The discovery of a man buried alive on an island where they thought they were the only ones was both frightening and intriguing, creating a mix of fear and expectation that they couldn't resist.
The audience was also extremely curious, wondering what new trick Fanxing Star Group came up with this time.
Swiftly, they dug a hole in the ground. Wen Zhulian's foot was still tightly gripped, and she was so scared that snot along with tears was also about to come out. She sat on the ground and lay in Wen Yingting's arms for protection.
They soon dug down along the hand, reaching the shoulder, neck, and then, a human head gradually emerged. The person wore a motorcycle helmet, which likely explained how he managed to survive being buried alive.
"It's out! It's out!" They excitedly shouted, temporarily stopping the digging.
"Little brother, can you let go of her hand first? If you let her go, we will also help you out," Wen Guohua said.
The man didn't say anything.
Song Juyao stretched out her hand to push the windshield of his helmet upwards, and brought the torch closer, revealing a rather familiar face.
Gray big eyes, high and outstanding nose, thin lips—the basic features of a handsome man, but with a strange gray hazy feeling, like an imperceptible speck of dust with no sense of existence, so that no one could notice whether he was beautiful or ugly in the end.
Song Juyao was momentarily stunned, her pupils seeming to tremble slightly before emitting a faint light.
Jiang Baiqi looked at Song Juyao in embarrassment, resisting the urge to slide down the windshield. Damn idiot, why did you randomly put me in the ground, just wait for me to get out, and fire you all!
Seizing the opportunity, Wen Guohua pulled his hand away from Wen Zhulian's ankle.
At this moment, a strange girl ran over: "Brother!"
The others immediately looked over vigilantly.
The girl, upon seeing them, was also startled and stared wide-eyed. After a moment, as if understanding something, she ran over. "Are you the people deceived by the Fanxing Star Group?"
This statement instantly caused panic in everyone.
"Let me introduce myself first. I'm Jiang Baitao, and this is my brother, Jiang Baiqi."
In the real world, the live broadcast room of the Judgment Show.
【????】
【!!!!】
【Jiang…Jiang Baiqi?!】
【Aahhh is it really Qiqi?!】
【CP fans are clucking like chickens. Is it true? Really really really? Ahhh!! Happiness comes too suddenly; I can't believe it!】
【CP fans, don't rush to cluck. Song Juyao may not necessarily like him this episode.】
【The first time I've seen an NPC appear for the second time in the Judgment Show!!!!】
【Damn, Jiang Baiqi appeared. In the first season, he made a helmet that made even temporary real-life NPCs unlucky. Won't this episode again...】
【Wait, don't get too excited yet, maybe it's just someone with the same name and surname!】
Because it was too unbelievable, many people started doubting whether this was just someone with the same name and surname. As for the face...sorry, Jiang Baiqi's presence was too mysterious, making people forget after seeing, making people forget what he looked like.
Hall of the Justice trial show studio.
The production team was also stunned.
Jiang Baiqi? Why? In the history of the Trial Show, there had never been an NPC appearing for the second time! Sure, let him appear, but the issue was, would he really create something terrible again? In the previous episode, he caused great harm to the temporary real-people NPCs!
"Is it just an NPC with the same name and surname? Where is his character card?"
"The system did not automatically generate his character card..."
Generally speaking, for more powerful NPC characters, the system will automatically generate character cards. But for both this episode and the previous episode's Jiang Baiqi, the system didn't generate the character cards.
"Is there a bug in the system?"
"Maybe it's just someone with the same name and surname. Let's see... Besides, even if it's the same character, he almost got buried alive this time so he shouldn't be as powerful as last episode."
The production team was at a loss, but they could only observe for now. Once the virtual world was in operation, it was no longer under their control; they could only intervene through real-people NPCs and temporary real-people NPCs.
......
Inside the virtual world, Wen Zhulian and Wei Yan suddenly stared widely at Jiang Baiqi.
Jiang Baiqi? Did they hear it wrong?
"Jiang Baiqi?" Wen Zhulian suddenly stood up, "Which Jiang, which Bai, which Qi?"
Wen Zhulian was so agitated that everyone looked over in surprise.
Jiang Baitao: "Do you know my brother?"
