Chapter 178: Dark Boundless Realm 33
“When Remover 4 first started killing, the forum was already discussing him. I didn’t open the forum at that time, so I had no idea a Remover suddenly appeared among the players,” Su Rong said with a tone of fear. “It must be him. He suddenly killed two players; he must have encountered players on night patrol in that area and then killed them.”
“It is him.” Kui Xin replied with a quick text. “He admitted himself that he attacked players here.”
“Fortunately, Remover 233 took care of him.” Su Rong cautiously avoided saying “killed,” instead using the lighter term “dealt with.”
“If it weren’t for Remover 233, more players could have fallen victim to him.”
Her words were quite interesting.
Su Rong was a clever girl with a keen mind. She noticed it but wouldn’t say or ask anything further.
“Your Shadow Double can be recalled now. Tonight’s work isn’t over; I need to continue,” Kui Xin said.
On the other side, Su Rong bit her lip anxiously and said to Kui Xin, “Be safe, don’t push yourself with the injuries. If it’s too bad, go see a doctor.”
“Okay.” Kui Xin put down her phone.
…
At 3 AM, after completing her patrol and cleaning up the battlefield, Kui Xin decided to end the night.
Tang Guan had left the Old Industrial Zone because Kui Xin was monitoring his device and noticed his mobile phone powered up at his residence. It seemed that after the unexpected instance of his sister calling him for help with a math problem at a critical moment, he had developed the good habit of turning off his phone while attending to business.
Kui Xin used data manipulation to scan all nearby surveillance devices and saw Song Tingshuan and Li Wanran’s team resting on the outskirts, with a few medics tending to injured combat personnel. Zooming in on the monitoring range, she noticed a few weary figures quietly distancing themselves from the Old Industrial Zone under the cover of darkness. Their silhouettes brushed past a corner of a camera without noticing it. They bought food and water from an automated vending machine in the suburbs, leaving behind payment information…
She noted the relevant information down, planning to delve deeper into their backgrounds later when she had the time.
Her eyes monitored everything around the Old Industrial Zone through the surveillance cameras.
It seemed a police car was patrolling nearby. The officers, equipped with body cameras, encountered a group of night patrol players and asked them for identification, demanding an explanation for why they were loitering on the streets so late, why everyone was wearing masks, and why they seemed to be avoiding well-lit areas… The few players stammered in confusion and were taken away by the increasingly alert police for drug testing… How amusing.
A quick shift in focus revealed He Kangshi also wandering the streets, encountering the police car as well.
As expected… he was also taken away in the police car.
Several players stuffed into the police vehicle looked at each other in disbelief, never expecting that justice would take such a turn tonight.
They were strangers to one another but had their identities exposed in such a manner.
“Uh… everyone is busy,” one player awkwardly spoke up.
“Eh, not busy, everyone has a responsibility,” another player chimed in.
“Thanks for your hard work, everyone has worked hard,” a third player sighed.
The fourth player mournfully remarked, “I never thought my first time in a police station would be for suspicion of drug use and illegal trading. I’m a law-abiding citizen!”
The first player added, “Don’t worry, it’s just a test. You’ll be cleared of wrongdoing.”
Since they had been questioned about their identities on the street, the police had required each of them to remove their masks, exposing their real faces… catching them off guard.
Click, the car door opened, and another unfortunate player entered the vehicle— it was He Kangshi.
He hadn’t expected so many people crammed inside the car, and he froze.
“Hurry up and get in, kid, we’re taking you for a test,” the officer reminded and muttered, “Weird, ran into a few mask-wearing youths tonight?”
He Kangshi had already taken off his mask, saw familiar faces in the car, and felt an impulse to bolt. But with the officer holding a body camera, he couldn’t escape! He could only hunker down in the corner of the car and silently chant, “Don’t notice me, don’t notice me…”
Unfortunately, what he feared came to pass; he was recognized by a nearby player.
“Damn, you are!” the player squeezed his brain for a name that was just on the tip of his tongue but couldn’t come up with it. “You’re that someone!”
He Kangshi was fairly well-known as a game streamer, but not to the point where everyone recognized him. After he posted that warning video online, he became a household name among the players.
Others in the car turned to look at He Kangshi, shock evident on their faces as they echoed, “Damn.”
He could only raise his head and sadly say, “I never imagined tonight would turn out like this. Good to see you all.”
They exchanged glances and sadly responded, “Good to see, good to see.”
…
Kui Xin returned home exhausted, turned on a small light, and removed her top, revealing skin marred by congealed blood and scabs.
The clothes were beyond wear; she tossed them to the floor, planning to destroy the genetic information on them before discarding them.
She filled the bathtub with water and laid back in it tiredly.
The little white mouse by the tub squeaked; Remover Number 3, injected with mutated blood, began banging against the cage, its red eyes fixed on Kui Xin as if trying to break free to bite her. Superficially, Little White Mouse 3 hadn’t changed significantly compared to before—perhaps it hadn’t been long enough.
