Chapter 38: Li Shoude, With Neither Grudge Nor Enmity?

"Huh? I remember seeing a fairly ferocious bird-beast in that nest when I looked earlier!"

"It's gone now. I suppose it must have flown off somewhere to forage?"

Upon saying this, Li Shoude’s expression suddenly brightened, and he spoke with great haste:

"Since the fierce bird is gone, we should seize the opportunity to steal that blue roulette wheel! That nest looks quite large; who knows what other treasures might be hidden inside!"

As he spoke, Li Shoude sprinted directly toward the tree. He called out to Jiang Yi as he ran:

"Little Jiang, are you fast at climbing trees? Or would you rather keep watch for me here while I climb up and snatch the nest?"

Jiang Yi hesitated for a moment. "I'll keep watch for you nearby."

"Good! Then I'll make this quick!"

Li Shoude sounded quite excited. He charged forward and began to scale the tree. His speed and efficiency were indeed a testament to his "quick" approach. Despite appearing as a simple, sturdy middle-aged man, his entire climbing process was fluid and swift, moving with the agility of a startled hare. In less than two minutes, he had reached the top, raided the nest, and returned.

"Let’s go! Run! We’ll find a place to split the loot!"

Clutching the "ill-gotten gains" to his chest, Li Shoude urged Jiang Yi to hurry while they ran. The two of them continued in the opposite direction for quite a while before finally hiding in a concealed mountain nook.

Li Shoude leaned against the slope, panting heavily, yet his face was full of pleasant surprise as he muttered:

"I'd heard that the World of Ferocious Beasts was full of opportunities, but I never expected to stumble upon a blue roulette wheel right after entering!"

"Haha, and a nest of bird eggs, too!"

Indeed, in addition to the blue roulette wheel, Li Shoude had also pilfered a nest of jet-black bird eggs. He tossed the eggs aside without a second thought and turned his attention to the blue roulette wheel. One look was all it took for him to suck in a sharp breath.

"Hiss..."

"This, this, this! It’s top-tier! Absolutely top-tier!"

"Ten options, eight of them are positive effects! And..."

"An Elixir of Longevity! An Upgrade to the Life Plate!"

"And the formula for the Elixir of Longevity!"

"Damn! There’s even an incredible talent here!"

"Heaven-defying! Top-tier! This roulette wheel is just too incredible!"

Li Shoude’s voice was filled with extreme excitement, like a beggar who had just won a multi-million dollar jackpot.

***

Logically, since Jiang Yi had just chosen to [Upgrade the Life Plate] instead of taking the [Crown of Death], seeing that [Upgrade the Life Plate] had appeared as an option on this new blue roulette wheel should have made him feel exceptionally regretful. He might have even regretted his previous decision, wishing he had chosen the [Crown of Death], or at the very least, waiting a little longer to spin that previous wheel so he could have had another choice.

But in reality, Jiang Yi felt completely calm. Not only was he calm inside, but his facial expression was also serene—far too calm for a novice who had just encountered a top-tier blue roulette wheel.

Li Shoude, still caught up in his own excitement, soon noticed Jiang Yi’s abnormal reaction. His brow twitched, and he asked, "Little Jiang, why do you look so... unexcited?"

Jiang Yi simply offered a faint smile. He looked at Li Shoude with an inscrutable gaze and said slowly:

"What should I be excited about? Killing Uncle Li and seizing this blue roulette wheel?"

The remark was heavy with implication, making Li Shoude’s brow twitch. He became visibly tense. However, after a moment of hesitation, he seemed to reach a decision and voluntarily handed the blue roulette wheel to Jiang Yi. His tone was remarkably sincere:

"Little Jiang, don't worry. I’m not like that fool Zhang Peng. Killing for loot is completely unnecessary; I’m a sensible man. In this apocalyptic game world, good things should naturally belong to the strong. Besides, I don't have a hundred years of lifespan to spend on spinning a blue roulette wheel anyway. Take it. As long as you remember this favor, I have no complaints."

Li Shoude looked incredibly honest and simple-minded. His words sounded sincere, and the way he handed over the blue roulette wheel was decisive, showing not a hint of reluctance.

Jiang Yi studied Li Shoude silently for a moment before finally taking the wheel with a smile. However, just as Li Shoude expected him to accept the favor, Jiang Yi began to fiddle with the wheel and replied to his previous comment with deep meaning:

"Uncle Li and I have no grudges, so naturally, you shouldn't have any complaints against me. But it is strange—I have no grudges against you either, so why did I suddenly feel the urge to kill you?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Shoude’s complexion shifted repeatedly. He looked even more nervous than when Jiang Yi had mentioned "killing for loot." His entire body stiffened. After a long pause, he asked with a tight face, "What... what do you mean by that?"

"Are you still unsatisfied even after I voluntarily handed over the blue roulette wheel?"

***

Jiang Yi continued to toy with the roulette wheel, smiling slowly:

"The distance from that tree to where I was originally waiting isn't very far. Uncle Li, you must have heard something to have found me, right?"

Li Shoude’s face darkened, but he soon relaxed and admitted candidly:

"Indeed, I heard the sound of the roulette wheel spinning, which is why I searched in your direction." He paused, then added, "Yes, I heard it—the sound of you drawing the Life Plate Upgrade."

In the environment of the Polar Night, where vision is hindered, one's hearing naturally becomes more sensitive. Li Shoude hadn't headed toward Jiang Yi because he had spotted him from afar, nor was it entirely a coincidence. He had heard the sound of Jiang Yi drawing the upgrade!

Li Shoude explained further:

"Yes, I knew you had drawn the Life Plate Upgrade. But I know the rules of survival in this apocalyptic game! Everyone has their own secrets! That’s why I instinctively pretended to know nothing. But I have absolutely no malice toward you; I can pretend to never know about this for the rest of my life!"

These words were spoken with such extreme sincerity, perfectly complemented by his honest and simple appearance, that it was easy to be convinced.

However, Jiang Yi smiled again. "No malice?"

"Then what about this blue roulette wheel... or rather, to be precise..."

"What about this Cursed Roulette?"

As Jiang Yi spoke, he stared intently at Li Shoude’s face. Sure enough, the moment he heard the words "Cursed Roulette," Li Shoude’s pupils visibly contracted, and his eyelashes fluttered violently!

His entire body became visibly more tense. His eyes darted back and forth. He no longer looked like an honest, simple man; he appeared cunning, calculating, malicious, and sinister!

Just as Li Shoude sat there, body rigid and eyes darting, Jiang Yi didn't wait for him to find an excuse. He smiled lazily:

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Uncle Li, you could try to explain that you don't know what a Cursed Roulette is. Or you could think of some other excuse to keep stalling for time."

"After all, there are only a few minutes left before the side effects of your 'Internal Clarity' kick in, aren't there?"