Above the road extending endlessly forward, there was a dark night sky with a light red crescent moon. The world looked like a pure nightmare â there was no way out for the trainers except to go forward.
Su Zimo was carrying his camping⊠No, his backpack and followed the trainers for a while, and then looked at the figures who, like him, were also following them.
One of them was a lady walking barefoot in a white dress. At first glance, she looked like a companion who had a special affinity with Zhang Xiaoqing.
There were also two patients with pale faces in hospital attire, laughing and smiling, as well as a family of three wearing matching clothing. However, the son seemed to be an adult, and the three of them walked behind the trainers with no expressions.
The strangest one was the man in a white mask pushing a cart. The cart was an ordinary wooden cart, but on top of the cart⊠looked like a huge coffin! The masked manâs mask was entirely white, but when he turned his head to meet Su Zimoâs eyes, he found that there was a big smiling face painted on the white background. Because the paint was white, only under the light and shadow of the street lamp could he see the striking smiling face.
Coupled with Peng Peng, who had grey eyes, and Zhang Xiaoqing, who wrapped herself in the bloodstained white cloth, Su Zimo, who was holding a black umbrella on a nice day, turned out to be the most normal-looking one amongst the trailing figures.
What was also strange was that Zhang Xiaoqing, whose facial features were nice but not beautiful when put together, wrapped her eyebrows and eyes with the âGhost Eyes of the Blindâ and seemed more fairy-like. She looked like a combination of a fairy and a ghost. If someone looked at her, they couldnât help but want to look again.
Even the trainers who walked in front of them would look back at Zhang Xiaoqing from time to time, and also glance at Su Zimo along the way.
He didnât know how long it took. The figures who had once been part of the large crowd had completely dispersed. Some had stopped behind Su Zimo and the others, and some had already walked far ahead. Some were standing under the dark water firs, quietly watching the trainers pass in front of them.
If he didnât think about the identities of those figures, the road would seem to have some âlife.â
âWait a minute. Walking like this isnât the answer.â Old Yan suddenly stopped, causing Su Zimo and the others to also slowly stop.
"
"
They had probably walked about a kilometre, and when they looked back, they could no longer see the bottomless cliff, only the darkness.
âI think the nightmare world often uses appearances to trick our eyes, so it may be difficult to judge whether theyâre human or not by eyes alone.â Old Yan stopped there, frowning.
âHave you finally figured it out?â A-Liu, who had been walking alone, had returned at some point. The lower half of his face, which wasnât blocked by the sunglasses, was smiling. âThey may be waiting for us to talk!â
âA-Liu, youâd better act with us. This task is quite troublesome. If we donât perform well, the whole team may be wiped out, and there is someone with no nightmare points on our team.â Old Yan, as if speaking to a child, urged A-Liu, who had somewhat unstable behavior.
âI donât care.â At that time, A-Liu didnât know why he had obediently returned to the team. âAnyway, for me, this nightmare should go well this time, heh.â
Every time he heard A-Liuâs smiling voice, Su Zimo had some strange feelings and felt that something was wrong with the trainer.
From Old Yanâs words, Su Zimo could feel that in addition to finding a certain âperson,â they would also be punished if finding the wrong âperson.â That could be death, or nightmare point deduction to offset the death penalty.
âThe miss over there.â A-Liu just returned to the team and questioned the barefoot lady in the white dress who was bowing her head not far from Su Zimo with a smile. âExcuse me, are you a ghost?â
âIdiot! How could you ask like that?!â As soon as A-Liu spoke, Old Yan became anxious.
A-Liu had just asked that when the barefoot ladyâs white dress began to seep with red. There was even blood flowing down her ankle. Not much, but not only could it be seen clearly under the dim street light, but it was also scary.
[Did you⊠see my child?] The barefoot lady with a bowed head raised her head. Not only her voice was tearful, but there were also bloody tears in her eyes.
Taking Zhang Xiaoqing as an example, Su Zimo found that ghosts wouldnât cry when sad, but would bleed.
âIt seems itâs not you.â A-Liu quickly took a step back.
But it seemed that the ghost lady who was spoken to was unwilling to give up just like that. She rushed directly at A-Liu.
The trainer who claimed to be called A-Liu took off his sunglasses when the malicious spirit pounced!
