Mai?
How could it be her?
Is there such a coincidence in the world?
Even when the girl whose head he just split open with a knife genuinely had her head split open, Yuuki hadn’t been this surprised.
It had nothing to do with her appearance; he already knew what world he had transmigrated to.
But it was too much of a coincidence.
His last outing to investigate was to confirm whether Mai had any supernatural phenomena around her, and then he was dragged into the Reincarnation Game.
But just as he was seriously analyzing the girl’s facial expression, he suddenly heard a knock on the table.
Tap, tap, tap.
“You come in and stare at a woman right away. Do you not have me in your eyes?”
A slightly irritated tone entered his ears.
Yuuki turned his head and saw a young man, about twenty years old, wearing a black leather jacket, staring at him.
He had a chiseled face, a bulbous nose, narrow eyes, and a tuft of red hair dyed on top of his head.
At first glance, he looked a bit like the lead singer of some underground band.
This kind of attire often appeared on petty hooligans who talked about musical dreams but actually caused trouble and were lazy all day.
‘But this person isn’t a petty hooligan.’
Yuuki’s gaze dropped, seeing a greatsword with a chainsaw blade resting on the table.
The faint, cold light reflected from it proved it wasn’t a cosplay prop.
“Hey, didn’t you hear me? Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for you?” The band member seemed to read Yuuki’s slightly scrutinizing gaze, picked up the greatsword with one hand, and jumped off the round table.
That unusual aura made Yuuki’s brow twitch, and he instantly pushed the matter of Mai to the back of his mind.
Old player?
Someone had entered the Reincarnation Game before him, which proved that his encounter had nothing to do with Mai.
Looking at the aggressive band member, he quietly slipped his hand into his pocket.
“Alright, Thomas, we’re all companions. We need to work together to get through this dungeon.”
Accompanied by a gentle voice, a hand blocked the band member’s path.
It was a man in a black suit, wearing rimless glasses like a corporate drone, but he had a holster on his waist, and the large revolver inside added a sense of credibility.
“To get through the dungeon, we need useful people. This guy barely made it through the Newbie Guide. What use could he be?” Thomas sneered, but he did stop.
“Also, Ryan, this is our first time cooperating, don’t act like we’re old friends.”
“There are only two old players here, us. Shouldn’t we take more responsibility?” Ryan wasn’t angry and seemed to have a very good temper.
“What responsibility? I barely survived the last Reincarnation Game instance just to enjoy myself. What do others’ lives and deaths have to do with me?” The band guy wiped his red hair, slung his sword, and returned to the table.
He stomped his leather boot on the tabletop, raising his voice: “Listen up, everyone. If you want protection, the conditions are the same as before. Women can offer their bodies; men can pay after returning to reality. Don’t be lucky; this game is more dangerous than you think. If you die here, you won’t survive in reality either!”
It was crude, confident, and very realistic.
Yuuki didn’t interrupt from beginning to end.
He probably guessed that he had wasted too much time by taking down the Newbie Guide, entering almost at the last second, and must have missed the Old Player information sharing session.
But that didn’t stump him.
First, there were two Old Players, and they didn’t know each other.
Second, without team protection, these two Old Players clearly held the right to speak.
Third, all players present came from the same world, otherwise, the request for payment after returning to reality wouldn’t have been made.
Fourth, the real world was synchronized with the instance, which was to be expected.
Yuuki quickly analyzed these four pieces of information, then felt a light tap on his shoulder.
“Don’t be afraid, he only looks fierce; he won’t actually do anything to you.” Ryan, looking like an office worker, showed a slight smile.
He appeared quite gentle and easily earned others’ goodwill.
This kind of smile often appeared on insurance professionals, and Yuuki’s dull expression indeed looked like he was scared stiff.
“He… he just tried to kill me?”
“Relax, killing teammates in an instance can lead to unpredictable consequences. Most people wouldn’t do that.”
So, if necessary, it’s still possible?
“Phew, then I’m relieved.” Yuuki’s expression relaxed, and he nodded as if he hadn’t understood the implication.
“Thanks just now. How should I address you?”
“Ryan, just call me Brother Li.” He extended his hand, and Yuuki instinctively shook it, then his eyebrows subtly raised.
It was very slight, but the moment he let go, Ryan’s hand brushed against his palm with a hint of ‘reluctance,’ giving the illusion of a gay man.
“Come over and gather, the mission is about to begin.”
Ryan didn’t explain, dropped this sentence, and turned to leave, like a generous older brother, certainly more reliable than the boisterous band guy at the table.
Most people were either in a daze or holding onto luck; no one responded to Thomas’s offer, which made him stand aside in annoyance.
The crowd gathered from all over the hall towards the round table, appearing one by one in Yuuki’s eyes under the dim light of the crystal chandelier.
‘They’re all very young.
