Act 1: Halcyon Days
Foreword:
Life is like a game of chess; one wrong move and you lose the whole game.
--Sigmund Freud
[Part 1 - The Flaming Roller Coaster]
At the entrance to the mining area of Mimir Hot Spring Market.
The two hundred-meter-high arched stone gates are a legacy left by the giants.
Among them, the magnificent murals and reliefs, the bizarre and strange mountain monsters and beasts statues, and the fossils brought back from the depths of the earth were all transported to the museum in the city center.
Today, its broadcasting station and workers' square are deserted, with only the dilapidated workers' dormitories and the lights of the exile zone proving that humans are still active here.
The railway tracks, intertwined with water lilies, are controlled by a system of thousands of switches.
The twenty-eight layers of mining station diversion nodes form a huge mine tunnel network, separating coal, non-ferrous metal minerals, natural gas, eclogite and geothermal lava from different rock strata.
The former prosperity of the mining industry is gone.
The Mimir Hot Spring Market has given this intricate and complex mine tunnel a fresh new look.
If your memory is good enough--
--I remember not long ago, the guys from the Red Stone Rock Band mentioned a new and exciting amusement park ride.
Its full name is [Flame Blast Roller Coaster].
One hundred [Summon People] mine carts departed from this ancient mine station, passing through various junctions, and finally reaching different destinations.
Five lucky minecarts will be selected from these one hundred minecarts and sent into the bottom road of the scorching volcano, leaping between layers of obsidian glass and tumbling through looping roller tracks.
People eagerly choose their favorite contestants and squander their blood and sweat at the gambling table.
Until the bravest and luckiest warrior takes the crown. Winners take all, losers eat dust—that's the gambling industry in Mimir Hot Spring Market.
To make the race more exciting and diverse, the Qingjin Police Department incorporated procedures for exiling criminals, making this [horse racing competition] even more chaotic.
January 6th was a crazy Thursday.
It wasn't just the KFC discount sale day; it was also the day the Flame Burst Roller Coaster started its race.
People eagerly lined up at the Freud Mine, grabbed tickets to the games at the window, ate barbecues in front of the circus tents, and then snatched a lucky ticket from the collar of a voluptuous betting lady.
They crowded around the registration window at [The End of Friendship], craning their necks, sticking out their tongues, and tilting their heads back to see the drivers of the ninety-five lucky minecarts on the projection screen. They wrote down the corresponding numbers on the lottery tickets, hoping to win the favor of Lady Luck and obtain the money to change their fate.
As planned, Jiang Xueming and his group boarded the vehicle smoothly.
Their mine cart numbers were coated with tracer paint, and in the high-speed cameras in the mine tunnels, the production crew would secretly send them to the secret passage of Station Zero.
No one would care about the minecarts that suddenly disappeared during the Flame Blast roller coaster race—it was just another group of unlucky guys going missing in the mine.
To win the grand prize of a million shards, one must be prepared to perish here.
But when Jiang Xueming understood the rules of the game, he suddenly realized—he suddenly understood why Wen Bucai repeatedly emphasized "don't make a living by gambling."
There were no winners in this horse race, just like...
"It's like a ritual." Jason Megan leaned against the edge of the steel plate in the mine cart's hopper, her face grim and feeling very uncomfortable.
The frenzied atmosphere at the scene stifled his Inspiration and made him nauseous.
Bu Liuxing also had a heavy expression, and seemed very uncomfortable.
Only the young waiter, seemingly oblivious, gently patted his employer's back.
"Sir! What's wrong? Are you carsick?"
Jason shook his head. "No, I can sense a lot of chaotic and indescribable emotions. The people in the stands are looking at me like they're picking through a cow in a cold storage—look around."
He pointed to the wide but crowded tracks, densely packed with the mine carts of other competitors.
"These people seem to never value their own lives."
Various noises emanated from both sides of the mine cart.
Jiang Xueming looked over upon hearing the sound.
On the left, a vibrant young woman in her early twenties, heavily made up and dressed like a monster, winks at the film crew's equipment, holds a PPK pistol, twists her waist and sways her hips at the camera, and pulls over an advertiser's sash. The fabric on her body is just one step away from entering the R18 channel.
She shouted out the promotional slogans of her entertainment company, urging her security guards to get ready to crank the handle and start the steel wheel.
Looking at the four elderly men and women in the senior citizen group on the right, their ethnicities range from Slavic to Germanic, and their attire and styling resemble that of East and West Germany as if they were about to fight another World War II.
The elderly female medical worker in the middle, wearing a Soviet medal on her chest, specially brought a box of homemade explosives; her skill in throwing grenades was her specialty.
