Monster Book

Only Shawn's eyes lit up. "He's collecting the Monster Book! He's identifying the last weakness of all the mermaid monsters! Then he's going to use that weakness to drive them back!"

The others discussed in uncertainty: 

"Seriously?! He's really going to collect the Monster Book?" 

"I heard only the Shepherd was able to complete the Siren Town Monster Book. A normal player can barely complete even one page—can this new guy actually do it?" 

"I think it's impossible to complete it. I've watched tons of Siren Town game videos, and I've never seen anyone find the third weakness of the Mermaid Statue and Mermaid Sailor." 

...

Liam Watson couldn't hear these discussions. He lazily raised the pickaxe and slammed it hard onto the Siren King in the glass display. 

The glass shattered loudly, and the Siren King slid down from the liquid-covered pedestal, falling at Liam's feet. 

The Mermaid Statues seemed to be greatly frightened and quickly retreated from the central exhibition hall, scattering in all directions. Even Lucy and Gerald on either side of Liam held their heads, screaming as if they'd seen a demon, running out of the hall. 

Shawn looked up excitedly at Liam, who was wiping liquid off his fingers, taking a deep breath. 

"The third weakness of the Mermaid Statues and Mermaid Sailors is... the Siren King!" 

Liam crouched down and lifted the Siren King's chin. 

With the liquid sticking to its eyelashes, droplets fell on its brightly colored lips, creating a wet gleam between them, almost like inviting someone to kiss it. The face was hypnotically beautiful, so exquisite that it exceeded human imagination. 

Only unconventional terms like "siren" or "sea demon" could truly describe such a face. 

The texture of Liam's fingertips was cold and delicate, almost unbelievably fine. He had originally intended to say, "I didn't expect the NPC modeling in this game to be so good, they made such a beautiful character." 

But then, Liam suddenly remembered he was live-streaming. With the excitement of completing three pages of the Monster Book, the viewers would probably expect him to give some dramatic, over-the-top lines. 

So, Liam took a long breath, smiling, and said, "Everything begins with you, and everything ends with you, beautiful Siren King." 

He crouched down, put the Siren on his cart, and, with a slight smile, pressed the cart forward, marching out of the wax statue museum with the Siren King. 

None of the Mermaid Statues dared approach; they stood far in the dark corners of the museum, too afraid to come closer. 

[Siren Town Monster Book Update—Mermaid Statue (1/4)] 

[Monster Name: Mermaid Statue (Pupa State), Amulet Statue (Cocoon State)] 

[Weaknesses: Direct eye contact, strong light, Siren King] 

[Attack Method: Hatching] 

[Mermaid Statue (Pupa and Cocoon States) Page of the Monster Book Completed, Keep Going, Player!] 

—————————— 

[Siren Town Monster Book—Mermaid Sailor (3/4)] 

[Monster Name: Mermaid Sailor (Butterfly State)] 

[Weaknesses: Fear of strong light, amulet, Siren King] 

[Attack Method: Biting and Scratching (Scratching may trigger an aberration state)] 

[Mermaid Statue (Pupa and Cocoon States) Page of the Monster Book Completed, Keep Going, Player!] 

———————— 

[System Notification: Player Liam Watson is only one page away from completing the entire Siren Town Monster Book. Keep going, Player!]

In front of Liam's small TV, there was a three-minute silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even Mike was momentarily stunned. 

Finally, Shawn broke the silence with an excited "He's almost done!" 

Instantly, it was like a drop of water had fallen into hot oil, and all the players watching Liam's game stream were stirred up by the sudden, seemingly impossible turnaround from an impending dead end. Almost everyone screamed with excitement. 

"Just one page left!" 

"Only one page away from completing the Monster Book! Damn, I've never seen a pure newbie get this far. He's incredible!" 

"I really want to see the people on the forum who said they could do it too, come and take a look. If they were in Liam's shoes, they'd be out of luck!" 

"He's amazing, even with god-level NPCs, no hesitation, just smashing and using them as tools." 

