“Huff… huff…”
Heavy breathing echoed through the subway station, accompanied by the flickering lights above, as if a ghostly presence was closing in.
“Are you okay?”
Wu Yang glanced at the person lying on the ground while keeping a vigilant eye on his surroundings.
In his hand was a slender military knife, his weapon of choice. It was a tool he was well accustomed to, having used it often in the past. Holding it now gave him a sense of security and made him all the more formidable in this game world.
“I… I’m fine,” Wan Xingzhou replied in a trembling voice. Allowing himself only ten seconds to rest, he forced his battered body upright. The moment he moved, pain surged through his abdomen as the wound reopened, causing his face to pale even further.
Wu Yang noticed the blood rapidly staining Wan Xingzhou’s midsection and quickly said, “Tend to your wound first. I’ll keep watch here.”
“Thanks, Brother Wu,” Wan Xingzhou said gratefully, wasting no time in pulling aside his blood-soaked clothing to treat his injury.
Wu Yang chuckled lightly. “Don’t mention it. You’re Gu Jiu’s friend.”
He had once served as Gu Jiu’s guide, helping her navigate the game world for the first time. Although their time together had been brief, he had later heard about her progress from Qi Yuheng and was genuinely pleased. He felt that Gu Jiu had chosen a path perfectly suited to her strengths.
Wan Xingzhou attempted a smile, but the searing pain turned it into a grimace.
Despite the pain, he couldn’t help but feel a sliver of joy. He regarded Gu Jiu as his benefactor. Thanks to her, he had quickly established a partnership with Wu Yang. Without Wu Yang’s help, he might have been killed by the subway station monsters as soon as he entered this game world.
Wu Yang had been in the game for seven days, giving him far more experience than Wan Xingzhou, who was a newcomer. With Wu Yang’s guidance, Wan Xingzhou had managed to avoid many dangers. For someone as unlucky as him, every step seemed fraught with mortal peril. Surviving here required far more effort and sacrifices than it did for others.
This game world, in particular, was riddled with traps and crises for someone like Wan Xingzhou.
Finally, after treating his wound and taking a hemostatic pill, Wan Xingzhou managed to stand up again.
Wu Yang said, “Let’s board the train as soon as possible. We’ll head to the first station, then catch the return train. It’ll be easier to find a place to rest once we’re on board.”
For someone injured, the priority was to find a safe place to recuperate. Even a few hours of rest could make a difference.
Wan Xingzhou nodded. “I’ll follow your lead.”
The two of them made their way to the lower level of the subway station to board the train.
They weren’t the only players at this station. Some players had grouped together, while others acted alone. Regardless, everyone was cautious and on guard. Many bore visible injuries, indicating that they too had been battling the monsters.
Wan Xingzhou quickly glanced around before averting his gaze.
The two chose a spot with fewer people, maintaining a safe distance from the other players who were also waiting to board.
In the tense silence, a beam of light pierced through the darkness of the tracks.
The light was blinding, like a ray of salvation breaking through the shadows. The expressions of those present shifted to ones of barely contained relief and excitement.
The rumbling of the train entering the station grew louder, followed by a series of beeps as the train doors opened.
The group of players, weary from their recent battles, boarded the train. It wasn’t until the train left the station that their tense expressions finally eased, replaced by a sense of hard-earned relief.
Finally, they could get a brief rest.
“Take a break,” Wu Yang said quietly. “This forward train isn’t particularly safe; ghosts and monsters could appear at any moment.” He paused for a moment, then added, “Of course, the return train isn’t exactly safe either, but there are fewer monsters compared to this one.”
His gaze subtly swept over the passengers on the train.
There were about a hundred players on board, some from previous stations and others who had boarded here. If any monsters appeared, everyone could band together to handle the situation. This mutual understanding was why, despite the wariness between players, they all still chose to board the same train.
Wan Xingzhou, pale-faced, smiled weakly. “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Brother Wu.”