Ignoring the squeaks, Kui Xin lay in the tub staring at the ceiling.
Blood spread through the water, gradually dyeing it a pale red.
If every night were to be this intense, she was surely edging closer to an early demise.
After bathing, Kui Xin opened the fridge to eat something to replenish her strength, then sat on her bed, towel drying her hair while opening the forum.
At this hour, there were surprisingly many players still awake. No, it was better to say that given the situation, those peacefully sleeping in their beds were the minority.
Title: “Remover 4! There’s even a Remover we don’t know about! This Remover 4 is the fourth exposed Remover on the forum.”
Kui Xin glanced at the post’s timestamp; it was before she killed Remover 4, shortly after the forum reported that Remover 4 had killed two players.
1L: Another freak has emerged. This guy killed two people at once! I have a feeling Remover 4 will surely become the successor of 233 and 777; he’ll make waves in the future.
2L: Two players at once? How did he manage that?
3L: Rather than asking how he did it, shouldn’t we ask where he killed them?
12L: Let’s analyze. Remover 4 hadn’t killed anyone before tonight, or hasn’t killed players, so he had never been reported. Even if he had killed, it would have been players from the Second World. From Remover 4’s actions tonight, it looks like he hasn’t found the opportunity to kill players. Once he finds the opportunity, he’s definitely going to strike.
13L replying to 12L: I agree! I think Remover 4 is terrifying, even more so than Remover 233. He has been lying in wait until now before making a move; he knows how to be patient and bide his time, while Remover 233 exposed himself in the first week. In comparison to Remover 4, 233 is in a worse position.
14L: Remover 4 gives me the impression of being a sneaky development in the early game, striking decisively in the late game.
15L: I feel sorry for the two players he killed…
16L: Where was Remover 4 when he killed those two players? This kind of Remover is just scum! Such behavior is meaningless internal strife! Our world is facing a life-and-death crisis, yet he only cares about killing more and boosting his power!
29L: I strongly suspect Remover 4 is in Tonglin City.
Remover 4’s double kill shows he harbors great malice towards players. Had he found opportunities earlier, he wouldn’t have been able to refrain from killing. The reason he hasn’t acted might not be mere concealment but because he hasn’t found players to kill! We all know the player base is small compared to the global population; a city might not even have several players. Where could Remover 4 find players to kill?
But now, the situation is different; Tonglin City has become a gathering place for players and a perfect place for Removers to fish in troubled waters. It makes complete sense that Remover 4 would head there to kill. I speculate that Remover 4 is right in Tonglin City!
30L: Damn, I’m starting to get scared reading the posts above. If Remover 4 is in Tonglin City, could there be other Removers there too?
31L replying to 30L: Of course, the infamous Remover 233 is also speculated to be in Tonglin City by some players.
32L replying to 31L: Will they confront one another?!
33L: Damn, let’s hope they do soon; I expect them to mutually destroy each other!
34L: I actually think they won’t confront each other so soon; they are nearly at the top of the player pyramid and players at this level tend to be more cautious. Even Remover 233 hasn’t killed any players last week; only Remover 777 has been active.
49L: This guy’s number is pretty high up. He’s number 4, the fourth exposed Remover; I find these Remover numbers really interesting.
50L: They are indeed very interesting. The number 233 seems to mock us, 777 is a particularly rhythmic code, and number 4 is especially noteworthy, as its homophone is “death.” Remover 4 is like the Grim Reaper, reaping the lives of players.
69L: Players active in Tonglin City should team up but also be wary of trusting others easily. Teaming up is to avoid encountering Removers, but they should also be cautious of Removers infiltrating to gain players’ trust.
75L: I want to post a group recruitment thread.
76L replying to 75L: Teaming for night patrol? Count me in; I’m right in Tonglin City, and we can form a team if it suits us.
77L replying to 76L: Not for night patrol but to hunt down Remover 4. Players who aren’t afraid of dying, come join! I must carve this little brat into pieces!
78L: What if we get caught by the police while killing?
79L: Finally, my biggest fear has emerged… the law and morals can’t restrain Removers, nor can they easily constrain those with extraordinary abilities.
The atmosphere in the post began to shift towards a grim and lethal tone, and discussions about team retaliation against Remover 4 were truly underway.
However, after another few posts, the mood shifted entirely.
99L: Damn.
100L: Damn, damn, damn!!!
101L: Casualty list reported! An additional line! Remover 4 was killed by Remover 233 on August 20.
102L: I’m the first post, I got slapped in the face.
103L: I’m the thirteenth post, and I got slapped too!
104L: I’m the thirty-fourth post… damn, I never expected that less than twenty minutes after posting, Remover 4 would face off against Remover 233. My face is swollen from getting hit.
105L: This might be the fastest Remover to kneel in history! Just killed two people and then got taken out by Remover 233! Remover 233 is definitely the real deal!
