Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Aughra nodded in agreement, her smile warm as she said, "Well, thank you, Wang. However, your plans for this advancement module are rather malicious, aren’t they? You’ve set so many traps for the players and added numerous plot twists. It seems like you don’t want the players to pass through this advancement module."

Wang chuckled lightly, his tone playful as he replied, "You’re absolutely right, Aughra. I had exactly that in mind. You know, once the players advance to the Hound of Tindalos area, their identities cease to be players and become pawns, puppets manipulated without their knowledge. That player with the character card ’Watanabe Ryuusei,’ the one you’re grooming, is it not? Actually, I could sense your influence on him from the beginning. So, I’ve been going easy on them right from the start. I’ve removed many of the Plot Encounters and mandatory combat sections from this module, altered the behavior logic of some NPCs, and most importantly, I’ve had those NPCs provide them with a lot of information. Now, I’m just one step away from letting them pass through the module."

Aughra conjured a glass of wine in her hand and raised it to Wang, saying, "Well then, thank you, Wang. I appreciate your favor. In the future, if you ever need my assistance, don’t hesitate to ask. I will spare no effort in helping you with anything within my capabilities."

Wang raised an eyebrow and conjured a small glass of white wine in his hand. "Oh, in that case, can I ask for the prize for the ultimate victor, Aughra? Can you provide it for me?"

Aughra’s smile froze momentarily, and she replied with some embarrassment, "Wang, you’re joking, right? You should know what the prize for the ultimate victor entails. Since it’s meant for the ultimate victor, it means only one of us can obtain it. So, I’m afraid I can’t fulfill your request."

Wang took a sip of his white wine, speaking earnestly, "I knew you would say that, Aughra. But truth be told, I never expected you to agree to my request. I also have no intention of wandering around like the rest of you. To become the ultimate victor, well, honestly, at this point, I just want to quietly stay on my own plot of land before the final act begins."

Aughra nodded, finishing her wine, and sighed, "You’re right; it’s a life-and-death struggle this time. Only one among us can become the ultimate victor and the true Nyarlathotep. The others will become just a part of the victor."

Aughra pointed towards Liu Xing and Ling Ishikawa in the distance, saying, "Indeed, we are shaping these players’ growth, much like refining gu. Placing countless players in the same area to compete and selecting the cream of the crop to continue, subjecting them to fiercer battles. The player who ultimately prevails will become the gu king we accept, ready for the final battle for our victory."

Wang nodded, smiling as he said, "Aren’t we all the same?"

On their way back, Liu Xing and Ling Ishikawa decided to inform Zhang Jingxu and the others about what happened at Panlong Town Junior High. However, Liu Xing chose to omit the part about the black cat demon.

Upon arriving home, Liu Xing and Ling Ishikawa shared the events that took place at Panlong Town Junior High.

"So, what should we do? Given the current situation, it seems impossible to rescue the Black Flood Dragon. But even in a soul state, the Black Flood Dragon should be able to help us against Gralki. We must find a way to free it," Zhang Jingxu said, furrowing his brows.

Liu Xing pondered for a moment and suggested, "Let’s put the matter of the Black Flood Dragon on hold for now and focus on discussing Gu Master Chaxi. I have an idea. Why don’t we take the initiative and confront Gu Master Chaxi? After all, Gu Master Chaxi has made preparations inside the supermarket building. We shouldn’t rush headlong into it. Instead, we should wait until Gu Master Chaxi leaves the building before launching our attack."

Liu Xing’s proposal caught everyone off guard, and they chuckled politely, just as they had on the rooftop. They realized they had fallen into a mental trap.

"Ryuusei, your idea is indeed excellent. If we can attack Gu Master Chaxi when he leaves the supermarket, it will be much easier. But how can we ensure that Gu Master Chaxi will leave the supermarket? Also, time is running out," Zhang Jingxu questioned.

Although the players were certain that Gu Master Chaxi would leave the supermarket at this point in time, they still had to follow the script.

However, Hu Cang spoke up, saying, "When I woke up this morning and checked outside, everything seemed to be on schedule. This time should coincide with the Spring Festival, and I remember that during this period, Gu Master Chaxi often leaves for a couple of hours. Although I’m not sure what he’s up to, he always returns looking disheveled. So, he’s probably out in the mountains around Panlong Town, catching insects."

Hu Cang’s words brought relief to Liu Xing and the others. Without this information, they would have had to wait for Gu Master Chaxi to leave the supermarket before preparing for an outdoor ambush, potentially missing a valuable opportunity.

Therefore, Liu Xing immediately suggested, "I see. In that case, let’s vote on it now. We can decide whether to attack Gu Master Chaxi inside the supermarket or outside in the wilderness. Personally, I believe ambushing him in the wilderness is the better choice. Not only is it easier to kill him, but our chances of casualties will also be reduced. Moreover, the supermarket is in a bustling area of Panlong Town. If we need to deal with gu worms, we’ll likely have to use Molotov cocktails, and the consequences of using them indoors would be disastrous."

Wan Chongshan jokingly remarked, "But won’t using Molotov cocktails outdoors start a forest fire?"

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow and responded, "Well, in the wilderness, we won’t need to use Molotov cocktails. After all, Gu Master Chaxi can’t carry a large number of gu worms with him at all times. When the time comes, we should be able to engage him in close combat. Based on my years of gaming experience, characters like Gu Masters, who belong to the mage class, usually have poor melee combat abilities. We can charge in and hack him to pieces."

