When Kris snapped out of his daze, still reeling from the disorienting teleportation, he quickly scanned the platform. Survivors dotted the area: Biscuit, Zheng, Zero, Kampa—
His thoughts were cut short by Zheng's panicked shout.
"F***! God, heal everyone! Take the points from me!" Zheng cried, rushing toward a bloodied figure.
Kris followed his gaze and saw Jie, crumpled in a pool of blood, impaled by a jagged piece of metal. He must've been caught in the chaos when the hangar breached, barely escaping total annihilation.
Zheng knelt beside Jie, gripping his hand as if sheer willpower could stop the bleeding. Kris hung back, Biscuit now standing silently at his side.
Biscuit leaned in, her tone almost conspiratorial. "Isn't this ideal? Wasn't he an obstacle in our plans? His death would solve a lot of problems. Yes?"
Kris shook his head, keeping his voice low. "No, Master. If he dies without officially passing the leadership role, a new guide will appear. And trust me, the devil you know is better than a wildcard. We'd lose control over the narrative."
Biscuit frowned but nodded thoughtfully. "Fair. Still, this should remind him of his mortality. Desperation makes people sloppy."
"Exactly," Kris agreed. "And that's why, starting tomorrow, our priority is finding a way to defend against Psyche Force users. We need countermeasures."
By the time their hushed conversation ended, a beam of divine healing light enveloped Jie, lifting him into the air. Zheng visibly sagged in relief as the metal shard dissolved, and Jie's wounds vanished in seconds. The rest of the group, while less injured, were also healed—bathing briefly in the light before being set back down.
Kris turned to the remaining survivors. Zero and Kampa were lugging two duffel bags bursting with weapons, while Xuan was still tinkering with Bishop's damaged android body. The sight made him raise an eyebrow.
"Well, well," Kris drawled, strolling over with a grin. "Looks like while we were busy partying with the queen, you guys were raiding the buffet. And Xuan, I see you brought a date!"
Zero and Kampa chuckled nervously. "We were with Higgs, trying to stockpile weapons in case the xenomorph made it back. We planned to hole up in the mess hall, but, uh, teleportation happened," Zero explained.
Kris clapped him on the back. "Hahaha, so that's the story! And Xuan, what's your excuse? Didn't think Bishop would tag along?"
Xuan adjusted his glasses, his tone calm and clinical. "Bishop short-circuited when he forced the bulkhead doors to close. That's likely why I was able to bring him—he's non-functional, so God considers him an object rather than a living entity."
Biscuit raised a brow. "A non-functional android treated as loot? Interesting."
"Precisely," Xuan said, pushing his glasses higher. "His design is a treasure trove of advanced technology. I'll be studying and repairing him in the coming days."
Kris shrugged. "Well, good luck with that, Frankenstein. For now, everyone, get some rest. Pick your rooms—just focus on it, and God will handle the details. We'll meet midday tomorrow to talk about how you want to spend your shiny new points."
---
Kris walked beside Zheng, who stood silently, eyes locked on Jie as the divine light continued to heal the man. The others had already started dispersing, settling into their assigned rooms.
In a tone heavier than usual, Kris said, "We lost good people in that movie. Things went sideways at the end—too many unknowns."
Zheng's fists clenched at his sides. "I let them down. I promised to protect them, but I didn't even have the chance to."
Kris opened his mouth, ready to offer some half-serious, half-comforting remark, but they were interrupted.
Two women rushed onto the platform, their worry palpable. Lori tackled Zheng from behind, clinging to him tightly, while Nana, Jie's wife, fell to her knees beside her husband, her sobs the only sound filling the space.
Kris hesitated, watching the scene unfold. He didn't have the heart to interrupt the reunion. With a quiet nod to himself, he slipped away, leaving Zheng to explain the situation to the two distraught women.
---
As Kris entered his room, he found Biscuit already there, seated comfortably in an armchair and sipping her favorite tea. The faint aroma filled the air, lending an oddly domestic feel to the chaos outside.
"Was it all you expected?" Biscuit asked, her tone as relaxed as ever.
Kris shrugged, closing the door behind him. "More or less. I figured Xiaoyi wouldn't make it, but Lan dying so early? Didn't see that coming."
Biscuit tilted her head thoughtfully. "It works in our favor, though. Without her influencing Zheng during the away mission, he didn't risk everything to save her or, worse, unlock his genetic constraint prematurely."
"Exactly," Kris agreed, leaning against the wall. "That would've thrown everything off. This way, we buy ourselves time—time to prepare for the real headaches ahead: leadership succession and team battles."
Biscuit set her teacup down and gave him a pointed look. "Remind me, what are the conditions for those again?"
Kris sighed, rubbing his temples before reciting. "When a team has—or had—three members who've unlocked their genetic constraints, they'll start encountering teams from other continents in God's world. Killing a regular member from another team gets you 2,000 points and a rank C reward. Killing one who's unlocked their genetic constraint nets 7,000 points and a rank B reward. Wiping out an entire team? Everyone on your side gets a rank C reward."
Biscuit raised an eyebrow. "Those are some juicy incentives. But doesn't it bother you that the previous movie changed so much? Don't you think the others will, too?"
Kris hesitated, letting out a dry chuckle. "At least it kept the *theme* with Aliens. But the Grudge?" He shook his head. "No clue what to expect there."
Biscuit leaned back in her chair, her gaze thoughtful, her fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. "That movie's got elements that could shape the team in ways we can't predict. If the details shift, we're flying blind. Planning for the unknown... feels like a gamble we can't afford to lose."
