[QT] The Villains Are All My Reserve Food - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Ghost King 3

When Su Tang threw his punch, his mind was a complete blank. He barely thought at all, his entire body trembling with fear, his legs weak and wobbly, looking utterly pathetic.

He closed his eyes as he swung, curling himself into a tiny shrimp-like ball, appearing utterly pitiful and frail.

He looked like he was scared to death.

Yet this “frail girl” had just sent a skeleton’s skull flying with a single, brutal punch!

Yang Dong, Shen Wenbin, and the newcomers were all stunned into silence.

Some even muttered inwardly, *Scared to death? You’re the one who nearly scared me to death! Where did this super-strong loli come from? Physical exorcism? She’s more terrifying than the ghosts! Please, act like you mean it!*

Yang Dong had been encouraging Su Tang to be brave, urging him to try attacking the ghosts no matter what. He had even prepared himself to protect Su Tang, assuming the boy would be too terrified to fight. But what happened instead…?

The “frail girl” either didn’t strike at all, or when he did, the ghost’s head vanished in an instant.

Yang Dong watched the skull roll away, falling into a rare silence, his expression complex and subtle.

Su Tang’s deathly pale face and trembling shoulders were undeniably genuine; he was truly terrified.

Yang Dong, about to offer reassurance, abruptly changed his words to: “It’s okay, you’ve already scared the skeleton away.”

Shaking, Su Tang forced his eyes open a crack. Sure enough, he saw the skeleton that had been standing beside him chasing after its rolling skull, which was now bouncing farther and farther away.

Watching the clumsy, stiff figure retreat, Su Tang felt a surprising twinge of guilt amidst his fear.

*I accidentally knocked your head off. I’m so sorry! It wasn’t intentional—I was just so scared I lost control.*

Su Tang let out a small sigh of relief.

Yang Dong snapped out of his shock and, noticing Su Tang’s tear-reddened eyes, awkwardly remarked, “Su Tang, your strength seems… a bit much.”

The other newcomers couldn’t help but mentally scream: *A bit much?!*

Su Tang’s dramatic display—crying and whimpering while simultaneously smashing a skeleton’s skull off—was both absurdly jarring and, in a way, reassuring. It proved he possessed some self-defense capabilities. Yang Dong, having experienced more than the others, quickly regained his composure after the initial shock and grew somewhat relieved, adopting a brotherly tone as he said, “Su Tang, this is actually a good thing.”

Shen Wenbin quickly composed himself, his initial disdain for Su Tang now tinged with a grudging respect. He quipped, “An ‘Iron Barbie,’ huh? Any future boyfriend of yours better watch out—cross you, and he might lose his skull!”

Yang Dong immediately glared at him.

Shen Wenbin shrugged, his mischievous grin softening slightly.

Su Tang retorted indignantly, “I’d never smash his head!” After a moment’s thought, he added, “Unless he scares me.”

Yang Dong was mildly surprised to learn Su Tang already had a boyfriend. He seemed like the quintessential good girl, utterly devoted to her studies. After a brief pause, Yang Dong smiled and said, “Then you’d better work hard and get the Gate Key. That’s how you’ll return to the real world and see your boyfriend again.”

“Gate Key?” Su Tang looked utterly bewildered.

But Yang Dong couldn’t explain further at the moment. He simply said, “Let’s focus on surviving this first, Su Tang. I’m really hoping you make it.”

With that, he urged the newcomers to stay alert and prepare to fight off the approaching horde of skeletons.

Su Tang quickly shifted his attention to defense as well.

A large group of skeletons approached, their ghastly white bones radiating an eerie aura in the darkness. The flickering candlelight from the red lanterns cast a faint crimson glow on their bodies, making them appear even more terrifying.

Su Tang watched the advancing skeletons, his scalp tingling with fear. His heart pounded wildly, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably. His eyes welled with tears, but he forced himself to endure, striking each skeleton with a single punch until they scattered across the ground, frantically searching for their heads.

He fought through his tears, sobbing as he struck.

He didn’t want to cry, but the scene was simply too terrifying. A swarm of rattling skeletons loomed before him, threatening to scare him to death.

