Chapter 44

Chapter 44

No one wants to die.

Before giving up on "life," everyone will want to continue living. It's an inherent instinct.

Thus, Yang Manqing and Meng Bei eventually boarded the elevator leading to the ninth floor.

But apart from them, others also entered the elevator—they all wanted to witness the trading process with the Ferryman. It might become part of their experience for future levels.

When the elevator doors opened on the first floor, they found Yino already inside.

This wasn't particularly surprising. In fact, Yino would daily visit the floors where the players congregated to update them on the day's situation or delegate tasks to the temporary crew members. However, today was unique as everyone began their activities without waiting for him.

Thus, the moment the elevator doors opened, everyone heard Yino's troubled murmur, "Ah... we're out of fuel..."

After saying this, Yino only then noticed everyone congregated at the elevator entrance. He quickly mustered a smile, clasping his hands before his chest, eyes gleaming as he asked in a hopeful tone, "Ah? Are you all eager to earn money today? Everyone seems so impatient. Let me share some good news—"

Holding up two fingers in a 'V' shape, signaling victory, he joyfully announced, "Today, serving the esteemed guests will grant double rewards!"

However, his statement barely made a ripple among the crowd. They simply looked at him, their faces expressionless and silent.

Xie Yin Xue was the first to approach the elevator. With a courteous smile, he said, "Deputy Yino, could you step aside? You're blocking the elevator button."

Caught off guard, Yino stepped aside, allowing space, and watched as the young man pressed the button labeled '9' with his slender finger.

The button didn't light up, and the elevator remained still.

Xie Yin Xue pressed it a couple more times.

"What's going on?"

Someone questioned Xie Yin Xue—

"Is the ninth floor inaccessible?"

"Why isn't the light on? Is the elevator broken?"

The others joined Xie Yin Xue in the elevator, pressing the button for the ninth floor themselves. Upon seeing no response, they all voiced their confusion.

There was no limit to the elevator's capacity— and it was obvious why: if the elevator could bear the weight of such massive monsters, how could it be overloaded by just a handful of people?

But with the influx of people, the already diminutive Yino, looking almost like a young boy, was pushed into a corner, his foot accidentally stepped on by someone.

"Ouch!"

He let out a pained cry, but no one paid him any attention. Everyone was solely focused on figuring out why the ninth-floor button wasn't working.

So, Yino had no choice but to raise his voice again, "Do you all wish to go to the ninth floor? To access the ninth floor, you'll need a black coin."

Saying this, Yino took out a black coin from his pocket and held it up for everyone to see.

Only then did everyone turn their attention back to him.

"Yes," Xie Yin Xue stepped back, yielding his spot in front of the elevator buttons to Yino, and with an inviting gesture, he said, "Deputy Yino, then we'll be relying on you."

Throughout, Xie Yin Xue remained poised and courteous.

But Yino, looking at Xie Yin Xue, felt an unsettling aura from him, sensing he might be the most unpredictable and dangerous of them all.

Yino pressed the number nine button with a black coin, prompting the elevator to slowly begin its ascent to the ninth floor. As it passed the seventh floor, Yino inquired, "Is no one alighting on the seventh floor? Today there's a double gold coin reward, you know."

Still, no one responded.

Frustration colored Yino's face, his lips quivered, and his eyes grew misty as if he were about to cry. But, with their newfound understanding of his true nature, none of the group found his demeanor to be pitiable.

As the elevator opened on the ninth floor, Yino brushed away a non-existent tear and announced, "Captain Hè'ěr, someone's here to see you."

The ninth floor's decor wasn't especially luxurious — at least not as lavish as many had imagined. Instead, there was something... cozy about it?

For instance, the large round bed in the room, covered in a soft, warm yellow plush fabric, looked so inviting that it made one want to snuggle in. Overhead, twinkling lights hung, shining like stars even during the day.

However, the room's occupant stood with his back to them by a floor-length window, his silhouette emanating an aura of detachment. When he finally turned, his cold, gray eyes seemed bathed in a chill, devoid of warmth.

The group exchanged glances, but Xie Yin Xue remained unfazed; after all, he had seen this bedroom just the night before.

Yino addressed them, "What do you seek from Captain Hè'ěr? Speak now."

Su Xunlan nudged Fang Long gently with her elbow, prompting him to step forward and ask, "Captain Hè'ěr, are you the Ferryman?"

Hè'ěr replied with a voice devoid of emotion, "Are you here seeking my help?" He neither confirmed nor denied his identity as the Ferryman NPC.

Just as Fang Long was about to assertively reply, Yun Qian interjected, sharing her experience, "Ferrymen NPCs usually don't directly acknowledge their identities. So, in future game rounds, think before you speak."

