Xie Kuang had thought he was the only “free person” in the entire world.
Countless people respected him, countless people adored him, and countless people were eager to befriend him. Countless others were confined to one scene after another.
They couldn't leave, and no one could enter.
But he was different.
He passed through countless scenes, and not one of them could truly hold him.
He thought it was because he had no “home” of his own.
Until one day, the world changed, and countless strangers poured in.
They called themselves players of a full-dive game, and referred to Xie Kuang's friends as “NPCs” in the instances.
Xie Kuang mingled among those so-called players, but they all saw him as just an ordinary player who was exceptionally good-looking.
These unfamiliar visitors counted him as one of their own.
·
On the game's opening day, the players excitedly talked about how fiercely they'd competed for a spot.
Until that night, when one of them died in the game.
The smell of blood spread through the air, reaching every player's nose.
Their faces changed. They were horrified and afraid, shouting that they wanted to go home.
But they couldn't get out.
An invisible scythe hung over their heads. The terror of facing death left them with no courage to press on.
But in a corner, someone stretched and said nonchalantly, “Can't you just clear the instance and go home?”
Xie Kuang turned around and met a pair of eyes full of interest.
·
Inside the ghost bride's sedan chair, someone found an envelope. Inside was a sheet of paper covered in blood-red writing:
“There is a traitor among you. Eliminate them at once, or they will kill you all.”
Inside the circus tent, the clown tilted his head and held a finger to his lips. Grinning, he said:
“The traitor's going to kill every one of you~”
In the fully enclosed exam hall, the System recited the rules in a flat, mechanical voice. After collecting the answer sheets, it shrieked:
“There is a traitor among you! There is a traitor among you! They will kill you! They will kill you!”
The traitor's presence drove countless players to the brink of collapse. Attacked from both sides, they didn't dare trust anyone, afraid the so-called traitor would bare their claws at them.
But a few people became one another's most trusted companions.
Their team leader was a young man named Lu Wen.
While countless players huddled in the beginner's village, unable to move forward, Lu Wen led his team through one instance after another.
·
Xie Kuang: “I'm the traitor.”
“I don't believe you.” Lu Wen looked down at him, his casual tone hiding a smile. “If you were, why am I still alive?”
Xie Kuang: “...”
Sounds like you're looking forward to dying?
Reading guide:
1. The cover uses a template.
2. Younger gong: Lu Wen is 21, Xie Kuang is 25. Might be a B-king.
3. Comedic scenes and dialogue will lighten the mood, so what you picture may not actually be scary (?).
4. Blurb written on July 14, 2023, and screenshotted.
Theme: Many hands make light work