Well, if the Newbie Guide content is all the same, the old, weak, sick, and disabled would have been scared to death by that head-exploding monster and wouldn’t have made it here.’
‘Their intelligence should also be above average.
If there were any idiots, they’d be wandering outside the door right now.’
Yuuki nodded almost imperceptibly.
As he had guessed, the Newbie Guide was also a weeding-out process.
At least, there wouldn’t be any melodramatic plot where someone thought they were dreaming and was then thrown out to establish authority.
This was both a waste of time and unnecessary; at least it saved the Old Players the time of explaining.
His gaze swept over the crowd, lingering on Mai for a moment, then quickly jumping to the girl on her left, his pupils slightly constricting.
“Someone you know?” Ryan asked casually.
“No, I just think that JK is quite pretty.”
Ryan turned his head to look in the direction of Yuuki’s gaze and saw a blonde girl with a single ponytail across the round table.
She wore light makeup, had pretty painted nails, was dressed in a high school uniform, and had top-notch figure and looks.
She looked like a hot girl?
Why didn’t this kind of woman beg Thomas for protection earlier?
He didn’t think much of it, only saying earnestly, “Don’t overthink things in the instance, and don’t do foolish things like playing the hero. This game is more dangerous than you imagine; I’m not even confident I’ll survive. If you really want to pick up girls, do it outside. Players can share information.”
“Thanks for the reminder, Brother Li. My life is indeed more important.”
“Don’t be so formal. At least in this instance, we’re all brothers.” Ryan adjusted his glasses and stepped onto the round table, but he didn’t see the flickering gaze of the young man behind him.
‘He seems to care a lot about me.
Was that tiny micro-expression discovered?’
Yuuki gained some more information.
He didn’t look at Ryan, who was on the round table preparing to rally everyone.
He just turned his head back, meeting the other party’s gaze.
Unlike Mai, the blonde JK smiled and waved at him, looking as if she didn’t understand the cruel reality.
‘It’s Ai, but if it’s her, it’s not surprising that she passed the Newbie Guide.’
Having already seen the bunny girl senpai, another ‘acquaintance’ didn’t mean much, or rather, this all-rounder maid was never simple, hiding her emotions very well.
If I didn’t know her background, I would really think she was a simple hot girl.
Wait a minute, I know their backgrounds and personalities.
Yuuki suddenly grasped an idea.
After realizing the game didn’t disable friendly fire, he had discovered a hidden danger.
General Principle Three: Players are more terrifying than instance monsters.
Not to mention the band guy, Ryan, who looked like a trustworthy older brother, was also unreliable.
Who knew when he would backstab?
In short, they were strangers, and there was no time to build trust.
But Mai and Ai were New Players, and Yuuki had never changed the world line over the years, meaning their life trajectories and personalities were no different from what he remembered.
I don’t know their depths yet, but I know their backgrounds?
Yuuki unconsciously grinned.
If Ryan at the table knew, he would surely be furious.
He had gone to great lengths to emphasize ‘mutual assistance,’ yet a New Player below had already categorized most people as potential enemies.
“This game is a bit like a horror or thriller movie. Logic and common sense don’t apply. A slight mistake can lead to death, so everyone must not let down their guard.”
Ryan finished speaking earnestly, repeatedly emphasizing the game’s horror, but when his voice fell, there was no response.
Most people just stared blankly at him.
“Wasted effort. I say, if two people die, they’ll know how serious it is.” The band guy scoffed disdainfully, stood up, and glanced at a few attractive New Players and a fat guy in luxury goods.
“I’m not a softie like him. You decide about my offer just now.”
Ryan opened his mouth as if to admonish the other party, but before he could speak, he heard the ‘click’ of a clock hand, and the clock on the wall pointed to twelve.
Dong dong dong.
The dull, ancient, and long bell tolls rang out.
Strained, fearful, or bewildered gazes converged, making the desolate hall feel eerie.
Yuuki felt his heart race.
He opened his mouth, feeling unable to make a sound, a strange murmur already filling his entire brain.
[Game Start]
[Normal Mission: Bloodthirsty Red Moon, Survive until the third day]
[Hint 1: This place is under siege by Bloodthirsty Living Corpses. They will devour your flesh and blood]
[2: Except for the ancient castle, no location can be stayed in for more than two hours]
[3: Time will not stop flowing, just like your lives and hopes]
[4: Periodically, the Red Moon will send gifts]
[5: Everyone has the right to bathe in the moonlight]
[6: Please, do not go alone]
The content was more extensive than before, and the strange voice made people clench their fists.
His brain ached as if a knife had been inserted.
Yuuki reached out and gripped the back of the chair, his trembling eyes fixed on the front.
Across the round table was a French window, and a viscous red light, like blood, poured through it, making the crystal chandelier dim and lusterless.
Outside the window, the Red Moon hung high.