Home (13)

The next day, 9:00 a.m., a self-service gas station in the outskirts of Southward City.

NB711 was parked in front of the pump. After a few operations, Chu Yu took the nozzle and filled the tank with gasoline.

Ding Shi went to the restroom while the others got out to stretch their legs. Captain Chu Yu said, "Sun Heaven will drive next, and Mu Mu will navigate. Brother Kai and Ding Shi, rest in the back seat."

Everyone agreed. An SUV pulled up to another pump, and a thin man in a black suit and black sunglasses stepped out of the driver's seat. Everyone glanced at him. He was not a robot, probably a player, so they paid him no mind. They had chosen this gas station because it had no cameras. The Fishy Team was currently like frightened birds.

Then the Fishy Team watched the man in black draw a handgun, smoothly chamber a round, and point it at the four of them. "Move and you die. All of you, get on the ground." His tone was casual, as though he were exhausted, or simply unwilling to waste time on them.

Chu Yu asked, "Are you robbing us?"

The man in black said, "I'm searching you."

Brother Kai stepped forward with a placating smile. "Brother, molesting players can get you reported. Name your price. We don't have much money, but..."

The man in black sighed, seemingly too lazy to talk to them. "Get on the ground. Three, two..."

"Okay, okay." Brother Kai crouched down, preparing to lie flat. Mu Mu suddenly cried out and fell beside the car. Everyone instinctively looked at her, and Brother Kai sprang up and lunged at the man in black.

The man in black whipped up a high kick, his heel slamming into Brother Kai's right cheek and sending him flying a meter away. Brother Kai crashed to the ground, his mouth full of blood. As he coughed, he spat out two molars.

Everyone was shocked by how viciously the man in black had struck, but he merely shrugged and aimed the gun at Brother Kai. "Searching you after killing you works too."

"Stupid Dagger?"

Ding Shi's voice rang out. The man in black, Stupid Dagger, turned around. Their eyes met, and the next second, sparks flew.

Ding Shi took two steps forward. Stupid Dagger swung the gun toward him, but Ding Shi grabbed his right wrist. Their heads slammed together, forcing them both back a step. Ding Shi had the advantage in height and weight and recovered faster. His right hand chopped toward Stupid Dagger's gun hand. Stupid Dagger pulled the trigger, but Ding Shi had already gripped the firing pin, and the bullet did not fire.

Stupid Dagger leaped up and kicked Ding Shi in the chest. They separated and retreated several meters, and the handgun fell to the ground.

They charged at each other and began brawling. Stupid Dagger hooked his right arm around Ding Shi's neck from behind and sank his teeth into Ding Shi's shoulder. Ding Shi repeatedly hammered Stupid Dagger's head with his left fist, but Stupid Dagger refused to let go, tearing with all his strength. Only when his head slammed into a pillar did his mouth come off Ding Shi's shoulder.

The two separated, gasping heavily and glaring at each other with savage eyes.

Stupid Dagger spat out a mouthful of blood and flesh, drew a dagger, and held it in a reverse grip. Ding Shi pulled out the dagger he had found in the female dwarf's drawer and held it in a forward grip.

Stupid Dagger gave a feral grin to bolster his courage. Showing a mouthful of bloody teeth, he howled like a madman and charged forward. Ding Shi flicked his wrist and threw the dagger. It stabbed straight into Stupid Dagger's throat, piercing his windpipe but avoiding the veins and arteries.

Stupid Dagger stopped, unable to believe it.

Ding Shi walked over and punched the slow-reacting Stupid Dagger to the ground. "Even pigs improve. You only know these two fucking moves. You're worse than a pig. Your whole family is worse than pigs."

Stupid Dagger tried to get up, but Ding Shi kicked him in the face, sending him rolling before he crashed down again.

The dagger had gone in deep, and Stupid Dagger did not dare move recklessly. He struggled to stand again and again, only to be knocked down by Ding Shi each time. Ding Shi grabbed Stupid Dagger by the hair and hauled him up, then punched him back to the ground.

Stupid Dagger laughed from the ground. It sounded like a broken bellows, unbearably grating. Ignoring everything, he forced out a taunt. "Ding Shi, you're finished. You never expected I have a clone, did you? I'll chop you into minced meat, starting with your hands and feet. I'll chop you to pieces bit by bit."

Ding Shi asked, "How do your memories get passed to your clone?"

Stupid Dagger said, "Huh?" Why had he never thought of that?

