Chapter 81

Pain.

Qixia held his head, trembling all over.

Lin Guo stood beside Qixia, looking at him with a troubled expression.

Although she had seen this scene more than once, Qixia's behavior always made her uneasy.

Qixia continued to kneel on the ground, moaning in pain. The intense pain in his head far exceeded the wound on his shoulder.

Jiang Ruoxue, seeing this, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, "Your captain looks strange. Is he always like this?"

"It seems that every time someone dies, he gets a headache."

"Then why doesn't he feel pain when he kills people?" Jiang Ruoxue asked.

"This..."

Lin Guo had no idea why Qixia's headaches occurred, but according to her memory, Qixia indeed experienced headaches after each death.

"He looks like he's been hypnotized," Jiang Ruoxue continued. "Every time he feels sad, his brain numbs the feeling with pain."

Lin Guo's eyes widened as if she had been enlightened.

"Hypnotized?!"

"Oh? You know about hypnosis?" Jiang Ruoxue turned to look at Lin Guo.

Lin Guo didn't answer but fell into thought: "That makes sense... If it's 'hypnosis,' it could indeed have this effect... But it would require extremely advanced hypnosis skills and Qixia's full cooperation... No one in the country should be able to do this..."

Lin Guo felt even more puzzled after saying this.

If no one in the country could do it, it would be even less likely for international hypnotists.

Hypnosis is different from other psychological counseling methods. If the language used is not one's native tongue, it's hard to relax psychological defenses, let alone enter an unconscious state.

"So, are you a psychologist?" Jiang Ruoxue asked.

"I'm a psychological counselor," Lin Guo replied. "Jiang Ruoxue, do you know a lot about hypnosis?"

"No," Jiang Ruoxue shook her head. "But I've been hypnotized before. The hypnotist gave me a similar example, saying that under certain conditions, humans can 'seal' their emotions through hypnosis. I think Qixia is in this kind of situation."

"Yes... This technique can only exist in theory; in reality, almost no one can achieve it..."

As they were talking, heavy footsteps sounded, and Digu finally appeared.

"Oh... It's come to this..." He looked at the dead bald man, the blonde, and Lao Lu on the ground, his expression troubled. "You contestants really don't know your own strength..."

As he spoke, he approached the barely alive Amu, raised his right foot, and stomped on the man's head, crushing it.

Bright red brain matter mixed with green hair splattered the ground like fireworks.

Zhang Chenze and Lin Guo turned away. Although they had seen many deaths, they still couldn't bear the sight of human lives being slaughtered like animals.

"I think I should be on my way." Seeing Digu approaching, Jiang Ruoxue smiled at the two. "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up. Talk to you later."

Digu, seeing her willing to die, seemed to understand something.

He didn't waste any more words, reaching out to grab Jiang Ruoxue's neck.

"Wait..." Qixia slowly stood up, his expression no longer pained.

"What?" Digu turned to look at him.

"We accept this 'traitor.'"

Qixia, holding his shoulder, said, "From now on, she is part of our team. You cannot kill her."

Everyone present was stunned, even Jiang Ruoxue herself.

"What are you doing... I never helped you from the beginning."

"That doesn't matter. As long as it doesn't violate the rules, right?" Qixia looked at Digu, his expression serious.

Digu thought for a moment and said, "That's true. As long as you abandon your team's 'traitor,' you can accept a new one."

With that, he slowly withdrew his hand and pulled out a very dirty cloth bag.

"Here are twenty 'Dao.' Along with all the bodies on the ground, they are now your prizes." Digu waved his hand, threw the 'Dao' on the ground, and turned to leave.

"Bodies are also prizes..." Qixia's eyes gradually darkened. "I'm starting to hate this place."

"That's because you don't know better." Jiang Ruoxue said to Qixia. "Bodies are good things; many survivors live by eating them."

"Eating bodies...?" Lin Guo was taken aback. "Really?"

"What, in this place, besides bodies, what else can you find to eat?"

Before Lin Guo could answer, Lawyer Zhang suddenly spoke from a distance: "Article 302 of the Criminal Law, the crime of insulting a corpse. Stealing, insulting, or deliberately damaging a corpse, remains, or ashes is punishable by up to three years in prison, detention, or probation."

"Are you okay?" Jiang Ruoxue looked at Lawyer Zhang in confusion. "Does the law still apply here?"

Lawyer Zhang seemed dazed. She looked down at her blood-soaked hands and continued, "Article 232 of the Criminal Law, intentional homicide is punishable by death, life imprisonment, or more than ten years in prison..."

Jiang Ruoxue and Lin Guo exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"You were just defending yourself," Qixia said. "I saw the man crash into the glass himself; it's not your fault."

Zhang Chenze finally came to her senses, looking worried as she approached Qixia and examined his wound.

This wound reminded her of Han Yimo.

Han Yimo died soon after being injured on his left shoulder. Would the same happen to Qixia this time?

"Everyone, these twenty 'Dao' and the things on the bodies... you divide them." Qixia pushed the cloth bag forward.

"You divide them? What about you?" Lawyer Zhang asked.

"I can't stop the bleeding from my wound." Qixia lowered his head silently. "Even if I bandage it, I won't be able to move for the next few days. I've lost this game."

"What are you talking about..." Lin Guo was instantly flustered. "If you give up now... what about all your previous efforts?"

"Right, it's not time to give up yet... Let's go back to find Doctor Zhao?" Lawyer Zhang said, her voice trembling.

"It's no use." Qixia shook his head. "Even if Doctor Zhao is willing to help, he can only bandage my wound. He can't make my injury heal in the next few days."

Qixia gritted his teeth, stood up, and looked at the two, his expression very dejected.

"I didn't want to give up. My wife has been waiting for me at home... but I can't do it anymore. The rest is up to you." Qixia thought for a moment and added, "If you don't want to continue the game, I won't object. After all, everyone's life is their own."

Jiang Ruoxue crossed her arms and said casually, "Qixia, are you putting on a show for me?"