Qi Xu pondered the rules repeatedly. Counter-killing? Easier said than done—the Killers came with a built-in 20-point stat boost...
[Kill a Killer to earn 1 point. Kill a Survivor to earn 2 points. For every Killer or Survivor you kill, you inherit all their accumulated points!]
[Special Game Note: The mini-map in the top-left corner will display players' real-time locations and rankings. The top 10 point-earners will receive a system-wide broadcast, giving them the prestige they deserve.]
[Is everyone buzzing with excitement yet? Well then, let the game begin!]
Qi Xu’s brows furrowed tightly. The moment she entered the dungeon and faced that choice, she knew this survival game was up to no good.
But she hadn’t expected it to be a full-blown slaughterfest.
Though she’d encountered similar scenarios in previous rounds, they were rare. The survival game often pushed things too far—encouraging the weak to die, urging players to turn on each other—but outright, large-scale carnage and morally bankrupt confrontations weren’t common.
And the assigned roles were particularly twisted: players who chose the blue button became Killers...
The game’s message was crystal clear. You prefer peace? You don’t want any players to die? Well, what will you do when it’s kill or be killed?
Qi Xu took a deep breath, deciding to take things one step at a time. Her principles and the moral lines she’d drawn for herself made her reluctant to raise a blade against innocent people.
Sure, it might cost her opportunities, but at least her conscience would stay clean. She’d keep her cool, not obsess over rankings—but if someone came for her, she wouldn’t hold back.
A swirl of black mist enveloped her, and the scene shifted from the dark room to an endless stretch of derelict, unfinished buildings.
Qi Xu found herself on the top floor of one such structure. She hurried to the window and looked down—the view was expansive, suggesting she was at least 16 stories up.
Players were scattered across different locations, and some were already on the move.
Qi Xu quickly checked the mini-map in the top-left corner—a sophisticated 3D display where red dots marked Killers and green dots marked Survivors.
Each dot had a number floating above it, all currently set to zero, likely representing points.
A quick scan revealed the building had 18 floors, hosting 8 players—6 Survivors and 2 Killers—distributed across different levels. The closest was a Survivor on the 14th floor.
For now, everyone was cautious, moving only to familiarize themselves with the environment.
One thing nagged at Qi Xu: the dungeon didn’t allow backpacks. So... what about weapons and supplies? The game hadn’t mentioned how long this round would last, either.
Soon, she finished combing the entire floor.
Her haul: two small bread rolls, a cup of instant noodles, a bottle of water, and a dagger. Not bad.
She fashioned a makeshift bag out of a black cloth, discarded the noodle cup, and tightly secured the supplies to her back. Carrying them in her hands would hinder movement—this way, she stayed agile.
While gathering supplies, Qi Xu kept an eye on the mini-map. Someone was already making moves...
The player from the 14th floor was climbing upward. Qi Xu braced for a fight—this person was either hostile (80% chance) or a naive fool (20% chance).
But they were also a Survivor, someone who’d chosen the red button.
"Hello? Anyone there?"
A clear, harmless voice rang out—a girl’s voice. She had the decency to stop at the stairwell, not barging in.
Qi Xu didn’t answer, just adjusted her grip on the dagger and flexed her wrist.
"I’m a Survivor. You can see my dot’s green on the map. I don’t want to kill anyone—I just want a safe place to hide. The rooftop’s got good visibility. If anyone enters the building, we’ll spot them right away. Wanna team up?"
Hearing this, Qi Xu stepped forward, facing the girl directly. "What kind of team-up are you thinking?"
The girl was cute, with a neatly trimmed bob—clearly someone who took care of herself.
"Great! I was worried I’d run into someone unreasonable," the girl chirped, scampering closer. She rambled on, "This game’s the worst! What kind of sick dungeon is this? It just wants us to kill each other. Let’s hide here, okay? Or are you planning to leave?"
Qi Xu nodded. "The rooftop doesn’t feel safe. If we get cornered, there’s no escape. I’m thinking of scouting around."
The girl hesitated. "I’d rather not go down. Eighteen floors is a lot, and the Killers in this building are all on the lower floors—they’ve already left. Feels pretty safe here."
Qi Xu shrugged. "Fair enough. Maybe we’ll team up later."
The girl suddenly dug into her pocket and pulled out a granola bar.
"Take this. You’ll need energy if you’re heading out. I’m just hiding, so I won’t get hungry as fast. Let’s work together if we get the chance, okay?"
Qi Xu raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? We don’t know how long this game will last. What if food runs low later?"
"It’s fine! I ate a big breakfast right before the dungeon. Not hungry at all. Go get ’em!" The girl even threw in a heart sign with her hands.
Qi Xu accepted the bar with a "Thanks," then turned to leave—completely unguarded.
What she didn’t see was the girl’s smile vanishing the moment her back was turned, replaced by a look of smug triumph.
What an idiot. No survival instincts at all. If it’s not me killing her, it’ll be someone else. Might as well be me.
She’s not making it out of this dungeon anyway.
Without hesitation, the girl pulled out a loaded gun from her pocket.
She raised it, aimed at Qi Xu’s back, and fired. The madness in her eyes was unmistakable. If only she’d known choosing the blue button wouldn’t get her killed—and came with 20 stat points to boot.
She’d have picked blue in a heartbeat. Being a Killer meant starting off stronger than Survivors.
But being a Survivor had its perks too.
Like running into gullible fools who handed over points for free—just like the one in front of her...
.........
