Chapter 91: The Werewolf Community 28

Chapter 91: The Werewolf Community 28

Butterfly was in a terrible mood at the moment.

About half an hour ago, Butterfly discovered that something seemed amiss with their live streaming channel.

The number of people in the channel had remained unchanged for quite some time.

There were slight fluctuations in the digits, giving the total viewership an appearance of stability. However, beneath this calm surface lurked a turbulent undercurrent.

The instance mission has reached its climax.

Butterfly and their team have uncovered a hidden quest.

A novel night game has just begun.

Given these cumulative elements, the number of viewers in the live stream should be steadily increasing.

It ought not to be as tepid as it is now.

Butterfly's brow was deeply furrowed.

As an anchor with an exceptionally unique persona, Butterfly has always been incredibly popular among fans. Whenever going live, the stream would be flooded with an unceasing barrage of compliments, akin to a rainbow of flattery.

But now, the bullet screen comments had notably decreased.

This stirred a vague sense of unease within Butterfly.

In the depths of destiny, the butterfly had an intuition.

Something must have gone awry, yet he was entirely oblivious.

Butterfly stood at the entrance of the Activity Center, his entire figure concealed beneath a black robe, his eyes as cold and tranquil as a deep pool, harboring a sinister glint beneath their depths.

Xue Qijie didn't exchange a single unnecessary word with the other players outside. He dashed into the Activity Center, his expression wary as he observed the others.

The player he had kicked out was named Jiang Tong. Groaning, he struggled to his feet, his face contorted with resentment.

The entrance to the community center was already firmly shut.

Jiang Tong stood still for a few seconds, watching the dust clouds closing in behind him. He imagined the horrifying creatures lurking within them and pressed his lips together tightly before limping away as fast as he could.

Even when he reached the back road of the community center, some curious players still rushed to the rear windows for a glimpse.

Monsters within the neighborhood swarmed to the community center like moths drawn to light, layer upon layer, tightly encircling the modest two-story building.

Although Jiang Tong sustained minor injuries, he was fortunate enough to escape to another location before the encirclement was complete.

Players hidden inside the community center, staring at the monsters outside their windows, gradually felt a growing unease.

While the safe zone currently protected them, who knew how long it would last?

But worrying about it now was futile. They were trapped in a perilous haven, finding it almost impossible to break free.

The activity center was plagued with unstable power at night, and today, not a single light could be switched on.

Butterfly and his puppets occupied the first-floor hall, while the remaining members of Che Qijin's team retreated to the first-floor conference room. The other players dispersed throughout the second floor.

In the pitch-black activity center, invisible explosives seemed to lurk in the shadows, ready to detonate at any moment.

...

Jiang Tong stumbled along the path, fleeing for his life.

Though the monster tide had mainly focused on the activity center, creatures still hid in the shadows elsewhere within the community.

The moon, once bright at dusk, was now concealed by layers of dark clouds.

Dim streetlamps barely illuminated the sides of the road, casting a faint, yellow glow that only shed light on a tiny area beneath them.

Jiang Tong's figure wavered, his steps uneven.

Despite being a player of low level, having just reached C-class in the previous live broadcast, he was quick-witted and agile. Along the way, he encountered several monsters but managed to evade them nimbly.

Unfortunately, Jiang Tong was just an ordinary person, not some chosen one with endless luck.

After being discovered by monsters twice in a row, he had exhausted the last two protective items he had on him.

Encountering another monster would most likely mean his end.

These monsters' attack power and speed were average. Under normal circumstances, Jiang Tong wouldn't be so helpless.

But—

Jiang Tong's face contorted in pain as he held his waist, leaning against the shady corner of a building's exterior wall, gasping for breath.

Though Butterfly's kick hadn't caused any internal injuries, it was still quite painful.

His waist was twisted, and his ribs ached subtly.

In the live stream, the initially tepid atmosphere ignited rapidly within a short period.

The viewer count skyrocketed, and comments flooded the screen.

Jiang Tong glanced at the bullet screen, and his already pained expression twisted further.

"Hehe, let's place a small bet on when the streamer will die."

"Why provoke anyone else when you can provoke a butterfly? Tsk, tsk, tsk."

"What a shame. How did the streamer manage to dodge again? I'm getting tired of watching him escape, but I can't bear to miss the scene of him being torn apart by monsters."

"Come on, come on, streamer! The night is still long, and you won't make it~"

The cold-blooded audience relentlessly mocked and cursed, filling Jiang Tong with hatred.

