Unreliable Teammates

Liu Xing looked down at what he was wearing. Sure enough, he had on a Manchester United jersey, which fit the setting perfectly. More importantly, Liu Xing was a Manchester United fan in real life, so he now had reason to suspect that the Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG Game Hall could read his mind. Did it know he was a Manchester United fan and make these arrangements because of that?!

If that was really the case, it was far too terrifying. If the Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG Game Hall had pried into all his private information, then if it truly wanted him dead in a particular game, it could easily use some of his secrets to set him up.

Of course, it might just be a coincidence. Liu Xing could only comfort himself with that thought.

Liu Xing also noticed that his wristwatch showed it was around eight in the morning. He guessed that although no time limit had been announced this time, the game would probably last about a day. And the BOSS of this Cthulhu Mythos RPG was most likely the Castle Lord.

After a while, the game officially began.

Liu Xing instantly felt a jolt of momentum, because he was currently sitting in a speeding taxi.

After steadying himself, Liu Xing began sizing up the driver and discovered that he was Chinese!

Although Asians, especially people from China, Japan, and Korea, all looked more or less alike to foreigners, Liu Xing was confident that he could tell at a glance what country someone came from.

Therefore, Liu Xing believed that this taxi driver was Chinese and, most likely, a Player just like him.

After all, this was the introductory stage of a Cthulhu Mythos RPG. Players would arrive at the scene of the incident for all sorts of reasons, just as Liu Xing himself was heading to Ains Town because he was interested in the castle.

So, this Player playing the taxi driver might have been heading to Ains Town for his own reasons, then would end up stranded there like Liu Xing for some reason, and finally travel to the castle with him.

Liu Xing felt that his analysis was logical, well-supported, and utterly convincing...

Of course, to be safe, Liu Xing still decided to exchange a code phrase with the taxi driver.

Liu Xing chuckled first, then spoke to the driver in Chinese. "Driver, you're Chinese, right?"

The taxi driver nodded. "Yeah. I immigrated here a few years ago, but my luck was bad and I couldn't find a decent job, so I could only drive a taxi. Once I drop you off in Ains Town, I still need to head back for a tabletop game organized by a friend. I hope I can make it back around four thirty."

Hearing that, Liu Xing was certain that the taxi driver was a Player like himself. The driver had mentioned a tabletop game, and Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG was hugely popular among tabletop games in Europe and America. Moreover, Liu Xing had entered this Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG at around four thirty as well.

So Liu Xing understood that the taxi driver was hinting at his identity.

After all, this was The Real Cthulhu TRPG. It was impossible to know who was a Player like in a Face-to-face Game or an Online Game, so testing each other at the start was absolutely necessary. If you happened to meet an NPC and said something you should not have said, that would count as Meta-gaming. The punishment for Meta-gaming was something no one could accept.

Thus, after a friendly exchange, Liu Xing was delighted to discover that the Player playing the taxi driver was actually a member of the same club as him.

This Player's online handle was Sansi, while the name on his Character Card was Chen Ling. He was exactly the combat-oriented Player Liu Xing had hoped to partner with, because Chen Ling was set up as a retired soldier.

Once Chen Ling learned that they belonged to the same club, his attitude toward Liu Xing improved even further. Especially after learning that Liu Xing was a Doctor, Chen Ling patted his chest and declared that Liu Xing's safety was his responsibility. The two also agreed that, unless something unusual happened, they would act together.

Just like that, Liu Xing had gained himself a bodyguard.

However, Liu Xing soon began to regret teaming up with Chen Ling. Chen Ling was a typical chatterbox. He could turn the most ordinary little matter into an epic tale full of twists and turns. Liu Xing could tolerate that, but Chen Ling had another bad habit: whenever he got carried away, he loved gesticulating wildly. Just now, they had nearly gotten into an accident because Chen Ling had taken both hands off the steering wheel...

Liu Xing looked at Chen Ling speechlessly and began considering the odds of being killed by his own teammate...

After driving the taxi for more than ten minutes, Chen Ling arrived at the main stage of this Cthulhu Mythos RPG—Ains Town.

Ains Town was much the same as any other town in England. The "difference," naturally, referred to the castle west of Ains Town. Of course, it did not look particularly grand to Liu Xing. The castle's main building appeared to be only seven or eight meters tall, probably just two stories, though its grounds were quite extensive—about the size of two football fields. Liu Xing therefore figured that the castle had a Back Garden.

After getting out of the taxi, Liu Xing handed Chen Ling one hundred pounds. This was the fare that "Liu Xing" and "Chen Ling" had agreed upon before coming here, and Liu Xing had to fulfill "his" promise.

Chen Ling accepted it naturally, then helped Liu Xing take a suitcase out of the taxi's trunk. It was clearly Liu Xing's luggage. According to the game prompt, Liu Xin's bottle of green tea that could restore SAN Value, the candy Cthulhu had given him, and the Old Seal Amulet were all inside.

As for what else was in the suitcase, Liu Xing would have to find a chance to open it and see.

Following the plot's progression, just as Chen Ling was preparing to leave Ains Town, Liu Xing saw all four tires of the taxi blow out at once...

Seeing this, Liu Xing could not help complaining that the plot was really half-hearted. Who had ever seen all four tires of a stationary taxi suddenly burst at the same time?

Chen Ling wore an expression that said, I knew this would happen, as he got out and said to Liu Xing, "Looks like I can explore Ains Town with you now. We can also see whether there's an auto repair shop here."

Liu Xing nodded and entered Ains Town with Chen Ling.

Ains Town was not large. Liu Xing and Chen Ling quickly found an auto repair shop, but it was closed. Next door was a Small Tavern that was already open for business.

No matter what game it was, taverns were always a great place to gather information. So, using the excuse that they were fellow countrymen meeting abroad, Liu Xing invited Chen Ling into the Small Tavern for a drink and to ask around for information.

After all, it was still morning, and Ains Town was not very large, so its population naturally would not be very high. Besides the owner, there was only one customer in the Small Tavern, eating England's signature dish—Fish and Chips...

Just as Liu Xing and Chen Ling reached the bar and were about to ask the owner for information, a burst of noisy commotion suddenly rose outside the Small Tavern. Two men and a woman walked in.

The instant the three entered the Small Tavern, Liu Xing heard that familiar Electronic Synthesized Voice again.

"All Players have arrived at the plot trigger point. The guidance stage has ended. The official scenario now begins!"

PS: Thank you all for your support. Please continue to vote and save this story to your favorites. Also, I'm starting to recruit sacrifices—no, I mean supporting characters. Interested readers can leave a comment in the review section. It would be even better if you have a Character Card.