Godmode: The Dead Game Odyssey

Chapter 25: The Final Weakness

Only Shawn's eyes lit up. "He's collecting the Monster Codex! He's identifying the final weakness of every mer-creature! And now—he's using that to drive them back!"

The others stared at him, stunned and skeptical.

"Seriously? He's trying to complete the Monster Codex?"

"I heard only The Shepherd ever managed that in Eclipse Harbor. Regular players are lucky if they unlock even one page. You think a rookie can pull it off?"

"No way. I've watched many gameplay videos—no one's ever figured out the third weakness of the mermaid statue or sailor."

...

Liam Watson couldn't hear them. With his usual laid-back expression, he raised his pickaxe high and smashed it hard on the glass display housing the Eclipse King.

The glass shattered with a loud crash, shards flying everywhere. The Eclipse King slid out with the viscous liquid, landing at Liam's feet.

The mermaid statues recoiled in what looked like pure terror, scattering from the central hall. Even Lucy and Gerald, standing beside Liam, screamed and fled, covering their heads like they'd seen a demon.

Shawn's eyes gleamed as he watched Liam calmly wipe the liquid off his fingers, one by one. He inhaled sharply and declared:

"The third weakness of the mermaid statues and sailors is... the Eclipse King!"

Liam knelt and lifted the Eclipse King's chin.

The thick, dark liquid clung to the King's eyelashes and dripped onto his lips, forming a shimmering line between them. It was an almost otherworldly beauty—so flawless it transcended human comprehension.

Only words like "eclipse" and "siren" could even begin to describe such a face.

The cold, porcelain-smooth texture beneath Liam's fingertips felt unreal. His first thought had been: Damn, this game's NPC modeling is insane. How did they make one look this good?

But then he remembered—he was streaming live. The audience probably wanted something a bit more theatrical at this climactic moment.

So Liam took a deep breath and smiled slightly. "From you, it began... and with you, it ends. Beautiful Eclipse King."

With a triumphant smirk, he bent down, lifted the King onto his cart, and stepped down to wheel it out of the wax museum.

Not a single mermaid statue dared to follow. They lingered in the Museum's dark corners, frozen in fear.

[Eclipse Harbor Monster Codex Updated — Mermaid Statues (1/4)]

Monster Name: Mermaid Statue (Cocoon Stage), Totem Statue (Chrysalis Stage)

Weaknesses: Direct eye contact, Intense light, Eclipse King

Attack Method: Hatching

Status: This page is now complete. Keep up the good work, Player!

[Eclipse Harbor Monster Codex — Mermaid Sailors (3/4)]

Monster Name: Mermaid Sailor (Butterfly Stage)

Weaknesses: Bright light, Totem charms, Eclipse King

Attack Method: Clawing/Biting (May trigger mutation)

Status: Almost complete. Keep pushing forward!

[System Notification: Player Liam Watson is just one step away from completing the full Eclipse Harbor Monster Codex! Don't stop now!]

In front of Liam's stream was a solid three minutes of stunned silence. Even Mike was speechless.

Finally, Shawn broke the trance with a shout: "He's almost got it! Just one more page!"

As a match dropped into the oil, viewers' reactions were explosive. Everyone watching Liam's stream erupted in excitement, cheering wildly.

"He's just one page away!"

"Holy shit, this guy's a total rookie and he's this close?! Insane."

"Let's see those trolls on the forum talk smack now. If they were in his place, Liam would be ranking up—they'd be getting buried."

"He's a beast. Faced down a god-tier NPC like it was nothing, smashed the case, and turned it into a prop!"

Mike looked furious, gripping his blade tightly. But no matter how he slammed it into the floor, he couldn't drown out the chorus of praise.

Even the players who had once trolled Liam were now glued to his stream, their expressions souring as viewers roasted them in chat.

"Oh, he's so good? Then put him on the Central Screen! He's just big in a solo game category. Big whoop."

Right then, the system announced:

[10,003 people liked Liam Watson's stream. 9,607 saved it. 1,300 donated power-ups. Liam earns 1,300 points.]

[Player Liam Watson has earned over 10,000 likes in under a minute. Reputation soaring!]

[Congratulations! Liam has earned the "Talk of the Town" achievement.]

[Player Liam has been promoted to a prime slot on the Central Lobby Display. Welcome to the main screen, superstar. Your view count is skyrocketing...]

