Chapter 3
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Chapter 3: Divination
“Damn it, what kind of shitty design is this?” Chekhov cursed angrily.
In response to his words were two gunshots, followed by the Russian man falling to the ground with blood splattering everywhere from his chest wound.
At that moment, one of the cavalryman locked in combat with Naruko shouted several times—neither in Chinese nor English, but rather a language they couldn’t understand.
But only they couldn’t understand him; the newly arrived cavalrymen reacted immediately.
One of them stayed on their horse and loaded a firearm while another drew a short pistol from his waist and rushed toward Naruko.
Clearly, among the four, Asahara Naruko was the only one who knew how to wield these cold weapons to some extent.
This very reason made her the primary target for enemy attacks, while Zhou Zhi was completely overlooked.
Once she fell, the “pirate careers” of everyone present would come to an end.
Zhou Zhi also understood this clearly, repeating to himself, “It’s just a game… It’s just a game…” as he gripped his axe tightly. When the cavalryman swept past him, he let out a crazed yell, leaping up and swinging his axe with all his strength toward the opponent.
Though he appeared to be stumbling, at least he didn’t stay put waiting to die.
This action seemed to catch the cavalryman off guard; he was forced to pull his pistol back and block Zhou Zhi’s axe with his arm. As Naruko had said, Zhou Zhi felt not the stickiness of flesh but rather the shock of metal hitting stone through the handle of his axe. The massive recoil sent the weapon flying from Zhou Zhi’s hand, simultaneously knocking the cavalryman off his horse.
Success!
Zhou Zhi pinned down the enemy, reaching for the pistol, when suddenly he felt something cold against his stomach.
He looked down—another dagger had pierced his abdomen.
“Damn it, this monster…knows how to change weapons…”
Zhou Zhi spoke with great difficulty, using the last of his strength.
His vision rapidly blurred.
He saw Asahara Naruko being caught between the attack of reinforcements and the original cavalrymen, her head severed as she stepped carelessly out of line, blood spraying high into the air. Though the Russian did not immediately breathe his last after sustaining a gunshot wound, his fate was even more tragic than that of the Japanese girl—he lost the ability to retaliate, and the villagers who had initially hidden, bravely joined the fray, wielding pitchforks and wooden clubs. By the time he died, almost no part of his body remained intact, and light shone through numerous holes all over him.
Then everything was enveloped in white light, just like when they entered the game.
“Haaaah!” Zhou Zhi forcefully took off his VR headset and gasped for air as if he was suffocating, but even this could not calm his violently pounding heart.
The others weren’t much better off; their faces were almost completely devoid of color.
“suka blyat, you lied to me! This is what you call a painless experience?” Anthony Chekhov shouted, “I felt like those bullets nearly killed me!” [suka blyat is mainly a russian guy cursing and more literally means F**king bitch]
“To ensure our clients’ sensory experiences, we do not reduce pain to zero,” the host responded calmly. “However, I can guarantee that these numbers will have no adverse effects on your physical or mental health.”
The Russian stared at him for a moment before bursting out laughing. “My point is…can you make it more intense? This is so damn exhilarating!”
“That’s right, without experiencing it firsthand, I would never imagine there could be a game so realistic!” Joe James lit up a cigarette—this time, a real one—and took a deep drag. “Guys, you’re going to get rich!”
“This one million dollar entrance fee is the best investment I’ve ever made.” Chekhov praised the payment endlessly. “When will the next event take place? I’m sure…the cost per run isn’t low either? If you’re having financial difficulties, I’d be happy to sponsor you.”
“What do you mean? Do you want to try again?”
“I wouldn’t mind doing it ten more times!” Anthony picked up the bottle on the table and took a swig, his eyes gleaming with fervor. “When will the next one be? I’ll definitely prepare better this time. Of course…it would be even better if we could adjust the difficulty.”
Although Asahara Naruko didn’t let out her emotions audibly, it was clear from her expression that she had been deeply affected by the experience, still unable to recover.
Zhou Zhi’s expression was complicated.
Meanwhile, the host wearing the mask showed no emotion whatsoever. “The question you’ve asked pertains to confidential business matters, so I’m afraid I cannot answer. However, what I can tell you is that this has only been a preliminary trial run. Paradise is part of a massive project, and when it opens next time, it will not be as simple as today. We will expand its scale and lower its threshold so that more people may experience the joy brought about by Paradise. As for the exact date of opening, please wait patiently. Once everything is ready, I shall invite each of you once more and guide you to Paradise.” He bowed slightly. “Lastly… thank you all for your participation.”
***
Shi Dong walked through the dimly lit old city wall and arrived at West Street—a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city where beggars dressed in tattered clothes were common sights, as well as gangsters eyeing him with ill intent. However, they dared not act on their intentions; Shi Dong knew that the medal on his shoulder was enough to intimidate these spineless criminals. Or perhaps if they had the courage to openly attack Glorious Fortress guards, they wouldn’t have resorted to being lackeys for underground gangs.
At least, it was safe during the day.
After walking along the damp streets for more than a hundred meters and making two turns, Shi Dong stopped at a narrow alleyway entrance.
There stood a simple wooden shelter erected by the side of the road, above which hung a signboard: The Wondrous Divination House.
This was his destination.
Shi Dong scanned both sides briefly to ensure no one was tailing him before lowering the brim of his hat and entering the shelter. Though there was nothing to hide, he still didn’t want his actions to reach his colleagues’ ears.
“Welcome to the wondrous… Oh, it’s you.”
The room only held one person: an elderly man with silvery hair.
“It is.” After some hesitation, Shi Dong decided to sit cross-legged inside the cramped space. The interior was too narrow for anyone to stand straight, so sitting would be more comfortable than remaining upright. “Do you remember me?”
“Indeed, not many people come here seeking their destiny.” The old man nodded, then revealed his brown and yellow teeth. “And even fewer find themselves reunited with an old friend. So… did this fortune teller’s divination come true?”
“How do you know there will be pirates at that location?” Shi Dong couldn’t help but ask, “Theoretically, they could not possibly sneak past the patrol ships’ defenses and approach Glorious Fortress without making a sound—”
“What are you talking about? Pirates?” The other seemed slightly surprised. “Did this fortune teller bring any trouble to you?”
Ah right …he didn’t know the details of what had happened.
Shi Dong stared at him for a long while before slowly straightening up again. According to the old man, the divination he did was merely an opportunity—such as when or where one might resolve a problem. As for the specifics, even the old man himself couldn’t predict them.
This made it all the more unbelievable.
Yes, the divination had come true.
Shi Dong would never have believed such things if he hadn’t been desperate. Out of curiosity, he gathered some brothers and headed toward the southern fishing village, only to unexpectedly encounter a group of pirates landing on shore. Thanks to these men’s heads, he earned a bonus beyond his regular salary, which he used to pay off his sister’s medical bills once more, allowing her condition to stabilize.
Word had it that because of his performance during this battle, he may soon be promoted from platoon leader to captain, which would elevate his benefits yet another level.
