"As the giant rats drew closer and closer, the emotions of the players in the middle, especially the few exhausted new players, began to spiral out of control:
'I... I don’t want to die... Is there no hope...?'
'Quick, think of something! Think of a way out!'
'Don’t sacrifice me... I’m innocent! I’m innocent!'
Lu Sha, irritated by their crying, raised his flaming sword and shouted loudly at the new players: 'Enough!'
He then turned to Jie Khe and asked, 'Other than sacrificing someone, is there really no other way?'
Jiekhe smiled as he looked at the players surrounded and exhausted, their emotions gradually slipping out of control. In a cheerful tone, he said:
'Although we are of the same kind, isn’t the thing humans are best at… turning on their own kind? Moreover, judging and punishing a group of sinners doesn’t require too much guilt! Of course! You humans also value sacrifice, don’t you? For the sake of your kind...'
The players fell into a collective silence, their gazes growing wary as they looked at each other, especially the new players.
No one wanted to be 'sacrificed,' but they understood that in this game, with nothing to their name, they were highly likely to be 'sacrificed' by the veteran players.
So, who should be sacrificed now?
Whenever a collective decision needs to be made, human instinct for group living compels them to choose a 'leader' in that moment, someone to take charge of the decision.
And this 'leader' role is often filled by the 'strongest' person in the group at that time.
Therefore, almost at the same moment, the eyes of the players present and the players on the game forum all fell on Tao Shi.
As the fifth-ranked player on the overall leaderboard, he was the strongest among all players and NPCs in terms of paper strength.
Although, from Jiang Yan’s perspective, having known this kid from when they first met until now, this kid had never shown any impressive strength or intelligence. His reputation seemed to be largely built on others’ exaggerations, and despite being chased by NPCs, he was still being chased.
Since there hadn’t been any intellectual challenges encountered in the current instance, Jiang Yan hadn’t seen this kid use any clever tactics either. In fact, in the "Jianshe Road Private Hospital" instance, Jiang Yan himself had outsmarted him once.
However... this still didn’t change the fact that Tao Shi, this blue-haired kid, was ranked fifth on the player leaderboard and was currently ranked first among the players and NPCs in the instance.
Bound by the soul-binding restraints, Jiang Yan’s gaze, along with the players’, fell on Tao Shi. His blue eyes slightly darkened.
If the fifth-ranked player on the paper leaderboard only showed this level of strength in these few instances… then why was Jiang Yan’s ranking in the bottom tier?
At this moment, standing in the center of the giant rats and the players, Tao Shi, surrounded by the players’ expectant, hesitant, and terrified gazes, couldn’t help but curse under his breath.
He irritably rubbed his hair, then helplessly chuckled. Looking at the "god" standing not far away in Jiang Yan’s body, he said:
“Impressive! You really know how to play! Is this how it’s going to be now?”
“Boss?” Cao Yufeng called out worriedly.
Tao Shi didn’t respond to him but instead raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Ding!
[Item: Divine Staff]
The golden-glowing Divine Staff in Tao Shi’s hand caught the attention of the others. One person, confused, asked, “Isn’t this thing unusable in this town?”
Tao Shi smirked and replied, “That depends on how I intend to use it!”
Saying this, he pointed the Divine Staff at the deity standing behind the giant rats in the distance and said with a smile:
“My god, are you preparing to test your followers with this?”
Jiang Yan, who was trapped in his own body by Yu Xiu, froze for a moment. He couldn’t immediately tell whether Tao Shi’s words were directed at Yu Xiu, the god of this instance, or at the god who had descended upon him—or perhaps… he was challenging the high-ranking main god.
[Tao Shi’s stats have increased dramatically!]
[What?! Rising in stats despite the debuff from the instance and the player’s base values?]
[Wow! Is Tao Shi getting serious now?]
[Wait! How is this possible?! How can his stats increase with the instance’s buffs on him?!]
[Upstairs… There’s a possibility that the increased stats have already been reduced by the instance, and the previous stats were actually what Tao Shi had not revealed?]
