Chapter 580: Chu Mo Island (45)

Chapter 580: Chu Mo Island (45)

To the west of the Crystal Labyrinth lies the Sea-Watching Reef.

This narrow stretch of beach meets the sea at a jagged line of black rocks. Among them stands a striking five-meter-high boulder shaped eerily like a human skull, facing the ocean with its hollow gaze.

This skull-shaped rock gives the reef its name—"Sea-Watching Reef."

Outside the Crystal Labyrinth, the true sky is visible. Here, at this moment, the sun dips westward in a crimson descent.

Creaky creaky—

The metallic groan of turning axles heralds an approaching tricycle.

"Long time no see…" Bi Li stops his cart beside the boulder and calls out.

A solitary figure stands on the reef, back turned, watching the sunset.

Without turning, the man replies coldly, "A rare guest indeed… Here to rescue your brother from the island again?"

"Already done", Bi Li answers, pointing with a small wave of his arm toward the direction he came. "See? He’s waiting for me over there."

The man on the boulder glances sideways at Bi Er, who stands a few hundred meters away, wearing a @ _ @ face and aimlessly scanning the horizon.

"Hmph… What’s that with him? A Fear Leaf-wrapped Zongzi?" the man smirks.

"Right. Stuffed with Can Mu’s meat", Bi Li replies.

"Whatever", the man shrugs indifferently. "State your purpose."

"Sigh… Nothing like new clothes, but old friends are irreplaceable…" Bi Li sighs wistfully. "Can’t I just visit an old acquaintance? Must there be another reason?" He pauses. "Xing Shi, we studied under the same master. We’re senior and junior disciples, aren’t we? Why this hostility?"

"Cut the crap!" Xing Shi snaps, cutting him off. He spins around, glaring at Bi Li.

"You make me angry just looking at you", he growls. "I’ll never forget what that old bastard said before he banished me: ‘You’re just a sadist, but Bi Li is an artist. You bring pain, but he brings redemption.’ Hmph… What a grave insult."

As he speaks, he lightly leaps down to stand before the tricycle.

Up close, this Xingzu Clan god’s appearance is nearly human. Standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, with a medium build and pale skin, he has long gray hair cascading over his shoulders. His face is stern—broad forehead, wide jaw, thick lips, and a strong chin. His most striking features are his bushy, Mexican-style curled mustache and cold, narrow eyes under a furrowed brow.

"What that old man never imagined…" Xing Shi continues, "is that years later, I’d become a god in the multiverse, the right-hand man of the time lord, and the chief architect of Chu Mo Island. And you? Just a chaotic scoundrel, a fugitive. Even before your escape, you were merely a Juror in the Tribunal of Truth." He smirks. "Now that’s irony."

"I… truly came only to visit you", Bi Li says. "Why dredge up old wounds?"

"Ha!" Xing Shi cuts in, stroking his mustache and looking down at Bi Li. "Is that so? I never thought we’d be the sort to visit each other. Though we studied under the same master, we’ve never walked the same path. Even your idiot brother sees that."

"Watch your words", Bi Li’s tone sharpens.

"Ahh… Sorry", Xing Shi bends down, his face inches from Bi Li’s. "Your brother isn’t an idiot… he’s a big idiot."

"One hundred years apart, and your talent for annoying people’s only grown", Bi Li says darkly, his eyes flashing with a murderous glint.

Yet… he holds back.

"Hmph… Forget it", Bi Li suddenly retracts his killing intent, calming his voice. "Your time’s short anyway."

"What?" Xing Shi straightens, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"Hehehe…" Bi Li chuckles. "You’ll know soon enough." With that, he turns his cart and pedals toward Bi Er.

"What’s this nonsense?" Xing Shi mutters, then shouts after him, "Is that all you came to say? What’s the point? What do you mean?"

