In Virtual Reality 97 ☆ The Hydrangea Park (21/33)

What?! Why was Madam Stargazer voted off...?

**

The scene for a second played back to as they stood outside the broadcasting station.

The skeletal figure oozed laziness yet held a menacing black scythe. Its eyeless sockets scanned the few people before it as if it had eyes.

The number board displayed ten digits, with Numbers 【3】 and 【10】 already eliminated, leaving four players undiscovered with numbers 1, 4, 8, and 9.

【7】 was Fox Snap, and the remaining players exchanged information.

【Madam】: Number 5.

【Opponent's Attorney, Please Interrogate】: Number 6.

【BGM of the Righteous Way】: Number 2.

**

Old Attorney released the dagger and shifted his gaze towards the commotion. Madam Stargazer's expression barely had time to change before her avatar body split apart and fell to the ground. The bone reaper, stained in blood, froze briefly before wiping the crimson off its ribs.

How did it get there? The vote had ended, hadn't it?

Initially, they hesitated to harm their allies, and after five minutes, they failed to identify Wang Jin Long's number. They were left with no choice but to abstain. But why was Madam Stargazer eliminated?

Old Attorney realized his mistake and glanced at the upper left corner of the semi-transparent voting panel. Only one person had voted for Number 5, while everyone else had chosen to abstain. He shot a sharp glance at Wang Jin Long.

"You... anticipated that we wouldn't vote for you?"

The youth before him had eyes as dark and impenetrable as the abyss. He laughed sardonically. "Who told you to be so predictable?"

In this game, everyone was fighting for themselves. Trust and cooperation were foolish luxuries no one could afford—especially here.

"Whether it's the rules or the other characters in this park," he held the dagger's tip and hurled it towards the fish-headed man. "All of them tell us not to trust anyone."

Wang Jin Long's laughter echoed in the virtual world, his once-handsome face twisted with scorn. "Do you still believe in cooperation?" he jeered. "Come on, who among them is worth your trust? Everyone is participating in this 'Spirit Shenanigans' for their own gain. Love and peace? What a joke!"

【...He's begging for a beating.】

【Count me in!】

【But let's face it, the live stream hosts are playing this game's beta for views and profit.】

【They're making bank. But why do this guy's words get under people's skin?】

【Come on, Brother BGM! Move already!】

As the barrage of comments criticizing Wang Jin Long's speech filled the chat, viewers began sending gifts to support the streamers, and some bought music packs to play. The music played a sombre tune filled with melancholy and yearning.

BGM: "…"

He gritted his teeth and pounded on his keyboard, but his character remained immobile under the Fox Snap's skill. Rubbing his head in frustration, his tone defeated. "Guys, there's nothing I can do. The skin talent is too strong. I'm stuck."

【He's being controlled to death...】

【It's pitiful, to the point of bursting... (puffing up cheeks).】

【Those who were once jubilant are now getting their comeuppance, ha!】

【But you're no better than he is.】

【Doesn't the Maiden Knight skin have a spell too? Can any big spenders confirm?】

【Old BGM, use your invincible skill: The Radiance of Justice!】

"The Radiance of Justice?" BGM hesitated momentarily before remembering the name of the talent he had purchased, which could remove all debuffs and had a fifteen-minute cooldown. He had been drawn to it purely by its name, but now it seemed like it could be the key to his escape.

Excitement bubbled up within him, and he quickly reached for his keyboard but then hesitated. "What was the key again?" he muttered.

The audience in the live broadcast room: 【......】

【How about trying up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start?】

**

Meanwhile, Old Attorney was trying to find a way to escape. He felt a mounting sense of desperation. The Fox Snap's betrayal and Madam Stargazer's sudden elimination had caught him off-guard. He had underestimated their opponents as mere trolls, thinking this close beta was meant to be filled with laughter, but now the stakes were higher than he could have imagined.

Suddenly, a name flashed in his mind - Excelsior, accompanied by a face identical to the jerk in front of him. Had Excelsior predicted this outcome all along? The mere thought of it made Old Attorney's blood boil with rage.

But he had to focus on the task at hand. With BGM under control and Madam Stargazer out of the picture, it was time for the werewolves to hunt.

Old Attorney couldn't help but wonder if five minutes could pass any slower. The thought flashed through his mind at lightning speed, but he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind as there was an urgent matter.

He clicked his tongue in irritation and sprinted in the opposite direction, the sound of footsteps trailing him. He knew that Wang Jin Long was on his tail about to attack, but his Fishman talent would not let him fall so easily --

"The Radiance of Justice!"

【The glow of righteousness illuminates the earth~】

Finally, the background music queued the signature skill, its powerful notes resonating through the virtual world. Breaking free from Fox's insidious skill, BGM hurled the 'Judgment' skill towards Wang Jin Long with precision. A dazzling beam of pure white light erupted from the tip of his sword, aimed directly at Wang Jin Long's back! But before the smile on BGM's face could widen, a green figure appeared in front of the white light.

--【100% unarmed interception of the blade!】

Old Attorney looked on in stunned silence, and even BGM was at a loss for words.

【...6】

The white light struck the fish-headed person's hands with blinding intensity, but mercifully, nothing happened. It was evident that BGM and Old Attorney had activated their skills simultaneously, resulting in a clash. The Judge card was useless against civilians like the Old Attorney. But BGM had used his only chance to judge his teammate, and the outcome was fruitless.

