Chapter 16: A Group of Axe Bros
[You have obtained Shadow Stone × 1.]
A pure black crystal stone appeared in Su Xiao's hand, its blackness both deep and giving a sense of purity, its shape similar to a river pebble.
[Shadow Stone]
Origin: Death House
Effect 1: Can use Shadow Stone to trade with the "Departed Ones" within the Death House.
Effect 2: When used on oneself, you receive the protection of shadow. Under the Shadow Protection state, you can negotiate and trade with "Departed Ones" in the Death House who are otherwise impossible to interact with.
Description: Anna, you cannot escape the shackles of fate. The Death House needs someone to guard it, either you, or me.
...
The Shadow Stone has many uses. First, it acts as a currency to trade with the Departed Ones inside the Death House. As for what the Departed Ones are, that remains unknown for now.
As for Effect 2, this is quite interesting. Some Departed Ones in the Death House are very dangerous. Not to mention trading with them, even just negotiating carries unknown risks. In such situations, Su Xiao can use the Shadow Stone on himself, enter the Shadow Protection state, and attempt to negotiate or trade with these Departed Ones.
What good things the Departed Ones possess is still unknown, but as permanent residents of the Death House, those Departed Ones should have plenty of valuable items.
The description of the Shadow Stone is also intriguing. The meaning expressed in this description is clearly that Anna did not voluntarily become the master of the Death House, but rather that someone must guard this place.
'The Death House needs someone to guard it, either you, or me.'
The 'me' in this is quite thought-provoking. It feels like, besides Anna, there is another person qualified to become the master of the Death House. But in the end, the one who became the master of the Death House was Anna, who has a bit of a yandere personality, while the other person's whereabouts are unknown.
Su Xiao turned his gaze to Anna. At this moment, the Pain Queen Anna was sitting at the head of the banquet table, her eyes closed.
For now, the death game cannot continue. They have to wait for the other participants to arrive at the banquet hall, or for all of them to die.
With nothing else to do, Su Xiao began tossing the Curse Coin once every half hour on average, twice per hour.
After a full three hours, Su Xiao's toss results were as follows:
[You will be hunted by Gluttony Beast × 5, duration 6 hours 29 minutes (hunt duration = number of Gluttony Beasts × 0.2 + initial hunt duration × 0.5 + acquired...).]
[Your Luck attribute -15 points, effect lasts 1 hour.]
[You will be hunted by Gluttony Beast × 6, duration 7 hours 12 minutes...]
[You have obtained Shadow Stone × 1.]
[Your Luck attribute permanently increased by 1 point.]
[You will be hunted by Gluttony Beast × 7, duration 8 hours 51 minutes...]
...
The hunt duration of the Axe Bros is not constant. When the number increases, the calculation method becomes very complicated. But the current situation is that seven Axe Bros are lurking outside the door, and for the next nearly 9 hours, they won't leave.
The Axe Bros are very 'enthusiastic.' One of them has already broken the chains on its body, the large mouth on its torso splitting open, roaring endlessly into the banquet hall.
Whether it's an illusion or not, Su Xiao felt that Anna, sitting at the head of the banquet table, was smiling.
As for the Dragon-Hunting Spider, it was previously coexisting peacefully with the four Axe Bros. But after the Axe Bros reached seven, their gaze toward the Dragon-Hunting Spider became unfriendly. Because of this, the Dragon-Hunting Spider, known as the Throat of Anyou, has now entered the banquet hall.
Su Xiao's purpose in tossing the Curse Coin was simple: to obtain more Shadow Stones and permanently increase his Luck attribute.
Another six hours passed. Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the sofa, looking at the three Shadow Stones in his hand. The chance of obtaining these is very low. He tossed the Curse Coin over twenty times and only got three Shadow Stones.
As for the Luck attribute, its probability is even lower than the Shadow Stones. Su Xiao had increased his Luck attribute by 2 points, raising it from 12 to 14. If he can reach 20 points without equipment, he will receive the reward for having 20 Luck attribute points. As for what ability that is, it remains unknown for now.