Bi Li doesn’t answer. Without turning, he calls back, "Whether you appreciate it or not, out of old ties, I’ll give you two pieces of advice. First, don’t trust appearances. Second, never underestimate the one even better than you at making enemies."

…

Back to the players.

After leaving their rest spot, Feng Bu Jue and his party stroll slowly for another hour.

During this time, the glow from the surrounding crystals dims steadily until it fades entirely. The sky above them, reflecting Chu Mo Island, turns pitch black.

Not unexpected. To Feng Bu Jue, ever prepared for the worst, this is routine.

But worse follows darkness—

Unknown when, a single eye appears in the black sky.

Yes, a single eye, not a pair.

A white giant eye, its socket and white glowing like flickering white flames, its pupil an amber vertical slit.

Every creature in the Crystal Labyrinth—including players—feels its gaze, no matter where they stand or how they tilt their heads.

At first, the four players tense, fearing the eye might unleash beams. But after minutes of observation, it remains still, likely just a system ploy to pressure them.

"Say… This silence is getting too thick", Brother Horse, in the middle of the group, mutters.

"Actually, it’s been this quiet all day", Hong Hu, bringing up the rear, replies. "But in daylight, we rely on sight more, so you didn’t notice."

"Speaking of sight…" Ji Bu, at the front, adds, "Could that sky eye be the ‘Eye of Watching’? (Earlier, Feng Bu Jue learned all four guardians’ names from Fu Ling and shared them.)"

"Not necessarily", Feng Bu Jue, leading, half-jokingly glances back. "Maybe it’s Sauron with cataracts, or just an eye-shaped prop."

"Here we go… Finished with Journey to the West references, now into Lord of the Rings?" Ji Bu squints. "Countless homoerotic jokes about Frodo and Sam are brewing on your lips, aren’t they!"

"Just cracking jokes to lighten the mood", Feng Bu Jue says. "We’ve wandered aimlessly for an hour with nothing. This oppressive atmosphere dulls focus."

"Your rambling’s what’s dulling our focus", Ji Bu counters.

"Heh…" Feng Bu Jue smirks, sweeping a glance at his teammates. "Didn’t you begin rambling before I spoke? Perhaps you haven’t noticed… The environment’s already affecting you. Since the dark began, the longest silence between you lasted just three minutes. Think back carefully… Every three minutes, you blurt out meaningless chatter to ease tension. Because… in sustained silence, darkness and quiet unravel your thoughts, amplifying fear."

"So you’re saying you’re immune to darkness and quiet?" Ji Bu retorts.

"Well… Hehehe…" Feng Bu Jue uses his signature creepy chuckle, dodging the question.

"Alright, I get your point", Hong Hu cuts in. "In short… Silence breeds overthinking. Too much talk distracts. Balanced conversation maintains mental clarity."

"Exactly", Feng Bu Jue nods. "So better to chat every two minutes…"

Suddenly, he halts mid-sentence, stopping in his tracks.

"Hey", Feng Bu Jue’s tone shifts. He sees something ahead. "Up there… seems something’s moving…"

The team hurries forward.

Together, they follow the artificial light of their Composite Anti-Gravity Launcher, spotting a black shadow swaying in the wind.

The silhouette hangs midair, a rope around its neck. From afar, players see only a human outline, unclear details. But they know, per this game’s usual patterns, approaching will trigger terror.

"This isn’t a suicide hanging, right?" Brother Horse whispers.

"How do you know?" Ji Bu whispers back.

"No stool at its feet", Brother Horse replies.

"That’s normal", Feng Bu Jue muses, stroking his chin. "Its feet hover two meters from the ground. Did it hang itself on a lifeguard chair? Also, look at the rope—tied directly to the crystal above, not looped over and knotted. So two possibilities. One: suicide. Climb the crystal pillar, loop rope around neck, tie the other end, jump. Two: murder… Many possibilities there."

"Enough already!" Hong Hu hisses, cutting their nonsense. "Now’s the time for deduction? Suicide or murder? The method’s irrelevant! Clearly a triggerable event! Focus!"

