Free Web NovelIn a multiplayer game, the audience between several players was fluid. Generally speaking, viewers flocked to whoever was performing the best.
Right now, Zhang Kui was clearly performing the best. His tips and likes were absurdly high, and his viewers were celebrating as if victory were already in the bag.
But strangely enough, even though Zhang Kui had just risen into the [Multiplayer Game Core Promotion Slot], his viewer count was not increasing.
Mu Shicheng and Du Sanying were both losing viewers, but those viewers were not going to Zhang Kui’s small TV. Instead, they were frantically rushing toward the [Grave Dancing Area], where Bai Liu was.
And Bai Liu had just been controlled by Zhang Kui.
He was the worst-performing player at the moment. He should not have been this attractive to the audience. By all logic, he should have been losing viewers.
Some viewers could not contain their curiosity and began whispering among themselves.
“What trick is Bai Liu pulling now? Does he still have some trump card? Impossible. He’s already been tied up by Puppet Silk. There’s no way he can turn this around.”
“...I think so too. How about we go take a look and come back?”
“You guys go. I don’t want to leave. Zhang Kui’s side is way too exciting. I’ll wait for you to come back and tell us what Bai Liu’s doing.”
“Fine, we’ll go look and come back to tell you. Don’t worry, Bai Liu’s probably just doing some flashy last-ditch struggle to attract attention. I’ll go watch and come back to tell you guys the joke.”
A small group of viewers from Zhang Kui’s side went off to watch the joke that was Bai Liu.
Then that group of viewers, who had promised to come back and share the joke named Bai Liu, never returned.
The remaining viewers grew even more restless.
“Fuck, Bai Liu couldn’t actually have a backup plan, right?! Impossible! I’ve never heard of any way to dispel Puppet Silk!”
“...The viewers from Du San and Mu Shicheng’s sides are rushing over to Bai Liu like crazy too. Did they plan something together? What the hell happened?”
“I can’t take it anymore. I’m going over to watch!”
“I’m curious too, but damn it, I’m a die-hard Zhang Kui fan... Forget it, I’ll just take one look! I’ll come right back to Zhang Kui!”
Just like that, the audience of every player in The Last Train to Blast Off began flowing, bit by bit, from the other players’ small TVs to Bai Liu’s small TV.
The once cold and desolate [Grave Dancing Area] gradually became packed with people.
Because the [Grave Dancing Area] was not very large, this place that almost never saw a soul actually became crowded from the traffic Bai Liu drew in.
Wang Shun looked over the new viewers squeezing in behind him, then turned his gaze back to Bai Liu on the small TV. His expression and tone had never been more complicated.
“...He actually managed to pull back traffic from three veteran players. Bai Liu...”
At the start of this multiplayer game, The Last Train to Blast Off, nearly all of the viewers Bai Liu had accumulated had been snatched away by the veteran players, leaving only a few people behind to watch him.
But now, Bai Liu had somehow dragged all those lost viewers back again. Judging by the numbers, he had even gained quite a few more.
More importantly, once those viewers arrived, none of them left.
This was Wang Shun’s first time seeing someone siphon traffic so aggressively from three veteran players’ small TVs.
It felt as if nearly the entire audience for this game was being pulled toward Bai Liu.
Most of the viewers around Bai Liu’s small TV could no longer tear their attention away. Their eyes were glued to the screen as though they were watching the climax of a brilliant film; no one was willing to look away for even a second.
Only a few viewers with weaker hearts turned their faces aside and whispered nervously.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, I don’t dare watch! Can Bai Liu really fool Zhang Kui?! Heavens, that’s Zhang Kui! Ninety-three Intelligence! He actually dares to play Zhang Kui!”
“Hold steady! Don’t panic! I feel like Zhang Kui has already taken the bait!”
When Mu Shicheng was thrown over with both arms cut off, Bai Liu’s small TV filled with cries of despair. Many people covered their eyes.
“Heavens! God Mu is so miserable! Even knowing this is part of the plan, I can’t handle it. Bai Liu is so ruthless! He was even smiling when he pushed God Mu over!”
“I feel like God Mu might really be finished this time... I don’t think someone as profit-driven as Bai Liu will save him. Sigh.”
“Same...”
“Fuck!!! Mu Shicheng, are you stupid?! How could Bai Liu possibly save you?! As your fan, I’m going to die of anger! You’re basically handing yourself over for nothing!”