Mike's face darkened as he slammed his knife down a few times but couldn't drown out the compliments from the viewers. 

Many of the people who had criticized Liam on the forums had now come to watch his stream and the sight of Liam proving them wrong made them scowl. Now, hearing their names being called out, they angrily retorted, "If he's so amazing, let him take the central screen! He's just doing well in a single-player game zone. What's so special about that?" 

Just then, the system notification appeared: 

[10003 people liked Liam Watson's small TV, 9607 people saved it, and 1300 charged it. Player Liam Watson gains 1300 points.] 

[Player Liam Watson received over 10,000 likes in one minute! His reputation is skyrocketing! Player Liam Watson has earned the "Fame of the Moment" achievement!] 

[Congratulations to Player Liam Watson for securing a promotion slot on the central hall's main screen for single-player games! Wow, nice job, you've secured a prime spot! The views are skyrocketing!] 

Shawn took a deep breath, not understanding why his heart was pounding so hard. 

It had been a long time since he had felt such an exhilarating excitement from watching such an intense and exciting gaming session. He gave one last deep look at Liam Watson's TV, now turned off, before running off. 

From now on, he won't miss a second of Liam Watson's videos! 

Shawn's sudden sprint reminded the other players. 

"Wow! A central promotion slot!!! Amazing! A pure newbie got it on his first try!" 

"Forget talking, let's go! If we miss something, we'll have to get a membership to see it again. This high-quality video is definitely going to be put in the VIP collection! Watching it is like striking gold!" 

The Player who had previously said, "If he's so amazing, let him take the central screen," looked like he had just swallowed a bitter pill. Surrounded by mocking glances, he cursed and walked away. 

At the back of the crowd, Mike's face was as dark as ever, his grip on the large knife creaking as he made his way to the central hall. 

———————— 

In the Central Hall. 

A young man, squatting on the ground wearing large headphones, was sucking on a lollipop, enjoying himself as he scanned the entire central screen, seemingly looking for a video he was interested in. 

The headphones he wore had a plush monkey on each side, clinging to the earcups. 

The monkey had glowing red eyes, with teeth sewn from cloth, resembling something from a children's horror cartoon—cute yet a little terrifying. 

The young man had a slightly sinister look, with a round face, dark red eyes, and sharp tiger teeth that poked out when he closed his mouth, giving him a cute but slightly creepy appearance. 

The lollipop in his mouth made his cheek puff out on one side. 

He grumbled impatiently, "Why is there no promising player? The leaderboard's getting worse. There's not even anyone who can complete the Monster Book. I don't know how these players got in here." 

Just then, the leaderboard on the central screen flickered. The small TV of the Player who had been there earlier went dark, and a pale, innocent-looking face appeared on the screen instead. 

This seemingly sweet, straight-A-student-looking Player was dragging a cart with a smile, the kind that seemed like he was handing in homework. The action was quick and smooth, as the cart, carrying a remarkably beautiful mermaid, crashed into a hideous-looking mermaid sailor. 

The mermaid sailor screamed in terror and fled, tears of fear rolling down its ugly face. 

Liam Watson chuckled lightly, continuing to chase the poor mermaid sailor relentlessly. 

Watching this on the large screen, Mason Shepherd slowly muttered, "..." 

Then again, "???????" 

"Damn, where did this wild Player come from?! His playstyle is so reckless!" 

### Chapter 26: Monsters Everywhere

Mason Shepherd quickly opened the profile of the Player occupying the promotion spot, furrowing his brow. "Liam Watson... why does that name sound so familiar? Have I heard it somewhere before?" 

He flipped through the pages and continued, "This guy's doing well in the game—he's already completed three pages of the Monster Book, and even finished a side quest, 100% completion... I remember now!" 

Mason Shepherd suddenly recalled that this newcomer had previously claimed he could break the solo score record for Siren Town. 

Just earlier, the newbie had claimed he couldn't finish The True Love Ship quest. Still, now he was about to complete the Monster Book and even finished Gerald's Bloody Conspiracy, a side quest that Mason hadn't completed. 

