Chapter 186
Mai Sakurajima immediately understood that Yuki was interested. She took out a bamboo scroll, and the young man, being quite straightforward, signed the contract in his own name.
The boy named 'Li Mo'an' promised to tell the truth, Yuki Squad was willing to provide equivalent information.
"We can provide intelligence. You've been Reconnaissance various deathmatch arenas, haven't you? Here's some free intelligence to offer." Li Mo'an touched his nose, his playful expression turning cold.
"Including you, there have been at least six player teams participating in the dungeon, and now we know of three remaining."
Oh, that fast?
Yuki also somewhat surprised, as he hadn't even seen the other players yet and most of them had already been eliminated. He listened carefully to the boy's complaints.
"This shitty dungeon is too hard, no, to be precise, the combat atmosphere is too intense, it's all about killing each other at the drop of a hat. Even if those story characters are a little weaker than the players, they can often turn the tables and kill them. And they also have the advantage of the terrain. That shitty arena, either your legs are shaking when you stand on it, or you get carried away and rush in to fight to the death."
As if he had finally found someone to confide in, he began to complain incessantly, and Mai Sakurajima and the others nodded in agreement.
Poor mental fortitude leads to tension that prevents one from fully utilizing their abilities, while excessive mental fortitude makes one susceptible to being infected by the frenzied atmosphere. Yuki's initial purpose in opening the Night Domain was also to shield himself from mental corruption.
"These characters in the story are all melee fighters; you can't beat them by fighting desperately. It gets harder and harder as you progress. Fighting seven or eight battles a day leaves no time to recover your stamina."
"What if it's a tag team battle?" Hiyori suddenly interjected.
The light, airy voice pleased the young man, who patiently replied, "Not to mention that lone wolves can't engage in a war of attrition, each team has its own strengths and weaknesses, so there aren't many people suitable for that kind of battlefield. And then the fifth hint is even more deadly."
"If one player is defeated, it's equivalent to the entire team being defeated. If a player is defeated three times, the entire team will be wiped out, even if the others didn't participate in the battle?" Hiyori had already thought of this; it was precisely the key question she was eager to answer.
"That's right, this instance seems free, but it actually traps players." The boy sighed, his face full of sorrow.
It was obvious that this intelligence had been obtained by their comrade at the cost of his life, which silenced the three people in the car. No wonder they were in such a hurry; they only had one chance left to be defeated, or they would all be wiped out.
It's truly fraught with hidden dangers. Even the most experienced player teams won't have many members suitable for combat. After several battles a day, even the most hardcore player will be exhausted.
The characters in the story aren't stupid either. They might underestimate their opponents at first, but they're unlikely to accept being ganged up on later. It's mostly one-on-one or two-on-two situations, which brings us back to the starting point:
Those who will face the challenge are still just the same few dedicated combat players, aren't they?
'My guess was right. If many seeded players could reach the Warriors level, the Cult would have intervened long ago, instead of just talking.'
As Yuki pondered, he continued listening. Perhaps to demonstrate his willingness to cooperate, the boy provided an important piece of information:
The deathmatch rules apply to the entire city, including battles between players and civilians. Once a deathmatch begins, teammates cannot interfere with each other.
"You mean, a team of players fled the arena to hide, but got into a fight with random players, and were punished by the game because their teammates forcibly interfered in the battle?"
The boy turned around in surprise. The man who had just been sitting on the bench had somehow appeared by the car, closing the distance and making the boy feel a great sense of pressure.
The monster, just like Brother Zhang, handled all the battles.
He instinctively shifted his body backward and answered honestly, "Yes, the whole team was attacked by the entire street, so it's dangerous for us to fight one-on-one, but being ganged up on is tantamount to death."
That's true. The fighting ability of the citizens is obvious to all. Even if the player can crush a few of them or defeat dozens, it's impossible to survive an attack by hundreds of people.
As we've seen and heard along the way, only a few have actually started the fighting; most people are just stirring things up. If those stirring things up were to roll up their sleeves and get involved, things would definitely turn out badly.
