Playing the Foolish Beauty in a Deadly Game - Chapter 33
The shattered plane debris flew in all directions, colliding with the surrounding buildings and creating a cacophony of sounds. The heat and temperature played a strange effect in the night. It seemed as if something was wriggling and transforming in the darkness around them. It was as if someone had pressed the fast-forward button; wind-like substances quickly darted through the gaps between the people.
The scene before them resembled a movie shot, with the protagonists gazing at each other from afar amidst a sea of people, motionless, while the surrounding pedestrians and vehicles were blurred into an unending stream of shadows, overwhelming the senses.
The “fireworks” created by the explosion of the black graffiti were even more devastating than the plane’s explosion. In the silent night, within the fragmented city, an eerie fireworks display was unfolding. The smell of meat wafted through the air; thinking about what it was, no one felt hunger, only nausea.
Even though the spectacle created by the shattered black shadows was awe-inspiring and beautiful, the group had no time to appreciate it. They needed to rush to the shelter. Lin Qiao couldn’t help but glance back. Fortunately, he had retracted the shadow that had been following him; otherwise, it might have been drawn to the flames as well.
However… Wasn’t the impact range of the plane explosion a bit off? Why wasn’t it as intense as when the black shadows had self-immolated?
Yan Ting whispered, “Focus.”
Seemingly aware of what Lin Qiao was thinking, Yan Ting explained, “Planes that make emergency landings will try every means to deplete their fuel. This plane didn’t need to.”
Lin Qiao understood. There wasn’t much fuel to begin with, and it had been mutated, significantly reducing its combustion capability.
A few passenger NPCs up front were looking for a car: “Damn it, these cars won’t start; they don’t have any fuel!”
The female internet celebrity, who had run out with a computer and several data cables, needed the map on it: “There’s a gas station nearby; let’s go check it out.”
Fortunately, the gas station was on the way to the base; otherwise, the group might not have wasted this time, as the underground fuel at the gas station might not be usable either.
Sure enough, the fuel wouldn’t last long, but at least it had some effect and didn’t leave everyone with false hope.
The group found three cars. The fire from the plane’s explosion was gradually dying down. Fortunately, the flames had attracted most of the black shadows, buying Lin Qiao and the others some time.
Yan Ting reminded them, “We’re already near the base. In an hour and forty-six minutes, the sun will rise. Everyone, keep track of the time.”
The cars tried to avoid the automobiles that had collided during the apocalypse and the obstacles formed by various discarded items on the road, heading towards the shelter.
There were still black shadows clinging to the cars, but the group, having fought with the shadows before, was more concerned with the pressing time. They were not afraid but rather resentful of the monsters created by the apocalypse, firing their guns mercilessly.
When looking for cars and fuel, Lin Qiao and the female lover had made quite a few torches, which they threw when encountering more black shadows, and it worked every time.
Soon, the three cars successively stalled. Fortunately, when the cars stopped, they were not far from the research base. With no other means of transportation, the group began to sprint.
Finally, with forty minutes to spare, they arrived at the entrance of the experimental base, but there was no bunker entrance in sight.
It took another twenty minutes to search separately, and the torches were almost out of fuel. The sun would rise soon.
An NPC passenger began to complain: “There won’t be a shelter, right? It’s just… meant to lead us here to die. Please, Yan Ting, don’t do this!”
“We can’t find the entrance, and there’s no time to run back to the plane now. Even if we could, the plane’s fuel is depleted and it won’t start. We’re doomed! We’re going to die here!”
Zhong Minglang also looked at Yan Ting, who shook his head and said, “This is my first time here too.”
“If you know something, say it quickly! Don’t hide it from us anymore! We’re at the entrance, just a little more, just a little more…”
“Yeah, don’t hide it anymore. Can’t we all survive together?”
In extreme panic and despair, the remaining few passenger NPCs’ mental defenses began to collapse. They no longer feared Yan Ting but wanted him to take responsibility and bear their anger.
Yan Ting himself didn’t care much. Lin Qiao’s ears turned red with anger, wanting to defend Yan Ting. However, a glint of amusement crossed Yan Ting’s eyes, signaling Lin Qiao to stay silent.
The female internet celebrity was walking back and forth near a two-meter-tall “stele” at the entrance of the building, observing with her computer in hand. The computer’s battery was down to twenty percent. After circling around a few times, she spoke up: “There’s something off about this stele. Every time I pass by here, there’s a faint network signal.”
