Chapter 684: Each Relies on Their Own Abilities
"But the fact that someone woke up means the statue isn't impossible to guard against." Fu Danhong raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Whether you live or die depends on your own skill."
Previously, the players had been hesitant to face the statue directly, but after this look, it seemed the statue's effects were actually quite limited. As long as you weren't tempted to look at it and blocked your line of sight, it was hard to fall victim. Hadn't they seen that so-called deity controlling the townspeople to smash down doors?
Clearly, the key to clearing this instance lay in steadying one's mind and resisting temptation.
As for the player who had set the fire earlier, he could only blame his own weak will.
"We've all been somewhat affected. Whether we can hold out until the last few days is hard to say, especially since the end of the month is almost here." Fang Penghui's expression was grim.
Fang Penghui and Liu Shiyan's group had already been there for four or five days. By the end of the month, it would roughly meet the instance's time requirement. Compared to others, their pressure was lighter. For instance, Liu Shiyan and some players felt that even at that point, they could tough it out until the instance ended, especially with so many other players around.
After tonight's upheaval, the players actually calmed down. Even the disappearance of the arsonist didn't bother them much, and they dispersed on their own.
"I don't think it'll be that simple," Yi Pei said in a low voice to Xu Huo as they walked back. "This isn't just about whether you see it with your eyes. Before seeing the statue, the players were already being tempted. The hallucinations and auditory illusions weren't obvious enough."
"You felt it too?" Xu Huo asked.
Yi Pei nodded. "I almost opened the door. The noise outside woke me up."
There had to be a channel for tempting the players. It seemed now that it wasn't just the enshrined statue that was the problem—the wall carvings and carpets in the hotel were a test. Every player who stayed there would fall for it.
Of course, there were also those who hadn't gone to the hotel from the start.
Xu Huo glanced at the black-shirted player who had already walked into the courtyard.
Fu Danhong had a point. This was a survival instance. There was no clever way to clear it; everyone had to rely on their own abilities.
But clearly, not everyone thought defense was the best approach. Less than half an hour after the players split up, a massive fire erupted from the hotel, quickly engulfing half the street!
When the fire first started, not a single person ran out of those courtyards. Some players with a conscience went in to rescue people, only to find that every one of them had their hands crossed over their chests, lying steadily in bed. Neither the thick smoke nor the flames could wake them.
Some players began carrying people out, but the six players led by Brother Shi prepared to set a second fire.
"Stop!" Fang Penghui led his group to block them, but the other side had no intention of reasoning. Brother Shi scattered a handful of nails on the ground, and those small props immediately burrowed underground, then shot up moments later, ambushing three players in a row!
The three hit by the nails were instantly paralyzed. The prop net Brother Shi had pre-set underground tightened, dragging them together like dead dogs!
"Severed head and body!" Fang Penghui threw an unremarkable bookmark. The thin piece of paper spun out like a sharp blade, cutting through the prop net and then striking sideways at Brother Shi's group!
"Clang! Clang!" After hitting three defense props in a row, the bookmark flew back into Fang Penghui's hand. He then pulled out a book and opened it. The text on the pages began to recite itself. What started at a normal volume turned into a deafening alarm within seconds, causing discomfort not only for Brother Shi's side but also for Fang Penghui's own players.
Fang Penghui's expression didn't change. He tossed the book forward, and several pages expanded like inflatable membranes, flying toward Brother Shi and his group!
The group tactically retreated, but Fang Penghui shouted, "Plot Adhesion!" The pages, now inflated to human height, autonomously chased after the players!
A female player beside Brother Shi produced an ice gun and sprayed it into the air. Several pages were immediately frozen, then shattered by stones flicked from another female player's fingertips.
The ice gun's range exceeded five meters. Two players on Fang Penghui's side couldn't dodge in time and had their hands and feet frozen. Though not fatal, the stones shattered their limbs instantly.
"Radiance of the Sun!" A player on Fang Penghui's side raised a high-wattage bulb, and intense light illuminated the entire street. Brother Shi's players hurriedly retreated but were blocked by an invisible wall. Anyone who touched it was instantly flung back!
"No Turning Back Until Hitting the Wall!" A bespectacled player jumped out from Fang Penghui's camp, blocking Brother Shi's group from the side. As the intense light faded, other players moved in to reinforce.
Brother Shi and his group, unable to break out of the encirclement in time, were trapped in the middle. Brother Shi smiled. "A little misunderstanding. No need to fight to the death, right?"
"Misunderstanding?" the square-faced player barked. "You didn't say that when you were killing people!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and waved it in the air. "Come Here and Get Slapped!"
In an instant, Brother Shi was pulled out of his group, flying uncontrollably toward the square-faced player as if lifted by something, truly looking like he was coming to get slapped!
Fang Penghui and several other players attacked simultaneously.
Trapped on all sides with no escape, Brother Shi suddenly clapped his hands together. He vanished from his spot, replaced by a female player who had been standing several meters away. Brother Shi himself appeared where she had stood!
The crowd was stunned, but he sneered coldly. As they instinctively scattered, the female player who had taken Brother Shi's place erupted in massive flames. Not only was she instantly charred black, but several nearby players also suffered severe burns on their backs—this fire was far more lethal than Xu Huo's lighter!
"Interesting." Xu Huo arrived in an instant, his sword energy sweeping horizontally.
Brother Shi raised his defense prop. "Your sword can only hit the first object. Once seen through in combat, it's useless!"
But as he spoke, his defense prop was suddenly forced open by an unknown power, and he himself was pinned in place, unable to move!
Sensing someone behind him, Brother Shi had no time to save himself. In a flash, he shouted at Xu Huo, "Explode!"
"Boom!" The player standing behind Xu Huo burst into flames. But Xu Huo, having used his trait to quickly move away the moment Brother Shi spoke, flashed twice and appeared on his right, shooting him in the head.
Brother Shi's body hung in the air for a moment before falling. Xu Huo stood nearby, his expression cold as he looked at the several players behind him.
They were smart enough not to rush to avenge their comrade. Even the female player stood silently in place.
They weren't stupid. Brother Shi had clearly been restrained by a prop they couldn't see or escape from. Even if it only worked for a second, it could cost them their lives. They weren't sworn brothers willing to die for each other. They had no objection to Brother Shi pushing the female player to die in his place, and they certainly had no qualms about watching him die.
(Chapter End)