Chapter Thirty-Five: The Last Chance

Although his clothes were still stained with Hirano Kota’s blood, Xu Zhengdong had now sobered up completely. This was the world of reincarnation; there were few opportunities for one to steady their emotions. What reincarnators had to do was constantly adapt their plans to the situation, doing everything possible to survive.

No matter what, he had to live!

Xu Zhengdong staggered to his feet. The figure “-2500 points” still loomed in his mind like a devil, impossible to dispel, yet he seemed to have emerged from its shadow. He wanted to live. No matter what, he had to live.

So quick to recover? Liu Mengchao looked at the expression on Xu Zhengdong’s face, a faint mocking smile tugging at the corner of his lips. In Liu Mengchao’s eyes, rather than Xu Zhengdong truly regaining his composure, it was more like he was using psychological suggestion on himself.

Yes, psychological suggestion.

The human subconscious controls the conscious mind. Suggestion is the use of the subconscious, usually operating on the principle that every thought in our mind becomes real to us, pushing us to do whatever it takes to make it come true.

Liu Mengchao knew that Xu Zhengdong’s psychology now was like a drowning man clutching at a floating straw—knowing full well it couldn’t save him, but desperately convincing himself that holding onto it meant he could survive.

Liu Mengchao smiled slightly, his gaze falling upon Xu Zhengdong’s straw.

Saeko Takagi.

Did they hope to survive this world of reincarnation by clinging to this straw? Reincarnators? Liu Mengchao’s gaze drifted over each of the reincarnators present. He noticed that not a single one of them looked at Saeko Takagi with murderous intent.

It was no surprise. If the task was to reach the Takagi residence, then Saeko was an essential character in the story. Without her, would they even be granted entry to the last refuge in this city of Chuangzhu?

At this thought, a playful expression flickered in Liu Mengchao’s eyes as he regarded the silent reincarnators. He wondered how much the prize pool would swell because of this.

Drip.

In the quiet room, the only sound was Hirano Kota’s blood dripping from the clock above, echoing like the ticking of an old grandfather clock.

“No matter what happens... we can’t afford to panic now,” Xu Zhengdong said, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses. It was as if he hadn’t just shot Hirano Kota himself, but someone else had.

“You’re right,” Saeko Takagi nodded, clearly pleased with Xu Zhengdong’s response.

“We need to stick together now,” she said, lowering her head and taking one last look at Hirano Kota’s corpse. “Let’s leave his body here. Everyone gather in the living room. When morning comes, we’ll cross the Jingchuan River. Trust me, we can all make it out alive.”

Alive?

As the words left Saeko Takagi’s lips, Liu Mengchao laughed. So soon, she was already trying to win over the reincarnators?

He nodded and stepped aside to clear the path to the living room. Makoto Ito and Ye Yutian exchanged glances before leading the way downstairs. Their footsteps echoed dully, and soon their figures vanished from sight.

“Hey…”

All this time, Rei Miyamoto had been silent. She hesitated, glanced at Liu Mengchao, then at the corpse on the floor. With a sigh, she followed the others down.

It was like a play, Liu Mengchao thought, watching those around him—first Shizuka Marikawa, then Qi Xiaoxiao, next Saeko Busujima, and finally Saeko Takagi and Xu Zhengdong. One after another, like actors taking their final bows, they disappeared down the stairs.

At last, it was Li Xin’s turn.

Li Xin was in turmoil. She had no idea what to do. She’d been abandoned by Liu Mengchao—a veteran of the reincarnation world had cast her aside.

Liu Mengchao noticed her lips pressed tightly together, the muscles around her eyes tense with anxiety. She was suppressing her fear.

Click, click.

Li Xin’s high heels sounded heavy as they struck the blood-splattered floor.

“You’re suppressing your fear,” Liu Mengchao said suddenly as she passed him.

Her steps halted.

A smile bloomed on Liu Mengchao’s face, just as the prize pool surged before him.

Prize pool: 275,000.

“You feel you’ve been abandoned,” Liu Mengchao continued, not turning to face her but walking toward the bed instead. To Li Xin, even the sight of his back radiated an indescribable charisma.

What should she do?

Watching Liu Mengchao’s retreating figure, her nerves stretched taut. A strange, faint hope began to rise in her heart.

Could it be that she still had value?

At that thought, her eyes lit up, her gaze locked on Liu Mengchao’s back.

Hearing no sign of Li Xin’s signature high heels behind him, Liu Mengchao knew the woman still harbored illusions—hopes that she could be of use to him, and through that, survive.

If she wanted to be used, he would grant her wish.

Liu Mengchao smiled, still with his back to her, and extended his hand.

With a flick of his wrist—shing!—a hidden blade sprang from his sleeve, its silver gleam flashing dangerously, no longer the subtle weapon of an assassin but flaunting itself like a venomous serpent.

“I have no use for useless people,” Liu Mengchao said slowly, his words as inexorable as the rising numbers of the prize pool, “and the most useless are those who cannot see the situation clearly.”

He clenched his fist and suddenly stabbed forward.

The sharp blade sliced through the air with a faint hiss.

“What kind of person can’t see the situation clearly?” Liu Mengchao asked, not giving Li Xin time to respond before answering himself. “Those who can’t even tell who’s in charge.”

Leader… Li Xin frowned, pondering those words. Suddenly, cold sweat broke out all over her body.

Was this punishment? She suddenly recalled secretly trying to win over those two high school students to form their own clique in the reincarnation world, hoping the three of them could seize power.

Was this Liu Mengchao’s warning? Unconsciously, Li Xin bit her lip, her whole body trembling.

“Some people always try to form factions right under my nose, but they forget that, once they’re dead, nothing else matters,” Liu Mengchao continued, turning to face her.

“The roof rack on the Humvee can fit two more people. This is your last chance, Li Xin. Don’t disappoint me.”

His words were cryptic, but Li Xin only heard one thing—opportunity.

As Liu Mengchao walked downstairs, Li Xin suddenly, unexpectedly, burst into laughter.

She hadn’t been abandoned after all!

No, it had all been orchestrated by Liu Mengchao—letting her gain the trust of the story’s characters by appearing betrayed, and then…

Eliminating the one who sought to form a faction!

The thought filled Li Xin with uncontrollable excitement. Her crimson nails dug deeply into her palm.

She must not, must never, end up like Hirano Kota, dying here.

Still smiling, Li Xin lifted a lock of hair and glanced at the clock on the wall.

Night. 8:24:44.

She needed only to find one more person to be eliminated.

So long as that person wasn’t her!

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Ahem… I had classes all day today, so I had to rely on the scheduled update for this chapter…

Caught a cold… my throat hurts…

Also, I just want to gripe—why did my testimonial for the Sanjiang award get flagged for review…?

Thanks to the generous support of Falling Leaf Knowing Autumn, The Story of the Starry Sky, Li Zai Zi, Is This the God of Wealth, Fifty-One Stones, Stagecraft of the Canopy, Kkkwong, Starlit Years, Moe Is Justice, Xuan Yuan the Killer, Victorique8, and Rainbow’s Transformation!