Nevertheless, Wang Jin Long wasn't deterred. He thrust his sharp blade into the heart of the fish-headed person, who had raised their hands, and quickly withdrew the bloodstained dagger. As he kicked the fish-headed person's back, he looked at BGM with a sinister grin. "Thank you."

BGM: "..."

【...6】

The situation was too surreal. The barrage of comments in the chat was reduced to a single "6" of mockery.

In less than three seconds, Old Attorney's screen turned crimson. However, to his surprise, he didn't receive any notification that the game had ended. Perplexed, he typed furiously on his keyboard, but the screen remained stubbornly unchanged. Rather than quitting the game, he turned to the forum to watch other players' live streams. Four people had already been eliminated. It was unclear if they had fallen prey to the same killer, who might even be an NPC. Old Attorney was left speechless.

He thought he knew the plot of "Murphy's Amusement Park," but the sight of NPC Wang Jin Long killing four people like he was cheating caught him off guard. In the end, did those players he invited and who came for fun have any worth?

Old Attorney stormed into the forum; his anger was palpable as he opened 【Madam】's live room.

"What the hell?!"

Upon arrival, he was greeted by a screen overloaded with gifts. His eyes widened in shock as an unexpected name occupied the top spot of gifters: 【Asmodeus】. [TN: Is it just me, but Asmodeus simping for Madam Stargazer is a cute development XD?]

Wait a minute, he thought, weren't Madam Stargazer and Asmodeus sworn enemies? He hesitated, unsure of what to do, as the barrage of messages continued to flash relentlessly on the screen.

【We've all been played by Excelsior.】 Asmodeus typed: 【The original rules broadcasted by the system stated that 'when the bell rings, it's werewolf time.' Yet, since we entered the game, no bell has rung. The park around us was shrouded in a thick fog, and the blue moon in the sky waxed and waned at different speeds. I think you noticed it earlier. Otherwise, how could Wang Jin Long have met you in the five-minute voting period and eliminated you at the last moment?】

Madam Stargazer watched from God's perspective, hovering in the air as she observed everything that unfolded on the field. "But what does that have to do with Excelsior?" she inquired, her tone laced with confusion.

【How many werewolves do you think there are on the field?】

"No more than four at most, right? Old Attorney said there were four werewolves."

【Old Attorney? One of the developers?】 Asmodeus's typing paused, 【Indeed, there are four werewolves. And now, we can confirm that Fox Snap and Wang Jin Long are two of them.】

Madam Stargazer added, "There's something else to consider. BGM."

Alucroma: 【...Don't tell me you really didn't notice, or you risk appearing as foolish as he.】

【BGM is a Judge pretending to be a Wolf. That's why Old Attorney survived his attack, only to fall to Wang Jin Long's blade.】

【I assume he would be aware of that.】

Below, Wang Jin Long wiped his dagger clean, his eyes glinting as they rested on BGM.

【...May the odds be ever in your favour.】

Madam Stargazer sneered, "How flippant. Only two werewolves have revealed themselves so far. Any leads on the others?"

Alucroma: 【Indeed.】

【I searched the forum and discovered that a broadcaster named 'Yearning for Freedom' is also beta-testing 《The Hydrangea Park》. However, he's been wandering alone for some time now.】

【His wandering brought me to a startling realization - the game he's playing is exactly the same as ours, save that the blue moon in his sky is now more than half full.】

【Each werewolf employs a unique method of eliminating their prey.】

【Fox Snap has her notebook, which she holds dear. I suspect she writes down names or numbers, much like a hit list.】

【Wang Jin Long has a strong presence with a dagger. I couldn't help but notice that his weapon had a peculiar trait - it always returned to his grasp after he lost control of it. His strong presence was equally formidable, drawing our attention to him and allowing the Bone Reaper to sneak up unnoticed.】

【Don't forget, even though the Bone Reaper moves slowly, the ticking clock of elimination still looms over us. If you don't run, even its sluggish pace will be enough to seal your fate.】

【Anyway,】 Asmodeus typed a flurry of words, filling the screen with his analysis. 【We're playing the same game as 【Yearning for Freedom】, but in different times and spaces. He's a werewolf card but couldn't enter the mist at the start due to a bad connection.】

Madam Stargazer struggled to keep up with Asmodeus's rapid-fire explanation. "So...?"

【That's right,】 he replied. 【The final werewolf card is Excelsior. They used their skill, the Mist, to trap all of us - except Yearning for Freedom, who unintentionally disconnected - within the Mist initially.】

Asmodeus grinned as he typed the last sentence. 【That's why I said we'll all be resurrected in the real 《Hydrangea Park》 and come face-to-face with Wang Jin Long, who will think we all have been eliminated.】

Reading this, the chat room erupted in a fury and swore to exact revenge on 【Wang Jin Long】.

...Ha, was this your plan all along, Excelsior?

——— Translator's Notes ———

Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start - A cheat code that originated from the Konami video game company, which would grant the player extra lives or other benefits in various games.

【100% empty-handed interception of the white blade!】 The skill "【百分百空手接白刃发动！】" in the story is a reference to a common trope in martial arts fiction where a character catches a weapon barehanded without suffering any harm... Ha.

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