Chapter 51

Designated killer, eliminate Zhang Yuanqing listened to the prompt in his ear, maintaining a calm exterior while a sudden realization dawned on him.

He had found it strange before, the scenario assigning him the role of captain but requiring him to keep it secret, not revealing the traitor. What was the point of such a captain?

Now he understood; the captain's power lay here.

"My character has the power to eliminate, and the evil one must have similar means, which is why He Bo died mysteriously. But my power can only be used after completing the task, and the killer must also have conditions to use his ability. What are those conditions? It can't just be a free elimination."

Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced.

"I've already reviewed the footage since entering the scenario, and found no abnormalities. The condition for the killer to trigger his power must be inconspicuous, something only he knows."

Who to target?

Zhang Yuanqing's mind was incredibly active, quickly locking onto three characters: Xie Lingxi, Fire Demon, and Xi Shi.

Among these three, he most wanted to target the black-haired, straight-haired girl.

Despite her delicate and pitiable appearance, after hearing that the next experience included a haunted house, Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but want to eliminate her.

But that was just a momentary impulse.

"The old guide doesn't mention a series, at least not explicitly. This should be a change after the difficulty of Jinshui Amusement Park was increased. Xie Lingxi probably doesn't know either. At the S-level difficulty, no matter what entertainment facility we choose, we might end up in the haunted house, with no way to avoid it. The only difference might be the order."

"Currently, there's too little information to identify the evil one. It's half deduction, half guess, and the chances are slim. If I point to the wrong person, I'll lose a team member for nothing, and put myself at a disadvantage."

"But if I do nothing, the next one to die will definitely be me. Maybe I'll get lucky and point out the killer."

He was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to take a risk based on his intuition or to play it safe and observe more.

Both choices carried their own risks.

Since I, as the captain, can't make a decision, what is the traitor, as the evil one, thinking right now? Zhang Yuanqing decided to think from another angle:

"His hidden task is to kill, but he might not know about the captain's existence. I didn't observe any abnormalities, and the closed-eye strategy hasn't changed, which is a clear hint."

"The killer isn't stupid; he should know I 'suspect' there's a traitor in the team. So he will be cautious and look for the right opportunity to kill me. When is the right opportunity? That's very important."

"The role is a hidden task, not the main mission. The killer must also consider that killing too quickly will increase his risk in subsequent tasks."

Jinshui Amusement Park is S-level difficulty, and Zhang Yuanqing doesn't believe the evil one's task is just to reduce the team members.

If it were that simple, it wouldn't be S-level.

Following this line of thought: "After realizing there's no way to avoid the terrifying spirit mission, the killer is unlikely to kill frequently. He needs companions, he needs cannon fodder, and I, who have shown some ability, am a good choice."

"So, the best time to kill me should be after or during the haunted house."

"Right, these are just my speculations, and need to be verified. I'll use the 'underground parking lot' to test him. There's half an hour before the next task, so I'll take this opportunity to gather more information."

After thinking it through, Zhang Yuanqing decided to forgo this captain's power this time.

"Damn, can't avoid the haunted house!"

On the square, the Fire Demon, receiving the spirit realm prompt, was on the verge of losing it. He glared at the pretty girl: "Damn, you're going to get us killed."

Xie Lingxi pouted, looking aggrieved:

"I, I didn't want to either."

"I didn't know the S-level spirit realm would be like this. I've never been here before."

The Fire Demon, frustrated, tugged at his fiery red hair, cursing:

"I shouldn't have listened to you, coming up with random ideas. What do we do now? The haunted house is definitely very dangerous. What does the old guide say? I think we should discuss it."

Xie Lingxi shook her head: "I, I don't know. There are too many facilities in the amusement park, and I only remember part of it."

"Don't know? Do you think I believe you? Are you treating me like a three-year-old!"

Xie Lingxi, on the verge of tears, retorted:

"Why are you so aggressive?"

She looked about seventeen or eighteen, probably still a high school student. Being shouted at by the Fire Demon, she looked both aggrieved and innocent, as if about to cry.

"Enough!"

The middle-aged man, usually calm and honest, stepped forward to stop the argument.

He looked at the Fire Demon calmly: "No one can fully understand the changed difficulty of the amusement park. This isn't her fault. Besides, the roller coaster was chosen by a public vote."

The middle-aged man made sense, but the Fire Demon, in a bad mood, wouldn't listen, glaring:

"What's it to you? Why are you playing the good guy here?"

"I'm not playing the good guy, just trying to make you shut up! If you don't want to, I can help you!"

The seemingly honest middle-aged man's eyes flashed with a hint of malice.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing knew he had to step in. He walked forward, standing between the two, smiling:

"Calm down, calm down. If we keep arguing, the half hour will be over. Uncle, give me some face, and I'll buy you a drink after we clear Jinshui Amusement Park. Fire, once we leave the spirit realm, you can find me. I'm from Yangcheng, and the white-cut chicken there is the best, tender and juicy, and very smooth."