Shawn took a deep breath. His heart was pounding in his chest.

It had been so long since he'd felt this rush from watching someone play—a true masterclass in survival and strategy. He stared at the darkened screen for one last second, then bolted from the room.

From now on, he swore he wouldn't miss a single second of Liam Watson's gameplay.

Shawn's sudden sprint reminded the other players—this was just the beginning.

"Holy shit! Center spotlight!!"

"A total rookie just made it to the top screen on his first game?! What kind of monster is this guy?!"

"Quit yelling and MOVE! If we miss any of the next scenes, it'll end up locked behind the VIP paywall. You know, quality like this gets archived instantly. Watch now or pay later!"

The Player who'd sneered earlier—"If he's so good, let him on the Central Screen"—was now flushed red, surrounded by mocking laughter and smug stares. He glared venomously at Liam's little stream screen before slinking away in embarrassment.

Standing silently in the back, Lee Dog looked even darker. His grip on the greatsword tightened, the metal creaking under pressure. Without a word, he, too, turned and headed toward the Central Hall.

Central Hall

A young man squatted near the edge of the viewing platform, wearing massive over-ear headphones and sucking on a lollipop. He tilted his head back, lazily scanning the screens, clearly unimpressed.

Clinging to either side of his headphones was a plush monkey toy—arms draped over the earcups like it was hugging them. The monkey's eyes glowed red, and its stitched-up smile was lined with triangular, shark-like teeth. It looked like something straight out of a cursed kids' show—cute with a side of nightmare fuel.

Strangely, the young man resembled his creepy little companion: soft, round face, faintly red eyes, and sharp canine teeth that stuck out even with his mouth closed. Cute but unsettling.

He flicked the lollipop in his mouth, making one cheek bulge as he mumbled, annoyed,

"Ugh, not a single promising player. This leaderboard is garbage. No one's even close to completing the Monster Codex. How'd these scrubs even get ranked?"

Just as he was about to stand up and leave—

Ping!

A screen near the center-right of the Central Display flickered. The Player who had occupied it vanished. Replacing him was a pale, delicate-looking boy with the clean-cut appearance of a straight-A student.

He smiled like he was about to hand in a school project. Innocent. Harmless.

Then, with a casual roll of his shoulders, he shoved a pushcart forward—on it lay a breathtakingly beautiful mer creature.

With that same calm smile, Liam launched the cart straight into a swarm of grotesque Merman sailors like a missile launcher.

The sailors screamed—shrill, panicked, almost human—and scattered. Tears welled in their bulbous eyes as they scrambled away.

Liam, still grinning, let out a soft chuckle and gave chase, hounding them like a predator playing with prey.

Watching from below, Musk Fourteen (aka Musk) slowly blinked.

"…Huh?"

Then, with growing disbelief:

"…What the actual—???"

Who the hell was this kid? Just some wild, unranked player who stumbled in off the street?!

Who runs around dragging a literal boss monster in a pushcart like it's a battering ram?!

Musk immediately pulled up the Player's profile, fingers dancing across his HUD. He frowned.

"Liam Watson… That name sounds familiar. Where have I seen it before?"

A few swipes later, his eyes widened. "Oh. Him."

This was the same rookie everyone had been buzzing about on the forums—the one rumored to be closing in on Musk's solo record in Eclipse Harbor.

And now, not only had Liam nearly finished the Monster Codex, but he'd also cleared Jelf's Bloody Conspiracy—a 100% side quest clear. Something even Musk hadn't managed back then.

And worse—Liam's recharge points had already surpassed his.

He might knock Musk off the top of the Eclipse Harbor leaderboard.

Eyes narrowing, caught between curiosity and the sting of competition, Musk immediately joined Liam's stream audience.

[System Notification: Player "Musk" (Newcomer Leaderboard Rank #4) has entered Liam Watson's mini-stream. He hasn't expressed an opinion yet—do your best to win him over!]

Everyone else watching collectively gasped.

"Musk's here?!"

"No way—where?!"

"Dude, this rookie's insane. Even got Musk watching! He rarely shows up in mini-streams anymore—he just watches premium replays in the VIP vault!"

"The last time Musk showed up to watch a stream live was when Spade played!"

