Chapter 16: From Now On, You Are My Prisoner
Xu Ze’s voice piped up, “Big brother, just because you saw others doing a blind jump doesn’t mean you had to do it too. Arguing about this now is pointless. My suggestion is to head to Area C immediately, or everyone will lose points.”
A teammate chimed in, “Yeah, stop arguing. I don’t want to lose points.”
The direction they came from was the same path Yu Shi had just taken. Since they hadn’t captured any equipment, they likely hadn’t encountered Xu Bohan’s group.
Han Po snapped, “Head there for what? The rain starts in ten minutes. Can we cover three kilometers in ten minutes? Split up and find cover or treehouses. If you can’t find any, build them. I’m seriously going to die of stupidity surrounding myself with you rookies.”
Song Xiewen hesitated. “Captain, do we really want to take this route? Xie Ren definitely cleaned out Area C. If they are near the border, won’t we run straight into them?”
If he hadn’t mentioned Xie Ren, it might have been fine, but the moment the name came up, Han Po’s rebellious streak flared. He shouted at the top of his lungs, “Me, afraid of him? Even if he’s blocking the Area C border with a gun, I’ll still blow his head off! Fuck it, everyone stop. Forget finding cover. Put on your raincoats and march. I can’t wait to beat him up.”
Yu Shi frowned in thought. They were very close to Area C. Rather than finding cover and soaking in the water, it was better to push forward through the rain.
The only worry was if Xie Ren really was guarding the border with a gun; that sounded exactly like something he would do.
He quietly pressed his earpiece, intending to notify the other three.
Han Po suddenly went on alert, raising his voice. “Who’s there? Come out!”
Yu Shi hadn’t made a sound. His expression hardened upon hearing the shout. He reached for the pistol at his waist, only to remember he had swapped guns with Ye Bingyang earlier—this one was empty.
His pupils constricted, and his expression shifted drastically.
Han Po might be a loose cannon, but he didn’t mess around in a fight. Plus, with S-rankers like Xu Ze and Song Xiewen present, things were looking grim.
“Stop playing ghost! Get the hell out here!” Han Po raised his gun and barked.
Yu Shi quickly scanned his surroundings, looking for anything that could serve as a weapon.
Just then, a roguish whistle sounded from above. “It’s your daddy. What about it?”
As soon as the voice fell, PKM bullets poured down like a torrential rain, spraying wildly and unreasonably. The members of D2 cursed loudly, scattering like birds and beasts in all directions.
System Announcement: “Group D1 ‘Instructor Yu, You Dropped Your Dog’ Zhao Yi has critically injured Group D2 ‘All Die for Me’ Tao Zhen. Please administer aid immediately. Countdown: one minute.”
“Zhao Yi, I’ll fuck your dad! You dare ambush us?!” Han Po roared in fury, firing back while seeking cover.
Zhao Yi occupied the high ground. After a round of indiscriminate firing, he used a vine to swing to another tree, taunting them arrogantly, “Trash, come chase your daddy.”
Han Po saw red. Just as he was about to give chase, Xu Ze stopped him. “Han Po, give me the medical agent.”
Tao Zhen lay on the ground, shot in the chest. The chip simulated the intense pain of a gunshot wound; he couldn’t stand up at all, his face twisted in agony.
Only using the electronic medical agent in time could relieve the pain.
The chip displayed a life countdown: 20, 19, 18…
Han Po glanced at him coldly. Xu Ze urged in a low voice, “Give it to me, quick! If we lose a member, the whole group loses points. There’s no time!”
Reluctantly, Han Po threw a tube of the agent, then turned and strode off to chase Zhao Yi.
Once they left, Yu Shi finally let out a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and climbed up from the grass.
The surroundings fell silent, everything returning to calm.
A pile of shell casings littered the ground. As he took a step forward, he suddenly heard the sound of a shell casing being stepped on behind him.
