Chapter 128
He hadn't felt it before, but when faced with a truly uncontrollable and dangerous moment, he missed his senior and Hayasaka Ai terribly.
What does Judgment of Fate matter? Senior's long, black-stockinged legs can immediately relieve this tension. If not, add Hayasaka's white stockings.
"You still have a lover?" Moon Bow's tone was somewhat bewildered, and her usual cleverness vanished instantly.
"Is that not allowed? Players are human too. Do you think I'm the kind of madman who would do anything to pursue power?"
Of course not, that kind of person wouldn't show that expression.
The girl already had the answer in her heart, but having been suppressed all along, her pride made her turn her head slightly and whisper:
"But you're cunning; I can't imagine what girl would like a cunning person."
This was the deepest impression Yuki on her; he was always calculating with a blank expression, making her anxious the whole way.
"You could have spoken more quietly when you were talking badly about me." Yuki rolled her eyes, offering no further explanation.
He did indeed outmaneuver all the players once, but he wasn't there to make friends, and he didn't expect every player he'd worked with to be completely convinced of his abilities.
At the very least, these two people were convinced, just like how they didn't act rashly despite their fear at the moment.
Fifty-two minutes.
Yuki glanced at his watch, feeling a little uneasy. After all, the enemy couldn't be fully controlled, and he didn't know much about Black Sword, so he didn't know the man's background.
Moon Bow noticed the unusual activity, her lips moved, and she said coldly, "Actually, I've always believed you could lead us out of the instance."
Wow, it's rare to see you being so straightforward. Looks like you don't usually know how to comfort people.
Yuki looked at the perpetually aloof girl and wagged her finger. "It's not about leading, it's about us working together. You also provided valuable information."
"Yes, we'll struggle to survive together." The girl nodded emphatically, looking very unwilling to be a burden. "The dungeon is on its last day; I'll prove my worth."
"Finally willing to fight desperately?"
"From the moment we were dragged into this Reincarnation Game, haven't we been fighting tooth and nail? The only difference is who we're fighting for, and whether we'll become someone else's stepping stone."
Her words were quite philosophical; as an observer, she was not only observing the instance but also Yuki.
This man is cunning, but not evil; he emphasizes the equality of effort, which is actually quite fair.
For example, a little over an hour ago, he asked himself and Rick if they could sneak into the church. After being refused, he didn't force them but instead devised an escape plan for them.
"I like this attitude. Each instance in the Reincarnation Game is very short, so there's really no way to connect on a deeper level. It all comes down to whether the players are rational." Yuki extended his hand. This was also part of his plan; he wanted to use the situation to force these two people to come to their own conclusions.
For their next plan, the two of them have to work incredibly hard.
The girl glanced at the raised hand and said calmly, "By the way, what would you do if I drew 'Cultist'?"
"I will kill you without hesitation," Yuki said succinctly.
Sure enough, he can be trusted, but his mouth is really annoying.
The girl pursed her lips, barely managed to raise her hand to shake Yuki's, and immediately let go.
The atmosphere was a little awkward, but just then the bells rang out, and all three of them, including Rick who had been startled awake, looked toward the church.
The rally had only been going on for ten minutes, why were they ringing the bell?
Based on the intelligence gathered from the previous two reconnaissance missions, the bell was only rung after the assembly had ended, which was clearly unusual. Could it be that the church received intelligence and immediately dispatched troops to attack?
The cemetery was deathly silent, Yuki uneasy, but the distant firelight remained undiminished.
"It seems there's been a problem. Could it be that Black Sword and the others have changed their minds at the last minute?"
"Impossible. Once it comes to that, there's no chance to back out. Besides, judging from the firelight, the crowd hasn't dispersed."
"Then why are they ringing the bell? Should I go out and take a look?"
"Aren't you afraid of dying?"
"At this point, what difference does it make whether we die sooner or later?"
Rick and Moon Bow continued their conversation, Yuki silent. Gradually, he narrowed his eyes, thinking of a problem he had overlooked.
