【Jian Lai】 had only tried to assassinate the boss to squeeze out some extra benefits. How on earth had he ended up in this situation, one step at a time?
He tried to bargain, intentionally putting on a kind-hearted, squeamish act. “Can we not kill them? They've already lost their ability to fight. Let's just leave them here...”
The Ghost interrupted him coldly, “If we don't kill them this time, they might bring even more people back for another suppression campaign once they return.”
There was no room for negotiation in the Ghost's tone.
The night wind blew in, carrying a rank, damp scent.
The Ghost drifted right in front of 【Jian Lai】. His translucent face was only a few centimeters away, allowing 【Jian Lai】 to see the intense killing intent in the Ghost's pupils.
“Listen up, 【Jian Lai】. If you want to officially join the boss's team, you have to hand over this pledge of loyalty. The boss is easygoing, but I will not tolerate you acting like a fence-sitter, trying to have it both ways.”
“Only when you help the boss clean up these people today can I trust you. If you do nothing, I can never treat you as one of us.”
The Ghost didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken words carried far more weight than what he had said.
Little Jianny, if you refuse to kill anyone now, what do you think the boss will do to you?
A chilly breeze blew against 【Jian Lai】's face. He stood there, looking at the Bureau personnel on the ground, then at the Ghost, and finally at the light shining from the boss's office inside the building.
The light was a warm yellow, appearing exceptionally cozy in the darkness.
A few thoughts flashed through 【Jian Lai】's not-so-bright brain.
The Ghost and Yue Shi are playing good cop, bad cop. The Ghost is forcing me to kill, while Yue Shi gives me benefits.
They want to leave me with no retreat, forcing me to tie myself to their ship!
But do I have any other choice?
【Jian Lai】 recalled what he had already done: an attempted poisoning of Yue Shi, betraying his accomplices, taking down the Bureau's people, and declaring in front of everyone, “I was just playing along.”
Now that those players had run off, they would spread his deeds all over the forum. 【Jian Lai】 had no way back. Whether he killed these people or not, the Bureau would never let him off, and the players would never forgive him.
His only way to survive was to cling tightly to Yue Shi's thighs!
Or maybe... delete his account and start over?
【Jian Lai】 suppressed this thought. He had already realized that 《Deep Red Continent》 might not be a virtual reality game, but another real world.
Deleting an account and starting over might have some unknown side effects. There was no need to do so unless it was an absolute emergency. He should just stick with this starter account.
He took a deep breath, the icy wind filling his lungs. Gradually, his eyes turned resolute.
“I'll do it!”
The Ghost raised an eyebrow. “No regrets?”
【Jian Lai】 let out a bitter laugh, self-deprecating and resigned. “Is there any point in regretting? I took so many benefits from the boss, betrayed my accomplices, and crossed the Bureau. I have no way out.”
He bent down and picked up a specialized pistol dropped by one of the Bureau members. The gun was black with a textured grip, the magazine was full, and the safety was off.
He weighed the gun in his hand. It was a bit heavier than a normal pistol, but it felt great to hold.
“Instead of being a fence-sitter who pleases no one, I might as well become an outright villain!”
He walked up to the first unconscious investigator, who happened to be the captain.
【Jian Lai】 raised the gun, aiming the muzzle at the captain's forehead, his finger trembling slightly on the trigger.
Even though he knew that 《Deep Red Continent》 might be a real world and that killing an NPC meant killing a living person, he surprisingly felt no psychological burden.
“Will they really die?” 【Jian Lai】 asked, a bit melodramatically.
The Ghost stood nearby, his voice completely flat. “You should know the effects of that spell better than I do. Their physical bodies will die, but their minds will eternally exist in the illusion.”
Eternally roasting ducks at the Bright and Beautiful Flagship Store?
That was truly terrifying.
【Jian Lai】 closed his eyes and pulled the trigger, silently mourning the captain's soul.
The gunshot rang out in the night sky, its echo bouncing back and forth between the buildings on both sides of the street before finally fading away.
Without looking at the corpse, he turned to the second investigator, raised his hand, and fired.
One after another, the gunshots rang out in quick succession until the very last investigator lay dead.
【Jian Lai】 dropped the gun. It bounced twice on the ground, coming to a halt next to a pool of dark red liquid.
He collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. His hands were still shaking, and fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, but a bizarre sense of excitement lingered in his heart.
The Ghost nodded in satisfaction. “Very good. From today on, you are one of us.”
【Jian Lai】 looked up at the Ghost, his voice hoarse. “The boss will cover for me forever, right?”
The Ghost chuckled. “As long as you don't harbor any more crooked thoughts.”
Of course, that also depended on Yue Shi's mood.
Yue Shi could turn on him in the blink of an eye.
【Jian Lai】 forced a bitter smile. “How would I dare?”
...
Inside the office, Yue Shi stood by the window, witnessing the entire process. He was hidden in the shadow of the curtains; those outside couldn't see him, but he could see everything outside.
He had watched every single one of 【Jian Lai】's actions.
“Still not bad enough.”
The Snow Leopard lay on the desk, looking up at Yue Shi.
“Meow.” The feline cry carried a questioning tone, as if asking if he was satisfied.
Yue Shi stroked the Snow Leopard's head and said flatly, “Another loyal dog gained.”
Whether he was truly loyal or not didn't matter. It was enough that 【Jian Lai】 was willing to put on a show of loyalty and submission.
He turned and sat back in his chair, continuing to flip through the ancient books from the God Realm.
Some of the spell manuals produced in the God Realm had truly incredible effects.
The night wind swept through the Tulip Security Company building, carrying away the scent of blood. The corpses on the ground cast dark shadows under the dim glow of the streetlights.
【Jian Lai】 sat on the steps, staring at the motionless corpses on the ground, his mind in complete disarray.
As the excitement gradually faded, he began to wonder what kind of person his boss actually was, and what kind of ship he had boarded.
No one answered him.
The Ghost had already vanished into the shadows, leaving 【Jian Lai】 sitting alone on the steps, his hands still trembling slightly.
The light in the office was still on, spilling through the window and casting a long shadow of him onto the ground.
He stood up and patted the dust off his clothes.
His pants were stained with dirt that just wouldn't pat off.
He walked toward the company building, his steps slightly unsteady, but he forced himself to walk straight. Starting tonight, he was no longer a player who dreamed of becoming the boss.
He was Yue Shi's dog. At least to outsiders, he was Yue Shi's dog.
Since he had already become a dog, he had to be the most favored one!
【Jian Lai】 narrowed his eyes. He had to find a way to squeeze out the Ghost and that leopard, and take over their ecological niche!
Rate on N.U.
