This Humble One, Reincarnation Stream Player Chapter 17

"Well, since you want it so much, Senior, I'll reluctantly take a few more looks."

"Of course not!" Mai hugged her chest tightly, looking somewhat surprised when she saw Yuki wasn't even looking her way.

"Don't you both feel a bit better all of a sudden?" Yuki spoke up abruptly, gesturing toward Hayasaka Ai, who was watching the show, and then toward Mai at the table.

"Even if the meaning isn't quite the same, you've both smiled at least. Under this Crimson Moon, smiles are incredibly precious. No matter how desperate things get, never forget this very moment."

Both women froze in unison; a small interlude had suddenly taken on a philosophical air in Yuki's mouth.

How impressive. He clearly took advantage of the situation, yet instead of causing disgust, he actually gained favor.

The word 'professional' flashed through Hayasaka Ai's mind again. She cast a wary glance at him, but seeing Yuki's expression turn confused, she simply tapped the tabletop.

"Alright, break time's over. Trouble's here."

She turned the computer screen around, where a wanted poster was looping, showing their photos with crystal clarity.

[City-wide manhunt for the following terrorists. If spotted, shoot to kill on sight.]

Dozens of police cars roared past, speeding down the road. The cinematic scene was heart-pounding, until they realized it was directed at them, causing their eyes to twitch.

"Why shoot to kill on sight? Isn't the police's primary goal to apprehend suspects?" Mai Sakurajima spoke up suddenly, her face full of bewilderment. "We haven't killed anyone. Can't we just explain things? Hayasaka checked earlier—this city has laws, right?"

"I don't know. It might be a game setting." Yuki pulled several work uniforms from the breakroom locker, compared their sizes briefly, and tossed them over one by one. "Listen to me while you change."

"Hey, just like that??" Mai clutched the gray uniform, looking at the three of them standing face-to-face. The scene was simply unimaginable.

"You're worried about shame at a time like this? Fine, fine, I'll go outside. I won't take advantage of you."

Yuki left with a hint of regret, leaving the door cracked open. As he listened to the rustling of clothes being removed, he explained:

"Even if the people of Crimson Moon City have normal logic, we cannot afford to be arrested."

"Hint two: we cannot stay in any location other than the Moonlit Ancient Castle for more than two hours. No matter how good-tempered the officers here are, they won't just let us go after two hours."

"Exactly. If we get thrown into prison, it'll be hard to escape later. We can't put our fate in someone else's hands." Hayasaka Ai took off her school uniform, revealing a vibrant, energetic physique. She subconsciously glanced at Mai Sakurajima, finding them evenly matched, save for a difference in height, before fixing her gaze firmly on the crack in the door.

"But this way, we have nowhere to hide for long. Plus, the police are organized and intelligent. If we just run, we'll be surrounded in no time."

People aren't like zombies; they have guns and brains. Running fast won't help.

There was no response from outside the door. Two seconds later, it was suddenly pushed open. The two women, still fastening their buttons, turned pale.

Yuki's gaze flickered, catching a glimpse of red and black lace through the gap in the buttons. However, his nerves were already taut, shifting into 'strategy mode.' Even seeing such beautiful scenery, his heart didn't skip a beat.

"Someone's coming. Let's go, I'll explain on the way."

They had been together for less than a day, but they knew clearly that Yuki didn't joke about serious matters. Hayasaka Ai and Mai quickly fastened their buttons and followed the man out through the rear door.

This was a staff corridor, with a narrow staircase leading directly to the ground level. The three hurried along under dim light strips, already hearing shouts coming from the breakroom behind them.

They had been discovered. The police wouldn't charge blindly like zombies, but a single phone call would summon firepower they couldn't hope to counter.

"Hayasaka, did you download the map?" Yuki took the stairs two at a time, his fingers constantly brushing the hilt of his blade.

Hayasaka Ai didn't speak, simply raising her phone. It had no signal, but it could still function as a tablet.

"And where are Li Dan and the others?"

"He and Thomas split up. He's hiding somewhere on West District Cross Street with that rich guy. Should we rendezvous?" Mai Sakurajima had been keeping in touch with the outside.

"Yes. He's a veteran player, and his combat power is higher than ours. Don't hesitate to lean on him when you need to. Keep the line open."

Yuki nodded heavily, though he found it strange. Why did these two veterans only team up at the critical moment, preferring to act separately otherwise?