And this Player's Siren Town recharge points had already surpassed his own! 

This Player might knock Mason off the top spot for Siren Town's highest score. 

With a mix of curiosity and a slight feeling of rivalry, Mason Shepherd didn't hesitate to join the crowd watching Liam Watson's stream. 

[Player Mason Shepherd, ranked fourth on the New Star Leaderboard, has entered Liam Watson's stream. He hasn't shown his attitude yet, so you'd better impress him!] 

Upon seeing this notification, the other viewers gasped in surprise, scanning the room for Mason Shepherd. 

"Mason is here!" 

"Where's Mason?!" 

"This newbie is amazing! He even managed to pull Mason in. He hasn't watched anyone's stream in ages. He usually just watches the VIP content. The last time Mason watched a stream was for Spade Thorn." 

"Spade Thorn is the king of this game, ranked number one in the total leaderboard. So it makes sense that Mason would watch him, but this newcomer? What's his story? How did he manage to pull Mason in?" 

Mason Shepherd stood in the corner, the huge monkey-eared headphones on his head morphing into a monkey baseball cap. 

He adjusted the brim, his dark red eyes glancing up at Liam Watson's small TV screen, where the overly relaxed Player appeared. 

Mason sharply bit through his lollipop, then tilted his head thoughtfully. 

"This newbie... interesting," he muttered to himself. 

———————— 

Liam Watson was strolling through the streets with the Siren King on his cart, wearing a content and slightly smug smile as if playing a casual game instead of a thrilling, intense horror game. 

The Mermaid Sailors trailing behind at a distance had terrifying expressions, wanting to approach Liam, but hesitated, eyeing the Siren King on the cart with malice. 

Liam, seemingly oblivious, continued pushing the cart toward the seaside with an air of dominance. 

But the relationship between the Siren King and these Mermaid Sailors and Mermaid Statues was far from that of a king and his vassals. 

In reality, deducing that the Siren King was the final weakness of the Mermaid Sailors and Mermaid Statues was relatively simple. Liam's reasoning had two main points: 

First, the Siren King had no weaknesses. In this game, this made him the strongest, posing a significant threat to players. But it also meant that the Siren King could threaten the other monsters in return. 

Second, based on the game's plot. 

From the previous storyline, it was clear that the mermaids, mermaid statues, and mermaid sailors represented three evolutionary stages: larvae, pupa, and butterfly. 

These monsters not only had a progressive relationship in terms of form but also operated within a food chain. 

Mermaid sailors and mermaid statues, along with stronger mermaids, would consume the flesh of weaker mermaids. The transformed mermaid fishermen could only serve the mermaid sailors, eating only after the sailors were done, and they were also forced to fish for the sailors. 

The mermaid sailors controlled which mermaid statues could hatch. For example, Lucy and Gerald were chosen by the mermaid sailors to be sent to the Siren Wax Museum to hatch specific statues. 

This was clearly an example of the upper class controlling the lower class, similar to a CEO deciding who gets promoted. 

It was evident that there existed a clear hierarchy among the monsters: Mermaid (servants and food), → Mermaid Statues (subordinates) →, Mermaid Sailors. 

The Siren King, however, stood at the top of this hierarchy, possessing authority and a sense of deterrence over all the other monsters. The mermaid creatures were evidently afraid of the Siren King. 

Through events the previous night, Liam realized that these monsters weren't just scared of the Siren King; they were actively wary of him. 

This realization came to him when he noticed something strange at the Siren Wax Museum. 

In a town entirely dominated by mermaid monsters, the museum had no real reason to exist. Its purpose had been to conceal evidence of crimes. 

But for the mermaids, there was no need for it. 

The mermaid statues could wander the entire town like those wax figures in hotels, but why was there a fixed number of them in the museum? Why were new statues constantly being added, maintaining a certain fixed number? 

This behavior, keeping a specific number of monsters in one place, guarding something, could best be described as "guarding." 