Yang Dong watched from the sidelines, both shocked and struggling to suppress a laugh. He couldn’t decide whether to pity Su Tang or the headless skeletons.

Back in the Infinite Horror World, when facing ghosts, they had always been on edge, their minds taut with fear and anxiety. They had never experienced anything like this—watching a group of skeletons scrambling for their heads, even fighting over the wrong ones. Suddenly, the atmosphere lost its tension, becoming almost comical.

After transmigrating through several worlds in the Infinite Horror World, Yang Dong finally felt the knot in his chest loosen slightly, his mood lightening. Watching the absurd scene unfold before him, he could barely suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Su Tang, paralyzed by fear, couldn’t think straight. He punched skeletons one after another, yet they seemed to keep coming endlessly. Whether it was his imagination or not, the skeletons seemed to be targeting him specifically, swarming toward him in greater numbers.

However, the skeletons weren’t as brutal toward him as they were toward others. Their bony, pale hands stretched out desperately, trying to grab him, as if they only wanted to take him away.

Su Tang couldn’t help but suspect: *Could these skeletons be sent by Bo Shang?*

*This is outrageous!*

*He knows how terrified I am of ghosts, and he sends a horde of skeletons?!*

*Why couldn’t Bo Shang come himself?!*

*Even though Bo Shang is a ghost too, I could try to endure it, control my fear, and restrain myself from punching him!*

Su Tang secretly resented Bo Shang for not coming to find him, while simultaneously regretting his earlier panicked escape. His heart was torn between these conflicting emotions.

But the current situation didn’t allow him much time to think.

The skeletons wanted to capture him, but Su Tang couldn’t hold back any longer. He had to fight back. Besides, since transmigrating, Yang Dong had shown him kindness, and he couldn’t just stand by and watch them be attacked. Su Tang did his best to protect Yang Dong and the others, intervening whenever the skeletons tried to kill them and saving their lives.

Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin were experienced fighters, handling the skeletons with ease. But protecting the group of newcomers proved challenging, making Su Tang a crucial combatant.

He wore a terrified expression, as if pleading, “Please don’t come any closer!”—then promptly punched a skeleton flying.

Yet as Su Tang fought, he thought he saw a hint of… resentment??? on the skeletons’ faces.

Su Tang was baffled. He couldn’t explain how he could discern resentment on those deathly pale skulls, but the skeletons’ dark, hollow eyes undeniably radiated a faint, resentful aura, as if they were genuinely unhappy about Su Tang beating them up.

The skeletons’ gazes made Su Tang’s scalp tingle, causing him to shrink back even more, instinctively huddling closer to Yang Dong.

The next moment, as if enraged, the skeletons intensified their attacks. The clattering of their bone frames as they moved was grating on the ears.

Yang Dong struggled, baffled by the sudden aggression of these ghosts.

After a moment’s hesitation, he activated his item. Instantly, a protective barrier materialized around the group, resembling an inverted bowl radiating a faint white light. The barrier enveloped them all, shielding them within its glow.

The barrier seemed to repel the skeletons, forcing them back. They glared at the group inside, their bony fingers clawing at the barrier in futile attempts to breach it.

The barrier proved impenetrable. Their attacks only stirred faint ripples across its surface, unable to pierce its defenses.

The skeletons surrounded the barrier, their malevolent gazes fixed on the group inside, their persistence unwavering.

Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin were puzzled. This was supposed to be the Newbie World; the ghosts shouldn’t be this relentless. Yet these skeletons were pressing their attack with unexpected ferocity, clinging to them as if there were something here they desperately needed to obtain.

After such a prolonged and desperate struggle, the group finally had a chance to catch their breath. Everyone collapsed onto the ground, especially the newcomers, their faces pale as they gasped for air. Exhaustion and terror washed over them, their minds stretched taut like a wire about to snap.

Many had already used their life-saving talismans, which had saved them once but left them even more anxious. The realization that the next fatal attack would mean certain death drove them to the brink of madness.

Huang Rui glared resentfully at Yang Dong. “If you had something like that, why didn’t you bring it out sooner?! I got scratched by a skeleton—is there any chance of corpse poison?!”