"Wait… SPADΞ?! The King of this game? Top of the All-Time Leaderboard?! Yeah, sure, that makes sense. But who the hell is this rookie that got Musk out of hiding?!"

Musk stood quietly in the corner.

The monkey headphones had transformed into a quirky baseball cap with monkey ears. He tugged the brim down, shadows hiding his expression though his crimson eyes locked tightly on Liam in the stream.

Crunch.

He bit down on the lollipop, candy shards cracking like ice in his mouth.

Then, with a tilted head and a faint, toothy grin, Musk muttered—

"This rookie… is interesting."

Liam strolled casually through the main street, pushing a cart with all the leisurely arrogance of someone on vacation.

A smug little smile played on his lips—equally relaxed and infuriating—as if he were just taking a lazy walk through a town square instead of playing a horror survival game.

Behind him, a group of Merman Sailors trailed at a distance, twisted faces warped by hatred and fear.

They wanted to get close—desperately—but every time their gaze landed on the figure slumped in Liam's pushcart, they flinched and backed off.

The Eclipse King lay motionless in the cart, and his presence sent chills through the monsters following them.

It looked less like a rookie player surviving a game and more like a warlord parading a captured god through conquered territory.

But the Eclipse King wasn't just a "god" to these monsters. His relationship with them wasn't symbolic.

It was predatory.

Figuring out that the Eclipse King was the final weak point of the Merman Sailors and Statues wasn't that hard—at least, not for Liam. He had two main reasons for this theory:

First, The King had no listed weakness.

That made him the most dangerous threat in the game. But if that applied to players, it also applied to monsters.

Something without a weakness was as much a threat to the AI as to the Player.

So Liam simply redirected the danger.

Instead of trying to survive the King, he made the other monsters survive the King for him.

Second: The lore.

Based on the narrative fragments he'd pieced together so far, there was a clear evolutionary and hierarchical structure:

Merfolk (basic stage – larvae)

Merman Statues (cocoon stage – intermediate)

Merman Sailors (mature stage – butterfly)

This wasn't just a biological metaphor. There was also a food chain.

Merman Sailors and stronger variants fed on weaker merfolk. During transformation, merfolk acted like slaves—catching food and performing manual labor, only allowed to eat leftovers once the Sailors had eaten.

Worse still, the Sailors decided which Statues got to "hatch" into full-fledged monsters.

Take Lucy and Jelf, for example. The Sailors selected them and delivered them to the Eclipse Wax Museum for incubation.

It was a top-down system—like CEOs promoting select employees.

So, within the monster ecosystem, a social order became evident:

[Merfolk (servants & food) → Statues (foot soldiers) → Sailors (overseers)]

And at the top… towering above them all…

The Eclipse King.

The Sailors feared him—not just as a strong entity, but as a ruler.

They didn't just fear his power. They feared what he represented.

Liam realized this last night after examining the Eclipse Wax Museum more closely.

In a town entirely ruled by monsters, the Museum didn't need to exist anymore—its original purpose, hiding evidence, had long expired.

There was no reason to lock wax figures up when they could wander freely, as they did in the hotel.

So why maintain a fixed number of Statues inside the Museum? Why immediately replace any Statue that was moved or destroyed?

Why treat it like… a military post?

Because it wasn't a museum at all.

It was a prison.

And the guards?

Those Statues weren't decor. They were jailers, keeping watch over something far more dangerous than themselves.

They were guarding the Eclipse King.

Liam suspected the monsters had some method of keeping the King sedated—most likely the thick, syrupy liquid inside the glass display case. The liquid clung to the King's lashes, forming a thin, crusty shell, and gave off a dizzying, almost nauseating scent.

If the game had ever claimed the Eclipse King had a weakness, Liam would've bet everything on that liquid.

But officially, the King had no weaknesses.

That meant this sedative could only hold him briefly.

Eventually, he would wake up—by his own will alone.

And that was the genius in Liam's strategy.

He didn't free a monster.

He unleashed a god.

Technically, he wasn't even wrong.

In the standard version of the game, a variant known as the Eclipse Banshee had this sedative as her critical weakness. She couldn't awaken on her own—players had to free her and manage the sedative levels to avoid a full awakening and instant death.

But the Eclipse King?

He didn't need saving.

He needed a ride.

Unfortunately for Liam Watson, he encountered the Eclipse King, a bugged version enhanced by a god-tier NPC, able to wake up entirely on its own without relying on external help.