Idiot! Ding Shi pulled the dagger from Stupid Dagger's throat and stabbed him in the abdomen. The blade pierced his stomach, and gastric acid spilled out, corroding Stupid Dagger's internal organs and making him slowly die in agony.

Ding Shi smiled. "So, you still won't admit you're stupid?"

Stupid Dagger twisted his body. "No... My clone will definitely know you're here."

Ding Shi planted his foot on Stupid Dagger's body. "You were stupid from the beginning. You should have joined forces with me against Wang Meng, not joined Wang Meng against me. Honestly, it would have been pretty hard for me to kill Wang Meng. Luckily, he teamed up with a pig teammate like you and delivered his head right to me."

Unable to endure it any longer, Stupid Dagger snarled, "Fuck you."

Ding Shi said, "When I say you have no brain, you think I'm insulting you. I'm actually stating a fact. By the way, how did you become AI's lapdog?"

Stupid Dagger's abdomen felt as though it were on fire. He wanted to die, but could not die just yet. "Kill me, and I'll tell you."

Ding Shi thought for a moment. "You didn't die in Peach Haven Village, did you? No way. No way. Calling you Stupid Dagger was overestimating you."

"Fuck." Stupid Dagger tried to fight desperately, but Ding Shi firmly pinned his chest beneath his foot.

Ding Shi said, "You died in Peach Haven Village, and the system gave you a resurrection mission. Players who died in Peach Haven Village became agents? The war police maintain order and enforce the law; they do not protect AI. But you are AI's lapdogs, attacking us to protect AI. Am I right?"

Stupid Dagger wanted to die. He also wanted to gouge out Ding Shi's eyes. Beneath those eyes, every expression of his had been seen through. Ding Shi only needed to mutter to himself, and Stupid Dagger's expressions would tell him whether he was right.

Ding Shi pondered. "There's a small issue with the details. You can't attack us in front of the war police either, can you? Electronic eyes are AI's eyes. It can delete footage of you attacking us and keep it from being sent to the war police. But the war police are independent units that uphold order. If they discover you attacking me, they will arrest and hunt you."

Ding Shi said, "But we can't attack you in front of electronic eyes, because AI will send the footage to the war police and put us on the wanted list."

Stupid Dagger clutched his abdomen and laughed with difficulty. "Ding Shi, who kills without batting an eye, is actually playing a game this seriously. So funny, hahaha!" The more he spoke, the funnier it seemed, until he laughed hard enough to pound the ground.

Suddenly, Stupid Dagger's laughter stopped. He asked, "If you, me, and Wang Meng joined forces, could we rule a Four Symbols City?"

Ding Shi froze. After quite a while, he said, "You're about to die."

Stupid Dagger said, "If you're willing, tell my clone that you're willing to work with me to rule Four Symbols City. We'll become the best of brothers."

Ding Shi said, "I killed your whole family."

Stupid Dagger said, "Even if you hadn't, sooner or later they would have died by my hand."

Ding Shi said, "I killed you too."

Stupid Dagger said, "But I'm still alive. Think about it." As he spoke, he stuck his fingers into his throat and tore open an artery. Blood sprayed out.

"Think about it, think about it." As Stupid Dagger spoke, his eyes fixed on Ding Shi slowly closed.

Ding Shi sighed. This guy truly refused to change even in death. He saw himself as Gotham City's Joker, destined to become a king watched by all. To achieve that goal, he could abandon everything, because the Joker had also become a king after losing everything, being humiliated, and being mocked.

Ding Shi turned around and saw his four teammates. Other than Mu Mu, the other three all looked afraid, their eyes carrying a hint of wariness toward him. Mu Mu was only wary, not afraid. She held Stupid Dagger's handgun, but she had not pointed it at Ding Shi.

Ding Shi bent down and took Stupid Dagger's stun grenade, rubber baton, dagger, and 150 bloodstained instance coins. He asked the Fishy Team, "Shall we go?"

Chu Yu looked at Mu Mu. Mu Mu gave a slight nod, and Chu Yu said, "Everyone get in the car. We need to leave immediately. Give me the money." She held out her hand toward Ding Shi.

Ding Shi handed the 150 instance coins to Chu Yu. Chu Yu went to a nearby vending machine and bought three medical kits. One medical kit cost 50 yuan—an absolute luxury.

Chu Yu put the medical kits into her backpack and said as she walked, "We'll treat the wounds once we reach Blackwater Gully Road. The patrolling war police and agents should arrive here soon."