Chapter 108

Chapter 108

When Fox Fourth Aunt excitedly pressed a fox mask onto Xiyu’s face, Luo Xi couldn’t help the surge of unease and anger that rose in his heart. Of course he knew that getting this 220 taels of silver was an incredible opportunity that couldn’t be found even with a lantern search,

But watching someone you care about get hurt — that was torment no one could endure.

Xiyu seemed to sense this. He gently patted the back of Luo Xi’s hand to comfort him and said, “Take the silver, just to be safe.”

Luo Xi accepted the heavy silver pouch and immediately calmed down, starting to calculate the situation: if everything went smoothly, he and Xiyu still needed to stay at the shelter for three more days — that was 120 taels. Besides that, daily food and water would cost 30 taels — totaling 90. That meant they could live comfortably to the end and still have 40 taels left over. Among all the streamers, their situation was clearly the most relaxed and pleasant.

Xiyu was also thinking along the same lines and seriously suggested, “How about we save on food and drink a bit, and you go buy a weapon?”

“No, we can’t leave ourselves with nothing,” Luo Xi refused. “Don’t forget, you still need to find a job.”

Fox Fourth Aunt, who had been overjoyed, snapped back to reality at these words. Like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, she said coldly, “Hmph, my pawnshop only wants decent-looking workers. Xiyu, go find work elsewhere.”

Xiyu showed not a shred of reluctance. “Alright.”

With that, he pulled Luo Xi and walked out the door.

Fox Fourth Aunt stood there gloomily for a moment, then once again grew excited about obtaining a perfect face, leaning on the counter and humming a tune.

At that moment, Hong Feng crept out of the fog, glancing thoughtfully in the direction Xiyu had left before stepping inside and greeting her, “Boss Fox, do you need a worker here?”

Luo Xi, guarding Xiyu as they left the pawnshop, couldn’t worry about his own task. He busied himself analyzing things for him: “You need to go work for Yan Jin now, otherwise staying at an inn tonight would just waste silver.”

“But Li Mo and Su Zhen are already there,” Xiyu said, not acting like a saint unwilling to kill. He looked down, thinking, “Killing someone costs ransom money too. Right now, Li Mo has money.”

Luo Xi frowned. “Go check it out anyway. That woman Li Mo is incredibly sly — she’s probably already anticipated this and laid a trap to prevent being killed.”

Meanwhile, Li Mo and Su Zhen had arrived one after the other at Yonghe Hall. Naturally, they had to help the NPC find and make medicine. These tedious tasks drained almost all their energy. With other streamers eyeing them hungrily from the outside, they really had no time or energy to look into the story plot.

Li Mo seemed to look down on Su Zhen for being short one leg and showed no intention of helping her complete any tasks. She had long since left alone with a bamboo basket on her back.

Su Zhen struggled with every step. Thankfully, her willpower was strong as she leaned on a tree branch and helped Doctor Yan deliver medicine to the wounded in the city.

As she slowly made her way through the mist, Huo Qingshen’s thin figure suddenly appeared, blocking her path.

Since Huo Qingshen had no strength, Su Zhen wasn’t afraid. She looked at him coldly and asked, “What, want to kill me and take my crown? Too bad you don’t have what it takes!”

Huo Qingshen smiled faintly. “Of course I don’t — and I can’t afford the ransom either. We both only have fifty taels left. Aren’t we the most miserable in the game?”

Su Zhen replied, “I can stay in the shelter. You’re the one who’s the most miserable.”

“Hold on, I’m not here to mock you. I want to propose a collaboration,” Huo Qingshen said bluntly. “I just ran into Hong Feng. He’s already working at Fox Fourth Aunt’s place, trying to collect NPC ears for pawn.”

Su Zhen was impatient. “So?”

Huo Qingshen smiled slightly. “Hong Feng told me Xiyu pawned his face — for 220 taels!”

That number sounded astronomical now. Even Su Zhen, who tried to stay calm, couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“Plus what he had left in his pocket — even after paying 80 taels in ransom, he still has quite a bit,” Huo Qingshen added eagerly. “Let’s work together to take him out, then split the money. How about it?”

Su Zhen raised an eyebrow. “Why come to me? And anyway, you don’t have any strength. If I’m the one doing the killing, why split it with you?”

Huo Qingshen replied, “Dan Yun and Lu Yan are a lesbian couple — no matter what I say, they ignore me. Hong Feng didn’t want trouble and turned me down. As for Li Mo… you’re more reliable than her. I know you’ve got assassination experience. But don’t forget — Luo Xi sticks to Xiyu like glue. You’ll need someone to lure him away so you can succeed.”

Su Zhen sized up Huo Qingshen. “You’re willing to lure him away? Aren’t you afraid?”

Huo Qingshen replied, “I’m a little scared, but killing me would be a losing deal. Luo Xi won’t kill me.”

Only then did Su Zhen give it serious thought and agreed, “Alright, worth a try.”

Then she glanced around. “Let’s talk somewhere else — this place is too exposed.”

At the same time, Luo Xi, accompanied by Xiyu, had already rounded up several injured NPCs and efficiently drove them to Head Constable Situ. After receiving today’s half piece of steamed bun, he said, “Come on, let’s find you a job. The moment I see that woman Li Mo, I’ll deal with her.”

Just then, the pile of firewood near Head Constable Situ stirred — and Li Mo stepped out from within.

Luo Xi showed not a hint of embarrassment. He even let out a mocking chuckle. “Not making medicine like you should — pretending to be firewood now?”

Li Mo, clearly not a match for him, didn’t panic. Instead, she tore through the pretense directly: “If I’d been wholeheartedly making medicine, I probably wouldn’t even know when you’d come and finish me off.”