Even if Liam guessed right, it wouldn't matter much because the liquid's effect on the Eclipse King was minimal. Expecting the liquid to knock the Eclipse King out again was unrealistic.

The Wax Museum of Eclipse was the Eclipse King's prison, and these mermaid monsters likely feared the Eclipse King's awakening because, once awakened, the entire Eclipse Harbor would be doomed for them. These creatures only appeared after the Eclipse King was brought up from the depths, and conversely, if the Eclipse King sank back into the sea, these monsters would also disappear.

That's why the mermaids were so terrified of the Eclipse King's awakening. They dared not approach the rampaging Liam Watson and his cart because they feared disturbing the still-sleeping Eclipse King. Their movements were careful, almost hesitant.

However, what these mermaids didn't know was that, for Liam, if the Eclipse King woke up, it would be a death sentence for him, too.

Liam acted so boldly because he knew the Eclipse King wouldn't wake up soon. The system had informed him that the King would wake up in five hours, so Liam felt confident using the Eclipse King as a "hostage" to drive off the mermaid monsters.

Now, Liam had to take a boat to the "Gift of Eclipse" area in the sea, submerge the Eclipse King back into the depths, and the game would be over.

[Congratulations, Player, you've unlocked the entire story arc and entered the final chapter.]

[Because the Player escaped from the Wax Museum during the day, and mermaid wax statues can't move in daylight, the weather is about to change to allow the mermaids to participate in the final sequence and balance the gameplay. Please prepare accordingly.]

[Weather Change: Cloudy → Heavy Rain]

Suddenly, a torrential downpour began. The heavy raindrops splashed against the ground, kicking up dust and creating puddles. Liam was instantly drenched and looked like a wet chicken.

He held the cart with one hand while using the other to push his wet hair back away from his eyes. Water dripped from the ends of his hair, cascading down his eyelashes, and fell to the ground.

The world around him was soon veiled in a misty white fog, blurred by the rain.

Liam was drenched and miserable, but the mermaid sailors chasing him behind tilted their heads back, gulping down the rainwater like it was some kind of energy source. Their features became strange and eerie as gills emerged at their sides, flesh membranes grew on their hands, and their eyes started glowing green. They moved closer, step by step.

Nearby, some mermaid wax statues, which had been hiding in the shadows, also began to approach. Their pure white fish tails, which seemed lifeless before, now glided smoothly across the ground as if greased, moving much faster than before.

The expressions on their wax face twisted from the usual serene smiles to wicked and ferocious grins. Black cracks appeared around their eyes, spreading across their bodies. Their human-like upper forms melted away, transforming into grotesque fish-like creatures from the sea depths.

On the cart, the Eclipse King's long lashes fluttered twice, the rainwater washing off the sticky liquid from his fish tail. The silver-blue scales began to shimmer, opening and closing as they caught the light through the rain.

Liam used the game management device hanging around his neck to scan the monsters.

[Monster Name: Mermaid Wax Statue (Enhanced by rain, increased speed on land, Eclipse King's aura weakened, attack power increased)]

[Monster Name: Mermaid Sailor (Enhanced by rain, increased speed on land, Eclipse King's aura weakened, attack power increased)]

[Monster Name: Eclipse King (Rain has no enhancing effect, but the liquid that kept the King asleep has been washed off, awakening time shortened to three hours. The Eclipse King will awaken soon; please hurry and finish the game.)]

Liam casually scanned the panels, muttering, "This game is a bit of a cheat. If it can't beat you, it just forces a nerf."

"And isn't this a little too much? Not only did they enhance all the monsters, but they also shortened my time limit. This heavy rain messes with my movement speed and sense of direction, and my stats still flash red. Playing a chase game under these conditions is a death trap for the Player..."

"Well, it's not entirely impossible," Liam said, pushing the water-drenched hair from his eyes.

Raindrops slid down his chin, soaking his shirt and tightening the collar. The unrelenting downpour made it hard to breathe.

Liam unbuttoned the first button of his soaked white shirt and smiled faintly, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I just hope the game's rewards will live up to the effort I've put in. I don't play games where the rewards don't match the challenge."

[If you succeed, you will not be disappointed with our rewards. We guarantee they will fulfill your deepest desires.]

Liam smiled, "Well, thanks for the rewards in advance."