The other two elderly men in the group unfurled a flag; it belonged to a bakery in the Hot Spring Market, and it was also their slogan—"[Diu Lei Lao Mu]".
Wen Bucai wiped the sweat from his forehead, like the Monkey King in A Chinese Odyssey, and shook his hand.
"This is fucking awesome!"
Mr. Jason, his face contorted with anger and nausea from the chaotic and frenzied experience of Inspiration, said, "The madness in their hearts was projected directly into my head."
Jiang Xueming also saw that several mining trucks had already run away beforehand. Before the referee in the mining area could fire a warning shot, the people in the stands had already raised their guns of justice.
It sounded like a salvo of cannons.
--The slowest runner, the unluckiest, became a sieve.
The vanguard, alert and brave, cunning and roguish, swarmed out.
Jiang Xueming then realized—this match had no whistle and no rules.
A bullet struck the train car, and Mr. Wen Bucai waved his hand, immediately pressing the heads of his four friends down.
"Be careful."
Then I heard the gamblers in the stands cursing and urging me on!
"Run! Why aren't you running! What are you doing?"
"I've placed a huge bet! Hey! Don't just stand there like an idiot!"
"Wen Luo! I recognize you! You're so skilled! How come you're talking about fair play and chivalry at a time like this? Hahahaha! It must feel bad to have a gun pointed at you, right?! You've finally met your match! You too..."
Bang--
The M500's high-powered pistol bullets exploded in the audience, creating a thick cloud of blood.
Bone fragments and blood formed a fan shape, like scalding flames, splashed onto the bodies of dozens of people.
Wen Bucai gave the audience the middle finger, kicked the brake pads, and suddenly drove onto this road of no regrets.
"You saw it! He struck first! There are over 20,000 witnesses at the scene who can testify for me!"
Wen Bucai pulled at his eyelids, made a face, and blew away the smoke from the muzzle of the M500.
At this moment--
Jiang Xueming muttered something under his breath.
"Is it too late for me to get off the bus now?"
Wen Bucai whistled, "You can come up with a nickname, like 'Old Mother of Thunder,' something really catchy, so that when we disappear, no one will remember who we are."
Meteor suddenly looked up. "Woof Woof Adventure Team?!"
Jason: "That's so stupid."
Jiang Xueming: "To fight our way to a new dawn?"
Jason: "That's outdated."
Wen Bucai: "Red and black?"
Jason: "It's very classic, but the plot is a bit convoluted."
Waiter: "Crime and punishment?"
Jason: "I just got out of jail, are you serious?"
"Then you say one yourself!" the waiter pouted, vigorously cranking the steel handle to urge the mine cart forward.
Jason laughed, becoming excited.
"We are Lingyun! Our lives are as fragile as paper, but our hearts are as high as the sky!"
The mine cart went down the ramp.
--Charging into the intricate network of branching intersections.
Gunshots and explosions were heard everywhere.
Bu Liuxing vomited it out.
The waiter looked worried, but not wanting to pry into the stranger's feelings, he asked Jason, "Sir, is he feeling nauseous like you? Because of this intense experience of Inspiration?"
Jason's expression immediately returned to normal. "No, he's just carsick."
[Part ② - The Gate of Death]
On this road leading to a hell of madness, none of the people who died along the way were innocent.
"Don't think too much about the names of the dead under the gun barrels; they were already prepared." Wen Bucai run out of bullets with his M500 when he saw the steel wheel of a mine cart break off to the side, rolling in the mine tunnel and sparks flying.
The opponents on the mine carts collapsed, their flesh turning to mush, and they lost limbs under the immense inertia.
Jiang Xueming saw it very clearly--
--Enemy soldiers who have lost their lower bodies still use their still-intact limbs to raise their guns and fire, like ghosts who have fallen into the River Styx and want to take someone down with them.
It only takes a breath.
Driving at high speed, the scenery along the way felt like entering Pandemani.
Sulfur saltpeter and obsidian, illuminated by the eclogite, reveal the vein's veins.
Behind the massive crystalline rock formations, one could see fellow travelers who had met with all sorts of bizarre deaths.
The short video production team that set off together has changed its leader—from a fair-skinned and beautiful young lady to a burly cameraman.
The photographer was holding up half of the young lady's body and frantically injecting Universal Elixir into her neck.
Further away, [Old Mother of the Drow] was engaged in a fierce battle with three other minecarts.
They seemed to have returned to Stalingrad, to Berlin, to their radiant and youthful years.
The grenadiers and the three-man assault team worked in perfect coordination; a single volley of bullets was enough to take down these reckless youngsters.
A frenzied howl, a ferocious laugh.
