[Feng Bujue, level 15]

[Please select the playing mode you want to join.]

[Youve selected Killing Game one versus one. Please confirm.]

[Confirmed. Generating scenario]

[Loading Please wait]

The scene in front of Feng Bujue had turned pitch-black. Some subtitles appeared along with the narrators voice.

[The core of Killing Game is players fighting against each other. The intimidating features of the scenario itself will be reduced in this playing mode. There are chances for other Quests or Worldview. The map size will be generated based on the number of players and their competencies.]

[You can check your teammates and opponents IDs,levels, and survival status in your Party Tab.]

[Regulations on the interaction between players as in Articles A to E are still applied in this playing mode. If you are not sure about these regulations, please click the link below.]

[This is the reminder for the first time you entered Killing Game. Enjoy.]

When the reminder was over, Feng Bujue didnt hear the greeting Welcome to Thriller Paradise as usual; instead, there was a male voice, speaking up with a Minnan dialect (1).

"Make your opponent shiver in fear. Make him see what real terror is!"

It turned out that the opening scene of the Killing Game was different from other scenarios. After this greeting, the next reminder prompted.

[Loading completed. Currently, you are playing Killing Game.]

[This mode offers an explanation of the plot. There are chances of Side/[Hidden Quests], together with special Worldview.]

[Rewards for completing the scenario: 50 points of Skill Value.]

[Plots introduction is about to play. After the introduction, the game will start immediately.]

The computer graphics opening scene immediately appeared in front of Feng Bujues eyes. The image depicted a vast, empty and gloomy area. The ground was a large flat rock. There was a cliff on the right where many dried bodies and skulls were hung there. A hazy moon illuminated this mournful area.

Next, he heard a short description of the scenario, which was hard to believe

[Legend of Devildom has dyed Shen Zhou (2). A mysterious man from a profound sect has shaken the world. Xuanyuan Sword wishes to lose once. Ghost Generals found it hard to rehabilitate humans]

"Hey... what the heck is that... Shen Zhou Thunderbolt?" Feng Bujue had an ominous premonition in his heart.

[In a lunar eclipse night, immense fog brings together a sad maze. Dim starlight shines on the lamp of life! Gloomy green grass, ambiguous ghost silhouettes flash like the scenes in hell! The wind is howling through the hanging bodies on the cliff. Two men came from different worlds. One has calmed down his nervous mind, awaited. The other coldly holds his sword, waiting in silence.]

[Who loses? Who wins? Who dies? Whos still alive?]

"It really comes" Feng Bujue mused, "with this shitty style, what comes next would be encountering and fighting?"

Bingo! He got it right.

The scenarios description was short with several lines. After it was over, Feng Bujue had regained his ability to move again. He immediately turned around to check here and there. Then, he saw a person standing roughly 500 meters away from him. Coincidentally, that person had also just turned around.

"Main Quest has been triggered."

"Kill all members of the enemy team."

"[Hidden Quest] has been triggered."

"Compose a poem on your own and receive an exclusive Spiritual Weapon."

As the systems notifications constantly arose, Feng Bujue was completely speechless to this scenario. [Hidden Quest] just appeared directly; moreover, the scenario would reward an item. What kind of approach is that?

In fact, such setting was the exit the system had left to players like Feng Bujue.

In one versus one playing mode of Killing Game, the plot wouldnt be too twisted as the chances players had were enormous. Possibly, it would take a couple of minutes to determine the result. So, the winner would receive a little reward while the loser could only receive the odd number of Skill Value he had fought for it in the game and nothing more. Anyway, there were some cases that players had fought for hours in a one versus one scenario, even one or two days. For example, two players with good shooting skill were put on a vast deserted island, and the system had set up a jungle, a hidden research center, the pirates lair, etc. on the island. In such situations, there would be more side quests as well as more rewards.In two versus two, three versus three or melee playing modes, half of the scenarios were really complicated. The system would put players into the game randomly or put them into opposite situations but still give them a certain degree of freedom. Moreover, it would set up some awkward rules like the scenario of the seven inconceivable things in the campus so as players who were good at planning and thinking could have more room to perform.

Anyway, in one on one scenario, direct and simple scenarios still took a relatively big part. No doubt that in this situation, players who were good at fighting would take the upper hand. And, the players who were good at solving puzzles well, just take Feng Bujues situation now as an example, if the system didnt give the [Hidden Quest], he had no way to resist his opponent.