If not for the butterfly's readiness to attack without warning.

If not for Liu Jing and his argument with the twin-tailed one.

If not for those cowardly souls in the activity center who cared only for their own safety once they were out of danger.

If not for his hypocritical teammates who watched indifferently.

Nor would he have ended up in this dire situation!

If they ever had the chance to meet again, he would make them regret it!

The metallic tang of blood grew stronger within his chest.

Jiang Tong aimlessly fled through the neighborhood.

He wanted to seek refuge in one of the apartment buildings, but all the doors and windows were securely locked as he passed by several complexes.

It wasn't like this in the neighborhood last night!

Jiang Tong was starting to feel despair.

He began to think that the viewers in the live stream were right.

Perhaps he was destined not to survive this night, and all the revenge scenarios he'd imagined in his mind were nothing but empty fantasies.

This feeling of despair took over Jiang Tong's mind entirely after he encountered another monster head-on once more.

Jiang Tong had already lost the will to run.

Running was meaningless anyway. What difference did it make whether he died now or survived for another ten minutes?

Negative thoughts surged through his mind as Jiang Tong's face trembled, and he halted in his tracks.

The monster had no interest in delving into its prey's psyche.

All it knew was that the prey had stopped moving, becoming a piece of flesh within reach.

It was a grotesque ghost with a decaying head, almost unrecognizable as human, resembling the flesh-eating zombies from apocalyptic movies. Its body reeked of a putrid odor.

With each step it took, chunks of flesh fell from its body.

Sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, and viscous liquid dripped onto the ground, splattering onto Jiang Tong's clothes and face, causing a series of subtle yet piercing stings.

Jiang Tong struggled to suppress the instinctive urge to flee. If death was inevitable, he preferred to meet it with dignity rather than in a pathetic state.

Just a fraction of a second before the monster's teeth could tear through the vulnerable skin of his neck and sever his artery.

Through the thin veil of his eyelids, a shimmering light flickered abruptly.

Jiang Tong startled as he opened his eyes.

In the sky, a blinking light akin to a yellow warning signal appeared on the luminous map.

The green circle at the activity center remained unchanged, but in a slightly more distant location, a new yellow circle was gradually forming.

It was—

A new Safe Zone?!!

Before the old one had even dissipated, a new Safe Zone had emerged!

Jiang Tong's dormant heart was instantly reinvigorated with a thirst for survival.

Like an adrenaline rush, he suddenly spun around with uncanny agility, dodging the incoming blow. He dashed towards the direction of the light circle as swiftly as a bolt of lightning!

The new Safe Zone wasn't far from where Jiang Tong currently was, only a few hundred meters away. The monster roared in fury as its prey, the dinner it had almost seized, slipped away, relentlessly pursuing Jiang Tong from behind.

Before the monsters could catch up, Jiang Tong successfully dashed into the new safe zone.

The yellow circle on the glowing map had yet to turn green, indicating that the new safe zone wasn't fully established, but it seemed to have some deterrent effect on the monsters. The zombies pursuing Jiang Tong circled around the edge of the safe zone, their eyes fixated on him.

Jiang Tong swallowed nervously and pulled out a long and sturdy steel pipe from his space – his weapon.

Ordinary as it was, the steel pipe couldn't compare to the players with innate weapons, but it was still somewhat effective against tangible monsters.

The monster's gaze shifted between Jiang Tong and the pipe, hesitantly taking a step forward before involuntarily retreating when its foot touched the edge of the safe zone.

After a few tense minutes, the monster finally quieted down and stood obediently outside the safe area.

More and more monsters gathered around.

This newly formed safe zone was much smaller than the one in the Activity Center, and there were no buildings or cover outside. It was simply a circle drawn on the side of a residential road.

One by one, the monsters were lured towards the new safe zone, gradually surrounding the area.

Jiang Tong threw away the pipe and slumped to the ground, a bitter smile on his face.

How should he run when the time comes?

It was truly hard for him to imagine, so he could only pray that these monsters would leave on their own before the safe zone dissipated. However, he felt that it was wishful thinking.

Lying on his back on the grass, Jiang Tong stared blankly at the glowing map above his head, where a large number two flashed in front of his eyes.

This safe zone could only accommodate two people.

He wondered if anyone else would come.

With this thought crossing his mind, Jiang Tong suddenly noticed a black shadow flash by his side.

He quickly rolled over and stood up, his grip on the steel pipe so tight that his knuckles turned white, veins bulging on the back of his hand.

Had a monster entered the safe zone?