All of this made Jiang Xueming feel strange and terrified.
But he did not tremble, nor was he as confused and ignorant as the [insect eggs] of the past.
This is the people of Mimir Hot Spring Market, their unique entertainment, their unique soul.
The waiter and Jason worked hard to crank the steel handle, the belt pulling the rollers to spin, propelling Mercedes-Benz forward through the mine tunnels that were sometimes deep and dark, sometimes bizarre and fantastical.
Meteor slumped against the metal of the minecart, filth still lingering around his mouth, only able to babble.
Mr. Wen Bucai was alert and observant, ready to brake at any moment and unleash a deadly counterattack in the direction from which the bullets were flying.
"I need backup, if you're ready," Wen Bucai suddenly said. "There are cars coming from the six o'clock and twelve o'clock directions—I'll switch to my main weapon and deal with the ones in front, you'll deal with the ones behind."
Jiang Xueming: "Are you talking to me?"
Wen Bucai kicked Bu Liuxing, feigning surprise. "Oh! So I was talking to you! Mr. Liuxing! Can you still lift a gun? You haven't lost your ability, have you?"
Jiang Xueming took out his new work from the weapon box.
[TTI·STI CombatMaster]
[Taran Tactics: Combat Master 2011]
The prototype is a competitive pistol manufactured by Taran Tactical, a modified version based on the STI2011 Gun Family.
It shone brightly in the movie "John Wick," but this weapon is also a top-tier killing machine in reality.
It inherits all the advantages of the 1911. If your memory serves you well, you should remember that six months ago, Jiang Xueming got its sister model - the SVI Infinity.
The Combat Master has a trigger pull of only 2.5 pounds, excellent continuous firing performance, and is very reliable.
The dragon scale-shaped anti-slip pattern on the grip and the fiber optic sight seem to speak volumes, as if saying, "When close-quarters combat is needed, entrust your life to me."
A burst of enthusiastic, flippant whistling rang out. Wen Bucai seeing the weapon in Jiang Xueming's hand, reacted as if he were looking at a seductive stripper. "I understand why you're pulling out your pistol. Do you want to get closer? Closer still? To finish this off in one go? Pistols have limited range!"
Jiang Xueming cocked the gun, choosing the safest option. "Slow down, it's best to stop the vehicle. Deal with the ones behind us first; I don't like being attacked from both sides. The accuracy of shooting while moving will decrease. I can clearly hear the sounds coming from the distance in the mine tunnel; at least three vehicles are approaching from behind us. I can't guarantee we can take them all out."
Wen Bucai slammed on the brakes.
Jason and the waiter stopped cranking the joystick, as their teammate had instructed.
From the depths of the mine tunnel, a blinding crimson light gradually appeared, the stark white headlights having stained the blood red.
Three mining carts rushed in and then disappeared in the adjacent lane. The people on the carts, who had been shooting at each other, all turned their guns on Jiang Xueming when they saw the stationary target.
A jumble of gunfire erupted as the combat master unleashed a torrent of flames. The gunfire flashed like lightning, illuminating Xue Ming's face time and again.
Twenty-one shots rang out swiftly and thunderously, leaving behind eight severed fingers poised to pull the trigger, and a pile of broken gun parts.
Before the armed enemies on the three minecarts could even cry out in pain, shrapnel and broken metal pierced their torsos and arms. They ducked and tried to crawl into the boxes to find the Universal Elixir to regain their strength, in complete chaos, with no time to fight back.
Wen Bucai smiled and said, "I know this move. It's called Exorcism. Only protagonists like to use this move. I prefer to use Avada Kedavra, which is an unforgivable curse."
"Let's go!" Jiang Xueming kicked off the brake pads and put away the Combat Master: "Now we only need to deal with the enemy from one direction."
Jason saw things clearly and understood them perfectly.
He could sense that the cold young man had just harbored a strong murderous intent, but had instantly controlled it with his powerful reason, as if extinguishing a flame, as if controlling a muscle, precisely controlling his subconscious.
This is the ability that Jason both envies and is jealous of.
It was the control he had always wanted.
Even when faced with the threat of death, they can remain calm and find the right path to solve the problem quickly.
If this kid had been aiming at heads one by one, with murderous intent—the outcome would definitely be different.
The human body has two complementary motor systems, one controlled by the brain and the other by the spinal cord. Even if the brain is destroyed, the neural activity after death can still cause these crazed corpses to pull the fatal trigger.
Jiang Xueming chose the simplest and most direct path to survival, destroying the enemy's weapons in the first instance.
So many targets, such a chaotic environment.
Jiang Xueming pulled the correct trigger in the correct order.
