APP: Chapter 171

[Isn’t this the closet where Gu Yu hid before?!!]

[Fu*k, Gu Yu was just a board away from the truth previously. This is too unlucky!]

[No wonder why the witch rushed over the moment he sneaked into this room. She was afraid of the secret path being revealed! She didn’t hesitate to destroy the death order to kill Gu Yu because she thought Gu Yu knew the secret!]

[That hermit was also unlucky. He was only one board away from the truth. He used his mouth to leave a mark in the closet but he didn’t expect there to be a secret behind the closet.]

Xie Chi remembered very clearly that the hermit previously said he pecked ten numbers with a crow’s beak into the closet, of which the number nine was in a separate circle. This should be the location he mentioned.

The surroundings were silent and he could clearly hear the witch’s footsteps from the secret passage under him. Xie Xinglan quickly opened the closet door, jumped out and locked the closet behind him.

A few seconds later, the witch’s angry hammering was heard from behind the closet door.

The fragile closet almost exploded. Xie Xinglan resisted it with his body and it barely held. The movements from inside the closet gradually diminished. Xie Xinglan guessed that the witch had given up on this exit and went back to the secret room to take another exit. He leaned close to the closet door and looked through the gap. He was caught off guard when he met a pair of gloomy eyes.

Xie Xinglan’s heart sank and he pressed against the closet door.

The witch’s miserable face pressed against the closet door and she looked like she wanted to squeeze her eyes out of them. She watched Xie Xinglan and slowly showed a cold and evil smile. “So what if you know?”

Xie Chi got a chill in his heart the moment he heard the witch’s voice. This was clearly a man’s voice. The body of a woman but the voice of a man. The person living in the witch’s shell had always been a man.

The old woman didn’t lie. She was the tarot witch who first discovered the tarot reincarnation method and the one playing the game with them was actually a player who successfully seized the opportunity to reincarnate from the old woman.

This was an NPC.

No wonder why he pretended to be mute at first. It was because once he opened his mouth, he would reveal a lot of information. His real gender could give the actor a hint. The actor could easily follow his gender and guess that the old woman lying on the bed might give them a key clue.

In addition, he had a tongue. This proved that Xie Chi’s previous guess about the crows was correct. The servants had no tongues and they could become crows. The witch had a tongue and couldn’t become a crow.

Xie Chi’s expression wasn’t disturbed as he looked at the witch.

“I haven’t thanked you yet for giving up reincarnation.”

The ‘witch’ laughed loudly, full of sarcasm as if mocking him for losing an easy chance and decreasing the number of competitors. The closet returned to calm again. The ‘witch’ should’ve opened the plank and returned to the secret path.

Xie Chi looked around. He had previously noted that this was the room of the weird and beautiful maid. So the two openings to the secret room were under the bed where the old lady was lying and the other was in the closet of the witch’s body.

Xie Chi walked to the window and opened the black curtain. He happened to see a crow flapping its wings and flying away. Sure enough, crows were watching over both places.

Xie Chi absent-mindedly checked the room.

He was thinking about the wizard’s words.

In the wizard’s eyes, the secret of breaking through the door of the secret room was obviously several times more difficult than choosing reincarnation. He dared to laugh at Xie Chi, showing he was very confident.

It could make the treacherous, insidious and cautious wizard mock him. This indicated there might be a key part he didn’t know yet that gave the wizard the confidence to laugh at him. The wizard was certain he would fail for some reason. Of course, this also indirectly corroborated that the secret of the hidden room could completely change the situation.

Xie Chi frowned slightly and an ominous feeling filled his heart.

Four grooves. Three could be pushed and one couldn’t. The strange movement behind the stone door…

***

After coming out of the room where Xie Chi was dead, Jiang Shuo’s heart was always shrouded in a haze. Some places were unclear so he felt bad. He always felt there was a thing he was missing…

Jiang Shuo abruptly stopped walking, his face gloomy. “Go back.”

Gu Yu was startled and hurriedly wondered, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Shuo answered, “Xie Chi might not be dead.”

“What?!” Gu Yu looked appalled.

“Anubis, born from death.” Jiang Shuo finally figured out what the problem was and his voice was cold. “Go and check Xie Chi’s body.”

The news that Xie Chi might not be dead rattled Gu Yu.

The other actors watched in a confused manner as the movie emperor and Gu Yu walked back to the room they had just come out of.

***

In the room, Jiang Shuo personally checked Xie Chi’s body. Gu Yu stood aside and didn’t dare make a sound. Jiang Shuo’s eyes fell on Xie Chi’s abdominal injury and narrowed. He stood up again, the blue veins on his forehead bulging violently and his arms were shaking in an uncontrolled manner. He smiled gloomily and raised his foot to kick Gu Yu fiercely. “How did you check the body? Open your eyes and take a look again.”

