Run the Plot Ch.61

Chapter 61: IF Ending • Original World (Extra 3)

Player Q, using blue…

Stepping out of the waiting area, a flash of white light appeared before his eyes.

A massive palace ruin came into view.

This season’s scene was the “Jungle Palace”—the empty halls behind him, towering yet crumbling, exuded a sense of decay. Outside stretched a dense forest, tall trees lush and verdant.

There was no sign of anyone around.

Qi He glanced at the quiet surroundings and said to Yan Chuanbai, “Each team’s initial drop point is randomly scattered. It could be in a danger zone, or near a [Item] box…”

“Right now, we’re somewhere between good and bad.”

Yan Chuanbai raised an eyebrow at that and looked outside.

“Attention, all players have entered the field. Actions may begin after a 15-second countdown.”

15, 14, 13… 3, 2, 1.

As the countdown ended, a faint purple pillar of light appeared in the distance.

Qi He didn’t rush to move. Instead, the corner of his lips curved slightly. “Someone got a purple item—it seems they were lucky enough to spawn right next to it.”

A broadcast appeared in the game: “Lingyun Team: Fei Xiao, Purple Item x1, Points +10.”

The organizers knew exactly how to make the competition exciting and intense: whenever a player gained points, a light pillar and a broadcast would appear.

“Picking up items earns points. From blue to orange, it’s 5, 10, and 15 points respectively. Eliminating another player grants 30 points, and additionally, you get 50% of the defeated player’s bonus points.”

Qi He’s eyes reflected the light as he smiled.

—So high-point players basically become walking targets in the later stages.

Yan Chuanbai understood. “So… you can also raise a fat sheep, then kill it at the end.”

“Risk and reward go hand in hand; it could also help you rack up points along the way.”

As he spoke, pillar after pillar of light lit up.

Qi He’s gaze swept over them, and the simultaneous broadcasts also showed each team’s position, name, and points.

[What’s Team Q God doing?]

[On-site tutorial? Shouldn’t they be rushing out to seize the initiative?]

[They grabbed two blue skills. Either survival skills or one-time-use items, no weapons—probably scared to go out and get themselves killed! Haha.]

[Playing safe while looking for items!!!]

[At this point, all you can do is tell yourself to trust Q God. [Blessing]]

Amid the anxious comments flooding the screen, Qi He finally took his first step.

Outside the hall, the sunlight was blinding.

He glanced at Yan Chuanbai, the light in his slightly narrowed eyes dazzling. “You know what to do, right?”

Yan Chuanbai lowered his lashes and chuckled softly, “Of course.”

[…Is this an illusion? The loyal dog vibe is strong.]

[Know what? Know what exactly? I didn’t miss a single frame the whole time—did you guys plan this?]

With that, the two split and headed in opposite directions—

Yan Chuanbai charged straight at the team that had just acquired a weapon.

Qi He, on the other hand, headed directly toward the area with the densest pillars of light, moving alone.

…

In the central square, a fight was already underway.

The massive circular plaza was designed in a classic Greek style, surrounded by dense forest that made hiding easy. Yet within the plaza, the open sightlines were perfect for large-scale team battles.

All sorts of skills and weapons flashed chaotically.

But these were all high-point players—no one was going out that easily.

Bang! A gunshot hit a figure.

The next broadcast sounded—but it wasn’t an elimination notice:

“Player Luo Jiang activated the purple skill [Phantom] (2 uses remaining).”

“…Damn, Phantom!?”

The exact effects of a skill only appear when a player uses it, and are limited to the current scene.

Bullets flew past, hitting only the opponent’s afterimage.

At the same time, the enemy’s teammate attacked from behind! At the very moment the shooter was about to be hit, their figure vanished in an instant.

“Player Fu Youge activated the purple skill [Teleport] (2 uses remaining).”

Elsewhere, a cannon roared and slammed into the forest behind.

Large sections of trees ignited, the flames twisting the air around them.

Various attacks made the situation shift in an instant.

There were three teams in total, fifteen players. Eight minutes into the match, the battle was fierce—but no one had been eliminated.