The Siren Wax Museum was less of a museum and more like a prison, heavily guarded by a certain number of "soldiers." 

Yes, that's right—the mermaid statues were guarding the Siren King in the museum. 

These mermaid monsters had likely used some unknown method to prevent the Siren King from waking, possibly with the liquid in the glass display case. 

Liam noticed that the liquid had a sticky, glue-like consistency, and it had formed a thin shell over the Siren King's eyelashes, emitting a dizzying scent. Had the game hinted that the Siren King had a weakness, Liam would have guessed that it was this liquid. 

Unfortunately, the Siren King had no weakness. The liquid only held him temporarily. He would soon awaken on his own. 

Strictly speaking, Liam hadn't been wrong. In the standard version, the Siren Demon's weakness was indeed this liquid. 

But Liam was dealing with the Siren King, a bugged version of the NPC enhanced by a god-like entity, one that could wake up on its own. 

So, even though Liam had guessed right, it was of little use. The liquid's effect on the Siren King was minimal, and it wasn't realistic to rely on it to keep him asleep. 

The Siren Wax Museum was a prison for the Siren King, and the reason the mermaid monsters feared his awakening so much was that once he woke, it would be the end for all the monsters in Siren Town. 

These monsters only appeared after the Siren King was fished out. If he sank back into the sea, the monsters would disappear. 

That's why the mermaid monsters were so afraid of the Siren King's awakening, cautious not to disturb Liam and his cart, fearing they might wake the still-sleeping king. 

But what the monsters didn't know was that for Liam, if the Siren King woke up, it would mean his death as well. 

Liam acted with such audacity because he knew the Siren King wouldn't wake for a while. The system had told him that it would be five more hours before the Siren King awoke, so he felt confident using him as a "hostage" to push back the mermaid monsters. 

Now, Liam needed to sail to the area called Siren's Gift and sink the Siren King into the sea to finish the game. 

[Congratulations, Player! You've unlocked the entire storyline, entering the final chapter.] 

[Since the Player escaped from the Wax Museum during the day, and the mermaid statues can't move during the day, allow the mermaid statues to participate in the final event, and given the Player's massive advantage, which has strongly influenced gameplay, the weather will change to balance the game. Please prepare accordingly.] 

[Weather Change: Cloudy → Heavy Rain]

Suddenly, a torrential downpour hit, the raindrops creating splashes on the ground. Liam Watson was drenched, instantly soaked to the bone. 

One hand held the cart while the other pushed his wet hair away from his eyes. Water dripped down from his hair, sliding down his eyelashes before falling to the ground. 

The world before him became a misty haze in the rain. 

Though drenched and disheveled, the Mermaid Sailors behind him were drinking in the rainwater, their strange expressions turning eerie as they grew more monstrous, their gills protruding, and their hands sprouting flesh membranes. 

The Mermaid Statues that had been hiding in the shadows also began to move toward him. Their white stone fishtails slid across the ground like they were greased, moving much faster than before. 

The expressions on the statues' faces shifted from peaceful smiles to grotesque, wild grins, and their bodies morphed into more fish-like forms. 

The Siren King on the cart began to stir, his long lashes fluttering slightly. The rain washed away the sticky substance from the glass display, and his silver-blue scales started to shimmer. 

Liam used his game management device, a coin hanging from his neck, to scan the monsters. 

[Monster Name: Mermaid Statue (Strengthened by rain, increased movement speed on land, Siren King's deterrence decreased, attack power increased)] 

[Monster Name: Mermaid Sailor (Strengthened by rain, increased movement speed on land, Siren King's deterrence decreased, attack power increased)] 

[Monster Name: Siren King (Rain has no effect, but due to the removal of the sleeping liquid, the awakening time is moved up. The Siren King will wake in three hours. Please speed up your progress)]

Liam glanced through all the information on the panels, his expression nonchalant. 

"This game is a bit of a bully, isn't it? If you can't beat the Player, just forcefully nerf them." 