Was it just because they didn't like each other? To the point of risking their lives?

He didn't have time to dwell on it and asked, "And the thing I asked you to look into—any leads?"

"I checked online and found an interesting phenomenon. See for yourself." Hayasaka Ai handed over her phone, which was covered in sparkly decorations. The screen displayed several screenshots.

The images looked like travel tips, claiming the Moonlit Ancient Castle was the most beautiful place. Yuki had experienced this firsthand—he had nearly been 'loved to death' there a few hours ago. But as he glanced at them, his brows subconsciously furrowed.

March 21st, 02:00--08:00

March 22nd, 00:00--08:00

March 23rd, 22:00 (-1 day)--08:00

A very strange astronomical phenomenon. It truly had nothing to do with Earth. The sunrise time remained constant, while the night was growing longer by two hours every day.

Judging by the midnight bell at the castle, the players arrived at the end of March 21st. It should be March 22nd now. The moon would rise at 10:00 PM tonight and set at 8:00 AM on the 23rd.

Yuki was startled. He had already confirmed from the bonus rewards that one 'day' consisted of three moonrise-moonset cycles, which had nothing to do with real-world time.

In other words, if one failed to discover this key point, even if they used a max-level account to grind the dungeon, they would only have twelve days. Even a god would fall.

Because after twelve days, it would be eternal night. Even if they turned the castle into a sea of blood and corpses, they would never be able to escape.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just suddenly realized this game is insidious. Relying solely on brute force is a dead end."

Hayasaka Ai nodded. She had realized it too. No wonder Li Dan and Thomas were willing to gamble; they clearly knew that conventional thinking wouldn't lead to a good outcome.

She wanted to ask more, but at that moment, the sound of leather shoes clicking on the floorboards came from upstairs. Hayasaka Ai's expression tightened, and she instantly drew her axe, only for her hand to be pressed down by Yuki.

"I'll go."

The man didn't waste words. He charged up the stairs, grabbing an office chair stacked in the corner as he went. He climbed another floor, and just as he rounded the corner, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of dark blue uniforms.

Two police officers wearing octagonal caps and blue uniforms were clearly startled by the sudden appearance of a person, and without a word, they swung their pitch-black gun barrels around.

No warnings, no chatter, they pulled the triggers immediately.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gunshots echoed through the stairwell. Yuki held the chair above his head; after Reinforcement Magecraft, the thing was harder than a steel plate. As sparks flew, bullets ricocheted everywhere.

What the hell is this? How is it not piercing through?

The two officers leaned back instinctively, twisting their wrists to shoot at Yuki behind the chair, but the two sides were already too close. It was too late to adjust their aim.

Thud!

A flying knee slammed one officer hard against the wall. Yuki turned, swung the chair to knock the other enemy to the ground, and rushed over to strike the first man's neck with the butt of a pistol. The man's eyes rolled back, and he slumped limply to the floor.

Hoo, hoo, hoo.

Yuki panted heavily, steadying his racing heart. He glanced at the dents in the office chair and winced.

Even without using his full strength, and even with an ordinary office chair, Reinforcement Magecraft at the Mastery level should have been enough to make a zombie break its teeth. Yet, it was only just enough to block direct pistol fire, and the inertia had numbed his wrists. Indeed, this game was full of illusions.

You think the castle zombies are the deadly part?

Yuki looked up, hearing the dense sound of footsteps approaching from above, his eye twitching.

No, this seemingly normal human society is even deadlier!

Chapter 24: Growth

The piercing power of firearms went without saying; the armed forces of this city were quite elite, and their hostility was intense.

No warnings, just drawing guns and firing—didn't they fear hitting innocent bystanders?

Yuki looked at the subway uniform he was wearing. A normal person would have hesitated, but if he hadn't prepared Reinforcement Magecraft in advance, he would have been taken out by those two shots.

They really just execute on the spot? That's illogical.

Just as Mai Sakurajima had said, the police's primary goal should be to arrest suspects, even if it meant keeping one alive to cough up information on their accomplices.

There was no time to overthink. Yuki carefully observed the two officers and even pulled a family photo from their pockets, confirming they were ordinary humans.

Confirmed: they were normal people.

He leaned down to pick up a revolver and tucked it into his waistband. Mai Sakurajima and Hayasaka Ai had just caught up, immediately seeing the two police officers sprawled on the ground.

"You didn't kill them?"

