Gamers Are Fierce-Chapter 700 - 698: Eye Contact

"What do you think this video means?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

In the dim staircase, Wanli Fengdao climbed step by step, stroking his chin. "Does it imply that I will encounter misfortune in the coming days, or is it the hotel giving survival tips to its residents?"

"...Either is possible."

Bai Haozheng flipped through the notes Wanli Fengdao had written on paper, pondered for a moment, and said, "Judging by the content, it somewhat resembles the cursed videotape from 'The Ring.' It's possible that after watching it, one might be subject to supernatural attacks during the curfew in the coming days. But it's also possible that the hotel is showing residents certain aspects of itself, such as its origin, the types of anomalies within it, the history of its establishment, the fate of past residents who died, and so on. It's not clear which possibility it is..."

Bai Haozheng fell into thought, stopped on the stairs, held up Wanli Fengdao's notes, and said earnestly, "I have a feeling this content could be key to our survival. However, some things may be lost if described merely in words. I have a skill that can induce memories from another person's mind through prolonged physical contact and record them as dynamic comics—similar to GIFs—on other mediums, such as paper. Of course, the prerequisite is that both parties are completely willing."

"This..."

Wanli Fengdao's face showed a hint of hesitation. "You want to see the memories in my brain?"

"Only the part from last night's television," Bai Haozheng said earnestly. "Once the skill activates, the other person will have a vague premonition in their mind, and you can choose to show only a specific timeframe of memories—don't worry about your other privacy being invaded."

Bai Haozheng spoke sincerely, but the expressions of the other players still seemed unnatural. No one liked their memories being pried into, especially players who harbored a trove of life-and-death secrets. Black Holy Son, 13MARK, and others subconsciously shifted their feet, distancing themselves from Bai Haozheng to avoid physical contact. He claimed his skill was heavily constrained, but no one could guarantee that he was telling the truth.

"Hmm... alright."

After some hesitation, Wanli Fengdao eventually nodded. As a Bounty Hunter contracted by the Special Affairs Bureau, he was well aware of Bai Haozheng's existence. He had even seen him from a distance several times at the Special Affairs Bureau's base in Yin City; Xing Hechou had introduced him back then. He couldn't fully trust this seemingly genteel Intelligence Analyst on his own, but since Xing Hechou trusted Bai Haozheng, he chose to trust Xing Hechou's judgment.

"Alright."

Bai Haozheng wasted no words. He got a stack of new paper from Li Ang, flexed his fingers, and turned to the other players. "By the way, if the memories in Fengdao's mind are indeed like the cursed video from 'The Ring,' carrying a meme hazard, then the dynamic comic I draw later might also carry the meme. If you wish to see it, please prepare for the possibility of meme infection."

The players present were experienced and mature; they knew Bai Haozheng was not being alarmist. Meme hazards could silently change a person's way of thinking and behavior. They could add, delete, or alter memories; cause physical changes, such as the degeneration of features, the growth of scales, or eyeballs moving outwards; and even result in death during sleep.

Without saying a word, Black Holy Son and Ghost of Hidden Eye both stepped back. Indulging such curiosity offered no benefits, only significant risks; it simply wasn't worth satisfying. Moreover, Bai Haozheng's purpose in transcribing the video content was to analyze and interpret it, and the conclusions would still benefit all players. Even if they did nothing, they would still receive the analysis results.

Bob, who had lost two friends in a row, was not in the mood for dynamic comics. 13MARK, Plague Doctor, Ω, and Liu Wu Dai also declined.

In the end, the only ones standing beside Bai Haozheng, ready to watch him create the dynamic comic, were Yuyi Xinzhong, the Mule, and Li Ang.

The Mule was an information broker, probably possessing equipment or items that could resist Meme Pollution. But why was Yuyi Xinzhong getting involved?

Could she also be a puzzle-solving gamer? Li Ang, hidden behind the Dragon Head Mask, swept a glance at Yuyi Xinzhong. The striking beauty in a sailor suit, a katana tied to her waist, had a calm, unreadable expression.

"Then, let's begin."

Bai Haozheng took a deep breath. His right hand, holding a pen, lightly touched the paper floating in mid-air. Meanwhile, his left index and middle fingers formed a 'sword finger,' gently pressing against Wanli Fengdao's forehead.

HUM—

Intangible ripples of Energy expanded from within his body, and Bai Haozheng's eyes abruptly shot open, revealing a grey-white void, devoid of clarity. Staring blankly at the wall in front of him, his right hand moved at high speed, drawing intricate lines on the paper. As one sheet filled, he moved on to the next.

Opposite him was Wanli Fengdao. Little Brother Dao's face was taut, his eyes shut, his eyeballs shifting beneath his eyelids. He seemed tense but not in pain.

After a moment, the Telekinesis enveloping Bai Haozheng began to dissipate. The Intelligence Analyst blinked, the grey-white in his eyes fading. "This is..."

He reached for all the papers floating in mid-air. They were filled with finely detailed, realistic-style comics. These comics vividly portrayed the scenes Wanli Fengdao had described and, moreover, were animated, replaying every few moments. These included: a cloaked figure standing atop a castle, gazing up at the stars; a tall and slender figure, three meters in height, walking in a rain-soaked forest; and a young woman combing her hair in front of a mirror...

"Have you found anything?" Wanli Fengdao, standing at the bottom of the steps, asked curiously.

"Not yet..." Bai Haozheng responded, flipping through the animated comics with Yuyi Xinzhong, the Mule, and Li Ang.

"The content on these papers exuded a sinister and enchanting aura, but tests showed they carried no negative energy or contagious memes," Bai Haozheng muttered to himself, picking out a drawing. "Hmm... this sketch..."

It showed a young woman in front of a mirror, smiling as she ate her own left eyeball that had fallen onto the vanity.

This animated comic, at first glance, seemed no different from the others. However, Bai Haozheng sensed something was off, and the three people standing around him also stared intently at the woman in the drawing.

Suddenly, Yuyi Xinzhong seemed to notice something alarming. Her eyes narrowed dramatically. She took a half step back, crouching slightly, assuming a defensive posture as if on guard. Her delicate nostrils flared with rapid breaths. Her slender fingers gripped the hilt of her katana, her thumb gently pushing the scabbard to reveal the cold glint of its blade.

"Mister Bai! Put it away quickly!" Yuyi Xinzhong called out sharply, urging Bai Haozheng. "She is watching you!"

"What?"

Bai Haozheng hesitated and looked down. The young woman in the animated comic continued to leisurely comb her hair at the vanity, smiling.

Wait, her position...it's different from the previous drawing.

She isn't looking at her own reflection combing her hair in the vanity mirror. She's looking through the mirror... at me, outside the drawing!

As if she noticed Bai Haozheng's shocked gaze, the woman in the drawing put down the comb, turned her head, met the Intelligence Analyst's eyes, and smiled.