Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Departure Dream Team?
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Three dolls sat in a dark room, staring blankly at the screen. The screen they were watching showed Jo Joon and his teammates from a top-down view.
The dolls, from right to left, consisted of a pure white doll dressed in a frilly gown adorned with lace and ribbons; a tattoo-covered doll in a punk dress studded with chains and spikes; and a doll clad in pitch-black gothic attire.
They were the jewelers sponsoring Nick, Vieu, and Jo Joon, respectively.
While the other jewelers watching screens in different rooms cheered on their proxies with hopes of mutual success, the atmosphere here was utterly silent.
It was awkward. A heavy silence hung in the air, underscored by thick hostility that made it clear their relationships were abysmal.
"Hmm... Somehow, the three of us ended up in the same group."
The pure white jeweler finally broke the uncomfortable silence.
"Yeah."
The gothic jeweler agreed coldly. She didn't want to speak. Her relationship with the other two was practically hostile.
After all, she had bet on the apostle of an evil god.
"Still... I hope the mission succeeds. It'd be better if they never learn each other's true identities... and make it to the end like that."
"Yeah."
The conversation died. The punk doll spoke up amid the even chillier atmosphere.
"Damn it. I came here to have fun... Why do I have to deal with this awkwardness between you two?"
The punk doll in the middle irritably pulled a lollipop from her bosom and crunched into it.
They fell silent again.
"Hmmm..."
"Ahem."
"Ugh..."
Soon, the Pig Head from the slaughterhouse appeared on the screen, getting pummeled by Nick and Vieu. The three dolls swallowed their groans.
One had revealed their identity, another had hidden theirs, and the last was blankly observing the two.
The jewelers watching the screen each thought to themselves.
'Please... The world is vast, and there are many strong ones... Don't get too cocky...'
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The pure white doll clasped her hands in prayer. Of course, she didn't believe in any god.
'Yeah... Hit him harder! Beat him to a pulp!! Rip him apart! Blood!! Death!!'
The punk doll fervently cheered her proxy. She sought only intense pleasure.
'Jo Joon... Never reveal your identity... The opportunity will come...'
The gothic jeweler hoped Jo Joon would continue deceiving the other two. There was no need to reveal himself.
They were the sponsors of the Savior, Trickster, and Cultist, respectively.
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Now that Nick had revealed his blade of light and Vieu had used that bizarre skill wrapped in light, the two—convinced they were both from the All Gods Pantheon—were eyeing me with deep suspicion.
They narrowed their eyes at me as if accusing me of being an evil god's follower, looking like they'd kill me on the spot regardless of the request if I were a cultist.
In the end, I had no choice but to make up a ridiculous excuse.
"I'm from the Myriad Ghost Realm."
I had no other option. I lacked any skills or tools to back up a claim of being from the good gods' camp, and pretending to be a normal class would impose too many restrictions on my actions.
If I claimed to be a normal class but used skills like Impure Touch or Rising Flesh, it'd immediately expose me as a special class, deepening their distrust for deceiving them.
That couldn't happen. Now that I knew they were both from the good gods' side, I needed them to trust me to some degree. That way, I could feed one the Oblivion Red Wine to erase his memory and make the other read Manti's Book to seal him for about 10,000 hours. If I timed it right for both... they were done.
So, the most fitting lie I'd come up with to deceive them was the Myriad Ghost Realm. While good god classes uniformly produced flashy light effects, the Myriad Ghost Realm felt like a mishmash of miscellaneous gods without a unified style—perfect for deception.
'From what I've seen, the Myriad Ghost Realm is a grab bag, so I probably can't use skills directly tied to chaos or the abyss without suspicion... but others should be fine.'
I figured I could brush off any slightly shady skills. Plus, with potions from Hellas and tools from the black market, claiming a non-combat role like apothecary gave a professional vibe. For those reasons, I lied about the Myriad Ghost Realm.
"Haha... Hahaha... See? Check out these potions."
"Indeed. The communication potion earlier fits too. You must be an apothecary."
I pulled out potions from my bag to show them, and Nick's suspicious glare faded. Vieu still looked dubious... but said nothing.
I'd somehow muddled through for now. But damn, things had gotten messy. I'd suddenly become a Myriad Ghost Realm member, and the two assholes in front of me—personality irredeemably rotten—were shockingly both from the All Gods Pantheon.
I wanted out of this hellhole fast. I missed my slaves...
'What the hell are the All Gods Pantheon's recruitment standards? Do they only pick total scumbags?'
I suspected it was just random. No way they'd deliberately pick trash like this.
'Or maybe they do pick only these kinds. The good gods seemed like utter psychos...'
To me, the so-called good gods didn't align with human notions of goodness. They felt like hypocrites and phonies image-making themselves with light and white to scream "we're good!"
They didn't demand human sacrifices like evil gods... Was that the criterion?
'Do they divide good and evil by human sacrifice? Is it that simple? The jeweler mentioned before... Evil gods are skeptics, good gods are fatalists, and the Myriad Ghost Realm elders preach eternal recurrence... No clue. Not worth pondering now... I'll ask properly after escaping.'
For now, I needed to steer the conversation back to completing the request and escaping the mansion. No point dwelling on factions. Lies have limits, and too much bullshit would expose me.
"The entrance is open anyway, so let's move. From what I heard, there are about four more freaks like that roaming this place... And they resurrect even if killed."
"Undying ones... That's troublesome."
"Hmm... Solid intel?"
The moment Vieu questioned my info, the Pig Head—now a mass of meat—began to twitch.
"Shit!! It's real!!"