[What the… Okay, okay! I’ve just entered the game and witnessed this, you guys are all hacking, right?!]
At this moment, inside the [Dawn Guild].
The high-ranking members of the [Dawn Guild], dressed in suits and watches, were watching the instance live stream in the conference room:
“Whoa! Is little Tao getting pissed off?”
“This instance has dragged on for too long... Hasn’t it been less than 48 hours inside the instance? It’s already several days compared to other instances.”
“It’s about time it ends. What’s with this child’s pretend wedding?”
“Haha! Still looking for the husband’s corpse? Sigh…”
“However, these few NPC giant rats and the entire town instance environment buffs are really tough! They’ve almost overwhelmed Tao Shi.”
At this moment, sitting in the main seat wearing a shark-head suit, the Spade King chuckled:
“Recently, the NPCs and environmental buffs in the instance have been strong enough. Probably because that one doesn’t enjoy playing intellectual games anymore. Violent suppression is simple but effective, isn’t it?”
The high-ranking members did not speak, their faces illuminated and flickering in the light from the large screen.
Violent suppression?
Violent suppression is indeed simple, but it also means that the entertainment value and playability of the game are reduced.
However, the requirements for the game’s playability have never been lowered!
Is it favoritism toward Jiang Yan? Or...
They didn’t dare to consider the latter answer and could only sigh:
"The main system really favors Jiang Yan. If we still call it luck now..."
Spade King interrupted directly, speaking slowly:
“Enough! Stop using luck to fool people. All four major guilds know this isn’t about luck.”
“Boom!”
Hearing this, a chubby man who couldn’t hold back slammed the table. He looked at Spade King and said:
“President! The Valen Church and the Puppet Workshop are already preparing to take action! Are we just going to sit here and watch Jiang Yan…”
Spade King raised a hand, and the chubby man in the black suit instantly fell silent.
Spade King, still sitting with his legs crossed, slightly moved, looking completely at ease, said:
“We cannot stand on the opposite side of him. Besides, do you think it was easy for me and everyone here to get to where we are today?”
“How many people have we sent off on this journey? How many geniuses, how many prodigies have we lost? Jiang Yan is just someone with a bit of wit.”
“Right now, aside from that small bit of cleverness, I don’t see any other strengths. Mediocre. It’s not easy for someone like him to truly grow.”
Hearing this, the others at the conference table exchanged glances, their expressions varied.
The chubby man hesitated and said, "But… but Jiang Yan has the main system and the main god behind him. Wouldn’t it be easy for him to grow?"
“Who told you that Jiang Yan has the main system and the main god behind him?” Spade King replied with a smile.
As soon as these words were spoken, the chubby man and everyone else in the room were stunned.
Isn’t that the case?
Isn’t Jiang Yan backed by the main system and the main god?
But... isn’t Jiang Yan… wasn’t it said that he…
Spade King continued, speaking casually:
“If Jiang Yan had the main system or the main god behind him, why would he need to accumulate his stats and ranking? The main system could directly modify his stats and push him ahead of me!”
“Although, for someone who’s never been granted any wishes, his stats and ranking don’t really matter.”
Hearing this, the people at the conference table exchanged glances.
It seemed… there was some truth to that?
“But… if Jiang Yan isn’t backed by the main system and the main god, then why does the main system and the main god favor him so much?” the chubby man continued to ask.
Spade King laughed twice and said, “Who knows?”
At this moment, the camera on the large water screen switched to Jiang Yan, who had been “descended upon” by the god. Yu Xiu’s grandmother-green eyes gleamed with a golden, glass-like edge, illuminated by the divine staff Tao Shi held.
Spade King spoke meaningfully, “Who knows what’s really going on? Perhaps outside, it’s wrapped in a much bigger game.”
The people around the conference table looked serious, their faces darker by the second.
