Chapter Twelve: Game Over

These few people first checked the time, then Zheng Xicheng picked up the machete and walked toward me. “Without the Ghost King’s game, you and I would surely be good brothers. There’s nothing I can do. Just consider it as me owing you a life,” he said.

I hadn’t expected Zheng Xicheng to say such words to me—it seemed he wasn’t completely ruled by fear yet.

The beam of the flashlight shone on the machete, making it gleam. Zheng Xicheng raised the blade high.

This was the moment I’d been waiting for.

I gathered all the strength I’d been storing up and kicked forward with all my might.

“Ah, damn!” Zheng Xicheng cried out in pain, unable to hold the machete, which slipped from his grasp and crashed to the floor.

“Hurry, kill him!” Zheng Xicheng fell back onto the ground, directing Zhao Wenhao and the silent Wei Xinghe.

Seizing the opportunity before anyone could react, I freed myself from the ropes, snatched up the machete Zheng Xicheng had dropped, and ran in the opposite direction.

“Catch him—” Zheng Xicheng’s words were cut off. Suddenly, the veins on his face bulged, and he clutched his chest with both hands, his expression twisted in agony, unable to utter another word.

Moments later, he died completely.

“Zheng Xicheng failed to finish the game within the allotted time. The Hunter role will be transferred to Wei Xinghe.”

By now, I had already run far away and sent Chu Yao a quick message.

“Where are you? I’ll come find you…”

She replied instantly: “In the dining hall. I’m so scared…”

I put away the gleaming machete and dashed toward the dining hall.

Now, both Wei Xinghe and Zhao Wenhao were at the basketball court, and Wei Xinghe was the new Hunter. There was a possibility he might target Zhao Wenhao.

After this ordeal, I felt my physical strength had improved remarkably in a short span of time. Although I was tired from running so far, it was nothing compared to how I’d felt before.

Soon, I reached the dining hall.

Inside, it was even darker than outside. All the chairs were stacked neatly atop the tables, and under the moonlight, the scene was more eerie than ever. I couldn’t understand why Chu Yao would choose such a place to hide; even I felt uneasy, let alone a girl.

“Chu Yao?” I called softly from the doorway.

My voice echoed through the dining hall, but apart from that, there was no other sound.

I was just about to send her another message when a girl crouched and slowly emerged from the kitchen.

“Lin Yao?” Chu Yao’s voice was full of fear and grievance.

It wasn’t until she came close that I could see her face clearly.

I didn’t know what she had gone through during that time, but I saw her bright eyes—like oceans filled with stars—now swollen and red from crying.

I said nothing, only feeling a pang of guilt and discomfort in my heart.

I took her hand and led her out of the dining hall. We found a spot nearby and sat down.

There was still no news from the Ghost King in the group chat, which meant Wei Xinghe likely hadn’t targeted Zhao Wenhao yet.

This made things complicated. If the two of them joined forces against me, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

So, I accompanied Chu Yao, walking up and down the steps together for a long time. Even as the game was about to end, there was no new message.

Just as I was lost in thought, a scream echoed from afar—“Ah, ah, ah, ah!”

Since it was far away, I couldn’t tell who had screamed. By now, it was too late to run over; all I could do was quietly wait for the outcome.

“Lin Yao, do you think we’re all going to die?” Chu Yao asked, her head bowed, drawing circles on the steps with her delicate finger.

“Probably not…” I replied, though I wasn’t certain. At the current rate of deaths, in less than a month, there would be few classmates left from both classes. What would the Ghost King do then?

“Wei Xinghe has completed his task.”

The phone buzzed, startling me. Now, any sound from my phone felt like a sentence of judgment.

“Wei Xinghe is dead. The game is over.”

Then, another message from the Ghost King arrived, leaving me utterly dumbfounded.

Both had died at the same time. What happened?

Unable to suppress my curiosity, I said to Chu Yao, “Come on, let’s go take a look.”

Without waiting for her reply, I headed toward where the scream had come from. Chu Yao, her spirits lifted, followed closely behind.

We arrived at a spot near the flowerbed, not far from the basketball court.

Though I’d seen many deaths these past days, the scene before me still made my stomach churn.

It seemed the two had fought fiercely. Wei Xinghe had a dagger plunged into his abdomen, the wound gaping wide, with internal organs spilling out, emitting a foul stench.

Zhao Wenhao fared no better—a machete identical to Zheng Xicheng’s was buried deep in his neck. Another slight movement, and Zhao Wenhao’s head would surely be separated.

Unable to bear the sight, I turned and walked toward the school gate.

“Um… thank you for today,” Chu Yao suddenly grabbed my hand as we reached the gate.

“Thank you for helping me today…”

I stared at her playfully, saying nothing. Chu Yao’s face flushed red to her neck as she fiddled shyly, twirling in place.

“Alright, hurry home,” I chuckled softly, bidding her farewell at the corner before strolling leisurely toward my house.

It was already past four in the morning when another message arrived from the Ghost King.

“Tomorrow, everyone except Lin Yao and Chu Yao must return to school to continue the game.”

The Ghost King still had some shred of conscience, granting me a day off.

All the gloom from before vanished, replaced by an overwhelming joy.

A gentle breeze brushed my face, clearing my mind. I lit a cigarette, savoring this hard-won, fleeting freedom.