Su Tang frowned at Huang Rui’s vile words. He hadn’t expected the newcomer to survive, considering his lack of physical strength. Yet here he was, having somehow endured the dense swarm of skeletons. Su Tang felt a growing dislike for this newcomer, his animosity fueled by Huang Rui’s actions throughout their ordeal.

Yang Dong clearly despised Huang Rui’s character as well, but adhering to his duty as a guide, he said coldly, “It’s just a scratch. You won’t die.”

Huang Rui remained belligerent, demanding that Yang Dong and the others treat his wound. He even had the audacity to say, “You must be getting something out of bringing newbies along, right? I don’t believe you’d do this for nothing. Hurry up! Isn’t this exactly what you’re here for?”

Even Yang Dong, who was generally mild-tempered, refused to acknowledge him, ignoring his rabid barking like a mad dog. He turned to the others and said, “You all want to go back, right? Surviving is the most important thing, of course, but to leave, we need to get the Gate Key.”

Huang Rui’s face twisted with fury and malice. He roared, “Hey! Are you deaf?! Hurry up and give me—”

Before he could finish, a burly man beside him kicked him to the ground. The man looked like a fitness instructor, his muscles bulging as he handled Huang Rui like a mere chicken. He had long grown tired of Huang Rui’s arrogance, especially when the guide, Yang Dong, was sharing crucial information and this guy was still being loud and obnoxious.

Before Shen Wenbin could even react, the burly man kicked Huang Rui without hesitation, snarling, “Do you think the whole world is your mother?! Get smart—one more peep and I’ll throw you to the Skeletons!”

Huang Rui’s collar was yanked, choking him. Though seething with resentment, he knew he stood no chance against the hulking man. He could only hold his breath and lower his head, concealing his venomous glare—a look that could kill. But the man dismissed him as a cowardly bully who preyed on the weak.

The burly man slammed Huang Rui to the ground, then gestured politely for Yang Dong to continue explaining.

Yang Dong nodded and resumed, “The Gate Key, as the name suggests, is a key that allows you to return to the real world. It proves you’ve cleared the Newbie Zone and grants you the highest possible Points. These Points can be exchanged for items that will be invaluable in future worlds.”

Someone’s eyes widened in terror. “This isn’t the only world?! After we finish here, we have to transmigrate to another one?!”

Yang Dong nodded, confirming their worst fears. The man grabbed his hair and tugged wildly, on the verge of madness.

Yang Dong continued, “The location of the Gate Key is unpredictable. No one knows where it might be, but there’s a pattern: it’s usually hidden in a dangerous and secluded place. You don’t know what the key looks like yet, but when you see it, you’ll instinctively recognize it as the one you’re looking for.”

Someone asked, “How long will we have to stay here?”

Yang Dong replied, “That depends on you. Some newcomers clear the Newbie Zone in two days, while others remain trapped in the Newbie World for half a year, and some even suffer total annihilation.”

The newcomers’ faces turned as pale as paper, their anxiety about the future intensifying.

Yang Dong tried to reassure them, “Don’t worry too much. The rules favor newcomers. The ghosts can’t attack and kill indiscriminately; they’re bound by certain restrictions. Remember how normal the town seemed during the day? Those townspeople weren’t human; they were the skeletons you see now—their true forms. During the day, they can’t attack players; their disguises are merely illusions to deceive you. That’s why I warned you not to interact with them or accept anything from them. Once you accept something, you voluntarily establish a connection with the ghost, and you’ll never be able to escape its influence.”

“Moreover, once a connection is established, the ghost gains the upper hand. You’ll be completely helpless against its will. If you had special items, you might stand a chance, but you’re all newcomers, nothing more than fish on a chopping block, ripe for slaughter. So, absolutely no rash moves.”

Yang Dong’s words chilled the newcomers to the bone, driving home the world’s peril and deepening their despair.

Su Tang stood to the side, a pile of skeletons pressed against the glowing barrier behind him, their hollow eyes fixed on him. Every time he glanced back, his heart leaped in terror. Even when he turned his back, their deep, icy gaze made his scalp crawl.

As he pondered Yang Dong’s words, his fingers unconsciously traced the black ring on his ring finger—the one the Ghost King had forced onto him. It was now fused to his finger, as if cursed or otherwise bound. It fit so tightly he couldn’t even rotate it, let alone remove it. It felt as if it had become one with his flesh.

