The Whole Family Are Villains, I’m the Group Pet 114

Chapter 114

Shen Yan, over six feet tall, stood out in the crowd.

Lin Tezhu rubbed his eyes, then, seeing Xing Nuo looking at him, gasped.

“Xing Nuo?!”

Xing Nuo, his round, bright eyes taking in the train car, tilted his head.

“It’s Uncle Lin!”

Lin Tezhu, seeing Xing Nuo in his pajamas, the little tail dragging behind him, his heart melting at the sight of the adorable little cub, rushed forward.

“Xing Nuo, what are you doing here? Come give Uncle a hug!”

Shen Yan, who had been listening to Qi Yao’s explanation, turned and saw Lin Tezhu in a black jacket.

“Assistant Lin?” he asked, his voice cold.

Lin Tezhu immediately straightened up, released Xing Nuo’s cheek, and replied stiffly:

“Yes, Mr. Shen. What are your orders?”

His response was so automatic that he was momentarily stunned.

Then, remembering where he was, he chuckled awkwardly.

He had forgotten he wasn’t at the company anymore, but in a horror world dungeon.

Xing Nuo, rubbing his cheek, looked at the strange Uncle Lin and asked:

“Uncle Lin, why you here?”

He had seen Lin Tezhu, his brother’s assistant, many times before. He was a strange uncle, always acting weird in private.

Lin Tezhu, remembering how he had become a player, sighed.

“It’s a long story. There are rules in this world. I can’t tell you everything.”

Players couldn’t reveal too much information about the horror world to ordinary humans.

And, to be honest, many players didn’t want to reveal anything.

Lin Tezhu’s teammate walked over, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and looked at Shen Yan and the little one in his arms.

“Lin Yan, is this your former boss?”

Lin Tezhu nodded. “He’s my cousin.”

“They must be ordinary people who were dragged in by accident. Cousin, Xing Nuo is so young, can we help them get out?”

Lin Tezhu, having been pulled into the horror world two days ago after work, had only cleared one easy newbie dungeon.

Fortunately, he had found his cousin, who had disappeared three years ago, in Central City and joined his high-level team.

He still retained his empathy and didn’t want the little Xing Nuo to die in this dungeon.

His cousin scoffed, hearing this.

“Save your useless sympathy. This is a high-level dungeon. We’re barely surviving ourselves. We don’t have the resources to help others.”

He grabbed Lin Tezhu’s arm and pulled him towards the back of the train.

“Let’s go.”

Xing Nuo, hearing their conversation, scratched his cheek, confused.

“Big Brother, what they talking ’bout?”

Shen Yan, his expression cold, ruffled Xing Nuo’s hair.

“Nothing important. Don’t worry about them.”

Just then, Qi Yao’s voice sounded:

“You know those two?”

Qi Yao, sensing something amiss, his eyes narrowed, looked at the people in the back.

Shen Yan, not wanting to get involved with Qi Yao’s investigation, didn’t answer.

Xing Nuo, looking at Uncle Qi, then at Uncle Lin, sighed softly.

“Grown-up world so complicated.”

Like the game of checkers he played, everyone suddenly seemed to be on different teams, against each other.

Xing Nuo, his little mind unable to comprehend the complexities of adult interactions, hugged his brother’s neck, resting his head against him.

He yawned, his eyes red and watery, feeling sleepy.

Shen Yan, shielding Xing Nuo’s head, found a seat and sat down, whispering:

“Go to sleep. Big Brother will take you home when we get off the train.”

Children needed a lot of sleep, and it was past Xing Nuo’s usual bedtime.

But Xing Nuo, fighting off his sleepiness, didn’t want to sleep.

He wasn’t sure why. He just wanted to observe this strange train, to memorize everything.

A tear rolled down his cheek, and he blinked, trying to stay awake.

“I not sleepy.”

He then looked up at Qi Yao, who was walking towards them.

Qi Yao, his face unshaven, a cigarette dangling from his fingers, which he quickly tucked behind his ear, seeing Xing Nuo, said:

“The situation is complicated. I can’t tell you everything. Just protect Xing Nuo. I’ll find a way to get you out.”

Shen Yan glanced at him and hummed, not saying anything.

Qi Yao knew Shen Yan was a cold and aloof CEO, like those ruthless capitalists in the news.

He sighed and took out a mint candy, placing it in Xing Nuo’s hand.

“Here, Xing Nuo. Have a candy and go to sleep. Everything will be alright.”

Xing Nuo took the candy, put it in his mouth, and whispered:

“Uncle Qi, you be careful too.”

Although Qi Yao hadn’t explained anything, Xing Nuo sensed the danger, knowing they were no longer in the safe and orderly real world.