"Not only did they strengthen all the monsters, but they shortened my game time as well. And now this heavy rain is messing with my movement speed and sense of direction, while my stats are all flashing red. This kind of chase game makes it so easy to die..." 

"But it's not totally unplayable." Liam said, pushing the wet hair from his face. 

Water dripped down his chin, and his damp shirt collar tightened, the heavy rain making it hard to breathe. 

He unbuttoned the top button of his soaked white shirt and, with a faint smile, said, "I hope the game's rewards are worth the effort. I don't play games with imbalanced rewards." 

[If you win, you won't be disappointed with our rewards. They will fulfill your innermost desires.] 

Liam smiled. "Thanks in advance for the reward." 

His tone was casual, as though he'd already received the system's reward. But the viewers in front of the screen were stunned. 

After reaching the central hall's single-player promotion position, Liam Watson's stream attracted many new viewers, some drawn by the buzz about Mason Shepherd watching the newcomer. 

These viewers hadn't seen Liam's earlier god-tier plays. They had only seen a snippet of his stream after he hit the Powerful Recommendation leaderboard. Seeing him still oozing confidence despite being in such a life-or-death situation left them speechless. 

"I thought Mason was watching some kind of pro Player. Didn't expect him to be watching someone like this... Monsters are buffed, his stats are all flashing red, and the game time is shortened. Still, he's casually showing off and chatting... maybe I just don't get it." 

"I saw people hyping him up on the forum, but now I see him playing like this, it's nothing special. I don't even know how he got on the Powerful Recommendation list, did he just get lucky?" 

Some defended Liam, mostly those who had followed him from the Single Player Zone. 

"Three pages of the Monster Book completed, and you're calling him weak? Just because you can play the game doesn't mean you can do this!" 

"Let me see who said they're better than Liam. Oh, it's just a bunch of people who haven't even cracked ten recharge points. That's enough." 

Since players could see each other's recharge points, this set off a heated argument among viewers. The chaos grew louder.

### Chapter 27: The Battle for the Spotlight

The two sides went back and forth, arguing fiercely. 

Shawn remained silent, his gaze filled with concern as he watched Liam Watson on the small TV. 

Liam really was unlucky—zero luck in this game and even in the real world, he was being targeted from all directions. 

And it wasn't just anyone targeting him—it was the cruelest group of viewers in the system. 

Shawn looked at the group of viewers leading the charge, letting out a long sigh. This was a game with a guild system, and some guild players, backed by their guilds, would cause trouble. Though their skills weren't much, they were especially harsh toward new players with potential who might grab a promotion spot. They'd do anything to push them down. 

That was exactly what Liam was facing now—this group of viewers. 

—————— 

[32 people liked Liam Watson's small TV, 89 people saved it, 0 people charged it, and 3807 people disliked it.] 

[Player Liam Watson has received over 3,000 dislikes in one minute, and your small TV has been disliked by over 5,000 people, earning you the title "Despised."] 

[Looks like everyone wants you gone, or better yet, dead right here.] 

[Player Liam Watson's central hall single-player promotion slot is about to expire.] 

———— 

Shawn sighed upon seeing the system notification. It had gone just as he expected. 

The viewers who had followed Liam from the sub-zones were now furious, their eyes red, while the ones in the central zone who disliked Liam for taking the promotion spot were grinning with satisfaction. 

Then, someone shouted, "Another new player just got a central hall promotion spot!" 

Another one? The previous one was Liam, and now this new Player was up. 

Shawn looked on curiously and saw a player wielding a flaming torch and bubbles in the water. 

This Player was swimming on the surface, using the torch to drive away the pursuing Mermaid Sailors. In his right hand, he held a real mermaid skeleton, not the Siren King version like Liam's, but the normal Siren Demon. 

The Player was clearly mutated—his face was covered in fish scales, and his lower body had a fishtail. His legs had fused, and his feet had disappeared, making him move quickly in the water. 

It was obvious that this Player had reached the final chapter, too. All he had to do was send the Siren Demon back to the sea to finish the game. 