Jiang Shuo was furious and showed no mercy with his feet. The pained Gu Yu staggered and happened to fall toward Xie Chi’s abdomen. He carefully examined it and his face instantly turned cloudy. The soul chasing arrow was inserted into the bloody hole in Xie Chi’s abdomen but the bloody hole was clearly wider than the thin arrow.

Xie Chi previously used suicide to try and take Jiang Shuo with him. There was previously a bloody hole in his abdomen caused by a sword and Gu Yu thought the soul chasing arrow had just pierced the same place. Now that he looked closely, he felt that part of the bloody hole didn’t overlap.

It seemed like… Xie Chi was pierced twice by the sword and then the soul chasing arrow inserted in the original bloody hole.

Jiang Shuo sneered from above him. “Xie Chi committed suicide.”

Gu Yu was at a loss. He raised his head and was terrified when he met Jiang Shuo’s murderous eyes. He was just about to defend himself when Jiang Shuo laughed happily. This laugh made Gu Yu even more panicked. He couldn’t understand Jiang Shuo’s meaning. Jiang Shuo glanced at Xie Chi’s corpse and sneered. “I have to thank him for showing me the way to live.”

“The way to live?” Gu Yu was surprised.

Jiang Shuo lifted his right hand and pointed the Void Crossbow at his own neck artery. Gu Yu was shocked. “What are you going to do?”

Jiang Shuo ignored him and pressed the trigger. Then several black arrows shot out all at once and pierced his neck. Jiang Shuo fell down.

Gu Yu rushed forward and looked at Jiang Shuo’s body, his blood cold. Everything that happened was beyond his knowledge. Jiang Shuo… committed suicide? No, that wasn’t right. Gu Yu tried to remain calm. Before Jiang Shuo committed suicide, he said he had found the way to live. So… the way to live must be related to suicide.

Anubis…

Yes, Anubis! Gu Yu instantly calmed down like he had taken a pill. Rebirth from death—this was the way to live!

After thinking about everything, Gu Yu closed the door and waited quietly. Around two minutes later, Gu Yu felt his shoulder being touched by something. Alarm bells rang in his heart and he turned back, but saw nothing.

“Who is it?!” Gu Yu retreated quickly, stepping toward the door as he called out harshly.

“It’s me.” Jiang Shuo voluntarily showed himself.

“Master!” Gu Yu rushed over, face full of surprise. “Did you find the way to live?”

Jiang Shuo’s figure was transparent as he replied, “I found it.”

Somehow, Gu Yu felt Jiang Shuo’s eyes wandering around on his face for a long time. There seemed to be a hidden meaning in it.

“You need to kill yourself first?” Gu Yu asked. “Then I should kill myself.”

“No need,” Jiang Shuo answered.

Gu Yu was flattered by the amiable appearance but also flustered. His loyalty to Jiang Shuo was engraved in his bones. Jiang Shuo said ‘no need’ and he didn’t even question it. He suggested somewhat blankly, “Then I’ll go and kill Ye Xiaoxiao and Ren Ze now…”

“No, you help me hide the body. Then watch Liang Zhen and the other actors. I will go to Ye Xiaoxiao.”

Gu Yu didn’t understand but he still nodded.

“What about Xie Chi?” Gu Yu was uneasy and asked cautiously.

A cold smile appeared on Jiang Shuo’s face. “I can’t kill him now but in the end, he can only die.”

***

[Fu*k! I just saw it! Jiang Shuo chose reincarnation on the app…]

[Fu*k, isn’t this going to start a massacre? According to the order of death, the next one is the High Priestess which is Ye Xiaoxiao… Fu*k, Jiang Shuo is going to kill Ye Xiaoxiao!]

[Xie Chi gave up a great opportunity and now Jiang Shuo picked it up for cheap. Xie Chi’s death gave others a key inspiration.]

[Che, I really don’t understand. Why did Xie Chi become a Virgin Mary at the critical moment? From the perspective of the plot, it is obvious that as time passes, more and more people will see through the point of ‘dying and resurrecting.’ They will choose to commit suicide and reincarnate to kill the sacrifices. Ye Xiaoxiao and Ren Ze will die sooner or later. If he doesn’t kill them, someone else will. Is there a difference? It is better for him to kill them himself. Now Jiang Shuo got it for cheap. It is giving away the two seriously injured sacrifices for nothing. I feel that Jiang Shuo will win.]

