Forest of the Dead: Graveyard

[Hints so far:]

[One-eyed: Upper player: A woman among the 6 veteran players; Next player: The man with the scar on his hand]

[J: Upper player: A man who has a heart; Lower Player: Killing Machine]

[Caesar: Upper player: Black-haired rookie player; Lower player: The man who used to be wrapped in gauze]

[Arthur: Upper player: The little girl with red eyes; Lower Player: Male in the Big Three of the Upper Circle]

[Colin: Upper Player: Male in the Big Three of the Upper Circle; Lower player: Little girl with blonde hair]

[Ogar: Upper player: a person who is no more than 1.7m tall; a lower player: a person whose appearance is the least commensurate with the codename]

Black shoes stepped over the white steps, and Mars walked silently in front of the white tombstones.

The tombstones line up the hill, a terra nullius, a burial ground where the dead rest.

The cemetery is surrounded by tall cedar trees, and beside the tombstones, there are some small white flowers to commemorate the deceased, as if someone came here not long ago to pay respects to the dead.

The cemetery is surprisingly quiet.

The tall Mars, like a grim reaper harvesting souls, walked in front of the tombstones, his eyes swept over the pictures on the tombstones, and looked at the words engraved on the tombstones.

The inscription is very simple, the unification is all name + year of birth + year of death.

Other than that, there is no record of the deceased.

And Mars notes that the year of their death is the same, both 2050, as if they died at the same time and were placed together in this cemetery.

Here, there is the Forest of the Dead, where many nameless bones are buried in the forest, and on the other side of the mountain, it is also a creepy cemetery.

Mars was silent, looking up at the mountain in front of him.

The whole mountain is like a big mound, and under every inch of soil, there may be an innocent soul buried.

The dense coniferous forests on the mountain, every fir tree, every vegetative tree, are rooted in the soil, absorbing the nutrients made from the flesh and blood of the dead, and they become stronger and gain the power to grow upward.

Mars suddenly understood the meaning of the words "Forest of the Dead".

Beneath the soil, there are rotten bones, death.

Above the soil, there is a thriving forest, a living life.

The soil, like a dividing line, clearly separates life and death, and looks a little incongruous beauty.

There is water vapor floating in the air, and the air in front of them has a bit of decay, and the strange silence spreads in this white cemetery, and the white tombstones are like the eyes of the dead, staring at everything in the world emptyly, but now, they can no longer speak, no longer have feelings, they can only sleep under the land, feel the coldness of maggots burrowing into pores, feel the loneliness of snakes and rats bypassing their bodies, this is the sleep of a hundred years of loneliness, this is the destined way for every soul. All the hustle and bustle of life turns into the silence of a tombstone after death.

Suddenly, Mars stopped in front of a row of tombstones, his ears moving slightly, as if he heard something strange.

"Bang-"

The white tombstone covering directly above the coffin was suddenly broken by one hand, and those who had been sleeping in the coffin for a long time broke the heavy coffin stone and crawled out from under the coffin!

The tombstones still have black-and-white photographs of them, as well as their dates of birth and death, but their faces are very different from those they had before their deaths. Rotting flesh hung on the mutilated bones, their bodies rotting down to a skeleton, and once again they were allowed to act as ghosts, as if they had become slaves of demons, and at the cost of selling their souls, they had been given a second chance to walk the world.

"Roar—"

Four or five mountain ghosts who were the first to emerge from the tomb rushed towards Mars!

Mars lowered his head and dodged a mountain ghost that pounced on him, then he took out the gun in his back and shot the head of the other mountain ghost, and when he heard the roar in his ear, he turned sideways and fired an extra mountain ghost that bit his elbow, turned around and kicked another mountain ghost away, kicked it away from the next row of tombstones, and smashed three or four tombstones, and under those smashed tombstones, several more mountain ghosts, men and women, the dead walking dead came out of the ground again with the stench of decay, and pounced on Mars!

Mars drew another pistol, held the gun in both hands, and fired two shots at the mountain ghosts who pounced on them, the two mountain ghosts fell backwards, and several mountain ghosts pounced again, Mars raised his hand and opened the mountain ghost with his elbow, knocked out its jaw, and then leaned down to avoid the claws of one of the mountain ghosts, and he held the pistol and hit the mountain ghost in the head, smashing its skull into a crack. To the side, he retreated to a tombstone a few steps away, and used the tombstone as a cover to shoot several mountain ghosts who rushed over.

But just then, a mountain ghost pounced from behind Mars.

