I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

He appeared to be collecting the bodies of these people.

It's surprising, and also... funny.

In a place where you could be killed at any moment, and even just dragging a body back would be a death-defying task, you're helping strangers "collect corpses"... It's really quite laughable.

But Xi Wang just felt that "people should be treated with dignity after death"... It's just collecting a body, what's so funny... Yes... it's just a normal body collection...

But... this isn't right, this shouldn't be happening at this time...

Xi Wang dragged the corpse again, thinking to herself.

It's perfectly clear that this isn't the time to do this; it's definitely not the time to be overwhelmed by "sympathy"...

But there's nothing wrong with doing these things...

Disregarding life is wrong, wantonly taking away life is bad, and murder is wrong.

The dead should be respected, and their bodies should also be treated with dignity.

These...aren't they wrong?

Aren't these things "taken for granted" in the world?

"call……"

The soft breathing interrupted Xi Wang's chaotic thoughts, making her realize that the middle-aged man in her arms was not yet dead.

Xi Wang quickly dragged him aside and tore off her own clothes to use as bandages, trying to stop the bleeding—even though it was all in vain.

"Whoa...whoa..."

Just as you were about to move his arm away from the wound to check its exact location, he struggled to make a sound, as if trying to remind you of something.

Xi Wang felt the "weapon" approaching again. He shifted to the side, and a small blade pierced his shoulder from behind.

If he hadn't reacted, the knife would have pierced the back of his neck—his unique sensitivity to "sharp weapons," honed through the priest's torment, saved his life once again.

Looking back, he could see that it was the girl who was cowering in the corner, seemingly resigned to her fate and waiting to die, who was attacking him. She seemed to have found the knife on the corpse that had been dragged back earlier.

Xi Wang was taken aback and didn't quite understand why she suddenly wanted to do this.

But then, the feeling of that "sharp weapon" approaching came again, this time right in front of him.

She instinctively shifted her body to avoid the blade piercing her vitals, but the stinging sensation was incredibly intense. Even though it hadn't hit a fatal spot, it still felt to Xi Wang as if it had been stabbed directly into her heart.

It was the man who had just been dragged back, still breathing; he had hidden a pair of scissors in his bloody wound.

And now, the scissors pierced Xi Wang's stomach just as he turned around.

"……Why?"

Xi Wang murmured.

Xi Wang didn't quite understand why this was necessary.

I dragged him back myself, and I wanted to help him.

I was just doing something perfectly normal... why did I do that?

Xi Wang could feel that something in her understanding was about to shatter, like a piece of glass full of cracks, which would break completely with the slightest touch, and fall into the abyss with the slightest push.

"Ha...ho...ha..."

Even with his throat choked by gushing blood, he still chuckled twice, seemingly mocking Xi Wang's naivety and unchanging beliefs. He even tried to poke at Xi Wang's stomach with the scissors, wanting to stir it a bit to make her feel more pain.

Unfortunately, he had no strength left; his life had come to an end.

In the end, he could only sink into a long period of darkness, filled with regret and madness.

The girl behind him still hadn't given up, so Xi Wang had to turn around to restrict her movements. As for the scissors still on his body, he didn't care much anymore... The pain he had experienced before no longer bothered him.

Looking at the girl in front of him, who was frantically shouting things like "Go to hell, go to hell! I'm going to die anyway, so what does it matter to you? The sooner you die, the sooner you'll be reborn," and seeing that she was still disoriented and desperate, but with an added touch of madness in her eyes, Xi Wang understood.

He simply... couldn't handle the pressure in the extreme environment and went insane.

It's simply a matter of wanting to drag others down with you when you can't escape the quagmire yourself... Even if doing so won't save you, and might even kill others, it will give them some comfort.

The thought that "I won't be the first to die, I'll die later" is just a form of self-deception that makes one feel a little better.

This frenzy is short-lived. Once they reach a safe place, with appropriate comfort and guidance, they can quickly calm down and return to normal.

It's just that the string of reason was snapped by the environment.

They were simply defeated.

Just like those children who only pour out their resentment and bitterness to themselves, they were simply defeated.

I understand, I understand...right?

But...it still hurts...it still hurts...