His tone was calm, almost as if he'd already received the system's reward, leaving everyone in front of their screens stunned.

Liam had taken the top spot in the central lobby for solo games, and as new viewers came in, some were drawn by the "Mason Shepherd Watching New Streamer Player TV" hype.

The viewers who hadn't seen Liam Watson's previous god-tier gameplay were now confused by his confident words despite the dire situation he found himself in. They had only witnessed a brief segment after he climbed to the "Strongly Recommended" spot, and seeing him in a life-or-death struggle while still speaking with such confidence left them speechless:

"I thought Mason Shepherd was watching some top-tier player, but it turns out it's just this guy. Monsters are buffed, his stats are all red, the game time's been cut short, and he still dares to act all cool and chat. Maybe I just don't get it."

"I saw the forum hyping him up before, but now, watching him play like this, he's average. No idea how he even got onto the Strongly Recommended list. Must be his looks, right?"

But there were those defending Liam, mostly followers who had come from the Solo Game Zone:

"Three full pages of monster books, and you call it weak? Just because you know how to play a game doesn't mean you're the best. Why don't you show us your game records and let us see how many monster books you've collected?"

"Who's claiming they're better than Liam? Oh, right, just a bunch of people who haven't even hit ten points in their recharge score. Okay, moving on."

Players could check each other's recharge scores, and this exposed those who had been mocking Liam, intensifying the argument.

The debate grew more heated, with each side defending their views fiercely.

Shawn stood silently to the side, his eyes concerned as he watched Liam on the small screen.

Liam certainly had bad luck—zero luck—being targeted both in-game and out. And he was being targeted by the most ruthless audience in the system.

Shawn glanced at the group of viewers in the front and couldn't help but sigh deeply. This was a game with a guild system, and some guild players, relying on their guilds for protection, liked to stir trouble. Despite their lack of skill, they were extremely harsh toward newcomers with potential, finding ways to bring them down before they could rise to the top.

And now, Liam was facing exactly such an audience.

——————

[32 people liked Liam's small TV, 89 saved it, 0 recharged it, and 3807 disliked it.]

[Player Liam received over 3,000 dislikes in one minute. Your small TV has been disliked by over 5,000 people, earning the "Despicable" title.]

[It seems like everyone wants you gone. No, wait; they want you dead here.]

[Player Liam's Central Lobby solo game Strongly Recommended promotion is about to expire.]

——————

Shawn sighed again when he saw the system notification. As expected, it had turned out like this.

Some viewers following Liam from his zone were now so angry that their eyes were red, while those in the Central District, who resented Liam for taking the promotion spot, were smug and triumphant.

Someone exclaimed, "Another newcomer has made it to the edge of the Central Lobby promotion spot!"

Another one? The first was Liam, but who was this new Player?

Shawn looked over, puzzled, and saw a player holding a fiery torch and bubbles rising from the water.

The new Player glided through the sea's surface, using a torch to ward off the pursuing mermaid sailors. He wielded a genuine mermaid skeleton in his right hand—bones bleached white, the remains of a real Selma Siren, not a mere version of the Eclipse King like Liam's. The Player was altered, his face covered in scales, and his lower half morphed into something resembling a fishtail. His thighs fused seamlessly into the tail, eliminating his heels and making him incredibly fast underwater.

Evidently, this Player had also reached the game's final stage. He would complete the game if he returned the Eclipse Siren to the ocean's depths.

This Player's survival rate was much higher than Liam's, whose enemies surrounded him.

This contrast only fueled the laughter of the guild players watching:

"Makes me laugh. Wasn't everyone praising this white-haired Player like he was invincible? This guy, with a traditional strategy, is already about to finish while White Lotus is still struggling!"

"White Lotus just likes to show off. You guys should watch real pros' streams. Spending money on those streams would be more worth it than watching this guy's free broadcast."

"We're leaving; we've no time to waste on these solo players. The real pros like us don't talk with amateurs."

As people continued to leave White Lotus' small screen, the once-crowded area quickly became empty. Shawn sighed and walked over to the front of White Lotus' screen, the spot he had wanted to be in earlier but was squeezed out by the crowd.

[7060 people left White Lotus' small screen, of which 3900 moved to the new Player's stream.]