Luo Xi pulled Xiyu behind him protectively and raised an eyebrow at her.

“Hong Feng and his big mouth spread your little fortune story all over Taoyuan Village. I figured you'd be helping Xiyu find a new job — which would mean bad news for me,” Li Mo said as she patted the two water pouches at her waist. “So I already spent thirty taels and have seventy left. I’ll give you ten taels now — can you go take care of Su Zhen for me?”

Xiyu was stunned by Li Mo’s sharp, calculated logic and, for the first time, truly understood the saying “the most poisonous heart is that of a woman.”

But Luo Xi wasn’t surprised at all. He even sneered, “Why? I could just kill you and take your water.”

“One of these water pouches is clean. The other is contaminated. No one but me can tell them apart,” Li Mo calmly said. “I’ve already minimized your loss. I believe you won’t waste time fixating on me.”

Luo Xi was silent for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. Smart move.”

With that, he held out his hand.

Li Mo didn’t hesitate. She handed over the ten taels — clearly planning to spend the remaining sixty taels on three nights at the shelter.

Xiyu tugged at Luo Xi’s arm. “In that case, let’s go.”

Luo Xi left with him.

Standing in the chilly wind, Li Mo let out a gloomy sigh, steadied her water pouches, and only then slowly began to walk away.

After shaking off anyone who might’ve been tailing them, Xiyu couldn’t help but ask hesitantly, “That woman… seems like the scheming type. Do you think she’s setting us up?”

“How could she?” Luo Xi countered. “What, you think she’s going to team up with every other streamer just to take us out?”

Xiyu thought about it. “Li Mo doesn’t really seem like she has that kind of drive.”

“From what I know, she’s just extremely selfish — always picks the most beneficial option for herself in any situation,” Luo Xi said calmly. “Honestly, she’s more than willing to see Su Zhen out of the picture so you can take Su Zhen’s spot, leaving Huo Qingshen nowhere to go.”

Xiyu said, “Makes sense, but I do have a question.”

Luo Xi, totally in sync with him, spoke right away: “The instance hasn’t clearly laid out any rules — it hasn’t even said the game ends when six players are eliminated.”

Xiyu voiced his concern, “Exactly. In the last round, Distorted Human World, the only one who got out for sure was the one who survived to the end. Everyone else’s fate depended on popularity.”

“That’s why, to be safe, we have to survive,” Luo Xi said, wrapping an arm around Xiyu’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. Stay confident.”

Xiyu let out a helpless laugh. “It’s not that I’m not confident, it’s just…”

But before he could finish, a cold arrow shot out from the fog!

Luo Xi reacted instantly, pulling Xiyu aside as he frowned. “This is the same kind of weapon that killed Duli — it’s Su Zhen! I’ll check it out!”

With that, he charged forward, chasing after the faint sounds of footsteps.

Leaving Xiyu behind was definitely not the safest option, but Luo Xi acted with such confidence because he trusted in his own ability.

Sure enough, in less than ten seconds, he had Su Zhen — leaning on her crutch — pinned to the ground. He sneered coldly. “Knew it was you. I was just looking for you — how convenient.”

Su Zhen struggled. “I-I wasn’t targeting you! You just happened to step on the trap!”

Luo Xi still had the bamboo arrow he’d picked up. “Pretty crafty. Can’t afford weapons, so you make your own.”

Su Zhen couldn’t break free from his grip and trembled with fear. “I have no money. Killing me is a waste — it’ll cost you! Why not kill Li Mo instead? That way Xiyu can get a job at Yonghe Hall. Two birds, one stone! I can help you!”

One of the reasons Luo Xi had won so many rounds was his refusal to waste time on nonsense.

He frowned deeply — then, without hesitation, plunged the bamboo arrow straight into Su Zhen’s chest.

In that short span, Luo Xi had already run over a hundred meters. Xiyu chased after him, panting hard, trying to catch up.

Unexpectedly, Huo Qingshen suddenly leapt out from a ruined house by the road, rope in hand, aiming to strangle Xiyu from behind!

Xiyu was exhausted and sluggish, but his opponent — Huo Qingshen — also had no strength left. The two ended up collapsing in a messy scuffle, neither able to gain the upper hand right away.

At that moment, the broadcast suddenly sounded:

[In times of chaos, there is no room for sentiment. Streamer Su Zhen has been killed by streamer Luo Xi.]

Su Zhen had been gone less than a minute. Huo Qingshen froze, shocked that she had been defeated so easily.

Before he could decide whether to flee or stay, Luo Xi came barreling in and kicked him hard, sending him flying.

Huo Qingshen barely had a few taels of silver on him, but fear overrode his pain. Without daring to say a word, he scrambled away on all fours.

Xiyu slowly pushed himself up. “It’s fine, don’t worry about him.”

Luo Xi seemed about to say something, but just then, several constable NPCs started rushing toward them — clearly intending to arrest him.

Xiyu gave a bitter smile. “I’ll head to Doctor Yan’s. You take the silver and get out of here while you can.”

Luo Xi didn’t hesitate. He scooped Xiyu into his arms. “No way. I’m taking you to work first. Let those idiots wait.”

With that, he leapt agilely through a broken window of the ruined house, sprinting toward Yonghe Hall’s window.

The constable AIs were unexpectedly blocked in a bottleneck, chasing after him in a chaotic pack, bringing a rare burst of liveliness to the ghost-town-like Taoyuan Village.

Xiyu leaned against Luo Xi’s chest, feeling a subtle warmth rise in his heart as he relied on him completely for the first time in this game.

But it wasn’t the time to indulge in that feeling. He pressed his lips together uneasily, his mind filled with worry about how this game would truly end.