Xie Yin Xue couldn't help but look at her with new respect. If every round had kind and experienced participants like Yun Qian and Nana, many unnecessary troubles would be avoided.

However, someone like Su Xunlan, pretending to be a newbie while actually being an experienced player, especially one who had transacted with the Ferryman, was truly a wildcard.

Fang Long, however, repressed the response he initially intended to voice.

Nana added to Yun Qian's point, "But in this round, Captain Hè'ěr most likely is the Ferryman."

Fang Long then turned to Su Xunlan, teasingly suggesting, "Xunlan, since you're so sure he's the Ferryman, why don't you go first?"

Xie Yin Xue, observing subtly, noticed Su Xunlan's fingers twitch upon hearing Fang Long's words.

— Realizing she wasn't entirely sure after all.

Fang Long's comment, however, had cornered Su Xunlan. Although the group's trust in her was dwindling, if she hesitated now, their opinion of her might hit rock bottom.

She had many more rounds to complete... if she encountered participants from this round in the future, she'd need some semblance of credibility. So Su Xunlan resolved.

In the next instant, she lifted her head with feigned confidence and approached Captain Hè'ěr, stating, "Captain Hè'ěr, I've encountered some difficulties and seek your aid to ensure my safety."

Having spoken, she held her breath, awaiting his response.

To the onlookers, she appeared utterly composed.

"Very well," Captain Hè'ěr nodded, his gaze indifferent and voice icy, "Extend your hand."

Su Xunlan did as instructed, extending her hands towards Captain Heller.

The man then placed a black coin in her hands, saying, "This is a coin imbued with pain and regret. With it, both darkness and light will make way for you. Yet in the end, you too shall answer its call with pain and regret."

"See." Su Xunlan closed her eyes, whether relieved at having found the correct Ferryman NPC or sighing at the price she was about to pay. "I've never mistaken a Ferryman NPC before."

Wen Renyan raised an eyebrow, quickly spotting the inconsistency in her statement. "So, you admit you're not new here, but have seen the Ferryman NPC in previous instances?"

Su Xunlan opened her eyes, realizing she had inadvertently revealed too much. Yet, feigning calmness, she responded, "So what? I've always identified the Ferryman correctly in every instance. With his help, I won't die."

After speaking, Su Xunlan turned to Heller, asking, "Captain Heller, what price must I pay?"

Unexpectedly, the man replied, "You've already paid it."

Su Xunlan looked stunned, seemingly puzzled.

She was about to ask more when Fang Long, filled with impatience, interrupted, "What about me? Captain Heller, do I just need to extend my hands as well?"

"Yes."

Captain Heller confirmed.

As he placed the black coin into Fang Long's palm, he repeated the words he had just told Su Xunlan.

Zhu Yikun couldn't help but comment to Xie Yinxue, "Mr. Xie, don't you think what Captain Heller said sounds a bit chilling?"

"It's normal," Yun Qian overheard and explained once more, "Whether a real or imitated Ferryman NPC, they always recite a similar phrase when making a deal with the game participants."

Nana sighed and added, "Yun Qian and I used to think these words were just the instance's way of scaring us, but after hearing what Mr. Xie said about the eventual fate of those who trade with the Ferryman NPC, we understood it as a prophecy."

It's both a prophecy and a warning, an inevitable endgame set in motion from the moment the transaction is made.

——For every gift bestowed by fate comes with a hidden price. ①

Yet, despite securing the life-saving black coin from Captain Heller, neither Su Xunlan nor Fang Long knew the price they'd paid. It wasn't until Meng Bei and Yang Manqing stepped forward, reaching out to Heller, that the man gently shook his head.

That gesture signified that they couldn't afford the price Heller demanded, hence he refused to grant them the black coin.

As the two women stood there, stunned, Yino laughed and, with a hop and a skip, approached them. Whispering as if sharing a secret, she said, "Captain Heller is quite eccentric. He dislikes many things, especially the scent of blood. To win his favor and protection, one must have clean hands."

Yang Manqing, puzzled, asked, "Clean hands?"

"Our hands are clean!" Meng Bei stared down at her own hands, "Where's the blood?"

Wan Mo lowered her eyes, whispering, "…There's blood. It's Shu Guangxuan's."

At the mention of that name, both Yang Manqing and Meng Bei froze. They looked at their hands, seemingly seeing the blood they had washed away for so long in the bathroom after dismembering Shu Guangxuan with a saw.

"But why?" Tears welled up in Meng Bei's eyes, a mix of disbelief and resentment. "He tried to kill me first! I was just defending myself!"

"If it was just self-defense, you could've knocked him out and fled," Yino tilted her head, her face wearing an innocent smile and a hint of curiosity. "Why did you not spare your esteemed guests' compensation?"

Yang Manqing argued, "But they said once we've agreed, we can't stop the performance, nor can we back out."