Therefore, is hint 4 both a restriction and a form of protection?
Yuki is no stranger to this; it's like the elevator in the Demon Hospital —the rules restrict both sides while also protecting the players.
The group exchanged glances, all feeling a bit lingering fear. They thought to themselves that it was fortunate they had learned the "essence of survival" and hadn't blindly tried it. Looking at the heavy traffic outside, with hundreds of people on the street, they feared that Yuki would be beaten to death.
In other words, if you follow the rules in tip 4, you won't get ganged up on. It's a bit like triggering a random mission, and the deathmatch is done in rounds.
Unfortunately, I wasn't alone this time; Hiyori and her upperclassman weren't much of a fighting force.
Many thoughts flashed through Yuki returned to the main point. "How did you know this information? And how did you know there are still three groups of players left?"
As the pressure intensifies, all eyes are on the boy. The truth may not be the whole story; don't let everyone analyze it for a long time only to be misled by fabricated tales.
Li Mo'an didn't show any weakness; instead, he straightened his chest and said, "Because of Brother Zhang's reputation, we did our best to contact the players after entering the instance, preparing to unite and conquer it together."
Finding five groups of players in two days is quite efficient; I never imagined reputation could be used in this way.
Yuki nodded silently, just as he had been interested in the name "Two-Gun Zhang" that the boy had mentioned earlier. That Brother Zhang had been cultivating his reputation, and at least he was quite famous on the Player Forum, unlike people like "Artist" who had a notorious reputation.
Is this considered a mainstream player in the alliance? Too bad I can't learn that.
Those who can play this style must be fearless in real life, unafraid of enemies coming to their door. If Yuki wanted to unite other players solely based on his reputation, people would only ask:
Who the hell are you?
"But Brother Zhang still couldn't save the players."
"There's nothing I can do. With Prompt 4 in place, even if Brother Zhang wanted to help, there's nothing I could do." Li Mo'an chuckled awkwardly, then said dejectedly, "Once the Deathmatch starts, those who interfere will be punished, and players can't enter other Deathmatch arenas to help. We're lucky if we can even exchange information. Let me be frank."
He kept checking his watch; clearly, this time for conversation was something Zhang Ge had risked to get, so he didn't have time to waste with Yuki.
"Based on the player groups we've contacted, leaving the storyline means certain death—either from being worn down by random players or eliminated by the Cult. The only way to make a dignified exit is with the help of us players, but..."
"But in a deathmatch arena, there's only one group of players, so it's impossible for them to meet on the stage unless they overcome the arena's limitations." Yuki his sentence for him, returning the favor:
"You told Two-Gun Zhang that his guess about hint 5 was correct: becoming a hero allows one to transcend the Deathmatch Arena and gain lasting respect. And I've verified that this respect doesn't diminish upon losing a title."
This is it!
Excitement was practically written all over Li Mo'an's face. He was risking being taken advantage of for free just to get this intelligence.
Simply leaving is not enough. To move around in this city that is a powder keg, you must have 'respect' and exclude a large number of citizens, otherwise you will not be able to move an inch.
Nobody's a fool. Everyone figured out what the Cult was up to, and the defeated players were worthless and would definitely be eliminated.
"Authenticity guaranteed?"
"Of course, after all, I'm a warrior now, and I can obtain more intelligence."
"I can see that, otherwise I wouldn't dare risk being taken advantage of." The young man smiled slyly and extended his hand. "We can only cooperate with you. Don't worry, once we break away from the plot and go into the shadows, our team will definitely be able to help."
Yuki glanced at his hand but didn't shake it. Whether he would help or not remained to be seen, but she wouldn't let herself be taken advantage of.
Becoming the champion and uncovering the secret— Two-Gun Zhang clearly abandoned the first main questline. And the second main quest isn't something you can just hide in and wait for; how can they return without completing the main quest?
"One last question, why don't you go find the third group of players?"
"Then why don't you go find the third group of players?"
"That's Adam, a notorious madman." Li Mo'an was chuckling as he withdrew his hand when he suddenly looked up. "Huh, you don't know him?"