“I feel like even though Bai Liu said he’d save everyone, the chances are pretty low. He probably just said that to act righteous and coax Mu Shicheng and Du Sanying into cooperating with him. Bai Liu and Zhang Kui are the same kind of person. When it’s time to abandon someone, smart people like them abandon people faster than anyone.”
“In the end, probably only Du Sanying and Bai Liu will survive. As for the others, Bai Liu will most likely throw them out to stall the monsters until they die.”
“Mu Shicheng is so pitiful... He was completely tricked by Bai Liu...”
Then Bai Liu finally counterattacked and controlled Zhang Kui.
He forced Zhang Kui to use Mental Breakdown on himself, then snatched the completely unconscious Mu Shicheng back from the monster’s hands in the final dozen seconds before the train started moving.
The audience stared at Bai Liu’s group lying exhausted in the wrecked carriage and fell into a long silence.
Reversing the situation within a dozen seconds.
Taking control of the entire field.
Repelling the monster.
Snatching someone back from the monster’s hands.
And most importantly—
just as Bai Liu had planned, not a single person from either his side or Zhang Kui’s camp had died.
After a long while, one viewer finally spoke, dazed and incredulous.
“Bai Liu... actually made everyone survive...”
“I’m stunned... I really thought Mu Shicheng was dead for sure when he got dragged out. Bai Liu was actually so fierce that he dragged him back in and even took a punch for him...”
“Damn it, I got moved to tears when Bai Liu saved Mu Shicheng. I believe in love again—no, I believe in cooperative relationships!”
“Too strong. Bai Liu is too strong. Damn it! Why can I only give one like?!”
“I’m so excited I want to rip my clothes off! Bai Liu and Mu Shicheng are both so handsome! This kind of brotherhood, going through life and death together, really moved me!”
“Wuuu, I think it’s so sweet. When will it be my turn to have this kind of sweet brotherhood? Bai Liu! Cooperate with me too, okay?!”
“Bai Liu, you are a god! A god!”
“Bai Liu, eternal god!” freeweɓnøvel.com
Wang Shun slowly removed his glasses, which had fogged from a drop of sweat, and wiped them clean. Then he put them back on and looked at Bai Liu on the small TV screen.
Bai Liu was resting with his eyes closed, his face covered in blood and black grime.
Against the backdrop of earthshaking cheers and frantic screams for Bai Liu, Wang Shun smiled sincerely.
[41,776 new people liked Bai Liu’s small TV. 40,107 new people favorited Bai Liu’s small TV. 10,401 people charged for player Bai Liu. Total points from charging: 15,442.]
[60,004 new people are watching Bai Liu’s small TV. Player has gained over 40,000 likes within one minute. Congratulations to player Bai Liu for achieving the achievement: (Ten Thousand People Wildly Dancing on Your Grave).]
[Yo~ Ten thousand people gather at your grave~ Yo~ Your coffin lid can’t hold down the powerful you~ Yo~ Breaking through the soil and soaring into the sky, you are freaking awesome~ Yo~]
[Congratulations to player Bai Liu for meeting the required likes, favorites, and charging data to leave the (Grave Dancing Area). Promotion slot program unlocked. Player Bai Liu’s small TV data is entering recalculation. Promotion slots are being redistributed...]
[Because player Zhang Kui’s data has dropped significantly, the system is very disappointed in him and has decided to swap the promotion slot positions of player Zhang Kui and player Bai Liu.]
[Congratulations to player Bai Liu for obtaining a promotion slot and entering the Central Screen Core Homepage Promotion Slot. Views are rapidly rising...]
[Player Zhang Kui has entered the (Grave Dancing Area).]
Upon hearing this system notification, the audience cheering for Bai Liu paused for one or two seconds.
Then they erupted into even louder cheers.
The excited viewers began screaming in unison.
“Bai Liu, charge!!! Core promotion slot!”
After resting for a while, Bai Liu opened his eyes.
Mu Shicheng was wrapping protective bandages around his hands and feet. These bandages reduced speed, but increased defense accordingly, and also had a certain healing and blood-staunching effect. They were considered common items in the game.
Seeing Bai Liu wake up, Mu Shicheng subconsciously handed him a roll of bandages.
Bai Liu took it naturally, without even checking what it was.
“Protective bandages. Nice item. Thanks.”
Then he began wrapping himself up with absolutely no intention of paying Mu Shicheng, freeloading with perfectly righteous confidence.
Mu Shicheng was speechless. “...Did I say I was giving that to you for free?”
“I assumed you were giving it to me for free,” Bai Liu said shamelessly. “Of course, you can take it back, but my health is only at 6 points right now. One punch from you would kill me.”
