Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 96: Escape Plan

"Alright, here's my plan," Mo Jin began. "Once we're escorted into the Ancestral Hall by the villagers, we should play it cool for now. Considering their sheer numbers, armed with weapons, and the fact that both Shi Ying and I are bound, there's no chance of us escaping at the moment. So, we'll have to bide our time and wait for the right opportunity," Mo Jin spoke solemnly.

Liu Xing nodded in understanding, grasping Mo Jin's strategy. He chimed in, "So, Mo Jin, you mean we wait until all the other villagers gather in the Ancestral Hall, and then we make a sudden move, rush into the crowd, and escape amidst the chaos, right? Our chances of success will indeed be higher then."

"You're absolutely right, Liu Xing," Mo Jin affirmed with a smile. "That's precisely what I have in mind. When all the villagers are inside, Earth-boring Demon Worm won't dare to attack recklessly, especially with them armed. But I have one concern. When we do make a break for it, Earth-boring Demon Worm should be able to attack us."

Shi Ying, worried and somewhat resigned, added, "However, when we start our escape, Earth-boring Demon Worm should be able to attack us. And if I recall correctly, Earth-boring Demon Worm has two types of attacks that it can use against us, one with its tentacles and the other by crushing us with its body. Both of these attacks are likely to be fatal."

Upon hearing Shi Ying's words, Liu Xing felt a sense of powerlessness deep within him. Just as Shi Ying had described, Earth-boring Demon Worm's attack frequency and range could easily result in all three of them being killed within a single turn. Moreover, trying to evade Earth-boring Demon Worm's attacks would require them to endure more than ten rounds of its onslaught.

Mo Jin was well aware of this, but he maintained his confidence and said, "Shi Ying, you're right, Earth-boring Demon Worm's attacks are indeed terrifying. However, don't forget that it has only lifted a quarter of its seal so far. Even if it can attack us, its success rate should be significantly lower. So, our chances of survival aren't as low as you might think."

"Well, Mo Jin does have a point," Liu Xing chimed in, trying to remain optimistic. "The Earth-boring Demon Worm has only removed a quarter of its seal. It might not be as formidable as we imagine. But don't you find it a bit strange? After devouring Tang Tai's body, Earth-boring Demon Worm removed a quarter of the seal, not a fifth."

Liu Xing's question left Mo Jin and Shi Ying momentarily puzzled, and they fell into deep contemplation. Liu Xing was right; this second promotion game was a five-player scenario, so logically, Tang Tai's body should have only removed one-fifth of the seal. Unless...

It occurred to them that in this scenario, Earth-boring Demon Worm might require the consumption of four players to completely break the seal, leaving the last player with a high chance of directly clearing the game.

After all, for a mythical creature in the Cthulhu RPG Game, humans weren't exactly a preferred delicacy. Especially for a creature like Earth-boring Demon Worm, which had spent its entire existence thousands of meters underground, humans wouldn't even be on its menu.

So, aside from unsealing itself, Earth-boring Demon Worm might not have any inclination to consume humans. Liu Xing suspected that once it devoured four players and completely removed the seal, it might choose to return to its underground home.

So, this scenario is not necessarily a total party wipe. If we follow the normal progression, at least one player should be able to clear the game!

However, because of Xue Ba's immediate exit, this scenario has turned into a complete wipeout.

"Ah, there's no time to dwell on these inexplicable matters now. After all, no matter what, we can't turn back. So, we need to decide on our plan moving forward," Mo Jin sighed and began, "First, let's stay put inside the Ancestral Hall, observe the escape routes, and wait for an opportunity. In the meantime, Shi Ying and I will try to get them to untie us since having our hands bound will be problematic during the escape. When the other villagers are about to arrive, follow my signal. When I say 'run,' we charge into the crowd, make our way out of the Ancestral Hall. Since I have driving skills, you should try to help me delay Earth-boring Demon Worm's attacks as much as possible while I attempt to start that tractor. This way, we can reduce the number of times we're exposed to Earth-boring Demon Worm's attacks."

Mo Jin's plan was quite good and aligned with Liu Xing's thoughts. However, Liu Xing couldn't fully trust Mo Jin, given the potential for him to betray Shi Ying and himself. Liu Xing could even imagine a scenario where, after they bought Mo Jin enough time, he would start the tractor and drive away without waiting for Liu Xing and Shi Ying, leaving them behind as "rear guards."

With these thoughts in mind, Liu Xing glanced at Shi Ying. Naturally, Shi Ying shared Liu Xing's concerns, and he spoke up decisively to Mo Jin, "Mo Jin, I'll be frank. Both Liu Xing and I don't trust you very much, for reasons you are aware of. So, we're very suspicious that you might just betray us and leave on the tractor by yourself."

Facing Shi Ying's suspicion, Mo Jin didn't intend to offer much defense. After all, what Shi Ying said was undeniably true, leaving Mo Jin with no valid counterarguments.

"As time is running out, let me summarize," Liu Xing stepped forward, speaking confidently. "I also have driving skills. So, when Mo Jin and I reach the tractor, whoever gets there first will be responsible for starting it. The other two will focus on buying us time. At the very least, I can assure you that I won't abandon my teammates, considering my unique trait. You know I won't leave you behind."

Mo Jin and Shi Ying nodded in agreement, indicating their support for Liu Xing's plan. They fell silent, awaiting the resumption of the game as the pause in time was about to end.

"Alright, the time pause is over, and the game continues. I'm really looking forward to your performance," KP Snail's voice returned as expected, marking the resumption of the game.

Following their plan, Liu Xing and the others were obediently escorted into the Ancestral Hall.

The Ancestral Hall of Earth Dragon Village, in essence, was just a large room. However, what struck Liu Xing as strange was the complete absence of any objects inside. But upon further thought, it made sense; this Ancestral Hall was previously used for ceremonies to suppress the Earth-boring Demon Worm. Now that the Earth-boring Demon Worm was no longer welcome, it wouldn't want any of the props used in those ceremonies.