At that moment, even Su Zimo couldnât help but gasp.
Oh my god!
Before, he thought it was strange that the trainer would wear sunglasses in the dark, but as soon as the other party took them off, he understood why!
A-Liuâs facial features seemed white and delicate, but his right eye was larger than an ordinary eyeball, and it burst out like it was stuffed into an eye socket that it couldnât fit inside. There were red blood vessels like tentacles coming from the eyeball, extending outward and blending into the skin around his eyes, making them burst around his right eye!
[Ghost Eye of the Berserker (Three Stars)]
[Sale Price: 0 yuan]
[Description: He was a mafia man who did evil before his death. After his death, he became a malicious spirit who ate ghosts. His existence itself would have a deterrent effect on ghosts, especially when his eye stared at them with fury. It will also have a shocking effect on malicious spirits. Even though there is only one eye left, the malicious spirit still exists in the world, inside the body of the holder.]
[Special Ability: Inflicts a certain amount of shock on the ghost, and can cause them to be repelled!]
[Limitations: The more the ability is used, the higher the chance that the holder will face backlash.]
[Warning: Please stop using this ghost tool! Please stop using this ghost tool! The malicious spirit is recovering! The malicious spirit is recovering! Do not sell this ghost tool! Do not sell this ghost tool!]
This was the first time Su Zimo had encountered a ghost tool with a price of 0 yuan. It was also the first time he saw a warning in the text boxes, and the first time he saw a ghost tool that was about to backlash!
The price change was probably because the ghost weapon was no longer suitable for becoming a product.
Before Su Zimo finished reading the text boxes, A-Liu, who owned the sunglasses, suddenly stared, and the small red blood vessels lurking around his eyes burst. Originally, his eyes were black and white. Now they were covered with a layer of red mist.
[Ying- ying-] <sup>1</sup>
The malicious spirit, who was about to pounce on A-Liu, stopped and stepped back with an aggrieved cry. Even the family of three in matching clothing and the two patients in hospital gowns stopped.
After A-Liu used his power again, Su Zimo clearly saw the blood vessels around his eyes begin to spread. Even if he immediately put the sunglasses back on, he could already see them spreading to his forehead!
âDamnâŠâ A-Liu, who put his sunglasses back on, put his hand to his face and held the ghost eye. He was curled up in pain, and seemed to be too uncomfortable to straighten up.
âAre you okay?â The surrounding trainers gathered around him.
âGo away!â A-Liuâs tone wasnât friendly. He stepped back a few steps and stood under a tree a bit far from the other trainers.
OddâŠ
Su Zimo felt puzzled in his heart. He felt that a three star ghost weaponâs backlash shouldnât be so easy to recover from. Amongst those he knew, Liu Xu, who he had recently met, could be regarded as an experienced trainer who frequently uses ghost tools. After all, he would subconsciously put on those red gloves every time he needed.
But even so, Liu Xu, who had experienced 18 nightmare worlds and was about to reach the tipping point, still didnât let the ghost tool backlash.
Calculating like thatâŠ
How often did that trainer called A-Liu use the ghost tool? Or from another angle, how many times has he experienced nightmare worlds?
[He he heâ]
While A-Liu couldnât help but stand with his back bowed to the road in pain, the coffin-pushing masked man who didnât retreat because of the ghost eye let out a series of strange laughs as he stood not far from Su Zimo.
Su Zimo couldnât help but turn his head to glance at the masked man. As a result, the man covered the maskâs non-existent nose and walked back a few steps as if smelling something strange from Su Zimo. He waved his hand and said in an older voiceâ
[Donât get close to this old man. Donât get close to this old man. This old man canât bear the smell.]
â?â Su Zimo raised his sleeves dazedly and sniffed, but felt that even if there was a scent, it could be called refreshing.
[The smell on you is the same as the smell of Shouhua in the shop.] The ghost umbrellaâs voice rang in Su Zimoâs ears. [Those whoâve smelled that kind of smell before are very scared.]
Ghost Umbrella once spoke to Su Zimo about Shouhua. He said that he didnât know about their existence before, but he knew a woman who also carried their fragrance. That person had a terrible reputation in the nightmare world, so many malicious spirits didnât like the smell of Shouhua.