Xie Yinxue spoke gently, "Indeed, if you all had agreed, why did you change your minds?"

Yang Manqing and Meng Bei were stunned. Eventually, as if drained of all strength, they slumped to the ground, silently shedding tears.

"Come now, don't be so despondent," Yino was the first to console them, kneeling beside the pair. Yet, his consolation felt more like mockery, "We have plenty of time. We can still earn money."

"Money?" Mentioning money reminded Meng Bei of the two rubies they had earned. She hastily pulled them out, asking Yino, "First Mate Yino, how much can these fetch here?"

"These?"

Yino took a look at the rubies, then pursed his lips and shook his head, "These aren't worth much here."

"How can they not be valuable?!" Yang Manqing exclaimed in disbelief, "They must have value!"

"To esteemed guests like you, they are indeed precious – invaluable treasures you'd want to reclaim. But they can't be exchanged for gold coins here."

Yino's smile was radiant, his sky-blue eyes gleaming like gemstones. There wasn't a hint of malice in his gaze, yet his words felt like a massive hand from the abyss, dragging people into a bottomless hell.

He said, "As you know, esteemed guests might lie, but I never deceive."

Indeed, the guide NPC, Yino, always speaks the truth—the truth he wishes to convey.

Xie Yinxue unexpectedly pulled coins from his sleeve. After giving Zhu Yikun two gold coins and the leftover silver, he split his remaining gold coins between the two women, "Yino's right, there are still two days. Don't lose hope."

Seeing this, Yun Qian suggested, "Aside from Su Xunlan and Fang Long, there are ten of us. A room on the first floor costs one gold coin per night per person. If we each keep just three gold coins for accommodation and food, we can give the rest to Yang Manqing and Meng Bei to help them out."

Fang Long and Su Xunlan found this unfair, protesting, "We've paid a price! If they pass the challenge like this, what does that make us?"

"Alright."

Without paying heed to them, Wan Mo was the first to agree with Yun Qian. She gave them almost all her remaining gold coins, apologizing to Yang Manqing, "I'm sorry for not paying for your passage that day. I disliked how you spread rumors with Shu Guangxuan and Shen Jun, claiming I got my promotion by sleeping with stakeholders."

"I still think what you did was wrong, but I can't say what I would've done in your situation. I just..." Wan Mo trailed off, perhaps empathizing with their grief, finally saying, "I hope you both survive."

Wen Renyan and He Yao, after setting aside daily expenses, also contributed their remaining coins.

"Right," Han Si approached and patted them on the shoulder, "I'm willing to work as a temporary crew member for another two days. I'll contribute whatever I earn."

Tears welled up in Yang Manqing's eyes as she clutched the coins, "I'm sorry... I truly am. I just wanted to survive..."

Xie Yinxue recalled hearing such words in the previous instance. He couldn't discern whether Yang Manqing's current remorse was genuine or a fleeting sentiment at death's door, but this moment of apology felt sincere.

He had someone he wanted to apologize to, yet he never uttered a single 'sorry.'

Xie Yinxue looked solemn, surrounded by an aura of sorrow. But everyone's attention was on Yang Manqing and Meng Bei, and without Liu Buhua present, no one noticed him, his emotions, his very being.

Just like after Chen Yuqing's death, when he lived alone atop the Mingyue Cliff, hardly anyone spoke to him each year.

Modern technology further isolated him from his family. One phone call was all it took to keep in touch. Yet, even if the entire Shen family cared for him, he felt distant.

He had to live this way, and he couldn't die.

Everyone else could perish, but not him; he had to live.

Yet, it was alright. He had since taken many as his adopted sons. Although only Liu Buhua regularly stayed by his side to "fulfill filial duties," this year he gained a young disciple to nurture. Perhaps this New Year would be livelier.

"Hey, wait! What do you mean? Aren't you going to continue serving the esteemed guests?"

As Yino inquired, bewildered and irritated, Xie Yinxue looked up and smiled. He had always been so gentle and kind. When everyone noticed a hint of rosiness in his usually pallid complexion, they simply attributed it to him finally looking a bit healthier.

"I'll do it," Xie Yinxue said to Yino, also calling Zhu Yikun over, "Mr. Zhu, could you help me move the massage chair to the seventh floor?"

"Oh, sure," Zhu Yikun quickly got to work, his agility contrasting with his physique.

The others dispersed, resuming their work to earn money just like before. Only Yino was left bewildered, circling the group inside the descending elevator, trying to persuade them, "Providing service to the esteemed guests today would yield double the gold coins. Aren't you tempted?"

Yi Xiaoli, holding Yi Zhongjie's hand, approached Yino, echoing his earlier words, "First Mate Yino, I've come to understand that money only corrupts. Only through hard work, sweat, and dedication can we pave the way to a brighter future!"