Yuki didn't recognize him and hadn't had time to gather information in the real world. He only suspected that the 'Adam' on the big screen was a player, but judging from the boy's expression, he knew there was no need to doubt it.
This is the second time I've heard the name Adam.
He still remembered Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's solemn expression, and seeing this knowledgeable young man looking so frightened, he immediately understood why Two-Gun Zhang hadn't chosen the first path.
At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but then I thought it was quite normal.
Ayanokoji had reminded Yuki that it was no coincidence that Hiru was searching for him.
Adam?
Yuki looked up and saw a picture appear on the giant screen across the street. It was of a bald man with dark skin, strong muscles, and wearing a blood-red fang mask.
The art style was exactly the same as this dungeon, but a line of small text below made his pupils shrink slightly.
Number of wins: 98.
This isn't scary at all; it's clearly a problem with the screen. Even if Yuki is being cunning and deliberately trying to make it uninteresting, a normal player would only be able to play twenty or thirty matches in two days at most.
How did he manage to get 98 matches? All the warriors in the IV Deathmatch arena combined don't even have that many. And why is he the only one who gets to be on the big screen?
Yuki instantly felt a deep sense of threat. His mind raced, and he raised his finger to point at the screen opposite him.
"I agree to cooperate, but first you need to have a proper talk with me about this Adam."
Chapter Sixteen: Indeed, the people are simple and honest (4K)
With the roar of the engine, the red sedan drove away, and Li Mo'an immediately returned to report after receiving the cooperation agreement.
Yuki stood in the middle of the road, and the traffic automatically parted to both sides. This was clearly the city's highest respect for the warrior, but he had no intention of enjoying it, as his mind was filled with a huge amount of information.
It's normal for Two-Gun Zhang to seek cooperation; he's under even more pressure than Yuki, and he's currently fighting tooth and nail in Arena II.
Too many warriors were interested in him. He had played nearly 30 games in two days and was already exhausted, but he still had to keep fighting. He had to become a warrior to be qualified to carry out the subsequent plans.
"I thought Ayanokoji was exaggerating, but it turns out he even saved on adjectives." Yuki gave a wry smile. Descriptions are always vague, but now he has a point of reference.
The equally famous 'Pure White Warrior' on the forum died at his hands. He was a veteran player, almost on par with 'Artist' and others. The key was the way he was killed.
Two-Gun Zhang and Pure White Warrior were old friends. The two teams established a connection when they entered the dungeon, but before they could even team up to clear it, Pure White Warrior was wiped out by Adam, who barged in.
"That's not right. I guess there should only be one group of players in each deathmatch arena. How did they meet?" Shiina Hiyori was analyzing the information when she looked up, her face full of confusion.
Reminded by this, Yuki was also a little confused. The Reincarnation Game has a pattern to it, and there are probably eight groups of players in the eight deathmatch arenas.
"Unless he didn't go where he was supposed to go, we were also taken there by Abate." Hayasaka Ai said uncertainly by the car.
Hiyori thought about it seriously for a few seconds, then shook her head. "That's impossible. The deathmatch arena is pre-arranged, and there's no refusing, unless..."
"Unless he completely ignores the guidance and kills the guide." Yuki her sentence for her, then remained expressionless, though his eye twitched.
There's even a solution where you kill the guide and then have free movement?
Yuki had actually considered this before, but being cautious by nature, he was afraid that it would provoke the Cult's hostility. Calamity of Blood was far more serious than being blinded by the Bystander Is Blind; the mere presence of the citizens on the street would be enough to give the player a hard time.
No normal person would dare to attack the Cult the moment they enter the dungeon. Didn't this guy even analyze the warnings?
"I suddenly understand why he's a madman. It has nothing to do with courage. Adam would love to be hunted down by the entire instance so he can carnage a bloodbath."
Yuki's words stunned everyone. They had participated in many dungeons, but this was the first time they had encountered a player like this.
