"System Prompt: The second stage of the mission tasks are as follows...
Options: Eliminate the target individuals you possess.
Please choose to accept or reject.
Priority Intel for the second stage: Killing the target individuals will grant priority access to the ultimate storyline in the subsequent phase of this mission. Choosing to reject will lead to a side mission with increased difficulty."
...
Chen Xiaolian and the others were dumbfounded.
Suddenly, the room fell into absolute silence, not a single sound was heard.
A full minute passed before Roddy's cursing voice could be heard through the team system.
"What the fuck is this thing?"
Chen Xiaolian still remained silent.
However, in the room, almost everyone could feel the sharpness of Chen Xiaolian's gaze becoming as fierce as a hawk! His complexion grew increasingly dark, and there were even sparks of anger flickering in his eyes.
The choice, whether to kill the target individuals?
What kind of fucked up stage of a mission is this?
To kill Will Rez Belia?
To kill this seven-year-old, innocent little boy?
To kill the target individual they had just found in the first stage of the adventure?
A deathly silence clung to the air.
All the team members gazed at Chen Xiaolian with complex expressions, except for Soo Soo. Her eyes were filled with fear as she covered her mouth and stared at Chen Xiaolian. Finally, the young girl seemed to realize something and said, "Oppa, this is not..."
Chen Xiaolian took a deep breath, reached out to pat Soo Soo's mushroom-shaped head, and gently tousled her hair, giving her a comforting look.
Then, Chen Xiaolian lifted his head, surveyed everyone, and his expression became very serious, his tone unwavering.
"NO!"
No one spoke.
Chen Xiaolian continued with determination, "My decision is NO!
I'm sorry, but this time, I won't go with democracy. As the team leader, I'm making the decision directly this time: NO!
In this damn game, I can struggle to survive, I can fight, I can give it my all. All my efforts are aimed at staying alive—but on one condition: I want to stay alive like a human being!
I refuse to become a beast, a creature that can freely slaughter other ordinary people. If that's the case, what differentiates us from those players? Those players kill indiscriminately; they see the people in this world as NPCs.
But I'm sorry, I can't do that!
I'll survive, but I must make sure I live like a human being! Not like a killing machine, not like a cold program!"
After Chen Xiaolian finished speaking, everyone looked at him.
"Guild Leader, there's no need for a democratic vote. I support you," Lun Tai immediately spoke up, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief. "My thoughts are the same as yours. I want to survive as a person in this world, not see the people of this world as NPCs to be killed at will. If we lose that, then survival has no meaning, and our efforts and struggles are meaningless."
"I have no objections," Xia Xiaolei angrily added, "This fucking system is messing with us! Screw it!"
"I, I have no objections either," Qimu Xi whispered, "I, I can't kill."
The only one who didn't speak was Qiao Qiao – because she didn't need to. She just gave Chen Xiaolian a gentle look, and that was enough to convey their unspoken understanding.
Chen Xiaolian breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, within the system, he made his choice.
"Option: Eliminate the target individuals you possess.
Please choose to accept or reject.
Choice... Reject!"
After making this choice, the system quickly provided the second prompt.
"System Prompt: The Meteor Rock Guild has chosen 'Reject.' According to this choice, the third stage of the mission will enter a side mission. Please proceed to Tel Aviv City within 24 hours, where the system will automatically assign the mission location.
Mission Requirement 1: Ensure the survival of the target individuals.
Mission Requirement 2: Capture at least one Interceptor and obtain information from their mouth. The next stage of the plot will be adjusted based on the extent of the information obtained.
Special Note: In the second stage of the mission, participants are prohibited from fighting each other."
When these system prompts appeared in each person's individual systems, everyone felt energized.
"Everyone read it clearly?" Chen Xiaolian said with a serious expression. "Protect Will's safety... and the system mentioned there would be Interceptors. I guess these Interceptors are probably not other game participants, most likely they are troubles created by the system."
Lun Tai cocked his gun's bolt. "Let's go then."
Chen Xiaolian thought for a moment and called out in the team channel, "Roddy!"
"I'm here," Roddy replied with a grin.
"We can regroup now; we need you as our mechanic."
"No problem."
