This time, Connor led them to Bartwin's pub, then descended to the basement, its entrance disguised by a double-door refrigerator.
With just a push of his shoulder, Connor's men moved the fridge aside.
A narrow, vertically descending corridor in the form of a spiral staircase greeted them. Ian couldn't help but imagine their previous lives in the sewer, the conditions not much different. Why did fate bring him to a similar situation - again?
"Pfft..." Somehow, the situation felt funny to Ian. He couldn't hide his laughter, which was followed by Roe and Josh behind him. It seemed they were thinking the same analogy.
"QUIET!" Connor shouted like a teacher disciplining a defiant student in the hallway.
"Ugh... I don't think I'll fit." Josh complained, once again making Ian and Roe laugh.
Connor stared at Josh from head to toe. Connor himself had a large but proportionate body, thanks to his muscular physique. Unlike Josh, who was tall and big but mostly composed of fat.
"Do you want to go in by yourself, or shall I do it by gradually lowering your body part by part?" Connor threatened, causing Josh to sigh in resignation.
Ian descended first, followed by Roe and Josh, who muttered curses with their mouths covered on every third step, sounding like grumbles.
After reaching the bottom, Ian and Roe waited for Josh, who arrived later with sweat streaming down his face. Connor pushed Josh's body forward towards the base camp, illuminated by dim green lights.
The corridor was long and led to the casino beneath his pharmacy store. It turned out they were interconnected.
Bartwin was waiting, a smoky cigar between his short fingers. His face appeared even more menacing under these green lights. His cataract-covered eyes scrutinized Ian, and with a signal, he ordered his men to suddenly attack Roe and Josh.
"Hey!! Stop!!" Ian pushed Bartwin's henchman who was still punching Roe. He would never forgive this cunning Hyena who could harm someone as good-hearted as Roe!
"STOP," Bartwin commanded his men, and their torment against Ian's friends instantly ceased.
Roe and Josh had beaten-up faces, causing Ian to grit his teeth.
"I understand what you're trying to show, Bartwin. But everything can be discussed to avoid misunderstandings." Ian cradled Roe's head, cursing his own misfortune that dragged his friends along with him.
"Do you think I would be here if everything could be resolved by just 'talking' as you said? That's the biggest load of nonsense I've ever heard."
"You don't have any power over me, Bartwin. And I can do whatever I want."
Bartwin tapped the ashes of his cigar into the skull-shaped ashtray. "I thought you were clever, but it seems you're nothing more than lucky. CONNOR! Force him to play! If he dies in the game, his friends will die too. But if he wins, I'll set his two friends free."
"Very well, sir," replied Connor, then forcefully dragged the slender Ian into a room that contained only a bed and protruding cables, much like the warehouse before. Although Ian felt that his physique wasn't quite strong yet, he had only eaten half of a hotdog for dinner.
Connor pushed him onto the bed, and another staff member quickly tied his hands and feet before injecting a liquid into his temple, causing him to lose consciousness.
It didn't take long before Ian woke up in a pitch-black room. He waited until the rod cells in his eyes adapted. In the meantime, he tried to sharpen his sense of smell and hearing to observe his surroundings.
He heard the sound of friction from someone who had also just arrived in the same place. At least nine other people had made it here after him.
Ding Dong Ding Dong
The familiar jingle sounded, and a bright screen illuminated the entire room. Ian was surprised to see the 11th participant. Was his hearing wrong? Or was this person more skilled than him in stealth?
The 11th man stood casually, hands in his pockets, lazily looking at the screen.
[Ding! Congratulations, hosts!]
[Talc level 7 game level - Sand Desert]
[£100,000 reward]
[Ding! Here are the predators in this level]
The screen displayed a chimera, combining the main body of a Caracal Cat with a scaled tail, at the end of which were segmented parts resembling a rattlesnake's tail keratin.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about this predator neither in terms of its viciousness nor its killing power. However, Ian still had to be cautious because there could be hidden weapons behind its seemingly fragile form.
A personal screen appeared in front of Ian's eyes, showing a more private interface that couldn't be seen by other participants. Ian was considering the traits he would choose when the corner of his eye caught the gaze of the 11th man directed towards him. Only towards him. He didn't catch him openly, but his thief instincts told him so.
As some of the other participants, who appeared to be newcomers, became slightly awkward and panicked in this situation, Ian, the 11th man, and two others carefully made their choices. Yes, besides himself and the 11th man, the two identical twins were also experienced players.
[Ding! Times Up!]
[Game duration: 8 hours]
[Ding! Enjoy the game!]
An ecosystem dominated by arid brown colors greeted us, with scorching heat overhead. They all reflexively shielded their eyes from the sudden piercing beams of bright light, giving time for cone cells to replace rod cells to see more clearly in the abundantly lit area.
This was a desert of rocks and dry cliffs. There was no vegetation in this ecosystem, and the soil was very hard. The sun was directly overhead, making their scalps feel burnt instantly.
As his body transformed, Ian immediately leaped and sought refuge behind the rocks. The 11th man transformed into a spider and disappeared into the crevices of the rocks, impressing Ian with his choice.
Meanwhile, the two twin men both transformed into Hyenas with Desert Eagle Wings, soaring high into the sky. From up there, they would surely be able to oversee the course of the game.
Unfortunately, for the three participants who didn't have time to choose traits, remained in their human form and stood in their original spots, confused about why they suddenly found themselves in a desert and why the people who were with them had transformed into animals and vanished.
Four other participants were fortunate enough because even though they were inexperienced, they managed to determine their traits quickly. One person chose an elephant, one a bush dog, one a shark—immediately flopping around in search of water—and the other chose a white Indian tiger.
They were wise enough to choose large and predatory animals, although not particularly observant. The elephant trumpeted with its trunk, perhaps startled by its own transformed body, producing a loud booming sound unbeknownst to itself. A sound that summoned the Apex in an instant.
The Apex had the advantage of sensitive ears. Not only were its ears wider in shape, but they also had additional fur called tufa, allowing it to hear even low-frequency sounds. Avoiding it would require an extra effort.
With agility and flexibility, the Apex leaped and darted around, its sharp claws tearing apart the remaining human prey. Its attacking speed was so extraordinary that Ian struggled to keep up with its movements. None could escape; all the humans were now reduced to mere pieces.
Meanwhile, facing the other three transformed participants - one who had chosen the Shark traits had already perished - the Apex needed to prepare its strategy since they shared the same predator traits.
Driven by their feline instincts, the Indian tiger moved forward. They circled each other, almost like a dance, and suddenly their bodies flexed simultaneously. This was the moment Ian had been waiting for, a seemingly balanced clash between predators.
The Indian tiger lunged first, its fangs and claws ready to strike the Caracal! But unexpectedly, the small and agile Caracal leaped higher into the air, causing the tiger to crash onto empty ground.
Unable to evade, the Caracal was already on top of it, sinking its fangs into the tiger's neck. The tiger leaped and struggled, forcing the Apex to release its grip. The tactic succeeded.
Once again, they created distance and prepared for a second attack. However, something unexpected happened. The Indian tiger seemed paralyzed and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
What had happened? The Apex coughed and expelled the fur of the Indian tiger from its mouth. It was then that Ian realized it, the fangs of the Apex resembled those of a snake.
Apparently, the combination of traits extends not only to the tail but also to the dental structure of the Apex. This is why the Indian tiger died after being bitten by the venomous fangs of that rattlesnake. Moreover, the bite was on the neck, so it didn't take long for the venom to reach its brain and heart.
Ian continued observing the progression of the game, his gaze focused. Unbeknownst to him, something was lurking patiently from behind.