After saying that, Bai Liu spread his bandaged hands and looked at Mu Shicheng innocently.
The implication was obvious: If you’re not afraid of killing me, come take it.
Mu Shicheng: “...”
Mu Shicheng let out a muffled “fuck” and turned away, refusing to look at Bai Liu.
Because Bai Liu only had 6 health points left, and because Mu Shicheng saw that this guy’s limbs were bleeding, he had subconsciously handed him the bandages.
But Bai Liu’s freeloading and double standards were far too natural.
When Bai Liu gave Mu Shicheng something, he even charged him a handling fee. Mu Shicheng had just paid Bai Liu 1,870 points for the Stamina Recovery Agent and Mental Value Bleach he had drunk, 170 of which was the handling fee Bai Liu had demanded.
But when Bai Liu took something from him, he had no sense of needing to pay at all.
Although Mu Shicheng did not necessarily want Bai Liu to pay him, the sight of Bai Liu’s “I’m so happy I got another bargain” expression made him extremely irritated.
Unfortunately, irritation was useless.
He really could not do anything to the crispy-skinned Bai Liu, whose health was only 6.
The others in the carriage were also wrapping bandages. The Thief Didi’s fierce assault had caused damage to everyone, though Du Sanying was still completely fine.
He sat awkwardly in the corner, watching the others wrap themselves up, until Bai Liu suddenly called him.
“Du Sanying.”
Du Sanying turned his head instinctively and saw a large mirror shard being casually tossed toward him by Bai Liu, landing right in his arms.
Du Sanying stared dazedly at the broken mirror fragment that everyone had fought so desperately to collect.
“Bai Liu, why are you giving this to me?!”
“Your luck is 100%. You won’t get hurt easily or drop items. It’s safest with you,” Bai Liu said casually. “If I die and this thing drops, and then a monster picks it up, that would be a loss.”
Bai Liu said it casually, but Mu Shicheng’s and Du Sanying’s expressions both shifted slightly.
Du Sanying nervously put the shard away and stammered, “You won’t die, Bai Liu! You must have calculated your health points so you can clear the game by the skin of your teeth! Just like last time.”
Mu Shicheng also looked heavily at Bai Liu.
Bai Liu’s attitude was very honest.
“I did calculate my health points. But plans never quite keep up with accidents, do they?”
“For example, the second monster in this game was much stronger than I estimated, and there’s still one monster that hasn’t appeared yet. It’s hard to say what will happen.”
His tone remained calm, as if he did not find discussing his own death frightening at all.
“The probability of my death isn’t low. So, Du Sanying, the shards are safest with you. Even if I die, these fragments won’t be wasted. Do you understand?”
As he finished speaking, he coughed up another mouthful of blood.
The blood clearly contained fragments of internal organs, but Bai Liu merely wiped it away with his palm as if nothing had happened.
Everyone in the carriage fell silent as they stared at the bloody foam in Bai Liu’s hand.
When health dropped to 6, the impact on a player’s body was enormous. Very few people could remain conscious the way Bai Liu did. His current weakness was almost like that of a terminal patient.
What Bai Liu said was true. In his condition, dying in this game would be perfectly normal.
Du Sanying’s eyes reddened with pity as he looked at Bai Liu.
Bai Liu had found a way to save all of their lives, but he himself was...
“Okay!” Du Sanying nodded rapidly like a chick pecking grain. He looked at Bai Liu with great emotion. “I’ll definitely take good care of it! I’ll give it back to you when the game ends! Don’t worry, I won’t give it to anyone except you!”
As Du Sanying spoke, he secretly glanced at Zhang Kui, who was sitting silently nearby, as if guarding against him snatching the mirror fragments.
Bai Liu looked strangely at Du Sanying, whose fighting spirit had suddenly soared.
He had only placed the fragments with Du Sanying because the monsters would clearly lock onto and attack whoever carried them. Previously, Mu Shicheng had been attacked so miserably for precisely that reason.
Du Sanying had the highest health of everyone and took the least damage. His luck was also 100%.
Naturally, the fragments had to be placed on Du Sanying so he could draw the monster’s aggro and attacks. That way, Bai Liu and the others would be safer.
Zhang Kui looked at Du Sanying as if he were looking at an idiot.
He gave a cold laugh, but did not explain the logic behind it.
In any case, he was now controlled by Bai Liu. As long as Bai Liu did not die, Zhang Kui did not need to consider anything else. Putting the shards on this lucky fool Du Sanying was also the safest choice for him.
