Godmode: The Dead Game Odyssey

Chapter 6: The Unseen Conspiracy

Chapter 6: The Unseen Conspiracy

Liam, focused on his surroundings, had no idea what was going on in the viewers' minds, but he was quickly distracted by something else: Gerald.

Gerald lurked by the stairs, whispering with someone in the shadows. Once their conversation was over, he turned and walked back inside. 

Liam had noticed earlier that Gerald had sneaked out in the dead of night, and now he was returning. 

From his vantage point on the stairs, Liam could see that Gerald was not alone. A man walked behind him, matching the height and attire of the driver who had brought them into Eclipse Port.

The two of them appeared to be in a quiet conversation. Gerald handed the driver a stack of colorful notes, likely money, and said a few more words. 

Liam's suspicion grew. If he wasn't mistaken, Gerald was paying the driver with currency from this world.

[You have triggered a hidden storyline: Gerald's Bloody Conspiracy]  

[Explore the full storyline for 50 points, current completion: 15%]

Liam squinted, pulling out the hole-punched coin from his shirt pocket. As he focused on the driver, a new prompt appeared on his screen:

[NPC: Driver]  

[Character Bio: The driver who brought you and the group to Eclipse Port. Hired by Gerald, who claims to know the town well. The driver has a criminal history, including arson and robbery.]

It turned out that the driver was not just an ordinary NPC. 

Liam had never interacted directly with the driver before. During the car ride, he had been seated in the front, with Liam in the back, so he had never gotten a good look at him. The driver hadn't exited the vehicle when they arrived, so Liam never got a clear view.

But now, thinking back, it seemed Gerald had deliberately created barriers between Liam and the driver, always positioning himself between them or making sudden noises when they arrived or were about to leave.

What was going on here? What were they hiding from him?

Liam pieced it together. Gerald was paying the driver, who had a criminal background, for something. From the earlier hints, it seemed likely that Gerald was planning revenge on Andrew, but the exact details remained unclear.

The driver had mentioned the lack of income for the locals. At the time, Liam had thought it was just a warning, but now, it seemed like the driver was warning Gerald more mockingly and territorially. If Gerald didn't stay on the driver's good side, he'd be exposed to the dangers of Eclipse Port's desperate townspeople.

Liam had been fooled earlier by thinking the warning was friendly. The driver was just as likely to rob them as he was to help them.

It became clear that the driver wasn't to be trusted, especially after noticing how he had slyly hinted at a future betrayal.

Liam hurried back to his room, ensuring Gerald hadn't spotted him. He then locked the door before closing the curtains.

As he peered through the peephole, he saw Gerald stop before Andrew's door. Gerald hesitated for a moment before putting something down in front of it—a large, black object, which, from Liam's perspective, looked like a slab of fish.

Soon after, Liam saw a group of wax statues gather before Andrew's door, moving with their usual eerie mechanical sounds. 

Liam quickly covered the peephole with a cloth to block the statue's prying eyes. He also pushed a cabinet in front of the door to make some noise if any statues tried to break in. His stamina was completely depleted, and he needed to sleep to recover.

As he lay in bed, he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

---

The next morning, Liam woke up to find the closet door and his room's main door tightly shut—but the bathroom door was ajar. 

Curious, Liam opened the bathroom door, only to find the mermaid wax statues he had wrapped and secured the night before had broken free from their cloth covers. They were tangled in a grotesque array of twisted poses, slowly shuffling toward the door.

The statues had already reached the doorknob, their hands mere inches away from turning it. 

This image reminded Liam of playing "Red Light, Green Light" as a child when you'd turn around suddenly and catch someone moving, unable to control their position or expression. The statues' contorted movements, struggling to break free from their bindings, sent a chill down his spine.

The statues' gazes—almost all of them fixated on Liam—created an uncomfortable pressure. It felt like dozens of cold, lifeless eyes were watching him in unison, making it nearly impossible to ignore the sensation.

Liam closed the bathroom door behind him and stopped bothering with the statues. There was no point in restraining them any further.

It was clear that the statues were evolving too fast—if he didn't find more weaknesses to control them, continuing to wrap them up with sheets would be a waste of time. It might even help them develop an ability to escape more efficiently.

Liam opened the main door and was greeted by a new notification:

[Player Liam has completed the main quest: Survived the night without being assimilated. Reward: 20 points.]

[Current balance: 23 points. Do you wish to purchase something?]

Liam entered the shop and found himself with very few options. He bought a strong flashlight for 15 points, leaving him just 8 points.

He pondered his next move, wondering if there was any equipment that could help him more. Then, he spotted a promotion:

[3D Holographic Projector: 4 points each, 8 points for three. Special promotion!]

Without hesitation, Liam selected the offer for 8 points and smiled to himself.

As a financially struggling office worker, Liam was particularly sensitive to discounts and promotions. This was a deal he couldn't miss.

After purchasing it, he quickly set up the projector. It worked surprisingly well—projecting a lifelike, high-definition image that looked incredibly real. 

Liam felt proud of his purchase.

But the viewers were far less impressed. The traditional response to a new player gaining likes, follows, and views was that viewers would expect something more from them.

Liam's screen was soon flooded with comments:

> "Is he really trying to use that projector to trick the mermaid wax statues? The weaknesses in the monster book say eye contact is key. The projector can only fool them for a short time."

> "He bought a discounted projector! Looks fancy, but it's useless! This thing is clearly outdated."

> "Honestly, with 23 points, he should've bought something useful, not this crap!"

Just as they were complaining, one player screamed in excitement:

> "Come here! This new guy bought a Flaming Torch! This can defeat the mermaids! He's got this!"

Suddenly, everyone rushed to another player's screen, leaving Liam's small TV with only a few viewers.

[34 viewers remain watching Liam's small TV. 167 viewers left.]

[50 people unliked his video, 44 unbookmarked, and 17 people downvoted. No one donated to Liam's TV.]

---

After experimenting with his new gadget, Liam stepped out of his room and decided to check on Gerald.

When he entered Gerald's room, he found Gerald had had a rough night. His face was pale, and dark circles hung beneath his eyes.

Liam took a mental note: the wax statues in Gerald's room seemed eerily more lifelike than his own. They had a slight resemblance to Gerald himself—almost like the statues were taking on the identity of whoever stayed in the room.

Even the wax statues' skin had a slight reddish tint under the light, and their eyes seemed poised to move.

The room had a distinct fishy smell, which Liam had felt in his room earlier.

Liam left the room and moved on to Lucy and Andrew's rooms. He compared the statues there and noticed the same thing. The statues in those rooms seemed far more humanlike, with skin textures, colors, and facial features starting to resemble those who stayed in those rooms.

Something was changing. 

The statues weren't just lifeless decorations—they were starting to imitate the people around them. 

And that made them far more dangerous.