[Player White Lotus' performance is too poor, with no one watching or liking it and a lot of dislikes. The system is disappointed with the position it gave you and has decided to swap your promotion with the new Player's.]

Shawn stared, and then the system notification appeared:

[Player White Lotus has been downgraded to the Central Lobby Edge Zone promotion.]

[Player Muke has been upgraded to the Central Lobby Solo Game Strongly Recommended promotion.]

White Lotus had barely held onto the spot for ten minutes before being taken down.

Not many people followed White Lotus' promotion, but one person caught Shawn's attention. It was someone wearing a strange monkey hat, standing near the front. Shawn looked at him curiously.

White Lotus' sharp rise and fall made Shawn feel a bit emotional, especially since he had been following his progress from the start.

So, Shawn decided to talk with the person who had come over. "Why did you follow him here? Do you like White Lotus, too?"

The Player with the monkey hat slightly raised his hat brim, revealing his cunning red eyes. "Because I think this person, supposedly replacing me, is not just some average player."

"Replacing you?" Shawn blinked, then realized who the Player was referring to. He almost gasped out loud.

But the Player quickly put his finger to his lips and, in a lowered voice, continued with a smile:

"Besides, wasn't he good before? Three full pages of monster books—no one else, except for me, has done that. And if it weren't for the Eclipse King, I'm sure he'd have completed the last page too."

"He's not showing off, he's strong." The Player, Muke, turned his head with a mischievous grin as he watched White Lotus' small screen. "I've never seen a system go this far to nerf a player's advantage."

"The system says it's for balance, which means White Lotus is so strong that they had to weaken him this much to make things fair. A player this strong, and some people still think he can't finish the game…"

Muke chuckled lightly. "These so-called 'top guild players' just crack me up."

[Muke, ranked 4th on the New Star Leaderboard, enters White Lotus' small screen.]

[Muke liked White Lotus' small screen. Looks like he likes the Player.]

[Muke, using his position as 4th-ranked New Star player, has just recommended White Lotus' small screen to his audience. A massive influx of viewers is about to come.]

Shawn was completely stunned. After a while, he couldn't help but ask, "Muke, if you think White Lotus is strong, why didn't you say anything earlier? Why wait for him to drop to the edge before recommending him?"

If Muke had spoken up earlier, White Lotus might have been able to keep his Strongly Recommended spot. Muke's endorsement would have greatly benefited White Lotus, especially as a new player.

Muke smirked and gave Shawn a side-eye. "Because I was waiting for him to fall to the edge, of course."

"For a strong player like him, helping when he's at the top is easy, but lending a hand when he's down on his luck—that's what truly makes a difference. Now that I'm recommending him, I want him to owe me a favor."

Muke's bluntness took Shawn aback. He stared at the legendary figure, now realizing that the persona Muke showed in the game—cold and efficient—was far from reality. His thick skin and shamelessness were beyond what Shawn could understand.

White Lotus had no idea what was happening outside, completely unaware of the shifting dynamics of the game and the mocking whispers surrounding him.

Behind him, the mermaid wax statues and sailors, enhanced by the rain, relentlessly chased after him. White Lotus pushed a cart, moving as quickly as possible, but his speed was painfully slow. He had already been caught multiple times. Every time the monsters closed in, he shoved the Eclipse King from the cart, forcing them back temporarily.

But it was becoming increasingly ineffective. The more monsters there were, the less they seemed to fear the Eclipse King. And with the rain intensifying, their resistance was wearing thin.

Finally, a mermaid sailor's sharp claws slashed across his arm, blood spurting from the wound. Gritting his teeth, White Lotus turned, dragging the cart into a narrow alley. As soon as he stepped inside, his mind suddenly rang with a sharp hum, and a red warning panel popped up in his vision:

[Warning: Player White Lotus has been scratched by a mermaid sailor, causing alienation. Mental health dropped to 60 and is about to fall below the safe threshold. If it drops below 60, the Player will start experiencing hallucinations.]

White Lotus pressed his bloodied arm to his side, leaning against the alley wall, breathing heavily. He was soaked through, looking like he had just been pulled out of the sea.

He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing and fight off the dizziness and sluggishness that were overtaking him.

The sensation of alienation was overwhelming—like being caught in a black hole or a swirling vortex, draining his senses and thoughts. He had experienced this before, but at that time, his high mental stats had allowed him to power through the early discomfort. Eventually, his resilience kicked in, and he recovered quickly.