The survival rate of this Player was clearly much higher than Liam's, who was surrounded on all sides. 

This only triggered more mockery from the guild players watching: 

"Ha! Didn't they say Liam Watson was the greatest? Other newbies are already finishing the game with a traditional approach, and they're ahead of him!" 

"Liam Watson is just trying to act cool. You'd be better off watching a real pro's videos. Spend money to watch quality content instead of this free stream." 

"We're leaving. Players from big guilds have nothing to say to casual players. It's a waste of time to keep watching this." 

One by one, viewers started leaving Liam Watson's stream, and the previously crowded area quickly became empty. 

Shawn sighed again, walking to the front of Liam's small TV—the spot he had originally wanted but was pushed out by the crowd. 

[7,060 people left Liam Watson's small TV, and 3,900 of them entered the neighboring new Player's stream.] 

[Player Liam Watson's performance has been poor. No one is watching, no one is liking, and there are tons of dislikes. The system is disappointed with your performance, and as a result, your promotion spot will be swapped with the neighboring new players.] 

Shawn froze, and the next system notification popped up: 

[Player Liam Watson has been demoted to the central hall edge promotion spot.] 

[Player Cole Mackenzie has been promoted to the central hall single-player recommendation spot.] 

Liam Watson didn't even last ten minutes in his promotion spot before being removed. 

Not many viewers followed Liam to the new promotion spot, but one person wearing a strange monkey hat caught Shawn's attention. This person, like Shawn, was standing in the front row watching the small TV. 

Shawn looked at him with curiosity. 

As Liam suffered such a huge rise and fall, Shawn couldn't help but feel conflicted as a viewer who had followed Liam all along. 

So, Shawn approached the guy with the monkey hat. "Why did you follow over here? Do you like Liam too?" 

The guy slightly lifted his hat, revealing a pair of mischievous red eyes. "Because I believe this so-called replacement for me is definitely more than just a one-trick pony." 

Shawn blinked. "Replacement for you?" he asked, surprised, then quickly realized who the person was. He almost blurted out but quickly stopped himself. 

But soon, Mason Shepherd made a "shh" gesture, lowering his voice and laughing. 

"Besides, he's played really well, hasn't he? Three pages of the Monster Book—aside from me, this is the first time I've seen a player collect this much. If the last page weren't for the Siren King, I'm sure he would've completed it by now." 

"This guy isn't just pretending to be cool; he's genuinely strong," Mason Shepherd added, grinning as he watched Liam Watson's small TV. "I've never seen the system do something so harsh just to weaken a player's advantage." 

"The system says it's for balance, but it clearly shows that Liam Watson is so strong that they feel the need to weaken him this much. People actually think he won't finish the game..." 

"Honestly," Mason Shepherd chuckled lightly, "these guild players who think they're above everyone else are just ridiculous." 

[Player Mason Shepherd, ranked fourth on the New Star Leaderboard, has entered Liam Watson's small TV.] 

[Mason Shepherd has liked Liam Watson's small TV; it seems like he really likes this Player ~] 

[Mason Shepherd, using his New Star leaderboard privileges, has recommended Liam Watson's stream on his own, and a flood of viewers is about to come in.] 

Shawn was completely stunned. After a moment of silence, he asked, confused, "If you think Liam is so strong, why didn't you say anything earlier? Why wait until he's in the edge promotion spot to recommend him?" 

If Mason Shepherd had spoken up earlier, Liam might have been able to keep his powerful recommendation spot. Mason Shepherd's endorsement would've been invaluable for a newbie like Liam. 

Mason Shepherd smirked, giving Shawn a sidelong glance. "Because I was waiting for him to fall to the edge promotion spot." 

"For a player this strong, helping them after they've fallen is far more meaningful than just adding to their glory. My goal in recommending him now is to make sure he owes me one." 

Shawn was left speechless, staring at the legendary Mason Shepherd, who seemed nothing like the ruthless figure he had imagined from the game. 

