The Brutal Dog Brother

The forum debate about whether Liam Watson's performance was truly impressive had heated up. Still, Shawn had already anticipated this kind of scene.

Liam's previous performance had been extraordinary. The points he earned with just one move were so numerous that his total charge points had surpassed five hundred—an impressive feat considering that Mason Shepherd, the previous record holder in *Siren Town*, had only managed a little over a thousand.

Over five hundred points was already exceptional for Liam, a pure rookie.

Being too eye-catching would inevitably provoke jealousy. Other lower-tier players in *Siren Town* struggled to survive in each round, often barely earning one or two hundred points after deducting item costs. Meanwhile, Liam could easily defeat monsters with just a few points' worth of items, raking in several hundred points in return.

The show's effectiveness and the cost-to-reward ratio were incredible. From Shawn's perspective, Liam would undoubtedly secure a spot on the nightmare rookie leaderboard if nothing unexpected happened.

However, Shawn was also curious about the five extra barrels of alcohol Liam had bought. He figured Liam was the kind of player who wouldn't waste a single point, but he couldn't make sense of the alcohol purchase or the water bubble items.

According to the game's usual progression, the players would soon need to return to shore, where the mermaid wax statues were waiting. The alcohol would not be able to burn them, and its light wasn't bright enough to be considered a strong light—something the mermaid wax statues feared…

As Shawn pondered, he noticed Liam's name rising on the small TV screen in the solo game section.

The solo game section was much more spacious than the deathly-comedy zone from the past, which looked like something out of an '80s arcade.

The solo game area was a clean gaming hall with various recommendation sections. Liam was currently in the *System Recommended* section, which had good traffic and relatively easy entry conditions, making the competition fierce.

Typically, veteran players with a fanbase would secure a spot in this area early in the next round, relying on their previous game's audience to climb up.

This *System Recommended* section was an essential stepping stone for players. Its good location and decent foot traffic made it a semi-battlefield. Getting a spot here was hard, and it was usually the seasoned players who fought for it. Newcomers rarely made it.

Liam, a complete newcomer, securing this position caused quite a stir. It attracted many curious onlookers, especially with all the forum debates surrounding his actions.

As Shawn was still deep in thought, more and more people gathered behind him.

Each player's viewing area in the Game was flexible, accommodating countless spectators. Though from the outside, it appeared as a small screen, it could hold thousands of viewers once inside.

A crowd of players buzzed beneath Liam's small TV screen, discussing:

"Isn't the System Recommended section supposed to be for stronger players? How is a newbie up here?"

"Holy—this newbie's TV stats are impressive. For a newcomer, this data is remarkable. The system must be supporting him. No wonder he got the recommended spot."

"But if this newbie's up, that means someone else has to go down… Who did Liam Watson push off the spot?"

"Let me check... What the hell! He pushed off Dog Brother!"

"What the hell! This newbie is finished!"

"I saw on the forum that Dog Brother finished the Game and should know by now he's been pushed off. Let's see how he reacts."

At that moment, a towering man with a long scar running down his right eye entered the area. He was over six feet tall, broad, with a face full of aggression, his jaw clenched like a savage dog ready to attack. He wore a black studded leather belt slung diagonally across his body, holding a massive machete as wide as his hands.

Some players quickly stepped aside.

This man was known as *Dog Brother*—he had killed his teammates in a previous game for the thrill of the show and to steal their items and points. After killing them, he skinned and butchered them for the gruesome spectacle. This disturbing content had a fanbase in the Game, and *Dog Brother* was a pro.

He walked over to Shawn, shot him a sharp look with his left eye, and instinctively stepped back to give up his prime viewing spot.

*Dog Brother* dropped heavily onto the ground with a scowl as he muttered, "Let's see how far this little brat can go. I'll follow him in the next Game and see what he's really made of."

The players who had been whispering suddenly went silent.

Although Liam had earned his spot fair and square, crossing *Dog Brother* was no small feat. Even if he survived this Game, it would be hard to make it through the next one.

*Dog Brother* had accumulated a massive fortune in the last Game, stealing over 36,000 points and several items from his victims. His resources were formidable, far beyond what a rookie like Liam could hope to match.

Shawn frowned as he opened his game manager and checked *Dog Brother*'s profile:

Player Name: Mike Li 

Player Profession (Before Game): Butcher 

Reason for Entering the Game: Convicted for brutally murdering a female high school student who bought meat from him, Mike Li entered the Game after a strong survival instinct was triggered during his trial. 

Core Desire: To escape prison and exact revenge on all those who testified against him. He has a revenge plan in place, aiming to accumulate points and burn down the house of the girl who accused him. 

Recommended Game Store Items: 

- Crime Erasure Cream (Allows you to change your face and start anew. A new identity for those with unforgivable crimes. One bottle lasts for ten years, costing 12,000 points). 

- Inconspicuous Arson Matches (Light a match and cause an accident leading to a fire—remember, it's an accident. One match costs 21,000 points).

Beneath the profile were detailed crime records. Shawn hesitated before clicking to view them. 

Mike Li had brutally raped and murdered a female student in an alley. The girl, a senior in high school, was buying meat for her parents when Mike Li attacked her. When she fought back, Mike Li cut off her hand, leading to her bleeding to death. He then dismembered her body and sold her meat as pork.

Initially unaware of her fate, her parents went to buy meat themselves after she didn't return. When they learned the truth, they nearly broke down. 

Mike Li maintained that the murder wasn't intentional, claiming he was just trying to flirt with the girl but ended up killing her by accident in a fit of rage. His dismembering of her body was just a sign of his guilt. The girl's parents, however, were relentless in their pursuit of justice, bankrupting themselves to ensure he was convicted. This triggered Mike Li's hatred and thirst for revenge, leading to his entry into the Game.