Qi Yao nodded and went to discuss the situation with his team.

“It’s been a whole day since we were pulled in, and the number of ordinary people is increasing.”

“What do we do, Qi-dui? At this rate, not just this car, but the entire train will be filled with people!”

“But we can’t find the core monster! We can’t kill it if we can’t find it!”

Qi Yao, also frustrated, ran a hand through his hair and looked at the people in the back, their behavior different from the others.

“I suspect those people might be ‘players’.”

He had overheard the word “player” when he first boarded the train.

Players had missions and hints, and if they succeeded, they could leave the dungeon.

But ordinary people couldn’t.

They had no experience with dungeons, their understanding limited, easily manipulated by players or monsters.

And they could only escape by killing the core monster.

Qi Yao still didn’t know how one became a player.

But one thing was certain: players had completely disappeared from the real world, their return uncertain, while ordinary people could return instantly by killing the monster!

He had tried to talk to the players earlier, but they had been wary and quickly left for another car.

Their investigation had stalled.

A plump train attendant, pushing a cart, called out:

“Sweet and delicious energy stones! And fresh fruit from the Tulip Manor!”

Xing Nuo, hearing “Tulip Manor,” his ears perking up, turned to his brother.

“Daddy likes tulips too.”

A beautiful, vibrant flower with a slightly poisonous sap.

Shen Yan hummed and, seeing the bananas on the cart, thinking Xing Nuo hadn’t eaten much for lunch, called out to the attendant:

“One banana, please.”

The attendant, having made several rounds without selling anything, his face lighting up, hurried over, not caring if they were players or ordinary people.

“One hundred Star Coins! How would you like to pay? Points or cash?”

A player in the back gasped and muttered:

“So expensive! Nothing in these dungeons is cheap!”

“What a sucker! If he doesn’t have the money, that monster attendant will probably attack him!”

Lin Tezhu, who had been observing them, stood up, thinking he could pay for it. He had a hundred points.

Although Shen Yan was a strict boss, his salary and bonuses were much higher than other companies’.

He could repay Shen Yan’s kindness this way.

The ordinary people, however, were confused.

“Star Coins? What are those? And points?”

No one answered. Even Qi Yao looked at them, his expression saying, Are you trying to get yourself killed?

Shen Yan, peeling the banana, fed a piece to Xing Nuo.

The attendant’s smile turned sinister as he looked at Shen Yan, about to demand payment or his life, when Shen Yan took out two Star Coins.

Exactly one hundred.

The attendant, beaming, took the money and, saying “Enjoy,” waddled away.

The other people, stunned, crowded around Shen Yan.

“Dude, where did you get the money?”

Shen Yan, his face expressionless, wiping the banana mush from Xing Nuo’s mouth, replied casually:

“Found it on the train.”

The players in the back immediately checked their pockets, wondering if they had been so unlucky as to lose a hundred Star Coins the moment they boarded the train.

The man who had asked the question sighed enviously.

“You’re lucky. But buying a banana is such a waste of money.”

The newcomers, having witnessed this, found seats, their hearts filled with unease, trying to figure out what was going on.

Xing Nuo, having finished the banana, patted his tummy, letting out a small burp.

“Eat, then sleep. Go home soon,” Shen Yan said.

Just then, a woman nearby burst into tears, wailing:

“Go home? We can’t go home! I’ve been in this cursed place for a whole day! This train never stops!”

Xing Nuo, startled, huddled against his brother, but still tried to comfort her.

“It’s okay, Auntie. We go home soon.”

The woman continued to cry, tears streaming down her face, remembering the gruesome deaths of the other passengers, thinking she would be next.

Before she could calm down, a commotion erupted from the next car.

“Ahhh! Don’t chase me!”

“Is that a real monster?! Stop running!”

“Someone’s dead! Ahhhh!”

Screams echoed through the train. Qi Yao and his team immediately rushed to the next car.

The other people froze, their faces pale, not daring to move, looking towards the source of the commotion.

Xing Nuo, clinging to the back of his seat, tried to see what was happening.

But a gray, hazy barrier separated the cars, obscuring his vision. He could only hear the escalating chaos.

When Qi Yao returned, the others crowded around him, their voices anxious.

“What happened? What’s going on over there?”

Qi Yao and his teammates sighed, their faces grim.

“Many people died in that car. We don’t know why.”

This was another difference between ordinary people and players.

Players had various life-saving props and hints from the system, making them more resilient and resourceful than ordinary people, who were completely clueless and terrified.

Perhaps, for ordinary people, being pulled into a dungeon was a death sentence.