[Still, I think that choosing reincarnation is really bad. Isn’t it killing all the actors?]

[Do you see Jiang Shuo looking reluctant? They are just a bunch of scum. Who cares?]

[What about Gu Yu? He is so loyal but Jiang Shuo is going to kill him…]

[Hey hey, guess what? Hehe.]

[It is the movie emperor’s slaughter time. Hehe, handsome! Handsome and cool!!]

[I feel that this movie is counting down to the end. After Jiang Shuo kills all the actors still alive, it will fast forward to the last night right?]

[I said that this movie is the emperor’s. Xie Chi himself let the opportunity slip away. By the way, even if Xie Chi chose to reincarnate, he isn’t as strong as Jiang Shuo who can easily kill other actors. Reincarnation is the natural choice for Jiang Shuo! It is tailor-made to make him look handsome!]

[This is only the fourth night. Isn’t the movie emperor too strong?! This is a red movie!]

[Once the movie emperor kills all the sacrifices, Xie Chi really is over!]

[Could he have figured it out so quickly without Xie Chi? Don’t stick gold to his face, okay?]

***

Ye Xiaoxiao hid under the bed, gasping heavily. She was severely injured by Gu Yu and managed to get away with the help of an item, but her injuries were too serious and she could only hide here, waiting for her strength to recover a bit. She and Ren Ze had separated. At that time, Gu Yu was chasing them to kill them and they could only run separately.

Ye Xiaoxiao looked up and glanced out the window, her heart pounding anxiously. She didn’t know what had happened to Xie Chi. The Blood Demon Sword should’ve brought the crow to him but she didn’t know if it was too late for Xie Chi to clear the movie…

Ye Xiaoxiao covered her wound and buried her head between her knees, afraid to think deeply. No, Xie Chi was the creator of miracles. Xie Chi wouldn’t die. She only needed to hold on for a while. So what if he was the movie emperor? Xie Chi was invincible. Then what about her? Xie Chi was dead. According to the death order, she was the next one…

Ye Xiaoxiao was trying hard to control her heart when a pale hand suddenly grasped her ankle.

Ye Xiaoxiao trembled and looked up sharply to meet the wizard’s evil and eager eyes.

Ye Xiaoxiao immediately picked up the candle by the bedside and slammed it heavily on her foot. Her hands were strong and her foot instantly became bloody. At the same time, the strength of the wizard’s hand loosened and she took the opportunity to crawl out from under the bed. She rushed toward the door, enduring the severe pain. The moment she opened the door, she saw a pair of feet.

She looked up and Jiang Shuo’s face came into view. His dark, deep eyes were filled with killing intent.

“Ah!!!”

***

Xie Xinglan heard Ye Xiaoxiao’s scream and rushed in the direction of the sound.

“Brother, hurry up!” Xie Chi urged.

He had briefly looked for Ren Ze and Ye Xiaoxiao before.

After he became a living dead, he was no longer affiliated with the actors and couldn’t contact other actors through the app. Thus, it was laborious and time-consuming to find them. He didn’t find them so he gave up for a while. After all, in his current state, he couldn’t protect them even if he found them. What he could do now was to clear the movie at the fastest speed to relieve their pressure. This could solve the fundamental problem.

Now listening to the sound, Ye Xiaoxiao must’ve been found by the wizard.

Xie Xinglan passed the corner and saw an extremely bloody scene. Ye Xiaoxiao should’ve used a teleportation type item because she had rushed out a certain distance. She was covered in blood and the ground she walked on was turned a bloody red.

Jiang Shuo was chasing after her. The moment the Void Crossbow came out, the black arrows were fired at the same time. Ye Xiaoxiao was instantly turned into a honeycomb. She fell forward on the ground and couldn’t get up anymore.

Xie Chi clenched his hands into fists. Jiang Shuo was in this state so he must’ve also committed suicide. He chose reincarnation and was starting to slaughter the sacrifices.

Xie Xinglan turned invisible and rushed to that side.

The wizard was also chasing Ye Xiaoxiao. He was about to catch Ye Xiaoxiao when Jiang Shuo turned and acted to block the wizard. The wizard tried to attack Ye Xiaoxiao several times but was stopped by Jiang Shuo. He was even injured by Jiang Shuo whose physical strength had recovered to its peak. The wizard hid his body with a look of resentment, as if he was going to give up on this sacrifice and look for the next one. As he left, he cast a glance in the direction that Xie Xinglan was coming from. His eyes flickered slightly and there was complacency in them.

Jiang Shuo heard the strange footsteps around him and looked happy. “Xie Chi, I know you are here.”

