INSIDER Chapter 118

Lu Chu remained calm and unhurried, showing no signs of feeling captured or coerced. “Come to get me? I don’t believe we are the same kind of people.”

“Of course, we are the same kind of people, the ones deceived by them,” Zhang Xin laughed. “Because of the ‘rules’ set, we are ordinary civilians. When disaster strikes, we are manipulated by those designated as the ‘upper class’; when we are desperate, we are randomly slaughtered by those who call themselves players. We haven’t done anything wrong, so why should we live such lives, following the rules only to die?”

Lu Chu did not comment on this statement.

Lu Chu asked him, “How did you discover it?”

Zhang Xin raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

Lu Chu remained calm, “Discover your identity.”

Zhang Xin leaned back in his seat. “Believe me, if you wake up to the same day every day and are killed by different people at different times, you would discover it too.”

Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Lu Chu’s eyes.

Zhang Xin’s situation was obviously different from his own. While Lu Chu had deviated from his original destiny alone, Zhang Xin’s entire world seemed to be on a loop. Typically, when a game ends, that world disappears because there are endless parallel worlds for later players to enter. The worlds that have been “used” have no need for recycling.

However, Zhang Xin’s situation was clearly different—his life was constantly repeating. This meant that this game was also constantly looping and not abandoned.

Zhang Xin had become the first and only person to discover this, becoming what the eliminators called an NPC who had deviated from the main storyline.

It wasn’t Zhang Xin’s personal storyline that was broken, but the world’s storyline.

“So, from the third time onward, I told myself I couldn’t be a hunted prey anymore; I am the hunter—” Zhang Xin paused, looking at Lu Chu. “Hunting those trapped in the game, and hunting the players.”

“So, you orchestrated this event?”

Zhang Xin admitted frankly, “Someone told me that there is another person like me, someone equally deceived by the ‘rules’ and ‘players,’ who would enter this cycle as a player. So, I came to get you.”

Zhang Xin continued, “Of course, I came to find you because I am curious about how you broke free from the game. So, would you mind telling me?”

Although Zhang Xin’s words were phrased as a question, he wasn’t truly seeking permission. He was merely informing Lu Chu of his curiosity, and Lu Chu had to tell him.

However, the truth was that Lu Chu didn’t know why he could break free from his original world and travel through different games as a player. It was 7 who saved him, who allowed him to see and understand this world, helping him break free from his original destiny. Lu Chu didn’t know what 7 had done, but he knew that 7 must have sacrificed a lot for him.

Lu Chu replied frankly, “Unfortunately, I don’t know either.”

Zhang Xin, seeing that Lu Chu did not seem to be lying, raised an eyebrow. “There must be some catalyst.”

“The catalyst does exist, but the person who told you I am one of the trapped should have told you,” Lu Chu said. “If he only told you that ‘Lu Chu is one of the trapped, the same as you,’ why did you believe him? Just because you are trapped in the ‘cleansing day’ loop and he happened to appear?”

Zhang Xin laughed, “I’m not a fool; I wouldn’t believe someone for no reason. We have a deal, which requires your cooperation, so I brought you here.”

Lu Chu shrugged, “I don’t think what you did can be called ‘inviting.'”

Just as Lu Chu finished speaking, the roar of a motorcycle could be heard from far behind them.

Zhang Xin glanced back and said to Lu Chu helplessly, “Your friend is strong. The people I left behind to buy time were all taken out. You know, those two helicopters were expensive.”

Lu Chu turned to look back, seeing 7 riding a motorcycle, speeding through the night and quickly catching up to their off-road vehicle.

7 got closer and, just a few meters away, stood up on the speeding motorcycle. With a powerful leap, he landed steadily on the roof of the off-road vehicle. The people on the roof felt a tremor and had no time to draw their guns before 7 had already disappeared from sight.

7 slid from the roof to the front windshield, and with a powerful kick, shattered the specially modified tempered glass. Before the driver could react, 7 grabbed him and threw him out of the window. The vehicle, now without a driver, continued to speed down the wide road erratically. The person in the passenger seat pulled out a gun, trying to control 7, but 7 quickly dodged and retaliated, taking him out and throwing his body out of the window as well.

At this moment, Lu Chu also moved. He pulled out a small pistol from his waist and, taking advantage of Zhang Xin’s distraction, quickly restrained his hands and pressed the gun against his waist.

“Don’t move,” Lu Chu smiled gently, “bullets don’t have eyes.”

Zhang Xin remained composed and praised, “You both are impressive.”