Had accepting the Ghost King’s gift established a connection? Was Bo Shang’s absence due to the world’s limitations? Was the Ghost King unable to manifest freely?

As Su Tang was pondering this, Huang Rui suddenly appeared beside him, clearly trying to ingratiate himself with amusing remarks.

Though Huang Rui had always been unlikeable, he knew how to charm when he wanted to. He kept the atmosphere light with a string of entertaining topics, easing the tension within the protective barrier.

However, Su Tang didn’t appreciate his advances.

This sudden change in attitude was suspicious, but a moment’s thought revealed Huang Rui’s motive: he had seen Su Tang’s display of martial prowess and was now trying to latch onto a powerful ally.

Despite Su Tang’s current appearance in a JK uniform, projecting the image of a frail girl, Huang Rui had witnessed his brutal defeat of the skeletons and was now trying to curry favor, hoping to live off Su Tang’s strength.

Su Tang watched with a cold smile. He would gladly protect Bo Shang, but for anyone else, he wanted to say, “You’re dreaming. Get lost.”

The moment Huang Rui approached Su Tang, the skeletons clinging to the barrier intensified their attacks, their eyes burning like twin ghost flames with an eerie, phosphorescent green glow.

Overwhelmed by their sheer numbers, some skeletons couldn’t squeeze to the front and were forced to remain on the periphery. They hopped and jumped, desperately trying to peek over the crowd to catch a glimpse of Su Tang. Sometimes, their frantic movements caused them to collide with the skeletons ahead, sparking brawls that left both sides battered and missing bones. After exchanging disdainful jeers, they would scramble to reassemble themselves, only to fight again when they accidentally picked up each other’s bones.

Finally, unable to bear being so far from Su Tang, they began climbing over the shoulders and heads of the skeletons in front, huffing and puffing as they clambered to the top of the energy shield. From their eerie perch, they glared down at the people inside.

Anyone who dared approach Su Tang or speak to him would be met with the skeletons’ deathly stares, their expressions promising immediate annihilation the moment the shield dropped.

Huang Rui, naturally, bore the brunt of this menacing attention. A chill shot up from the soles of his feet to his scalp, leaving him trembling with fear. He nearly retreated several times, but the thought of Su Tang’s monstrous strength forced him to suppress his terror and continue ingratiating himself.

To be honest, Su Tang completely ignored him, even coldly telling him to stay away. But Huang Rui, thick-skinned as ever, pretended not to hear and kept chattering away.

Finally, Su Tang couldn’t take it anymore. He clenched his fist and snapped, “Keep yapping, and I’ll crush your dog head!”

Huang Rui’s face turned livid, his expression ugly. He’d assumed Su Tang, being a student, would be easy to manipulate, but this blunt rejection caught him off guard. Normally, Huang Rui would have thrown punches by now, but having witnessed Su Tang’s combat prowess, he knew the threat to crush his head wasn’t just an empty boast—the guy had the power to back it up.

Huang Rui’s face darkened. He’d thought he was one of the strongest among the newcomers, ready to push the weaklings to their deaths at any moment. Now, he realized he was even wary of the team’s seemingly fragile girl.

Su Tang’s warning worked wonders. Huang Rui, a bully who only preyed on the weak, immediately retreated a few steps, his tail between his legs. He cautiously watched Su Tang’s face, gauging whether the distance was satisfactory.

The skeletons perched above the energy shield and those surrounding Su Tang trembled their jawbones in unison, as if mocking Huang Rui. This only deepened his humiliation.

Hiding behind the shield, Huang Rui glared fiercely at the skeletons and spat at them defiantly.

Shen Wenbin saw this and scoffed, “Don’t think ghosts are mindless. Provoking them like that? You’d better watch out—once the barrier drops, every Skeleton will target you alone.”

Huang Rui’s face turned green at the warning. Nothing ever went his way in the horror world; every encounter left him feeling utterly humiliated.

The other newcomers ignored the perpetually annoying Huang Rui, but they were deeply concerned by Shen Wenbin’s words. They immediately pressed him, “How much longer will this barrier hold?”

Yang Dong replied calmly, “At most, two hours.”