Everyone’s spirits were lifted, and they all gathered around. After confirming the signal, they all examined the stele from all sides and eventually found the clue.
The surface of the stele was very smooth, feeling like it was made of marble. However, on the side facing the group, there was a rectangular area that felt different from the stone, more like… a screen.
The female internet celebrity said, “Whoever has the card, come over quickly and try to stick it on. Hurry up, we don’t have much time.”
The cardholder was a former minion of the brown-haired man. He immediately placed the chip on the rectangular area that felt different.
With a “beep,” the stone pattern on that part changed and lit up in the night. At the same time, the wall facing the stele began to vibrate, producing a rumbling sound, and a crack opened.
Everyone was overjoyed. This was the real entrance to the bunker! They were saved!
The players raised their guard, remembering the “final level.” The slowly opening door seemed like a beacon of hope, but before everyone could enter happily, the crack in the door closed again, and it closed much faster than it opened.
The passengers murmured among themselves, and everyone’s face looked bad: “What’s going on? Do they not want us to enter? Or is it…?”
“Or is it that only the person with the card can enter?”
The former minion of the brown-haired man, hearing the others’ guesses, quickly raised his gun and looked at everyone defensively.
At that moment, the display screen on the stele suddenly showed an image. A person wearing a research base lab coat but with an unrecognizable face and a mask appeared on the screen.
The cardholder excitedly approached: “I have the card. I’m the only cardholder. Let me in now!”
The masked woman in the lab coat was not flustered at all, even placing her hands on her chin.
She spoke in a sweet female voice: “Hello, sir. The cardholder is Yan Ting. He is an investor in this experiment. We know all the wealthy sponsors, so you are illegally impersonating him.”
“However, it’s not about the card now. Can you tell me your respective professions?”
The cardholder didn’t think much: “What business is it of yours what I do? Are you going to let us in or not?”
The other players had already realized something was wrong. The female internet celebrity tested the waters: “I am a hacker, and I can be very useful to the base.”
The others also caught on and fabricated useful identities for themselves.
The female researcher on the other side laughed a few times and said, “Alright, I have taken note of it. And once you come in, we will verify one by one.”
“If there is anyone lying, we will not be lenient with them.”
“Now, let me tell you the last piece of news. Due to the effect of the solar rays, the stele at the entrance has developed a problem.”
“The card must always be on the induction screen for the door to stay open. Once the card leaves the screen, the door will close quickly.”
“It seems that one of you needs to hold the card and stand by the stele at the entrance to keep the door open for the others.”
“Unfortunately, in our design to prevent criminals from entering, the door closes very fast. So the cardholder will die.”
The cardholder’s face turned pale, and he stammered, “What, what do you mean?”
The female researcher continued with a smile: “What I mean is that one of you has to sacrifice for everyone. I’m sorry, but this is not our intention, nor are we deliberately making things difficult.”
The passenger holding the card was on the verge of a breakdown: “Your design is unreasonable. How could you design it like this?”
“Since it’s your base’s issue, why don’t you solve it? What kind of people are you? This is killing people!”
The female researcher sneered, and her tone turned cold: “Sir, of course we have other entrances, but the reality is that you don’t have time. Why did you come so late?”
“And our base is not some government department that makes contributions for the general public.”
“Besides Mr. Yan Ting, whether you live or die is of no use to us.”
“If Mr. Yan Ting dies, I will cry for him, but that’s all. If you die… what does it have to do with me?”
“There are ten minutes left before the sun rises. You decide for yourselves.”
After speaking, she directly cut off the communication. This shelter base was definitely not meant to serve the people, so they were bad without any burden.
Who knows if the stele was damaged by the solar rays or deliberately designed this way. Even if it was damaged, why didn’t the base repair it at such a close distance?
However, the players finally understood what the “final level” meant and why Yan Ting wanted to hand over the card.
The originally smug minion who had obtained the card had thrown it on the ground by this time.
He rushed at Yan Ting: “You knew, didn’t you? It’s because you knew all this that you handed over the card!”
His skills were no match for Yan Ting, who, despite being injured, could still handle him.
However, the remaining two men in black suits were loyal and still remembered to protect Yan Ting. Without Yan Ting lifting a finger, they threw the man out.
“I’ve never been here. How could I know all this? Given the situation, if I hadn’t handed over the chip card, would you have let me go?”
Another minion of the brown-haired man spoke up: “This card originally belonged to you. You should be the one to stay and open the door for everyone.”
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