"Fair", Feng Bu Jue straightens. "Alright, I’ll scout ahead. You wait here."

"Huh… Facing this eerie scene, you volunteer?" Ji Bu asks.

"Heh, what’s so scary? Just a hanging corpse", Feng Bu Jue shrugs.

"Brave!" Tian Ma Xing Kong, with his bold eyebrows and large eyes, pats Feng Bu Jue’s shoulder.

"Oh? You say ‘brave’~?" Feng Bu Jue turns, eyeing Brother Horse slyly.

"Y-yeah… Forget I said it…" Tian Ma Xing Kong instinctively senses a plot.

But Feng Bu Jue won’t let him off.

He places a hand on Tian Ma Xing Kong’s shoulder, shoving him forward. "Great! A hero braver than me! Surely you’re eager to charge ahead with a weapon! We’ll cover you from behind!"

"Your lines sound familiar… Why am I going first—?" Brother Horse’s protest ends as he’s shoved forward.

He doesn’t resist. After a few natural exchanges, he’s now the vanguard.

Fufu… fufu…

The hanging corpse sways, emitting faint sounds. Like wind through clothes… or taut rope creaking.

The noise grows louder with each step closer.

After twenty steps, Tian Ma Xing Kong can no longer hear his teammates’ breaths or whispers. Only the corpse’s eerie sounds and his own breathing remain.

"Phew… It’s just a dead body", he slows his pace, muttering. "In Terrifying Paradise, I’ve seen a hundred dead bodies—eighty at least. Hanging corpses in movies? A hundred times, eighty at least. What’s to fear…?" His words turn self-assuring. "A hero shouldn’t retreat now…"

After another twenty steps, Brother Horse nears the target—under five meters.

Though the corpse’s face hides under hair, Tian Ma Xing Kong keeps his flashlight aimed at its head. A strange intuition warns him: if he turns off the light, the corpse will peek at him.

Chapter 580: Chu Mo Island (45)

To the west of the Crystal Labyrinth lies the Sea-Watching Reef.

This narrow stretch of beach meets the sea at a jagged line of black rocks. Among them stands a striking five-meter-high boulder shaped eerily like a human skull, facing the ocean with its hollow gaze.

This skull-shaped rock gives the reef its name—"Sea-Watching Reef."

Outside the Crystal Labyrinth, the true sky is visible. Here, at this moment, the sun dips westward in a crimson descent.

Creaky creaky—

The metallic groan of turning axles heralds an approaching tricycle.

"Long time no see…" Bi Li stops his cart beside the boulder and calls out.

A solitary figure stands on the reef, back turned, watching the sunset.

Without turning, the man replies coldly, "A rare guest indeed… Here to rescue your brother from the island again?"

"Already done", Bi Li answers, pointing with a small wave of his arm toward the direction he came. "See? He’s waiting for me over there."

The man on the boulder glances sideways at Bi Er, who stands a few hundred meters away, wearing a @ _ @ face and aimlessly scanning the horizon.

"Hmph… What’s that with him? A Fear Leaf-wrapped Zongzi?" the man smirks.

"Right. Stuffed with Can Mu’s meat", Bi Li replies.

"Whatever", the man shrugs indifferently. "State your purpose."

"Sigh… Nothing like new clothes, but old friends are irreplaceable…" Bi Li sighs wistfully. "Can’t I just visit an old acquaintance? Must there be another reason?" He pauses. "Xing Shi, we studied under the same master. We’re senior and junior disciples, aren’t we? Why this hostility?"

"Cut the crap!" Xing Shi snaps, cutting him off. He spins around, glaring at Bi Li.

"You make me angry just looking at you", he growls. "I’ll never forget what that old bastard said before he banished me: ‘You’re just a sadist, but Bi Li is an artist. You bring pain, but he brings redemption.’ Hmph… What a grave insult."