No.

No.

It was a person.

...Seemingly, a player.

Dressed in the inn's uniform, the figure stood with its back to him, bent at the waist in a rather peculiar manner.

Jiang Tong was taken aback.

"…When did you arrive?" Jiang Tong asked.

The person didn't respond. He repeated his question with more emphasis, yet still received no answer.

But the individual turned around.

It was a young male player. Under the dim streetlight, his complexion appeared exceptionally pale, his eyes dark and sunken, while his lips lacked any hint of color. He looked even more terrifying than the ghost standing beside him.

Jiang Tong gasped. "Are you injured?"

The person nodded.

Perhaps the injury was severe, rendering them unable to speak.

Jiang Tong felt slightly reassured and sat back down on the ground.

He sized up the male player, puzzled. "Who were you teamed up with these past two days? Why do I feel like I've never seen you before?"

It wasn't that he was entirely unfamiliar; there was a hint of recognition in the man's appearance.

However, Jiang Tong couldn't recall which team this person belonged to no matter how hard he tried.

In these two days, the players had gradually divided into three distinct groups.

One group followed Butterfly, another followed Xue Qijī, and there were also four or five players whose backgrounds were unclear, forming their own team. Apart from that, there were individual lone wolves.

Scanning the man's face in his mind, Jiang Tong came up empty-handed after a while.

In the instance worlds, there were plenty of bizarre players. Perhaps this person possessed some unique ability or item that allowed them to conceal their appearance.

Jiang Tong didn't take it too seriously. With monsters surrounding them, his mind was preoccupied with the thought of "wondering if I'll see the sun rise tomorrow." His usually meticulous mind had become muddled.

"Hey, do you have any idea how we should run away later?"

Being with someone was always more comforting than being alone in the wilderness. Jiang Tong couldn't resist striking up a conversation with the player beside him.

After giving him another strange glance, the eccentric person turned away again and sat with his knees drawn up to his chest, facing away from Jiang Tong.

Upon hearing Jiang Tong's question, he remained silent for a long while.

Several minutes passed, and Jiang Tong almost forgot what he had just said. Then, out of the blue, the stranger responded.

"Are you saying you're fine with me staying here?"

It was a rather peculiar question.

Jiang Tong was somewhat puzzled by its meaning but, upon reflection, suddenly realized:

Could it be that this person had also visited the Activity Center and received the same treatment as him?

A wave of fellow feeling and sympathy surged within Jiang Tong, and he waved generously, "Of course, I have no objections."

Besides, the situation in this new safe zone was indeed incomparable to the Activity Center. The number of people here wasn't excessive, so this player's presence wouldn't affect Jiang Tong in any way.

The night wind seemed to pick up, rustling the leaves on both sides. Amidst the dark, chaotic sky, the swaying tree shadows merged with the ghostly figures stretching across the field of vision.

Half of the player's body was concealed in the shadows. Upon hearing Jiang Tong, he let out two deep, guttural chuckles.

"Thank you very much."

He finally turned around again.

"If you agree..."

"It would be quite simple."

As he spoke, an eerie gurgling sound came from his throat, his tone slow and staccato.

Listening to him, Jiang Tong couldn't shake off an eerie feeling.

He raised his head to look at the player beside him.

Then, his pupils suddenly constricted!

What he saw was no longer the relatively handsome face from before.

It was a head covered in bumps and wrinkles, with scorched, reddish-brown skin bearing mottled patterns.

The eyes were bulging, the lips swollen, and a long tongue hung limply outside, also covered in brown bubbles that seemed tough and hard, as if...

It had been fried in hot oil.

The bizarre thought flashed through Jiang Tong's mind, and his heart almost stopped beating.

His gaze involuntarily drifted to the other person's neck, where there was a very noticeable mark, as if someone had abruptly severed it and then reattached it.

How could he have missed it just now? !

Jiang Tong's eyes were about to burst from their sockets.

And then, the player on the other side confirmed his assumption with what he said next.

"Hello, my name is..."

An uglier-than-tears smile slowly formed on that grotesque face.

"Ren Ping."

...

"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!!!"

On another street in the community, Ghost Fire unfortunately found himself in another chase once again.

Since Lin Ye and Ghost Fire had teamed up with Qin Fei more than once, many of Qin Fei's fans were familiar with them. Whenever Qin Fei separated from this group, his fans would often shuttle between the two parties, keeping an eye on their movements.

Currently, they were in Ghost Fire's live stream, mercilessly mocking him.