7, now sitting in the driver’s seat, drove the off-road vehicle and looked back through the rearview mirror. “Are you hurt?”

Lu Chu smiled back and shook his head, “I’m fine.”

The off-road vehicle ahead noticed something was wrong. Three people were in the car: one driving and two pulling out their guns, sticking their heads out of the windows to shoot at 7 in the driver’s seat of the following off-road vehicle.

7’s driving skills were excellent. He controlled the steering wheel, making sharp turns and drifting to easily avoid every shot.

7 had rescued Lu Chu, and Lu Chu had captured Zhang Xin alive. They could have simply driven away to meet up with Song Gui and the others, but the fact that Lu Chu was taken from his side had pushed 7’s anger to the limit.

When the smoke had not yet cleared, 7 had felt Lu Chu’s presence suddenly disappear. Realizing this, rage surged in his chest. The helicopter was teasing them just a few meters above. 7 climbed a nearby building in a few steps, jumped onto the tail of the helicopter, and punched through its glass window amidst the whirling wind from the rotor blades, quickly taking out the people inside and destroying the other helicopter. Then, he found a motorcycle and sped off.

No one could take Lu Chu away from him.

He wanted to kill everyone involved in this diversionary kidnapping. He wanted to kill Zhang Xin even more, but he couldn’t do that yet because Zhang Xin was still useful.

So, he wouldn’t spare anyone in the car ahead.

There were a few unused grenades in this off-road vehicle. 7 picked one up, bit off the pin, timed it, and threw it towards the off-road vehicle ahead. The grenade exploded upon contact with the roof, killing everyone inside. Only then did 7 slow the vehicle down, making a sharp turn and driving in the opposite direction.

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Song Gui and his group watched as 7 sped away on a motorcycle. Without a means of transport, they stayed where they were, waiting.

Dai Chenggong worriedly asked, “Will everything be alright?”

“No,” Song Gui smiled. “My only fear is that Qi Li might lose control and kill Zhang Xin.”

Qian Zhen shook his head, “He wouldn’t do that, would he?”

Qi Li was strong, with an excellent physique and the ability to fight a hundred men alone. More importantly, he was always calm, never panicked, and never afraid. Qian Zhen had always held a deep respect for him.

“Why wouldn’t he?” Song Gui said this without explaining, instead asking back, “If someone tried to take your life, what would you do?”

Qian Zhen was at a loss, not knowing how to respond.

Song Gui, hands in his pockets, stated calmly, “His anger can destroy everything.”

As they talked, an off-road vehicle approached from afar. It was the enemy’s vehicle. It was night, and they couldn’t see the situation inside from such a distance. Song Gui and the others immediately raised their guns, ready for action.

“Friendly!” As the off-road vehicle got closer, Liu Zicheng saw the driver and shouted loudly.

The others also saw Lu Chu and 7 in the car and lowered their guns, relaxing their guard.

The off-road vehicle stopped in front of them, and 7 and Lu Chu, holding Zhang Xin, got out of the car.

Song Gui asked, “Lu Xiao Chu, are you okay?”

Lu Chu shook his head, “I’m fine.”

“Who is this?” Dai Chenggong looked at Zhang Xin and asked.

“Zhang Xin,” Lu Chu answered concisely, then added, “Let’s find a hidden place first.”

“Okay,” Song Gui said. “I saw a suitable place for temporary shelter. Follow me.”

Dai Chenggong was puzzled, “When did you see it?”

Song Gui smiled, “You must always pay attention to your surroundings.”

Song Gui led them to a small clinic. On the cleansing day, the clinic would naturally be unattended, making it a good hiding spot.

Lu Chu had the others restrain Zhang Xin and went ahead to pry open the clinic door, letting everyone in.

Closing the door, they finally had time to look at the man named Zhang Xin.

Luo Qi approached Zhang Xin. “We’ve seen this person before.”

Song Gui nodded, “Hidden very well.”

Zhang Xin raised his eyebrows at him, “Thanks for the compliment.”

Song Gui asked, “Did you kill the middle-aged man who was with you?” He spoke in a statement-like tone.

Zhang Xin confessed without hesitation, “Yes, I did.”

Song Gui, “Why?”

Zhang Xin smiled, “People with power and wealth are mostly scum.”

Lu Chu disagreed, “Despicable people are everywhere. Evil knows no class, no wealth, no status. Wealth and power might bring out the darkness in people’s hearts, but they shouldn’t be the measure of good and evil.

Zhang Xin, you’re too extreme.”

So, even though we are both trapped in this game, we are indeed not the same kind of people.