Yu Shi drew his gun instantly, turning to aim behind him, only to meet Xie Ren’s dark, heavy gaze.
His breath hitched. He didn’t know how long this person had been lurking behind him, making absolutely no sound, like an invisible man.
Yu Shi commanded sternly, “Hands up.”
Xie Ren showed no nervousness at being held at gunpoint. He said leisurely, “Don’t be nervous. I don’t have a gun; Zhou Jiahao has it.”
“Hands up. I’m counting to three.” Yu Shi remained unmoved. “One, two…”
“Tsk.” Xie Ren raised his hands reluctantly.
Yu Shi asked, “Why are you here?”
“Looking for something. Have you seen a password box? Hmm, though even if you had, you probably wouldn’t tell me,” Xie Ren said frankly.
Yu Shi recalled that Zhang Meng seemed to have actually picked up a password box.
“What’s inside?” he asked suspiciously.
Xie Ren said openly, “MRAD bullets. They aren’t in Area C; they’re only here.”
Yu Shi’s grip on the gun tightened. “You got the sniper rifle.”
“I told you, Zhou Jiahao has it.” Xie Ren spun around relaxedly, showing off his tall, fit physique. “Look at me dressed like this; I couldn’t hide a sniper rifle anyway.”
Yu Shi was silent for a moment. “Even if I found it, I wouldn’t give it to you.”
Xie Ren took a step closer. “Is that so? I thought you already found it. Zhao Yi followed you guys the whole way and said you never managed to open that box. Could it be the one I’m looking for?”
There was a smile on his face, his eyes hiding a playful mockery.
Yu Shi’s face darkened, realizing something terrifying.
They had been tailed the entire time, and no one had noticed. It showed just how amazing Zhao Yi’s tracking skills were. Furthermore, managing to sneak from Area C to here right after landing required the strategic planning of a commander.
It seemed he really should deal with the big trouble that was Xie Ren first.
Xie Ren took another step closer. “Instructor Yu, how about we make a deal? You give me the magazine, and I guarantee you second place.”
Such arrogant words, yet coming from his mouth, they didn’t feel out of place at all.
It was as if first place was already in his pocket, completely under his control.
Yu Shi sneered, “Why should I trust you? You seem very pleased with yourself; be careful not to stumble.”
Xie Ren walked toward him. Before Yu Shi could speak, Xie Ren raised his hand and grabbed the gun.
Yu Shi almost instinctively pulled the trigger. Xie Ren slowly lifted the barrel and pressed the muzzle against his own forehead.
Soldiers hated having guns pointed at their heads, let alone a dignified Falcon Regiment commander. Yet, as the muzzle pressed against him, his expression was relaxed and natural. He even bent down slightly to accommodate the height difference.
Yu Shi’s eyes widened. “Are you crazy?”
Xie Ren stared at him intently, corners of his mouth lifting. “Why trust me? Because you have no bullets, so you’re not qualified to negotiate with me.”
Yu Shi went stiff. Xie Ren quickly pressed down on the muzzle, hooking his hand back to snatch the gun into his own possession.
He said playfully, “I started handling guns at five years old. I’m all too familiar with the weight of a gun. The moment you turned around, I knew it was empty. Now, can we negotiate properly, Instructor Yu?”
He seemed to have the complete upper hand, like a king holding a winning ticket, his expression disdainful and arrogant.
A cold sneer flashed in Yu Shi’s eyes. He swiftly pulled out the dagger hidden at his waist, using the distance advantage to press it against Xie Ren’s left chest, saying airily, “No can do, Commander Xie.”
The tables turned; dominance exchanged hands once again.
Xie Ren was stunned, then laughed instead of getting angry.
He narrowed his eyes to scrutinize the Omega before him, showing quite a bit of appreciation. “Oh my, I was careless and underestimated you. Speak, what are your conditions?”
Yu Shi said decisively, “Have Zhou Jiahao trade the MRAD for you. From now on, you—”
“Are my prisoner.”
