Chapter 92: Hunter's Island (Part One)
Chapter 92: Hunter’s Island (Part One)
This scenario is adapted from Richard Connell’s short story The Most Dangerous Game. Any similarities are purely intentional.
…
A deep male voice echoed: “Welcome to Terrifying Paradise.”
[Loading complete; you are now in Team Survival Mode (Common).]
[This mode provides a scenario overview, with chances to trigger side quests/hidden tasks and special world views.]
[Scenario Clearance Reward: 80% bonus on base experience upon completion.]
[Scenario briefing will now play. Game starts immediately after completion.]
The opening cutscene began. The screen was dim, the camera slightly shaky, with sounds of rushing water and an engine in the background—clearly the deck of a ship.
The system voice narrated: [Tropical humid night wraps your luxury yacht in suffocating darkness.]
[You are an elite hunter. Through the velvet-black night, your sharp instincts detect an island to starboard.]
[The captain warned you: old nautical charts mark this place as the “Ship Trap.” Sailors gave it this ominous name, fearing it so deeply they speak of it only in whispers.]
[One superstitious crewman can infect an entire ship. A crew on edge means disaster.]
[Your ship sank. You swam toward the island, a solitary soul battling the waves until jagged rocks greeted your exhausted hands. You crawled ashore, bleeding, blistered, and dragged yourself up a cliff face. Your final breath of effort brought you to a plateau, where dense jungle swallowed the cliff’s edge. Too weak to go further, you collapsed into sleep.]
[When you woke, the sun’s position marked it as afternoon. At the jungle’s edge, you found human footprints in the mud. You followed them through the trees to a castle atop a sheer cliff—the island’s heart.]
[Now… night falls once more over sea and jungle.]
With that, players officially entered the scenario.
Five players stood at the stone steps leading to the castle. Under starlit skies, the open area needed no artificial illumination.
Si Yu stood beside Feng Bu Jue, her outfit swapped to a black form-fitting cotton vest and matching tactical pants. The pants had multiple utility pockets, and the sleeveless design allowed free movement. A black fingerless glove covered her right hand—her sword arm—while the bare left suggested deliberate design.
Though the pants hid leg contours, Feng Bu Jue noted her figure: a waist slim enough to span, contrasting sharply with her ample curves. Yet in VR games, female players often exaggerated such traits. Si Yu, at least, had toned hers down.
Of the other three, one was a female player: [Caibupainotafraid], Level 16, with the title [Hide and Seek]. She wore a light blue medieval-style wizard robe, its hem grazing her knees, paired with thigh-high white silk stockings and knee-high boots. Since the game banned skirts, she’d chosen a woolen short-shorts beneath—a compromise revealing her thighs.
Appearance-wise, she looked eighteen or nineteen: fair skin, delicate brows, large eyes, a small nose, and lips like rose petals. Slender Irl, she’d become a goddess here. But her cutesy nickname, title, and outfit made Feng Bu Jue suspect he’d been scammed.
The remaining two were male players, likely a duo. Both Level 15: [Yi Jien Qingcheng] with the title [Novice Swordsman], and [Yi Dao Qingcheng] titled [Newcomer Blade Sect]. Both in their twenties, they wore identical green-cotton martial artist outfits and messy long hair cascading past their necks—the archetypal wandering swordsmen.
Feng Bu Jue thought of Pan Feng and Hua Xiong. These two probably planned their in-game goals from the start.
The tragedy of such players? If they later shifted to archery or healing roles, their names would clash absurdly with their builds.
Among the five, Feng Bu Jue and Si Yu had lower levels but eye-catching titles: [Cold-Blooded Headhunter] and [Merciless Decapitator].
Si Yu’s killer stare and standoffish aura fit her title—strangers might assume she was an unattractive “basement dweller” compensating with stats.
Feng Bu Jue, though… didn’t look the part. The others sized him up: He didn’t even alter his avatar’s default looks. No gear upgrades at Level 15? Boring outfit, skinny build, and that meaningless nickname… Yet he’s got a terrifying title. Is he hiding strength? Or is he just a creep?
Small talk began as each judged the others.
“Wow!” Caibupai suddenly gasped, pointing at the brothers’ guild badges. “You’re from the famous [Jianghu Guild]?”
“Heh… Not really,” Yi Jien replied, though his grin screamed otherwise.
Feng Bu Jue glanced at their badges—a white cloud with “Jianghu” calligraphy. A studio-backed guild, he recalled. On the Guild Leaderboards, Jianghu ranked 17th in Comprehensive Strength and 11th in Combat Power.
Yet these two? Likely common recruits, not core members. True studio players wouldn’t be stuck at Level 15. And their lackluster titles suggested no elite backing.
But Caibupai’s knowledge intrigued him. Most players only remembered guilds in the top five. Her reaction could mean three things:
1) She’s a studio-class player.
2) A high-level veteran with an elephant’s memory.
3) A fraud feigning admiration.
Her title [Hide and Seek] sealed Feng Bu Jue’s suspicion. Leaning toward Si Yu, he whispered, “Split from them at the first chance. Especially avoid Caibupai.”
Si Yu met his gaze, nodded, and murmured, “Understood.”
Their lips barely moved; the others noticed nothing.
Caibupai continued fawning over the guild members, her flattery inflating their egos. Neither were studio-tier—just fresh recruits. Yet her praise made them preen: Compared to Feng Bu Jue, who can’t afford gear, we’re kings!
Human psychology thrives on fragile hierarchies. In small groups, especially around appealing strangers, people cling to perceived superiority—even if it’s an illusion masking insecurity.
Minutes later, a creaking door shattered the tension. Light spilled from the castle as a towering man emerged, revolver in hand. His black beard trailed to his waist, his frame massive, his presence unmistakably hostile.
(End of Chapter)
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