Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 58

“Help… Help me… It’s going to devour me…”

Deep in the jungle, such faint cries for help continued to emanate. Zhou Qian frowned and asked Qi Liuxing and Ke Yuxiao beside him.

“Did you guys hear that?”

Qi and Ke, one holding a sword and the other holding a flute, both nodded seriously and said in a low voice, “Heard it.”

At this moment, all three were thinking: Are there other people here as well? 

Did Ryan conduct some secret live experiments here? Did he artificially create some monsters?

With great doubt in their minds, the three exchanged glances and still moved towards the direction of the sound.

Along the way, they encountered strange trees and huge flowers taller than a person, growing in clusters with countless stamens swaying between them. The piece of paper that looked like a human face seemed to mock the players passing by.

Soon, the three passed through several strange trees and flowers and arrived at a relatively open area.

Unlike the densely packed weird plants they encountered along the way, there were hardly any plants in this area, and no animals could be seen, making the only grass in the center especially conspicuous.

The grass was tall, reaching Zhou Qian’s shoulders.

It had several slender stems and leaves, swaying gently in the breeze and dancing with the wind. And when they approached it, it was easy to hear that the cry for help was coming from it.

“Help me…wuwuwu…”

“Why is there an explosion… “

“It shouldn’t have… such an accident…”

“Hurry… notify the mayor…”

After the grass muttered several phrases, it repeated the cries Zhou Qian first heard. “Help… Help me…” After that, it kept repeating senselessly.

When he heard it repeat all the sentences in a set order three times and discovered that it was just swaying in the wind without any other abnormal reactions, cold sweat broke out on Qi Liuxing’s back. He couldn’t help but say, “Is this something like a recording device? Or did it mutate into a human and learn human speech? However, it seems to have no thought… it’s just like parroting.”

“I don’t know.” Zhou Qian also frowned. “But what it said seems to depict the scene on the night of the accident at Weir Mountain. For example, some researchers stationed at this experimental base might have said these words after the accident. However—”

“Let’s not worry about what it is. Our goal is to pass the level, not to really study genetic mutations. The system said, our task is to find Ryan’s secret.”

“Yes. Zhou Qian… What do you think about the 24 points?” Qi Liuxing asked him.

“It’s essentially a time-limited task. I, the one with the most points, now have only 18 points, and all our points are rapidly decreasing. If all the items that can be used to increase points are used up, and if our total points are less than 24, and we haven’t found the ‘truth,’ there will only be a dead end for us.”

Zhou Qian said, “So I hope… our teammates won’t foolishly destroy the device that can steadily increase points.”

Taking out his notebook and recording what the grass said, Zhou Qian turned and continued to walk south. “We need to find an ‘Evil Spirit Purification Station’ as soon as possible. I bought a concealment item. We will hide it first. I’m still worried about Yin Jiujiu.”

……

On Yin Juijiu’s side, the progress of her plan was smoother than expected.

She didn’t act immediately but planned to leave after adding 2 life points with Li Buhui, which meant 40 more minutes.

During this time, she and Li Buhui searched and found that this “Evil Spirit Purification Station” was numbered: A11. Not only that, she also learned about two other purification stations, A12 and A13.

There was originally a fourth station, A14, but it was abolished.

Additionally, the A11 station not only marked the names of the other two stations but also drew their directions, undoubtedly greatly facilitating Yin Jiujiu’s search process.

So, in just 5 minutes, Yin Jiujui and Li Buhui had found the A13 Evil Spirit Purification Station, which, by visual estimation, was the nearest and most likely to be found first by Situ Qing’s team.

However, the two didn’t leave but instead set up traps inside the station, waiting here and increasing their life points quickly, expecting Situ Qing’s team to show up.

At this moment, Situ Qing and Wu Ren, oblivious to what was about to happen, were searching for the purification station.

After treatment in the government building, Wu Ren could move without issues, but the mutations in his body were undoubtedly getting more severe. Situ Qing saw his neck had almost completely turned green; some parts indistinguishable from leaves.

What kind of monster would humans turn into as Ryan wanted to create life that could grow under radiation?

Soon, Situ Qing realized her condition wasn’t much better. Her hand itched, and blisters were appearing.

When she raised her hand to see, the blisters looked like budding flowers, ready to bloom at any time.

Seeing this, Situ Qing felt a chill and simply turned her hand back away—out of sight, out of mind.

Time was running out for Wu Ren, and even though his body was feeling unwell again, he gritted his teeth and moved quickly. About 10 minutes later, he and Situ Qing finally saw a room clearly marked “Evil Spirit Purification Station”.

They exchanged a glance and a smile and hurried in, only to find Yin Jiujui and Li Buhui already inside.

What’s going on?

Had they circled around and met so quickly?

It shouldn’t be…

The place was vast, and they hadn’t walked along the wall; this shouldn’t have happened…

Situ Qing sensed something was wrong and then saw Yin Jiujui press a button.

“What…what did you do?!” Wu Ren roared.

As he entered, he quickly checked his cards. He sighed in relief when he saw the countdown reversing—finally, a rescue!

However, before he could rejoice and before his points increased by “1” unit, the countdown started again! He had only gained a few more seconds compared to before entering this room. In a flash, Wu Ren immediately guessed what Yin Jiujui had done.

“Are you sick, woman?! If you want to deal with Situ Qing, can you discuss it outside? You’ve messed with her twice, but actually, it affected me! What is your problem?!”

After cursing, Wu Ren seemed shrouded in a gloomy aura, as if he was ready to perish together with Yin Jiujui.

Yin Jiujui calmly looked at him, handed him a pair of shoes, and said, “I have no grudge against you, I won’t harm you. These shoes are still usable. It only takes two minutes to go to another purification station. You won’t die.”

Wu Ren was a bit confused and asked with a frown, “What do you mean? You want me to leave so you can deal with Situ Qing alone? Can you even handle her? And, I can tell Zhou Qian about this now!”

“You don’t have much time left, right? Maybe not even five minutes. If Zhou Qian knows about this, before your points are exhausted… you won’t know where another purification station is. Look here—”

Yin Jiujui uncovered a curtain and pointed. “You see, each purification station has directions to the other two. So, after I found mine, I quickly found and destroyed the remaining two.”

“Are you fucking crazy—” Wu Ren raised his hand. Numerous silver needles seemed ready to strike Yin Jiujui down.

Yin Jiujui said, “Let’s make a deal. Li Buhui will watch you go to the only remaining clearance station in this instance. If he confirms that you haven’t told Zhou Qian, he will guide you to the right location.”

“Wu Ren, I don’t need you to do anything. I just need you to leave. I want to leave this place to Situ Qing and me. Even if I am not as strong as her… I want to fight her to the death. I could suppress my hatred when I didn’t see her. Now I can’t control it. Situ Qing—”

Yin Jiujui turned to Situ Qing and said coldly and murderously, “How do you feel? I heard you want to be a good person now? So now… will you spare Wu Ren and let him go?”

At this moment, in a hidden corner unseen by everyone, Li Buhui, who seemed to be an indifferent and ordinary bystander, finally couldn’t control it and revealed a mocking smile.

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