But this time was different.

His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his arm. His face was soon covered in gray-black markings, dark green scales grew around his eyes, and his skin took on a sickly white hue.

He gasped for air, rain pouring over him like a torrential flood. White Lotus looked like a fish washed ashore, dying and helpless.

"This was my mistake," White Lotus muttered quietly, his tone still calm despite the turmoil. "I didn't expect the drop to 60 to affect me this much."

Shawn watched nervously from the small screen, his expression tense. "His mental health is teetering on the edge," he said. "One more drop and he'll start hallucinating."

Muke, too, was now serious, his usual playful demeanor gone. "Once it hits 60, it's a death sentence in a chase like this. Hallucinations make it impossible to distinguish real monsters from illusions, and it becomes impossible to escape."

"Would buying a mental cleanse item help?" Shawn asked urgently. "He can afford it now, and it would restore his mental health."

Muke shook his head. "In other games, maybe. But it's best not to use a mental cleanse in this one. It might make things worse."

Shawn was even more confused. "Why?"

But Muke didn't answer, returning his attention to White Lotus on the screen.

White Lotus slowly pushed himself up from the wall on the small screen. His movements were shaky, and his eyes squinted as he peered out of the alley, spotting several mermaid sailors and wax statues closing in. In the foggy, rain-soaked environment, their black outlines were barely visible.

His mental health was dropping rapidly, and his movements were even slower now. If he ran out there, he would be caught instantly.

White Lotus only needed one more grab to push his mental health below 60, which would trigger hallucinations. With the rain and the hallucinations, he couldn't even tell which direction was safe.

He needed a plan.

Leaning against the wall, White Lotus closed his eyes, trying to focus.

Outside, the mermaid monsters were sniffing around. Their movements were lightning-fast, crawling up walls like geckos, their glowing green eyes scanning the area. Their mouths hung slightly open, dripping with a sticky, viscous substance.

The feeling of imminent danger was suffocating.

White Lotus had to act quickly, or this could be his end.

As the mermaid monsters neared the alley, they raised their heads and sniffed the air, their grotesque fish lips curling into a sinister smile. Their webbed hands and feet clung to the walls as they swiftly approached the narrow entrance, closing in on White Lotus.

Shawn held his breath, his throat tight with fear. He was about to shout, "White Lotus, run!" but held it back just in time. His fists clenched.

At this point, running was useless. White Lotus' speed was no match for the mermaid monsters. If he tried to flee, he would only attract their attention, essentially offering himself as a meal.

The only thing left to do now was hope that the monsters wouldn't realize he was hiding in the alley, giving him a chance to slip past them. But with the monsters closing in, the situation was looking grim.

Before Shawn could finish his thought, White Lotus, drenched by the pouring rain, made a bold decision. Without hesitation, he exited the alley, pushing the cart before him.

"!!!!" Shawn gasped, his heart leaping into his throat.

"Don't run!" Shawn shouted reflexively. "If you run, it's over!"

As Shawn had feared, the mermaid monsters instantly reacted, darting to the alley's entrance, and many of the mermaid wax statues followed suit. The monsters quickly engulfed the narrow passageway, blocking any potential escape.

White Lotus, however, was undeterred. Still pulling the cart, he didn't slow down as he ran directly toward the encircling monsters. Shawn understood what White Lotus was doing—he was trying to break through the encirclement!

Shawn's heart sank. He couldn't believe White Lotus would make such a fatal mistake at such a crucial moment. Even if White Lotus managed to break through, the mermaids were faster than him. They could easily catch up and tear him apart. Running out like this was pointless.

Muke furrowed his brow. "The mental health drop probably affected his decision-making. He shouldn't have rushed out like that."

"Exactly," Shawn sighed deeply. "We forgot to consider how much the mental drop affected his thinking and stamina. He must be panicking right now."

The audience's reactions were equally bewildering. Some started to mock Muke for recommending a player who seemed so out of his depth.

Muke pretended not to hear, lowering the brim of his hat slightly to shield his eyes.

Back on the small screen, White Lotus swung the cart behind him, using it to push the surrounding monsters back. Their eyes were fixed on him, but he didn't stop running. Shawn's heart was in his throat—this was it! The monsters were about to chase him down!