Chen Xiaolian looked at everyone. "In the second stage, participants are prohibited from fighting each other. So for now, we don't have to worry about the Thornflower Group's threat. That's some good news."
"They might choose to kill the target individuals," Lun Tai speculated after some thought.
Chen Xiaolian's heart skipped a beat.
He agreed with Lun Tai's guess.
Because the Thornflower Group might not be as benevolent as their group. Moreover, given the strength of the Thornflower Group, they must have been leading in the first stage and probably received the priority intel prompt as well.
"So... you mean, perhaps the Thornflower Group might enter a different plotline from us?" Chen Xiaolian stroked his chin with a playful look.
"The prompt mentioned that killing the target individuals grants priority access to the ultimate plotline. Who knows... maybe they'll skip the second stage and go straight to the final plotline? Like skipping levels in a video game?" Lun Tai chuckled. "It's just speculation on my part."
"That speculation makes a lot of sense," Chen Xiaolian nodded.
He checked the time. "The system requires us to reach Tel Aviv within 24 hours. I've looked at the map, and Tel Aviv is very close to Jerusalem. By car, it's only an hour away, but the system gives us 24 hours, so I think the road won't be smooth, but having more time is always better."
"Should we set off now?" Xia Xiaolei asked eagerly.
"Let's wait for Roddy to join us," Chen Xiaolian thought for a moment, then his expression turned somewhat strange. "However, I need to leave for a while and go to a certain place."
"What?!" Everyone was taken aback.
"For some special reasons... and also, I suddenly have a strange hunch that I need to confirm."
...
Somewhere hidden in Jerusalem.
Inside a massive warehouse, several awakened individuals dressed in combat gear with thorn flower emblems on their collars pointed their guns at a row of ten ordinary people crouched in front of them.
These individuals had diverse clothing and varied ages, but each of them had their heads covered with black hoods.
A burly man standing over two meters tall cast a cold gaze at the people crouched in the corner, then walked to the warehouse entrance.
"Mobile Team Commander calling the Overseer."
He quickly received a response from Shen.
"Overseer received, go ahead."
"Guild Leader, what should we do? Should we kill the target individuals now?"
After a few seconds of silence, Shen's response came through.
"...NO."
...
Chen Xiaolian's decision to leave the team alone surprised the team members greatly!
However, his attitude was resolute!
He waited here for about twenty minutes, and when Roddy arrived and briefly exchanged words with everyone, Chen Xiaolian decided to leave.
"Why?" Lun Tai blocked Chen Xiaolian at the door, glanced at the others, and lowered his voice. "Xiaolian! Do you have a special reason? Or is there something you can't tell us?"
Chen Xiaolian took a deep breath. "I do have some suspicions that need to be confirmed. Moreover, considering it's the second stage now and participants are prohibited from fighting each other, it shouldn't be too dangerous."
"But you're the Guild Leader! How can you leave the team alone within the Instance?" Lun Tai's tone was very serious.
"I have... special reasons," Chen Xiaolian hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not elaborate. "From now on, you'll be in charge. Get ready to hit the road. I'll finish my business and catch up with you immediately. Just keep in touch through the team channel."
"..." Lun Tai looked at Chen Xiaolian with a complex expression.
In the end, he stayed silent.
In this time of fighting side by side, Lun Tai had come to understand Chen Xiaolian's character very well.
He was not someone who acted recklessly but was a person with a strong sense of responsibility, perhaps even overly so.
Temporary detachment might seem absurd, and he was unwilling to explain too much, but Lun Tai firmly believed that Chen Xiaolian must have a special reason for his actions.
Since he was not willing to explain, then...
"Okay," Lun Tai took a deep breath. "I'm willing to trust you. But after this Instance is over, we need to have a serious talk. I hope you can provide a reasonable explanation for everyone once the Instance is finished."
"Alright," Chen Xiaolian smiled wryly.
Roddy and Qiao Qiao also walked over.
"What are you up to?" Roddy frowned at Chen Xiaolian.
"I'll explain it when I get back." Chen Xiaolian signaled Roddy with a glance. While Roddy didn't understand Chen Xiaolian's intention, they had a silent understanding, and Roddy refrained from further questions. Compared to Lun Tai, Roddy had even more unconditional trust in Chen Xiaolian.
