"I suggest you use an item that increases your movement speed." Bai Liu glanced at the passengers crowding at the door. "These monsters should move very quickly."
Mu Sicheng quickly put on a wristband that boosted his speed. He popped a lollipop into his mouth and suddenly let out a strange laugh.
Hearing the bizarre laughter, Bai Liu turned his head. He saw Mu Sicheng with his feet braced against the train wall, gripping it with monkey-like paws while wearing the speed-enhancing item. It was clearly a posture prepared for escape.
When Mu Sicheng noticed Bai Liu looking at him, he released one paw and gave a casual two-finger salute. He stared into Bai Liu's eyes with undisguised ill intent.
"Then I'll be leaving first. Bai Liu, I'm not participating in your plan to kill the puppet master—it's full of holes. You can handle it yourself."
"And one more thing—" Mu Sicheng raised an eyebrow and shook a small white mermaid sculpture in his hand. "Your item, the Mermaid Amulet, is mine now. That's the price for cheating me out of 2,000 points. I said before—no one makes me suffer a loss."
"By the way, Bai Liu—"
Mu Sicheng flexed his monkey claws, and in the next second, his entire body vanished from the carriage like a gust of wind. Only his laughter lingered in the air.
"I hate working with people the most. This time, consider it a lesson. If you survive, don't thank me. Bye!"
[System notification: Player Mu Sicheng has used the skill 'Thief's Monkey Paws' to steal an item (Mermaid Amulet) from Player Bai Liu's system backpack.]
[System notification: Player Mu Sicheng has used the skill 'Thief's Stealth.' Movement speed +7,000.]
Mu Sicheng dissolved into dazzling afterimages and disappeared from Bai Liu's sight, leaving behind a stunned Du Sanying and an unfazed Bai Liu.
Du Sanying stared at Bai Liu in shock. He pointed back and forth between Bai Liu and the direction Mu Sicheng had vanished.
"A-Aren't you cooperating? Why did Mu Sicheng abandon you and run away? Why did he steal your item? Aren't you friends?"
In front of his small TV, Wang Shun sighed complicatedly when he saw Mu Sicheng truly make his move. Sure enough, Mu Sicheng had followed Bai Liu into the game just to steal something from him.
Siren Town was a game exclusively for newcomers. It refreshed rarely; veteran players couldn't enter, and newcomers found it difficult to escape. An item like the Mermaid Amulet—obtainable only by collecting the later pages of the monster book—was even harder to acquire. Wang Shun had heard that Mu Sicheng once wanted to purchase this amulet. It seemed the goodwill he had shown Bai Liu before was for this very item.
But Bai Liu's stinginess made Mu Sicheng realize he wouldn't sell it. So Mu Sicheng had simply prepared to steal it instead.
Bai Liu truly deserved his luck value of 0. Wang Shun sighed.
First, Bai Liu encountered Du Sanying—who had 100% luck—in a collection game. Then his chosen partner was Mu Sicheng, who hated companionship and had ulterior motives. On top of that, Puppet Zhang was targeting him to turn him into a puppet…
It was like stepping on every possible landmine.
Still, not everyone shared Wang Shun's sympathy. Most viewers were realistic. Bai Liu had sought cooperation, only to be backstabbed. Some viewers who had expectations for him were disappointed.
Originally, Bai Liu had attracted viewers from the three great gods. The rest of the audience was limited. Now, after making consecutive mistakes, even though no one openly mocked him, very few viewers liked his small TV. The data looked terrible.
[107 new users liked Bai Liu's small TV]
[161 new users bookmarked Player Bai Liu's small TV]
[No one charged Player Bai Liu.]
[Only 120 new viewers are currently watching Player Bai Liu's small TV. This is far below the data from the last game. Player Bai Liu will soon drop from the multiplayer game area to the Graveyard Dancing Area. Please, Bai Liu, take this game seriously!]
[Welcome slogan of the Graveyard Dancing Area for Player Bai Liu: Yo~ your performance is like repeatedly dancing on the edge of death~ Yo~ it's so bad I want to laugh~ Yo~ The Graveyard Dancing Area welcomes players who don't intend to play properly. High-level brick tombstone-shaped small TVs have been prepared for your performance!]
