Chapter 36: The Return Journey

“Is that even a question? Of course it's for you!” Yuan Yao was the first to speak. “If it weren't for you, let alone catching the Decapitator, whether we could even clear the stage would be a question.”

“Besides, we have an extra prize now. I definitely have no objection to giving it to you.”

Huang Junjie and Abel nodded in succession, while Liu Yuanyuan looked reluctant.

“This vote is public; every player can see who everyone else chose, and it follows the majority rule system,” Xu Huo said, reaching out his hand to signal Huang Junjie to return the lighter to him.

Without hesitation, Huang Junjie handed it over, along with Wang Wei's item as well.

Since Wang Wei died at his hands, the legacy should also be taken over by him. In anyone else's hands, this thread would be nothing more than a tough string.

What Xu Huo threw to Huang Junjie wasn't the "Arsonist's Tool," but the tattooed thug's lighter. After putting the string away, he lit a cigarette for himself and said, “Don't be in a rush, everyone. One by one. Even if we're short one or two people, the voting system still stands.”

Liu Yuanyuan frowned. “You're being too overbearing. Are you saying if we don't vote for you, you'll kill us?”

“I'm just giving a reminder,” Xu Huo said. “This is also one of the game rules. There might be many more opportunities to vote in the future.”

Beside them, Huang Junjie and his two companions shook their heads. After killing a dungeon BOSS and obtaining its item, how could such an opportunity come often?

“Brother Xu, don't bother with her. She's not a good person anyway. We'll just vote for you,” Yuan Yao said.

In the final vote of the five people, everyone chose Xu Huo, granting him the right to choose the exchange reward.

Facing everyone's gaze, Liu Yuanyuan said bluntly, “I have no problem voting for you, but that electric baton has to be mine.”

“You've already taken Li Zheng's and Wan Zhikang's items, and now you want Wang Wei's too? You weren't the one who killed Wang Wei!” Yuan Yao said unhappily.

“I put in the work regardless,” Liu Yuanyuan said, crossing her arms. “I deserve one item.”

Huang Junjie and Abel were also dissatisfied, but Xu Huo spoke up: “I can give it to you, but the extra item provided by the Villa Owner is not your share. Out of the hundred thousand white bills, you can only have ten thousand.”

Liu Yuanyuan's eyes darted around for a moment before she said through gritted teeth, “Fine!”

After they finished their discussion, several stacks of white bills and an insignia carved with a skull were placed on the ground.

Xu Huo picked up the insignia

【Curse Seal (Note: A single use can curse anyone's immediate family. Find the right opportunity to press the pattern; at least three people, including the target, will have their strength weakened in some aspect. The curse will not vanish until the pattern disappears. Please note that the direction and intensity of the curse depend on the situation. Do not use this on stronger players, otherwise, it will become your curse. Ah, it truly is a cursed seal.)】

After reading it, Xu Huo smiled and handed the seal to Huang Junjie and the others.

“This item is too useless. It's not even as good as that electric baton from before.”

Although Liu Yuanyuan hadn't looked at it, seeing the others' disdainful expressions, she immediately said, “I'm not swapping for that.”

Xu Huo took "The Queen's Mirror" and the "Loquacious Notebook" from Wang Wei's legacy. “Between these two items and the seal, you each pick one.”

"The Queen's Mirror" was a portable vanity mirror, palm-sized. Its function was to say "You are the most beautiful" or "You are the most handsome" into the mirror; for the next three minutes, anyone who saw you would automatically have a "filter" applied to your appearance.

The "Loquacious Notebook" was a shorthand notebook that could automatically write down everything said by everyone within a ten-meter radius for five minutes after being opened.

“You're being too polite,” Huang Junjie said, feeling the weight of the favor. “Actually, we didn't contribute much and we owe you a favor. Now we're taking your items... how about I just give you my share of the money instead?”

Yuan Yao nodded quickly; he chose the mirror.

“Then I'll take five thousand,” Xu Huo said, not refusing, and accepted the white bills from the three of them.

The Curse Seal was an unowned item, so Abel could directly add it to his item inventory. The remaining three items currently belonged to Xu Huo; although they were held by different people, only he could choose to discard them before others could claim them.

As soon as Liu Yuanyuan received her item, she impatiently pulled out her Return Ticket and vanished from before them in an instant.

“Is it okay to let her go like that?” Huang Junjie asked. “She is a Red Player.”

“The game is already over,” Xu Huo said. “Relax.”

Huang Junjie let out a long breath. “True. Players have no obligation to deal with Red Players.”

“Xu Huo, I hope I run into you again next time.” He shook hands with Xu Huo solemnly before exiting the dungeon.

Abel walked over holding the seal and said with a grin, “I'll give it a try.”

Xu Huo raised an eyebrow and extended his hand.

“I curse you to have less and less bad luck.” Abel stamped the seal on the back of his hand, and then he disappeared.

“Brother Xu, you must remember me,” Yuan Yao said earnestly while shaking his hand. “I'm just a programmer, you wouldn't understand, but remember me!”

Xu Huo nodded with a smile. Once Yuan Yao had also left, he carefully examined his own Return Ticket.

Although it was made of the same material as a train ticket, it only had a string of numbers on it: E27-014-A07.

Having no clues for the moment, he put the ticket away and went down the mountain to the small wooden cabin with a flashlight. He flipped open the previous woman's coat and used her own fingernails to scratch a few words into the inside of the garment, then reburied the body.

Brushing the dirt off his pants, he went to the nearby orchard, snapped off a plum branch to carry on his shoulder, and then used the Return Ticket.

*Beep—!* After a brief moment of blankness, the sound of a car horn rang in Xu Huo's ears. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in an alleyway. Under the bright lights was a familiar street environment—he had returned to the back alley of the inn where he had stayed before.

The phone showed the time was 10:30 PM; the nightlife was just beginning.

Just as he was about to walk away, his foot suddenly stepped on something neither soft nor hard. He picked it up and saw it was a bulging wallet.

*The power of a curse can be used like this?*

Xu Huo glanced at the black skull on the back of his hand, tucked the wallet away, and entered the inn.

Actors frequently came and went here, so the receptionist was unfazed by his appearance. Upon learning he was there to collect his things, the receptionist explained

“You wouldn't believe it, but a lot of strange things have been happening around here lately. Quite a few people have died, and then you suddenly vanished... I've brought all your things out, and your room has been cleared...”

“You must have joined a production crew, right? Look, this is so embarrassing. How about I open another room for you, free of charge?”

Xu Huo left the inn and found another hotel to check into.

After closing the door and washing up briefly, he opened his game panel

【Congratulations, Player Passerby A, on successfully clearing the "Decapitator" dungeon. Your performance during this dungeon has been rated as B-grade Excellence. You have one opportunity to choose an exchange reward. You may choose to obtain one instance of Characteristic Development Permission or one item. Would you like to make your selection now?】