Chapter 85: The Big Bad Guys Who Tried to Catch Zhuzhu

Lai San, who didn’t have a single coin to his name, shivered despite his sturdy build and pulled a long face. “I can’t afford it. Three thousand energy coins is too expensive. Little one, can’t you give me a discount?”

He squatted down to look Zhuzhu in the eye, putting on a simple, honest smile as he tried to coax her.

Zhuzhu immediately clutched her little pouch, her big round eyes glaring at him warily. She shook her head firmly. “No! Pretty Brother said my big cotton jacket is worth exactly this much. Not a single coin less! Anyone who tries to bargain with me is a shameless bad guy who tricks kids.”

Shameless bad guy Lai San: …

“Pfft.” The seven people behind him couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing. When Lai San turned to glare at them, they didn’t feel embarrassed at all—if anything, they laughed even harder.

“Hahaha…”

Lai San’s face darkened, and he snapped in frustration, “If you can afford it, then you buy it!”

“Hmph, broke loser.” Star pirate Jason shot Lai San a contemptuous glance. He could afford it, all right.

He was the most valued member under the Black Skull Pirates’ second-in-command. He’d always been involved in hijackings and killings—whatever else he lacked, he certainly didn’t lack money. His share was always hefty, and his purse was bulging.

Just a few days ago, the second-in-command even rewarded him with a spatial button. His current wealth was enough to make him look down on the other six.

Chin raised high, Jason strutted over arrogantly and barked at Lai San, “Move it. Don’t block the way.”

Lai San ground his teeth, but when he saw the two other star pirates following Jason, he swallowed his anger and reluctantly stood up, moving aside.

“Hmph.” Jason snorted, mocking him for being a spineless coward.

Then he looked down at the little one. “Give me three of those cotton jackets—ones that’ll fit us.”

Zhuzhu immediately beamed, showing her tiny rice-grain teeth, and replied sweetly, “Okay, uncle! Our Earth Village’s big cotton jackets will definitely fit. They can adjust to your size, so you won’t lose out, uncle!”

“Hahaha, you’re a funny little thing.” Jason grinned, but the next moment, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Zhuzhu. “But why do you look so familiar? You look just like that little brat who escaped from our starship.”

Zhuzhu’s little body stiffened. She stared at Jason with her big round eyes, as if trying to confirm something. Then, suddenly, she let out a wail. “You’re the big bad guy who caught Zhuzhu and wanted to sell Zhuzhu off as a child bride!”

“Brother Al, Brother Pidan, come quick! I found the bad guy!”

“Where? Who’s bullying Zhuzhu?”

Four little kids, fully armed with toy swords and knives, came running over, huffing and puffing.

Zhuzhu pointed her chubby finger at the dumbfounded Jason and shouted in her childish but fierce voice, “It’s him! Zhuzhu remembers his face. He’s the one who caught Zhuzhu!”

“Waaah! Big bad guy! Take him down and avenge Zhuzhu!” Pidan, cheeks puffed out from all the good food lately, charged at Jason with his little dagger.

Al also looked like he was ready to fight Jason to the death, while timid Gouwa hesitated, his little body trembling and lagging behind.

The kids were fierce, not afraid of a big burly man like Jason at all. After all, they’d been fighting little monsters these past few days, so they were getting pretty good at fighting people, too.

Sharp toy swords and knives rained down on Jason, making him grimace in pain, his eyes bulging like copper bells. “Damn! It really is those runaway brats! You’re actually here in Earth Village! Where’s the boss? What did you do with the boss?”

The two star pirates behind him finally realized what was happening—their boss had disappeared while chasing after these runaway kids.

Their faces twisted with rage, and they lunged to grab the little brats.

But in the next second, a mechanical voice boomed in their minds, making their skulls feel like they were about to explode.

[Ding-dong—Foreign visitors detected using violence against minors. Harming children violates Earth Village’s virtue of respecting the old and cherishing the young. Initiating punishment mode.]

Crackling bolts of silver lightning instantly surrounded Jason and the two star pirates. Inside the electric storm, three skeletons contorted in all sorts of spasms, and then—thud, thud, thud—they collapsed to the ground.

Their hair was frizzed out like they’d been electrocuted, black smoke curling from their mouths as they lay sprawled in the snow.

It all happened so fast, like a tornado. Lai San didn’t even have time to escape the “battlefield” before the fight was over.

He looked on, dazed, then terrified. He was starting to understand what Chief Yun meant by “monitoring” them.

The other four also looked at the three “charred corpses” in the snow, their faces turning pale. In the end, they all took three steps back in awe, their expressions growing more solemn.

Looks like this five-day Earth Village tour wasn’t going to be so easy after all.

On the other side, the Tengu Tribe villagers, noticing the commotion, cast curious glances over.

Meifang, dressed in a festive red cotton jacket and munching on sweet danmu fruit, came over to watch the fun.

“What happened? What’s going on? How’d they get struck by lightning?”

Her face was alight with excitement and gossip. She even stretched out her foot to nudge one of the “corpses.” When it started twitching, she quickly pulled her foot back and muttered, “Oh, still alive, huh.”

Lai San: …

The kids happily joined hands and danced in a circle. “Down with the big bad guys! Down with the big bad guys!”

“Zhuzhu’s so smart—she knew to use electricity on them!”

Lai San’s ears perked up.

Auntie Meifang, not understanding, smiled kindly and asked the kids, “Was it this pretty little girl’s superpower that zapped them like that?”

“Nope, not Zhuzhu. It was Earth Village. The game punishes bad guys who bully kids!” Zhuzhu grinned, delighted.

At the same time, the village broadcast sounded:

[To build a beautiful and harmonious Earth Village, stealing, bullying children, and other bad behaviors are strictly prohibited. Violators will be punished. All villagers and visitors, please take note.]

[Ding-dong—Visitors Jason, Link, and Qian Chang have violated Earth Village’s virtue of respecting the old and cherishing the young. They are sentenced to three days of compulsory labor as a warning to others.]

[Ding-dong—Visitors Jason, Link, and Qian Chang have violated Earth Village’s virtue of respecting the old and cherishing the young. They are sentenced to three days of compulsory labor as a warning to others.]

The announcement repeated three times. Then, a group of people in shabby cotton jackets, looking utterly exhausted, hurried over and quickly carried away the three “charred corpses.”

In the blink of an eye, the eight-person tourist group was down by three.

Lai San pressed his pale lips together, his honest face now gloomy and even uglier.

Now he was sure—the one monitoring and controlling them wasn’t a person, but the game itself. The omnipresent game."