"Hoo..."
Yi Bai let out a long sigh of relief.
Watching the last batch of ghost children silently disappear, he couldn't help but wipe the sweat from his brow.
Playing was exhausting.
Especially when it was one batch after another, each leading him through the bizarre and terrifying attractions of the amusement park.
It took Yi Bai the better part of the day to tour the entire park.
After maxing out the ghost children's favorability, the only place he hadn't visited was the Mirror House.
Seeing no more ghost children approaching, Yi Bai wasn't in any hurry. He quietly walked over to a nearby swing and sat down, savoring the rare moment of peace.
On the other side, all the ghost children had followed Yi Bai to play.
The human players who had survived were now riding on Yi Bai's coattails, enjoying the rare safety in this twisted amusement park. For most of the day, they had been free from the looming threat of terror and death, making it one of the few calm moments since entering the park.
Huan Weng had stopped searching for ghost children to interrogate. The ghost child who recognized him as "father" had already informed him of the current situation in the park. The best way to survive now was to stay low and bide his time, giving him a better shot at finding his lost child.
If he made any irrational moves and angered the "big sister" in charge of the ghost children, even they wouldn't be able to save him.
The veteran players, Quán and Liú Zhèn, sat apart, each lost in thought. Their faces shifted from one emotion to the next—torn, struggling, and occasionally filled with intense reluctance and despair.
The remaining three rookie players huddled together, whispering among themselves, unsure of what to make of the situation.
After a while, Liú Zhèn, who had been sitting in silence, noticed that no more ghost children were surrounding Yi Bai.
Unable to hold back any longer, he finally stood up and walked over to Yi Bai.
"Is there something you need?" Yi Bai asked calmly, observing the man before him from his seat on the swing.
"Boss, I'm willing to offer everything I have—whether it's ghost coins or items! Even in the real world, I have some assets. If you find them useful, I'm more than happy to offer them to you," Liú Zhèn said, his voice full of desperation. "I know you're not just an ordinary player, and I'm not asking for you to directly save me... I just hope you could say a good word on my behalf in front of the game's behind-the-scenes controllers. I'll be content with that!"
When it comes to life and death, no one is without fear.
Liú Zhèn was a smart man. In the real world, he made a living using his brains. The first game had been somewhat normal, and he could tell that the ghost children were just playing their cruel games. However, starting with the second round, everything changed drastically. The game was clearly centered around Yi Bai!
Before the game had begun, Yè Qún and others had tried to morally pressure Yi Bai, hoping for his protection. After their failure, they cursed and insulted him.
And then?
Yè Qún was dead. Another player who had insulted Yi Bai also died.
The difference between their deaths and the first game was night and day—brutally targeted and calculated.
It was obvious that the "big sister" behind the ghost children was quite interested in Yi Bai and had a favorable opinion of him.
Under these circumstances, Liú Zhèn remained clear-headed. If he wanted to survive, he knew he'd have to make some concessions.
"Everything you have?" Yi Bai's interest was piqued slightly.
This was a man who had maintained his composure throughout the entire ordeal and hadn't made any rash moves or demands. He understood not to ask for too much—just a few kind words. Yi Bai appreciated that. People like him were easy to talk to, and if there was enough incentive, Yi Bai wouldn't mind helping him out.
Of course, that would have to be without lowering the "Mirror Ghost" faction's favorability toward him.
"This is all my ghost coins... and a low-grade talisman."
It was painful for Liú Zhèn, but he immediately handed over everything he had in this terrifying world.
Roughly five hundred ghost coins and a low-grade talisman worth about a thousand ghost coins.
Yi Bai studied him intently, his "Eye of Insight" flashing information. Liú Zhèn wasn't holding anything back.
But... this wasn't enough for Yi Bai to consider helping.
This was nothing compared to the fortune he had once almost had—he wasn't going to be impressed by this meager sum.
"Not enough. It's too little," Yi Bai's voice was calm but it struck like a thunderclap to Liú Zhèn.
Liú Zhèn had worked hard to accumulate this much over the course of several games. To him, this was a considerable sum, yet Yi Bai clearly wasn't interested.
Sweat beaded on Liú Zhèn's forehead as his mind raced. His "CPU" was practically overheating. He tried to think, desperately recalling everything he owned that might hold value.
He was willing to offer it all in exchange for survival.
Survival... that was the only thing that mattered!
Yi Bai remained calm on the swing, his gaze drifting toward the Mirror House in the distance.
The third round still hadn't begun. The "big sister" ghost child was likely plotting something behind the scenes.
Sitting still was starting to feel a bit tedious for Yi Bai, especially after the satisfaction of maxing out the ghost children's favorability.
With his bloodline, he could rest for only a short while before feeling fully recharged. He couldn't afford to waste any more precious time in this twisted game.
As his thoughts wandered, Lina's image quietly surfaced in his mind.
"I wonder... how far is the Children's Amusement Park from the Third Hospital? If it's close enough, maybe I can..." Yi Bai couldn't help but long for that sense of icy warmth.
"Boss!"
Liú Zhèn's voice broke through Yi Bai's thoughts.
"Ghost coins may not be much to you, but I do have some connections in the real world," Liú Zhèn continued, a little nervous now. "I'm a mid-level member of the Netherworld Consortium. There are many things I can move or influence."
"As long as you give the word, I'll do everything in my power to assist you," he said quickly. "And I promise that everything I bring will be clean, no traceable information at all."
With that, Liú Zhèn stared at Yi Bai, anxiously awaiting his response.
This was all he had left—his connections in the real world.
He was betting that if Yi Bai had any needs that he didn't want to reveal publicly, Liú Zhèn could help, staying in the shadows while still providing valuable resources.
"Netherworld Consortium?" Yi Bai narrowed his eyes, a blood-red glint flashing in his dark pupils.
It clicked in his mind.
The software name in the computer left behind by Jiang Junhao's inheritance—the very one Yi Bai had used to purchase supplies and had a decent experience with—was none other than...
"The Netherworld Consortium."