Chapter 224.1: Apocalypse Survival (28)

  Ruan Qing looked into Xie Xuanlan’s eyes and said softly, “Understood.”

Since the moment he sensed that Shen Baiyue was part of the system in the instance of <Eerie Blood Shadow>, he had this idea.

Bold and crazy, yet not entirely far-fetched.

When dealing with people who have desires, if you offer them the right incentives, there’s a chance they might be swayed to act against others.

In the instance of <Eerie Blood Shadow>, he never intended to give the system a miracle, nor did he simply want to disrupt the other’s plans. Instead, he wanted to test the system’s reaction.

To test how important the power he sought was to the system.

To test his reaction after disrupting the system’s plans.

If he reacted furiously, targeting him at every turn, then it would prove that power was exceptionally important to him.

Unfortunately, the results of the test were not very favorable, or rather, they did not meet his expectations.

Because it seemed that what the system desired most was not power, but him.

Therefore, merely offering the leverage of power was definitely not enough to pique the system’s interest.

After obtaining the results, Ruan Qing suppressed this idea.

The system indeed had the potential for defection, but the leverage was something he was unwilling to give.

It wasn’t until the blizzard of paper in the <Pen Spirit> instance that this idea resurfaced.

Although the system never revealed anything, Ruan Qing knew that Qiao Nuo was the system.

Perhaps the system was afraid of being detected by the game, so the system suppressed his own memories every time except for that instance with Shen Baiyue.

Even if his memories were suppressed, there were still some subtle clues.

Perhaps the system didn’t mind whether he discovered something or not, or perhaps he was actually hoping for him to find out.

Just like how Qiao Nuo always arrived at critical moments, as if he always knew where he was.

The only one who could always know his location was the system following him, just like how Shen Baiyue clearly hadn’t seen him with the tablet but knew it was his.

And even the fact that he liked snow was probably only known by the system.

After all, this was something even the people who raised him didn’t know, and he had never told anyone.

As for Xie Xuanlan being the system, it was even easier to judge.

From Xie Xuanlan’s reaction upon encountering Yan San, it was evident that Xie Xuanlan’s strength was likely inferior to Yan San’s.

Yan San’s strength was slightly weaker than Yan Ci’s.

In this situation, Xie Xuanlan managed to hold back the two enraged individuals and barely escape from their grasp. This was not the level of strength he should have possessed. 

Moreover, that night he actually hadn’t fallen asleep yet, so he was naturally aware of Xie Xuanlan’s abnormal behavior.

After Ruan Qing finished saying that, he softly asked, “So, what is your choice?”

Xie Xuanlan looked directly into Ruan Qing’s eyes, his deep gaze carrying a hint of restraint and danger.

Finally, he slightly smiled, his voice slightly hoarse, “You know the answer, don’t you?”

No one could refuse such a bargaining chip.

Even knowing that he was being used, he couldn’t refuse.

The young man was like a flame in the dark night, attracting moths willingly to fly towards it. Even if the consequence of flying towards it was death, they embraced it like sweet syrup.

He was no exception.

He was like his own curse, unable to escape or break free, because he willingly allowed himself to be bound by him, and willingly submitted to him.

However...

“You’re too late.”

After Xie Xuanlan finished speaking, he tightened the cotton swab in his hand, then lowered his head dimly and continued treating the wound in Ruan Qing’s palm, “You will die in this instance.”

Xie Xuanlan’s voice carried a hint of hoarseness, devoid of any discernible emotion.

“On the seventh day of this instance, this island will be blown up.”

This was an unchangeable future that no one could alter, the final outcome of this instance.

Crossing the barriers between instances would affect the soul.

The impact was very weak, harmless to normal people, and through the game, one could gain strength, thus enhancing the soul.

Naturally, there was nothing to worry about.

However, this impact was fatal to a soul already fractured, causing damage with each crossing.

Moreover, Ruan Qing’s soul was too weak, so weak that it couldn’t withstand any force and couldn’t bear any more shocks.

Dying in a dungeon would be the best outcome. That’s how his soul could be nurtured.

But he knew he couldn’t do it, and neither could anyone else.

So, after the last dungeon, he chose this one.

On the seventh day of this dungeon, this island would be sunk.

Burying everyone on the island.

Including Ruan Qing.

This was the carefully selected grave for him.

The signal was isolated; the island was like a solitary outpost. Those outside couldn’t recognize Ruan Qing, so they surely wouldn’t have changed their plans because of him.

There’s no way out on this island.

Before the dungeon began, the system had already destroyed the only way to clear it.

This was a game of certain death.

No matter who protected him, it was of no use.

No one could stop this island from being blown up.

Not even the dungeon boss himself, unless that undying body woke up.

But unfortunately, ‘he’ had already been transferred away from this island before coming into contact with Ruan Qing.

The day of awakening was far away.

The condition of certain death had been directly fulfilled. Even he could not change it.

Dying in this dungeon would be fine. Even if this person lost his memory, he would probably still receive the power of faith.

When people were plunged into despair, they were most inclined to pray to higher powers. Perhaps this dungeon was the most suitable place to gather the power of faith.

Moreover, there were many ordinary people in this dungeon, and he could continuously throw ordinary people into it.

This time, as long as he was no longer restricted.

Xie Xuanlan was on the verge of crushing the cotton swab in his hand.

If it weren’t for Ruan Qing’s proposal, he would have thought this was the best outcome.

Although the dungeon would be reset each time, causing the island to be blown up again, he believed that this person would definitely gain enough power of faith.

But now he felt somewhat unwilling.

Because this person’s memories would reset again after death, forgetting everything that had happened before.

And he wouldn’t remember his own proposal either.

Also... the other couldn’t possibly belong to him.

Although this was already an entirely impossible hope, now even this slight hope was impossible.

He was just a mere avatar of that person, possessing less than one percent of that person’s power.

That person didn’t even approve of him getting close to Ruan Qing, so how could he allow Ruan Qing to belong to him?

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