Chapter 30: The Authorities' Trump Card

For Zhong Hao, this was the most dangerous moment. There were only five Game Players left, while the opposing side had two full HP Main DPS characters: Kamiyu and Jack.

On his side, he only had one DPS character—a self-destructive type that dealt 1000 damage to enemies while taking 1200 in return, equipped with a Sacrifice Skill.

As for Zhong Hao himself, he had no damage-dealing Skills at all, making him a pure Wits Character.

As for Zhang Wei, who had surrendered to the authorities from the start and was now tied up, he was hardly worth mentioning.

Fortunately, Jack and Kamiyu were on the verge of fighting each other.

In the bushes.

“Brother Zhong, why don’t we take advantage of their fight and make a run for it?” suggested Brother Dong.

Zhong Hao replied, “Not yet. My Passive Skill indicates that danger is everywhere around us. We can’t escape.

There’s no viable escape route—even the sewers have enemies. We’re completely surrounded.”

Brother Dong exclaimed in surprise, “What? Even the sewers have people? What do we do then?”

Zhong Hao didn’t answer. He was waiting for his Active Skill’s Cooldown Time to end.

On the street.

Kamiyu raised her Pistol and took aim, while Jack spread his arms wide. The distance between them was less than ten steps.

A fierce battle was about to erupt.

Kamiyu thought to herself, “I already tested this distance earlier—it’s not enough to penetrate Jack’s Defense Talent. I need to close in.”

She had already planned her next Tactics. In her field of view, she had opened her Storage and focused her gaze on a Flashbang Grenade, preparing for a close-quarters assault.

“Wait, what are you guys playing? Let me join in,” a sudden childlike voice interrupted.

“What? I didn’t even notice him? I didn’t sense anyone approaching?” Kamiyu immediately took a few Backsteps, her hand instinctively shifting her aim toward this person.

Jack wasn’t surprised by the newcomer; instead, he was furious at the interruption and glared angrily at the person walking toward them step by step.

A short figure with white hair styled in a Hedgehog Hairdo, wearing an oversized coat, nostrils flared and head held high, approached.

A short person wearing an oversized coat? What kind of outfit is that? Kamiyu stared at the Hedgehog Hairdo.

At that moment, Xu Liwen rushed down from the top floor of the building. Seeing Jack and Kamiyu completely unharmed, she exclaimed in surprise, “You jumped from such a high place and didn’t die?”

Jack retorted, “I’ll die after you.”

Xu Liwen ignored him and turned to the Hedgehog Hairdo, urgently saying, “Bai Zhan, didn’t the Senior Colonel order you to continue lying low and standby? Why are you disobeying orders again and coming out?”

The Hedgehog Hairdo, Bai Zhan, sneered disdainfully, “What does he amount to? And you, the dog licking his toes, have no right to order me around. Kneel.”

Kamiyu thought to herself, Damn, this guy is really arrogant.

Is this person a Player? It seems the Black Sphere Game had already created many Players before me.

If that’s the case, were the urban legends circulating online—”The Haunted Hospital,” “The Endless Loop Subway,” “The Negative 19th Floor Building”—actually real?

All these bizarre incidents spreading across the internet were actually Instance Dungeons from the Black Sphere Game, designed for Players to conquer?

Moreover, if some Players sided with the authorities, others must have formed their own Organizations. That means the written articles I saw online earlier weren’t just some people’s chuunibyou fantasies.

Some Players had established Self-Governing Organizations similar to Squads or Guilds.

Kamiyu immediately pieced together the connections behind the scenes and turned her gaze toward Bai Zhan with his hedgehog hairdo.

This person was extremely dangerous. Judging from his conversation with Xu Liwen and his tone, Kamiyu knew he had been lurking here all along, or perhaps even earlier.

He was likely the trump card the authorities had prepared to deal with the Black Sphere Game Players this time.

If that was the case, his strength should far surpass Xu Liwen’s; otherwise, he wouldn’t dare speak so boldly.

A “clattering” sound echoed.

Kamiyu saw Xu Liwen beside her begin to tremble all over, her knees shaking uncontrollably.

What was happening?

She, along with Jack and the two in the grass, Zhong Hao, all turned their attention to Xu Liwen.

Xu Liwen didn’t last five seconds before she collapsed to the ground with a “thud.”

Kamiyu saw sweat pouring down her face as she struggled to push herself up with her hands, but it was futile.

Bai Zhan laughed maniacally, “Hahahaha, you lasted five seconds this time, three seconds longer than last time. Not bad, not bad.

It seems you’ve licked Colonel Hu’s toes many times, and he gave you plenty of resources to level up.

But it’s useless. Against me, I can make you kneel or crawl as I please.

Hahahaha.”

Seeing this, Kamiyu tightened her grip on her gun, preparing to use her Ultimate Skill. This guy was unusual; his Active Skill was likely of the “Command-Type,” capable of forcing others to obey.

She wondered, were the Talents and character classes granted by the Black Sphere Game’s Beta Version all this overpowered?

This Skill was clearly a replica of the Male Protagonist’s supernatural ability from the rebellious XXX.

She couldn’t understand why the authorities would allow such a dangerous Supernatural Ability to exist. In the original anime, the Male Protagonist had used this ability, along with his intelligence, to turn the entire World upside down.

Moreover, why was it ineffective against Xu Liwen, who possessed a Talent Skill that could neutralize Players’ Supernatural Abilities?

Seeing Xu Liwen kneeling before him, Bai Zhan seemed to relax considerably and declared loudly, “I’ll give you four a chance—submit to me, kneel before me.”

Four? Did he know where the other two were?

Brother Dong stammered, “Brother Zhong, what do we do? We’ve been discovered?”

“Shh, stay quiet. He’s just bluffing,” Zhong Hao replied calmly.

Jack stood unwavering in place, as if watching a clown.

Kamiyu felt the same. She wanted to lash out verbally, but she wondered if this might be a Trap—a prerequisite for him to activate his Skill and force obedience.

In other words, responding would mean falling into his trap and succumbing to his Skill.

Kamiyu’s guess was correct.

Bai Zhan’s eyelids twitched slightly, and he thought resentfully, “They’re sharp, not falling for it.

My Skill requires me to state a ‘prerequisite phrase’ first. If the other party responds, they’ll act according to the content of that phrase.”

With no one responding, he stood there like a clown.

Three gunshots rang out—”Bang, bang, bang.”

Kamiyu responded to him, but with Bullets.

She wasn’t one to sit idly by. If she had to test the waters, she’d be the first to take the risk.

Three metallic clangs echoed—”Ding, ding, ding.”

Bullets were, of course, faster than human reactions. Before Bai Zhan could speak, they struck his head.

But the Bullets were deflected.

“Protect me.” Bai Zhan immediately shouted upon hearing the gunshot.

Xu Liwen stood up like a robot, along with the surrounding special Squad members, and moved together to counterattack Kamiyu.

What’s going on, does he also have a Defense Talent?

Impossible, he must have a Defense item on him.