Chapter 707: Who Sees a Ghost and Doesn’t Run First?
[According to official records, when the Eye of the Dead opens, the despair and wails of the deceased will appear within its pupil. Fear breeds fear; those who see the Eye of the Dead will automatically project this emotion onto themselves, often resulting in auditory and visual hallucinations, even for those with hearing or vision impairments.]
[However, to date, no one has been able to describe exactly what lies within the Eye of the Dead, because in projection recordings, it is merely an open red eye.]
[So far, the Eye of the Dead has had eighteen holders, more than half of whom died by suicide. If you choose to purchase it, you will become its nineteenth holder.]
A sword with both lethal and hallucinogenic capabilities, its hallucinogenic attacks do not distinguish between friend and foe. This is somewhat similar to the Orb of Murmurs, another high-risk item. But it’s worth the risk for Xu Huo. If used properly, the Eye of the Dead could be an incredibly powerful support tool in combat.
“Half died by suicide?” Wan Tingfang found it hard to believe. “Even if they saw hallucinations, it shouldn’t drive them to suicide. Players who want to use this sword should be able to stay clear-headed in the hallucinations, right? Otherwise, how could there be no survivors?”
“Isn’t the other half killed by others?” Xu Huo said calmly. “Suicide isn’t surprising. Prolonged mental interference can subtly alter a person’s mental state. Accumulated over time, combined with the influence of the Eye of the Dead, it’s bound to erupt eventually.”
He swiped past the Eye of the Dead and continued browsing other items.
After reviewing everything, aside from “Compressed Air” and the “Eye of the Dead,” he selected four more C-grade items. However, not all of them were approved in the end, because Wan Tingfang was also a contract staff member and didn’t have the Light Gentleman Medal, making the application process more difficult.
Still, Director Sanyang was relatively accommodating. If the purchase conditions for “Compressed Air” could be met, Xu Huo could buy two B-grade items and one C-grade item. If not, purchasing the “Eye of the Dead” would still allow him to choose two C-grade items.
To keep information confidential, players had to input the purchase conditions themselves.
As for the valuable information Xu Huo had, it was mainly about the Box Carrier and the Paper Servant Master. Although he had left the paper airplane in the “Shared Eye” instance, whether the Paper Servant Master would appear was still uncertain. Over the past two days, he hadn’t received any news notifications about these two individuals.
However, one thing was certain: the “Shared Eye” instance was connected to the Box Carrier.
Regarding the Box Carrier’s robots, several eyewitness players had survived and left. Setting aside the Paper Servant Master, reporting this incident alone carried relatively low exposure risk.
After carefully wording it, he filled in the Box Carrier’s whereabouts.
Within half an hour, the game sent a notification that the purchase conditions had been met.
Director Sanyang smiled knowingly at him after learning this. “Get a few more Light Gentleman Medals, and you’ll soon be able to join the Game Government and become a Gray Player.”
Xu Huo shook his head modestly. “Depends on luck.”
The three items were delivered quickly. He tested them at the Game Government Base. “Compressed Air” was simpler to use than defensive items. While wearing the item, he only needed to clench his fist forward, and the air would instantly compress into a transparent shield covering over three square meters, lasting up to five seconds—enough for defense and evasion.
The “Eye of the Dead,” when not “opened,” could cut through simulators of material quality comparable to the item itself. It looked bulky but was actually lightweight, easy to carry and use, and lacked the restrictions of the Crimson Sword. Though its range was shorter than the Crimson Sword, the hallucinogenic effect, if usable, would more than compensate for this minor flaw.
For the C-grade item, he chose a pumpkin headpiece:
[Pumpkin Headpiece: An eerie prop essential for horror films. Wearing it gives you an immersive “ghost” experience. When others scream at your headpiece, don’t be afraid—on this home turf, you have the absolute advantage. Who sees a ghost and doesn’t run first?]
[Note: The above advice isn’t 100% accurate. Scaring people carries the risk of being beaten to death. Please exercise discretion.]
Back at the castle, he tested the “Pumpkin Headpiece.” From the outside, it looked like a pumpkin with eye and mouth holes cut out. Observing it in the mirror revealed no special changes.
Xu Huo planned to step outside and try it.
At the door, he ran into Mr. Dong, who was bringing tea. The man glanced at him calmly, then stepped aside to let him pass first.
He walked along the corridor toward the stairs, exchanging glances with the ugly faces on the walls before they both looked away.
The Painting Woman was downstairs ordering the next meal. Seeing him, she excitedly ran over, poked the headpiece with her finger, and typed: “I want one too.”
The person in front of him reached out. The poster scurried from the dome to the chandelier and curled up. Mr. Dong, who had come and gone, pulled out his pocket watch to check the time as he walked toward the kitchen to hurry dinner along...
In the vast castle, only the faint sound of wind could be heard for a moment.
Xu Huo silently took off the headpiece and handed it to the Painting Woman. “Borrow it to play with.”
She picked it up, put it on her head, and ran straight to the kitchen—the busiest room at this hour.
However, the headpiece on her head didn’t retain its effect like the Invisibility Cloak, which worked even when not in the holder’s hands. So, it still looked like a pumpkin.
Xu Huo poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and muttered to himself, “Maybe I should just exchange it for something else.”
The Painting Woman became obsessed with playing with the Pumpkin Headpiece. By dinner, several real pumpkin headpieces appeared on the table, along with grotesque masks carved from radishes and fruits. It was clear that aside from the pumpkins, the knife work on the others was excellent.
Mr. Dong, in a rare display of humor, crafted a skull out of flowers and placed it in front of Xu Huo.
Forget it. Pretend he didn’t see it.
After dinner, Xu Huo went to the study. At that moment, the person tracking Dr. Wu sent a message containing video and photo records of Dr. Wu’s interactions with others that day.
Dr. Wu had met with many players that day, likely selecting suitable companions. If Xu Huo weren’t currently a non-player, he might have suspected Dr. Wu of using items on others. In such a short time, his network had expanded remarkably.
He was undoubtedly a technical talent with high intelligence. Xu Huo had only given him a communicator contact channel, and he had managed to find the Rose Castle on his own. Rushing to find people like this probably meant he believed the news that Dr. Wu had appeared in Zone 009 was true. Since Xu Huo had said he wouldn’t interfere, the other party had to make other plans.
Xu Huo didn’t think he was Dr. Wu’s first choice. Dr. Wu’s visit to the Rose Castle also carried a hint of probing—after all, they had exploited a time gap at the Deep Blue Laboratory.
The file also included footage of him meeting with high-ranking members of the Rongxin Group. Xu Huo’s expression froze slightly: He wouldn’t be stupid enough to cooperate with Rongxin, would he?
(Chapter End)