[The guy pushing the coffin is called a âmerchant.â Heâs a businessman who occasionally appears in the nightmare world and specializes in selling things to trainers.] The ghost umbrella spoke again.
[Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ] <sup>2</sup> After the ghost umbrella finished, the masked merchant pushed the coffin and walked in front of Old Yan. [Human, can you take care of this old manâs business?]
Su Zimo saw the three trainers pause there, and watched the coffin being pushed by the merchant suddenly slip and open a corner. Pale and skinny claws stretched out, tightly clutching the edge of the coffin.
ââŠâŠâ Because of their experience in nightmare worlds, none of the three trainers made a sound. Even if they were scared, they only covered their mouths and retreated a little.
After retreating a short distance, the three trainers stopped moving.
Because behind them were Su Zimo holding his umbrella and the two ghosts. Of course, in the trainersâ eyes, in front of them was the open coffin, but behind them were three ghosts.
[Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ] The merchant still shouted. [For only twenty nightmare points, you can buy a standard dagger. Donât you want it?]
The nightmare brand standard dagger was one of the general weapons that can be purchased by sacrificing weak souls.
Some information immediately appeared in Su Zimoâs mind. In the second nightmare world, Su Zimo met Gao Yang who had tricked Cheng Jingmeng with a slave mark. He had a standard dagger. It was exchanged using the soul of his last slave.
âDonât worry, Iâve heard of this âraise the coffin, make a fortuneâ guy.â Old Yan comforted the two trainers beside him. âHeâs like a mysterious businessman in the game. He wonât hurt people. If you have nightmare points, you can buy things from him.â
âHow could we have extra nightmare points.â After hearing what Old Yan said, the two female trainers shook their heads with some regret.
[Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ This old man also collects souls that have passed away but havenât yet turned into ghosts. Twenty nightmare points, just right.] The merchant said again, but this time, received no response.
[Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ This old man isnât far from being poor and starving to death. This damn world is in ruins. What should be here, what shouldnât run out, itâs so difficult, ahâ]
[Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ]
[Raise the coffin, make a fortuneâ]
Perhaps he felt that he couldnât profit from this group of trainers. The merchant pushed his coffin straight away. His pace wasnât fast, but he disappeared from everyoneâs sight after a while.
The three trainers were stunned for a long time. They looked at A-Liu, who was hiding under the tree in pain, but didnât dare to approach because of his attitude.
They didnât need to leave, nor did they need to stay. After hesitating for a while, Old Yan walked toward Su Zimo behind him with the other two trainers.
But they didnât dare to get too close. The two people around Su Zimo seemed more panicked than him.
âExcuse me, what is your identity?â Old Yan hesitated for a long time before he managed to find a euphemistic way to ask.
ââŠâŠâ Su Zimo didnât expect that a veteran trainer would approach him so quickly. After thinking about it, he said, âMay I tell you a ghost story?â
âEn?â Old Yan looked surprised.
However, Su Zimo didnât care what the trainers thought. He just organized his language and said, âA tortoise and a hare were in a race. In the end, the hare won.â
âMy story is over.â Su Zimo nodded lightly, smiling at the corners of his mouth which werenât blocked by the ghost umbrella.
â?â Both Old Yanâs and the other two trainersâ faces showed visible confusion. They seemed unable to understand why such a story was called a âghost storyâ by Su Zimo.
Is it a new brain teaser?
âExcuse me, what is your identity?â Old Yan hesitated for a while before asking again. The reason for this may be that Su Zimoâs performance seemed to be the most amiable among the âpeopleâ around him.
Su Zimo raised the black umbrella slightly, showing the smile on his face, then responded, âI told you already, didnât I?â
At the same time, Zhang Xiaoqing, who was standing next to Su Zimo, took a step forward. With her head very skillfully tilted ninety degrees, she transformed her nice fairy-ghost-girl appearance into a horror scene, successfully frightening the trainers before her several steps away.
Actually, Su Zimo learned that trick from Zhang Xiaoqing.
âDidnât he tell you? Heâs talking about ghost stories.â A-Liu had come out from under the tree and covered his eyes with the sunglasses. His walking was shaky, and he didnât seem to have recovered.
There may only be a short time left until his ghost eye backlashes.
Footnotes
<ol>A crying sound, like Wu. This refers to grave robbing.</ol>