The contrast with Mu Sicheng's small TV was stark. Stealing from Bai Liu and betraying him caused Mu Sicheng's data to skyrocket. His small TV followed Du Sanying's and smoothly entered the central hall.
"The Graveyard Dancing Area?" Wang Shun's expression darkened. "Only players whose current performance deviates too drastically from their previous performance fall into that zone. Bai Liu's data isn't great right now, but it shouldn't be bad enough to drop him there so quickly! The game just started!"
Then Wang Shun realized the real reason.
It wasn't that Bai Liu's performance was too poor.
It was because his previous performance had been too outstanding.
The system judged that Bai Liu… wasn't playing seriously. It was believed he wasn't contributing enough and was issued a warning.
Wang Shun was speechless and unwilling to accept it. But no matter how he felt, he couldn't change the outcome. Bai Liu was being sent to the Graveyard Dancing Area. With a heavy heart, Wang Shun followed.
Some viewers followed him. More frowned and sighed, leaving Bai Liu's small TV to watch the other great gods.
Wang Shun arrived almost alone.
The small TVs here had crosses above them and resembled tombstones. Two large wreaths stood at the entrance, elegant couplets hanging between them. One read: "The Most Anticipated Star." The other: "Died Without a Burial Place."
The decorations resembled a storage room filled with altars. All the small TVs were black and white.
Most players here looked miserable. The monochrome display made them resemble memorial photos of the dead. It was a gloomy, ghostly television zone.
There were very few viewers. Most wore anxious, irritated expressions as they cheered harshly for the players—resentful of their failure and impatient for improvement. Wang Shun's expression now looked much the same.
The Graveyard Dancing Area was also called the "Fall of New Stars." Players with exceptionally high previous data who were judged by the system as not playing seriously were sent here.
It was the game hall's "cold palace."
Many entered. Very few ever left.
To leave, a player's current small TV data had to surpass their previous peak. Only then would the system grant them a new promotional position.
Bai Liu's last comprehensive data had exceeded 100,000.
Wang Shun had never heard of anyone gaining over 100,000 data points in the Graveyard Dancing Area. If Bai Liu remained trapped here, it would be easy for him to fall into "no man's land" and never rise again.
Unlike Wang Shun's heavy mood, the forum was celebrating.
[Warm congratulations to Player Bai Liu, once hyped as tomorrow's star, for earning his gravestone small TV!]
[I'm in a hurry, I'm in a hurry! When will Bai Liu fall into no man's land? I bet three hours!]
[Where are all the people who praised Bai Liu before? Did you follow him to the cold palace? Come out and line up!]
Bai Liu knew nothing of the storm online. He was facing a far more immediate threat.
The charred corpses outside rushed into the carriage frantically. They crawled on all fours in grotesque positions, their heads twisted upward against their backs as if their necks were broken. Their limbs moved wildly.
They looked like human-faced spiders, yet their expressions were disturbingly normal.
It was like ordinary commuters crowding onto a subway during rush hour, staring numbly at their phones. Some passengers who failed to escape were crushed against the windows by the surge. In an instant, they were squeezed into bloody pulp.
Even so, the scene bizarrely resembled a packed morning train.
Du Sanying narrowly dodged a corpse and patted his chest in relief. "These monsters have high strength and speed." As he spoke, he equipped an item.
[System notification: Player Du Sanying has used the item 'Lucky Bumper Car.' Movement speed +1,890. Lucky enough to avoid all collision-type attacks. Duration: one hour.]
Du Sanying instantly appeared seated inside a pink, colorful bumper car. It looked like a child's ride, but since he was small and thin, it didn't seem out of place.
He waved anxiously at Bai Liu. "Bai Liu! Hurry! I'll drive you out! The monsters are coming in!"
He wasn't helping casually. His strong intuition told him that Bai Liu was the key to clearing this level. No matter what, Bai Liu couldn't die.
Bai Liu remained calm. He declined the offer and equipped an item of his own.
[System notification: Player Bai Liu has equipped the item 'Statue's Shell.' Defense +100. Due to its weight, movement speed -13.]
"Pfft!" Du Sanying nearly collapsed when he saw Bai Liu wearing a heavy marble armor shell. He dropped to his knees and nearly choked on his own spit.
"Bai Liu! You equipped the wrong item! That's defensive gear—it slows you down! Take it off!"
