SSSG Chapter 64: The Path to Fame and Glory (3)

Dice and Groups

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“Th-, the fragments are moving?!”

A sudden scream ends the tense standoff, as the pile of debris on the ground flies back into the air as if alive, gaining back their former forms.

“It really hurts,” xiao-Mei’s face still has cracks, looking pitiful.

The other dolls also regenerate, up to a certain extent; damages are still visible throughout their bodies.

“More regenerative types?” Ying Sheng hates these undying buggers the most. Though, compared to the nurses he and Du Yixin had faced, these at least seem capable of being permanently damaged.

Hmph, then they’re as good as dead!

When xiao-Mei sees that young man turn towards itself again, it shakily calls out, “master, master!”

Suddenly, there is a projected screen in mid-air. Someone is sitting inside with their forms concealed in the dark. It is difficult to tell their age or gender, but from what the mascots are calling the person, they’re likely the owner of the Instance.

Then the person speaks, and it is as expected, “please do not bully them. They are just completing their assigned tasks,” the voice has an artificial coarseness to it, likely also faked.

Some of the people entering for the first time are quick to react, “you dragged us in here, didn’t you?!”

“Please, let us out!”

This person at least seems to be communicable compared to the creepy dolls. Begs and wails are through the roof.

“Shh——” The silhouette puts his index finger on his lips, and suddenly the quiet mascots make a few nudges forward. It’s threatening enough.

The crowd calms down.

Ying Sheng says dismissively, “don’t even dare to show your face? Coward.”

“…” The silhouette then speaks up, “you’re here uninvited, and besides you, there are many others as well.”

Many others?

Du Yixin gives it a thought, and concludes there must also be a lot of people who, like Ying Sheng and his older brother, came for the level V key. It’s risky, but the rewards are too great to ignore. Therefore most that are confident in their own abilities have chosen to participate.

Whether that confidence is unfounded, they have yet to see.

“I know what you came here for. So, let’s make a deal.”

“If you complete the objective, I’ll show myself. If you think you’ll be able to take my key away, you’re most welcome to try.”

“What I just said will become part of the rules that I cannot go back on.”

That makes some of those present slightly excited.

One big advantage of high level keys like level Vs is that they can just watch from the sidelines the entire time to ensure their absolute safety. Even if they’re in this Instance, if the owner behind it would not appear no matter what, there isn’t really anything they can do but quietly take the experience and leave.

Thank goodness the ruckus the madman made gave them such a good promise.

Yet, many of those key owners here are failing to consider how rare it is for someone to possess abilities and have physique as strong as Ying Sheng.

Some of them are mistaking the mascots here for weak monsters as they’re beaten up easily by a key owner, forgetting the pathetic attempt the burly guy made before him that resulted in his death.

In the meantime, while the silhouette did make the promise, he is still waiting on Ying Sheng’s response. If he wouldn’t agree, then any concession is still worthless as he’ll still smash up the place however he wants.

Though he is also smiling inside. The players want to go after his level V key in his own Instance? The position of prey and predator has never swapped. He will kill them all and successfully reach level VI.

Ying Sheng seems to be thinking and doesn’t reply for a while, before swinging his bat halfway in the air and putting it back into his backpack.

It seems he agree to the deal, and the silhouette says, “let’s continue.”

“Right, master,” xiao-Mei’s tone cheers up, “then we’ll continue distributing the dice. We’ll be separating into groups after that!”

A few more dice floats towards the crowd. The mascot looks at Ying Sheng, who doesn’t throw this new die in his hand away, and sighs in relief inside.

“The way to stardom is difficult and arduous! Therefore, the companions you make along the way will be a lifelong treasure! Those who end up throwing the same number will belong in a group and participate in challenges together.”

Then there’s a new screen in the air filled with names and portraits that depicts everyone present. Besides that each row also has a blank space. Meanwhile, the only oddity out is a man on the screen whose head has been crossed out with a big red cross.

“Other than our unfortunate companion who passed away just now, there are 63 celebrity wannabes on the scene. I can’t help but be excited thinking about how many of you will successfully debut!”

“Then——” xiao-Mei lifts her slightly chipped hand up, “throw your dice!”

The first ones to throw the dice are the key owners here who joined of their own volition to take the key, and are therefore cooperative after the promise. After their dice has landed, their numbers are written in the blank boxes next to their names on the screen.

People often behave like a herd. Despite their reluctance, the normal people dragged in follows behind so that they do not become another red cross.

Du Yixin also throws his die, which spins around and slowly lands back into his palm. The face up shows four dots. He is in Group Four.

He looks to his older brother, whose die shows a one.

Ouch, they’re in separate groups.

Du Heng is holding his die in his fist tightly, and looks up at the floating screen to try to see who is in his younger brother’s group, and his brow furrows further when he sees one familiar name.

“Ge, what’s wrong?”

“You’re in Ying Sheng’s group.”

Du Yixin also looks up, and says, “oh, you’re right!

“… You sound happy.”

“Of course! I haven’t seen him in so long,” Du Yixin says frankly, but then shakes his head, “but we’re still unlucky. If only we’d also ended up in your group.”

Du Heng really cannot understand where all this goodwill towards Ying Sheng that his younger brother has comes from.

With everyone assigned to groups, the list on the screen sorts itself into six sections by groups. There is a new row beneath each group reading ‘0.’

Xiao-Mei says, “thank you for your cooperation. Group One members, please assemble here in one minute. You’ll be going first.”

Xiao-Gang follows up, saying, “time is money, so those who are late will be punished!”

Du Heng belongs to Group One. Although he still wants to advise his younger brother some, but there is no time. He gives him one final advice, “tread carefully, do not rush. I’ll try to meet up with you.”

Then he adds, “be careful of Ying Sheng especially, understood?”

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TL’s notes: I’ll try to stick to die and dice to distinguish, but I might still make mistakes somewhere. Feel free to tell me in the comments if I mess up.

By the way, ‘dice’ is now generally accepted to be both singular and plural. I’m just doing this because I realise I’d almost fail to recognise the word ‘dice’ after it’s repeated so many times, hehe.