Chapter 239

**Chapter 239 – The Two Ends of The Balance Part 20**

Beating hearts in her chest thumped fiercely as if matching the sound of the monster’s footsteps on the ground with each beat.

Mennetoh walked in circles around the second-floor corridor of the tobacco factory, the distant footstep sounds gradually closing and then receding again in a continuous loop.

Kui Xin did not dare make any noise, but instead silently waited against the wall.

Perhaps because they were too close to danger and death, Kui Xin couldn’t help but think about what Su Rong, He Kangshi, Tang Guan, and Yu Hansue—who remained in the outer world—were doing right now. What would they do?

No matter what, she hoped they wouldn’t rashly enter the Dark Realm.

Fortunately, it wasn’t Tang Guan who had entered the Dark Realm.

If his symbiotic extraordinary abilities were also suppressed once he entered the Dark Realm, would the Faceless Ghost be able to manipulate his body?

Right now, Kui Xin’s own extraordinary abilities were rendered useless upon entering the Dark Realm. Her death cycle was likely to have failed; dying in the Dark Realm meant real death, with no chance of restoration. She felt somewhat relieved because, if fate was predetermined to end in death, at least she had already accomplished enough tasks beforehand.

The union of players was an inevitable trend. Even if “Black Snake” was missing from the forum, the remaining players would realize the urgency of the situation and spontaneously form teams to confront the disaster.

Actually, “Black Snake” was just a symbol created by Kui Xin using her own information, meant to draw all the players’ attention. This symbol could be questioned or doubted, but it must remain spotless. A tainted flag would cause players to mistrust one another and attack each other, ultimately causing mutual attrition.

Regrettably, Kui Xin was Black Snake, yet she had stains. The fact that she had killed multiple players was such a stain. Other players would not care about her reasons; they cared only about results. Humans were never truly rational.

Thus, Kui Xin needed to separate the identity of Removal #233 from that of “Black Snake.” Only Removal #233 would be reported, not Black Snake. Removal #233 could be a subordinate or collaborator of Black Snake, but must never be Black Snake himself.

That was why Kui Xin chose for He Kangshi to take on the role of Removal #233 and communicate with Augus.

If Kui Xin herself communicated with Augus, he might equate Black Snake and Removal #233 on the forum. If Augus knew this secret, he would inevitably stir up trouble.

In the eyes of those unaware of the truth, having a deranged removal officer as a leader would be unacceptable. However, a different approach would be to put the “Black Snake” title upfront, pulling Black Snake out of the series of Removals-killing-players incidents, and the players would accept it.

Humans were irrational and fragile.

To put it differently… “Black Snake” can be Removal #233, but Removal #233 certainly cannot be “Black Snake.”

Besides, “Black Snake” didn’t necessarily need to be played by Removal #233.

Black Snake could be someone else.

Even if Black Snake died, another Black Snake would emerge. This person could be Tang Guan, He Kangshi, Yu Hansue, Li Wanran or Song Tingshuan, anyone, as long as they played their part and assumed the role.

Kui Xin believed that all the players who arrived in Tonglin City with justice in mind were courageous despite their lack of rationality. When one banner falls, countless people will raise new ones.

What’s the purpose of life?

Kui Xin had also pondered this question before, but for this issue, she had never seriously considered it. She only lived in the present.

Not long ago, Tang Guan’s words had awakened her to some extent. She saw the First World as her home, fought hard for survival in the Second World, and thought that returning to the First World would bring peace, but reality struck hard in the face.

If the First World turned into something similar to the twisted state of the Second World, Kui Xin could not accept it. She absolutely could not accept that. She had released intelligence on the forum, guided the players, and done her best actions to prevent the collapse of her home into an unrecognizable state.

She would not let her world become another form.

*Boom…*

Mennetoh’s footsteps were getting closer, completing a full circle of the corridor and returning to its point of origin.

Afterwards, the terrifying footsteps disappeared.

In the oppressive silence, Kui Xin looked at her watch again. It was 9:07.

Mennetoh had exited at twenty-one, returned seven minutes later.

It did not attack nor discover Kui Xin or Augus. It was more of a routine patrol, turning a circle and leaving.