However, Spade King seemed unaffected. Propping his chin with one hand, he gazed at the water screen in front of him with great interest and said:
“Ah, let’s focus on this game for now! Let’s guess whether little Tao will be violently suppressed by the instance buffs in a crude, straightforward manner, or if he’ll be privately warned?”
As soon as his words fell, the main system’s prompt sound echoed within the instance:
"Ding!"
【Instance: "The Bloody Bride of the Giant Clan"】
【NPC Giant Rat Group: Attributes +30%】
"Beep!" 【Instance: "The Bloody Bride of the Giant Clan"】
【Instance Scene: Jiekhe Town · Scene Attributes +40%】
Almost at the same time, the giant rats, which had previously stopped moving due to the intense light, became active again, charging angrily toward the players.
The players, who had just been immersed in the joy of thinking the giant rats were under control, now became panicked again.
“What’s going on?!”
“Why are they moving again?!”
“What does attribute enhancement mean? Why are the attributes enhanced?!”
The new players huddled together, almost in tears.
[Damn it?! Violent suppression, huh?!]
[Is the main system this ruthless?!]
The players on the game forum were eagerly watching the drama unfold.
"Boss!!" Cao Yufeng called out anxiously.
Almost at the same time, Tao Shi received a warning from his personal system.
"Damn it! This trash game!" Tao Shi cursed angrily, unable to hold back any longer.
The next second, the golden light that had enveloped the entire town, resembling a grand cathedral, disappeared. The divine staff in Tao Shi's hand became docile, looking like a fancy firewood stick.
Tao Shi frowned and asked, "What the hell is going on?"
Tao Shi's expression darkened. "Nothing. This damn game refuses to let us force a logout."
Yu Jia shrugged and spread his hands. "Fine! Then let's continue! Who's the unlucky bastard we're throwing out to be sacrificed?"
At this moment, Lu Sha turned to the huddled new players and said helplessly, "Anyone willing to volunteer for the sacrifice? Since we're all criminals, having escaped legal punishment, yet are now facing the judgment of the gods, I guess it’s a death that has meaning, right?"
The illogical words.
Hearing this, the new players' pupils shrank at the same time, and almost in unison, they blurted out:
"No! I’m innocent!!"
This was the unified line spoken by every defendant in the courtroom.
Lu Sha slightly furrowed his brows. "Perhaps, we can see what the judgment would be like? After all, I am a guilty person, but unfortunately, none of you have the right to judge me. Now, I’m starting to get curious about your crimes before the gods!"
A regular father and son, a middle school girl, a young man with a crew cut, and a honest, simple chef.
What crimes could they have committed?
What crimes could they possibly have?
"Let me see, who shall I pick first?"
Lu Sha crossed his arms, standing before the trembling new players, like a butcher picking a victim from the pen of livestock.
In fact, there wasn’t much difference.
"You..."
Jian Hou tried to step forward to intervene, but in the next second, Tao Shi grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his side.
"Teacher Jian, survival of the fittest is the rule of this world’s game," Tao Shi said with a faint voice.
Jian Hou glanced at Tao Shi, then at the trembling new players. He felt deeply conflicted and hesitant inside.
He knew that without Jian Yan, Tao Shi, and Cao Yufeng, he would undoubtedly be one of the new players.
Here, he had no strength to resist Lu Sha.
However! To watch the elderly, weak, and ill among his own kind be sacrificed to a group of monsters... this was still something too difficult to bear for him.
At that moment, the injured man with a crew cut spoke up
"Wait a minute!!"
Everyone's attention immediately turned to him.
Beads of sweat dotted his forehead from pain and exhaustion. He panted slightly as he looked toward Jiekhe.
"The rule is that any one of us can be judged, right? And we're all sinners, right?"
Jiekhe’s sharp-toothed mouth opened and closed.
"That's right."
Upon receiving his answer, the crew cut man smiled and raised his hand, pointing to the distant, god-possessed Jiang Yan. He said,
"What about him? Shouldn't he be judged too?
Doesn't he have a crime?
And what is his crime?"