Xie Ren revealed an ambiguous smile. “Such a cruel heart. Not only cruel but greedy. No wonder they say the better-looking the Omega, the more deceitful they are.”
The tip of the knife pushed forward slightly, poking his chest.
Yu Shi said coldly, “This is the price for teasing people. Have him get here before the heavy rain starts. One second late, and this knife goes into your heart.”
“Too bloody, you scared me.” Xie Ren feigned fear. “Instructor Yu is usually so polite and learned; it’s inconceivable that you like such bloody scenes.”
“Cut the crap. Contact him immediately.” Yu Shi poked him again.
Xie Ren opened his mouth to say something but glanced at the trembling leaves. Suddenly, he shoved Yu Shi away with great force.
Thinking Xie Ren was trying to fight back, Yu Shi immediately thrust the dagger forward, but his body was pushed aside by the sudden force.
A green light lit up on Xie Ren’s chest, indicating he had taken minor damage.
Simultaneously, a gunshot exploded in their ears.
Bang—!
Followed by a series of gunshots.
Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang bang!
Bullets whistled past where Yu Shi had just been standing. Xie Ren rolled on the ground and quickly vanished deep into the tall grass.
Han Po’s voice rang out from ahead, having returned. “Xie Ren, didn’t think I wouldn’t fall for it, did you? Trying to lure me away? If you’re an Alpha, get the fuck out here!”
He wasn’t too close, seemingly afraid of an ambush in the grass, and fired a frantic burst in that direction.
“Come the fuck out! Don’t be a coward!”
Yu Shi held his breath, gripping the dagger handle tightly. A hand pressed down on his back.
He turned his face immediately, nearly touching Xie Ren’s nose.
The distance between them was no more than a few centimeters. Huddled under the giant leaves of a wild banana tree, they could almost smell each other’s breath.
Water dripped from the leaf tips. The air was humid and stifling. Amidst the scent of ferns and vegetation, there was a mix of peppermint and alcohol—restrained and enduring.
Both felt incredibly awkward and quickly turned their heads in opposite directions.
Xie Ren steadied his mind and lowered his voice. “I’ll distract him. You try to get a headshot.”
Yu Shi was just about to say, Have you forgotten? My gun has no bullets, when a heavy pistol was stuffed into his hand.
It turned out Xie Ren had a gun all along.
“You…”
Xie Ren took his dagger and winked his right eye. “My life is in your hands, Instructor Yu. Happy cooperation.”
Yu Shi huffed, “Trusting an enemy like this… seems you don’t value your life much.”
Xie Ren smiled even more unrestrainedly, as if he had no scruples.
He stood up straight, completely exposing himself.
Han Po, originally aggressive, was startled and immediately aimed at him with both hands. “Freeze! Don’t come any closer!”
He looked Xie Ren up and down suspiciously, seemingly unable to believe he would appear so directly. He tried to find a hidden weapon in Xie Ren’s hanging hands, but Xie Ren only spoke two words to him.
“Fire.”
Before Han Po could react, a figure leaped up from the grass. Reflexively, he shouted and pulled the trigger.
Two gunshots rang out simultaneously. One hit Han Po, and the other was dodged by Xie Ren.
At the same time, a scream came from the nearby bushes—in the moment Xie Ren dodged the bullet, he threw the dagger into Tao Zhen’s chest.
System: “Group D1 ‘Instructor Yu, You Dropped Your Dog’ Xie Ren eliminated Group D2 ‘All Die for Me’ Tao Zhen. Tao Zhen is out.”
“Xie Ren, I’ll fuck your whole family!” Han Po roared, opening full fire at him.
Near the border of Area C, Xu Bohan and the others were accelerating when they paused at the broadcast.
“Eliminations are happening fast this time,” Ye Bingyang said. “We must contact Instructor Yu as soon as possible.”