Kui Xin had a bizarre thought—one that Mennetoh had discovered her and Augus. But considering them insignificant, like ground ants, it ignored them.

She stepped out from behind the wall, gun in hand, moving slowly forward.

She circumnavigated a long wall, accurately dispelling various illusions to find a way out, then headed towards the location of Fang Zhi’s death.

This act was risky. The cessation of Mennetoh’s footsteps did not mean it had left.

But Kui Xin had to go out for confirmation.

Augus was still there, in the same place with her, holding a weapon that posed a massive threat.

Step by step, as she approached Fang Zhi’s death site, the fog around seemed to grow thicker. She heard faint sounds, reminiscent of a sleeping person’s murmur, quickly fading away.

She stepped further, and this time, the fog quickly scattered with the small movement.

Kui Xin’s breathing lightened.

A dark, black crevice extended through the air. Rather than a door, it looked like a closed eye, with dark material seemingly seeping out from the cracks.

Unconsciously, she took a step back, leaning backward, hard-pressed to move her gaze away.

The closed crack possessed a strange gravitational pull, drawing anyone near towards it. What lay inside?

Kui Xin held off from thinking. Mennetoh had departed, and the Dark Realm temporarily became safe.

From the earlier scenario, Mennetoh did not seem aggressive—yet, when Li Wanran and others sent items to conduct experiments within the Dark Realm, inside, the monster effortlessly pulled the experiment monkeys and robots in.

Not just Mennetoh, but ordinary strange creatures emerge as well. Could there be a pattern in their appearances? Also, what caused the restricted entry and exit issues? According to Li Wanran and others, the current characteristics of the Dark Realm are merely one-way entry, yet clearly, strange beings can come out freely.

Was it possible only special time points allowed exiting, such as Midnight Zero Point? Or was the Dark Realm itself inherently selective, allowing passage for only these beings?

Kui Xin retreated, hiding in another room.

Thinking for a few seconds, she clenched the gun and shouted out again, “Augus!”

“If you want bullets, come kill me!”

“Can’t you handle it?”

Upon finishing, Kui Xin immediately moved to a different hiding spot.

Three minutes passed without incident.

Pondering, she retrieved a deformed bullet head from her pocket, lowered her stance, and threw the bullet.

*Ding…*

Amidst the crisp sound, Kui Xin caught the friction of footsteps on the ground, almost as though someone had hastily turned around after hearing the sound, unable to notice actions before the sound occurred.

Augus was there!

Kui Xin decisively fired!

Bullets flew, smoke billowed. The noise of bullets being discharged was so loud that Kui Xin couldn’t discern if they hit the target.

Augus was quick as well and shot back! With limited ammunition, he refrained from wasteful shooting.

Yet, at the same moment he fired, Kui Xin pretended to be hit, uttering a cry of pain. She swiftly untied the rope on her arm, letting blood drip onto the ground, creating messy steps and blood trails.

She maintained a steady position, blood dripping down slowly into the ground. Once she ran far enough, she rewrapped her wound and switched hiding positions.

Kneeling in the shadows, Kui Xin held the gun steadily, tracking the blood trail.

This dark realm was a hazardous maze, Kui Xin knew its path, while the illusions were ineffective against her. However, Augus couldn’t overcome them.

Kui Xin pretended to be an injured prey, using blood to mark the trail, leading her hunter to catch her.

Hiding, she resembled a venomous snake coiled in a den, patiently waiting to strike the passing prey with her fangs.

She pretended to be wounded, and Augus placed himself as the predator. Kui Xin understood that Augus was a competitive, vengeful individual who wouldn’t miss a follow-up attack.

Waiting a bit more, she finally saw Augus appear.

Precautionary after his previous encounter, he hovered his finger over the trigger, refusing to let it fall.

He mimicked Kui Xin by throwing a deformed bullet, creating more sound. Kui Xin almost reflexively fired but recognized the noise and controlled herself.

Augus waited half a minute before continuing along the blood trail.

Reaching the trail’s end, he hesitated about shooting, unsure of the outcome. Before he made up his mind, Kui Xin attacked!

Emerging from the mist, she slid to knock down Augus.