The only thing Zhang Kui still could not figure out was why Mu Shicheng and Du Sanying, these two Rising Star Rank players, acted as though Bai Liu had bewitched them.
They were so obedient to him.
Zhang Kui had been through so many games, but this was his first time encountering people who had been controlled yet still helped their controller count his money.
However, this was also his first time encountering a controller who would risk his life to save his own “puppets.”
Zhang Kui’s gaze lingered on Bai Liu’s pale face for two seconds.
Bai Liu seemed to sense Zhang Kui’s gaze and nodded politely at him, as if he did not consider Zhang Kui an enemy at all, despite the fact that they had been at each other’s throats only a minute ago.
Fuck.
Maybe I’ve been bewitched too.
Zhang Kui looked away and cursed several times in his head.
He actually did not want Bai Liu to die either.
But Zhang Kui’s desire for Bai Liu not to die was not born from the foolish sentimentality Du Sanying felt. It came from a much more practical perspective of self-interest.
After Bai Liu took control, this clever bastard could clearly and precisely regulate everyone’s health, greatly reducing the overall loss.
This guy could ensure that most players cleared the game with minimal losses.
But if Bai Liu died, Zhang Kui was not confident he could regulate Mu Shicheng and Du Sanying perfectly the way Bai Liu did. Mu Shicheng and Du Sanying simply did not trust him.
If he could not establish a cooperative relationship with those two, then relying only on himself and his three puppets, he did not actually have much confidence in clearing the game.
This game was too difficult.
To put it simply, clearing a game of this difficulty required seven players to cooperate.
But other than Bai Liu, no one could make that happen.
This guy with only 6 health points was the key to the entire game.
Bai Liu looked up at the countdown on the platform.
“We’re about to arrive at the station. I’ll make a rough arrangement.”
“In a moment, Mu Shicheng and Liu Huai will cooperate to steal mirror fragments from the Passengers. Mu Shicheng will be responsible for stealing. Liu Huai will be responsible for drawing aggro. My health is too dangerous, so I won’t help Mu Shicheng draw aggro. Can you two do it?”
The expressions on Liu Huai’s and Mu Shicheng’s faces both turned strange.
These former teammates who had turned against each other were once again being casually arranged by Bai Liu to cooperate.
Liu Huai turned his face away, not daring to look at Mu Shicheng’s expression. He said softly, with a hint of guilt, “I have no problem.”
Mu Shicheng said nothing, his face expressionless.
Rationally, he knew this was Bai Liu’s best arrangement. But being asked to cooperate with Liu Huai without resentment made an uncontrollable sense of disgust and rejection rise inside him.
And even a slight rejection, once reflected in his movements, would be fatal during high-speed cooperation.
For a player like Mu Shicheng, whose movement speed exceeded seven thousand, and in a high-difficulty Level 2 game, even one or two seconds of hesitation could cost him his life.
Previously, when Mu Shicheng cooperated with Bai Liu, everything had not fallen apart entirely because Bai Liu never dropped the ball and could cover for all of Mu Shicheng’s mistakes.
But Liu Huai was not a monster like Bai Liu.
He was obviously not the kind of person who would throw everything aside to cover for Mu Shicheng’s mistakes.
Still, Mu Shicheng was not the kind of person who ignored reality because of psychological reasons. After hesitating for a second, he honestly stated his condition.
“I’ll do my best. There may be some subconscious resistance when cooperating with Liu Huai. I’ll try to control it.”
“No,” Bai Liu interrupted him and looked up at him. “You’re not cooperating with Liu Huai. You’re cooperating with me.”
“He’s only a puppet I’m controlling through Zhang Kui.”
“If I put it this way—that you’re cooperating with one of my puppets—does that eliminate your psychological rejection?”
Mu Shicheng and Bai Liu locked eyes for a moment.
Then Mu Shicheng suddenly smirked.
“It does.”
“Good.”
Bai Liu turned to look at Du Sanying.
“Du Sanying, later, I want you to keep the mirror fragments hanging outside. Don’t put them in your system backpack. Can you do that?”
Du Sanying was a little confused.
Although he did not understand why Bai Liu wanted this, he still nodded.
“O-okay.”
Bai Liu said, “Li Gou and Fang Ke will be responsible for coordinating with Liu Huai and Mu Shicheng. Clear out the passengers attacking them to reduce their pressure and prevent them from taking damage.”
Li Gou and Fang Ke: “...Okay.”
Bai Liu’s gaze moved to the last person.