As he speaks, he lightly leaps down to stand before the tricycle.

Up close, this Xingzu Clan god’s appearance is nearly human. Standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, with a medium build and pale skin, he has long gray hair cascading over his shoulders. His face is stern—broad forehead, wide jaw, thick lips, and a strong chin. His most striking features are his bushy, Mexican-style curled mustache and cold, narrow eyes under a furrowed brow.

"What that old man never imagined…" Xing Shi continues, "is that years later, I’d become a god in the multiverse, the right-hand man of the time lord, and the chief architect of Chu Mo Island. And you? Just a chaotic scoundrel, a fugitive. Even before your escape, you were merely a Juror in the Tribunal of Truth." He smirks. "Now that’s irony."

"I… truly came only to visit you", Bi Li says. "Why dredge up old wounds?"

"Ha!" Xing Shi cuts in, stroking his mustache and looking down at Bi Li. "Is that so? I never thought we’d be the sort to visit each other. Though we studied under the same master, we’ve never walked the same path. Even your idiot brother sees that."

"Watch your words", Bi Li’s tone sharpens.

"Ahh… Sorry", Xing Shi bends down, his face inches from Bi Li’s. "Your brother isn’t an idiot… he’s a big idiot."

"One hundred years apart, and your talent for annoying people’s only grown", Bi Li says darkly, his eyes flashing with a murderous glint.

Yet… he holds back.

"Hmph… Forget it", Bi Li suddenly retracts his killing intent, calming his voice. "Your time’s short anyway."

"What?" Xing Shi straightens, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"Hehehe…" Bi Li chuckles. "You’ll know soon enough." With that, he turns his cart and pedals toward Bi Er.

"What’s this nonsense?" Xing Shi mutters, then shouts after him, "Is that all you came to say? What’s the point? What do you mean?"

Bi Li doesn’t answer. Without turning, he calls back, "Whether you appreciate it or not, out of old ties, I’ll give you two pieces of advice. First, don’t trust appearances. Second, never underestimate the one even better than you at making enemies."

…

Back to the players.

After leaving their rest spot, Feng Bu Jue and his party stroll slowly for another hour.

During this time, the glow from the surrounding crystals dims steadily until it fades entirely. The sky above them, reflecting Chu Mo Island, turns pitch black.

Not unexpected. To Feng Bu Jue, ever prepared for the worst, this is routine.

But worse follows darkness—

Unknown when, a single eye appears in the black sky.

Yes, a single eye, not a pair.

A white giant eye, its socket and white glowing like flickering white flames, its pupil an amber vertical slit.

Every creature in the Crystal Labyrinth—including players—feels its gaze, no matter where they stand or how they tilt their heads.

At first, the four players tense, fearing the eye might unleash beams. But after minutes of observation, it remains still, likely just a system ploy to pressure them.

"Say… This silence is getting too thick", Brother Horse, in the middle of the group, mutters.

"Actually, it’s been this quiet all day", Hong Hu, bringing up the rear, replies. "But in daylight, we rely on sight more, so you didn’t notice."

"Speaking of sight…" Ji Bu, at the front, adds, "Could that sky eye be the ‘Eye of Watching’? (Earlier, Feng Bu Jue learned all four guardians’ names from Fu Ling and shared them.)"

"Not necessarily", Feng Bu Jue, leading, half-jokingly glances back. "Maybe it’s Sauron with cataracts, or just an eye-shaped prop."

"Here we go… Finished with Journey to the West references, now into Lord of the Rings?" Ji Bu squints. "Countless homoerotic jokes about Frodo and Sam are brewing on your lips, aren’t they!"

"Just cracking jokes to lighten the mood", Feng Bu Jue says. "We’ve wandered aimlessly for an hour with nothing. This oppressive atmosphere dulls focus."

"Your rambling’s what’s dulling our focus", Ji Bu counters.

