations, Player Passerby A, on successfully clearing the "Head Chopper Demon" instance. Your performance during this instance has been rated B-Excellent. You have the option to exchange your reward once, choosing either to obtain a trait development opportunity or one item. Would you like to choose now?]