“It turns out you can only watch, no matter if you are dead or alive. You can’t do anything.”

“Since you are immortal, enjoy the three nights you have left.”

“Honestly, I thought you would choose to be reincarnated, kill Ye Xiaoxiao directly and offer her as a sacrifice. I was particularly surprised to see her alive.”

Jiang Shuo laughed. “You see, even the demigod genes can be defeated in the face of extra emotions. It was like that with Shen Yi and now you. You are the one who missed the chance to turn defeat into victory. Do you regret it?”

Xie Chi turned a deaf ear to it. He never regretted the past. He had tried his best in regards to Ye Xiaoxiao and Ren Ze and there was none of the so-called guilt.

“Xie Chi! Run! Leave me alone!” Ye Xiaoxiao heard Xie Chi’s name and her broken body finally moved. She took a deep breath and shouted.

Xie Xinglan rushed to Ye Xiaoxiao and was going to grab her to take her away. Xie Chi was about to make Ye Xiaoxiao commit suicide to become a living dead, temporarily avoiding the imminent crisis in front of her. The words reached his mouth only to choke in his throat.

“Xiao Chi?”

“Xiao Chi?!”

Jiang Shuo had already walked up to Ye Xiaoxiao and was looking down at her. He slowly raised the Void Crossbow and aimed it at Ye Xiaoxiao’s face.

Xie Xinglan didn’t understand why Xie Chi suddenly lost his voice. He was about to kick Jiang Shuo’s arrow away to save Ye Xiaoxiao when Xie Chi called for him to stop. “Brother, leave Ye Xiaoxiao and go!”

Xie Xinglan was startled and thought he heard incorrectly at first. Then after reacting, he left Ye Xiaoxiao without hesitation. Xie Xinglan didn’t judge. He only knew that Xie Chi was always right.

Jiang Shuo sighed before smiling. “Look, he isn’t even bothering to save you. This is the person you helped at the risk of your life.”

Ye Xiaoxiao spat out a mouthful of blood. “Fu*k you! Just wait for him to kill you!”

The well-raised lady expressed dirty words for the first time. Jiang Shuo’s face was dark as he fired the Void Crossbow. The black arrow shot straight through Ye Xiaoxiao who fell back weakly. Warm blood splashed on his body as Xie Xinglan turned back.

The stone door, the wizard’s words, the major arcana…

Xie Chi figured everything out just now. There were no fluctuations in his voice. “Brother, the four grooves on the stone door are actually four tarot cards.”

“In the order of the major arcana, it is the Chariot, Strength, Justice and… Temperance.”

“The first three have abnormal changes because we have the willpower represented by the Chariot and the strength represented by the Strength card. We gave up on the reincarnation that harmed others so we were favored by the Justice card. The last groove without movement is… the Temperance card.”

“Controlling emotions and learning restraint are the essence of the Temperance card.”

“Standing by idly and not helping Ye Xiaoxiao is being restrained, because she still has a chance to live. If I step in and incite her to commit suicide then things would get out of control.”

“Behind the stone door are two or more coffins. The two making a banging sound are the Fool and Magician cards in the coffin, in other words, me and Liang Wen.”

“The Fool Liang Wen and I didn’t really die. We just entered a ‘death’ state.”

“It is because the game time is seven nights and the servant repeatedly stressed that the game result is only available on the seventh night. During this period, the dead players just enter a ‘death’ state and are forced to live in the coffin behind the stone door, waiting for the coming of the seventh night.”

“Out of the 22 major arcana cards, if we are the Chariot, Strength, Justice and Temperance, there have been 19 cards and three are left. I always thought that these cards don’t exist but at present, they are just hidden deeply.”

Xie Chi closed his eyes and spoke softly. “There are three cards remaining, namely the Sun, Judgement and the World cards that are at the end of the major arcana. Judgement and the World are at the end, meaning the end of time, the end of the event and the end of the game. It is because the reaction of the major arcana cards itself is the beginning of the end of the event.”

“On the seventh night, all players participating in the tarot game including me, the wizard and Jiang Shuo will enter the trial area. After the judgement is decided, there will be victory and loss, life and death.”

“For the players who die during the game, they will be sent directly to the trial area behind the stone door. They will wait for the end of the game to really judge life or death. They will have lost the right to continue participating in the game.”

“If I lose during the judgement on the seventh night, Ye Xiaoxiao really will die.”

“If I had saved her, the Temperance card would be destroyed and there would be no chance for it to take shape again. This is the reason why the wizard was certain I would lose. He thought I would save Ye Xiaoxiao and completely miss out on the opportunity for the fourth groove.”

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Proofreader: Purichan