The audacity, the shamelessness—Mason Shepherd had no shame.

### Chapter 28: The Illusion Breaks

Liam Watson remained blissfully unaware of everything happening outside. 

Behind him, the Mermaid Statues and Mermaid Sailors quickly closed in, relentlessly chasing him through the rain. Liam, pushing the cart, swayed slowly, his movement sluggish. He had been caught several times already, and whenever the monsters got too close, he would quickly thrust the Siren King from the cart to push them back, managing to keep them at bay for a while. 

But it was becoming less effective as more monsters joined the chase. And, with the rain intensifying, their fear of the Siren King seemed to lessen. 

One of the Mermaid Sailors' claws slashed across Liam's arm, and blood sprayed out. He turned, dragging the cart and ducking into an alley. At that moment, his head suddenly buzzed, and a red warning panel from the system popped up: 

[Warning: Player Liam Watson has been scratched by a Mermaid Sailor, causing corruption. Mental health has dropped to 60, about to drop below safe levels. If it falls below 60, the Player will experience hallucinations.] 

Liam pressed his hand against the bleeding wound on his arm, leaning against the alley wall, breathing heavily. He was soaked through, looking like he'd just been pulled from the ocean. 

He closed his eyes, adjusting his breathing, trying to fight off the dizziness and sluggishness that suddenly took over. 

The feeling of mental corruption dipping below 60 was like a black hole or vortex sweeping away his sensory and cognitive abilities. Liam had experienced it before, but that time, after enduring the initial discomfort, he had recovered quickly thanks to his high mental stats. 

But this time, it felt different. 

His knee buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his arm. His face quickly became covered in dark, gray-black markings, and dark green scales began sprouting beneath his eyes. His skin turned deathly pale. 

He hung his head, gasping for air, while rainwater poured down from his head like he was a fish washed ashore, dying. 

"This was a mistake," Liam said calmly, his voice steady. "I didn't expect the mental stat to drop to 60... it's affecting me this much." 

Shawn watched the small TV with a tense expression. "His mental stat really is on the edge now. One more drop, and he'll start hallucinating." 

Mason Shepherd's face grew serious. "If his mental stat drops to 60, it's easy to fail in a chase like this. Hallucinations will make it impossible to distinguish real monsters from the ones in his mind, and he won't know where to run." 

"Would buying items to cleanse his mental stat help?" Shawn asked anxiously. "His current equipment should allow him to buy those items. Cleansing his mental stat could help restore it." 

Mason Shepherd shook his head. "In other games, maybe. But in this one, it's best not to cleanse your mental stat." 

Shawn was even more confused. "Why not?" 

Mason Shepherd didn't respond further. 

On the small TV, Liam Watson suddenly braced himself against the wall and shakily stood up. He squinted his eyes, looking outside the alley, where several Mermaid Sailors and Mermaid Statues were closing in. The monsters' black silhouettes appeared faintly through the fog and heavy rain. 

After his mental state dropped, Liam's speed slowed even more. If he charged out now, the monsters would definitely catch him. 

He only needed one more hit to drop below 60, and with the hallucinations from the rain, he couldn't even tell where to go. 

He needed to think of something. Liam leaned against the wall, deep in thought. 

Outside the alley, the Mermaid Monsters were sniffing around, crawling on the walls like geckos, moving fast as they searched. Their eyes glowed with an eerie green light, and droplets of sticky liquid fell from their half-open mouths. 

Once they reached the alley, they sniffed a few times, then grinned with wide, grotesque fish lips, their hands and feet quickly moving to the wall as they neared. 

Shawn held his breath, barely able to stop himself from shouting, "Run, Liam!" 

But running wouldn't help now. Liam's speed was no match for the Mermaid Monsters, and running would only attract their attention, essentially delivering himself to them. 

All they could do now was pray the monsters wouldn't notice Liam hiding in the alley and let him slip by. 

But the monsters were already crowding the alley entrance, and the situation was dire. 

