Chapter 216: Such Vile Insults

It wasn’t just Kai York; Shane Rhodes and Hugh Finch were the same way.

After greeting Moira Lynch, their eyes were glued to the television, unblinking.

Seeing this, Moira Lynch grew curious and leaned over to see what was going on.

Sensing her approach, Shane Rhodes and the other two shifted over in perfect sync, making a spot for Moira Lynch.

After taking the offered spot, she saw that a live broadcast was playing on the television.

The people on screen didn’t look like they were from Cathaya.

"What country’s broadcast is this?" Moira Lynch asked casually.

"Haven’t you been following the news while you were in your room?" Shane Rhodes explained. "This is a broadcast from The Crimson Dominion. The person on screen is a player who claims to have obtained an item—that red telephone receiver in his hand. According to its Identification, the receiver can connect a call to anyone."

"And?" Moira Lynch pressed. "The item can call anyone, so why is he doing a live broadcast?"

’While Cathaya’s communication network is still mostly intact, other countries haven’t been so lucky.’

’This broadcast seems to be global. It must have taken a massive effort to set up.’

Kai York shifted his position and said, "They want to broadcast a call to SoySauceDrunkard and poach him for The Crimson Dominion. Their Emperor just promised that if SoySauceDrunkard agrees to join them, The Royal Court is willing to share the throne with him."

At this, a mocking smile touched Kai York’s lips. "If SoySauceDrunkard actually agrees, I’ll really have to question his intelligence."

’I mean, I’m not going to agree, but there’s no need for personal attacks,’ Moira thought.

’Still, this item that can call anyone is pretty interesting.’

Just then, the man in the live broadcast began to move.

He looked into the camera, flashing a smile that he clearly thought was friendly, but was in fact, incredibly sleazy.

"SoySauceDrunkard, I know you must be watching. I paid a tremendous price to make this broadcast happen, but it’s fine. I did it all for you, willingly. You don’t need to give it a second thought."

Meanwhile, the scrolling comments were a solid wall of ridicule and scorn.

["You don’t need to give it a second thought." Then maybe you shouldn’t have brought it up, genius.]

[Yeah, seriously.]

...

Apparently, the man on screen could see the comments, because Moira noticed his expression darken for a split second.

’Patience, find this person,’ Moira commanded silently.

’Yes.’

The man in the broadcast composed himself, cleared his throat, and said, "Although everyone thinks you are from Cathaya, I believe you are actually one of us, a citizen of The Crimson Dominion."

"What a filthy accusation," Moira hissed, practically grinding her teeth.

"+1"

"+1"

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"It must be for some reason that SoySauceDrunkard is trapped within Cathaya."

The man’s words were clearly meant to mislead the audience into believing Cathaya had kidnapped SoySauceDrunkard.

"As for this item in my hands, I obtained it in the game only after surviving countless life-or-death struggles. It can ignore any distance and contact SoySauceDrunkard directly."

"What I want to say is, SoySauceDrunkard, all of us in The Crimson Dominion are extremely worried about you. But you don’t have to be afraid anymore, because we will soon rescue you from your suffering."

Moira Lynch watched the man rattle on. She couldn’t understand the language of The Crimson Dominion, but the broadcast thoughtfully provided subtitles.

Just then, Patience’s voice echoed in Moira’s mind.

’Master, I’ve found him.’

’Good. Understood.’

At the same time, Moira Lynch’s spiritual power, channeled through her Red Celestial Eye, arrived in the skies above The Crimson Dominion.

It locked onto the man chattering away on the live broadcast.

Moira also discovered that the man was surrounded by heavily armed soldiers; there were even tanks and armored vehicles.

None of them were visible in the broadcast frame; it was clearly intentional.

Moira almost instantly figured out what they were planning. They were setting a trap and waiting for her, the rabbit, to walk right into it.

’But how could they be so sure I would show up?’

Soon, Moira found her answer. In another of the broadcast’s blind spots, there stood a man with lifeless, fish-like eyes, holding a compass-like object in his hands.

’I was originally planning to drop some threatening one-liners, like in a novel, but now... I absolutely cannot let this call go through.’

At that same moment, nearly everyone in the world with the means to do so was watching this live broadcast.

Everyone was dying to know SoySauceDrunkard’s true identity.

Many were hoping The Crimson Dominion would actually succeed in uncovering it.

The mood in Cathaya, however, was different. A tense atmosphere permeated the entire upper level of the base.

Chase Shepard looked at Timothy Murphy. "Any luck? Have you been able to make contact?"

Timothy Murphy shook his head. "No, he hasn’t replied."

Meanwhile, Moira Lynch, the very person they were worried about, was contemplating which one to take care of first.

’Forget it. I’ll take them both out at once.’

’A perfect opportunity to try out the new move I learned in the game.’

As she watched the broadcast, Moira Lynch suddenly clenched her fist.

At that same instant, in front of the entire world, the man on the broadcast who was about to use the item suddenly clutched his heart in agony. His eyes shot wide open. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Finally, he collapsed to the ground, no longer breathing.

And he wasn’t the only one to fall. Off-camera, another person collapsed with him.

He, too, clutched his heart, his face contorted in pain. His eyes were wide open, dying with a look of disbelief.

In their final moments, neither of them knew why they were dying, or who had killed them.

The moment they died, the items in their hands vanished as well.

In front of the television, a small smile played on Moira Lynch’s lips. ’Something this dangerous has to be confiscated, of course.’

This sudden turn of events stunned the people on site and the unsuspecting viewers watching the broadcast.

[What’s going on? Is he dead?]

[His pupils are totally dilated. He’s deader than dead.]

[I’m a med student, and that looked exactly like a heart attack.]

However, everyone knew that it was impossible to become a player if you had a heart condition.

[Could that have been SoySauceDrunkard’s doing?]

「Inside the base.」

Chase Shepard watched the dead man on the broadcast and turned to the others. "What do you all make of this? Do you really think it was SoySauceDrunkard?"

A researcher in glasses stood up and pushed them up the bridge of his nose. "I’d say it’s almost certain. Otherwise, it’s all too much of a coincidence. And did you notice? More than one person died. Someone off-camera died as well."

"One person having a heart attack is explainable. But how do you explain two people having heart attacks at the exact same time?"

"And what’s more, after they died, the items in their hands vanished."