It's incomprehensible and utterly absurd. While a normal person is still analyzing the hints word by word, he's already taken action—a classic case of his hands moving faster than his brain.
"A complete madman. Even without a deathmatch, he would slaughter all the players. No wonder Two-Gun Zhang sought cooperation." Hiyori muttered to herself. Adam was practically her opposite; it was quite an eye-opener. She said somewhat dejectedly, "..."
"But he inadvertently did the right thing. Judging from the Cult's reaction, they not only didn't hold him accountable, but also valued him highly."
Of course, how could someone being hunted possibly appear on the big screen, and then be thanked for killing members of the Cult? This instance is truly absurd.
"This could be considered a hidden strategy. We're all worried about hint 6, Adam is doing the opposite. From what I've observed, it's not wrong to do it this way."
Yuki was deeply involved in the storyline, which revolves around killing and glory. As long as you are strong enough and can defeat people with conviction, you will only be greeted with cheers.
"So, there are two sets of rules in this instance." Hiyori interjected excitedly. The information Li Mo'an exchanged was very important, at least it saved a lot of time.
"The rules of the game, and the rules of the Cult?"
"Yes, the rules of the game cannot be broken. They bind the players and the characters in the story, just like the group of players who were ganged up on and killed, and the 'respect' we receive." Hiyori stuck her head out of the car window, her bright blue eyes shining.
"But the Cult's rules are different; they're more like using force to coerce players into following a script they've set."
Just like the unbridled Adam, just like Yuki's unique fighting style, just like that flexible red line, just like the rule that players cannot go to other deathmatch arenas, she and Mai Sakurajima- senpai were stopped by the guards, not bounced back by some invisible wall.
All signs can confirm the answer, just like the old saying:
Rules are rules, but people are flexible.
"The more important I am, the more flexible their rules will be, so that they won't be willing to kill me." Yuki grasped the key point, and he also had an idea on how to enhance his value.
He continues to participate in the storyline and keep fighting. The fewer warriors there are, the more valuable he becomes. Two-Gun Zhang's plan is also a form of assistance.
Players are important, right? If the third group of players is no longer eligible to become the champion, then there are only two groups left to choose from.
"But what about Adam?" Mai Sakurajima asked, pointing across the street with a worried expression. "The Warriors' Battle—if Adam is assigned to you for the very first match, can you win?"
"We probably can't win, but the chances are very low." Yuki waved his hand. He had disgusted the Cult, so he couldn't just walk away easily. "Who starts with the main course? Remember my and Hiyori's deduction?"
They deduced many things, but one thing was truly related to the current situation, and its possibility was growing stronger.
Adam is undoubtedly a protagonist in this instance, while Yuki is the antagonist. Since the Cult's rituals require a fanatical atmosphere, there's now a shortcut:
Let Adam and Yuki meet in the final battle, allowing their long-suppressed emotions to finally erupt.
A most lovable warrior, a scheming villain who hides his true intentions and disgusts the audience; what's even more wonderful is that they are both players. There couldn't be a more wonderful script.
"There's one more crucial point, everyone think about it carefully." Yuki considering his own situation, Yuuki thought of the team, "The Cult can't be unaware of why you haven't taken hostile actions, can it?"
The Cult may act erratically, but they are not mentally deficient, so of course they are not completely ignorant.
In fact, Mai Sakurajima was constantly testing the limits. At first, she was very careful, afraid of being followed or something, but later she simply approached the guards openly.
Logically speaking, what they are doing is detrimental to the Cult, and if they were to dig deeper and uncover more information, it would be too late to stop them.
So far, the Cult has neither intervened nor even mentioned it much.
"Didn't you make up a rhyme? Something like 'Hospitable Yadu Town, Simple and Honest Folks, Bloodlight City,'" the senior student asked with a smile, always wanting to laugh whenever she recited it.
Yuki couldn't laugh. He shook his head and said, "That's the result. I want to know why the people are so kind and honest."
"Are they so confident they can do whatever they want? Let us investigate, we won't find the ultimate secret anyway?" Kaguya asked tentatively, recalling the path of kingship in the book.