Wen Zhulian's expression stiffened slightly: "No, it's just that this name is similar to a friend I know."
"Then this friend is definitely not my brother," Jiang Baitao said: "You're Wen Zhulian, if my brother knew you, wouldn't I be aware of it?"
"Can you tell us what's going on?" Song Juyao glanced at Jiang Baiqi, who had been silent and expressionless. Something didn't seem right.
While Jiang Baitao explained the script to them, the Fanxing Star Group also narrated the script for the second phase to the audience in the live broadcast.
The evil Fanxing Group was conducting illegal genetic research on the island and using innocent employees as experiments. The situation spiraled out of control, and all the research institute's employees were implicated. After contracting a virus they fell ill, becoming bloodthirsty patients with no thoughts, driven only by the instinct to feed on blood.
But the process could be reversed. If the person were sick, they could recover by taking medicine.
However, Fanxing Star Group discovered that the virus would evolve inside the brains of these bloodthirsty patients, condensing into a type of crystal. This crystal possessed energy and filtered out the toxicity of the virus. Consuming these crystals could transform the human body, extending lifespan and even curing terminal illnesses. The special talents of the crystal's master would also be transferred through the crystal to the consumer, granting them those skills.
Jiang Baitao said resentfully: "That's why they let the employees fend for themselves, refusing to help them! You must all be elites in your respective fields, and they lured you here to obtain what you possess. The crystals nurtured in the minds of more outstanding individuals are of higher quality."
And why bring in their important family members? Wasn't it just because only family members are difficult to appease with money? They won't easily let go of the matter of their disappearance. Even the wilderness survival aspect was actually to filter out inferior products.
[This logic, I'm impressed.]
[The evil group hahaha, Fading Star Group is on the road of self-deprecation with no return.]
[This crystal... if it exists, the world would be in chaos.]
[Honestly, if it exists, I'm willing to go bankrupt to buy it. Not only could you get a robust body and an extended lifespan, but you could also acquire extraordinary talents. Who wouldn't want that? Just thinking about it is terrifying, outstanding but poor individuals would be so vulnerable.]
[People who are not poor are also in danger. As long as capital is at the crushing level, then everyone who is crushed by it is in danger, and everyone is at the bottom]
Of course, these bloodthirsty patients infected by the virus, including Jiang Baitao, were all signed-up extras, playing a role. They all signed strict confidentiality agreements with high liquidated damages, so presumably, no one dared to reveal the truth to the guests during the filming.
With the script's guidance, the virtual world viewers found it enjoyable watching from a god's perspective. But the real world viewers listening to Jiang Baitao's account felt creepy - this Fanxing Group was too evil! There was no rule of law! Thankfully they had His Majesty the King, in the real world such an unconstrained group could not exist.
Jiang Baitao was responsible for explaining the situation to them. As she spoke, her eyes turned red. "My brother, Jiang Baiqi, was originally a researcher on the island. He sensed that something was wrong, so he gave me the antidote in advance. That's why I was able to survive."
They had always thought that Dark Livestream was dark enough, never expecting that reality would be even more frightening.
"Ah! No! I don't want to! I want to leave, I want to live!" Someone broke down screaming while clutching their head.
Li Wenling and the others were also horrified, instinctively looking to Song Juyao. "Juyao..."
Song Juyao was still crouching on the ground, staring at Jiang Baiqi. She looked at Jiang Baitao and asked, "Since it's just an illness, they will die if they don't drink blood, right?"
"Yes, without food they can survive for about two months, and then die. The crystals also wouldn't disappear after death. Therefore, Fanxing Group's people come regularly to collect the bodies and extract the crystals from their brains."
Song Juyao nodded, telling Li Wenling and others, "Things aren't so hopeless. There's an antidote in the research institute. If we get the antidote from there, not only will we not end up like this, but we can also save those who have changed. Moreover, since Fanxing Star Group comes to collect bodies on time, it means we still have a chance to counterattack, seize transportation, and leave this place. The fact that Baitao has survived until now proves there's no surveillance on the island, right?"
Jiang Baitao nodded repeatedly, "Things happened suddenly, and even Fanxing Star Group didn't expect it. They didn't have time to set up surveillance on the island, so our movements on the island are safe. I've also been trying to find an opportunity to return to the research institute to get the antidote to save my brother."