"Q-Quick, let's go..."
We hurriedly fled the slaughterhouse.
"Cough... Dust?"
"Spores, maybe."
I immediately donned my gas mask.
"You even brought that."
"As expected... Myriad Ghost Realm's preparedness."
Vieu eyed me enviously, Nick nodded approvingly. I said nothing, letting their misconceptions fester.
"The hallway's dark too."
"Let's keep going... I need to find something."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you later. Follow for now."
I took the lead. Vieu and Nick followed. Since learning they were both All Gods Pantheon, their bickering had dropped sharply. Maybe because I told them to shut up... but it felt more like budding camaraderie, which irked me.
I'd prefer them snarling at each other. This weird vibe of enemies instantly teaming up against me—what was it? Like I was being ostracized. Damn. I really missed my slaves.
"Something's moving..."
"Damn."
After trudging through the twisting, gloomy, ancient mansion hallway for a while, Vieu sensed something. Her perception outstripped mine... Maybe an omnisensory skill?
We hid around the corner on her warning. Soon, a woman in a rabbit mask appeared at the hall's end. She was stabbing a limp corpse with an awl.
"^$#＠^%!!!(Stinks!!!) !%$#%^#$%!!!(Hahaha!! Love the blood smell!!!)"
The rabbit-masked woman's shrill scream.
"What'd she say...?"
"Ahem... Strange language. First time hearing it."
Nick and Vieu couldn't understand her shout.
'Am I the only one? She's All Demons-aligned, so only I get it...'
I didn't let on that I understood.
"But... do we need to hide?"
"Yeah. She looks weaker than that Pig Head."
Vieu questioned hiding while watching the rabbit mask's hysterical rampage. Nick drew his sword and strode toward her. Vieu followed, and I stood pondering my next move.
"$%^^%^!!!(What are you!!!)"
"No idea what you're saying. Die."
Vieu and Nick danced with blades. I blankly watched them wreck the hallway. No room for me to join, and I wanted to observe their skills closely.
'Not now... but eventually, we'll fight.'
Whichever was my true rival, as good god affiliates, they'd need killing someday. Watching confirmed they were both strong. Nick wielded his sword flawlessly, Vieu aggressively pressured while blinding with skills.
'Strong... If they fought Mer... Mer would still win, right?'
Screeech...
Then, a door behind them creaked open slightly, revealing eyes peeking at the fight. Distracted by the rabbit mask, they missed me—and the eyes.
'Survivors... Buddies of the guy the rabbit just killed?'
While Nick and Vieu focused on her, I flung open the door to grab the peepers.
Bang!
"Eeeeek!!!"
The door shattered from my kick, sending two men tumbling—or so I thought; one was a woman.
"Hmm. Bracelets..."
Hiding in the storeroom-like room were a Southeast Asian-looking woman and a white boy. Matching bracelets on their wrists—like mine, for team comms.
Probably other players in the mansion. Looked like comrades of the awl-victim.
"Please, don't kill us."
"Please."
The Southeast Asian and boy begged tearfully. Nick and Vieu, deep in combat, hadn't noticed. The rabbit woman was faster, dodging via walls and ceiling, so they couldn't finish her easily.
"Haa..."
I extended my hand toward the pleading pair. They'd lost all fight upon seeing me. No idea how these cowards got picked by jewelers... but now, they were my slaves.
I considered killing them but spared them since they spoke English. Wasteful on potions; use Nick for translation, ditch later. Bait or meat shields till then.
"Both of you, stand."
No language barrier for commands. They rose obediently.
"Don't tell anyone I've enslaved you, by any means. That's an order. No betrayal, no self-harm. Shut up and follow well, and I'll let you live. Got it?"
They didn't understand words but nodded, forcibly comprehending the order.
"Yes, I understand."
"Thank you. Thank you very much."
The white boy bowed sobbing. The Southeast Asian woman protectively shielded him with fierce resolve.
"Hmm..."
The hallway fight reached a lull. Peeking out, the rabbit freak lay mangled under Vieu.
"Done?"
"Of course! No big deal!"
Nick wiped blood from his face excitedly. I brought the two survivors over.
"What's this?"
"Hiding in the storeroom. Their buddy was the dead guy there."
Nick nodded and chatted with them. Vieu eyed me suspiciously.
"Didn't kill them this time."
"Nick bitched last time, so no. What? Jealous? Starting shit? Fine, I'll take them and bail. Leave you behind?"
"Damn! Stop threatening! You fucking... And I'm watching you, so-called apothecary punk."
Vieu's glare flustered me; I unloaded curses.
"What? Crazy bastard's bitching. Shut up and watch your back, you prick. Don't pick fights just 'cause you're buddy-buddy with Nick now. Rotten chink ramen fuck."
"Ch-Chink ramen? What kinda insult is that..."
"Argh. Whatever. I'm sensitive, don't talk to me."
Vieu clearly didn't buy my Myriad Ghost Realm apothecary story. Damn chink. Without mansion rules, he'd be first on my kill list... Patience. Strongest one endures.
Nick finished talking.
"She's Lina from the Philippines, he's Jacob from Canada. Need three to escape... Hope we find another stray. Chin up. I'll do my best to save you."
Nick smiled warmly, patting their shoulders. Lina looked touched; Jacob wiped tears gratefully.
"Save the thanks. Let's move. Something's coming."
Vieu scowled back the way we'd come. Pig freak revived?
Then—
An overwhelming aura emanated from the opposite hall end. A door opened, something emerged.
"Daddy Pig... dead... You... culprits...?"
A wolf-masked freak glared from the hall's end.
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