The train compartment was quiet, with only the whooshing sound of the train speeding along the tracks.
Everyone was taking the opportunity to rest, except for four people who took the initiative to stay on guard in different areas.
Gu Jiu glanced at them briefly before looking ahead. The long train was empty except for their group. Outside the train tracks was a deep, impenetrable darkness, devoid of the usual advertising billboards.
The announcement for the third station arrival sounded, its beeping waking up some of the exhausted passengers.
Old Hei, as per his usual practice, threw something into the subway station when the doors opened. The object exploded in the deserted station, but nothing abnormal occurred.
“Boss?” someone called out hesitantly.
Old Hei stared at the empty subway station outside with a heavy expression but didn’t respond.
As the door’s closing beep started, someone urged again, “Boss?”
Old Hei wiped his face and said, “Forget it. Let’s check the next station.”
Hearing this, the group seemed somewhat disappointed but didn’t question Old Hei’s judgment. They held back, watching as the train doors closed and the train continued forward.
Old Hei sat back down and looked at Gu Jiu across from him, explaining, “You can never predict the dangers in each station, and the risks in the station can change at any time. Sometimes, a lack of reaction doesn’t mean it’s safe. Some monsters intentionally hide, waiting for players to walk right into their traps.”
Gu Jiu nodded slightly, understanding that Old Hei was imparting his experience to her.
“What was that thing you threw out earlier?”
Old Hei chuckled. “Just some little gadgets to make noise in the subway station. If anyone were inside, they’d likely react to the noise. As you know, a station with people usually means it’s less dangerous.”
Compared to the deadly monsters in this game world, encountering other players was certainly safer.
The rule of Multiverse Game prohibiting players from harming each other was the most reassuring in this game world. Unless they were cornered with no escape, players wouldn’t attack each other to mutual destruction. This rule ensured players’ survival and reduced unnecessary conflicts.
If there were many players in a station, it typically indicated the area was relatively safe, making it worth the risk to disembark.
—
“Damn it, why did I take this mission? There really is no such thing as a free lunch. The reward was so high—turns out this job is impossible for a human!”
A rough voice echoed, accompanied by a series of loud crashes.
“Sister Chai, hang in there!”
“Think of the 20,000 points reward they’re offering! That’s equivalent to the maximum income of four C-level worlds.”
“You’re the goddess Chai! Don’t give up now!”
Her companions around her encouraged her fervently.
Chai Yingying spun on her heel and delivered a powerful kick, sending a nearby zombie flying into the wall. She roughly wiped the sweat from her face to keep it from blurring her vision.
The group of players had formed a tight circle, surrounded by an endless wave of approaching zombies.
Chai Yingying wielded a dagger, its blade sharp enough to cut through metal. However, the zombies’ skin was so tough that each slash required great effort to sever their necks. Only decapitation could stop the zombies from pursuing the players.
These undead were not zombies; being grabbed or bitten by them wouldn’t infect the players, as long as they didn’t die outright. But it hurt—a lot.
As Chai Yingying continued to sever the undead’s heads, she observed the surroundings. The entire subway station was packed with the undead, so densely crowded that it made her vision blur.
The train was still eleven minutes away. They had to hold out for that long.
But even three minutes felt torturous, let alone eleven.
Chai Yingying felt irritated. Since becoming a game hunter, this was the first time she had encountered such a frustrating and difficult task. This game world was a nightmare. If she’d known, she wouldn’t have been tempted by the 20,000 points reward.
Although her teammates were cheering her on, they weren’t in much better shape.
“Sister Chai,” someone called out, “it feels like there are more undead coming! What do we do?”
The players, fighting shoulder to shoulder, glanced up. The undead were everywhere, and even more were pouring down the stairs, sending a wave of despair through the group.
“I thought subway stations were sealed! Where are these undead coming from? Just two days ago, when we passed this station, there weren’t this many undead!”
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have chosen to get off here.
“Sealed or not, it doesn’t matter to them. They probably have their own ways of getting in.”
“Hey, do you think the world outside the subway station is some kind of apocalypse? Like Resident Evil, and we players are being forced to clean up their mess?”
“That’s possible!”
“Do you think there might be a boss-level undead controlling all of these? If we can find and kill it, maybe the rest will retreat.”
“That makes sense!”
“Sister Chai, what do you think?”
Chai Yingying, exasperated by the suggestion, snapped, “With so many undead, how am I supposed to know which one is the boss?”
Even if they did know, how were they supposed to fight their way through this sea of undead to get to it?
The players understood the logic, but it didn’t make them feel any better. Frustrated and desperate, they continued fighting for survival, slaying the undead one after another.
Chai Yingying made a decision. “Move closer to the train platform.”
As long as they made it to the train when it arrived, they’d be safe.
The group fought with all their might, carving out a path for themselves.
Suddenly, a corpse was hurled from the escalator above, smashing into the pile of undead at the elevator entrance, toppling several of them.
What was going on?
Before they could react, another undead corpse fell from above, then another, and another, until a cascade of undead bodies piled up on the ground.