Mars didn't have time to defend behind him, as soon as he turned his head, the mountain ghost bit his arm that raised the block, he was pressed to the ground by the mountain ghost, the mountain ghost scratched his cheek with a claw, leaving three five centimeter-long blood marks next to the scar on his face, Mars struggled, and the mountain ghost raised his head and was about to bite down on his nose!

"Bang-"

At this moment, the mountain ghost was suddenly shot in the head, its brain had shrunk, and even if it was shot in the head, all that exploded was the shattered skull and the black mud under the skull, and the corpse liquid blew up Mars's face, and the smell of rancid smell instantly permeated.

Mars endured his nausea and pushed the mountain ghost away, rolling down the white stone stairs of the cemetery.

Mars raised his hand to wipe the corpse fluid from his cheeks, and when he raised his eyes, he saw Lorraine standing next to the tombstone, she was holding a gun, looking at herself a little helplessly.

“…… You okay? ”

Mars didn't answer, he put his pistol back in his waist and sat down on the stone steps.

Seeing this, Lorraine took a few more steps forward.

As soon as she walked along the mountain road to the cemetery, she saw many ghouls emerging from under the tombstones, and then there was the wonderful scene of Mars fighting the mountain ghosts.

Although he was very strong, he solved eight or nine mountain ghosts by himself, but he was still outnumbered, and she watched him being raided by the mountain ghosts behind him, as if he was in danger, so she decided to help.

However, the other party didn't seem to have the intention of appreciating it, and after just one glance at her, he didn't pay attention to her.

This made her a little dissatisfied, and she was kind enough to treat it as a donkey's liver and lungs? It was the first time she had seen such a person.

"So...... Won't you say thank you? Lorraine's voice was a little muffled.

"Nosy." Blood was pouring from the wound on his claws, and Mars wiped his cheek, holding back the pain.

The wounds inflicted by the mountain ghosts seem to be more serious than ordinary scratches.

Mountain ghosts are rotting corpses, they have mold viruses all over their bodies, in addition, there is already a sour putrid liquid, these acidic liquids will also enter the human body with the wounds caused by mountain ghosts, not only bring great pain, but also prevent the wound from healing, the blood will not coagulate, only continue to flow out.

Lorraine sat down beside Mars.

"I know you're not a bad person." She whispered.

"Then you're jumping to conclusions."

"Just because you saved me several times, at least, I have no position to think that you are a bad person." Lorraine looked at the scar on Mars's face, "Although at the beginning, I used to think that you were a bad person, you not only robbed the police car, but also shot Ogar, but later I found out that you are not bad, and you should have your own reasons for making those choices." ”

Mars knew that she was talking about what happened to the two when they first met in the [Upper Circle Chase and Kill Battle].

He really didn't make a good impression on her.

As a criminal, he not only robbed her police car, but also shot and killed Ogar when the black blade held Ogar hostage, these behaviors look like a heinous person.

But then......

"Thank you for introducing the [Corpse Eater] into the elevator at the Belvoir Hotel, and thank you for pushing me away in time to prevent me from being stoned to death by the wall on the Octavian."

Lorraine looked at Mars sincerely, and the soft light fell on her short silver-white hair, making her whole person look a little Qin and gentle light.

"You saved me twice, thank you."

“…… Instead of doing this, reflect on why you always need help from others. Rubbish. Mars glanced at Lorraine.

Oh.

What a bad communicator.

Lorraine resisted the urge to hit him, took a deep breath, and adjusted his tone.

"Mars, why did you save me?"

“……”

"I've always thought it's strange that you didn't have any intention of helping me during the [Upper Circle Chase and Killing Battle], and even shot and killed Ogar, such a move shows that you are not a person who will help others with kindness at all, why did you ...... later"

"It's none of your business," Mars said, widening his eyes.

He doesn't seem to be a person who easily hides his inner thoughts.

It's a bit clumsy to hide your heart.

Violently changing the subject, it only exposes the disturbing secrets in his heart.

Although he also wanted to know if the person with the tattoo on his chest was Lorraine in front of him, he knew that even if he told her the secret, she would not know the answer.

So, he simply kept silent.

He doesn't like to do superfluous things.

He doesn't like to ask superfluous questions.

Things that can be solved with fists, problems that can be solved with violence, don't talk too much nonsense.

Lorraine, who was sitting on the side, looked at his reluctance to communicate, and sighed inwardly.

(What a withdrawn man...... ）

It doesn't seem to make much sense to talk about it any further.