"Hahahahaha, how can you still escape being chased by ghosts even after leaving our Princess Feifei?"

"Have you ever heard this saying? Misfortune is contagious."

"Ghost Fire: I hope we never cross paths in our next lives!!"

Ghost Fire was out of breath, but thankfully, My Sheep and San Tu kept assisting him, preventing him from falling behind.

After turning another corner, the pursuers gradually dispersed, allowing the group to catch their breath.

"My God, damn it!" My Sheep couldn't help but curse as he squatted in the corner. "So that's what 'Undead' means!"

Just ten minutes ago, a major incident had occurred in the activity center.

An actual ghost had infiltrated the players.

No one knew when the ghost had arrived.

It seemed to have disguised itself as a lone player, hiding in the activity center long before everyone else, and had remained on the second floor the entire time.

If not for Xue Qijie's attempt to apologize to the players for the chaos at the entrance, which led him upstairs, no one might have discovered the ghost's presence.

That was someone from Xue Jiqing's team. He had already died on the very first day when they entered the kindergarten for the ghost-catching mission.

Lin Ye still felt lingering fear when he recalled it now.

They had actually been sharing the same room with a ghost for so long!

The ghost had erupted with fury the moment Xue Jiqing exposed it.

Initially, the players weren't overly worried. After all, they were in numbers, and due to the external crisis, they had temporarily put aside their differences to work together.

More than ten of them were united as one, and there were not just one but several A- and B-level players among them.

How could they not defeat a lone ghost?

To their surprise, they really couldn't!

Within the safe zone, that ghost seemed invincible. Although it wasn't strong enough to kill a player with a single slap, no matter what kind of attacks the players launched, they were like tickling the ghost—it couldn't cause any harm to it.

Butterfly and Xue Jiqing took action, while Mi Yang and San Tu also drew their weapons. However, the ghost's dominance over the players was too overwhelming.

Beset by internal strife and external threats.

That was an apt description of the situation they had just experienced.

The players had no choice but to flee outward.

Fortunately, the Safe Zone still held some allure for the ghosts, so they only sustained minor injuries when breaking through the initial encirclement. It didn't take long for them to lose their pursuers.

However, the situation remained grim.

The Safe Zone wasn't invincible; it could only protect against external ghosts but not the "undead" within.

"Can you remember all the players who have died these past few days?" San Tu's brows were deeply furrowed.

Will-o'-the-wisp shook his head honestly. "Not at all."

He hadn't recognized the one that was so close to them today.

Aside from the fact that he hadn't been observing closely and his memory was average, it seemed that the dungeon also imposed a kind of blurriness on the players' senses, making them particularly insensitive to the undead.

Lin Ye hung his head dispiritedly. "If only—"

He glanced at Mi Yang. "If Brother Fei were here."

Mi Yang was slightly taken aback. "Is Princess Feifei that powerful?"

Could she identify the undead that they couldn't?

Lin Ye had an unshakable faith in Qin Fei. "Absolutely."

As he spoke, he couldn't help wondering what Qin Fei was doing at that moment.

After the players broke through the activity center, they scattered in different directions.

As Lin Ye fled for his life, he stole a glance behind him.

Butterfly and the others seemed to have run towards Building 12.

There was a high chance they were heading for Room 404.

Would they really confront Qin Fei head-on?

...

Lin Ye's speculation was correct. The Butterfly had indeed gone to Unit 404 of Building 12.

However, they didn't encounter Qin Fei directly.

This time, the Butterfly had come to deliver a person to Wang Mingming's parents.

Before nightfall, he had accepted a search mission from Wang Mingming's parents.

But once night fell and the night missions began, all the entrances to the apartment buildings in the community were locked.

Not a single NPC could be seen on the roads outside either.

How were they supposed to look for someone now?

Were they expected to capture a ghost and bring it back to that couple?

Butterfly, though inexperienced, was certain that they wouldn't appreciate ghosts at all.

Those spirits were far too grotesque; they didn't meet the prerequisite of having delicate features.

That's why he had deliberately chosen one that fit the criteria for this visit.

Before arriving, Butterfly had been worried that the door to Building 12 might also be locked.

Sure enough, the entrance downstairs was secured.

However, upon pressing the doorbell of Room 404, the NPC opened the door for him.

Butterfly lowered his gaze, his dark, unwavering eyes reflecting the image of the figure at his feet.

The person was bound tightly and gagged. Despite being completely helpless, they continued to wriggle on the floor relentlessly.