The group burst into laughter and nodded in agreement.

As a result, they unanimously voted to ambush Gu Master Chaxi in the wilderness. After breakfast, Liu Xing and the others began their preparations.

First, Ling Ishikawa went to find Hu Li. He had two purposes: to bring the protective suits and to inform Hu Li of the change in the situation, so she could prepare in advance.

Next, Zhang Jingxu and Wan Chongshan, along with Hu Cang and Li Dian, were in charge of preparing equipment, such as sharpening iron knives, loading ammunition for bird guns, and preparing rations. After all, even when attacking Gu Master Chaxi, they needed to find the right moment. Charging in recklessly was not an option.

As for Liu Xing, he volunteered to monitor Gu Master Chaxi from the rooftop. He would notify the others as soon as Gu Master Chaxi left the supermarket.

Of course, Liu Xing’s primary objective was to take this opportunity to go upstairs and find the black cat demon. He intended to inform the black cat demon about rescuing the Black Flood Dragon from Panlong Town Junior High.

Upon reaching the rooftop, Liu Xing saw the black cat demon there, licking its paws. There was also a large, uneasy-looking carp nearby.

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow, surprised that the black cat demon was eating fish. It seemed rather unimpressive.

As soon as the black cat demon laid eyes on Liu Xing, its gaze sharpened, and it asked earnestly, "Kid, have you encountered that old dragon? Where is it now, and what’s the situation?"

Liu Xing nodded and proceeded to share the details of his encounter with the black cat demon at Panlong Town Junior High.

After listening, the black cat demon thought for a moment and said, "I see. No wonder I couldn’t locate that old dragon. It’s trapped inside that statue. However, with my current abilities, I don’t think I can rescue the Black Flood Dragon. So, kid, you need to give me the items I asked for right away."

Liu Xing unconsciously nodded but was torn inside, unsure whether he should give all the items to the black cat demon. While the black cat demon had been cooperative so far and appeared to be on their side, Liu Xing couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. It seemed too eager.

However, at that moment, KP Snow Wind suddenly spoke, "Congratulations, player, you’ve triggered a Hidden Side Objectives Mission - Rescue the Black Flood Dragon. Player needs to provide two items to black cat demon, and it will have a chance to save the soul of the Black Flood Dragon from the mysterious statue. After completing this Hidden Side Objectives Mission, both black cat demon and Black Flood Dragon will aid the player in facing Gralki’s incarnation."

Liu Xing was taken aback, not expecting to trigger such a Hidden Side Objectives Mission. However, this mission came at the perfect time and reassured him. Even though NPCs could lie, the KP wouldn’t. So, Liu Xing was now certain that the black cat demon was on their side.

With that in mind, Liu Xing nodded and said, "Cat elder, if all goes as planned, I should have everything you want. However, we need the jade pendant to defeat Gu Master Chaxi. The collar and iron tag are not repaired yet, so I can only give you the Cold-Warm Jade and the black sphere for now."

Upon hearing Liu Xing’s words, the black cat demon raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "Looks like you still don’t fully trust me, kid. You have all the items I want, but you didn’t tell me. I understand your hesitation, though. I don’t blame you. Now, hand over those two items, and I’ll go rescue the old dragon."

Liu Xing nodded and went downstairs to retrieve the Cold-Warm Jade and the black sphere from Ling Ishikawa’s room. However, the black sphere was quite heavy, and it took him a while to bring it up to the rooftop.

Observing Liu Xing’s panting state, the black cat demon playfully placed its paw on the Cold-Warm Jade and the black sphere. The two items transformed into a white and a black fish, which were then sucked into the black cat demon’s mouth.

"Burp," the black cat demon belched, stretching lazily.

In Liu Xing’s eyes, the black cat demon’s demeanor had undergone a significant change, no longer resembling a cat but more like a cat demon.

"Alright, I’ll go rescue the old dragon now," the black cat demon said before disappearing on the spot.

Indeed, the black cat demon’s strength had significantly improved, increasing their chances of dealing with Gralki’s incarnation.

While contemplating this, Liu Xing leaned against the rooftop railing, monitoring the supermarket building.

After an uncertain amount of time, Liu Xing saw Ling Ishikawa returning on a tricycle. The supermarket building remained quiet, making him doubt whether Gu Master Chaxi would leave the building today.

After some time, Ling Ishikawa reached the rooftop.

"Leader, I’ve discussed with Hu Li. As soon as Gu Master Chaxi leaves the supermarket, she will come to us. She will be responsible for tracking Gu Master Chaxi’s movements," Ling Ishikawa reported.

Liu Xing nodded and pointed at the supermarket building, saying, "The problem is that it seems Gu Master Chaxi has no intention of leaving the supermarket right now. I wonder how long we’ll have to wait."

Before Liu Xing could finish his sentence, he saw Gu Master Chaxi walking out of the supermarket.

Liu Xing was left momentarily speechless.

Now that Gu Master Chaxi had come out, Liu Xing and Ling Ishikawa didn’t stay on the rooftop for long. They went downstairs to inform Zhang Jingxu and the others.

At that moment, Zhang Jingxu and the others had already put on their protective suits. However, due to the original materials used in the suits, they looked like they were cosplaying as animals.

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