"Heh…" Feng Bu Jue smirks, sweeping a glance at his teammates. "Didn’t you begin rambling before I spoke? Perhaps you haven’t noticed… The environment’s already affecting you. Since the dark began, the longest silence between you lasted just three minutes. Think back carefully… Every three minutes, you blurt out meaningless chatter to ease tension. Because… in sustained silence, darkness and quiet unravel your thoughts, amplifying fear."

"So you’re saying you’re immune to darkness and quiet?" Ji Bu retorts.

"Well… Hehehe…" Feng Bu Jue uses his signature creepy chuckle, dodging the question.

"Alright, I get your point", Hong Hu cuts in. "In short… Silence breeds overthinking. Too much talk distracts. Balanced conversation maintains mental clarity."

"Exactly", Feng Bu Jue nods. "So better to chat every two minutes…"

Suddenly, he halts mid-sentence, stopping in his tracks.

"Hey", Feng Bu Jue’s tone shifts. He sees something ahead. "Up there… seems something’s moving…"

The team hurries forward.

Together, they follow the artificial light of their Composite Anti-Gravity Launcher, spotting a black shadow swaying in the wind.

The silhouette hangs midair, a rope around its neck. From afar, players see only a human outline, unclear details. But they know, per this game’s usual patterns, approaching will trigger terror.

"This isn’t a suicide hanging, right?" Brother Horse whispers.

"How do you know?" Ji Bu whispers back.

"No stool at its feet", Brother Horse replies.

"That’s normal", Feng Bu Jue muses, stroking his chin. "Its feet hover two meters from the ground. Did it hang itself on a lifeguard chair? Also, look at the rope—tied directly to the crystal above, not looped over and knotted. So two possibilities. One: suicide. Climb the crystal pillar, loop rope around neck, tie the other end, jump. Two: murder… Many possibilities there."

"Enough already!" Hong Hu hisses, cutting their nonsense. "Now’s the time for deduction? Suicide or murder? The method’s irrelevant! Clearly a triggerable event! Focus!"

"Fair", Feng Bu Jue straightens. "Alright, I’ll scout ahead. You wait here."

"Huh… Facing this eerie scene, you volunteer?" Ji Bu asks.

"Heh, what’s so scary? Just a hanging corpse", Feng Bu Jue shrugs.

"Brave!" Tian Ma Xing Kong, with his bold eyebrows and large eyes, pats Feng Bu Jue’s shoulder.

"Oh? You say ‘brave’~?" Feng Bu Jue turns, eyeing Brother Horse slyly.

"Y-yeah… Forget I said it…" Tian Ma Xing Kong instinctively senses a plot.

But Feng Bu Jue won’t let him off.

He places a hand on Tian Ma Xing Kong’s shoulder, shoving him forward. "Great! A hero braver than me! Surely you’re eager to charge ahead with a weapon! We’ll cover you from behind!"

"Your lines sound familiar… Why am I going first—?" Brother Horse’s protest ends as he’s shoved forward.

He doesn’t resist. After a few natural exchanges, he’s now the vanguard.

Fufu… fufu…

The hanging corpse sways, emitting faint sounds. Like wind through clothes… or taut rope creaking.

The noise grows louder with each step closer.

After twenty steps, Tian Ma Xing Kong can no longer hear his teammates’ breaths or whispers. Only the corpse’s eerie sounds and his own breathing remain.

"Phew… It’s just a dead body", he slows his pace, muttering. "In Terrifying Paradise, I’ve seen a hundred dead bodies—eighty at least. Hanging corpses in movies? A hundred times, eighty at least. What’s to fear…?" His words turn self-assuring. "A hero shouldn’t retreat now…"

After another twenty steps, Brother Horse nears the target—under five meters.

Though the corpse’s face hides under hair, Tian Ma Xing Kong keeps his flashlight aimed at its head. A strange intuition warns him: if he turns off the light, the corpse will peek at him.

(End of Chapter)(End of Chapter)

Chapter end