The marble armor weighed dozens of kilograms. Bai Liu was forced to kneel under its weight and couldn't stand, yet he spoke stubbornly.
"I didn't equip it wrong. I'm not taking it off."
The viewers watching Du Sanying's small TV began complaining.
"What is he doing? Did he give up after being sent to the Graveyard Area?"
"Does he not know he fell there? Carrying a stone in a chase scene deserves a spot in the 'Most Confusing Move' awards…"
"I see Xiao Ying looking anxious and stunned! Ah, don't save this fool! Let him kneel there and die—you run first!"
Du Sanying was practically dying of anxiety. His premonition was screaming at him to rush over and save Bai Liu.
"Don't you have any transportation items? Something that increases speed? Forget it—take off that useless armor! It's not too late to get in my car!"
"This armor is useful." Bai Liu spoke calmly while activating his personal skill. "I have transportation. You don't need to worry about me."
Du Sanying was still frantic. "How fast is your transportation? If it's lower than 1,890, then get in my car!"
"Movement speed?" Bai Liu clicked on the skill Empty Old Wallet and finally revealed a strange smile. "It's probably Mu Sicheng's movement speed."
Du Sanying froze. "A transportation tool with a movement speed of 7,000? Does something like that even exist?!"
Behind Bai Liu, the burning passengers twisted forward in distorted motions. Countless charred, blackened hands reached through sparks and smoke toward his back. Embers drifted across Bai Liu's pale cheeks, but his gaze remained steady.
At the very brink of death, Bai Liu cupped his hands around his mouth like a horn and lazily shouted:
"Mu Sicheng, I need your help! Help!"
Du Sanying: "??????"
Hadn't Mu Sicheng just stolen his item and run away? Why ask him for help? There was no way Mu Sicheng would return!
The viewers watching Du Sanying's small TV were equally baffled. After witnessing Bai Liu's string of incomprehensible actions, many were beginning to suspect he might truly be insane. There seemed to be no other explanation.
But the viewers of Mu Sicheng's small TV were even more stunned.
They watched Mu Sicheng—who had been happily fleeing after stealing the amulet—suddenly freeze when he heard the words, "Mu Sicheng, I need your help." His expression changed instantly, as if something had forcibly restrained him. He stopped mid-stride.
[System notification: Player Bai Liu has activated his personal skill. Player Mu Sicheng must cooperate with Player Bai Liu's actions.]
[Player Bai Liu has requested that you return. You must comply fully—provide all possible assistance and escort him out of danger—]
"Fuck you!!" Mu Sicheng's face darkened.
As if being manipulated, his body flipped midair and shot back toward the carriage he had left. "Fuck you, Bai Liu!"
"You actually used your personal skill to control me?! Isn't your skill supposed to be stealing?!!!" Rage was written all over Mu Sicheng's face.
Du Sanying watched in disbelief as the monsters nearly engulfed Bai Liu. He scratched his face anxiously. Meanwhile, Bai Liu simply knelt in the heavy marble armor, smiling faintly.
Then he raised his head and slightly opened his arms—like someone waiting to be picked up.
Du Sanying felt both confused and horrified. "Bai Liu, what's the point of that armor?"
"It increases defense." Bai Liu tried to shrug but couldn't under the weight. "I'm afraid my vehicle with 7,000 speed might beat me up out of anger. I need this to withstand it."
"????" Du Sanying's brain nearly short-circuited. A vehicle that beats people?!
Before he could swear, a near-invisible figure roared as it grabbed Bai Liu by the collar and yanked him up.
"Bai Liu—you bastard—what did you do to me?! Why am I being controlled by you?!"
Mu Sicheng pulled him up violently. Behind them, a burning corpse lunged forward, flaming arms sweeping past Bai Liu's face. He dodged, though the tips of his eyelashes were singed.
Bai Liu blinked calmly and smiled faintly. "I only asked for your help, Mu Sicheng. Didn't we agree?"
"If I ask for help, you'll help me. That's what you promised. How is that control?"
Mu Sicheng's expression darkened as he carried Bai Liu through several carriages. Du Sanying sensed something was off and hurriedly drove his bumper car after them.
Once they were temporarily safe, Mu Sicheng slammed Bai Liu to the ground like discarded cloth. He grabbed Bai Liu's collar violently, eyes bloodshot, breathing ragged. Veins bulged on his forehead and along his arm.