Qiao Qiao, on the other hand, was more direct. She didn't question Chen Xiaolian's decision to leave the team and instead made a straightforward request, "I'll go with you."
"..." Chen Xiaolian was somewhat hesitant.
Qiao Qiao frowned, "Is that not okay?"
"Stay here with everyone, protect Will, the team needs your strength. As for me... I really do have special reasons. If you leave with me, the strength remaining here to protect Will will be further weakened."
Qiao Qiao looked at Chen Xiaolian with a puzzled expression, "Are you... going to do something very dangerous?"
"Roddy!" Chen Xiaolian didn't bother explaining further. He called for Roddy and looked at him seriously. "Once I leave, you will be the core combat force! Don't hesitate when it's crucial; use the Floaters and Mechs without reservation!"
"Understood."
"I will catch up with you and the others as soon as possible."
With that, Chen Xiaolian no longer looked at Qiao Qiao, turned, and walked out of the door.
Qiao Qiao bit her lip hard, hesitated for a moment, and finally didn't chase after him.
"The Guild Leader is acting really strange," Xia Xiaolei suddenly whispered, "He... seems to be in a hurry. I saw him check his watch three times in the last ten minutes."
Lun Tai's eyes lit up, but then he shook his head. "Alright! Execute the Guild Leader's orders! Everyone has ten minutes to prepare. After ten minutes, we'll depart for Tel Aviv. At the same time, I'm announcing combat discipline now. If we encounter Interceptors, I will lead the assault, Qiao Qiao and Xia Xiaolei will be responsible for flanking security. Qimu Xi!"
Qimu Xi immediately perked up.
"Your performance in the first stage disappointed me greatly," Lun Tai's tone was stern. "Although you're a girl, this game Instance won't give you any special treatment because of that! We'll help you, but if you want to survive, you need to summon courage and put in the effort yourself! We're a team now, and I hope you can contribute to the team! Understand? Remember my words, the more you fear death in battle, the quicker you'll meet it!"
Qimu Xi nodded firmly, forcing herself to do so.
"Get in the car later; you'll be responsible for rear security."
...
Chen Xiaolian had already left the ground floor of the hotel and quickly disappeared at the intersection.
On the second floor, Qiao Qiao watched Chen Xiaolian leave with a worried expression on her face.
...
After running out of the intersection, Chen Xiaolian suddenly increased his running speed!
It was as if he was truly racing against time.
Or rather, he was not just racing against time, but truly in a hurry!
Because just before receiving the task to head to Tel Aviv, his personal system received a separate system message.
"System Prompt: Fallen Avenger 2/5 activated, to hunt and kill the host 60 minutes after entering the Instance area.
Condition One: Kill the Fallen Avenger to end this hunt.
Condition Two: Survive for 180 minutes during the hunt, then it will end."
And this message was received in the room a while ago.
It had been...
Chen Xiaolian glanced at the countdown for the activation time of the Fallen Avenger.
There were 38 minutes left.
"Damn you, Lancelot!" He cursed vehemently, then spotted a car on the side of the road, walked over, forcibly opened the car door, started the car, and after checking the map for directions, drove off quickly...
A 180-minute hunt?
Chen Xiaolian sneered in his heart.
If he had been chased like a rat by Lancelot's ghost in the Punishment Instance before, with no way to escape. Now however, after the Blood Verdict, and after so many days of comprehending Skyblade's power, Chen Xiaolian didn't think he would be as miserable as last time.
So, he decided to make an attempt.
180 minutes?
No, he planned to kill the Fallen Avenger within one hour!
Killing the Fallen Avenger within an hour was still somewhat risky, and Chen Xiaolian didn't have full confidence in it. That's why he needed to leave the team, to keep the danger away from the group, as it seemed that within the team, everyone's skills were unable to counter the Fallen Avenger.
Furthermore, Chen Xiaolian had another reason for detaching from the team.
During the first stage of the mission, he had sensed something subtle, although it was a rather absurd speculation. Nevertheless, he intended to give it a try.
Driving the car, Chen Xiaolian had a clear target in mind—a specific address.
It was one of the four addresses belonging to individuals with the same name and surname, Will Ritz Belia, from the first stage.