Jason found this ability to find the "Gate of Death" utterly incomprehensible.
The Gate of Death —also known as the Gate of Hell.
The concept of this near-death state has been mentioned more than once in the official terminology of the station.
Whether it's physical essence or spiritual essence, they all have a "Gate of Death," like Achilles' heel; even the most powerful giant has a vulnerable heel.
How do you defeat a seemingly invincible enemy? Only by finding the enemy's Gate of Death can you reach the finish line of victory.
The VIP review process includes Gate of Death review test.
Jiang Xueming had experienced the feeling of stepping into the Gate of Hell. Under the stimulation of strong light and loud noise, his spiritual essence became fragile and sensitive, making it difficult to breathe. His body's cavities, acupoints, muscles, and bones also began to malfunction.
At that moment, he saw his own [Gate of Death].
Back on the minecart--
Jason Wen Bucai, two seasoned veterans of the underworld, both discovered the same thing.
Jiang Xueming possesses exceptional talent.
His method of finding the [Gate of Death] was simple, direct, and effective—he was practically a born killer.
[Part 3 - A Short Break]
After thirteen minutes of intense competition.
With fewer and fewer opponents remaining, Jiang Xueming instructed the crew to slow down. Generally speaking, in this kind of PUBG-like battle royale death game, the faster you run, the faster you die.
Those who survive to the end are often the winners.
But their goal wasn't to win the game—it was to follow the warden's instructions, enter Fork Fourteen, and head towards the underground volcanic ridge.
The minecart moved smoothly and quietly, heading towards the fork in the road as planned, towards the large jumping platform of the lava lake.
There were no other enemies to be seen on this road, allowing for a moment of peace amidst the chaotic and indescribable fighting.
Jiang Xueming Wen Bucai also started cranking the steel handles, afraid that they wouldn't be fast enough to jump over the platform and risk losing their lives in such a place.
Xue Ming could sense that the standing shooting motion he had just performed was much smoother than the previous training at the shooting range.
From stillness to drawing the gun, it's as if there's another limb inside the body, coordinating muscles and bones to deliver more precise body language.
--Is this me after the [transformation]?
At this moment, a strange tranquility arose within him; his body and mind reconciled and achieved unity.
This was his first attack after his transformation, and the result was remarkable. The seed of power took root and sprouted in his body. His training over the past six months had not been in vain, and it finally blossomed and bore fruit.
The sudden feeling of weightlessness pulled him back to reality.
They took flight--
Jiang Xueming felt that time had slowed down.
He saw Mr. Jason tightly embrace the waiter, Lapis Lazuli suddenly burst forth with scorching blue flames. A pair of indistinct, ethereal hands held them firmly in the truck bed—it was another kind of courage, the kind of courage that required going to great lengths to protect someone.
He saw Wen Bucai grab Liuxing by the back of his neck and collar, like a Tai Chi master pulling and tugging, much like the dynamic balance that Teacher Victor maintained when pulling his book box. With just a few nudges, Liuxing swam back from outside the truck bed like a fish in flowing water.
He felt his body lose its balance and wanted to grab onto something, but suddenly his heart sank. As if the spirits in his limbs and bones had heard a command, his feet naturally pressed against the iron plate at the bottom of the cart, and his hands rested on the edge of the mine cart.
When the mine cart landed, the tremendous sound and force did not shake Xue Ming's body. His knees were as flexible as rubber bands. He only stumbled slightly to cushion the impact, then bent and stepped back like a rubber man, and immediately returned to his original position like a pendulum, and his breathing became smooth again.
He glanced back and looked up to see the competitors still engaged in a life-or-death gunfight on the cliffside walkway of the mine.
"It's a bit offensive to say this," Jiang Xueming pondered carefully, "Our inner world is so wonderful, this kind of pointless life-or-death struggle seems like something we'd do out of boredom."
Wen Bucai, will put down Bu Liuxing.
"It's a good thing. Only in times of peace and prosperity will people be so bored that they'll risk their lives to have fun."
"I'm sorry." Jiang Xueming finally dropped her parrot-like attitude. "I shouldn't have said those things; it sounded too arrogant."
"It's a great thing to be aware of your own arrogance," Wen Bucai said unhurriedly. "Perhaps for you, life is like a game of chess; one wrong move and you lose the whole game."
Jiang Xueming plopped down, wanting to rest and get his overheated brain and dry eyes back to their best condition.
He answered.
Life is like a game of chess; there's no second chance, and you can't take back your moves.
The mine cart drove into a deep, remote secret passage.
The iron wheels rolled over the steel rails, producing a noise that seemed to crush gravel and sand.
Everything fell silent.
Taking a moment to relax and recharge is a good time.