Chapter79

[This kid's been played by Ya—hard.]
[He's mentally ill. In a place like this he wouldn't survive anyway, even if Ya didn't trick him, someone else would.]
[Ya's actually pretty good. If she makes it out of this dungeon, I want to team up with her next time. Whether it's Hunting Grounds or a new Dungeon, being in the same group raises your survival chances.]
[Aren't you afraid she'll trick you too?]
[Every man for himself in the Dungeon—trust is a fairy tale. I've survived two Dungeons so far. It's always better to partner with someone good than to run with dead weight.]
[Being able to trick others is a skill too, you know.]
[If I really get played, well, in a freakshow Dungeon like this, if I'm still naïve enough to trust people and work myself to the bone for others, then losing my life is a fair price to pay.]
…
The chat snickered. Opinions were split about the whole "lying and cheating" thing.
Some said you shouldn't scam people in a Dungeon, but others figured if you could pull it off, that was your talent.
Most of them respected Ya's deception.
Try to play the saint in a place like this, and you end up dead. Simple as that.
Their live-streams showed different perspectives: on Ya's screen, Jiang Che was throwing himself toward her; on his screen, he was charging at the thing behind her like a bullet.
Their paths crossed at the same moment. Right as Jiang Che brushed past Ya, the viewers all heard Ya let out a breath of relief.
She really did feel sorry for Jiang Che—he was genuine. But the moment he went after the spirit behind her, she knew she'd won.
Don't worry. I'll escape this Dungeon with your lab coat.
Ya kept her head down, refusing to look back.