DING!
──────────────
[MISSION COMPLETE]
[YOU AND YOUR HOSTAGE WILL ADVANCE TO THE NEXT ROUND]
[REWARD: 1000 COINS]
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A translucent, blue cylindrical barrier formed around Chen and Yue, pulsing faintly. Chen remained on his knees, his body trembling, his fingers curled into fists against the bloodstained ground. His breaths were ragged, his face pale as he stared at the empty space where Luo Ling and her sister had been.
Beside him, Yue stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. The moment she saw her brother kneeling there, tears streaming down his face, an icy dread seized her chest.
"Brother...?" her voice wavered.
Then she realized. Luo Ling was gone.
Her body shot up as she grabbed Chen's shoulders, shaking him violently. "Where is Luo?! Brother, where is she? What did you do to her!?" Her cries turned into choked sobs as she clutched his clothes. "You can't... You can't be—!"
Before she could finish, a massive projection illuminated the entire city, stretching across the bloodied sky like a cruel deity descending upon its worshippers. A figure flickered into view—a humanoid rabbit-like entity, its fur pristine white, its unsettlingly large eyes glimmering with something akin to amusement. It grinned, exposing sharp, needle-like teeth.
"Welcome to the Slaughter System!" its voice boomed, unnatural and artificial. "Congratulations on winning the first mission and advancing to the next round! I am UESS 0.89, an AI programmed to guide you all! Feel free to ask any questions!"
The streets below were filled with sobbing, trembling people—men, women, and even children, their hands stained with the blood of those they had slain to protect their loved ones. Horror and despair twisted their expressions as they stared at the grotesque, towering projection.
One man, holding his daughter tightly, fell to his knees, his voice cracking as he shouted, "What is this?! Who are you?! Don't you care about what you've done to us?!"
UESS 0.89 tilted its head, its ears twitching. "I am an AI developed by the Quitreuirty Civilization—a higher-intelligence species in the universe!"
Another man, his face contorted in rage, yelled, "What the hell are you even talking about?! Who the hell are these 'Quitreuirty' freaks?! Who programmed you?!"
The AI's grin widened, its tone eerily cheerful. "Ah, excellent question! You see, the Quitreuirty once sought knowledge across the universe, exploring countless civilizations. But what did they find?" It paused, then chuckled. "Nothing but backward, dull, primitive beings. No progress. No innovation. Just the same predictable cycles over and over again.
"So, they decided! Instead of waiting for civilizations to advance, they would eradicate them! But before doing so, they turned it into entertainment! Every civilization is given a chance—a tournament of slaughter.
"And now..." The AI gestured dramatically, "it's your turn! Complete your missions! Survive until only one remains! That one will be taken as a memorial by the Quitreuirty. The rest of you? Erased!"
A chilling silence followed. Then—
"I wanted to go home..." a woman whispered, her voice barely audible through her trembling lips.
Another man screamed, his fists clenched. "What do you think you are?! Just a few more hours, and we'll destroy you!"
UESS 0.89 giggled. "Oh, that's adorable! You think you can?" Its voice dropped into something more sinister. "Listen carefully, insects.
Everything on this planet is under our system.
"Your phones? Useless.
"Your TVs? Controlled.
"Your satellites? Offline.
"Your nuclear weapons? Disabled.
"Do you really think your government or your precious military will save you? Hah! The Quitreuirty have erased civilizations far more advanced than yours! Hundreds of species, smarter, stronger, better—all gone! And yet, here you are, thinking you stand a chance?"
A woman, trembling violently, let out a broken sob. She dropped to her knees, clutching her hair, her mind shattering under the weight of the truth. Then, without warning, she grabbed a knife from a fallen corpse and tried to stab herself in the throat—
CLANK!
Her body froze, paralyzed mid-motion.
UESS 0.89 let out a playful sigh. "Tsk, tsk! Trying to kill yourself or your hostage is prohibited! The system won't allow you to quit. The only way out is to keep playing... until only one remains!"
Cries of despair echoed through the streets.
Lovers clung to each other, weeping as they attempted to stab each other, seeking escape in death—only to be paralyzed in an instant.
The AI clapped its hands mockingly. "Oh, humans! So predictable! Every species tries this—suicide, mercy killings, rebellion. We've seen thousands of variations! And guess what? We've developed the system to counter every single one!"
A man, his face twisted in grief, gritted his teeth. "Why? Why are our families hostages?! If you wanted us to fight, why not make everyone a player?!"
UESS 0.89 grinned. "Ah! Now that's an interesting question!
"You see, our analysis of Earth and its species found something... consistent across all intelligent life. Males protect their families at all costs. Whether it's lions, wolves, chimpanzees, or humans—the instinct is the same.
"So, to make things more fun, we made sure every male with a family was a player—and their loved ones? Hostages! This way, the Quitreuirty get to enjoy your suffering even more!"
A woman, her hands trembling, gasped. "Then... then why am I a player?!
Another man joined in. "Yeah! I don't have anyone either! Why the hell am I here?!"
UESS 0.89 hummed. "Oh, yes! I was getting to that. You see, orphans—or as you humans call them, 'people without families'—were given different tasks! And as for women..."
It chuckled.
"Well, Earth had something quite fascinating—a concept called single mothers! They also cross any line to protect their 'child'... so we let them play too!"
A dark silence hung in the air.
"Now then!" UESS 0.89 clapped its hands. "Take this time to explore your system settings! It's designed to mimic your VR games, so it should feel... familiar! Your interface will appear in the language you understand best!
"In 24 hours, the next round begins!"
A man, his face twisted in rage, suddenly lunged at another player, a knife in hand.
SHZZZT!
Before the blade could make contact, his body disintegrated into ash, vanishing in an instant.
The UESS 0.89 let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh, dear! I told you not to be stupid! You are not allowed to kill other players or hostages unless a mission allows it! Trying to reduce the number of entertainers for the Quitreuirty? Penalty: Instant death!"
As the last remnants of the man's existence faded, UESS 0.89's eyes gleamed.
"Now then... let the entertainment continue!"