86: Chapter 86: Forty-odd people should be enough.

Liu Yang stared blankly at the other party, not reacting for a moment.

Gu Changming spoke again, his tone still without much fluctuation: "Need help?"

His decision really wasn't wrong.

Following these people was the right choice.

Not long after, he received the "Favor of Fate" again. As long as they were alive, being with them meant he could continue to be favored with a higher probability...

That's right, he had naturally received the "favor" just now.

After his body was thrown, it spun uncontrollably in the air. Below the direction he was falling was a deep pit that had appeared out of nowhere. A pool of eerie green liquid was faintly visible at the bottom.

It was unknown if it was body fluid or something else left behind by an Interdimensional Creature from the last Assessment.

But falling in would definitely not be good.

He didn't fall, of course; his Psychokinesis had steadily held his body mid-air long ago.

After the inquiry ended, the rope on Gu Changming's wrist silently loosened and fell off.

Then he stepped forward and reached out to Liu Yang, who was still slumped on the ground.

Liu Yang subconsciously grabbed that hand and stood up with its help.

After standing up, Liu Yang still looked at Gu Changming a bit dazed, not understanding his behavior.

But soon, he turned his gaze and walked quickly toward the other car to see if the other two were still alive.

Gu Changming didn't follow, turning his gaze not far away.

The Mimic Beast's giant black cocoon had been thrown over ten meters away and was now lying quietly on the gravel ground.

The cocoon shell was still intact; no accidents had occurred.

During the impact and rolling just now, Gu Changming had been using half of his Psychokinesis to wrap it firmly.

It seemed now that this Assessment only targeted the examinees themselves. Other biological entities belonging to them, or rather, those recognized as "pets" or "partners," would not be directly targeted by the rules.

This was good news.

He didn't need to split half his mind to focus on the Mimic Beast anymore.

Its cocoon was thick enough to withstand some attacks. Without the specific targeting of the "Assessment," generally speaking, no problems would arise.

Moreover...

Gu Changming's gaze flicked to the semi-transparent panel in the lower-right corner of his vision.

An inconspicuous red number had appeared on it.

It appeared during those few seconds when he encountered the "favor" and lost control in the air just now.

He clearly saw the number flash, then jump from "6" to "14."

A cumulative Prize Pool? Gu Changming couldn't help but think.

He hadn't seen this in his previous life.

Did it appear because he could see the Hidden Rules now and they had stacked?

If it stacked to the limit, what would the reward be?

Soon.

On Liu Yang's side, next to the overturned car, he found his other surviving subordinate, the Tall and Thin Subordinate.

That man was lucky; he only sprained his wrist when he was thrown out, with some extra abrasions on his body, but nothing serious.

Liu Yang supported the other man and staggered over here.

...

A moment later.

The engine roared again. The only intact pickup truck carried the three of them, along with the giant black cocoon that had been moved back onto the truck bed, continuing toward their set destination.

Liu Yang began to curse, slamming the steering wheel hard: "Damn it, this is so spooky! Four brothers lost just like that... when luck turns bad, even drinking cold water gets stuck in your teeth!"

Gu Changming listened quietly, nodded, and asked in a normal tone: "How did you pass your previous Assessments?"

It was so obvious, yet they actually thought it was just bad luck and didn't link it to the content of this Assessment at all?

How did these guys survive before?

Gu Changming narrowed his eyes.

Liu Yang glanced at him and snorted, "Once you join our 'Desolate Hunt Group,' you'll naturally understand."

As he spoke, he turned his head and gave a slightly arrogant smile: "But you're not bad, kid. You're so calm when things happen, didn't panic in that scene just now. You're good material. Just follow us well, and in the future, points, equipment, women... you'll have everything!"

"Oh." Gu Changming nodded and continued to ask, "Is your group very powerful? Do you usually... 'earn' a lot of points?"

These words seemed to hit Liu Yang's sweet spot, and his voice rose a few notches: "Of course! I'm not bragging, but in this Ruined City Area, there aren't many who can go toe-to-toe with our 'Desolate Hunt Group'! In our group, there are over forty brothers, every one of them has seen blood and can fight. points? Hmph, earning them is as simple as it gets..."

Listening to the other's boasting, Gu Changming was also satisfied.

Forty-plus people should be enough.

...

The car continued to bump along the dilapidated streets. About twenty minutes later, it finally stopped outside a half-collapsed factory building.

Arriving at his own territory, Liu Yang seemed to instantly regain his confidence, with pride and smugness returning to his face.

He jumped off the truck nimbly and called the Tall and Thin Subordinate to help carry the heavy giant black cocoon from the back.

Four people died on this trip... but bringing back this strange egg should make up for it...

His eyes darted around, then he carried the cocoon and hurried toward the factory gate.

Gu Changming also got off the car and followed unhurriedly, gradually approaching the closed metal gate.

Before even getting close, Gu Changming's eyes flickered slightly.

In the air... there seemed to be a strange smell.

The smell of rust? Although it had been abandoned for several months, this factory hadn't reached the point of rusting... if it really had, these people wouldn't have settled here...

Liu Yang also noticed something was wrong now.

The base was too quiet. Usually, even if there was no work, there would be others smoking and chatting at the door; it would never be this dead silent.

His heart tightened for some reason. He walked a few quick steps to the gate, put the giant cocoon on his shoulder down on the ground, grabbed the door handle, and pulled hard.

The heavy iron door made a piercing "creak" and swung open.

The scene inside instantly came into view.

The expression on his face froze completely, as if turned to ice.

Gu Changming stood behind him to the side, his gaze calmly sweeping across the interior of the factory.

On the floor of the empty factory, over thirty corpses lay scattered in all directions. Blood was splashed on the concrete floor, staining large patches into a dark, blackish-red...

In the air, the sweet, metallic scent of blood was so thick it wouldn't dissipate.

"If I join now, will there still be points and beauties?" Gu Changming walked a few steps into the factory.

But to his ill-timed joke, Liu Yang and the Tall and Thin Subordinate did not react at all, standing there in a daze.

Gu Changming didn't mind. With a slight thought, his invisible Mental Power spread out quietly like liquid silver, meticulously passing over every corpse.

Soon, his eyebrows rose slightly.

He thought he had arrived a step too late.

That these people had been caught up in some absurd accident like a "Gift of Fate" and then died from some terrible chain reaction.

But looking at the familiar wounds piercing the vital points of some of these people...

It seemed they were killed by someone.