Jie took a smoke then said to One, "The four of us will stay here."

One was planning to explain to them their next actions, but Jie’s words took him aback. He paused for a moment then said, "What do you mean? We don’t have time to joke around."

Jie threw away the cigarette butt and said in a serious tone, "Not joking. I meant the four of us will stay here. I think you’ve realized that the three of them are just normal people. They won’t be able to keep up with the running you’re going to do. Instead of taking the risk of falling behind, it’s safer for them to stay here."

One looked at Zheng and the other two, he fell silent for a moment. "And you? Why’re you staying here also?"

Jie shrugged his shoulders. "I apologize, but I have gained some of my memory back. These three are my friends so I can’t leave them alone. I have to stay here to protect them."

The rest of the mercenaries came over. They were looking at Zheng’s group with curiosity. One looked at Zheng again, "No, he saved my life and I can’t just stand here and watch my comrades die. Remember, we are comrades now. Understand? My order is to leave this place immediately."

Lan stood up, "Captain and everyone. You know we don’t have the stamina to keep up with your steps. Instead of becoming a zombie, don’t you think we have a better chance of surviving by staying here and waiting for possible backup? If you really want us to die, then I have nothing else to say."

One fell silent again. After a while, he said with a dejected tone, "I understand... Kaplan, turn on the defense system of that laser corridor. You guys stay in the Red Queen’s room, that’s the safest place. Wait there peacefully. If we survive, we will report this situation to the corporation... Don’t die."

Jie led Zheng and the others to the Red Queen’s room. Then Kaplan turned on the defense system of the corridor. The lights of the corridor lit up again. The two groups could see each other through the window on the door. They felt a sense of sympathy from each other.

After the mercenaries left, Lan laughed. "Did you see it? They were looking at us with sympathy. I wonder how they will feel when they encounter the Hunters."

With three sturdy metallic doors and the defensive system of the corridor, this was a very safe place. At least compared to what the cast had to face. The four of them could finally relax. Jie also handed some cigarettes to Zheng.

"You can also exchange cigarettes from God?" Zheng took a smoke. This cigarette was much higher quality than those he used to smoke. So he asked in curiosity.

Jie squinted his eyes. "There are too many good things you can exchange from God. I haven’t even finished reading through the list. It has four categories. 1. Scientific: such as guns, bullet proof vests, and even some weapons that only appeared in sci-fi movies–but they also cost a fortune. They’re not something I can afford. 2. Magical items: like scrolls, Taoist charms, amulets, and swords."

Xiaoyi said with surprise, "Are those weapons like what they have in games? Are they very powerful?"

Jie glanced at him. "I don’t know if they are powerful or not, but magical items cost double the points of scientific items. I think you would use them in supernatural movies."

Zheng asked curiously, "Supernatural movies?"

"Yes, like...", Jie thought for a moment, "The Grudge!"

[1]

The three felt a shiver down their spines. As though there were ghosts hiding in the shadows.

"You know why I said Resident Evil was an easy difficulty movie? It’s because you can solve and explain everything here with science. You can kill the monsters, you can run away. As long as you’re not infected and you have a gun, you can survive."

A hint of fear crossed Jie’s face. He said while thinking of the past, "Those movies that you can’t explain with science are the most horrifying. You don’t know when you will die, how you will die, or even if you are still alive. Terror is always accompanying you, as though it wants to drag you to hell..."

Zheng patted Jie’s shoulder. He sat next to Jie and asked, "That’s Nightmare on Elm Street, right?"

Jie nodded gloomily. "You couldn’t imagine what we experienced in that movie. Almost twenty of us died, and everyone’s death was miserable. We wanted to run. The experienced survivors led us to rob a car then we kept driving along the highway. No one dared to sleep, and even if you fell asleep, the others would wake you up. Just like that, we lasted for 5 days. Then a town appeared in front of us. We drove inside the town in joy then realized this was the town in the movie! And the experienced survivor that was driving this whole time had became that demon! He laughed at us..."

Jie was shivering like a pendulum. This man that had kept his cool the whole time was breaking down. Zheng tried to divert the topic. "Then can those magical items kill that demon?"

Jie took a smoke and shook his head. "I don’t know. That was my first movie, I am only alive due to luck. You know where I got that scar on my face? That demon cut it with a pair of scissors! I didn’t have God heal these scars because I want to remember everything. If I meet him again, I will kill him!"

Zheng and the other two looked at each other. They felt a sense of fear. Fear for their future.

Jie continued, "You get 5000 points for killing that demon and a rank B side quest reward. That was the first time I saw a side quest reward."

Lan asked, "What’s a rank B side quest reward? Is it important?"

Jie nodded. "We will continue on the third category of things you can exchange. Support items: like antidotes, drugs with healing properties, perishables like bullets, some sci-fi items like invisible cloaks, and enhancement items."

"I was overjoyed when I saw the enhancement items. Like the genetic mutation of Spider-Man. The description said it lets you obtain the bloodline of Spider-Man; increasing intelligence by 20, mental capacity by 20, cell vitality by 50, reaction speed by 100, muscle density by 100, and immunization by 150 points. And you also get the web shooter ability. All this for just 2000 points."

Zheng and the other two was surprised. Lan counted then said, "The enhancements alone would cost 3000 points, and you get a web shooter ability. This is too cost effective, why didn’t you exchange it?"

Jie waved his hand with a bitter smile. "I did want to. If I had this genetic mutation then I won’t be in danger in movies like Resident Evil. But this type of enhancement costs side quest rewards. Rank A reward can be reduced to three rank B rewards. Rank B can be reduced to three rank C and so forth. The lowest rank is D. I have only seen the reward appear once. It isn’t something you can easily get."

Zheng held in the urge to tell them he had a rank B reward. He asked, "What rank reward does the Spider-Man mutation needs?"

Jie took out another cigarette. "It needs a rank C reward. I have also looked at a few rank D enhancements. Like battle-Qi, rank D gives you entry level Qi, but the high level Qi would require rank B or even A rewards."

"There’s also T-virus mutation, like the one Alice has. It increases intelligence by 20, mental capacity by 20, cell vitality by 50, reaction speed by 50, muscle density by 50, immunization by 100, and the evolution ability of T-virus. It needs 1500 points and a rank C reward. It’s so lucky to be the main character of this movie. She gets it without doing anything."

Zheng felt he was blessed. This meant once he lived through this movie, he could exchange for quite a few enhancements. He had some more hope in his future.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Jie then said in a mysterious voice, "There are also some high level enhancements. But they are there just to entice you. I won’t believe they actually exist. Like the bloodline of God. It needs a rank S reward and 50000 points. Isn’t that exaggerating? There’s also Cultivation (Taoist method of gaining immortality). It has less basic stats, but you gain special skills. It needs a rank S reward and 70000 points."

Zheng and Lan laughed at his words, but Xiaoyi’s eyes flared up.

[1] The Grudge (2004) is a supernatural horror film about a curse that locks its victim in the grip of a powerful rage before claiming their life. They then haunt and pass on the curse like a virus to all those who enter the house in an endless, growing chain of horror.Original Trailer. Plot Summary. Remake of Ju-On: The Grudge.Ju-On Trailer.