After more than twenty tosses, Su Xiao discovered that the probability of tossing tails (debuff) is higher than tossing heads (buff).
As for the effects triggered by tails, 90% of the time, it summons an Axe Bro, and a very low chance temporarily reduces the Luck attribute.
At this moment, at the entrance of the banquet hall, 14 Axe Bros are blocking the way. They have almost completely blocked the door...
The hunt duration of the Axe Bros has reached a terrifying 20 hours and 44 minutes. Su Xiao is not worried about this at all, because three hours ago, Bubu Wang, who had blended into the environment and mixed in with the Axe Bros, saw a participant arrive at the wooden corridor of the Golden Door.
The newcomer was the Iron Dummy, Mond. He had already escaped the maze. Just as he arrived at the Golden Door, he stopped and hid at the corner of the wooden corridor.
Mond could be certain that if he were surrounded by those headless monsters wielding large axes, he would definitely die.
Mond was blocked by the Axe Bros. In reality, the Axe Bros' target is not Mond. With the order of the Death House, as long as Mond doesn't actively attack the Axe Bros, they won't bother him at all.
But the problem is, who would dare to squeeze through 14 Axe Bros? No one would gamble with their life. Mond is indeed an Iron Dummy, but that doesn't mean he's stupid.
Inside the banquet hall, Su Xiao had already put away the Curse Coin. He couldn't continue tossing. Once the number of Axe Bros exceeded 10, it was almost impossible to get a buff state. Almost every toss summoned another Axe Bro.
Now, 14 Axe Bros are all focused on Su Xiao's every move. Even if he lights a cigarette, those 14 Axe Bros will roar in anger for a long time, their tempers extremely irritable.
In the corridor outside the door, both Shangyue and Nita had arrived. Shangyue's condition was okay, just very weak. As for Nita, her right arm was missing, and there was a chunk missing from her lower abdomen. Judging by the marks, it was bitten off by some creature.
"Feather Clan, I should be... done for. My heartbeat... is starting to slow down."
As Nita spoke, she barely suppressed a dry cough, but she covered her mouth, blood spurting from between her fingers.
"You won't die."
"Thanks. I'll lure... those monsters away. You, take the chance, to rush into the banquet hall."
"Don't be so one-sided."
Shangyue grabbed Nita by the back of her collar.
"Heh, so the big races aren't that arrogant after all. I can't survive. Some things... are more terrifying than my injuries..."
Nita's blood-covered hand grabbed Shangyue's arm and continued, "Remember, don't provoke that monster."
"Demon Clan, that's all."
Shangyue looked toward the darkness on the other side of the corridor corner. Mond was hiding in this darkness. His eyes, which looked like magma was burning inside, were especially conspicuous in the darkness.
"It's not... the Demon Clan. There's another... even more terrifying one."
Nita propped herself up against the wall with her one arm, stood up covered in blood, and slowly walked out of the corner.
"Hey! You ugly things."
Nita shouted loudly, then grinned, her neat teeth slightly red.
The 14 Axe Bros all turned around, locking onto Nita. After a moment, the Axe Bros ignored her again.
"Being... being ignored..."
Nita was stunned for a moment, then took a deep breath and stepped toward the Axe Bros. What she didn't expect was that the Axe Bros completely ignored her.
Nita's small body squeezed through the Axe Bros. She was now afraid of nothing.
"Roar~"
The large mouth on one Axe Bro's chest split open, but it didn't attack Nita. Soon, Nita squeezed through the Axe Bros and entered the banquet hall. She felt like she was almost crushed flat, most of her body numb.
"It's fine. Come on in, Shangyue."
Hearing Nita's shout, Shangyue, who was hiding behind the corridor corner, opened her small mouth slightly.
"I see. Before entering the banquet hall, you need to test your courage."
Shangyue understood in her heart, thinking that this group of Axe Bros was a test from the Death House. Just as she stepped out of the corner, Mond, who was across from her, had already walked toward the Axe Bros first. Before long, both of them entered the banquet hall.