Cooperation

Translator: Cinder Translations

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Cough, cough. Blood foam continued to spurt from Su Xiaoxiao's mouth. Her ribs had collapsed and pierced her lungs, making each breath an extreme struggle. 

Chen Ran seemed to be anticipating something, as if not wanting to miss a moment of excitement. He leaned closer to Su Xiaoxiao's ear, licking his lips. "Miss Su," he whispered, "Guess what I'll do to you next?"

He swallowed with excitement, his mouth stretching into an exaggerated grin. The excitement and madness in his eyes were almost impossible to suppress, but he still deliberately lowered his voice. "I'll start by chopping off one of your arms and throw it onto the stone plate."

"If I get what I want, that's great, but if not..." He paused, "We still have the chance to experiment with another arm and two legs."

"Of course, I believe your luck won't be that bad. It seems we'll have to use your body," he grinned, showing his gleaming white teeth. "What do you think, Miss Su?"

Chen Ran didn't enjoy killing people in nightmares; it would taint the so-called cause and effect. What he liked was tormenting people. The pitiful, desperate, life-or-death struggle of his victims was the most exciting thing for him.

Because it was only at that moment that people would truly understand the value of life.

He would even be merciful enough to toss a half-dead teammate into the door first, letting them return to the real world.

Torture wasn't the goal; it was merely a means. What he truly sought was education!

Yes, education! 

Some people were just too fragile. Even when they first entered the nightmare world, they would cry and scream to go back after encountering something strange, unwilling to take even the slightest risk, even if it was for a clue.

Too many foolish, shameful, and despicable people were waiting to enjoy the fruits of others' labor.

They had completely become slaves to fear.

If a team faced major casualties or encountered terrifying supernatural events, some of them would even be terrified to the point of suicide.

Every time he met someone like this, Chen Ran would control them and slowly torture them.

He would first try to cut their blood vessels, making them watch as their blood slowly poured out from their wrists, little by little, growing more and more, staining the plants and soil next to them.

But what Chen Ran didn't understand was that every time this happened, these people who were desperately seeking death would beg him to spare them, saying they didn't want to die, that they wanted to live.

What a bunch of hypocrites.

They had no respect for life.

Of course, he would eventually fulfill their wishes, but before he tossed their half-dead bodies into the iron door, they would inevitably suffer.

What Chen Ran preferred was to chop off their limbs.

That way, they were much lighter to carry, and it was easier to transport them. The only downside was that stopping the bleeding was a hassle, so he could only use this method for a short time before the door opened.

After returning to reality, the missing limbs would be restored to them, which was a feature of the nightmare world that Chen Ran was quite satisfied with.

He didn't mind being called a madman. After all, the word didn't have any clear positive or negative connotation when traced back to its origin. It was simply a matter of perspective, meaning that he wasn't understood by the world.

Just like Beethoven, Van Gogh, Nietzsche— 

They were all once called madmen, rejected by the secular world.

But what time does is great—it makes the real, brilliant, and luminous moments last forever, while burying the shallow and pretentious.

Beethoven used stormy melodies to counter the argument, since Bach, that music should be an external art form for public enjoyment, and should not be tied to personal emotions.

Van Gogh only created his exaggerated and distorted starry skies and irises, along with those unsettling deep blues, after he left his ear and stayed at Saint-Remy.

And Nietzsche... 

Ah, Nietzsche!! 

Chen Ran's eyes showed a hint of obsession.

The rebellious, stubborn character, the pessimistic philosophy—these were the indelible labels of Nietzsche.

In Chen Ran's eyes, no matter the ambiguous relationship with Salome, the estrangement with Wagner, or even being framed as the evil spiritual father by his sister, ultimately dying in an asylum—none of it could overshadow the moment when Nietzsche pointed to the Christian cross and said to the world, "God is dead." That moment of brilliance.

Lonely people don't want solitude; it's just that they can't find anyone like them.

Chen Ran smiled, tears filling his eyes.

Nietzsche's tragedy did not repeat in him; what Nietzsche couldn't find, he... had found.

Deep crimson was his destiny.

"Miss Su," Chen Ran squinted, looking up at the sky, "It's getting late. If you have nothing else to say, we'll..."

Su Xiaoxiao, curled on the ground, moved. Chen Ran stared at her with interest. She had clearly reacted to his words. Did she want to say something?

"My brother..." Su Xiaoxiao coughed up another mouthful of blood, some even splattering onto Chen Ran. Neither of them minded. Trembling, she said with difficulty, "Is he..."

"Don't worry, Miss Su," Chen Ran interrupted her, then squinted and leaned in close to her ear, whispering, "Your brother is most likely already dead. Even if he isn't, once I return, he will be."

Cough, cough. 

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoxiao coughed up a large mouthful of blood. Her breathing sounded ragged, like a leaking old bellows.

Chen Ran was quite pleased with her reaction.

He had already decided to spare her life. After all, there were so few interesting people like her. He looked forward to their next meeting. Perhaps, without the burden of her brother, this woman would be even more entertaining.

"Miss Su, please stretch out your right arm," Chen Ran picked up a spear-like weapon from the edge of the grave. He tested the blade with his finger, then tilted his head and said, "The weapons here aren't very handy. Please cooperate; it will be better for both of us."

Just as he was trying to find the best angle to strike, he suddenly heard a slightly sharp sound. He put away the spear and lowered his gaze, looking at Su Xiaoxiao, who lay like a dead dog.

"Heh heh."

Although the sound was low, mixed with heavy breathing, it was still clear.

She was laughing.

This woman, who was about to have her limbs chopped off and could easily die if he wasn't careful, was actually laughing.

"Even if... even if you can cough, cough, kill me, you still... can't defeat him," Su Xiaoxiao said hoarsely.

"Who?" Chen Ran raised an eyebrow. "That Hao Shuai?"

"You don't really think I believed what you said, do you?" Su Xiaoxiao laughed even more recklessly, her whole body twitching in pain from the laughter. "Guess why Hao Shuai and the others haven't appeared?"

After a moment, Chen Ran put away his weapon, his expression turning grim. "It seems Miss Su's partners aren't just me."

(End of the Chapter)

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Read (NS) ahead on (pa treon . com / CinderTL) – Chapter 300. (+6)

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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.