"Yeah," Kris admitted, collapsing onto the sofa opposite her. He let out a long sigh, staring up at the ceiling. "Feels like trying to win a chess match when the board keeps rearranging itself."
---
"Well, the most important part of this movie in the novels is the people who join. Like that loli assassin with the complicated backstory." Kris leaned back, rubbing his temple in frustration. "She already unlocked the genetic constraint before she even entered the movie, which explains that weird split personality thing she has. But—ugh, I still don't get what her deal is."
"And then there's the grave robber," he added, snapping his fingers. "That guy's going to be a goldmine for future movies, especially when we hit *The Mummy*."
Kris groaned suddenly, clutching his stomach. "Ugh, these stupid hunger pangs. I can't think straight. I'm getting something to eat. Want anything?"
"Yes, please," Biscuit replied, setting her tea down. "Speaking of planning, after the Alien movie, the team will head to the real world—or, well, the novel's version of it. Do you have a plan for that? If not, I suggest you take the opportunity to focus on your Nen training."
"That's already on the list," Kris said, biting into an apple he'd grabbed. "But I'm also planning for us to join Zheng when he goes to the real world. There's something I need to check."
Biscuit raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
Kris gestured with the apple, a sly grin creeping onto his face. "Remember, I have Lou Feng's memories now. Before he fled his place—thanks to some, uh, triad trouble—he contacted an old friend of his uncle's. This guy mentioned a place that could be... helpful for us in the next movie."
"Zanskar," Kris said, Biscuit interest piqued said. "I recall reading about it—an ancient Buddhist temple hidden in the mountains."
"Exactly," Kris said with a nod. "If it's what I think it is, it might hold something useful for what's coming next."
---
Having filled his stomach, Kris leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "That hit the spot. Okay, now that we've got our travel plans sorted, let's figure out what we'll need to bring for the trip."
Biscuit set her teacup aside, already in planning mode. "Zanskar is one of the most remote places in the world. If memory serves, it takes a normal person at least a week to get there. We'll need to pack plenty of food and water, and warm clothes—lots of them. It's also one of the coldest settlements on Earth."
"Agreed," Kris said, nodding. "But we should also bring something for the locals. It'll make them more likely to help us. I'm hoping to get a copy of their Buddhist scriptures and maybe learn how to exorcise evil spirits or break curses."
"Food is always a good peace offering," Biscuit suggested.
"Yeah," Kris said thoughtfully, "but that means we'll need some serious storage. I think it's time to invest in the right gear."
He pulled up the item description in God's interface, showing it to Biscuit.
**Bag of Holding**
**Rating:** 90
This bag has an interior space considerably larger than its outside dimensions—roughly 2 feet in diameter at the mouth and 4 feet deep. It can hold up to 500 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 64 cubic feet. The bag weighs 15 pounds, regardless of its contents.
**Cost:** 1,500 points and a D-rank reward.
"This is perfect," Kris explained. "It costs the same as Zheng's NA ring but is focused entirely on storage."
"Still," Biscuit said, inspecting the details, "500 pounds of supplies is nothing to scoff at. What else did you find?"
Kris grinned, pulling up another description.
**Aicar V2**
**Rating:** 60
This pill mimics language-learning genes, allowing the user to become gloriously bilingual overnight. The effects kick in after hearing just a few conversations.
**Cost:** 250 points.
"Pretty sweet, right?" Kris said, his grin widening. "With one of these, you just need to overhear a couple of chats, and boom—instant mastery of the language."
"That could be incredibly useful for negotiating with the locals or decoding the scriptures," Biscuit said, nodding approvingly. "But are you sure you can manage both the bag and the pill with your current points?"
Kris gave a casual shrug. "I'll make it work. Besides, these are investments, not luxuries. Every edge counts."
---
The Next day...
"I checked it yesterday and found that not only can you exchange for days to live in the previous movie worlds, you can also go back to the real world."
Xuan's words hung in the air, and Jie sneered, his tone sharp. "We don't need you to tell us. Anyone can go back with 50,000 points. Do you think we have that kind of points?"
Xuan glanced at him, unbothered. "Did I say you can go back completely? I found a *Record* function. It lists five movies: *Nightmare on Elm Street 1*, *Scream 2*, *Final Destination*, *Resident Evil*, and *Aliens*. And there's also the real world."
Jie froze, his face paling. "Those are all the movies I've been through. What about the ones before those?"
"There are no records before them," Xuan explained. "God probably deleted them. You're the only one who survived five movies. But you can unlock these worlds. After you unlock them, you can exchange for days to live in any of them—*including* the real world."
"Wait, so we can visit *Resident Evil*?" Said Kris trying his best to play along.
Xuan continued, ignoring the interruption. "Unlocking a world requires a rank D reward. You'll pay five times the usual rate—50 points per day, instead of 10."
Jie's expression hardened. "Why even bother? Go back just to get pulled out again?"
Xuan pressed on. "It's an option. If you can earn enough points, going back to the real world—temporarily—is possible."
Everyone fell silent. Jie had already warned them about the rarity of rank rewards. Without them, surviving *Alien* would've been impossible. The cost of using a reward to go back for a few days was too high.
Xuan shook his head. "I'm not asking you to waste your rewards. But we need to confirm something. I have two theories: either our consciousnesses are here and our bodies are still in the real world, or our bodies came with us. You've heard from your women—time moves differently here. God controls space and time. If it's just our consciousnesses, the enhancements are illusions, and our bodies could be in danger."
Zheng rubbed his head. "So, if our bodies are here, we focus on surviving. If not, we're in real trouble."
Xuan snapped his fingers. "Exactly. My suggestion is to send someone back for a day to check. It's vital to our survival."