As soon as these words were spoken, not only were the remaining players and the many netizens in the live stream stunned, but even the slovenly man was momentarily dumbfounded.
The young man didn't even wait for a response before turning and leaving.
The slovenly man's words, "Alright, go ahead," got stuck right in his throat.
He quickly snapped back to reality and hurriedly shouted towards the young man's retreating back, "Go and come back quickly!"
Fortunately, the challenge wasn't starting until tomorrow. Tonight was just for the contestants to get used to the environment a bit early, so going in later wasn't a big deal.
But in his mind, that East Asian young man had still left him with an impression of being troublesome.
Meanwhile, Winifred and the others watched the figure of the player who seemed to be from the Hua Nation gradually disappear into the woods, their expressions complex.
Polina stared in that direction, her gaze sharp. "What is he going to do?"
She didn't believe the other party would do something meaningless, nor did she think he was really going to take care of a biological need.
Daisy's eyes flickered slightly.
The two questions the other party had raised not long ago had precisely pinpointed the key points none of them had paid attention to.
His way of doing things was also clean and decisive, completely at odds with the word 'cautious'.
Even though she was also internally speculating about the young man's intentions, her words were, "Who knows?"
The remaining few also had their own thoughts, but no one suggested following him.
First, there was apprehension about the unknown area. Second, the young man's motives were unclear; following him rashly might not be a good thing.
Over there, Xu Xi was walking away with long, swift strides.
Because he was afraid the slovenly man would call him back.
Just moments ago, he had suddenly thought of a very crucial issue—his reload save point.
Although he speculated that the way to clear this instance was related to that Blue Monster's wish, there were still a few points to consider.
First, the Blue Monster wanted to clear its name; this was undoubtedly true.
It didn't want to bear a false charge after death, even in a memorial exhibition hall.
What they, the players, needed to do was help it prove its innocence.
But first, to whom did it need to prove it?
To the staff of the production team? Or... to the audience members in this instance who would watch this show?
Second, what was the standard for judging the "proof" as effective?
Did it need to make everyone believe, or was it merely completing the "helping" process as unilaterally defined by that Blue Monster?
Third, how to prove it?
This point was extremely crucial.
Xu Xi's first thought was the production team.
But then he reconsidered. Neither that special Blue Monster nor the ordinary ones had ever appeared on the surveillance, and even when he found that red skull symbol in the previous round, the production team hadn't reacted.
Was relying on the production team's cameras really useful?
Perhaps there was a way, but convincing that slovenly man would be another troublesome matter.
Therefore, he decided to take an unconventional approach.
Anyway, the final judgment rested with that Blue Monster. As long as the result matched its idea of "clearing its name," the process... probably didn't limit the methods, right?
At this moment, netizens from various nations in the live stream were also discussing his sudden move to "take care of a biological need."
[Would someone really want to go to the bathroom alone in such a dangerous environment? (ip Kangaroo Nation)]
[I'd rather believe he wants to search for clues alone. (ip Li Nation)]
[Too reckless. The beginning of an instance is the worst time for solo action. Don't you Hua Nation people know that? (ip Prettyland)]
[Hey, the person above, please don't speak for everyone. Our 248 wouldn't do something he wasn't sure about. (ip Hua Nation)]
It wasn't surprising that many netizens paid extra attention to that Hua Nation player. It was just that after witnessing that failed blessing ritual, his behavior had become quite unusual.
While their own contestants were still reeling from shock, the young man possessed a detached kind of calmness.
Then, after getting answers to the two questions he had posed, he immediately and without warning left the group and disappeared into the woods.
This series of actions was smooth and fluid, yet everywhere it exuded an abnormality.
It even formed an overly stark contrast with the other players.
It was hard for them not to take a second look.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the Hua Nation young man who said he was going to "take care of a personal biological need" indeed did not do as he said. Instead, he walked towards the shaman who had become insane after the failed blessing.
The netizens were completely baffled, having no idea what he was about to do.
*
The same simple first aid station, the same corner, the same man curled up there, his body trembling slightly.
Xu Xi even felt a strong urge to deliver a cheesy line like, "Hey, long time no see."
After all, he had reloaded so many times; from a time perspective, they really hadn't seen each other much.
Hearing footsteps, the man warily lifted his head to look.
"...It's you? One of the contestants from East Asia? What do you want?"
Hmm, the same familiar questioning.
Xu Xi calmly sat down on the other side.
"Of course."
He went straight to the point without any courtesy. "You were possessed just now, right?"
This statement was certainly not a probe. In fact, it was something the other party had revealed himself in a previous run.
The man's eyes instantly widened, his expression quite agitated.
"You... you know...!!"
Xu Xi nodded. "Not only do I know that, I also know—"
Seeing the man unconsciously clenching his hands on his rough pant legs, Xu Xi deliberately leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"—there's a powerful, slumbering spirit inside."
Hearing this, the man's pupils constricted sharply.
Xu Xi continued, "Tomorrow at noon, that spirit will awaken, and we—"
He glanced at the man whose breathing had become even more ragged and leisurely added the second half.
"—will all die."
As soon as the words fell, the man gasped sharply, his already trembling lips quivering even more.
The look he gave Xu Xi was filled with unbelievable horror and a kind of "so it's true" despair.
Without the slightest doubt, he believed it.
Because just moments ago, he had personally experienced the fear of having his body controlled by an invisible entity.
"You... how do you know?" His voice was dry and hoarse. "What if..."
"What if I'm lying? What if what I said is false? What if nothing happens tomorrow?"
Three consecutive rhetorical questions completely shattered the man's already precarious psychological defenses.
"I just wanted to make a living! How did I get mixed up in something like this!" The man seemed to have all his strength drained, slumping to the ground, hands digging into his hair, complaining with a voice on the verge of tears.
Seeing that the stimulation was about enough, Xu Xi finally softened his tone and steered the conversation towards his own goal. "However, I didn't come here to die with you all."
The man was stunned. In the next second, like a drowning man grabbing a lifebuoy, a flash of burning intensity appeared in his eyes. He jerked his head up, staring intently at the young man before him who had remained utterly calm and composed from start to finish. "You... you have a way?"
He didn't care what the other party meant by that statement or what his purpose was in joining this show. As long as it could get him out alive, everything else was irrelevant.
He really didn't want to die here at such a young age.
If he could return alive, he swore he would never touch these ghostly, supernatural things again!
Xu Xi avoided answering directly. Instead, he stretched out his hand towards the man. "Give me your phone."
