Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 244: Loss

In reality, Liu Xing's plan was quite simple, summed up in four words - "inside cooperation, outside merger."

According to Liu Xing's speculation, or rather, the information Yin En had obtained from Takayanagi Aoyin, there should be around twelve fanatical followers on the Yueshihao cruise ship, including Bai Hecheng and Mo Jin. The reason for this conclusion was that Takayanagi Aoyin had identified nine crew members on the Yueshihao cruise ship whose identities were suspicious. Among them were individuals like Choi Seok-sil, the CEO of a certain company in Cosmic Country, and a professor from a university in Cosmic Country. Liu Xing estimated that this professor was probably an expert in archaeology.

Of course, the fanatical cult leader, the head instructor, should also be included.

So, in summary, during the upcoming ritual tomorrow, there should only be twelve fanatical followers in the captain's cabin on the Yueshihao cruise ship. Moreover, these fanatics were not exceptionally skilled; in fact, they might be less capable than ordinary people. After all, individuals like Choi Seok-sil were mostly overweight and unfit, so their physical abilities were likely subpar. However, Liu Xing was certain that these fanatics would have firearms in their possession to control the students of Morimoto Academy.

Therefore, according to Liu Xing's estimation, Bai Hecheng and Mo Jin would definitely be responsible for conducting the ritual in the captain's cabin. At most, one or two fanatical NPC guards would be stationed at the perimeter iron gates. Additionally, there might be one or two fanatics assigned to maintain vigilance at the cabin's entrance.

So, Nobita and the others only needed to find a way to deal with these two to four fanatics. It would be even better if they could take care of other armed fanatics along the way. However, causing disturbances would also suffice.

Moreover, it was unlikely that there would be more than five firearms among these ten NPC fanatics, as Liu Xing and Yin En speculated. After all, if every fanatic had a firearm, there would be no point in continuing the game.

Furthermore, in the Cthulhu RPG Game, ritual ceremonies typically required a significant number of fanatics to participate. After all, an individual's magical power (mp) was limited, and conducting a ritual ceremony consumed a considerable amount of mp. Therefore, in modules involving ritual ceremonies, there would often be numerous fanatic NPCs whose role was to provide mp.

To maintain the seriousness of the ritual ceremony and reduce the numerical advantage of the fanatics, most modules also imposed certain requirements for ritual ceremonies, such as wearing special ritual attire and carrying ritual-specific props. After all, you couldn't show up at a summoning ritual dressed as a hip-hop rapper.

So, Liu Xing and Yin En believed that there would be at most five firearms among these fanatics, but there might also be weapons similar to the ritual dagger Liu Xing had. After all, fanatics conducting a blood ritual ceremony were not there for a friendly gathering; it was bound to get bloody.

At this point, Liu Xing had Juri Sonoda take out her phone and play the recording from Shizuka's livestream, pausing when the camera captured the panoramic view of the captain's cabin.

"Okay, everyone, look here. This is the panoramic view of the Yueshihao cruise ship's captain's cabin. First, we can be sure that the open space in the middle is the area where the cultists will conduct the ritual. When the time comes, you will definitely be brought here, and that's when these fanatics might become desperate and brandish their weapons to threaten you. So, this is a critical moment because these fanatics were originally just ordinary people, and they are new to this. They are likely to be nervous and unprepared, so if you initiate an attack first, you'll have the best chance to gain the upper hand. But, of course, this is also when you're most vulnerable because these fanatics will likely shoot if they are attacked, and you could easily get injured or killed."

"Therefore, I recommend that you all avoid being too aggressive initially. Don't confront these fanatics head-on. Instead, observe their positions and their Weapons and Equipment. Then, look for an opportunity to strike. Now, let me analyze the best moments for an attack from a professional standpoint."

"First, it would be when these fanatics are preparing for the ritual. During this time, they should feel confident that they have the upper hand and relax their guard. They will start preparing for the ritual by setting up a ritual circle, bringing out ritual-specific tools or books, and beginning their prayers. Most likely, they will also try to restrict your movements to prevent any disruption to their ceremony. So, at this moment, some fanatics will likely approach you, and that's when you should counterattack, taking advantage of their proximity."

"However, it's also possible that these fanatics are overly confident and don't intend to restrict your movements, planning to conduct the ritual immediately. As you may know, these cultists typically perform blood rituals, and the ritual item they prefer to use is the dagger I showed you earlier. This dagger is convenient and suitable for their purposes. Usually, only one person officiates the ritual, and that person is also the executioner, typically the highest-ranking cultist present. So, at this moment, if you manage to capture the leader first, you'll have a significant advantage."

"Lastly, I will lead my friends to create chaos on the outskirts and initiate an attack on the outer fanatics. When you hear gunfire, launch your attack as well. At that point, you should be able to achieve good results." Liu Xing explained seriously.

Shizuka nodded and asked, "So, it doesn't sound too bad, right? After all, these fanatics shouldn't be too difficult to deal with. But, on the other hand, can't we just choose to escape directly? Do these fanatics have to use us as sacrifices? Why can't they pick someone else?"

Before Liu Xing could respond, Juri Sonoda explained, "It's not that simple. If the cult leaders from your school chose your class, it means that everyone in your class shares some common characteristics. These cultists like to select sacrifices who have something in common because, during their ritual ceremonies, they prefer to have sacrifices who share certain traits."

