Global Collapse-Chapter 518 - 487: Graveyard Racing_1
Gu Mian, who was left alone in a small grove outside the village, had long ago found a shady spot and sat on a large rock.
When Su Xiaocha was thrown into the dung pit, Gu Mian had been sitting leisurely for a long time, and the cameraman didn’t rush him.
Because there was no conflict on Gu Mian’s side, the camera switched to Su Xiaocha’s side.
At this moment, Gu Mian was contemplating finding clues to the "Old World."
Since the "Second World" existed in reality in the form of a book, the "Old World" probably also existed in some form.
Perhaps it was something like a CD Spirit, like his older brother...
Speaking of which, his brother was still in his pocket. Thinking of this, Gu Mian patted his pocket, reassured when he felt the flat disk inside.
He certainly didn’t want to perform a magic trick on camera called "A Curly Hair Ghost Can Jump Out of My Pocket."
He then returned to contemplating the Old World. If we find the real form of this world and reduce it to ashes, the number of instances of this global game would drastically decrease, he mused.
At this point, the cameraman, unaware of Gu Mian’s cheerful thoughts about scattering ashes, heard his pocket communicator beep a few times.
Gu Mian saw the cameraman pull a phone comparable to an old Nokia from his pocket, apparently checking a message.
Then Gu Mian saw a light-hearted smile spread across the cameraman’s face before he looked up at him.
「Meanwhile, Fatty and You Si were still glued to the TV screen.」
Probably to stir up audience emotions, the production team had filmed Su Xiaocha’s miserable state and showed it to the other guests.
All the guests participating in this show were like grasshoppers on the same rope. If one of them suffered misfortune, the others would undoubtedly feel scared and panicked. The production team showed Su Xiaocha’s situation to the other players specifically to let the audience see the guests’ horrified expressions.
The screen had switched to another guest’s face. You Si recognized it as Xingluo, who was in his group.
Xingluo received a black phone, roughly two centimeters thick. He looked at the screen curiously, and his expression instantly turned to horror. It obviously showed Su Xiaocha’s current situation.
Another host beside him began to speak to Xingluo, "This is the first deceiver discovered in this episode. She pretended to be weak to win our sympathy, so we administered an appropriate punishment. We hope there won’t be a second deceiver in this episode... Guest, what do you think?"
Fatty stared at Xingluo’s face.
He saw Xingluo’s mouth fall slightly open, his face a mask of immense fear and apprehension, mixed with a dawning realization and disbelief.
No doubt he had gleaned something of this instance’s true nature from Su Xiaocha’s plight.
He seemed to want to ask something instinctively but immediately clamped his mouth shut, only speaking after a long moment.
"I... I also hope... that such a thing won’t happen again..." he stammered, clearly in deep shock.
The production team, however, was quite satisfied with his performance. The host replied with a smile, "It would be best if it’s as you say."
Xingluo’s face didn’t remain on screen for long; the camera quickly cut to someone else.
Fatty recognized her; she was the female guest in Gu Mian’s group, known as "Accompany me next year." She was Know my thoughts’ girlfriend, and their nicknames were a pair.
At this moment, Next Year was standing on a dirt road by the school. A scruffy kid on a rickety bicycle deliberately crashed into her from behind. Knocked off balance, Next Year looked back. The kid, a malicious smile on his face, sped past her. However, a few meters ahead, he turned around as if intending to ride back and hit her again.
Next Year dodged but was hit again.
Fatty watched, his heart pounding, inevitably imagining what would happen if Gu Mian were in her place.
The outcome would be predictable: the kid’s collar in Gu Mian’s hand, and the bicycle impaled on the child’s ancestral grave. The kid would probably even earn a parting taunt like, "Trying to hit your own mother, are you?"
Wouldn’t that get his guest status revoked on the spot?
But if they really left the Doctor in the Old World... For some reason, Fatty imagined ashes scattering freely.
It seemed the production crew was approaching from a distance. The child on the bike, after maliciously bumping into her twice, didn’t come back.
A host, smiling, approached a bewildered Next Year, holding something out for her to see.
In front of Next Year was an old mobile phone. She paid no mind to how old it was, staring at the screen in surprise.
It was a photo. Only half a head was visible, covered in some disgusting substance, but she still recognized it as Su Xiaocha’s.
"What is this!" Fatty heard Next Year’s voice from the TV. "Is this Su Xiaocha? What happened?"
Players unfamiliar with this world would naturally have such questions.
The host spoke with a smile, "This is a deceiver found in this episode who pretended to be weak to gain our sympathy. We will, of course, give her the appropriate punishment. You should know our rules have always been like this. Naturally, if you don’t cooperate honestly with the filming, your fate will be even worse."
On the TV, Fatty saw Next Year’s expression change from shock to disbelief, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Then her disbelief morphed into fear and stupefaction, until finally, her face went blank, as if she were dreaming.
She muttered to herself in a voice only she could hear.
Are there no ghosts in this instance? Is the greatest danger from... humans?
No wonder, no wonder!
The production team seemed to enjoy her traumatized, vulnerable expression. The camera zoomed in on her face, holding a close-up for a full two minutes.
The effect was indeed potent. The master of the house watching the TV showed an expression of extreme enjoyment.
Fatty had long known that the program’s entertainment value came from amplifying the guests’ pain to satisfy the audience. That was why they showed Su Xiaocha’s tragic state to the others one by one.
The audience greatly enjoyed the guests’ fear and terror.
Fatty, at the side, was silently praying, The production team doesn’t seem to be showing Su Xiaocha to all the guests, just picking a few to witness it and feel the pain... but please, don’t let them pick the Doctor...
It wasn’t that he feared Gu Mian would feel any actual distress.
Fatty knew full well that what the audience craved was the guests’ terror. But if Su Xiaocha’s situation were shown to Gu Mian, not only would the audience fail to get what they wanted, they would get a thoroughly defiant Gu Mian instead...
A defiant Gu Mian was not what the audience wanted. A defiant Gu Mian would certainly be targeted.
Although Fatty knew this was just Gu Mian’s nature, he still wished he could delay this inevitable targeting. If Gu Mian had to be targeted, Fatty hoped it would be later rather than sooner.
But Gu Mian’s luck had always been good. Just as Fatty was silently praying, Gu Mian’s face appeared on the TV screen.
The moment he saw Gu Mian’s face, Fatty cried out in his heart, We’re doomed!
Earlier, Gu Mian had seen the cameraman in front of him holding that old phone, laughing gleefully and occasionally glancing up at him with a teasing look.
Just as Gu Mian was wondering about this, he suddenly noticed the camera lens zoom in significantly. It was aimed directly at him, as if determined not to miss his slightest reaction.
Then, Gu Mian saw the cameraman raise his hand, offering the phone with a malicious smile, "Have a look at this."
Just as Gu Mian reached out for the battered phone, the camera lens moved even closer. Behind it was a face contorted with laughter.
Fatty held his breath, watching the screen.
The master of the house also froze, his eyes glued to the screen. Presumably, all the viewers were the same, everyone waiting for this guest to show fear, terror, any sign of distress. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
Unexpectedly, Gu Mian stared at the phone before that contorted face for several seconds, then finally frowned and said, "Your curry with rice looks quite stinky."
