What to Choose

In the corridor.

The supermarket boss ignored the terrifying creatures retreating in fear on both sides, striding toward the Treant.

That annoying, screaming cicada was also getting closer, its gaze toward him extremely unfriendly.

"Hunter!" Auntie Jin was so angry that her insect legs were trembling. "How... how dare you..."

That insect leg pointed straight at the supermarket boss's nose, incredibly rude.

The supermarket boss glanced back once more.

After confirming that behind him there were only a messy bunch of terrifying creatures cowering on both sides, not daring to move, he realized it.

"Are you saying I am the Hunter?"

The supermarket boss questioned coldly, his brows drooping even more.

He ignored Auntie Jin and turned directly to the Treant.

Beneath the thick bug skin, the corners of his mouth pulled up with effort, forming a stiff, hypocritical fake smile.

What else was there to not understand?

That idiot Hunter, who could disguise himself as a toad, could naturally disguise himself as him too!

"...This is probably a misunderstanding. The Hunter can—"

Squelch.

The supermarket boss's half-spoken words got stuck in his mouth.

The pain of his abdomen being pierced made him look down in disbelief.

A thick branch, covered in sharp barbs, had pierced right through his body!

Yellow substance from within his body was dripping down the branch, and a significant portion was being rapidly absorbed by the branch.

How could this happen...?

Weren't they supposed to be allies?!

"No!!"

He let out a shrill scream, hurriedly raising his head, thrashing and struggling like a boneless pupa, vainly attempting to break free from the branch piercing his body.

"It's not me! It's not me! You obviously know I'm not the Hunter, it's the absolute truth!"

"I don't know." The Treant's petal-shaped mouth opened and closed, its tone carrying a trace of an eerily cruel chuckle.

Several new branches extended over, wrapping around the supermarket boss's struggling, writhing body like a snake constricting a mouse.

The supermarket boss panicked completely, terror exploding within him, causing his bug-skin-covered body to struggle even harder.

"It's not me! It's not me! Mr. Frog! Mr. Frog!"

He began to scream for help, but the branches tightened their grip. The wooden thorns dug into his flesh, beginning to slowly suck the substance from his body.

"I know that whether you are or not, killing you is the safest bet."

The Treant seemed quite satisfied with this food, its petal-like mouth opening in comfort.

"I will temporarily reserve your right to speak."

The branches wrapped tighter and denser; only his head, with its loose, trembling skin, was left exposed.

"You mentioned the frog—where is Mr. Frog?"

Auntie Jin looked at the Treant, then at the supermarket boss who was being sucked dry like milk tea, feeling completely bewildered.

She shrank back in a shudder.

This, absolutely, was not quite right.

Initially, it was the frog who had revealed the Hunter's disguised form to her and promised to spare her life.

Mr. Frog should also be looking for this guy.

But the Bug-Skin Man said he wasn't the Hunter, and even screamed Mr. Frog's name loudly, as if calling for help.

It was as if this thing, just like herself, treated Mr. Frog as a life-saving patron.

She knew it.

This must be that cunning player's trick!

Auntie Jin was furious. Limping closer to the supermarket boss, she hopped around and started cursing.

"What are you pretending for?! Mr. Frog wants to kill you too! Stop acting innocent!!"

"Weren't you calling him Daddy left and right earlier? Why aren't you calling him that now?"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

Auntie Jin spread her wings, the sharp buzzing sound like a demonic noise, deafening many terrifying creatures into covering their ears.

"Change back to your original form! Change back to your player form! Give me back my key!"

"What key?" a voice she was familiar with screamed, straining to overpower the noise Auntie Jin was making.

"Why is it so noisy! What exactly is going on!"

The buzzing stopped abruptly.

Auntie Jin turned around, looking at the toad that had appeared out of nowhere, and excitedly fluttered her wings.

"Mr. Frog! The Hunter you said you were looking for—"

She raised her insect leg, pointing at the supermarket boss caught by the Treant, ecstatic.

"We found him!"

...

In the room.

Zhu Yan pinched Key Fragment 2, cheerfully listening to the female voice broadcast that filled his entire world.

"Congratulations, player and Hunter."

"You have successfully obtained Key Fragment number 2 and caused a disturbance."

"You did not disappoint the expectations of the Court of Performances audience, and received a small tip worth 10 bone gold coins from the audience member Pale Decree."

"Now, you have three items to choose from."

There are item choices too?

Zhu Yan stored Key Fragment 2 into his ring.

Taking the clingy box at his feet, he stumbled toward the door by the faint light of his phone's flashlight.

What disturbance?

He really wanted to see it with his own eyes on the spot, but that was definitely impossible now.

Listening from afar through the door should still be okay, right?

"Item One: A one-time invisibility item that allows you to remain invisible to all players and terrifying creatures for 8 hours."

Good stuff.

Zhu Yan, rushing to watch the drama, thought absentmindedly.

"Item Two: Erasure Ointment. It can erase the Hunter mark on your body for 8 hours. One tube can be used 3 times."

Good stuff.

With this, he could return to his dorm, peacefully pretend to be sick, and get a good sleep.

"Item Three: Temporary Use Right of an Empty Shop. You can freely use any empty shop within the building for 8 hours."

Alright.

Zhu Yan said in a low voice, "I choose the Erasure Ointment."

He needed his dorm; he needed his soft bed.

He also needed to go back to cover up the lies he told earlier.

"Congratulations, you made the correct choice!" the female voice said happily.

"The audience member Pale Decree is very satisfied with your choice!"

What did that mean?

Wanted to watch him trick Yang Zhan, Bai Qi, Yin Ming, and that gang for entertainment, huh.

Zhu Yan looked up into the void and fell silent.

The female voice just said this was the correct choice.

Could it be that if he chose something else, he wouldn't get any item at all?

"Yes." The female voice seemed to see through his thoughts.

"The audience naturally has the right to take back their tips!"

Damn.

So insidious!

Zhu Yan wanted to curse, but when the words reached his lips, they took a rather smooth turn.

The female voice seemed to chuckle.

"Player, please check your item."

"Looking forward to your performance. Goodbye!"

The female voice disappeared.

Zhu Yan stopped about 3 meters away from the door, waiting for his item reward.

This position was just enough to hear a bit of Auntie Jin's highly penetrating voice.

Her tone still carried intense emotion, rapidly and loudly arguing about something.