Now, he had the chance, but it depended on him whether he could seize it or not.

Of course, both of the players had received this quest. Quite fair. If Feng Bujues opponent were brave and brilliant, apparently, he would win for sure. One smart player versus another powerful player, if any of them could win, no matter it was the fighting player or the reasoning player, it would still be reasonable.

Feng Bujue was unlucky as he accidentally met an opponent who could be considered both smart and brave. This players ID was [Wild Trace Sword Shadow]; he belonged to the Martial World Union. He was one of the superstar players of the Martial World Studio. Together with the studios manager [Smile and Greet the Common] and another professional superstar player called [No Saber Visitor], they were called the three hotshots Saber Sword Smile.

When regarded No Sword, Smile Master, and No Saber', the other studios, which always considered fighting competences as their framework, had to acknowledge their abilities. In fact, The Immortals and Order, the two leading dragons in this industry, had also given offers to these three but got refused every time. Order had even planned to merge the Martial World Studio with them; however, this plan hadnt been implemented. After all, this was businessbuying the whole company just because of three players was not worth the risk. What if those three decided to leave Order and establish their own company after their companies had been merged? At that time, Order would become a matchmaker.

With Wild Trace Sword Shadows competence, there would be no problem for him to enter the top 20 of the combat ranking list. However, at this time, he wasnt on the list yet. It was because he didnt log in during Close Beta after he had created his character. When Open Beta was released, he then started to train and level up. His case was similar with Feng Bujue. After he had reached level 15, this was the first time he had tried Killing Game.

However, Wild Trace Sword Shadow was different from the other top players from Order Studio, who could deliberately train their levels. The time he had been playing wasnt much. It wasnt because he didnt want to play Close Beta, but he actually didnt have time to show up there.

In reality, Marital World Studio was just a grass-roots company, whose initial scale wasnt much different from that of the Ice Emperor team led by Young Master Ji Bu. Smile And Greet The Common, No Saber Visitor and Wild Trace Sword Shadow were all that their studio had at the beginning. The three of them didnt have the rich-second-generation background like Young Master Ji Bu. If Young Master Ji Bu couldnt earn anything after a long time of struggling, at most, he had just wasted the money his parents had. However, the other three had loans from banks, friends, and relatives. If their Studio couldnt make a profit, in the worst case, their parents and they themselves would become homeless and hide everywhere to avoid the creditors.

Fortunately, they had succeeded. With their competencies, they had operated and managed the company to todays scale and success. Now, Martial World Studio already took a position in the top echelon of this industry. After they had paid off their debts, the company then moved into a special office building, and now they had more than 100 workers. It could be said that they had been professional players once and now they were young entrepreneurs.

Anyway, in the world of professional players, usually, they couldnt determine the time they would retire. This world really looks like a Martial World. How could hotshots retreat like that? Moreover, in this life, how many hotshots would be willing to live a life of seclusion when they were still able to fight?

So, the three sects masters, Saber, Sword, and Smile, were still engaging in the game themselves. They did not only want to manage the business outside of the game, but also wanted to do business with the unions in the game. In Close Beta, they didnt have time to play. As the studio had been investing in new game projects, there were so many things they needed to manage. In fact, they were still very busy now. Before everything went smoothly on the right tracks, they could only be online at night in their sleep.

Back to the Killing Game.

The fact that Feng Bujue was matched with Wild Trace Sword Shadow in this game meant the system obviously considered his competence wasnt much less than his opponents. The biggest difference between players in Killing Game was five levels. In a scenario, no matter whether it was a players teammate or opponent, there was no situation that there would be a pair of players that was six levels in difference. If a team had two members whose levels were six levels apart, that team couldnt enter the scenario.

In case there was a multiplayer scenario, the system would try its best to match two teams with equivalent competences. Also, in one on one scenario, the system would never put the two players with much different competence to single out.

Thus, on papers, he could win every Killing Game, including this one.

"Yeah That guy over there is specialized in fighting for sure. This situation isnt good though" Feng Bujue muttered. He was looking at Wild Trace Sword Shadow who was wearing a black satin gown and a long ponytail hairstyle. The long sword held in his hand was taken out of its scabbard, exuding cold beams. Seeing the ID of this dude and the opening scene of the introduction, which said the other coldly holds his sword, waiting in silence, Feng Bujue could figure out many things.

