Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Let's Break Up
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"Look here."
"More dead bodies."
"Judging by the bracelets..."
"Definitely players like us. What's there to think about."
We decided to search for the exit until the grandfather clock activated. But as we wandered the mansion, one thing became clear: this wasn't some distant future overrun by higher races. This was the modern era, where an escape route actually existed.
The reason for that certainty? Not a single higher race in sight. No sign of them at all. Instead, we kept running into dead bodies and players fleeing from us.
The corpses were everywhere too. This time period might have the highest number of people dropped in.
"The bodies have been completely looted. Nothing worthwhile left. If this weren't such a place, they'd have stripped the organs too."
Baiyu grumbled irritably as he rummaged through a corpse. Every body we checked had been picked clean, so it was understandable. I was getting annoyed too, only finding husks with nothing to farm.
"Maybe everyone's waiting in this time period."
"This time period? What do you mean?"
Nick asked about the time periods. I couldn't hide it forever, so I gave him and Baiyu a quick rundown on the mansion's four interconnected time zones.
"I see... So the ones who found the exit are probably camping right by it."
If the exit only existed in this time period, it had to be here. Which meant some groups were likely waiting indefinitely nearby, betting someone would show up with the signet ring. Of course, plenty wouldn't know that fact.
'Those who don't know about time travel would just hole up here...'
Suddenly, a few possibilities I'd overlooked—thanks to focusing on Baiyu and Nick as teammates—popped into my head.
"But what if... someone already took the ring and left?"
"What?"
Baiyu's face twisted in disgust at my words, like he couldn't even fathom it.
"Unexpectedly... it's not impossible. Jun's right."
Nick agreed and fell into thought. I was right there with him.
If a full team of grave robbers or thieves with specialized classes figured out time travel easily, had perfect teamwork, they might have already swept everything and escaped. Slim chance, sure, but not zero.
"Hold on! We haven't even been in the mansion a full day! And someone already... crazy bastard... what if?!"
Baiyu started denying our idea vehemently but trailed off, confidence waning, until he was clutching his head in full despair.
I continued, eyeing his hopeless expression.
"Even if someone snagged the signet ring and bailed first, we have no way to know. No time limit here... it's like an endlessly open dungeon. They could grab the prize and ghost, and we'd never notice. We might just waste time here like idiots."
Worse, if the thief died in some unknown time zone... we'd have to scour every era, combing the mansion top to bottom for the ring. Once I laid it all out, Baiyu squatted down and rubbed his eyes.
"Damn... you're right... all of it... damn... damn..."
We were at an impasse. If we were the only ones roaming, we'd just charge ahead for the ring. But with potentially 15+ raiding parties running wild...
'Pure chaos...'
Unlike scripted NPCs, players could do anything stupid. They might vanish without the ring or a way out.
"Let's keep hunting for the exit for now."
No immediate countermeasure, so we pressed on. After about an hour of searching the mansion, we found it.
"Triangular glass window..."
"The only white door in the mansion."
"Rose pattern too. That's it."
Every door we'd seen so far was dark brown wood. The exit stood out, painted stark white.
"&＠#$&!!!"
Six players were camped right in front of the exit, just as we'd predicted. Two full parties had arrived early and staked it out.
They'd probably teamed up to ambush and rob other players. For profit, they'd formed their own alliance.
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Bubbling...
"Gulp... What are they boiling?"
"No idea. Smells like meat, though..."
"Gulp..."
They'd built a fire right by the exit and were cooking something. Baiyu swallowed hard at the meaty aroma. Luckily, they hadn't spotted us yet. They were too busy chattering excitedly and scooping solids from their pot.
'Looks like these six have gotten cocky looting other players. That's why they're eating so carelessly.'
Part of me wanted to carpet-bomb them with Abyssal Maw, ripping off all their heads. But I was sticking to my non-combat producer class facade, so I left the fighting to Nick and Baiyu.
"Can you understand what they're saying?"
"Hm... Sounds kinda like Spanish... Try talking to them?"
I cut Nick off before he could attempt dialogue at Baiyu's question. Talk? No. Strike fast while they were oblivious.
"Doesn't matter what language. They're murderers who butchered other survivors anyway."
"True... The bodies weren't in normal states..."
"Yeah, they tortured them to death. No reasoning with scum like that. Just take them down. I've got binding items. We can use these guys."
I pulled out the suppressive gag and taming rope. The gag sealed abilities, as they knew. The rope I'd bought from the merchant before entering Missing Persons' Forest—it went around a beast's neck to make it obey.
"You really carry the weirdest stuff... Fine. Let's knock out two without killing them."
Convinced, Nick skipped pointless chit-chat with weak foes and drew his sword. Baiyu wrapped his fists in light skill and charged.
The group, mid-meal, squinted at the light bursting from the hall's end and jumped up.
But their opponents were beyond normal players. Baiyu's punch caved in one guy's face mid-bite, exploding his skull out the back.
Meanwhile, Nick danced with his blade. Limbs flew, lives ended. The fight went smoothly. I clapped for the two battling hard, keeping watch.
'But Nick... milks that one skill forever...'
Nick stuck to coating his sword in light. Best efficiency? Or his only light skill? Maybe hiding his hand like me.
Baiyu had used three light skills so far. First, full-body glow against Pig Mask. Second, light beam on Rabbit Mask. Now, fists in light.
'Plus some body enhancement skills, probably...'
Baiyu's arsenal was more varied. Made me wonder.
'Nick said good god faction... is he really?'
Maybe not the light sword from faction—perhaps the swords themselves were special.
Three at his waist, only drew the double-edged straight one. Maybe the glow was the sword's effect, not a skill.
Then... Nick might not be Hero 777. Just a good god player with unique swords. Or a total fraud preaching it.
'Hiding power... or lying...'
I'd pegged him as prime suspect Hero (criminal), but fixating on one theory was risky.
As I analyzed, four of six were dead. The last two writhed on the floor, groaning. Wanted to slap Slave Brand on them, but held back.
I gagged and roped the downed pair. Now they were like slaves.
"These bastards were stockpiling food."
"Waiting for someone with the signet ring, no doubt."
Baiyu happily rifled their gear, snagging a bag to hoard rations.
"Nick. Can you talk to these two?"
"Hm... One sec."
Nick spoke English; one prisoner replied. English worked worldwide—always a speaker or two.
"Hey, Jun. New intel."
"Yeah? What?"
"Try wearing this bracelet."
"This is..."
Nick handed me a bracelet from a corpse. Team comms device.
"No way..."
"Yep. Steal another team's bracelet, communicate with their survivors."
"Whoa..."
Slipping it on let me talk to the two captives.
'Perfect... time to execute the plan...'
Two communicable prisoners secured. Time to pitch the idea I'd mulled over to Nick and Baiyu.
"Let's change up the search from here."
"Huh?"
"How?"
"Split up and cover more ground."
No clue if either was the Hero... but self-proclaimed good god faction. Enemies to eliminate.
So I'd been waiting for a chance to screw them. Needed to separate them... and here it was, golden opportunity.
'Nice... time to play dirty...'
Split the good god duo. Memory wipe one with potion. Make the other read Manti's Book.
Flawless plan.
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