Chapter 95: Dropping SAN Value

    The first time Jin Jiuchi noticed the change in his SAN Value, it was soon after he stepped into the temple grounds. Or to be exact, when his gaze fell on the ancient coffin on top of the stone platform.

    He could sense something from the depth of the coffin. Not quite a heartbeat, but a sign of life nonetheless. If he had to describe in words, it resembled a gentle vibration in the air, wave upon wave of indistinct melody that washed over his entire body, just like how whales communicate with each other in the deep sea. And if he were to concentrate further, he could almost discern the faint whisper of the wind brushing against his ears, murmuring enticingly, ’Come... come and take it back...’

    It was barely audible at first, only to grow louder and louder as the night deepened.

    It made him feel... peeved, like an invisible mosquito was buzzing non stop beside his ears, and before he knew it, his SAN Value continued to drop from the initial 62 to 47.

    Hugging the jade doll to himself like a body pillow, Jin Jiuchi became lost in thought. If he kept this up, he should be able to activate the Joker skill card, right? But what exactly would happen? And what did the ’transformation’ type mean?

    He should probably tell Shen Nianzu about this, shouldn’t he?

    Jin Jiuchi bowed his head to gaze at the jade doll who was sleeping soundly with his cheek pressed against his chest. A giddy smile graced his lips, feeling as if he was a child who had the best and most exquisite candy in his possession. He could not resist reaching out to trace the tip of his fingers over Shen Nianzu’s soft and fair cheek.

    "Nian’er..." He buried his face into the crook of Shen Nianzu’s neck and took a deep, deep inhale. The jade doll’s pure and alluring scent dominated his senses, causing him to swallow hard in response. "Nian’er, how can you smell so good? It makes me want to..."

    ’...eat," another voice, darker and more sinister, overtook his mind.

    In that split second, a swirl of black emerged from the depth of his silver eyes. His features began to distort, as the corner of his lips pulled back into a silent snarl. His canines grew bigger, and he opened his mouth wide—

    Jin Jiuchi snapped his gaze up sharply, sensing a subtle movement outside the tent.

    The black in his eyes receded like a tide as if it had never been there before, leaving him disoriented for a moment. ’Huh...?’ he tilted his head in confusion. ’What was I thinking again just now?’

    He felt like he had forgotten something crucial, but soon he could no longer think about it as a dark shadow drew near his tent.

    ***

    "Jiang Shun, Zhang Lei, and Xiao Shen..." Dance of the Wind – or Wind for short – recounted with her fingers.

    She had observed these three people all day and if JJ was really in this Cycle, then he could only be among them.

    Her initial suspicion fell on Jiang Shun, for none other than his arrogant personality as if he wished the whole world would bend along his wishes. However, her doubt wavered when that player approached her during the day, asking if she was JJ.

    Was he truly not JJ, or was this a tactic to divert her attention to someone else?

    She could not overlook Zhang Lei and Xiao Shen either. Both of them appeared mild and weak at a glance, but it did not rule out the possibility that JJ was just trying to keep a low profile. Left with no other choice, Wind could only wait until the night when everyone was in their most defenseless state.

    "Well," she murmured, shaking a tiny bottle of blue liquid in her hand. "If I can’t confirm who it is, I will just kill all of them. This is a mere low-level Cycle anyway."

    She had painstakingly pulled her connections before she managed to procure this small dose of poison. However, it was already enough to kill everyone in this Cycle. The poison would disseminate through the air and infiltrate their respiratory system quietly, killing them without a trace. Of course, Wind was the only one who had the antidote. She was confident that she could finish the task by herself and depart from this Cycle on the third day.

    Perfect plan, if she had to say.

    A sneer curled upon her lips, "Who told you to get in my way, JJ? The lives lost in this Cycle will be on you!"

    Ready to spring into action, Wind waited for a few more minutes to ensure that the players were deeply asleep before she crouched in front of her tent, carefully pulling the zipper down. Alas, her movements abruptly halted midway because at that moment, she caught sight of another person outside!

    Wind froze in place with bated breath, her gaze piercing through the tiny gap of her tent to the dark expanse of the desert beyond. Alas, as it was dark, she was unable to discern their features clearly until they came near.

    And imagined her surprise when she recognized that it was the NPC Anna, the very same person who had issued the task to them in the first place!

    But what was Anna doing here? And... was she heading towards Xiao Shen’s tent?!

    Wind strained her ears to catch the hushed conversation to no avail, for their voices were too soft and low. But soon after, she was caught by surprise again as she witnessed another person coming out of the tent, trailing behind Anna.

    W–Who was that?!

    She was positive that she had remembered each of the player’s characteristics, but this man... she had never seen him before! Where had he come from?

    Her keen eyes continued to track each and every movement of the man, taking in his towering and imposing stature. The men who were staying in the tents were only Fatty and Jiang Shun, but the man in front of her possessed a slim build and he was almost a head taller than Jiang Shun. She tried to get a closer look, but at that moment, as if he had eyes behind his head, the man sharply turned around and locked eyes with her!

    In an instant, Wind dropped to the ground and curled herself into a motionless ball, barely allowing her breath to escape. Her heart was thundering furiously behind her ribcage, as the last image imprinted in her mind was the chilling glare of those glowing eyes that definitely did not belong to a human.

    A nightmare creature...?

    But how could a nightmare creature come from the direction of the players’ tent? And why would Anna come looking for him?!

    Consumed by a whirlwind of questions, Wind stayed still for a few agonizing moments until she was certain that they had left the vicinity, before she sprung up and rushed out of her tent. No matter who it was, she had to chase after them and figure out what was going on!

    Alas, she had barely taken more than three steps when she sensed the wind shifting behind her. A sneak attack! Her reflex kicked in and she swiftly spun her body to evade, but it was already too late, for she would never stand a chance against the other person.

    Two thin silver needles sliced through the air with a speed invisible to naked eyes and pierced her arm, locking her movements in an instant. Wind’s eyes widened in sheer shock as her heart sank heavily to the pit of her stomach. H–How... How was this possible?! This speed and technique, even most Veteran players would not be able to achieve such precision!

    Damn it! She had let her guard down this time! Who was it? JJ?!

    Her heart thundered in her chest as she heard a series of soft footsteps approaching, before coming to a stop in front of her.

    Disbelief was etched on her features as she lowered her head to meet the frosty, ruthless eyes of a young boy.

    "So you have finally shown yourself," Shen Nianzu’s lips curved into a mirthless smile, his voice slightly shaky from the cold. "Dance of the Wind."