Why can't the baptism ceremony be held for other players? This player doesn't want to be baptized, or rather, wants to postpone it until tomorrow noon, and then--
Clatter
The sound of a branch snapping underfoot triggered a violent reaction.
"Who!?"
The girl drew her bow and aimed at the direction from which the sound came, while Rick held his gun in both hands, looking like a frightened bird.
But soon, they noticed that Yuki had taken a few steps forward and blocked their aiming path. Just as they were wondering what was going on, they saw the man raise his hand.
"Don't panic, this person has finally shown up."
Who is it?
Yuki silent, looking ahead. He saw a figure emerge from the hazy mist, dressed in the grey robes of a church priest, but when he raised his head, a smiling mask was revealed beneath the hood.
"Someone who got shot even while lying down."
That was his answer.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Cooperation Between Believers and Judge (4K)
A thick fog hung in the air, reducing visibility in the cemetery. The scattered tombstones were vaguely divided into two groups.
On one side were Yuki and his two companions, and on the other side was someone who looked like a priest in a grey robe.
Someone who got shot while lying down?
If it weren't for Yuki blocking her way, the Moon Bow would have already shot an arrow at it. She muttered to herself a few times, then saw the smiling mask under the hood and immediately came to her senses.
The Phantom Thief? That player who's never shown up?
Aside from their initial meeting in the plaza, this player disappeared from the instance, not interacting with anyone, as if invisible. If it weren't for the notification that players would die, she would have thought the other person had been eliminated.
He appeared then, still dressed in church robes...
The girl's eyes sparkled, and her clever little mind immediately grasped the clue:
He also wants to be baptized? But he's too afraid to participate?
The newcomer was also observing the three, but Rick and Moon Bow were not important. He quickly turned his attention to Yuki. Although the latter's appearance had changed, his strength had been reconstructed last night.
"Mr. Li, hello, I am the Phantom Thief." He nodded slightly, his voice clear and with a peculiar languor.
It was like a casual greeting exchanged on the street, conveying a relaxed atmosphere. Yuki raised an eyebrow slightly, understanding the meaning in the tone.
Are they truly fearless? It doesn't seem like they're faking it.
"Are you a 'religious follower'?"
"Yes, I am indeed the last 'follower'."
With the answer, the bowstring, which had just loosened, tightened again. Rick and Moon Bow were both incredulous; this guy was too honest.
The Phantom Thief was not distracted by the arrows and gun barrels, because the key figure's expression remained unchanged, as if he had already guessed it.
If this is true, then the identities of all players will be clear.
Ordinary people: Hua Yin, Black Sword, Pan Zi.
Cult members: Phantom Thief, Clown, Pinto.
Undercover: Rick, Moon Bow.
Judge: Me.
Yuki lowered his eyes. He already knew why this 'cultist' had appeared before him, the 'Judge'. It seemed that his observation skills and intelligence were quite good; he had discovered the essence of baptism.
The advantage of being a follower is a trap set by the game; if you foolishly follow the storyline, you can no longer be called a player.
"You entered the church from the very beginning?"
"Yes, here's a tip from the believers: believers can become servants and help the church, but they cannot influence decisions." The Phantom Thief didn't hide anything.
"You're really brave," Yuki praised.
"The most dangerous place is the safest place. At least players dare not approach the church. Even if they do, only believers would dare to do so, and such players would not pose a threat."
"I know that believers cannot attack other believers."
"Yes, that's clue number three." The Phantom Thief remained honest, then suddenly countered, "Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here, or if there's a trap?"
"I'm a little curious about the first question, but there's no need for the second. I'll answer it for you," Yuki chuckled and said casually.
"It's not about identity, it's about stance. If you wanted to harm me, there was no need to show yourself. Just tell the church the information, and they'll handle it. But you came alone, which shows your stance."
No need for lengthy explanations; a single sentence sums it all up, rendering the Phantom Thief's prepared rhetoric useless.