He sneered and lowered his head. "Very good, Bai Liu. You're really something."
"In my life, I hate being controlled the most." His smile was twisted. "You've really pissed me off." He punched down hard.
The marble armor shattered like dried plaster, fragments scattering across the floor. Blood trickled from the corner of Bai Liu's mouth—but he was still smiling, as if he had expected the blow.
[System notification: Player Bai Liu's armor has been completely destroyed after blocking an attack from Player Mu Sicheng. It cannot be repaired. Player Bai Liu's health has dropped to 40.]
"Are you sure you want to kill me?" Bai Liu asked softly, blood staining his lips. "The skill I used binds our health together. If I die, you might die too, Mu Sicheng."
He was bluffing. Still, many control-type skills did indeed bind the controller and the target's health.
Mu Sicheng's jaw tightened. He forced himself to breathe steadily, storm clouds raging in his eyes.
"After this game," he said through clenched teeth, "I'll find a way to sever whatever this is between us—and then I'll kill you."
Bai Liu smiled. The bluff had worked. "That's after. What about now?"
Mu Sicheng stared at him for several seconds before exploding: "I really want to fucking kill you!"
Then he glanced at the approaching burned corpses, grabbed Bai Liu's collar again, and ran.
[System notification: Player Mu Sicheng has activated 'Thief's Stealth.' Movement speed +7,000. Due to carrying Player Bai Liu (57 kg, slightly injured), final speed: +6,900.]
Du Sanying stared blankly at Mu Sicheng's retreating—and at the shattered marble armor.
"So… Mu Sicheng is the 7,000-speed vehicle that beats people?"
He had always relied on luck to clear games. He had never witnessed someone so brutally use another player as transportation.
Watching Mu Sicheng carry Bai Liu while gritting his teeth, Du Sanying shivered.
Was this his future, too? Becoming a tool for Bai Liu?
It was terrifying.
Wasn't Bai Liu afraid of being killed? Mu Sicheng had genuinely wanted to kill him just now…
Deeply shaken, Du Sanying drove his little bumper car after them.
The audience was equally stunned.
For several long minutes, everyone stared at the small TV in silence.
It felt like a slap to those who had mocked Bai Liu earlier.
Finally, someone coughed awkwardly.
"Well… Bai Liu does have some ability, haha…"
"More than some," another said in a complicated tone. "He controlled God Mu. Even the Puppet Master couldn't do that—not even with the entire Kings Guild backing him."
"Is his personal skill similar to the Puppet Master's? Do they both control players?"
"Probably. It's a duel between two manipulation-type players. Puppet Master has three puppets, but God Mu just became Bai Liu's puppet. I still think the Puppet Master has the higher odds—but Bai Liu's move was insane. I'd give him a 40% chance of winning."
"Poor God Mu. Avoided it on day one, couldn't avoid it forever. Ended up becoming someone else's puppet."
"I'm going to Bai Liu's small TV. It's hard to see everything clearly from God Mu's perspective."
"Same. He's in the Burial Mound Dancing Area, right? Too bad—if he'd shown this earlier, he wouldn't have fallen there."
Gradually, Mu Sicheng began losing viewers to Bai Liu.
People started flooding into the Burial Mound Dancing Area, gathering around Bai Liu's small TV.
But Wang Shun didn't notice the numbers. He was staring at Bai Liu in shock.
Wasn't Bai Liu's personal skill supposed to be stealing?
Wang Shun slowly shook his head.
Since when had Bai Liu started laying the groundwork to deceive Mu Sicheng? Had it all been deliberate—making Mu Sicheng believe his skill was only stealing, lowering his guard?
If Bai Liu had displayed any other type of ability, Mu Sicheng would've been cautious.
But a stealing skill? Mu Sicheng would never fear that.
After all, Mu Sicheng was the strongest thief in the game. He had even stolen something from Spades once—he could be called an invincible thief.
And yet, Bai Liu had stolen from Mu Sicheng, the strongest thief, again and again.
The first time, it was Mental Bleach.
The second time, it was a Stamina Supplement.
The third time, it was Mu Sicheng himself.
And the fourth—
Wang Shun's eyes shifted to the rapidly increasing viewer count, his emotions complicated beyond words.
Bai Liu had stolen Mu Sicheng's audience.