Panic seized the newcomers. “What do we do after that?!”

Shen Wenbin sneered, “What else? Fight the ghosts, of course. Or would you rather sit here and wait to die?”

Two hours felt both fleeting and agonizingly long.

During that time, a series of bloodcurdling screams pierced the air. It was the male newcomer who had been flirting with the town girl earlier that day. Now that he had discovered the beautiful, shy girl was actually a deathly pale Skeleton, he was so terrified he wet himself.

He frantically rummaged through his backpack, trying to pull out the newbie dagger to attack the Skeleton. But his hands trembled so violently from fear that the dagger slipped and fell to the ground. As he bent to retrieve it, the Skeleton girl kicked it away with a single, swift motion.

The newcomer froze, his legs trembling as he stared into the skeleton’s hollow eyes. He desperately crawled forward, but the skeleton girl swiftly dragged him back, her bony fingers gripping him as she cackled with eerie delight.

“Help! Help! Someone save me! Aaaah—!”

The man’s desperate cries echoed through the air, sending chills down everyone’s spines.

The newcomers inside the protective barrier grew even more terrified.

Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin, however, sat impassively, motionless.

Seeing this, Huang Rui couldn’t resist his sarcastic jab: “Why the sudden change of heart? Aren’t you supposed to be looking after the newcomers?”

Yang Dong remained silent.

Huang Rui continued to needle him relentlessly.

Shen Wenbin, ever direct and brutal, grabbed Huang Rui by the collar, lifted him off the ground, and dragged him to the edge of the barrier. He held Huang Rui face-to-face with the skeleton outside, their faces separated by less than a centimeter.

“He ignored our warnings and foolishly tried to connect with the skeleton,” Shen Wenbin said coldly. “If we save him, it’ll cost a life for a life. Since you’re so eager to help, why don’t we toss you out there to take his place?”

The skeleton outside, sensing an opportunity to torment Huang Rui—the man who had dared to get close to Su Tang earlier—became wildly excited. Its jawbone trembled violently as it cackled with glee, eagerly welcoming Shen Wenbin’s offer to throw Huang Rui out.

Huang Rui’s face turned deathly pale. “Let go of me! Let go of me! You can’t kill me!” he pleaded frantically.

Shen Wenbin remained unmoved. Huang Rui immediately began begging for mercy, but everyone, including the skeletons outside, looked on with indifference. No one pleaded for him. Huang Rui had managed to make himself so universally despised, by both humans and ghosts, that it was, in a way, quite remarkable.

In the end, Shen Wenbin, as their guide, had no intention of killing a newcomer. He merely gave Huang Rui a severe warning.

For the next two hours, Huang Rui remained as quiet as a chicken. It took him a considerable amount of time just to catch his breath while lying face down on the ground.

The protective barrier gradually faded away, but fortunately, the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn. The sun rose, casting golden rays across the horizon.

As the sun appeared, the skeletons reluctantly retreated, casting lingering glances back at the group before disappearing.

Day had finally returned.

Although the town’s peace and tranquility were a facade—its inhabitants transforming into skeletons at night—at least they were safe during the day, free from the threat of being killed by ghosts.

They hadn’t rested all night, their faces pale and haggard. At first glance, these newcomers looked more like ghosts than living people. Though protected by the barrier, how could anyone sleep with a horde of skeletons clinging to it, their eerie gazes piercing through the night?

Now, several newcomers were struggling to keep their eyes open, their eyelids heavy with exhaustion.

Someone couldn’t help but ask, “Can we rest?”

In their current state, they’d be easy prey for the ghosts that would come at night, practically handing over their lives.

Yang Dong was about to respond when a sudden commotion erupted from the town square, cutting him off.

The townspeople had reverted to their human forms, but they were all gathered there, as if preparing for some grand, important event.

Yang Dong felt a sudden, ominous premonition.

He exchanged a glance with Shen Wenbin, and they moved to investigate.

But as they approached, the townspeople abruptly turned to face them. The uniformity of their gaze instantly reminded them of the skeletons clinging to the barrier last night, sending chills down their spines.

The townspeople chanted reverently, “Sacrifice to the god!”

Then, in perfect unison, they knelt to the ground, all facing Su Tang.