Chapter 489: Carnival Night
"Clang!" The moving metal quickly shifted to his arm, blocking the attack for Xu Huo, and then he drew the Crimson Sword. However, the sword energy was blocked by something like a safety airbag that popped out from the other party's belt.
Dodging two explosive pellet-like objects thrown by the opponent, Xu Huo switched to a metal protective suit. The diamond gloves on his hands turned into half-palm gloves, "No-Burden Wrap-Up." From a few meters away, he slashed a bloody mark across the neck of that nobleman.
The lethality of "No-Burden Wrap-Up" was very limited; this cut wouldn't be fatal. But the man panicked upon seeing blood and immediately tried to flee like Parada. However, Xu Huo wouldn't give him that chance. He directly used "Two-Part Magic." The man, unable to move, watched his lower body separate from his torso. Panicked, he tilted sideways, and the next second, his chest was pierced through!
The man, not yet dead, looked at his chest in shock. But the next moment, the sword was pulled out from behind. Xu Huo, now standing behind him, flicked the blood off the blade, then reached over and lifted the blanket covering the bed.
Although some of the bloodstains had been cleaned, the dead woman had half her chest and half her buttocks carved out. Her once beautiful eyes were wide open, devoid of life, and her body was covered in bruises from beatings.
Covering the blanket again, Xu Huo dragged the still-breathing man over, forced him to lean by the bedside, and pinned him to the bed with a fruit knife he grabbed at random, keeping him in a position facing the woman. Then he straightened his clothes and calmly left the room.
On the other side, Parada's jump from the sixth floor didn't attract much attention. He broke through the glass of a room on the fifth floor and jumped in, then fled into the corridor, chose the nearest elevator, and used his wristband authorization to go straight to the ninth floor.
"This guy is crazy, daring to lay a hand on a noble!" Probably a bit disoriented, Parada didn't recognize Xu Huo. He rushed to the main hall on the ninth floor, burst through the door, and shouted, "Someone is attacking a noble!"
In the main hall, about twenty people were sitting in small groups. They were dressed in luxurious clothes and had elegant postures. They only spared him a glance. Captain Matt continued his previous topic, "Tonight will be a unique banquet. To add to the fun, I've specially searched for some players to come aboard. Please be careful not to get scratched by the prey while hunting."
The others chuckled softly. A noble with a black wristband said, "I knew it. Any banquet with the Captain is bound to be more exciting."
"Players have much more flavor than ordinary people. My mouth is watering just thinking about it." Another noble with a red wristband took a sip of wine to cover it up.
"No need to be impatient. Our journey still has a few days. If it ends on the first day, it might get boring later." Matt took out an alarm clock, pointed at the countdown on it, and said, "Today's hunting time is two hours. After two hours, this clock will start a musical countdown through the public channel. I hope everyone returns here when the countdown ends."
"Wouldn't two hours be too short?" someone questioned. It was Bai Kou, disguised as Butterfly Lady. She fanned herself with a small fan and said, "If it's just about killing and eating people, wouldn't that be too boring? Only animals engage in mechanical hunting and feeding. The thrill of hunting comes from panicked and struggling prey. With such little time, the excitement wouldn't even get started before it's over."
Duke Tal was at the bottom of the pecking order in this setting. Bai Kou's sudden remark made him nervous, and he didn't dare to meet the eyes of the cannibal players who turned to look at him.
But Bai Kou smiled at those who looked her way. "Isn't that the truth?"
The other players seemed to agree. After a moment, Matt extended the time to three hours and said to Bai Kou, "Butterfly Lady has a famous reputation. Actually, this isn't our first meeting. I wonder if you still remember me, Lady."
"Not at all," Bai Kou said nonchalantly.
Matt laughed heartily, pressed the button on the clock, and the advancing ship came to a halt. Two-thirds of the ship's lights went out, and the ninth floor, like most of the ship, sank into darkness.
"Everyone, the carnival night has begun." Matt made a gentlemanly bow to the crowd. "Please enjoy these three hours to the fullest. Have a pleasant time."
The players in the main hall put down their glasses one by one and walked out in silence but with pleasure.
Parada, who had been ignored the entire time, rushed up to Matt and said, "Captain Matt, didn't you hear me? Someone is killing nobles."
Matt looked at him kindly. "Hunters can also be bitten to death by their prey."
Parada choked, then burst out in anger, "What right do those people with no status or position have to attack nobles?! They should just obediently wash their necks and wait to die!"
Matt's expression turned somewhat pitying. "Child, haven't you seen the true nature of this world yet? In the game, anyone can be a hunter, and anyone can become prey. If you don't want to be prey, sharpen your weapons. Don't say things that disgrace the nobility."
The last sentence carried a warning. After speaking, Matt ignored his pestering and went up to the tenth floor via the elevator.
Parada stood there for two seconds, then angrily knocked over the wine bottles and glasses on the table before storming downstairs in a rage.
When the elevator reached the seventh floor, he suddenly sobered up and felt a bit regretful. He was about to return to the ninth floor when the elevator stopped. He nervously looked at the door. Seeing Butterfly Lady wearing a butterfly mask standing outside, he breathed a sigh of relief. But just as he was about to speak, his throat felt a sharp pain.
He instinctively reached for it, but when he pulled his hand away, it was covered in blood.
"You..." He struggled to lunge at Butterfly Lady, but she kicked him out of the elevator. She smiled at him and said, "You can't talk now, but you probably still have a few minutes before you die. Maybe someone will be drawn by the smell of blood and come over. Exciting, isn't it?"
Parada ignored her, pouring healing agent into his mouth while running down the corridor.
Bai Kou didn't bother with him, but Parada's luck was truly bad. He happened to run into Xu Huo, who was searching for him.
Xu Huo had changed clothes again and now wore a black wristband.
He had changed his face, so Parada didn't recognize him. Thinking he was a noble ally, Parada quickly went to him for help. Just then, unhurried footsteps approached from not far away. Frightened and somewhat irrational, Parada grabbed him and hid in the nearest room.
The person walking over was a cannibal player. He knocked politely on the door and said, "Don't bother hiding. With such a strong smell of blood, where can you possibly hide?"
Then he let out a laugh.
Under Parada's terrified gaze, Xu Huo opened the door, showed his wristband to the person outside, and said, "We still need to follow the rules, right?"
(Chapter End)