“Zhang Kui, your task is to protect me.”
Du Sanying and the others froze.
Mu Shicheng frowned in strong disapproval.
“Bai Liu, Zhang Kui is extremely cunning. Even if you’ve controlled him, you can’t be ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) one hundred percent certain he won’t break free and kill you. And you only have 6 health points. You’re too weak. Staying with him...”
It’s too dangerous!
“It’s precisely because I only have 6 health points,” Bai Liu interrupted calmly, “that I can guarantee he will protect me well.”
He did not look at anyone else. His gaze remained fixed on Zhang Kui.
In that unwavering stare was a strange certainty.
Then Bai Liu suddenly changed his form of address.
“Master, will you kill me?” freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Bai Liu’s lips curved into a smile.
It was faint and cunning, yet on his fragile face, it carried a strange sense of vulnerability.
“I don’t think you will, Master. Because you already missed your only chance to kill me.”
“You’ll never be able to kill me again.”
“So there’s only one thing you can do for me now—”
His bloodless lips opened and closed softly.
“—and that is save me, Master.”
Strictly speaking, Bai Liu was not wrong to call Zhang Kui “Master.”
At the moment, Bai Liu was indeed still Zhang Kui’s puppet.
But Zhang Kui actually felt goosebumps rise from Bai Liu’s address.
It was clearly a term of submission, yet when Bai Liu slowly and clearly shaped it between his pale lips, Zhang Kui felt as though he were the one being played in the palm of the other’s hand.
The only chance to kill Bai Liu...
Zhang Kui stared blankly at Bai Liu.
Then he remembered.
Eight minutes ago, when he had strangled Bai Liu by the throat, deranged with fury and threatening to kill him, Bai Liu had looked at him with that same gaze and asked in that same tone:
Master, will you kill me?
At that time, Zhang Kui had not killed Bai Liu.
And therefore, he would never be able to kill Bai Liu again.
[The train is about to arrive at Xinghai Lake Park. Passengers who are about to get off, please sit firmly and hold on. Stay away from the doors. Let others off before boarding. After boarding passengers have entered—Zzzzt.]
Before the female broadcast voice could finish, a flaming fist punched straight through the door of the train, which had not yet come to a complete stop.
The Thief Didi’s gray-black burned head forced its way inside and roared at everyone. His hands hammered continuously against the trembling carriage door.
Even though the monster could not speak, everyone could feel his fury at having his mirror fragments stolen.
“No way!!”
Du Sanying clutched his hair in despair, messing it up until he looked like a crested parrot.
“Didi, why are you here again!!!”
“Du Sanying, I think you’d better run quickly,” Bai Liu kindly reminded him. “I put the mirror fragments stolen from the Thief Didi on you. He’ll definitely chase you relentlessly.”
“Also, I didn’t arrange anyone to protect you.”
“Good luck.”
Du Sanying froze into wooden silence for two seconds.
Then he burst into tears, pulled out his messy Go-Kart, and quickly climbed in.
While wiping tears with his elbow, Du Sanying shouted abuse at Bai Liu.
“You did it on purpose, Bai Liu!! You deliberately put the mirror fragments on me!! I wuuu... fuck!!!”
“Yes,” Bai Liu admitted without the slightest shame. “I plan to use you to attract the Thief Didi’s attention. Lead him away on the train. We’ll use that opportunity to steal mirror fragments from the other passengers.”
“Just remember to run far enough that we don’t get caught in the crossfire.”
“I’ll kill you, Bai Liu!!!!”
Du Sanying cried so hard his features distorted, his eyes turning into wavy-edged sunny-side-up eggs.
“Wuuu, and I believed in you so much! Bai Liu, do you have no heart?!”
Bai Liu perfunctorily gave the sobbing Du Sanying on the bumper car a thumbs-up.
“Believe in yourself, Du Sanying. You’re the luckiest one here. You can definitely do it.”
“I can’t————!!!”
Du Sanying screamed until his voice nearly cracked.
The carriage doors slowly opened.
The Thief Didi charged inside, swinging his huge burning fists like iron pots, but he quickly stopped.
The Thief Didi opened his enormous mouth and roared while looking left and right, as if searching for the mirror fragments.
Bai Liu could even see the scorched-black skull behind the Thief Didi’s head, as well as the charred, shrunken black brain inside.
That brain seemed to move suddenly.
An eye opened within it.
But it quickly closed again, vanishing into the charred brain matter.
An eye in the brain...
Bai Liu raised his eyebrows.