Hearing this, Yino's eyes widened, exclaiming in distress, "No—!"

Every move Yino made was an exaggerated performance. So when he dramatically covered his face shouting "No," the group broke into their first relaxed smiles since entering the instance.

Xie Yinxue couldn't help but chuckle, watching Yino weeping in the corner of the seventh floor.

After laughing, he decided to share some good news with Yino, raising his voice slightly, "First Mate Yino, I'll be providing services for the esteemed guests today, but I'm offering something different."

The blonde woman, who had coveted Xie Yinxue's massage chair for so long, flapped her fan and retorted, "What's so different? Surely you're not willing to sell the chair to me?"

"Exactly," Xie Yinxue replied with a raised eyebrow, "I plan to sell it today."

The blonde woman froze, her fan dropping from her hand.

Xie Yinxue caressed his beloved chair, frowning slightly, "Besides, this chair uses a unique energy source. It charges just by being exposed to sunlight and can last forever. I'm somewhat reluctant to part with it."

Upon hearing this, the blonde woman immediately placed her bid, "Two hundred gold coins!"

The old man with the green watch was also interested, promptly countering, "Three hundred!"

"I offer one thousand!" A hand adorned with a ruby ring shot up from the crowd of esteemed guests, holding a bag of coins, "Cash on hand!"

"You're all insane!"

Overhearing the skyrocketing price for the massage chair, Yino began to intervene, reprimanding the guests, "You're driving up the price! That chair is worth only thirty gold coins! Thirty!"

Without hesitation, Xie Yinxue rose, lightly stepping over the heads of the guests and grabbed the bag of coins, "Sold for one thousand gold coins!"

It was then that Yino's threat emerged, "Whoever overpays for this massage chair, get off my ship!"

The esteemed guests revered Yino, so the one who bought the chair, before he could even celebrate, was swiftly carried away by sailors emerging from the elevator. Witnessing this, Xie Yinxue surmised that the guide NPC might have even more authority than the ferryman NPC, as Heller's life-saving coins for Fang Long and Su Xunlan merely made the "darkness" and "light" avoid them.

At first glance, this statement sounds cryptic, but when stripped down, it simply means all monsters and spirits on the ship won't attack them.

Holding the pouch of gold coins, Xie Yinxue sighed for the guest who was thrown off the ship: "Farewell."

Having said that, he quickly darted into the elevator.

The guests, eyeing the massage chair with envy, meekly inquired Yino, "First Mate, now that the chair’s owner is gone, is it available for public use?"

Yino's smile faded. He scoffed coldly, sneering, "Dream on! It's to be confiscated!"

"No—!"

The mournful outcry from the guests mirrored Yino's earlier exclamation.

Initially, Xie Yinxue felt the "Lock of Immortality" game could bring him clients, seal deals, and alleviate his physical ailments. Only now did he truly grasp the sheer joy of gaming.

At night, except for Fang Long, Su Xunlan, Meng Bei, and Yang Manqing, all the participants pooled their money to stay in Room 109 on the first floor. They deemed this room lucky: Xie Yinxue survived there, and so did He Yao and Wen Renyan. They too were about to welcome dawn there.

But Xie Yinxue didn't want to stay there.

He gave more than nine hundred gold coins to Yang Manqing and Meng Bei.

The reason it wasn't a thousand was that he reserved ten gold coins for himself to stay in Room 199, the closest to the deck hatch—making escape convenient.

Although he noted the window he shattered the day before was now boarded up, it wasn't a major concern. Did they really think some mere planks could restrain him?

Xie Yinxue didn't even bother pretending to stay in Room 199 for a few minutes. The moment the eight o'clock bell rang, he unleashed his red satin hair tie and slashed at the boarded window.

In an instant, the boards were split in two.

Xie Yinxue crawled out, using his pear blossom bracelet and hair tie for leverage, and once again leapt to the ninth-floor balcony.

Then…

He knocked over another grill.

Xie Yinxue quickly stepped back to avoid the smoke and rolling meat, frowning as he defensively exclaimed, "What happened? I recall the grill wasn't here yesterday. I made sure to avoid it."

Indeed, the grill's position had changed because today Heller wasn't sitting on the couch grilling; he stood.

Still holding the meat tongs and with an inscrutable expression, his voice took a colder edge, "I changed its location fearing you'd return."

"Oh," Xie Yinxue responded indifferently, adjusting his disheveled attire. Only after tidying up did he look up, smiling warmly, "Then it's Captain Heller's fault, not mine."

Heller: "…"

He couldn’t comprehend how someone like this could exist in the world.

Author's Note:

① Quoted from Zweig.

NPC: One "nine" isn't enough for you. You want rooms for two "nines", and to meet the real "nine". Tsk.

Xie Lao: ?