The most common strategy in this season was:

First, eliminate a few teams to rack up points;

In the later stages, join forces to take down the strongest team, leaving the remaining high-score teams to fight for the championship.

In previous seasons, the strongest team, “Q”, had always been untouchable.

But this year was different—after hiding for over half a year, they returned with a “newbie.” Not only that, their opening move was catastrophic luck: they grabbed two of the lowest-tier blue skills.

Now, no one knew where they were hiding.

Player Fu Youge thought to himself and chuckled inwardly: “Legends are meant to be broken eventually. Even Q’s throne will fall.”

As he was thinking, a whistle suddenly cut across the plaza.

Its clear, teasing tone drew everyone’s attention.

All eyes turned—and saw a figure appear atop a tree branch.

A tall, elegant silhouette was hidden among the leaves.

Above a familiar mask, a pair of sharp, piercing eyes glinted. Qi He stood there openly, unarmed, radiating an innate air of superiority.

Everyone tensed instinctively!

Then, anger at being provoked and unprecedented fighting spirit flared up—

This was Q’s catastrophic opening.

The chance to eliminate Q was a once-in-a-century opportunity!

Without any coordination, the three teams almost simultaneously turned to attack Qi He—

[Holy crap! Has Q God lost it?]

[Stepping into the encirclement unarmed—is he planning to grab a weapon with his survival skill?]

Amid the flurry of discussion on the public chat, Qi He moved.

Not to dodge—but to meet the attack head-on.

His fearless advance left the opponents momentarily stunned, raising their guard: Does he have a skill?

In that one second of hesitation, Qi He’s gaze locked ahead. His movements were so fast they left afterimages, effortlessly avoiding two incoming skills: compared to the ability users and mutants of the apocalypse, players’ speed… was far too slow.

“Player Cheng Shi activated the purple skill [Lag].”

“Player Wu Tianying activated the purple skill [Fire Attack].”

Qi He dodged both skills. The next moment, a cannon fired.

Boom! The wide-range blast targeted Qi He directly—there was no way to escape.

—It hit!

Everyone’s heart skipped a beat, yet no broadcast sounded: …No elimination?

The next moment, they realized—not good!

But a muffled bang came from behind. The figure in front vanished, and this time, the broadcast sounded:

“Player Q activated the blue skill [Substitute] (one-time use).”

“Player Fu Youge has been eliminated.”

The light pillar rose—this season’s first eliminated player had appeared.

Everyone held their breath and turned.

Qi He’s figure stood behind them like a final boss.

[Substitute] was a skill he had picked up on the way here—it fit perfectly now.

Fu Youge’s afterimage disappeared before his eyes, his face still frozen in disbelief.

The psychological pressure in the arena spiked instantly—

The earlier impulse to take down Q had overridden all caution; every player feared being a step too slow. Even a moment of doubt had to be suppressed to strike first.

But that was exactly what Qi He had planned in his psychological game.

Using himself as bait, he was the most deceptive and irresistible target—no one could resist.

“Player Q successfully eliminated a player, earning 30 points; additionally gained 50% of Player Fu Youge’s bonus points (10 × 50%). Inherited blue [Weapon] x1, purple [Skill] x1.”

“Q (2/5) Status: Alive. Current Points: 35.”

Qi He raised his hand, meeting the eyes of everyone around.

A chill ran through the arena. One team, decisive, shouted, “Retreat!”

Their team vanished into the forest with a rustle, leaving the remaining two teams poised for action. They exchanged a glance.

At the moment they launched their second attack on Qi He, his figure disappeared.

All deployed skills and attacks were wasted.

“Player Q activated the purple skill [Teleport] (1 use remaining).”

At the same time, in another densely-lit area of pillars, a flash of teleportation appeared.

Everyone in the plaza froze: ???

Public chat burst with: [???]

Elsewhere, in the southwest forest:

Qi He’s confusing maneuver had stunned some viewers, and his “newbie teammate” was also drawing attention.

The agile figure weaved through the trees.

Smooth, toned muscles hinted at latent explosive power, like a swift, predatory leopard. Stray hair brushed a scarred brow, revealing sharp, deep-set eyes and a piercing gaze.