His playful banter and cheerful demeanor diffused the tense atmosphere.

The Fire Demon and the middle-aged man took the opportunity to back down.

The six of them followed the sign, leaving the square and walking through the brightly lit amusement park.

A cool breeze blew, and the dark sky was like an endless black velvet curtain, with no stars or moon.

The dreamy and sparkling lights of the amusement park were the only source of light in this world.

An unoccupied roller coaster roared along the tracks; the pendulum and pirate ship swung back and forth; the carousel turned slowly to the happy music.

Unmanned bumper cars crashed into each other on the field.

The scene suddenly turned eerie, from a fairy-tale dream to a dark nightmare.

No one spoke on the way, the atmosphere among the team members was silent and tense. They kept a certain distance from each other, neither too far nor too close.

Clearly, they had understood his hint and started to suspect He Bo's death. He would have to test them one by one. Sigh, it's so troublesome not to reveal my identity. Zhang Yuanqing no longer cared if his captain's identity was discovered.

Because it didn't matter.

The evil one would kill him first if there was a suitable opportunity, without any hesitation.

He quickly approached Xie Lingxi and said:

"Lingxi, are you a high school student? Where are you from?"

"I'm from Jiangnan Province, Brother Wang Tai. I'm in my final year of high school."

"Really? I'm a student at Jiangnan University. Let's exchange phone numbers. After we clear Jinshui Amusement Park, I can help you with your homework, one-on-one private tutoring."

"Sure, sure."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Why do you ask?"

"If you have a boyfriend, it wouldn't be convenient for private tutoring."

"Huh? Why?"

"Xi Shi, what do you do?"

"I'm a nurse."

A nurse? The kind who wears a uniform and gives injections? Zhang Yuanqing put on a very admiring expression:

"I respect the white angels the most."

Xi Shi's eyes sparkled, her face seductive, and she said in a suggestive tone:

"Actually, you don't have to be so respectful. I prefer men to be wild and rough, dominating me completely."

Zhang Yuanqing paused, then smiled: "Let's sleep together sometime."

Zhang Yuanqing then approached the "Unfit Father," chatting casually:

"Uncle, do you have a daughter?"

The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes and grunted.

Zhang Yuanqing asked curiously: "Your relationship with your daughter must be pretty bad, right?"

The middle-aged man's kind face instantly turned dark, and he coldly said: "None of your business."

"Sorry, sorry."

He kept his distance from the middle-aged man and quickly caught up with the red-haired young man, who was thin and had sharp, small eyes, giving off an impatient and rough vibe.

After a few compliments, the Fire Demon smiled, finding the young man's words pleasant and willing to chat.

When Zhang Yuanqing asked him about his teammates, the Fire Demon said bluntly:

"These teammates are all a bit off. The girl acts pitiful the whole time, the big-breasted woman looks like anyone can have her, but when I asked her to come down from the roller coaster platform for a quickie, she ignored me. The uncle looks the least like a good person."

He glanced back at the young man fawning over Xie Lingxi, Qi Tian Dasheng, with disdain:

"He's just a useless wimp. Brother Wang Tai, you're the only one I find tolerable in this team."

"Too kind, too kind. Fire, I also find you the most reliable."

Zhang Yuanqing then approached the young man in sneakers and tight pants, saying: "Dasheng, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Qi Tian Dasheng glanced at Xie Lingxi with reluctance and followed Zhang Yuanqing to the side.

"What's up?" He looked at the sociable young man with a questioning gaze.

"What do you think of these two girls?" Zhang Yuanqing chuckled.

Qi Tian Dasheng glanced at Xie Lingxi: "She's pretty, with a nice little butt, but her chest is small."

Then he looked at Xi Shi: "Big chest, round butt, but she doesn't talk much."

As for the Fire Demon and the middle-aged man, Qi Tian Dasheng thought the former was temperamental and hard to get along with, so he kept his distance. The latter was quiet but occasionally gave good advice.

Zhang Yuanqing suddenly whispered:

"If I die, try to get rid of that uncle. He's the evil one."

Qi Tian Dasheng was startled, his eyes widening, and he instinctively opened his mouth, then quickly closed it, his face becoming alert and cautious.

Ten minutes later, the group arrived at the underground parking lot on the west side of the amusement park, stopping at the ramp entrance.

Through the downward ramp, they saw the garage lit by fluorescent lights, with dusty cars neatly arranged.

The garage was deathly silent.

Zhang Yuanqing looked at Xie Lingxi and asked on behalf of the group:

"What's the strategy for this level?"

PS: These chapters are quite mind-bending. Such a plot can't be produced quickly, so the word count was a bit low yesterday. Also, the sudden drop in temperature has left me with a cold and cough, and I'm not in the best condition.