Being able to understand doesn't mean forgiving, right?

The golden light in his pupils was spreading, and the pressure in his hands was gradually increasing.

Just like you said, since we're all going to die anyway, why can't you be the one to die first?

Xi Wang could clearly feel that a certain understanding of hers, a certain conviction she had once held, had shattered completely at this moment, falling into the abyss and turning into fragments; a taut string had also broken and deteriorated at this moment.

I know perfectly well that I am “going bad,” and I know perfectly well that I am heading in a direction that I cannot accept.

But... I don't dislike it, nor do I want to dislike it.

I've probably gone mad, or maybe I'm just broken.

There's nothing wrong with just being decadent and crazy like this, since it doesn't matter anyway—you really want to be like this.

His throat twitched, and he swallowed the blood that was rising again. In a daze, Xi Wang seemed to taste that sweetness mixed with the smell of blood again.

"no……"

Xi Wang muttered to herself, refuting the girl's mad words, and also refuting her own thoughts that were gradually heading towards madness.

Alicia is still hoping for something... Father Enrique still wants to help me overturn my conviction...

We can't give up yet... Keep going... Just a little longer... Hope will come eventually.

So, we must survive.

The gold in her pupils remained at a suitable level, similar to Alicia's blue-pink pupils.

Must survive.

No matter what it takes, no matter what you do, you must survive.

Xi Wang accepted the changes in her heart, even though these thoughts had already stepped into the category of "villains" that she once least wanted to accept.

She wanted to save me.

Xi Wang pinned the girl down and pulled out the scissors he had stuck in his own stomach.

They will save me.

He leaned down, tightened his grip on the girl's wrist, and used her hand to cover her mouth, forcing her to only make whimpering sounds.

Therefore, I must persevere.

He gripped the scissors tightly, piercing the girl's neck. The familiar smell of blood filled the air, taking another life—not by force, not out of anger or resentment.

It was just a normal action taken after careful consideration for a very simple and straightforward purpose... I guess.

But... I want to live, so please die.

Chapter Nine [Genius]

"Hey Al, you're back? We're just about to start here, why don't you come and take a look?"

After glancing at the young man who had entered the room, one of the people who was probably an observer said flippantly.

"Hmm? Sure, this is a good opportunity to relax."

The young man called Al smiled and nodded, then skillfully pulled out a chair, lay down on it, put his legs on the instrument table, and gently rocked them.

"Was this mission easy? It was so quick?"

"You're asking these kinds of questions again. You better watch out, or the clients will warn you. Many clients don't like people asking about the mission."

"Isn't it because this mission is special, so it's like extra income?"

"How could that be? To be honest, we're actually losing money."

Al shrugged, seemingly somewhat helpless.

"Killing someone with such a high reputation is a huge risk for us, okay? And in the end, we only got a batch of [consumables] in return, which is a huge loss! But those people will handle the aftermath themselves, and we've already established connections with them, so it's not a particularly bad loss."

Then, as if remembering something, he smiled slightly and said in a light tone.

"From now on, we won't need to look for half of the consumables anymore. Those guys will share some with us, which is enough to train this trash."

"It's really going too far to call your future employees trash."

"What are these death row inmates if not trash? We're just giving them a chance to warm up their performance."

Al seemed very disdainful.

"Alright, alright, I know you're good... Come on, it's your turn this time."

"Good grief, you're slacking off, aren't you?"

"Hey~"

Hearing his colleague's flippant voice, Al raised an eyebrow but didn't say much; it was just a matter of babbling a few words.

After glancing through the observation window and confirming that everyone in the room was present, Al picked up the microphone and began to speak.

"Alright, everyone's here, we can begin."

Simultaneously, processed electronic sounds also played in the room.

After the "staff" locked the door and left, leaving only the guys who needed to be "tested" and the consumables, Al's lips curled up again, and he said with a hint of mockery.

"Now, everyone, please feel free to do whatever you want. Of course, as always, only one person can come out at a time."

After speaking, Al gestured for his colleague to turn off the microphone, while he continued to lie back in his chair, leisurely watching... no, appreciating what was happening in the room.

"These trash items look alright this time."