He knew his current state all too well. Right after entering the game world, he had been ambushed by a monster lying in wait, resulting in a deep abdominal wound—a long slash that nearly cut him in half. Thankfully, Wu Yang had appeared and saved him. However, the constant fleeing that followed had left his injuries only haphazardly treated, with the wound threatening to reopen at any moment. For now, he could barely manage to protect himself; if real danger struck, he would have to rely on Wu Yang.
Wu Yang patted him on the shoulder and encouraged him to rest.
This was the tenth station, and it would take two and a half hours for the train to reach the first station.
If nothing went wrong, Wan Xingzhou could use this time to rest and recover. Players in this world had higher self-healing capabilities than ordinary people, and with the help of the medicines from Boundless City, recovery could be relatively quick.
The other players in the train car were also trying to rest. The train moved steadily, stopping at a station every fifteen minutes.
At each stop, more players from other stations boarded the train.
By the time the train reached the third station, the number of passengers had swelled to nearly two hundred.
Wan Xingzhou dozed off, only to be jolted awake by a piercing scream. Instinctively, he leaped to his feet, gripping his crimson demon-slaying sword tightly across his chest, ready for battle.
“It’s fine,” Wu Yang reassured him, standing tall and steady like a straight young poplar tree. “At the third station, a few ghosts followed some players onto the train but were quickly dealt with. One player, unfortunately, was dragged off the train by a ghost.”
Wan Xingzhou blinked his dry, fatigued eyes, understanding the grim fate of the player who had been dragged off.
He sat back down, noting that the number of players in the train car had grown close to two hundred. It seemed many players had boarded this forward train to reach the first station, where they could switch to the return train.
The benefits of traveling in a group were becoming apparent. Whenever a ghost appeared, everyone worked together to push it off the train.
“This time, we’re lucky,” Wu Yang said softly. “There usually aren’t this many players on board. In all my time here, this is the first time I’ve seen so many players taking this train.”
Wan Xingzhou grinned sheepishly. “It must be because of you, Brother Wu. Good luck comes with you.”
He was well aware of his own capabilities—or lack thereof. Just not being a burden was his main goal; there was no such thing as luck on his side. It seemed that Miss Gu Jiu really knew how to pick friends—her friends were all lucky. He resolved to cling tightly to her metaphorical golden thigh in the future.
The train finally arrived at the first station.
Some players got off immediately, while others cautiously observed their surroundings, checking for the two notorious threats: the Hunter and the little girl, Sasha.
As the warning chime for the closing doors rang out, the hesitant players gritted their teeth and chose to get off the train.
Wu Yang led Wan Xingzhou off the train without hesitation.
If it’s meant to be, there’s no avoiding it. And if they didn’t take advantage of the current large group of players to disembark, waiting for the next train would mean facing greater risks alone.
Wan Xingzhou noticed some players heading toward the upper levels of the station and couldn’t help but ask, “What are they doing?”
“Isn’t the first station supposed to have two very dangerous monsters?”
Wu Yang explained, “Since neither the Hunter nor the little girl Sasha has been spotted, they’re likely trying to take advantage of the opportunity to explore the first level. Even though many players have already explored here, there might be clues that were overlooked.”
Players were not just trying to survive—they also needed to search for clues to clear the level. This game world was exceptionally dangerous, and the daily struggle for survival was wearing everyone down. They were exhausted, frustrated, and desperate to escape the terrifying and deadly train.
Wan Xingzhou remained silent.
Not long after, blood-curdling screams echoed from the lower level, followed by someone shouting, “The Hunter is here!”
Every player’s face paled as they scrambled to find cover. Some hid behind walls or corners, while others kept as far away as possible from the elevator and stairwell, searching for the quickest escape routes.
Wu Yang grabbed Wan Xingzhou and dragged him behind the wall of the escalator for cover.
The Hunter appeared on the second basement level, cloaked in black and wielding a massive axe. He cut through players like a scythe through grass, leaving a trail of blood and bodies in his wake.