Augus fell, and Kui Xin kicked toward him. She tried to knock away his gun, but he held it tight, resisting her.

Shifting strategy, Kui Xin rose off the ground, launching herself atop Augus, pinning down his gun under her, then shifting to a side pose and hitting his groin with a knee.

Augus groaned and raised his gun with force, but Kui Xin’s weight severely affected his movements, causing a miss.

Taking advantage, Kui Xin grabbed his hand, pressing the trigger repeatedly until he discharged the empty magazine with a click!

Scared, Augus started to react but was too late. Kui Xin struck his face brutally, nearly blinding him.

Before he could retaliate, Kui Xin rolled away, raising her gun to fire four rapid shots at Augus:

*Bam!*

The consecutive sounds almost merged together. Each bullet hit precisely Augus’ arms and legs, spraying blood that stained the floor red.

Exhausted, Augus lifted his hand, but Kui Xin kept shooting additional rounds into his limbs, aiming to immobilize his joints, rendering him helpless.

She avoided crucial areas with every shot.

Lying blood-spattered and white-faced on the floor, Augus lost any remaining mobility.

Kui Xin laid down her gun, squatting next to Augus, examining his bleeding limbs.

“You’re younger than I imagined,” Augus said abruptly.

“You’re dumber than I imagined,” she countered.

“You kill me and you’ll learn nothing. You’re too scared to target my organs, only daring to shoot at my limbs… You’re afraid of me dying and losing my information.”

For a moment, Kui Xin stared silently, tearing off the coat from Augus, using the torn cloth to stop the bleeding.

“Ha…” Augus laughed, “So, you really won’t let me die…”

“No. Escaping the Dark Realm isn’t what matters most. Your sole purpose is to survive until midnight.”

“You’re a test subject, Augus.” She tapped his cheek with the gun.

“You came here to make a choice, right? Let me see the results.”

Each player has two bodies. Kui Xin knows their choice will affect gameplay and future plans. Moreover, Augus might have guessed correctly—she indeed fears killing him because he is an important anchor.

“Are you not afraid of death? Or staying here forever?” Looking at Kui Xin, Augus paused at the wound on her arm, “Monsters will return at midnight. If you survive, you will either collapse from exhaustion or starving amidst endless chase and battle… Are you not scared of me choosing to kill you?”

“You’re threatening with death? And don’t act innocent; I know you’re knowledgeable but not entirely familiar with the Dark Realm rules. You’re unfamiliar with navigating this maze.”

Kicking him, she continued, “I’m not named ‘Maiyi’, Augus. That’s a false name.”

Knowing she could die anytime, she still had things to complete and truths to uncover.

Kui Xin examined her pocket watch, cleaning and winding it.

Ticking hands marked seconds.

As the tension mounted, Midnight Zero Point arrived. The black opening emerged at the site of Fang Zhi’s demise.

Mennetoh dragged tentacles through the doorway, yet simultaneously, the Dark Realm altered mysteriously—fog dissipating, vision fading, Kui Xin collapsing onto the ground.

On Augus’s face, a joyful expression surged, the thought uninvited to his mind: “Here… Now…”

Highly suspending the scales, a shadow appeared, questioning, “Ruby or Sapphire?”

Augus’s mind was affirmed.

His expression complex, “Ruby.”

The shadow dissipated.

With a sudden transformation, Augus’s bloody figure dissolved into dust and dispersed, blending into the Dark Realm.

On the lower floor of the tobacco factory, overlapping with the nuclear waste treatment area, another fallen Augus opened his eyes.

Springing up, he sprinted to the second floor, reaching the place where his First World body vanished.

Kui Xin’s body was there too.

Touching it, he found only an illusion. The surrounding wires were tangible, walls solid, except for Kui Xin’s body.

DarkRealm’s illusions have directionality—the first world sees the second, but the second does not see back.

Except for players who uniquely witness the illusion.

“Indeed…” Dropping his gaze, he surveyed the surroundings, “I can’t kill her here.”

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in White Whale City, Kui Xin’s eyes opened,

“Adam!”

“Meeting again pleases me, Kui Xin,” Adam replied, “Is something urgent? You seem quite agitated.”