Apocalyptic Extraordinary Convoy, I'm really not weird!

A familiar figure walked out from the direction of the restroom.

It's that middle-aged man who lost all his money earlier.

His wristband now has four stars.

There's one more than before.

His gaze no longer wandered, but landed precisely on those who were alone in the crowd.

He is making a selection.

Chen Shou followed his gaze and looked over.

A young girl stood alone beside a chess table, two stars shining on her wristband, intently watching the game on the table.

The middle-aged man took two steps toward her.

But he hadn't taken more than a few steps when two people suddenly appeared from the side and blocked his way.

The middle-aged man paused.

The two people didn't speak, they just looked at the four stars on his wristband.

The middle-aged man's expression changed.

He slowly backed away, and the two men slowly followed.

With one step back and one step forward, the three disappeared down the corridor leading to the restroom.

A few minutes later, the two people came out.

Two more stars appeared on each of the wristbands.

The middle-aged man did not come out.

Li Xiaowei gripped Su Ye's clothes tightly, her knuckles white, her voice trembling:

"them……

They've been waiting..."

Chen Shou took a deep breath and remained silent.

Su Ye's gaze swept across the entire hall once more.

This is the rule.

Those who lose everything become hunters.

After the hunter succeeded, he gained the star, but he also became the target of other hunters.

The wounded hunter will become the hunter's prey.

Those who didn't intervene from beginning to end and only watched from the sidelines are the ones who truly stand at the top of the food chain.

They are waiting.

Wait until others have killed enough, accumulated enough, are injured, and are alone.

Then, reap everything.

Another half hour passed.

The situation has completely changed.

Those with zero stars have stopped trying to play.

They stood in groups at the edge of the crowd, their gazes sweeping over everyone with stars on their faces.

And those who have stars in their hearts no longer dare to be alone easily.

When going to the toilet, at least two people should go together.

Even so, some people still disappeared.

A young woman won three rounds and got six stars on her wristband. She was so excited, but she didn't realize the significance of it.

Then she was spotted by three people. She tried to run towards a crowded place, but the three people were prepared and forced her into a conversation room from the left, right and back.

She did not come out again.

A middle-aged man goes to the toilet with his companion.

His companion was waiting outside when he went in.

Two minutes passed, but no one came out.

My companion went in too, and then nothing happened.

Nobody knows what happened.

But everyone knows what happened.

Li Xiaowei's hand remained tightly gripping Su Ye's clothes, and she hadn't let go since the beginning.

"Brother Su Ye..."

those people……

them……"

Su Ye didn't say anything, but gently patted the back of her hand.

Chen Shou's gaze swept across the entire hall.

Those who were still playing chess had completely changed their expressions.

It's no longer the tension, anticipation, and calculation of before.

Rather, it's about being vigilant.

Extreme vigilance.

As they played their cards, they glanced around out of the corner of their eyes.

After they won, they immediately reunited with their team.

They don't trust anyone except their own people, and some don't even trust their own people.

Because anyone can be a hunter.

And those who no longer have stars—

Their eyes changed too.

Becoming like a wolf.

A hungry wolf.

They wandered along the edge of the crowd, watching every lone person, every person whose wristband was exposed, and every person who left the chess table.

They are waiting.

Waiting for an opportunity.

Waiting for a lone prey.

Waiting for a place where we can make a move.

And those who have already been successfully hunted—

Their eyes were more complex.

There was vigilance, ruthlessness, exhaustion, and a strange...greed.

They've tasted the sweetness of shortcuts and can't go back.

They began to actively seek out prey instead of passively waiting.

They started forming a team and dividing the work.

Some were responsible for keeping watch, some for blocking roads, and some for taking action.

And those who truly stand at the top of the food chain—

Chen Shou still hasn't figured out who they are.

They might have been squatting in some corner the whole time, never lifting a finger.

They might be hiding somewhere watching everything unfold, perhaps even on the second floor.

They might not even be participants, but rather—

Chen Shou didn't dare to think any further.

Just as the three continued to observe, Su Ye's gaze suddenly fixed on the distance.

He raised his hand and pointed to the other side of the hall:

"There are stairs over there."

Chen Shou, Lin Wei, and Li Xiaowei looked in the direction he pointed, but all they saw was an elaborately decorated screen wall with reliefs depicting various game scenes.

The three looked at Su Ye with suspicion.

"What stairs?"

Chen Shou frowned.

"Why didn't we see it?"

Su Ye paused for a moment, then pointed in that direction:

"It's over there, that huge staircase going up, can't you see it?"

The three of them looked intently again, then shook their heads in unison.

"I didn't see it."

Lin Wei said,

"That's a screen wall."

Li Xiaowei also chimed in quietly:

"I only saw the screen wall..."

"Brother Ye, is what you saw really a staircase?"

Su Ye did not answer immediately.

He stared in that direction, and in his eyes, it was clearly a wide staircase, covered with a dark red carpet, leading all the way to the second floor.

Two carved pillars stand at the top of the stairs, gleaming faintly in the dim light.

How could they not see such a big staircase?

Could it be because of his own alien body?

No, that's not right!

He hadn't noticed the stairs when he passed by this place before.

I only discovered this now. Is there any difference between this time and before?

Su Ye lowered her head and looked at her wristband.

Fourteen stars floated quietly.

Now he sees it, but others don't.

Is it because of the number of stars?

"Let's go take a look."

As Su Ye spoke, he took the lead and walked in that direction.

Although the three were puzzled, they still followed.

After passing several chess tables and bypassing a group of hunters facing off, they arrived at the "screen wall".

To Chen Shou, Lin Wei, and Li Xiaowei, it was a thick wall with exquisite carvings on it, and it felt cold and hard to the touch.

But in Su Ye's eyes, this was clearly the entrance to the staircase.

"This is it."

Su Ye said,

"To me, this is a staircase. What about you?"

All three shook their heads at the same time.

Chen Shou frowned and pondered:

"Could it be... that only a certain number of people can see them?"

Just as Su Ye was about to speak, a cloud of black mist suddenly appeared in front of him.

The mist surged and condensed, instantly transforming into a bizarre creature that was half human and half bird. It had a humanoid body but a jet-black raven's head with a sharp beak, scarlet eyes, and a tuft of feathers standing upright on its head.

It spoke, its voice hoarse and shrill, yet carrying a strange politeness:

"Shall we proceed to the second floor now?"

Chen Shou asked in a low voice:

"What is this?"

Su Ye didn't answer. Instead, she took a half step back, instinctively shielding Li Xiaowei behind her, and calmly asked:

What are the requirements to enter the second floor? What happens once you go up?