[Holy crap! This teammate looks solid. [Heart eyes]]

[Q God’s selection.]

[Too bad he’s a rookie, and the two aren’t coordinating at all—just doing their own thing.]

…

At that moment, Yan Chuanbai suddenly halted.

He slowly straightened and focused on the area ahead. The rustle of grass and leaves, and a team emerged before him.

Following the direction of the earlier [Weapon] light pillars, the area from roughly 6 to 9 o’clock had a large gap. Teams had an 80% probability of moving there.

He intercepted them mid-route—and sure enough, they appeared.

The two sides faced each other.

The opposing team were all veteran players—no greetings, no hesitation—they charged straight at Yan Chuanbai.

“Take him down!”

The small-statured player Yi Gu shot forward like a cannonball. Purple skills flickered across his body—“Physical Boost”. At the same time, a gun appeared in his hands. Click—chambered, aimed straight at Yan Chuanbai’s forehead.

The motion was fluid, rapid, textbook perfect.

Bang!

Yet Yan Chuanbai’s reaction was almost unbelievable.

The opponents were high-score players, their reflexes and skills top-notch. But none could compare to a 40-year combat veteran, a 5S-class operative, and former general of H Country.

Yan Chuanbai merely tilted his head slightly; the bullet grazed his brow.

In the next instant, as Yi Gu froze in shock for half a second, Yan Chuanbai used the momentum of a flip, extending his long leg to meet the charge. Boom! Close-range strike—

Yi Gu was sent flying like a cannonball again.

This hit alone would have been enough to eliminate him.

Yet a golden light instantly enveloped Yi Gu:

“Player Ling Xi activated gold skill [Revive] (one-time use). Player Yi Gu revived.”

Yi Gu landed and steadied himself, still panting in shock.

A faint trace of regret flickered in Yan Chuanbai’s eyes.

[…Damn.]

[What just happened??? That’s movie-level action right there. [Replay]]

[Where did this special ops soldier come from!?]

Not only the spectators, but the opponents were also caught completely off guard.

This skill, this momentum—it was pure overwhelming force. Combined with a battlefield-hardened, bloodthirsty aura, his imposing presence charged straight at them.

The team captain raised full alert: “He still hasn’t used his blue skill—don’t underestimate him. Full assault!”

At the command, they attacked simultaneously.

Yan Chuanbai moved like an afterimage, never pausing a second. He even advanced boldly into the enemy ranks—intentionally risking proximity to prevent being targeted or controlled by an unknown skill.

Weapons and skills are consumable.

The tense standoff continued for six or seven minutes, until someone from the opposing team shouted, “Retreat!”

As all their teammates withdrew in perfect sync, a [Grenade] was hurled straight at Yan Chuanbai.

At the exact moment the pin was pulled, Yan Chuanbai stepped forward to meet it.

His eyes locked on the grenade, calculating the seconds in his mind.

No one here understood weapons better than him: the grenade’s fuse lasted 4–5 seconds. The CSl.B holographic simulation pursued realism—it was identical to the real thing.

By confronting it head-on, he reduced the time before detonation.

In the stunned, “unafraid of death” gazes around him, Yan Chuanbai slapped the grenade midair.

Boom! It exploded toward Yi Gu, diagonally across the field.

With only one second left, there was no time to dodge.

The grenade had passed through Yan Chuanbai’s hand on its trajectory—it counted as an attack he launched.

“Player Yi Gu has been eliminated.”

“Player Y successfully eliminated a player, earning 30 points; additionally gained 50% of Player Yi Gu’s bonus points (5 × 50%). Inherited blue [Weapon] x1, purple [Skill] x1.”

Yan Chuanbai stood in place, his gaze deep and cold.

“Y (2/5) Status: Alive. Current Points: 32.5.”

[………]

The public chat fell silent for several seconds.

A handgun appeared in Yan Chuanbai’s hands, a flash of purple light shimmering as he gained [Physical Boost].

His attacks were not random.

As Yi Gu advanced and revealed his skills, Yan Chuanbai had already marked the opponent’s weapon and buffs.

