Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 274: A Special Setup

At that moment, another person descended from the upstairs, and this time, to Liu Xing's relief, it was not someone he knew.

The newcomer was a middle-aged, chubby man who appeared very amiable. However, this was the Cthulhu RPG Game, where players often concealed their ruthlessness behind a benign facade. Thus, Liu Xing grew cautious of him.

The man was friendly and said with a smile, "Oh, it seems I'm late. I didn't expect everyone to be here already. My name is Panda Pig. No choice there; my parents just loved these three animals, and since my father's surname is Xiong (which means 'bear'), I ended up with this peculiar name. By the way, I'm a colleague of Dogo Aige, a health teacher."

Clearly, Panda Pig mistook Lu Tianya for another player.

But then, could that young man on the cruise ship, who was glued to his phone, actually be the last player?

And where could this player have gone now? Perhaps this is what they call a 'jungle-type' player.

In the Cthulhu RPG Game, while following the module strictly is usually the safest bet, there are always those thrill-seeking players who choose to venture off the beaten path. These players operate on the fringes of the module, constantly testing the limits and clearing Side Quests along the way.

They are known as 'jungle-type' players.

Moreover, Liu Xing had heard of another kind of player, the 'OB-type,' who pretend to be dead throughout the game. Just when you think they're NPCs, they reveal themselves as players and help you complete the module.

However, neither jungle-type nor OB-type players are popular with the mainstream crowd. Their unorthodox methods often don't contribute to the completion of the module and can inadvertently burden other players.

But now wasn't the time for such discussions, as Dogo Aige spoke up, "Alright, let's sit down and eat. It seems one friend won't be able to make it."

As everyone took their seats, Dogo Aige gave a few instructions and then left. In Fisher's Village, there's a custom where all sons-in-law must stay alone in a straw hut and have their meals arranged separately before their wedding ceremony.

After Dogo Aige's departure, KP Green Light said with a smile, "OK, now we enter the main storyline. Each player can now choose to take on three Side Quests. The first is to enter the straw hut where Dogo Aige resides, which awards 200 points upon completion. The second is a nighttime stroll around Fisher's Village, rewarding 100 points for circling the main road after midnight. The third is to collect three lost letters scattered around Fisher's Village for 1000 points."

"Additionally, this module has a special setting concerning Matsui Yui's tension level. Any player action might increase her tension, and when it reaches 100, she will randomly attack a player. Killing a player reduces her tension back to 50."

"As for the Private Room time everyone is curious about, this module has a special arrangement. Every night from seven to eight, as long as players are seated around this table, Private Room time will activate. At other times, it can't be initiated."

Liu Xing frowned. The situation was more complex than he anticipated, especially with the Side Quests seeming easy but likely harboring hidden dangers. He was particularly concerned about the sensitivity of Matsui Yui's tension level; if it were too easily triggered, players could easily complete the module without much effort.

He also worried about potential Plot Encounters that might force players into action.

However, the unique Private Room times seemed advantageous, offering substantial opportunities for discussion.

In short, the module appeared simple but was fraught with hidden dangers.

"Alright, I believe everyone now understands what this module entails. Let's continue the game. But a word of advice, don't just sit and wait," KP Green Light said with a laugh.

The game resumed.

Zhang Jingxu, wanting Panda Pig to realize that Lu Tianya wasn't a player and avoid any misjudgments, gratefully said while holding Lu Tianya's hand, "Ryusei, I must thank you. Without your help, it would have been difficult for me to reunite with Lu Tianya. I'm truly grateful."

Liu Xing understood Zhang Jingxu's intent and responded warmly, "Oh, it's nothing, Zhang Jingxu. I merely lent a hand. But it's our fate that brought us together in Kobe. It seems we're kindred spirits."

Emphasizing "kindred spirits," Liu Xing signaled Panda Pig, who cast a surprised look at Lu Tianya. Liu Xing caught the hint of confusion in his eyes.

Everyone at the table, curious about the whereabouts of the last player, assumed they must be on the island.

With no sign of the final player and a harmonious atmosphere, everyone shared their identities and got to know each other better.

Liu Xing was particularly interested in Zhang Jingxu's background. Even though he had some understanding from the previous module, Zhang Jingxu's actions in calming Higashi Meizi made Liu Xing realize his knowledge was only the tip of the iceberg.

Zhang Jingxu was a Taoist, a profession Liu Xing found intriguing. "Zhang Jingxu" was born into a declining Taoist family with a long lineage of Taoists. Unfortunately, his father nearly lost his life during a demon exorcism when ambushed by a Zombie King (actually a Ghoul Elder) and surrounded by zombies. He escaped only by using all his talismans and depleting his life force.

Therefore, "Zhang Jingxu's" father, wishing to spare his son the same fate, severed all ties with their Taoist lineage. Nonetheless, Zhang Jingxu accidentally met his father's fellow disciple, learned a few tricks, and began "exorcising demons and defending the Tao" at School alongside Lu Tianya.

When his father learned that Zhang Jingxu had become a Taoist regardless, he resigned himself to fate and arranged for Zhang Jingxu to go into seclusion and train, which led to the loss of contact with Lu Tianya.

Eventually, after Zhang Jingxu and his masters successfully killed the Zombie King that had ambushed his father, he was deemed ready to graduate from his training. However, due to the mysterious disappearance of a brother in the Island Nation, Zhang Jingxu volunteered to investigate, thus embarking on a global mission.

It became clear that the disappearance was likely tied to the Deep Sea Gospel Society, as players on world missions often find their modules interconnected with such overarching narratives.

"Panda Pig," like Liu Xing's "Watanabe Ryusei" character card, was also his second character card. He'd chosen the name on a whim and was surprised to embody it in the game. Panda Pig lamented his mediocrity, knowing a little about many things but mastering none, jokingly referring to himself as a "jack of all trades."

In the Cthulhu RPG Game, versatile character cards like Panda Pig's are quite valuable. While specialized characters like Liu Xing's might excel in certain modules, they falter in others. In contrast, Panda Pig's type could find a place in most scenarios.

Thus, Liu Xing considered Panda Pig a potential good ally. However, due to the particularities of his "Watanabe Ryusei" identity, Liu Xing had to maintain a facade of a "virtuous young man."

After dinner, noticing it was already half-past seven, Liu Xing signaled Zhang Jingxu, who quickly found a reason to send Lu Tianya away and initiate Private Room time.

Yin En teased Zhang Jingxu for getting along so well with Lu Tianya so quickly. Zhang Jingxu sighed and shared Lu Tianya's situation with everyone.

Panda Pig, upon hearing this, recounted a similar experience with a character card retaining memories from previous modules but behaving almost like an NPC. He mentioned a friend's character card that had inexplicably died, later learning the player had been eliminated from the game.

Zhang Jingxu was excited at the possibility of Lu Tianya still being alive and participating in the game with another character card. Panda Pig cautiously agreed but couldn't confirm the theory entirely. He then asked to be called Liu Hao instead of Panda Pig, revealing his true identity and expressing his dissatisfaction with having to play a character so different from his real self.

Liu Xing felt fortunate not to have been assigned a less desirable character and proposed they focus on the current situation. He suspected the last player was a young man from the cruise but noted the player's stealthy arrival at Fisher's Village.

Liu Xing suggested they stay vigilant, especially against OB-type players who might jeopardize the module. The group agreed, recognizing the unusual nature of the module and the potential risks posed by Matsui Yui's tension level.

Yin En proposed they gather more information in Fisher's Village before deciding on the Side Quests, given their deceptive difficulty. Panda Pig, revealing he had already made some discoveries, pulled out his phone with a smile.

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