Volume 1, Chapter 33: Counter-Kill

In the next instant, Qin Shang leaped up and ferociously tore a scrap of the diary from the window.

*Rip—*

A sliver of dim light fell into the carriage.

Nothing happened.

Qin Shang’s heart sank.

Not far away, the elderly priest sneered. "What are you doing? Putting on a monkey show for me?"

Qin Shang stared fixedly at the old priest, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

*Come on, hurry up! It can’t be that I guessed wrong, can it?*

"A clever trickster, indeed. But since you enjoy using the ID of a dead man, I don’t mind obliging you."

"After the 'Eagle of Justice' and I entered this instance in the second round, we talked about you."

"He is a 'God’s Path' player affiliated with the Chinese authorities and has access to many channels of information. He said he obtained a lead from the outside: someone named 'Licking Cockroach’s Jade Feet' had once cleared the [Death Train] instance."

"So, the moment we entered, we suspected you were the 'God-Slayer' in our group. Otherwise, why would you use the ID of a deceased player? I never imagined you weren't him after all..."

The old priest looked down from his superior position, but his words sent waves of shock through Qin Shang’s heart.

"Since you aren't the God-Slayer, you must have stolen the God’s Path ID of a departed soul, right? It seems you’ve had some contact with that player named 'Licking Cockroach’s Jade Feet', haven't you?"

*I had contact with your mother! You idiot!*

*My own God’s Path ID is 'Licking Cockroach’s Jade Feet'. Do you think I chose such a cringe-worthy name myself?*

However, hearing that the owner of this ID was deceased, Qin Shang’s expression did shift. He was no longer a complete novice; he had spent a whole day browsing the official God’s Path player forums and had read quite a bit of content. He had already seen all the basic introductions that didn't require points to unlock.

The 'Eagle of Justice' was right about one thing in the first round: if a God’s Path player dies, their character card is reclaimed by the system. His wife couldn't have sent him the character card after she died; a dead person can't mail packages.

"Any last words?"

The old priest glanced at Qin Shang’s pathetic figure slumped on the floor, a smile playing on his lips as he stepped onto Qin Shang’s stomach.

"If not, then you can go to hell..."

He raised his cross high once more.

Despair gradually crept into Qin Shang’s eyes. He felt as if that footfall had thrown him into a furnace; his entire body felt scorching hot, as if he were being pressed onto a grill. The old priest’s feet felt like branding irons. He was drenched in sweat, his consciousness blurring.

*If only the [Rollback] passive of the Red Dress were usable, perhaps I’d still have a chance...*

In the nick of time, the sound of a window shattering echoed through the air.

The next moment, a chill wind swept over them. Qin Shang’s spirit wavered, feeling as if something had passed right through his body.

At the same time, a hulking figure in a red dress appeared, brandishing a hunting rifle.

This ghostly entity was far more massive than the one Qin Shang had summoned with his item earlier. It exuded a chilling aura, its frame broad and sturdy, with a pale face hidden beneath long, black hair. Its dead, fishy eyes were fixed squarely on the old priest.

In that moment, the old priest’s look of certain victory transformed into deep horror.

"What is this? What the hell is this thing!?"

Then, his face changed drastically as he recognized it: "That specter... why is the specter from the third carriage here..."

Before the old priest could finish his sentence, the ghostly 'Elle' lunged forward and pinned him to the ground. A scream followed immediately. The ghostly 'Elle' fought with crude, simple movements. Using absolute strength to suppress the old man, it raised the hunting rifle and pressed it against his forehead.

"[Purify]! Purify... Ah!"

Before he could even finish the second word, just as a layer of white light emerged, the 'Buddha Favors the Fated' let out another shriek.

Two gunshots rang out—*bang, bang*—and the body pinned by the specter went completely still. The white light vanished on the spot.

Is this the highest realm of 'brute force overcoming technique'? Or rather, a hunting rifle beating a priest...

Qin Shang felt a stir in his heart. Seeing that the old priest beneath it was no longer moving, the ghostly 'Elle' began to lower its head and feed. It acted as if it were enjoying a gourmet meal, slurping loudly as it devoured the human tissue and skin.

Qin Shang’s mouth twitched. What exactly did that priest in the story background manage to conjure up? Even if the old priest was physically weak, he had heard from the sheriff that the man was a second-tier priest.

Does this mean that as long as the rules are violated, the specter 'Elle' can take out a second-tier player as easily as child's play?

Just then, a red ghostly shadow flew backward out of the first carriage, accompanied by a violent sonic boom, and was sent crashing into the second carriage.

"It’s my 'Cursed Red Dress'."

Seeing this, Qin Shang’s heart turned cold again. The 'Eagle of Justice' was truly terrifying in combat!

The next moment, Qin Shang saw the 'Eagle of Justice' appear in the second carriage.

"Items without the reinforcement of a God’s Path player have no deterrent power. Even if you have a second-tier or third-tier item, giving it to a first-tier trickster who hasn't even figured out how to use them properly won't stop me."

"'Buddha,' we have one minute left. We can split the rewards."

"I don't want to have to search through the vast sea of people to find a player I randomly matched with after leaving the God’s Path..."

His tone was excited, as if victory were already in his grasp.

But the moment he stepped into the second carriage, the sheriff’s expression froze. The smug smile on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of profound shock and suspicion.

*Crunch... crunch...*

In the distance, another hulking figure in a red dress, clutching a hunting rifle, was pressing down on a corpse. It had been eating enthusiastically, but as he burst in, it slowly raised its pale eyes, seemingly annoyed at being interrupted during its meal.

"!?"

At the same time, a storm of terror erupted in the sheriff’s heart. *How could this thing be here!?*

He couldn't even care about hunting down Qin Shang anymore...

*Damn it, a trickster-level instance is, in other words, an 'A-rank' to normal players, but an 'S-rank' for tricksters. And the boss of such a high-risk instance has jumped out...*

Even though he didn't know why the boss would come to the first and second carriages during the settlement phase...

As a veteran player, the 'Eagle of Justice' naturally understood how terrifying the power of this boss was. Even a third-tier player would be like paper before it!

"Run!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, the sheriff, 'Eagle of Justice', immediately turned and bolted toward the first carriage.

Qin Shang narrowed his eyes. This guy knew how to read the situation well. He understood that no matter how tempting the prize on Qin Shang was, self-preservation was the key. Unfortunately...

He had forgotten the rules!

*Do not make a sound. Do not move.*