Shen Mo didn't have the mood to explain to Tan Xiao about the item. It wasn’t something he could explain in a few words.
But this whole thing was infuriating. His plans had been completely ruined by a single gunshot.
Shen Mo, whether due to his profession or personality, had a bit of a hero complex. He was willing to stand up for what was right, had a strong sense of responsibility, and was more willing to sacrifice himself than the average person. But that didn't mean he was a saint or couldn't stand to see people die.
On the contrary, he had been on the battlefield and could remain indifferent even if thousands of people died around him. He knew the cruelty of life and death!
But what he couldn't stand was this kind of pointless sacrifice!
It was utterly baffling!
Those people had plenty of time to hide, but because of a single gunshot, they all ran wildly in the mud like they had lost their minds, only to become food for the frogs!
Their deaths were worthless and meaningless! It was like a sick joke!
Life shouldn't be like this.
A game that had appeared out of thin air had already made the world so absurd. Wasn't that enough?
Shen Mo really wanted to find Zhang Hua and demand an explanation, but he knew it was pointless.
The cave was full of snails, and there was no way to tell where Zhang Hua was hiding. Even if they found him, it wouldn't change the fact that so many people had died. Besides, the golden ball could appear at any time, and they didn't know what the next round would be like.
Shen Mo returned to Bai Youwei's side with a grim expression and leaned against the snail shell without a word.
Bai Youwei studied his expression and said slowly, "Assuming Zhang Hua has experienced the same games as us, then the item he has should be the same. Once he fires, everyone within 10 meters of him will start running at full speed. The effect is influenced by distance, environment, and willpower. This is an enclosed cave, prone to echoes, so even people beyond 10 meters were affected."
She paused for a moment and then praised him, "Your willpower is quite strong. You only took two steps before stopping."
Her voice was soft, with a hint of closeness and comfort.
Shen Mo glanced down at her, a strange feeling welling up in his heart.
Did she seem a bit…too calm?
He knew that Bai Youwei's personality was different from ordinary people. She hadn't been particularly scared when they encountered the "Tortoise and Hare" game. But this time, not only was she not panicking, but she was also very calm, even…somewhat relaxed?
Bai Youwei continued, "You should take shelter in the snail shell later. While dealing with the frogs is a way out, it takes a lot of energy for you to do it alone. You need to rest."
Shen Mo's gaze became somewhat profound.
On the other side, Tan Xiao was still cursing and refused to stop dragging the rest of the people out of the snails, insisting on searching them.
Hui Ge and the others also joined in. They couldn't tolerate anyone in their group carrying a gun!
They couldn't find Zhang Hua.
Shen Mo leaned against the snail shell, silently watching the chaos before him. After a long while, he looked away and looked down at Bai Youwei, his eyes dark.
"You know something." He phrased it as a question, but his tone was a statement.
He was certain that Bai Youwei was hiding something from him.
Bai Youwei blinked.
The girl was covered in mud, filthy all over, except for her eyes, which were exceptionally clean. They were like washed black gemstones, sparkling, like fireflies and stars hidden in the night.
"Isn't it obvious?" she said with a faint smile. "You have your way, and others naturally have their own ideas. Zhang Hua firing the gun at this time can't be without reason. He also wants to clear the game, but his method is different from ours."
Shen Mo mused, "His method…is to reduce the number of people?"
Bai Youwei curled her lips. "Let me be blunt. A frog can eat more than 70 pests a day on average. At least forty or fifty people died on the highway just now. He probably thinks that as long as a few more die and the frogs are full, he'll be safe."