That's right, stance determines everything. Whether you're a believer or an ordinary person, these are identities assigned by the game, and each identity has countless interpretations.
If he had sided with the church, he would now be facing countless enemies.
"Your reasoning skills are excellent. That's right, I cannot undergo baptism." The Phantom Thief didn't mince words and stated directly, "I don't possess abilities like Soul Split; the risk would be too great."
"You've discovered the true nature of baptism?" Yuki asked, feigning ignorance.
"Yes, but before that, let me explain why I'm here."
"No need. I suspect another group of players triggered the baptism ceremony prematurely, ruining your plans. You're just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire."
The Phantom Thief twitched his fingers nervously, once again marveling at the other party's strong reasoning ability, and sighed:
"That's right. My original plan was to have them baptized tomorrow at noon, but they asked to be baptized tonight, which dragged me into it."
Yuki's lips twitched, almost as if he wanted to laugh. He didn't know what this person's plan was, but he knew exactly how unlucky he was.
Black Sword's group volunteered for baptism, causing an unusual gathering. The church wasn't stupid; since they were all outsiders anyway, they figured it was better to baptize both of them together, which led to their downfall.
'A player who is very good at navigating dungeons should have skills like Reconnaissance.'
Yuki realized that this Phantom Thief had never contacted other players from the beginning. Instead, he used his 'cultist' identity to get closer to the church, and then stayed in the most dangerous places to gather intelligence and prepare his plans.
They were very courageous. They were much more efficient than us, who painstakingly extracted information from the residents, and they even bypassed the first and third clues.
However, the Reincarnation Game ultimately has its own characteristics, with player-versus-player combat and dungeon strategy each accounting for half. Even if he deliberately avoids confrontation, he will still be caught up in the butterfly effect.
"You were caught up in our conflict, so why did you choose the weaker side?" After listening for a while, Moon Bow finally couldn't help but ask.
"First, if I'm on the church's side, I can't avoid baptism; second, emotionally, those people really screwed me over." The Phantom Thief turned his head, holding up a third finger, "Finally, because his abilities are worthy of my trust."
Before Moon Bow could ask further, he turned to look at Yuki.
"Last night's battle was impressive. You actually single-handedly killed a priest in purple robes. Your combat prowess has left a deep impression on me."
"You saw it?"
"You don't necessarily have to see with your eyes." The Phantom Thief glanced at the messy graveyard, drawing out his words, "Just like you killed that Clown with a gun and a sword."
Time travel?
Yuki suddenly realized he had underestimated this person. Even Hiyori couldn't deduce the 'murderer' from clues alone. No wonder he dared to approach the church; this was a plan built around his unique characteristics or skills.
In other words, he knows a lot of things.
Yuki gave a meaningful smile. This guy is smart; he gave him an irresistible reason right from the start.
"You already knew last night?"
"Well, I kept your secret, consider that a favor?"
It was nothing more than a favor, a way to save face, but he accepted it anyway.
Yuki pressed down with his right hand, signaling Moon Bow and Rick to put down their weapons, before stepping forward to meet them.
Theoretically, there are no problems. Before Yuki can accept the other party, there is one last mandatory option left.
Did you bring any contract-related items?
Hearing this, the Phantom Thief visibly breathed a sigh of relief. It was convenient to talk to smart people; they were more focused on profit, and he had never cheated them.
"If I hadn't brought it, I wouldn't dare come looking for you. Strong people like you are usually very cautious."
He took out a roll of parchment and tossed Yuki, who was no stranger to signing contracts. He took it and saw that it was already written.
[After the contract is signed, neither party may become hostile towards the other; both parties must ensure the success of this instance.]
This was a fair agreement between the two parties, and Yuki couldn't find any fault with it, so he quickly signed the parchment.
The contract required signing the player's code name during the beginner's guide. The name 'Yuki' itself wasn't anything special, but the other party's signature made Yuki's eyes flicker.