Their once fair complexion had flushed red, with unmasked fury gleaming in their eyes.

Mingming Wang's parents stood before Butterfly, curiously examining the captive on the ground.

For a moment, the two NPCs nodded. "You've done very well. We're quite satisfied."

Butterfly felt a surge of delight.

However, those on the ground looked utterly hopeless.

"But one is not enough," Wang Mingming's father continued.

He seemed to know how to push his luck, a smile forming on his stiff face. "Find another one. A female."

They wouldn't dismember these two; they would turn them into a married couple doll.

Butterfly was somewhat disappointed that the mission wasn't over yet, but it was normal for a hidden quest to be more complicated.

He nodded slightly, lifted the corner of his robe, and turned to walk out.

The puppets glanced at the people on the ground with empathy before following Butterfly out of Room 404.

Even before Wang Mingming's parents closed the door, they had already removed the cloth stuffed in the mouth of the person on the floor.

Knowing that he couldn't escape tonight, the man ceased his struggles and instead raised his head with all his might, yelling at Butterfly's retreating figure with fury,

"You heartless, soulless creature! You'll get your comeuppance sooner or later for your inhumanity!"

His cries were filled with desperation; after a few shouts, they abruptly ceased as if someone had reached out from the void to strangle him.

If there was anyone familiar with Butterfly present, they would instantly recognize that this person on the ground was one of the puppets Butterfly had brought into the instance dungeon.

This puppet had been attacked by undead creatures back at the Activity Center.

Though the external injuries were concealed completely after using medicinal items, its effectiveness in the upcoming dungeon progress would be severely limited.

It would even struggle to run faster than usual.

This puppet was quite good-looking – or rather, all of Butterfly's puppets were attractive.

Butterfly possessed an exquisitely beautiful face himself, and he favored items that were externally magnificent, opulent, and intricately ornate. This preference extended to his puppet collection as well.

Anything too unsightly was beneath Butterfly's standards.

Reusing a discarded puppet wasn't a big deal in Butterfly's eyes, even if it could still function with repairs.

But why bother with the hassle?

Butterfly had no shortage of ordinary puppets.

When he made this casual decision, it was a catastrophic calamity for the player lying on the ground.

Forget it.

It was too late to say anything now.

In truth, his fate was sealed the moment Butterfly planted the puppet seed within him.

The puppet player watched as the door closed gently, closing his eyes in despair.

He had expected to be immediately taken to the second floor and laid on that dissecting table, but that didn't happen.

After the Butterfly left, the two players in the living room knocked on the closed door of a nearby bedroom.

"Darling son, come out and have a look. We have a new toy."

Their voices were brimming with excitement.

Darling son?

This family had another son?

Human curiosity could not be abandoned even at the brink of death. The puppet player on the ground opened one eye.

Then, he saw a familiar figure emerge from the room.

It was —

Their guiding NPC?

The players were stunned. "…Wang Mingming?"

"Hello."

Qin Fei stepped out of the room slowly, his gentle eyes holding a warm smile. He appeared to be an impeccable good person, bearing no resemblance to the couple inside the house.

He didn't linger in the living room but went straight to the entrance to change his shoes. "Mom and Dad, go ahead with your business. I need to step out for a while."

Wang Mingming's parents were already accustomed to their son's recent late-night outings, so they didn't ask any questions and nodded in unison.

However, one player on the floor couldn't resist asking, "Where are you going?"

A hint of amusement curled at Qin Fei's lips. "Of course, I'm going to—"

"Complete a hidden quest."

With a garbage station to clear at 9 p.m., it was impossible for Qin Fei to stay at home all day.

This was an answer that utterly exceeded the puppet player's expectations. He stared at the door as it slowly closed, momentarily unsure of how to react.

A hidden quest?

Why would an NPC utter such a term?

Hidden quests were supposed to be accepted by the Butterfly, weren't they? What did Wang Mingming have to do with it?

Moreover, if the hidden quest's location was here, why would he need to leave?

Not until the bearings softly creaked and the door swung shut did the young man's figure vanish on the other side of it.

Players who had collapsed on the ground suddenly came to their senses.

"Ahahaha! Hahahaha!"

He suddenly broke into a boisterous laughter.

Tears trickled down the corners of his eyes, pooling on the ground into a shimmering puddle.

That frenzied appearance even gave Wang Mingming's parents a slight fright.

The two NPCs tilted their heads, looking at their new toy with a puzzled expression.

They heard the toy say,

"Butterfly, I never thought you'd end up like this!"