The solution to their predicament was now right in front of them. Their actions quickly changed from crossing the sea island, to going to the research institute for the antidote to save people and themselves. Clearly crossing the sea island was also a lie - the research institute was located in the center of the island, and the closer they got the more dangerous it became. Fanxing Group just wanted to lure them over, get bitten, infected, and become the crystal cultivation vessels they desired.
They rested on the spot, but that night no one could sleep and they tossed and turned restlessly.
Song Juyao couldn't sleep either. She crouched beside Jiang Baiqi, staring at him while supporting her chin.
Before being completely infected by the virus, Jiang Baiqi had run out of the research institute with Jiang Baitao, having him put on a motorcycle helmet to prevent him from biting others. Together, they dug this hole and he buried himself in it.
Thinking about this, Song Juyao couldn't help but curve her eyes, barely suppressing her laughter.
"So cute."
The cuter thing is, he is pretending to be sick. It's too cute, really, that one couldn't help but want to tease him.
Jiang Baiqi: ??? What? What's cute?
"Are you hungry? Bai Tao said you've been buried for almost two months. If you don't eat anything, you'll die soon." For the first time, Song Juyao looked girlish and a bit childish. Seeing that no one was paying attention here, she raised her finger and bit it hard, blood droplets immediately appeared on her fingertip.
Then, Song Juyao stretched her finger to Jiang Baiqi's lips.
Jiang Baiqi: !!!
"Eat quickly, but don't bite me. The virus on your teeth will infect me." Song Juyao said gently.
In the virtual world's livestream room, the audience was dumbfounded. What is Song Juyao's reaction??? What does this behavior mean???
While in the real-world livestream room, the viewers erupted into excited cries.
【Aahhh!!! it's Jiang Baiqi, it's that Jiang Baiqi for sure!!】
【Song Juyao's gaze is exactly the same as when she looked at Jiang Baiqi in the first episode!!】
【The CP fans shed tears, the CP I support has come back to life, it's not just a coincidence!】
【??? In the first episode, I thought it was an accident, but now it seems... Song Juyao's aesthetics are really unusual. She just likes Jiang Baiqi's style.】
【Not even sparing the living dead, Song Juyao is too perverted】
【It's clearly a godly love, love at first sight between gods!】
The program team also breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Baiqi had already been infected by the virus and became a mindless monster, so whether or not he was Jiang Baiqi didn't really matter anymore. Also, the first season was definitely a coincidence. Even if Jiang Baiqi hadn't become a bloodthirsty patient, he couldn't possibly make a helmet like in the previous episode.
Moreover, Fanxing Group's evil plan conveniently provided them an opportunity.
They got the perfect NPC bodies to inhabit the temporary real-world NPC.
...
Inside the virtual world.
Survival Island Paradise project team.
All the staff widened their eyes, mouths agape, "Wow..."
Lying in the holographic pod, Jiang Baiqi's ears had turned bright red, and even his neck was beginning to blush.
Song Juyao was still squatting beside him. Holding her cheek with one hand, she tilted her head with a smile, and her blood-dripping finger was right at his lips.
As a bloodthirsty patient starved for two months, he couldn't resist the temptation of fresh blood, otherwise the setting would collapse.
His muscles were already tensed to the utmost, Jiang Baiqi's heart pounded like thunder, almost deafening himself. He wished he could leave this virtual world, but it was too late to regret now. Under Song Juyao's gaze, he could only slightly raise his head, lean in close to her finger, and lick away the droplet of blood with his tongue.
He didn't know whether it was data interference in the holographic pod or not, but he inexplicably felt that the blood was sweet, tempting, and as it entered his body, it suddenly excited him from head to toe, as if he had been longing for it for a long time.
His grayish eyes gazed at those bright eyes brimming with warmth and smiles gazing at him. As if seduced, he thirstily started licking the sweet blood on her finger until the wound stopped to bleed. Even after she withdrew her finger, he continued to lean forward longingly.
"So cute, like a golden retriever. But that's enough for now." Song Juyao, however, used her finger to touch his forehead gently, "This should be enough to maintain your energy, I'll feed you again tomorrow."