Arc 2: Luxury Cruise
Chapter 23
The water slide on the highest floor of the cruise ship was not just solely a water slide. It required people to clear several obstacles first before climbing to the top and sliding down.
Xu Ziyue stood eagerly at the entrance. To reach the top of the slide, there was a small rock-climbing section and below that was a pool several metres deep. After Xu Ziyue changed into his swimming trunks and stood in line, he heard an argument ahead.
He stuck his head out and looked over. It turned out to be a group of players.
Xu Ziyue thought about it for a moment before deciding to leave the line to go over and listen.
"I kept an eye on them when you guys went but when I came back, you"re saying that you accidentally misplaced it? I"ve already experienced several activities! How are you going to pay me back?!"
"If it"s gone, it"s gone. You can just go get another one!"
"What"s the fuss about? My ears are about to bleed from all the ruckus. At most you can just get another card and I"ll help you experience it again."
"You say it as if it was easy. Go get one for me then!"
"I"ll get it, I"ll get it. Geez, you"re so persistent. Just you wait. I"ll go get one for you now!"
Xu Ziyue listened in for a while and looked at their belongings. He then reached a conclusion.
They had probably taken off the card hanging from their neck and lost one when they weren"t paying attention.
Xu Ziyue thought of Austin"s words. He had also touched on this topic today.
After some thought, Xu Ziyue decided to wait around a little to see how it develops.
Soon afterwards, the person who said he would get the card hurried back.
"The tour guide said………said that there are no more cards. It was decided at the beginning before we boarded that we each would only have one."
The person who lost his card rushed forward and grabbed that person"s shoulders, "But without the card I can"t clear this!"
"There"s nothing I can do…….."
"It"s all your fault. All because of you guys…….." The person who lost his card looked at the person before him with a hateful look.
"Calm down. This………If you lost it, we can just search for it. Don"t make it difficult for others."
"What others! It"s you people who lost my card. Tell me! Did you already know about this, so you lost it intentionally?! Just to prevent me from clearing this game?!"
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
"I"m speaking nonsense? You didn"t even think about the consequences yet you tell me to calm down? If you were in my position, let"s see if you can still remain calm!" As he said this, he lunged over and grabbed the other persons card.
"You lost my card so I can only take yours!"
Xu Ziyue looked at the card hanging before his chest and stepped back. His grip around his card tightened. Although he was not like the others and it made no difference whether or not he had it, he didn"t feel comfortable not having something everyone else had.
As for stealing other people"s things……..The stolen cards may not necessarily work.
Otherwise, why would there be a registration photo and name on it?
Apart from Xu Ziyue, there were also others watching on from the corner of their eyes. Even if the robbed man shouted, "Why aren"t you guys coming over to help?!", no one moved to pull away the man who lost his card.
Afterall, that person looked very scary.
His vein bulged and his eyes were bloodshot. His fingers formed a claw and he would lunge at anyone who approached him. There was even one amongst that group of people who got scratched in the eye.
The person whose eye was injured was also furious, but it was better than losing his life.
In the end, that man ended up getting his hands on a card. He then hurriedly rushed over to the NPC standing next to the waterslide. Regardless of whether of not it was already stamped for this activity, he asked hopefully: "Can I get a stamp with this? I just finished experiencing it!"
The NPC"s expression was indifferent. It was as if he hadn"t seen the commotion occurring before him.
"No, only the owner himself can use it."
Xu Ziyue retracted the foot he had stepped out with.
The aftermath was even more chaotic. Those people argued and fought and – because the man who lost his card was alone and he had also used up a lot of his energy earlier – he was soon subdued. The person who had his card stolen took it back and even angrily kicked the man on the ground.
No one interfered the entire time.
Xu Ziyue didn"t dare approach.
Afterall, those people looked very scary. Every one of their eyes were bloodshot and red, and they looked like they wouldn"t hesitate to tear the other person apart. Their blows were harsh, and they didn"t seem to be afraid of killing the other party nor get hurt from them resisting.
They looked like a group of wild animals who had lost their sense of reason.
The person who lost his card stood back up from the deck. With his body covered in blood, he turned around and left the scene soullessly.
Xu Ziyue looked at the others. They spat out the blood from their mouths and looked menacingly at the other players. Those who were on the timider side would avoid their eyes and shrink back into the crowd.
Xu Ziyue was no longer in the mood to play on the water slide.