System: “Group D8 ‘Sob Sob Don’t Hit Me’ Yu Shi has critically injured Group D2 ‘All Die for Me’ Han Po. Please administer aid immediately. Countdown: one minute.”
The three of them: “?”
7072 licked its paw. “Woof?”
Xu Bohan was shocked. “Master didn’t go to Area C; he ran into Xie Ren? Fuck, he’s in danger! Turn back quickly, ahhh!”
The moment Han Po fell with heavy injuries, another gun sounded from above.
Yu Shi immediately aimed upward. Xu Ze’s voice came from the tree: “Sorry about this, Brother Ren.”
Several figures appeared in the grass.
Xie Ren said in a low voice, “It’s D5. They’ve allied.”
Alarm bells rang in Yu Shi’s mind.
Xu Ze fired several shots, coordinating with Song Xiewen to focus fire on them. Xie Ren had no gun in hand and chose to quickly create distance.
Yu Shi covered his retreat while firing. The two ran in the same direction with tacit understanding.
The Alphas behind them chased relentlessly. They sprinted for a full two kilometers, arriving at a depression. They rolled down the grassy slope and ran another kilometer before successfully shaking off the pursuers.
After running a bit more, they finally found a wooden supply cabin.
Yu Shi didn’t bother resting. He went in to search for electronic healing agents, dumping the contents of the box onto the table.
A red alert came from Xie Ren’s arm; it was the shot Xu Ze had landed earlier.
He said calmly, “No rush. If it’s not here, we go to the next supply point.”
Yu Shi didn’t slow down at all. Even if it was a minor injury, the pain of a bullet embedding itself was real. The chip simulated bleeding and pheromone loss, recreating the injured state to the maximum extent.
He had endured the pain all the way here, acting like nothing was wrong; one couldn’t tell he had been shot at all.
Yu Shi rummaged while saying, “It should be here. Bear with it for a moment.”
Xie Ren leaned against the wooden door, his tone relaxed. “This counts as a very light injury. I used to crawl out of piles of dead bodies after taking six bullets. This pain is like an ant bite.”
Yu Shi frowned. “Where did you sustain such heavy injuries? Zone 9?”
Xie Ren nodded and shrugged. “There’s fighting there every day. Even the lid of a cup of instant noodles smells of gunpowder. No one can come back unscathed.”
“Found it.” Yu Shi walked over with the healing agent. “Raise your hand.”
Xie Ren was slightly surprised, not expecting him to apply the medicine personally. He stared thoughtfully at Yu Shi’s profile.
Yu Shi’s gaze was focused, as rigorous as if he were conducting an experiment, gently lifting the injured arm.
A thin layer of sweat surfaced on his forehead, droplets covering his fine skin. His cheeks were flushed from the intense exercise. At this close distance, his pores were nearly invisible.
Xie Ren’s gaze fell on his earlobe, where a hidden piercing lay concealed in the snow-white skin.
Tsk, lucky 7072.
Yu Shi suddenly spoke, his voice sounding tense. “You’re hurt.”
Xie Ren licked his lips and smiled asking, “What, does your heart ache for me?”
Yu Shi frowned deeply. He grabbed Xie Ren’s arm through the clothes, his tone distorted and full of disbelief. “Xie Ren, you’re bleeding!”
He opened his palm; it was stained red with speckles of blood. The bright red contrasted sharply with the whiteness, shocking to the eye.
In the Simulated Battlefield, it was impossible to bleed, because all injuries were virtual.
Yu Shi said in a deep voice, “The bullet that hit you just now was live ammo. Someone tampered with the gun.”
The two looked at each other. Outside the wooden house, the first drop of rain fell.
Raindrops smashed onto the leaves of the towering trees, becoming denser and tighter. Thunder exploded at the top of the canopy, startling countless birds, and a bolt of lightning tore through the dark clouds across the sky.
The heavy rain arrived as scheduled.
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