At the same time, Wild Trace Sword Shadow was observing Feng Bujue, but he found it hard to guess this guys style. The man standing afar from him had a western purple suit coat that looked like he was cosplaying the Joker in Batmans comic books. However, the weapons he was holding were a pistol and a pipe wrench.

Wild Trace Sword Shadow had suspicions in his mind, "What does this person do? He doesnt look like a player specialized in fighting as his close combat weapon is a tool, while his other hand is holding a long range weapon. Is he training both of his Weapon and Shooting Specialties? The systems narrator had mentioned One has calmed down his nervous mind, awaited, this should be him. In other words, that guy looks pretty calm, but in fact, his mind is unsure?"

They didnt stay still for long as Wild Trace Sword Shadow started to take action first. Since he was confident with his ability, he decided to attack to probe first. Anyway, testing didnt cost him anything; in case his opponent couldnt bear just a strike, it meant his bearing was good enough. Nothing to be done then.

[My god An abundant aura emitted from Wild Trace Sword Shadow as he soars up to the sky. Murderous aura blends with clouds; the skys hue suddenly changes as black clouds appeared in the night sky.] The Minnan male voice echoed in their ears.

"Wut?" Feng Bujue and Wild Trace Sword Shadow had the same reaction. There was a narration for their fight in this scenario?

Coming along with the narrators description, the sky started to be dimmed as the wind became stronger and the black clouds had covered the moon.

"You really are something!" Feng Bujue turned and ran away. Having heard the sharp narration, he had washed away the idea of directly confronting his opponent; he decided to run first and think about a plan later.

Wild Trace Sword Shadow saw him running away, so his mind was more emboldened. He had just tried the Killing Game, and this was the first time he had encountered another player in Thriller Paradise. He used to be afraid of his opponents capacity, but now, Feng Bujue was running away, no doubt that he was in a disadvantaged situation. Wild Trace Sword Shadow then let go off his feet and hands and started his strong and offensive pursuit.

[The body is like a flying dragon, soaring up as though he had wings, finding a split to break out from this battle. Marvelous fast strides. Hurry up! Feng Bujue sees a difficult situation as he turned around and ran away.]

[The sword is like a vast sea; qi is like the screaming wave! Wild Trace Sword Shadow holding his sword chases after the other. Murderous aura is increasing extensively as a rapidly stirring cloud. His momentum is like the mighty heaven!]

"Have you mistaken it! Obviously, Im fleeing away, how could you say it in such an imposing way!" cried Feng Bujue while running.

Wild Trace Sword Shadow was running around 10 meters behind him, laughing. "My friend, once you accepted this setting, its quite interesting."

BANG

Feng Bujue didnt answer him; instead, he turned and shot his last bullet in the M1911A1 pistol. Then he took out the gun magazine, and without reducing his speed, he reloaded his pistol with the new gun magazine taken from the coat pocket.

"Seems your shooting skill is just regular" sneered Wild Trace Sword Shadow. The bullet didnt hit him, so he was still chasing behind Feng Bujue.

Even if Feng Bujue could stop and aim, it would be very hard to hit a moving target, let alone doing it under a fleeing situation. Actually, the purpose of this shot wasnt to hit the target, but to see the opponents reaction.

Turns out Wild Trace Sword Shadows reaction to Feng Bujue was really annoying. When Wild Trace Sword Shadow heard the shot, he didnt dodge or cease his pace, this said two points: first, his mentality was absolutely perfect, at least in the game, he had surpassed the instinctive human reactions; the second point, it was also one of the conditions to achieve the first point, so he certainly had something to defend against firearms.

More annoyingly, he had mocked Feng Bujues shooting skill. The one who could have extra strength to talk while running after Feng Bujue, who was using [Dance of the Knight], needed not to describe how strong his physical attributes was.

"Poem, poem, poem" Feng Bujue mumbled just like he was pressing his body to death as he was urging his brain to flicker faster. "Make up one quick or else I have to die."

Minnan:is a branch ofMin Chinesespoken in certain parts ofChinaincluding southernFujian(theMinnan region), easternGuangdong,Hainan, and southernZhejiang, and inTaiwan. The Minnan dialects are also spoken by descendants ofemigrants from these areasindiaspora, most notably thePhilippines,Indonesia,MalaysiaandSingapore.

Shen Zhou: Old name of China.