With a sharp clang, someone managed to block the Hunter’s axe with a weapon.
The other players seized the moment and attacked the Hunter from all sides.
Wan Xingzhou’s heart leaped to his throat as he saw Wu Yang charge toward the Hunter, driving his military knife straight at him without hesitation.
Dozens of players surrounded the Hunter, barely managing to hold him off. Injured players quickly retreated to treat their wounds while the others pressed on as best they could.
Though the players didn’t know each other and were wary of being used as cannon fodder, they instinctively banded together against the Hunter. Facing him alone meant certain death—it was better to fight back as a group.
The air was thick with the stench of blood. The scene was more horrifying than a murder site, and many players’ eyes turned red, not just from the gore but from the pain of witnessing the carnage around them.
A bright light suddenly appeared at the end of the dark tracks.
“The train is here!” a loud voice shouted, jolting everyone into action.
“Does anyone have something to stall the Hunter? We just need a few seconds!”
“I’ve got a fishing net!”
…
Players shouted across the room, their desperation cutting through the chaos. No one held back now—there was no room for selfishness.
Beep, beep, beep!
The sound of the train arriving echoed through the station.
As the train doors opened, a green fishing net was hurled over the Hunter. Though it appeared to be an ordinary net, it was clearly a special item.
The net ensnared the Hunter, trapping him for five crucial seconds before he tore through it with his axe.
In that brief moment, the players pushed themselves to their limits, sprinting onto the train at breakneck speed.
The last image Wan Xingzhou saw as the train doors closed was the Hunter standing just outside, his massive axe in hand, staring in the direction of the departing train. Behind him lay a sea of mutilated corpses, severed limbs scattered everywhere, and blood soaking the already crimson station.
Wan Xingzhou shuddered, clutching Wu Yang for support as they boarded the train.
After experiencing so many game worlds, none had been as perilous as this one. The endless crises were enough to drive anyone to the brink of despair.
“Brother Wu, are you okay?” he asked as he helped Wu Yang sit down. Taking out medicine and bandages, Wan Xingzhou began treating Wu Yang’s wounds.
The Hunter was overwhelmingly powerful. Players who had fought against him were all injured to varying degrees. As they sat down to tend to their wounds, pain etched across their faces, there was at least some solace in the fact that they were still alive.
This time, reaching the first station had cost the lives of nearly thirty players.
It could be said that their successful boarding of the train was paid for by those thirty lives. Though none of them knew those players personally, an uncontrollable wave of sadness and grief swept through everyone’s hearts.
Wan Xingzhou carefully treated Wu Yang’s injuries and offered a small comfort. “Brother Wu, this is just the fate of players. While it demands our lives, at least we’ve experienced things that ordinary people never could.”
Becoming a player meant severing ties with ordinary life. They gained wealth, status, and sights that normal people could never dream of. In a way, it was worth it. Wan Xingzhou had always embraced a “live one day at a time” philosophy. His cheerful and optimistic demeanor helped him endure the harsh realities of the game world and fight for survival.
Wu Yang listened silently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
After finishing Wu Yang’s treatment, Wan Xingzhou leaned back to rest.
They had finally boarded the return train. All they needed to do now was find a safe station to rest.
The train traveled along the dark tracks, its steady rhythm filling the silence.
Amid this steady sound, the sharp clicking of high heels striking the train walls echoed loudly, sending chills down everyone’s spines. The players jolted upright, instantly alert.
All eyes turned in horror toward the front of the train.
“The woman in red high heels is coming,” someone whispered in a trembling voice.
Wan Xingzhou didn’t fully understand the situation but could tell from the players’ reactions just how terrifying this entity was. His scalp tingled with dread as he instinctively tightened his grip on his last Six-Spirit Resentment Bead.
The woman in red high heels finally appeared. Her face was twisted in fury as she waved a single hand wildly, her voice an enraged scream.
“Give me back my hand!”
Everyone fell silent.
Her hand… was missing?