Chai Yingying’s spirits lifted. She quickly led her team toward the escalator.
They hacked their way through the crowd, reaching the base of the escalator where the number of undead had noticeably decreased. Most of them now lay lifeless on the ground.
Chai Yingying looked up toward the top of the escalator and saw a figure—a tall, slender person in a black dress. The backlight obscured their face.
In “her” hand was a black sword. Step by step, the figure descended the escalator.
Other undead remained on the escalator, but none posed a challenge. With a casual wave of the sword, the figure sent them flying, clearing the path entirely as they advanced.
What strength! A true powerhouse has arrived!
The players stared in awe, their eyes sparkling, as the figure descended the escalator. Gradually, they could see more clearly—a cold and aloof beauty, exuding a melancholic elegance. The aura of a beautiful, strong, and tragic individual was on full display, making “her” presence both compelling and intimidating.
Chai Yingying’s eyes also lit up with excitement as she waved enthusiastically. “Lu Ji, you’re here too!”
Although she had resolved last time not to cross paths with Gu Jiu in the game world, the current situation was dire. This game world was perilous beyond comprehension, and they had no clue how to clear it. If a stronger player joined forces with them to find a solution, Chai Yingying wouldn’t even mind splitting the points reward.
Thinking about Gu Jiu possibly being here, her eyes sparkled with hope. She couldn’t wait to meet her. After all, that “young lady” was reliable in critical moments, so much so that even a fellow woman like Chai Yingying felt tempted to lean on her and bask in her strength.
Lu Ji walked down the escalator at a steady pace, neither hurried nor slow.
Her expression was calm, and her pitch-black eyes were devoid of light. The stillness in her gaze contrasted sharply with her pale, sickly complexion. To unfamiliar players, she was the epitome of cold and mysterious allure—the perfect representative of a beautiful, strong, and tragic character, with an inexplicable charm that made people want to worship her.
Chai Yingying glanced enviously at the dress Lu Ji was wearing and casually asked, “Did you just enter this game world?”
To be this powerful while wearing a dress—clearly an undercover pro! Chai Yingying herself loved wearing dresses, but this game world was far too dangerous for impractical outfits.
Lu Ji nodded silently and asked, “Have you seen Ah Jiu?”
“No,” Chai Yingying replied. “If I had, I’d be thrilled!”
Lu Ji’s expression darkened slightly, a wave of despair and frustration emanating from him. While humans couldn’t fully perceive it, the non-human creatures around them seemed to sense this oppressive energy.
A group of undead lunged toward her, but before anyone could see her move, the creatures fell to the ground, their heads severed cleanly from their bodies.
Watching her easily dispatch the undead, the players became even more certain she was a powerhouse. They eagerly signaled to Chai Yingying, urging her to recruit this cold, mysterious figure into their team.
Chai Yingying asked, “Lu Ji, do you want to join us?”
While absentmindedly slashing at nearby undead, Lu Ji seemed to be processing information from scattered paper figures delivering messages to her. “I’m looking for Ah Jiu,” she replied.
Chai Yingying hesitated before offering, “Don’t worry. With Gu Jiu’s strength, she’ll definitely be fine. We can team up and look for her together.”
Lu Ji finally looked directly at the group, her gaze sweeping over them.
There were ten players in total, all seasoned veterans. However, her eyes quickly moved past them as she stated flatly, “No need. Dead weight.”
The group: “….”
Her blunt dismissal made the players’ hearts ache with frustration. Just as they were about to glare at her indignantly, she lightly swung her sword, and the nearby undead collapsed in droves, like a row of dominoes.
The group: Forget it, forget it. You can’t mess with a powerhouse.
Chai Yingying’s eyes sparkled even brighter. She was determined not to let Lu Ji slip away and eagerly said, “Oh, don’t be like that! You know what they say—strength in numbers! We can help you look for her. Maybe we’ll even find her faster. You probably don’t know much about this game world yet, right? Let me tell you: this subway system has 25 stations, with two trains running back and forth…”
After hearing her explanation about the death train, Lu Ji realized she had a point.
Players didn’t stay in one place—they were constantly moving between stations, just like the trains. The chance of encountering Gu Jiu by luck was slim. Joining this group and searching station by station seemed like a more efficient strategy.
“Alright.”
Hearing her agreement, Chai Yingying almost wanted to burst out laughing.
If they managed to pull Lu Ji into their group, could that elusive young lady be far behind?
Her heart brimming with joy, she still put on a serious face and said, “You’ve made the right choice. Gu Jiu is quite capable. Trust me, you’ll meet her in no time.”
Lu Ji let out a quiet hum, the icy sharpness in her gaze softening just a little.
Noticing this subtle change, Chai Yingying grinned cheekily, then leaned in and asked in a hushed tone, “So, how far have things progressed between you and your young lady? Have you managed to bend her yet?”
Lu Ji: “….”
Humans, at their core, are incurable gossip lovers, and Chai Yingying—the self-proclaimed “points scavenging witch”—was no exception.