He followed behind the man who left and saw him enter a room on the sixth floor. He then turned around and made his way to the medical room on the third floor to get some medicine. After leaving the medicine outside the door, he knocked a few times and hid behind a corner nearby. Only after seeing him open the door to get the medicine did he let out a sigh of relief and leave.
He actually did these things out of guilt. He after all didn"t come forward to speak up for him when he most needed it, and he didn"t do anything to help.
Although if he really had to, he could also bring up some excuses; for example even if he spoke up, nothing would change and he would end up getting beaten as well……..but inaction was still inaction.
Xu Ziyue sighed. He then ran back up to the thirteenth floor wanting to see if those people were still there.
But regardless of whether they were still there or not, he wouldn"t go up and say anything. He just wanted to look and didn"t have any particular reason for it. It was just to see if those people were still relaxed and having fun.
Xu Ziyue saw the three of them in the pool on the thirteenth floor. One was sleeping on a deckchair next to the pool and there were even a drinks and food placed on the table nearby. If not for the bluish-purple bruises on the body, it would have looked quite normal.
The other two were in the pool. One was backstroking around while the other was standing in the shallow area constantly washing off the blood stains from his body in turn drawing the disgust from others.
Xu Ziyue noticed a few non-player foreign tourist NPC"s leave the pool with a look of disgust.
Xu Ziyue then saw that person who was washing off the bloodstains from his body wipe off an entire chunk of skin with a towel. That layer of skin was still connected to the body and hanging there…………..Blood trickled down his body, flowing into the water. Gradually, the water around him began to turn red.
Xu Ziyue was taken aback by this shocking scene.
Even the bones on his arm were exposed but he continued to rub himself dry with the towel. He repeatedly mumbled, "Too dirty……too dirty……..Must wipe clean, must clean it off……."
There were also several other players who saw this, and they all quickly climbed out from the pool. They didn"t dare stay in the water any longer.
As for his two companions, one still had no idea what was happening and was swimming around with his eyes closed, while the other stood up with a start. From his throat, gurgling sounds were emitted. It was as if it was blocked. He couldn"t form a single word.
Xu Ziyue just happened to be standing next to an NPC. That NPC looked at the situation at the pool and said calmly, "Too dirty", before turning around and leaving.
Before Xu Ziyue had the chance to think, his body rushed forward first. He shouted: "Hurry and get out!!!"
The backstroking man opened his eyes and glanced at Xu Ziyue. Just as he frowned and was feeling irate, he noticed the red-tinged pool water around him. From the shallow end of the pool, fine chunks of flesh even floated over.
The other person was still wiping his body. His entire right arm had been rubbed down to just bones. Just the sight of it sent chills down his spine.
The backstroking man hurriedly clamoured to the edge of the pool. Borrowing Xu Ziyue"s strength, he pulled himself out.
As soon as he got out, a sudden whirlpool appeared in the pool, draining all the water out. As for the person in the shallow area………
Xu Ziyue subconsciously held his head, closed his eyes and looked away.
Screams rang out around him.
The swimming pool NPC returned after draining the pool. He acted as if nothing had happened and headed straight for the pool. Picking up the bones and chunks of flesh, he threw them into a large black garbage bag. Several other NPC"s then entered the pool with brushes and hoses and proceeded to clean, rinse and refill the pool……..
"Dear guests, the pool is now clean. You can proceed."
That scene was bone-chillingly gruesome.
Not only the players, the tourist NPC"s were also looking on.
And even if the water in the pool was changed, no one had the intention go to back in.
The tourist NPC"s covered their noses and left one after another.
The players slowly came together.
"Was this because of what happened just now? He lost the other person"s cards so………."
"That can"t be. The other two are fine."
"No. I think……..It happened because he angered the foreign tourist NPC"s."
Xu Ziyue looked at the other two. They were looking fearfully at the crystal-clear water in the swimming pool. Their eyes couldn"t hide the panic they were feeling.
Feeling a little weak, Xu Ziyue turned around and left.
When he reached Austin"s room, he hesitated over whether he should knock on the door.
What if Austin"s still not done? Or were the words he said earlier his way of politely rejecting him? Not to mention, the information he came over to share wasn"t anything good.
Just as he mulled over this, the door opened from the inside.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Austin looked at Xu Ziyue standing outside the door without any hint of surprise. He then said gently: "I heard footsteps outside and was wondering if it was you……. Turns out, I was right."
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