Just as Shawn was about to give up, Liam suddenly grabbed the cart and, without hesitation, bolted out of the alley into the pouring rain. 

Shawn: "!!!!" 

Shawn couldn't stop himself from shouting, "Don't run! If you run, it's over!" 

Just as Shawn predicted, the Mermaid Monsters were upon him in an instant, closing the distance. Soon after, many Mermaid Statues joined them, and the narrow alley entrance was surrounded. 

Liam, still pushing the cart, ran forward, calmly moving toward the monsters that had trapped him. 

Shawn realized what was happening—Liam was going to try to break through the encirclement! 

Shawn was nearly stomping in frustration. 

He couldn't believe Liam would make such a fatal mistake at this critical moment. Even if Liam broke through, these monsters moved faster and could easily catch him, tearing him apart. Running was useless! 

Mason Shepherd frowned. "The mental stat drop is probably affecting his thought process. He shouldn't have run out like that." 

"Yeah," Shawn sighed deeply, "We forgot to factor in how much the mental stat drop is affecting Liam's thinking and stamina. He must have panicked." 

The other viewers had a mix of reactions, their faces full of disbelief. 

Some began mocking Mason Shepherd for recommending such a poor player. 

When Mason Shepherd heard this, he pretended not to hear, slightly lowering his hat brim. 

On the screen, Liam Watson pushed the cart forward, using it to break through the monster encirclement. The monsters' eyes fixed on Liam, still running away. 

Shawn's heart leaped to his throat—he knew the monsters would follow! They were going to catch him! 

But then, something strange happened. The Mermaid Monsters hesitated for a moment at the alley entrance and then, inexplicably, ignored Liam completely and rushed into the alley instead. 

Shawn: "??" 

Mason Shepherd: "???" 

The other viewers: "????????" 

Why weren't the monsters chasing Liam? What were they doing in the alley?! 

The small TV screen slowly shifted to the inside of the alley, where Liam Watson was standing, holding the cart and facing the monsters as if preparing for battle. 

He was even taunting the monsters by lifting his chin and beckoning them forward with a finger, almost daring them to fight him. As expected, the Mermaid Monsters, enraged by the challenge, lunged at him with vicious snarls. 

This strange, otherworldly Liam ignited a flurry of discussion among the viewers: 

"Wow, what is this?!" 

"Is this some kind of cheating item? Can you really use such high-level projection tools in a low-level dungeon like Siren Town?" 

"You can't use high-level tools, right? If you do, the system would kick you out for breaking the balance of the game." 

"Then what is this thing?" 

But as the first Mermaid Monster scratched at him, this Liam began to blur into a fleeting shadow, quickly recovering, still wearing that lazy, smirking expression. 

Shawn's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. He shouted, "It's a 3D projector! Liam used a 3D projector!" 

"Siren Town's monsters have low intelligence, so they can't distinguish between projections and real players." 

Shawn opened the 3D projector's manual, reading rapidly. "When used in the rain, a 3D projector enhances the illusion's physical presence. Plus, with the way Liam is taunting them, these low-intelligence monsters are easily provoked." 

"Monsters always prioritize eliminating the bigger threat. So, when they see a player fleeing versus one actively preparing for a fight, their instincts will make them attack the one that seems more dangerous." 

Shawn's eyes lit up. "He used the projector to shake off the monsters!" 

One viewer voiced their doubts. "But no matter how dumb the monsters are, once they attack and fail, they'll realize they've been tricked and will go after the real Liam, who moves much slower than they do." 

"Even if he shakes them off now, they'll catch him unless he limits their movement." 

Before the viewer's doubts were fully voiced, the Mermaid Monsters in the alley began sniffing around Liam's projection. They prodded it with their webbed feet, and after realizing it wasn't real, they let out a furious screech. 

The group of monsters, now enraged, looked ready to burst out of the alley to pursue the real Liam. 

At that moment, Liam's projection smirked and slowly raised a flashlight, pointing it at the monsters' backs. He switched it on, triggering a blinding beam of light that cut through the alley and into the rain.