Lorraine stood up and was about to leave down the white stone steps between the tombstones.

At this moment, Mars stopped her for the first time.

"Hey."

"Huh?"

Lorraine looked back at him.

"Who's your upper and lower player in the food chain?" Mars looked at her coldly, his eyes like a lone wolf in the wilderness.

Lorraine looked at Mars in silence and did not rush to answer his question, but her slightly narrowed eyes and involuntarily clenched the hand of the gun revealed the delicate activity of her heart at the moment.

Mars stood up and looked condescendingly at her at the bottom of the stone steps.

The wind, blowing through the air between the two, blew the horns of Mars's coat, and blew the ends of Lorraine's silver-white hair.

I don't know what this sudden silence meant.

Half a minute later, Lorraine smiled intriguingly: "You've already guessed it." ”

Mars didn't say anything.

Lorraine pulled out two cards.

"The first chapter, [Lower Players in the Food Chain], is a man who cherishes his hair." She shrugged, "I can't guess the answer to this riddle, but at least it gives me a hint, the next player is a man, probably Blackblade, Icarus, One-Eyed, Colin, Arthur, J, I don't know which of them cherishes their hair, at least, I haven't seen it yet." ”

"...... [The Man Who Cherishes His Hair]? Why didn't you count me? ”

Mars looked fixedly at Lorraine's round eyes.

But Lorraine seemed to have guessed that he would ask the question.

"You know, Mars, because you're my top player." Lorraine said calmly, taking out the second card, "[Upper Player in the Food Chain], a man with a scar on his face." ”

Lorraine revealed the secret, and the atmosphere between the two suddenly became tense.

One is the upper hunter and the other is the lower prey.

Between them, it is no longer a relationship between saving and being saved, but a relationship between killing and being killed.

Mars is the hunter and Lorraine is the prey.

Mars was silent for a while, looked at Lorraine, and asked indifferently, "In that case, why did you help me just now?" ”

The word he used was "help", not "save", which shows that in his opinion, Lorraine's help was not necessary, and he himself could completely deal with the mountain ghost who pounced.

He was as arrogant as ever.

"Because you saved me before, I should repay you." Lorraine replied softly.

"What if you helped me, but I killed you." Mars narrowed his eyes slightly.

"After all, it's the rules of the game, and I admit it."

“……”

"Mars, do you know I'm your next player?"

“…… Know. ”

"You know?" Lorraine looked at Mars in amazement.

"My two cards, the upper player's card says 'Proud Female Killer' and the lower player's card says 'Woman with Short Silver Hair'."

This is another two hints, one light and one dark.

Lorraine nodded: "The arrogant female killer, a bit like a duke, and a bit like a beauty, if it is Caesar, it is not impossible." But the woman with short silver hair ...... It's clear that it's me. ”

Originally.

He knew from the beginning that the only person he could kill was himself.

"Hmm."

Mars whispered in reply, but did not answer again.

Lorraine blinked, looking at Mars with some curiosity.

He didn't expect that this man would also show mercy.

Especially since he was still sitting one step away from him just now, he didn't have the slightest intention of killing her.

But...... What if he was just looking for an unsuspecting opportunity?

“…… Mars, are you going to kill me? Lorraine thought about it, but opened the skylight and said something bright.

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Why, I'm not going to tell you for the time being."

"You saved me again and again, but you didn't tell me why, and now you don't kill me, and you don't tell me why...... Mars, are you ...... What do you know? Is there something you know that is relevant to me? Lorraine stepped up the stone steps, a little closer to Mars.

She is now like a person who persistently pursues the truth, and she is not afraid that the man in front of her will kill her at any time.

She was so confused.

In her opinion, Mars, who is full of defensive and offensive personality, has no reason to open up to herself again and again.

She doesn't think of herself as the heroine of a tragic drama, all men love her, admire her, and treat her favorably everywhere.

She knew that Mars must have done it for a deeper reason.

There must be some reason for him to keep himself again and again, even if he doesn't care about himself, even if he sacrifices himself.

She wondered the reason behind this.

She wanted to know the reason behind this.

“……”

Mars looked at those clear eyes, and for a moment didn't know whether to call her stupid or a tendon.

Or, the two words mean the same thing.

Mars was just about to speak, when suddenly someone preempted him—

"He does know some things, but those things have nothing to do with you."

The two looked back and saw the Duke standing on the stone steps behind them, looking at them proudly, the wind blowing through her dark brown hair, and her eyes with cold pride.