114: Pay someone to kill you

There was nothing special about the instance information.

However… this time, a restriction prompt also popped up—

【Special Rule: The item bar is disabled in this instance!】

Cheng Zhen was quite calm; after all, it wasn't the first time he had encountered a restriction.

He glanced around and found himself in a European-style tavern, the air filled with the scent of aged wood and alcohol.

Occasionally, a mix of gunpowder and rust scents made him feel that something was amiss here.

There were quite a few people around, but the NPCs were all gathered at other tables, occasionally bursting into laughter and various shouts.

“Are you alright?”

Cheng Zhen looked at the person beside him.

The guy next to him, wrapped even more tightly than an Arab, had actually managed to follow him in using a skill.

However, the tiny bit of his face that was visible was deathly pale, though Cheng Zhen wasn't sure if it was from the effort of using the skill or something else.

“N-no, I’m fine!” The guy waved his hands repeatedly, but still looked quite flustered.

“Guangzi Ge… um, how should I address you?” Cheng Zhen asked.

After all, he was the boss who had saved him millions, so calling him ‘paparazzi’ might be a bit inappropriate.

“Guangzi Ge can just call me Xiao Jiao!” The other party didn't look like a boss at all, appearing very humble.

Just as Cheng Zhen was about to speak again, his peripheral vision caught sight of two figures walking towards them.

Judging by their expressions, they seemed quite unfriendly.

“Heh heh, caught you!”

A burly man stared fiercely at Xiao Jiao, saying unpleasantly, “I thought you could hide in the real world for longer. You’re already giving up?”

Xiao Jiao originally wanted to endure, but suddenly remembered the big shot beside him, so he didn't hold back and loudly said, “I've cleared many instances, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as you! The benefits I earned are due to my own ability. You just glanced at it and want a share of the spoils? What kind of cyber beggar are you?!”

The burly man rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight: “I fought tooth and nail, using all my trump cards elsewhere, and you think you can take everything just by flapping your lips?”

Xiao Jiao's tone was scornful: “Getting tricked into a trap by an NPC means you’re stupid; what does it have to do with me? I did warn you guys. You went out without your brains, charged headfirst into death, and now you blame it on me? What kind of idiotic giant baby are you?!”

“You damn…” The burly man’s face flushed crimson, as if his sore spot had been poked, and he immediately moved to strike.

The other person beside him, however, glanced at Cheng Zhen and said, “Kid, this has nothing to do with you. If you don't want to die, get lost.”

“Normally, I'd definitely turn around and leave,” Cheng Zhen spread his hands, “But not now. After all, I’ve been paid.”

As the saying goes, take people’s money, resolve their problems. Cheng Zhen was very professional.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiao immediately felt more confident, transforming from a paparazzi into someone who was arrogant due to having powerful backing.

“Hmph, then you can go see the King of Hell with him!” The burly man cracked his knuckles, making ‘crack crack’ sounds.

Cheng Zhen sighed, “While I don’t know the history between you two, he wasn't wrong about one thing.”

“It's better to bring your brain when you go out, otherwise I really can’t understand how you’ve survived several instances.”

The burly man’s fist was raised in anger, his hands glowing, seemingly indicating some skill.

But the other person reached out and grabbed him first, whispering, “Don’t be impulsive, watch your surroundings!”

The burly man looked up and noticed some curious NPCs gathering around.

Some of these NPCs were dressed in suits, looking affluent and powerful. Others had scarred faces and tattoos, appearing quite formidable.

This group of people looked as if they were enjoying the spectacle, almost shouting, ‘Fight, fight!’

However, the burly man did not immediately charge in as they wished.

Because he subtly noticed a few other NPCs staring at him with cold faces, their hands resting on their waists, where a dark, obscure device was holstered.

Under normal circumstances, that should be a type of man-portable lethal weapon, one that could be held and fired remotely.

First, exclude pistols.

Most likely, it was either a kunai or a Vector P90 submachine gun.

Considering that getting stabbed in the heart means death, the difference between the two was not significant.

Under the threat of the lower-ranking ninjas, the burly man behaved himself.

“It seems we have some new guests.”

A slightly plump man in a pinstriped suit, smoking a pipe, slowly walked out. “Greetings, guests. I am William, the owner of this tavern.”

Behind him were several bodyguard-like figures, their faces clearly indicating they were not to be trifled with.

Owner William looked at the burly man, tilted his head back, and a hint of disdain appeared in his eyes.

“Since you are new guests, I will not be too harsh on you for your first time.”

He exhaled a smoke ring, then looked at the burly man and said indifferently, “Guests may not know, but all disputes here can only be resolved at the table, not outside of it.”

“If guests cannot abide by our rules…”

Owner William said no more, but his meaning was clear.

“Sorry!”

The burly man’s teammate immediately bowed apologetically, “We’ve noted it, it won’t happen again!”

Seeing them so sensible, Owner William nodded with satisfaction, said nothing more, and walked towards the second floor with his bodyguards.

The NPCs’ message was already very clear: they would not allow fighting here.

Otherwise, the nearby bodyguards and thugs would show them what cruelty meant.

The burly man clenched his fists but dared not do anything else.

Xiao Jiao really wanted to mock him a few more times, but he was also afraid that provoking the other party would be seen as a violation by the NPCs, leading to him being shot, so he also kept his mouth shut.

The few of them glared at each other, each calculating their next move, when suddenly a gunshot interrupted their thoughts.

They immediately looked warily towards the sound of the gun, attempting to dodge and defend.

But the bodyguards and thugs showed no reaction, appearing somewhat accustomed to it.

And at the table where the gunshot occurred, a crowd of onlookers actually cheered and laughed.

A person lay on the table, a large bloody hole blown open in his jaw, a penetrating wound straight through the top of his skull, splattering red and white human tissue all over the floor.

“Liar! Liar!” The people around shouted, and the person sitting opposite the corpse had a face full of mockery.

“Anyone else dare to come?!” The man shook his pistol, then reached out and scooped the blood-stained coins from in front of the corpse to his own side, his face full of arrogance.

And at his table, three unlucky souls were already lying dead.

Several NPCs looked at the pile of coins in front of him, their expressions revealing greed.

Cheng Zhen no longer paid attention to the other two strategists and led Xiao Jiao to other tables.

After observing for a few rounds, he already understood what was going on here.

Four people sat at a table, playing a game of guessing true or false cards. If you guessed wrong, or if someone exposed your fake card, you had to play Russian roulette and shoot yourself in the head.

The last one alive was the winner.

Xiao Jiao, who had observed several corpses, grew even paler.

Recalling his previous thoughts, Xiao Jiao regretted it so much he wished he could slap himself.

What do you mean it wouldn't be very dangerous? What do you mean he wouldn't be screwed over by the instance mechanism?

I clearly paid a big shot to carry me through the instance!

How did it turn into paying a big shot to come and kill me (ಥ ﹏ ಥ)?!