Forming an Alliance

Zoe was a sharp one. The moment Zargo uttered those words, she grasped his intention.

"You want to form an alliance with me?" she asked.

In such a survival game, forming alliances was common. Everyone wanted to gather trustworthy teammates to increase their chances of victory. As the game's levels increased, this phenomenon became even more prevalent.

Sure, alliances were frequent, but so were betrayals.

"Why not?" Zargo responded with a grin. "If I'm not mistaken, that girl is your client, right? The two of you, plus me, makes three."

Veteran players knew that the game had a limit on the number of survivors. At most, only three could make it out alive. If there were more than three survivors at the end, they'd all be wiped out, and none would return to the real world. If you died in the game, your real-world self would vanish forever.

No one could bear such a consequence. So, when necessary, even if the monsters didn't make a move, players would have to scheme against each other. That was the cruelest part.

Zoe calmly retorted, "Given your skills, you could escape on your own, right? Why bother forming an alliance?"

"How can you be so sure of my strength? If I can travel solo to a low-level game, it shows I'm not that powerful."

"Traveling solo to a low-level game doesn't necessarily mean you're of a low level. You might have signed a stand-in contract with a low-level client."

Those bound by the system, once they reached a certain level, had the privilege to trade with lower-level clients. There were various contracts available. Once both parties signed, the contract would take effect and couldn't be altered.

For instance, the contract between Zoe and Penny was a common assistance contract, where a high-level player guides a low-level player. Zargo's contract was probably a stand-in one, where he directly replaced the client in the game.

Stand-in contracts were limited and expensive, so few opted for them. But for those with deep pockets willing to pay a hefty price for their lives, it was a different story.

"You're really smart," Zargo nodded, admiration evident in his eyes. "I have good taste."

"In what way?"

"In the way that I could tell at a glance that you're extraordinary, not just an ordinary person."

Zoe rolled her eyes discreetly, "Were you a street fortune teller before?"

"I know a bit about tarot cards and astrology if you're interested."

"No thanks," she raised a hand to stop him. "Back to the point, Mr. Yun, do you really think there's a need to form an alliance in a low-level game?"

She didn't think he needed to, nor did she.

Zargo said, "That young couple approached me last night."

"Oh," Zoe paused, not too surprised. "They obviously have experience. It's normal for them to want to recruit strong players."

After all, compared to the timid newbies, even if Zargo did nothing, his mere presence would be enough to make the couple target him.

"They said you're not simple and hoped I'd cooperate to eliminate you quickly."

"They're quite overconfident," she remarked.

Zargo chuckled, "So, since you've acknowledged my strength, you should say something nice to win me over. Otherwise, I might just ally with them and cause trouble for you."

Zoe was speechless, "What's with that sly look on your face?"

"Why? I just wanted to hear your opinion."

She couldn't quite figure him out. If she didn't handle him right and he decided to help the couple, it would be a potential threat.

After weighing the pros and cons, Zoe carefully crafted her argument, "Mr. Yun, I suggest you not choose that couple. First, I'm prettier than that girl, so teaming up with me would be more pleasing to the eye. Second, even if they have experience, they're still novices compared to me. Otherwise, why would they be so eager to form alliances in a low-level game? Third, couples have their own issues. There's a lot of unpredictability. What if they betray you at a crucial moment? That would be a loss."

Zargo seemed satisfied, "You're right. She's indeed not as pretty as you."

"You only heard that part?"

"Isn't that enough?"

Looking at his handsome face, Zoe felt a sudden urge to punch him. She didn't want to continue this conversation.

"Miss Faye, what are you two discussing?" Penny emerged from the restroom, looking pale from vomiting. "I admire you guys, chatting at a crime scene."

Zargo smiled gently, "Nothing much. Seeing the color of this blood, I'm actually getting a bit hungry. Makes me crave a bowl of noodles with chili sauce."

Penny covered her mouth and rushed back to the restroom.

Zoe sighed and closed the door, blocking out the room filled with blood reminiscent of a pig slaughter.

Some people might never eat noodles again.