After a brief pause on the other side: …Holy crap!

This human weapon had acquired the buff most suited to him.

Keep fighting—would they gain points or be wiped out?

Team captain Wu Ce thought for two seconds, then gritted his teeth.

Bang! A signal flare shot up. The team captain had a special function: [Cooperation Request]. Sending the signal meant summoning nearby teams willing to collaborate.

“Hold him—”

Yan Chuanbai glanced down with a faint smile and raised his gun.

…

This tactic was mainly about delaying.

Wu Ce’s team no longer wasted skills; while attacking with weapons, they focused primarily on defense.

Several minutes passed this way.

Suddenly, the public chat erupted in unison: […Holy crap.]

The nearest team had arrived. On the other side, the leaves rustled, and a figure with orange hair emerged.

It was Night Owl’s team.

As the two sides faced each other, positions were almost immediately established.

Spectators and Wu Ce alike thought “Q”’s team had really hit the unlucky draw—running into Night Owl meant Y had no chance to sway the situation.

“Yo~ isn’t this the newbie Q brought along?”

Night Owl held a gun, clearly enjoying Yan Chuanbai’s predicament. It was as if he were venting the frustration from the waiting area:

“What, your Q isn’t here to lead you?”

Some word must have struck a chord. Yan Chuanbai’s brows relaxed, a faint smile of pleasure appearing: “Thank you.”

“???” Is he insane?

Nine against one—the pressure dropped sharply.

Night Owl, unafraid of any sudden moves from Yan Chuanbai, lit up his panel and looked smug:

“So… you want me to exit with zero points?”

Above his panel, his points glared: 25.

Night Owl sneered: “Too bad. Talking big and I haven’t even been eliminated yet, and I’m already at 25 points.”

Yan Chuanbai barely reacted, casually resting a hand on the gun barrel: “Is that so?”

[Night Owl has already scored 25 points.]

[Since each team spawns in different locations, as long as there’s an item nearby, you get points the moment it appears—there’s no way anyone really exits with zero points.]

[Tsk tsk tsk, the newbie is talking big—asking to be laughed at~]

…

In the arena, Night Owl’s team was already coiled and ready, eyes dark with intent: “You’re dead.”

Yan Chuanbai scanned the field.

Upon closer inspection, his eyes held a peculiar gleam, reminiscent of Qi He’s—the kind of interest that treats the chaos as a collection of fragments. He lifted his gaze for a second toward the distant rising pillars of light, then back to those nearby:

“Let’s go together.”

Elsewhere, before the main temple:

Tall stone pillars gleamed with an ivory-white luster as dazzling sunlight poured down. Statues of the gods stood rigidly before the hall, while shadows inside and out carved stark contrasts between light and dark.

Qi He’s figure weaved between the pillars and statues, slipping through shafts of light.

Attacks of all kinds rained down toward him.

—Eliminating Q and claiming the championship carried equal appeal in everyone’s mind.

But ever since taking down Fu Youge, Qi He hadn’t eliminated another player. And the blue [Weapon] dropped by the opponent was a sword:

Close-range, melee, cold weapon.

The luck bestowed upon him seemed pitifully low.

[Q is unbelievably unlucky this round…]

[Is it just me? Q seems… trained somewhere—slicker and faster than before.]

[This is insane, he runs so fast, haha.]

[Guys, sorry I’m late to the meeting! How many points does Q have now? What skills?]

[Points 35, skills unknown.]

[…What???]

Normally, when a team arranges tactics at the start, the [Skills] and [Weapons] drawn are revealed to the audience.

But Q had always acted solo before, and only when skills were used would they be disclosed.

This time, one might have expected teammates to make it public—but there was… no tactical coordination whatsoever.

After the selections were done, the two of them exchanged a glance—and that was it.

[Probably too useless, can’t be applied.]

[Used “Substitute” once before, not sure if it was drawn or picked up. Anyway, it’s just for survival—unless it’s life-or-death, Q probably won’t use it.]

…

Amid the heated discussion in the public chat, the battle showed no signs of stopping.