"Yeah, no need. Remember Hint Five?"

[Hint Five: Everyone has the right to bathe in the moonlight.]

Hayasaka Ai thought for a moment, not understanding what it meant, but Mai Sakurajima let out a soft exclamation.

"Crimson Moon City, there's a crimson moon here too!"

"Right, we can verify it tonight. Before then, it's best not to violate the hints." Yuki was meticulous and cautious. He looked up slightly, hearing the footsteps drawing closer along with the barking of police dogs, and quickly scanned his surroundings.

There was no hallway, no exit, only discarded tables, chairs, and cabinets in the corner. Running downstairs was also a dead end; other squads were surely searching from different directions.

This was a desperate situation. Even if he swapped in Li Dan and Thomas, they couldn't hold off the endless stream of enemies.

"Use the Ego Trait, let's get out of here first."

The reward he had just received came in handy immediately, a seamless transition. Hayasaka Ai snapped her fingers, as if pulling two pure white masks out of thin air.

"I haven't made contact with these two, so I can only simulate their appearance. Also, once used, I have to wait six hours."

"If we don't use it, we die right now." Yuki reached out and snatched them, putting one on his face. He felt nothing, but in Hayasaka Ai's eyes, he had transformed into a two-hundred-pound white man.

Authoritative, professional, someone who ate too many donuts, cursed constantly, and would draw his gun at the sight of anything black.

An illusion that altered the perception of others; in this situation, it was more useful than combat skills.

Yuki didn't have time to reflect on it. He looked at Mai Sakurajima and shoved the other pistol into her hand. "You run downstairs, make some noise, and draw them away."

Shoot?

Mai had used prop guns in a TV drama, but this was her first time holding heavy, real steel. Still, there was no time to worry about that; the dense footsteps were at most two floors away.

"Quick, help me, throw them into the cabinet, or we're dead."

Yuki hoisted the heavy man up and shoved him into the cabinet with all his might. He had just closed the door when the dense footsteps reached them.

Click.

The sound of a bolt being pulled back made his heart nearly stop, yet he felt a strange illusion that these men were allies. His face didn't show a hint of fear.

Does it carry over some of the original's personality even if I've never met them?

He glanced quietly at the dozens of armed police officers, immediately dropping to one knee and pointing his gun down the stairs.

"There are three suspects, they're fleeing downstairs!"

After saying this, he stared straight ahead. If he couldn't fool these people, there would be no room for resistance.

Although only a few meters separated the two sides, within seven steps, a gun is both fast and accurate.

"Friendly fire, lower your weapons."

A deathly silence held for several seconds before the sergeant in the lead raised his hand. With a clattering sound, the pitch-black muzzles were finally lowered.

The sergeant seemed unfamiliar with supernatural powers; at the very least, an instantaneous transformation was outside his cognitive grasp. He walked down the steps with his gun raised and asked in confusion:

"Why aren't you two chasing them?"

"My partner's gun was snatched by the terrorists, so we are waiting for the main force to provide backup," Yuki replied calmly, though he was growing anxious inside.

This Fool Mask had no memories, and he knew nothing about Crimson Moon City. If they asked a few more questions, he would inevitably be exposed. To make matters worse, there was now a dog's head at his feet.

The dog, which looked like a German Shepherd, stuck out its long tongue and pressed its nose forward. Its heavy, panting breath sounded no different from a death warrant.

If it smelled someone else in the cabinet and let out two loud barks, even a man of iron would be turned into a sieve.

The dog didn't detect anything wrong with their scent, but it poked its head between Yuki's legs, seemingly puzzled as to why there was an identical scent coming from inside the cabinet.

Hayasaka Ai stared at it intently while Yuki flexed his fingers on his gun, ready to take the sergeant in front of him hostage at any moment, but just then—

Bang! Bang!

Muffled gunfire erupted from downstairs. It was very close, and in the confined space, it made their ears ring. The dog opened its mouth and barked wildly, causing the sergeant to immediately duck his head and draw his weapon.

"The terrorists have seized police firearms, everyone be careful."

"What about us?"

"You two, get back and write your reports."

"Yes."

As if granted a reprieve, Yuki hurriedly retreated to the side and watched as fully armed officers swarmed past them. They came in a continuous stream, likely numbering more than a few dozen.

Because the enemy had guns, they appeared exceptionally cautious, keeping their backs to the walls and aiming at the corners as they inched their way down step by step.