But then something unexpected happened. The mermaid monsters at the entrance of the alley paused. After a brief hesitation, they completely ignored the fleeing White Lotus and swarmed into the alley.

Shawn's jaw dropped. "??"

Muke blinked in confusion. "??"

The rest of the audience was equally perplexed. "Why aren't the monsters chasing him? Why are they all going into the alley?!"

The screen slowly shifted to reveal the inside of the alley, where, to everyone's astonishment, there was another White Lotus.

Holding the cart like a defensive weapon, this new White Lotus stared down the mermaid monsters, making aggressive gestures. He even tilted his chin and beckoned to the approaching monsters with a sly grin, clearly taunting them into coming closer for a confrontation.

The mermaid monsters, enraged, charged at him.

"This is insane!" someone shouted. "What is this?!"

"Is this some kind of cheat item? How is he using this advanced duplicate ability in a level one dungeon like Eclipse Harbor?"

"Wait, you can't use high-level items in a low-level dungeon like this! The system would kick you out for breaking the balance."

"What the hell is going on here?"

Then, the first mermaid monster swiped at the new White Lotus, and to everyone's shock, he vanished in a blur, only to quickly reappear with a lazy, mocking smile on his face. He was unbothered by the attack.

The audience was in full debate, trying to make sense of the situation. Was this some sort of special item or a glitch in the game? How could White Lotus suddenly produce a second version of himself in such a critical situation? As the new White Lotus taunted the monsters, it became clear to everyone: there was more going on here than just a simple chase. White Lotus had made a gamble, and it looked like it might be paying off—if only they could figure out what trick he was using.

Shawn suddenly remembered something about White Lotus' inventory in the blink of an eye. He gasped and shouted out, "It's the 3D projector! White Lotus is using the 3D projector!"

"The monsters in Eclipse Harbor are not very intelligent," Shawn continued, his voice rising excitedly. "They can't distinguish between a projection and the real thing."

Shawn quickly opened the instruction manual for the 3D projector, scanning the text at lightning speed. "In rainy weather, the projection becomes more lifelike, which is exactly what White Lotus needs. And combined with his provocations, it's no wonder these low-intelligence mermaid monsters are getting so agitated and drawn to the image."

Shawn's eyes sparkled as he realized the plan. "So when the monsters are faced with an escapee and an aggressive, attacking figure, their simple minds will prioritize the more dangerous target—making them focus on the projection!"

"He used the 3D projector to shake off the monsters!" Shawn exclaimed, excitement in his voice.

Some of the audience members, however, were skeptical. "But no matter how low their intelligence is, if they repeatedly attack something that doesn't respond, they will realize they've been tricked and go after the real White Lotus. But the real White Lotus is slower than them. Even if the projection distracts them now, he will still get caught unless he can slow them down somehow."

Before the skeptic's words fully sank in, the monsters in the alley began approaching the image of White Lotus. They sniffed at it, scraping the air with their webbed hands, and realized it wasn't real. Their frustration filled the alley, followed by an earsplitting, furious screech.

The monsters, now enraged, looked like they were about to charge out of the alley to hunt down the real White Lotus.

Just as they moved to break free, the image of White Lotus flashed a smug smile. Unhurried, he reached into his cart and pulled a flashlight, raising it steadily toward the monsters' backs. With a motion almost like pulling a trigger, he flicked the switch, unleashing a dazzling beam of light.

The intense light pierced the alley, blinding the mermaid wax statues and making them reel back, their hands shielding their eyes from the sudden glare. The beam cut through the rain-soaked fog, heading straight toward the outside world, where the monsters were now confused and disoriented.

Shawn's mind raced as he watched the spectacle unfold. "The light—it's blinding them. It's an added layer of confusion and exactly what he needs to buy himself time!"

The monsters, already distracted by the image, were now further thrown off balance by the blinding light. They hesitated, their pursuit momentarily interrupted.

The scene on the screen became even more surreal. The monsters, having been deceived by the image and now overwhelmed by the sudden light, were disoriented. The real White Lotus, though slower, had gained a crucial moment of respite. But the question still loomed: how long could this tactic last?

The audience's reactions were a mix of shock and disbelief. Some had begun to understand the cleverness behind White Lotus' move, while others remained skeptical, unsure whether this would be enough to carry him through.

But one thing was clear: White Lotus had bought himself time, which might be enough for now.