I Choose 6: The Bloodthirsty Gu Swarm!

Spencer hurried over to take a look at Jexon's chosen Slot Machine. His eyes widened as he saw that nine of the options were negative effects, and the only positive one was…

*Longevity Elixir?*

After all that time carefully selecting, Jexon had picked this?

It's not that *Longevity Elixir* was bad—far from it! In fact, pulling a *Longevity Elixir* from a Slot Machine was usually considered a guaranteed win. But that was only true if you could actually keep it for yourself.

For Life Cachers like them, no matter what they pulled, the club would take it away. So, even if Jexon drew the *Longevity Elixir*, all he'd get would be a small boost in treatment, just like Walter. It was hardly enough to change his fate.

What was Jexon thinking? 

Did he already give up hope because his lifespan was running out? 

Maybe that was it. With barely a year left to live, he probably didn't think he could change anything, no matter what he drew. Perhaps this was just a final desperate spin, his last meal before the end.

Spencer thought he understood Jexon's mindset and, instead of mocking him, felt a sense of shared sadness. After all, it wouldn't be long before Spencer himself ended up in the same hopeless situation…

Even though he fantasized about defying fate, deep down, Spencer knew how slim those chances really were.

Jexon, on the other hand, didn't care what Spencer was thinking. He picked up the Slot Machine he had chosen, ready to spin. But just as he was about to start, a voice called out from nearby:

"Hunter, come over and help me out for a sec."

Hunter turned to see a scholarly-looking young man waving at him.

"Colin? What do you need help with?"

Colin waved the white Slot Machine in his hand. "Just need a bit of protection."

Slot Machines had a chance of summoning dangerous creatures like monsters, so if someone was unsure about handling the risk, they'd ask for protection during the spin. When Life Cachers like Jexon and Spencer spun, Hunter was there to handle anything dangerous that might appear.

Colin was asking for the same kind of protection.

However, white Slot Machines were typically not too dangerous, and it was rare for anyone to ask for protection with them. Hunter frowned slightly but walked over anyway, muttering, "What kind of danger could you be worried about with a white Slot Machine?"

Jexon and Spencer followed along, curious to see what was going on.

Spencer was just there for the fun of it, but Jexon had other thoughts in mind. He discreetly glanced at Colin, his mind filled with memories.

In Jexon's past life, Colin had become something of a legendary figure.

About a month from now, Colin would spin a green Slot Machine and draw a choice called *Schizophrenia*. It was supposed to be a disease—a negative effect—but the result was completely unexpected. After developing schizophrenia, Colin transformed from a gentle scholar into a ruthless demon, his combat abilities skyrocketing as he began to act with brutal decisiveness. He even broke the rules of the club, betraying his teammates during missions.

In Jexon's previous life, even Hunter had died at Colin's hands!

Before the club could punish him, Colin went rogue, becoming a lone wolf—an emotionless killer who roamed the dark corners of the world.

As they say, **the weak band together for warmth, while the strong stand alone.**

In the apocalypse game, countless factions had formed for survival. Yet, there were also many powerful individuals who roamed the world independently.

Once Jexon grew stronger, he, too, would likely leave the club and strike out on his own. But for now, he was too weak and had no choice but to rely on the club for shelter and growth.

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Jexon focused on Colin's Slot Machine. It was clearly of much higher quality than the garbage-tier machines Life Cachers were given. Six of its ten options were positive effects:

*Longevity Elixir, spatial ring, Vajra talisman!* 

*Tang sword, mink fur coat, roasted bullfrog!*

All six were decent rewards, especially the *Longevity Elixir* and the *spatial ring*, which were highly sought after even among high-quality rewards.

Hunter took one look and instantly guessed, "You're aiming for the *spatial ring*, aren't you?"

Colin shyly nodded.

Hunter shook his head. "The chance of drawing the *spatial ring* is way too low. And even if you do, white Slot Machine spatial rings have a capacity of no more than one cubic meter."

Colin shrugged. "Oh well, it only costs one year of lifespan. Might as well give it a shot."

Hunter didn't press the issue further. Instead, he asked, "You're asking for protection because you're worried about the *Phantom Butterfly Swarm*, right?"

Colin nodded again. "The scent from their wings has a hallucinogenic effect, and their powder can paralyze people. If it's fewer than ten butterflies, I can handle it myself. But I don't know how big the swarm will be…"

Hunter understood. "Alright, go ahead and spin. I'll keep an eye on things. The chance of drawing the butterfly swarm is pretty low anyway."

Colin, feeling reassured, nodded in gratitude. He clasped his hands together, offering a brief prayer. Though he wasn't as frantic as Spencer had been earlier, his devotion was clear. After his prayer, he pressed the button in the center of the Slot Machine and said firmly, "Let's go!"

A moment later, the machine chimed:

**Ding—** 

**Congratulations, you've drawn: Phantom Butterfly Swarm!**

"Shhhhhh…"

Hunter reacted instantly, and with a swift motion, a black, net-like object flew from his palm, ensnaring the swarm of butterflies that had appeared out of thin air.

Within seconds, the butterflies were all caught and killed. The entire process took less than three seconds!

When Hunter withdrew the net, the lawn was littered with the corpses of the phantom butterflies—hundreds of them.

Colin's expression showed both disappointment and relief as he sighed. "Wow… someone told me about Murphy's Law yesterday, and I didn't believe it. Looks like it's real after all!"

"I figured the chance of drawing the butterfly swarm was so small it wouldn't happen… and yet, here we are!"

Hunter, having seen countless cases like this, remained unfazed. He simply gave Colin a brief word of consolation, "It happens. Don't take it too hard."

Colin nodded, smiling wryly. "Yeah, it's just a white Slot Machine. No big deal."

But just as he finished speaking, he noticed a thin young man staring at him intently.

Colin frowned and looked at Jexon. "You're… a Life Cacher, right?"

Jexon nodded and asked, "Hey, can I have the bodies of the phantom butterflies you drew?"

Colin frowned, puzzled. "What do you want with those?"

Jexon swallowed hard, looking desperate. "To eat… I'm starving, and I probably don't have many days left…"

Colin, still in his pre-schizophrenia days, was a good-hearted man with a strong sense of justice. He took one look at Jexon's pitiful state and felt a twinge of sympathy, never once doubting the sincerity of his plea.

After only a moment's hesitation, Colin waved him off. "Go ahead, take them. Just a bunch of useless corpses anyway. Not my problem if they make you sick!"

Jexon's eyes lit up with joy as he hurriedly thanked Colin, then quickly gathered the hundreds of butterfly corpses into his empty bread bag.

Colin watched Jexon, truly believing that he was going to eat the butterflies. Shaking his head, Colin thanked Hunter for his help and left the area. He was a good guy, but he knew there were countless pitiful Life Cachers like Jexon in the world. There was no way he could help them all.

Hunter didn't say much either. He just impatiently urged Jexon, "Alright, your turn. Hurry up, spin your machine and get lost."

Jexon nodded quickly and placed his thumb on the center of the white Slot Machine he had chosen.

Once again, a familiar voice echoed in his mind—

**Please select your desired reward:**

**1. Longevity Elixir** 

**2. Insomnia for three days** 

**3. Stuttering** 

**4. Crossed eyes** 

**5. Body odor** 

**6. Bloodthirsty Gu Swarm** 

**7. …**

Without waiting for the voice to finish, Jexon shouted in his mind:

**I choose 6: Bloodthirsty Gu Swarm!**