Everyone in the temporary team had a clear role, with the most prominent being Luo Qi and Qian Zhen, who were immediately identifiable as the offensive types.
Song Gui assigned responsibilities simply and then asked, “Every team needs a leader. Any volunteers?”
All four looked straight at Song Gui. He said, “Alright, I recommend Lu Chu.”
Lu Chu looked puzzled.
Song Gui patted his shoulder, “Lu Xiaochu, I have high hopes for you.”
Luo Qi and the others nodded without any objections.
They were a group of people with completely different personalities and no desire for control; they just wanted to survive.
While they were talking, a man Lu Chu had never seen before passed by. They immediately stopped chatting and only resumed once he was gone. Song Gui said, “That man is Zeng Ziran. I once teamed up with him. Although he’s outstanding in many aspects, he never lifted a finger to help me when I was in danger.”
Lu Chu nodded and kept it in mind.
Song Gui informed everyone of the task number. Shortly after, Lu Chu’s wristband reminded him that it was almost time. He bid farewell to the others and left the illusion.
Standing before the floating rules, Lu Chu entered the task number given by Song Gui. Looking at the task prompt, countless guesses crossed his mind.
“Requirement: Complete the game and reach the endpoint.
Clue: Monopoly
Hint: Trust me, luck is your best reliance.”
Without hesitation, he chose to enter the “game.”
.
Upon entering the “game,” Lu Chu was surprised to feel a strange sense of familiarity with his surroundings.
He was sitting at a round wooden table, surrounded by five chairs, one of which he occupied. Looking around, he saw dark greenish walls, a spiral staircase leading up to a pointed top. Everything around him resembled the tower he had entered with Seven.
This familiarity made Lu Chu involuntarily recall the past, his loving parents, the obedient Radish, and the peaceful life like retirement.
Lu Chu quickly pulled himself back from his memories. He needed to look forward now. He had promised his parents and Seven that he would live well.
Soon, the other four appeared at the table one by one.
Once all five were present, the table in front of them changed. The center of the round table sank, and a square, slightly concave game board floated up. The board had connected squares, with various symbols floating above some: bombs, hearts, ferocious monsters. The final square had a large, shiny gold crown.
Simultaneously, a dice appeared by each of them, with a note under it that read, “Friendly reminder: Even though you are a team, only one player can roll the dice each round.”
Yuan Kejie laughed, “The clue is Monopoly, and now we’re playing Monopoly?”
Lu Chu examined the dice and shook his head, “It’s not that simple. Looking at the symbols on the squares, I think whatever we roll might manifest in reality.”
Luo Qi, being short, couldn’t reach the ground from the chair. She jumped onto the table, squatted, and started counting the squares, “One, two, three… fifty-two. Excluding the starting point, there are fifty-two squares.”
Leaning back in his chair, Song Gui tossed his dice up and caught it, “When I saw this task, I had the same thought as Lu Xiaochu. A real-life Monopoly game sounds thrilling, doesn’t it?”
Qian Zhen commented, “Only you think so.”
Lu Chu meticulously examined the fifty-two squares, “Some squares have no symbols, meaning if the dice lands there, nothing happens. But in this ‘game,’ who knows what ‘ordinary’ means. The squares with hearts have pink borders, while others have black. This suggests hearts represent something good, but there are only two hearts. The higher the number rolled, the fewer rounds we need, reducing our danger. From both aspects, luck is crucial.”
Song Gui grasped his dice and looked at the others, “Remember the rule’s hint? ‘Trust me, luck is your best reliance.’ Monopoly is a game proving you’re lucky. So, who thinks they’re the luckiest?”
No one answered.
Smiling, Song Gui continued, “Alright, who wants to go first?”
Before he finished, Luo Qi had already tossed her dice into the center. It rolled beautifully before settling on three.
Luo Qi sneered, “I suspect it’s cheating.”
Song Gui raised an eyebrow, “You cost me my six.”
Luo Qi didn’t care, “You wouldn’t have gotten it.”
Yuan Kejie suggested, “Let’s each roll one round then. Since Qi has gone, let’s go in order.”
Everyone agreed.
As they talked, the table changed. Five paper figures appeared at the start and moved to the third square, which had no symbol, indicating an ‘ordinary’ event.
This was good; they could see what happens without triggering something dangerous.
Once the paper figures stopped, words appeared above the table: “In 24 hours, the game board will reappear. Enjoy your game.”
The tower walls became transparent, revealing the outside.
They stood and looked out. As they rose, the table and chairs vanished.
Outside, the sky was dark and the plants overgrown. Gothic buildings and standalone villas were scattered around, their walls dark and moss-covered. The surroundings were silent and desolate, with an apocalyptic feel.
Lu Chu broke the silence, “Let’s find an empty house for shelter and look for weapons.”
The tower’s disappearance and the 24-hour wait meant they couldn’t stay put. Everyone understood that staying in one place was unsafe in this ‘game.’
Luo Qi cracked her knuckles, “Which way?”
After a brief discussion, they decided to head north to a nearby house.
As the sky darkened, they became more vigilant.
Approaching the house, they cautiously investigated. It was a standalone villa with a garden, uninhabited and overgrown, eerily silent.
The yard was fenced with vine-covered barriers, annoying but manageable.
Once they confirmed it was safe, they carefully climbed over.
At the door, Luo Qi pushed but it was locked.
Yuan Kejie picked up a bamboo stick, inserted it into the lock, and quickly unlocked it.
Lu Chu praised, “Useful skill.”
Yuan Kejie responded, “Very useful. Anyone want to learn? I can teach.”
Song Gui pondered, “In a safe time.”
In the illusion, it was safe enough.
They entered the house, and Qian Zhen locked the door behind them.
After ensuring there was no danger, they searched for suitable weapons.
Luo Qi picked the largest and heaviest items, choosing a huge shovel and sharpening it with a stone. Qian Zhen chose a fire axe, attaching it to an iron rod to extend its reach. Others found basic defensive tools. Lu Chu took a large kitchen knife and attached it to a rod. Song Gui found a gun and bullets, but also carried knives. Yuan Kejie, lacking strength, chose a wooden stick with a knife attached, valuing agility and small weapons.
While testing their weapons, Lu Chu suddenly alerted, “Do you smell that?”
Knowing Lu Chu’s keen sense of smell, Song Gui became alert, “What’s wrong?”
Lu Chu looked towards the window, “A strong rotting smell, getting closer.”
Yuan Kejie was puzzled, “I don’t smell anything.”
Lu Chu explained, “From the window, a rotting smell, very close…”
Song Gui raised his gun towards the window.
The others quickly became alert.
“It’s here,” Lu Chu said.
A moment later, something began to bang against the window. With the dust, they saw only shadows.
After a few heavy hits, the window shattered, and an ugly monster jumped in. Nearly two meters tall, it was black and oily, reeking of decay. Its long limbs and powerful muscles suggested strong jumping ability. It had a horse-like head and mouth, filled with sharp teeth, drooling yellow saliva.
As they strategized against the monster, another identical creature jumped in.
Luo Qi, gripping her shovel, commented, “This house has garbage defenses.”