Qi He’s figure darted endlessly among the stone pillars and statues in the hall. Attack-type [Skills] required aiming—if he ran fast enough, no attack could catch him.

“Q is way too passive.”

A player pursuing him sneered and fired a shot, which struck a pillar and missed.

“With skills and weapons this weak, what’s the point of chasing?” a teammate muttered, following Qi He’s movements.

“If it were me, I’d hide in an empty area to grab items—not throw myself into a crowd to die.”

They laughed as they talked.

Then, Qi He suddenly flickered, leaping from behind a pillar straight onto the center of the temple.

All the players chasing him froze.

Qi He stood there before the god statue.

With no cover or obstruction, light poured down from above. Against the massive, sacred statue behind him, he towered over everyone—his posture almost divine.

“…Is Q crazy?”

“Something’s off. Keep your guard, stay on the offensive!”

A fanatical gleam lit up their eyes. Knowing Qi He might have a countermeasure, yet seeking glory and reward, every attack still surged forward relentlessly.

Inside the hall, the scoreboard flashed and stacked in layers!

Qi He lifted his eyes, eyelashes casting shadows over his lids. He took in every opponent’s weapons and skills.

And in the instant he stood before the god statue, the surrounding stone pillars “creaked”…

As he “dodged,” cracks formed along the path of his sword’s edge.

Before any attack could even reach him, the temple collapsed with a thunderous roar!

“Player Q activated purple skill [Teleport] (exhausted).”

His figure vanished in an instant.

The crowd held their breath, muttering a quiet “damn”, then scattered toward the temple exits—

Boom! Huge stones crashed down, dust and debris flying.

The collapse was sudden, yet not entirely unexpected. Players all had skills at their disposal, and even if desperate, teammates could lend aid. After scrambling out of the temple, no one had been eliminated.

“Cough… damn! Q is still—”

The word “infuriating” was ground between gritted teeth.

“There he is!” someone suddenly shouted.

Following the gaze upward, all saw Qi He standing atop the temple ruins—he hadn’t fled.

After the recent broadcast, everyone knew his [Teleport] skill had been used up.

The players who had been tricked by him immediately turned red with envy.

Some teams, suspicious of a trap, quickly withdrew; the remaining teams formed a temporary alliance, regrouping to prepare for a second assault.

Then, Qi He suddenly smiled.

He looked down at everyone, counting inward:

5, 4, 3…

Meanwhile, in the dense forest:

The battle was tense and suffocating, fury burning in every player’s heart. Suddenly, Yan Chuanbai’s afterimage-like figure paused. He stood sideways, turning toward Night Owl with a smile that was almost teasing:

“Here’s a gift for you.”

…2, 1.

In bewildered shock, all players suddenly found themselves back at their starting points.

On their panels, items and points had all been reset to zero.

Above the temple ruins, Qi He’s figure shimmered and began to disappear. He raised one hand, blue light dancing in his palm, illuminating his eyes—

“Player Q activated blue skill [Rewind].”

…

[Rewind]: A one-time skill, valid for up to 20 minutes; all players (including eliminated ones) are returned to the same point in time.

Just hearing it sounds godlike.

But in reality, the opportunity is fair to everyone—everyone gains the chance to “redo” their experience.

As the classic saying goes: Restarting doesn’t increase your IQ.

It might even help someone else get smarter.

Under official rules, [Rewind] is meant for players to save themselves in the face of death, or to gamble on seizing high-tier items.

Almost no one would do what Qi He did—holding it until 20 minutes into the game to pull everyone back to the starting point—because everyone knows: resetting the whole game doesn’t necessarily benefit yourself.

…

Whoosh!

Two figures respawned in front of the palace ruins.

Qi He and Yan Chuanbai’s peripheral vision caught each other’s forms, and they both curved their lips in a faint smile.

Still, no discussion—no coordination.

While all spectators and players were still processing, the two of them had already surged off in different directions—

Now, the game had truly begun.

—————————————————————

Author’s Note:

Qi He: Sigh, life is just grinding and grinding. [OK]

Yan Chuanbai: Keep the big gift package safe, Zero-Point Bro. [OK]

All players: [Shattered][Shattered][Shattered]

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