Starting the Game with Godlike Vision

Chapter 4 - A Premature Strike

The Hunter's body remained shrouded in darkness, but floating above its head was a distinct health bar—an unmistakable marker straight out of a video game.

The bar wasn't in great shape, already reduced to 48%.

Was it injured? Could it be the handiwork of the hefty player from Room 201 last night?

Intrigued, Zuo Chengan focused his attention. The gentle shimmer of his Eye of Truth activated, and to his astonishment, even the Hunter had a description.

[Hunter (E): A prized creation of the Red-Capped Witch in the Alchemical Life series! Shower her creation with the right compliments, and you may just receive an unexpected surprise.]

Zuo Chengan's brows furrowed as he read the bizarre annotation.

Could the Witch be a clue for later? A hidden mechanic?

His thoughts were disrupted by the incessant chatter scrolling across the void-like barrage of spectator comments.

Stream chat on bullet screen:

[Who will tonight's lucky victim be? I'm so excited!]

[I'm hoping it's the girl in 203. Pretty girls make even being dismembered look cute.]

[Your wish might come true. Night of Screams is a beginner-stage dungeon, and its rules have long been cracked by veteran players. There are plenty of ways to clear it: brute-force kill every Hunter and skip ahead, or survive by figuring out the killing pattern.

[It's so basic—either they go forward in order, room by room, or they backtrack. So, it's 202 tonight, 203 tomorrow. You'll get your show soon enough.]

[Phew, what a relief. Perfect timing—I'll order some takeout and watch while I eat.]

[Killing by room order? That's ridiculously simplistic! Even a toddler could clear this instantly. Low-tier worlds really are as pathetic as they say.]

[Well, they're still a notch above actual monkeys. Besides, Night of Screams has a few hidden traps too. It's claimed plenty of player groups before. It's not as easy as it looks.

[But yeah, the people in low-tier worlds really have underdeveloped brains. Watching them is excruciating sometimes.]

[Remember that dungeon where the fastest way to win was to kill your teammates? And yet, those idiots chose the most complicated route imaginable. I wanted to slap them all!]

...

The stream's chatter continued unabated, a ceaseless cacophony of speculation and mockery.

Zuo Chengan gripped his axe tightly, ignoring the noise.

If the pattern held—tonight 202, tomorrow 203—then the day after, it would be his turn.

"Relax," Zuo Chengan replied calmly. "I won't miss."

His confidence stemmed from the health bar hovering in his vision—his target was marked.

The Hunter's claws were buried deep in Silent Guy's stomach, pinning him down. Its eyeless face sported an unsightly, gaping mouth that stretched across its entire head.

With unsettling fervor, it began tearing into its prey, claws anchoring its position as it devoured him.

Zuo Chengan wasted no time. He swung his axe, aiming directly for the Hunter's head.

Thud!

The blade struck true, sinking into its skull. But it didn't go far—the bone was too dense, stopping the blade halfway.

"GRRRROAAAAR!" The Hunter howled in pain, abandoning its meal and turning its attention to Zuo Chengan.

Despite standing behind it, Zuo Chengan found himself facing its unnervingly flexible body as it twisted unnaturally, its shoulders pivoting to attack him.

Crash!

The Hunter's claws ripped through Zuo Chengan's wooden shield, forcing him to abandon his stuck axe and retreat.

He prepared to reposition when the girl suddenly stepped in to fill the gap.

With surprising ferocity, she shouted, "Take this! Double Kick!"

Bam! Bam!

Her two rapid kicks struck the axe embedded in the Hunter's head, driving it deeper.

The blade carved through, splitting the creature's skull entirely in two.

Yet, even with its head split, the Hunter didn't immediately fall.

Zuo Chengan's Eye of Truth showed its health bar plummeting—10%... 9.2%... 8.5%...

The bleeding was relentless, and its death was now only a matter of time.

Seeing this, Zuo Chengan exhaled softly. He had only stepped in to ensure the Hunter's health bar was damaged enough that, when his turn inevitably came, he could finish it off solo if no one else came to his aid.

He had planned to stop when the bar reached around 10%, but the girl's unexpected contribution complicated matters.

Who would've thought that this seemingly harmless girl could kick off 20% of the Hunter's health bar with just two moves?

"This... is the power of abilities?" Zuo Chengan muttered, a mix of admiration and caution in his voice.