Liu Xing nodded in agreement and continued, "Juri is right. These cultists have specific criteria for selecting sacrifices, such as all of you being associated with water-related elements or symbols since you are offerings to the Deep Ones."

Shizuka immediately nodded and added, "That's right! If I remember correctly, all the girls in our class are water sign zodiacs, and I think the guys are mostly water signs too."

Nobita and the others also nodded, confirming that they were indeed water sign zodiacs.

Liu Xing found himself at a loss for words at this moment. Still, considering that the Cthulhu Mythos was originally a foreign import, the idea that these cultist NPCs believed in astrology didn't seem out of place.

"So, now it's confirmed. These cultists want to use students with water sign zodiacs as sacrifices, and they need a total of 30 people," Juri Sonoda concluded matter-of-factly.

Although Liu Xing wanted to make a few comments, the current situation didn't seem suitable for that.

"Alright, I've already contacted some reliable classmates, and I'll go to them later to inform them of the situation and prepare in advance. I'll contact you later, Mr. Liu Xing."

Liu Xing nodded. Since the discussion had covered most of the necessary information, he and Juri Sonoda got up to leave, giving Shizuka and the others some time to process everything on their own.

"We can rest for a while now and recharge for tomorrow's battle. But, Juri, you should stay here tomorrow. After all, if things get violent, I won't be able to take care of you," Liu Xing said when they returned to their room.

Juri Sonoda nodded and said with a smile, "I understand. After all, I'm just a journalist, and getting involved in fights like this isn't suitable for me. If I were to go with you, I might just be a burden. So, I've decided to stay here and cheer you on tomorrow."

Liu Xing felt relieved that Juri Sonoda wasn't like some naive female protagonists in movies who insisted on participating in the final battle, often causing more trouble than help.

At that moment, Yin En sent a message.

Liu Xing opened it and found that Yin En had already contacted the Sawada Family clan regarding the situation. The Sawada Family clan wasted no time and immediately dispatched personnel to contact a security company in Cosmic Country. They arranged for over twenty bodyguards to be on standby at the port where the Yueshihao cruise ship would dock tomorrow. They also hired a few boats as a precaution.

Additionally, Yin En mentioned that he would have Juri Sonoda go to Takayanagi Aoyin's family's room tomorrow. If anything unexpected happened, Juri Sonoda and Takayanagi Aoyin's family could leave in advance.

Liu Xing relayed the information about Shizuka's situation to Yin En and then informed Juri Sonoda about the message.

"Alright, I'll go there early tomorrow. But are you sure about just the three of you confronting these cultists? Isn't it too dangerous? Shouldn't we mobilize more passengers?" Juri Sonoda expressed her concerns.

Liu Xing shook his head and said seriously, "Given the current situation, it's better to have quality over quantity. The layout in the captain's cabin of the Yueshihao cruise ship won't benefit from having more people, and it might even lead to a large-scale riot. So, we need to resolve the issue before the other passengers realize what's happening. As for you, Juri, please be cautious."

Juri Sonoda sighed and nodded, "Alright, Liu Xing, you should rest now. After all, I won't be participating in the battle tomorrow. I'll stay here and guard, as well as discuss the details with Shizuka and the others."

Liu Xing knew the importance of rest, so he didn't refuse this time. He lay down on the bed to rest.

Before Liu Xing could contact KP Li Shunchan, he fell asleep.

Mist.

Liu Xing suddenly found himself in a dense, impenetrable mist, unable to see anything within arm's reach. It was all white, with no visible surroundings.

What was more terrifying was the eerie silence all around him. Liu Xing couldn't hear any sounds, not even his own heartbeat!

Frowning, Liu Xing realized something was wrong. In fact, he couldn't feel his body anymore. When he tried to take a step, he felt like he was floating in nothingness.

Just as Liu Xing felt like his sanity was slipping away, he saw a figure in the distance. The figure was holding an oil lamp, and the faint light from the lamp dispelled the thick fog within a half-meter radius. The figure was slowly approaching Liu Xing, and as it got closer, Liu Xing could finally make out who it wasit was himself!

Yes, the person in front of Liu Xing was "himself"! What was unsettling was that the "self" holding the oil lamp had a faint smile on its face, an ordinary expression one might wear in everyday life, but it sent shivers down Liu Xing's spine. No, actually, Liu Xing couldn't feel his body anymore, so he couldn't describe his feelings as shivers.

However, Liu Xing noticed that "himself" didn't intend to stop. Instead, it passed right through Liu Xing.

"Himself" passed through Liu Xing.

Liu Xing suddenly felt like "himself" had taken something away from him.

Then, Liu Xing woke up.

Liu Xing, feeling somewhat lost, sat up and saw that Juri Sonoda was sleeping on the table. He checked his phone and realized it was already 3:00 AM.

Shaking his head, Liu Xing tried to push the strange dream out of his mind. He patted his face to clear his thoughts and finally felt a bit more awake.

He tapped Juri Sonoda's shoulder and said, "I've rested enough. Juri, you should go to bed now. I'll let you know when it's time. Good night."

Juri Sonoda nodded, pointed at her phone, and then lay down on the bed to sleep.

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