Chapter 74: Mysterious Whisper Sticker, Slaughter Game

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Mysterious Whisper Sticker, Slaughter Game

Dustin Sullivan said, "In a place like this, you can cooperate with some people to a certain extent, but with others..."

He paused, his gaze casually sweeping toward another corner of the cafeteria.

Seraphina Sullivan followed his line of sight.

There sat Harvey Fletcher, Henry Jennings, and another Player she hadn’t paid much attention to before, all huddled together and murmuring about something.

Harvey Fletcher wore that disingenuous smile that set one’s teeth on edge, while Henry Jennings looked sullen.

They seemed to have formed a small clique of their own.

Dustin Sullivan’s voice drew her attention back. "...are people you can’t trust your back to. In fact, you need to be on guard against them at all times."

His meaning couldn’t have been clearer.

Harvey Fletcher and his crew were dangerous and untrustworthy. By contrast, it was a much safer choice for the three of them to form a temporary alliance.

At least for now, they had no direct conflicts of interest, and their objectives were likely aligned.

Seraphina’s fingers tapped gently on the tabletop.

’Working with Lily Underwood and Dustin Sullivan means sharing the risks, but it could also mean exposing my hand.’

’But it would undoubtedly increase my chances of completing the high-difficulty tasks.’

’Especially when facing the potential threat from Harvey Fletcher’s crew.’

’There’s safety in numbers. It’s the smart move.’

’But I also have to ensure my own interests and safety are protected.’

After a moment of thought, she looked up, meeting their inquisitive gazes. "Alright, we can work together. But..." Her tone shifted. "I think our team needs one more person."

Lily Underwood and Dustin Sullivan’s eyes instinctively shifted to the trembling Ash.

Ash’s skin crawled as the two "powerhouses" stared at him.

He had no idea what Seraphina and the others were planning, but his gut told him he’d live longer if he stuck with them.

But being stared at by Lily Underwood and Dustin Sullivan, he could barely hold his spoon steady. He pointed at himself and stammered, "M-me?"

Terror was written all over his face.

Seraphina was speechless.

She just smiled without saying a word, but her expression made her meaning clear.

Ash instantly realized he’d misunderstood. His face flushed beet red, and he wished he could just bury his head in his bowl of Growth Potato mash, cringing so hard his toes curled.

’Of course, I’m not going to abandon Ash,’ Seraphina thought. ’For outsiders like us who don’t understand this world, Ash, one of the Native People, is quite useful.’

Ignoring Ash’s embarrassment, Seraphina turned her gaze to another corner of the cafeteria and gave a subtle nod in a specific direction.

Lily Underwood and Dustin Sullivan followed her line of sight.

She was looking at Sean Chandler.

The taciturn man who was eating alone in a corner.

As if sensing Seraphina’s summons, Sean Chandler looked up, his eyes meeting hers with perfect precision.

He gave an expressionless nod, then stood up and walked straight over.

He ignored the scrutinizing looks from Lily Underwood and Dustin Sullivan, silently taking the empty seat beside Seraphina. He moved with a natural air, as if this was exactly where he belonged.

Lily Underwood and Dustin Sullivan exchanged a glance.

They didn’t know the exact nature of Seraphina and Sean Chandler’s relationship, but judging by their silent rapport, it was clear they were either old acquaintances or had a pre-existing arrangement.

Another reliable ally could only help, not hinder. They were seeking cooperation to begin with; one more Player would only increase the chances of their plan’s success.

"Now," Seraphina said, seeing that everyone had arrived. She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. "Let’s talk. What’s your specific plan? How can we efficiently complete the objectives we ’need’ to?"

She was referring to the system quests: become a formal employee and slaughter 1,000 creatures.

’The foundation of cooperation is mutual benefit,’ she thought. ’I need to see what cards they’re holding and what their plan is.’

Lily Underwood didn’t speak, instead looking to Dustin Sullivan. It was clear he was taking the lead.

Dustin Sullivan said nothing. Instead, he elegantly reached into the pocket of his seemingly ordinary white shirt and took out a palm-sized silver sticker imprinted with a twisted, abstract pattern.

With a flick of his finger, the sticker landed lightly in the center of the greasy table.

Ash’s eyes widened. He had no idea why this scholarly-looking man had suddenly slapped a sticker onto the table.

But the Item Identification function of Seraphina’s [Analysis Glasses] activated instantly, and the item’s information appeared in her field of view:

[Mysterious Whisper Sticker]

[Effect: Upon activation, all conversation within a two-square-meter area of the sticker will be distorted into indecipherable static, effectively preventing eavesdropping. Duration: 30 minutes. (Single-use)]

’Nice item!’

Seraphina praised it internally. ’A utility item like this is incredibly useful for secret plotting. It seems Dustin Sullivan is more resourceful than I thought. This also shows he’s sincere about this cooperation.’

The moment the sticker activated, the surrounding din of the cafeteria seemed to be separated by an invisible film, becoming muffled and distant. Their small section of the table fell into an eerie silence.

Only then did Dustin Sullivan speak, his voice clear to them but impossible for outsiders to catch. "I overheard something."

He didn’t reveal his source, which was likely some kind of special eavesdropping tool.

"Soon, the chicken slaughterhouse next door will be sending people over for an ’exchange’ competition. The contest will be to see who can slaughter the most animals in a set amount of time."

He paused, looking at Seraphina. "The crucial part is this: rumor has it that anyone who performs well in this competition—especially if our pork slaughterhouse wins—will give the participating ’temporary workers’ a high chance of being promoted to formal employees."

"Are you serious?" Seraphina immediately pressed, her face etched with skepticism.

"How can you be sure about that? Is your source reliable?" The requirements for becoming a formal employee had always been vague; she couldn’t help but be cautious about such a shortcut suddenly appearing.

Dustin Sullivan didn’t answer directly about his source, only saying coolly, "Believe it or not. But it’s an opportunity."

His tone carried an unshakeable conviction that allowed no room for doubt.

Seraphina’s mind raced. ’If this is true, it’s a golden opportunity to kill two birds with one stone!’

’We can use this opportunity to go on a slaughtering spree and make a huge dent in the goal of 1,000 kills.’

’And we might even get promoted to formal employees directly. It’s a no-lose proposition.’

However, just as her mind began to race with possibilities, the color drained from Ash’s face. He turned deathly pale, and his body even began to tremble.

"Y-you want to become formal employees, I get it... Once you’re a formal employee, certain... entities... in the slaughterhouse won’t mess with you so easily..." Ash’s voice was laced with uncontrollable fear.

"But... but this competition... it’s not as simple as you think! P-people die! It’s not a competition, it’s a massacre!"