LOGINBelow the stage, Millie and our parents stood frozen like statues. They never imagined that the mighty Samara, whom they had placed all their hopes in, would use Julian as a human shield.Now, the pure and noble Julian was writhing helplessly on the stage like a hideous parasite."Julian! Oh, my Julian!" Mom screamed and tried to rush onto the stage to pull him back.Julian had already been driven insane by fear and betrayal. With the only hand he could still move, he grabbed onto Millie's remaining arm and held on with all his strength—not that he was targeting her, but because she was the nearest to him."Let go!" she screamed in unbearable pain. "You monster, let go!"His face twisted viciously. His voice was hoarse and gnarly as he snarled, "It's because of all of you useless, poor people! If you weren't so incapable, I wouldn't have needed to suck up to that woman!"You guys did this to me! Go to hell, all of you!"He dragged Millie toward the painting with madness, trying
All players in the hall sucked in a sharp breath and instinctively backed away. No one wanted to step onto the stage and throw their life away.It was then that Julian stepped forward with a confident, upright posture. He adjusted his collar, which, although stained and wrinkled, still helped his attempt at being elegant.Turning toward Samara, he spoke in a low, composed voice. "Ms. Morgan, I may not understand crude fighting, but when it comes to art appreciation, it's right up my alley."A trace of mockery flashed across Samara's eyes, but she put on an encouraging smile. "Go ahead, Julian. I believe in your talent."With her approval, Julian walked onto the stage like a proud peacock. Below the stage, Mom and Dad were so excited their eyes brimmed with tears."Look! That's our Julian!""True elegance comes from knowledge. When it really matters, brains are what count!"Millie immediately chimed in, shooting me a disdainful glance. "Exactly. Unlike someone who only knows how
At the stroke of midnight, the players in the lobby had all drifted into uneasy sleep.Without making a sound, I rose to my feet. I avoided everyone's line of sight and climbed up the spiral staircase, making my way to the sealed studio on the top floor of the gallery.This was the forbidden zone of the raid, also known as the lair of the final boss.I pushed open the heavy, carved wooden door. The studio was thick with the suffocating smell of oil paint mixed with rotting flesh.A towering, grotesquely twisted figure stood with his back to me. It was frantically painting on an enormous canvas made of human skin.He was Van Nova, the Mad Painter.Hearing the door open, Van Nova spun around. He had no eyes, nose, or mouth, only a writhing mass of bloody flesh. "Fresh… materials…"He let out a hoarse roar and charged at me, raising an enormous paintbrush carved from human bone.Instead of drawing my weapon, I calmly placed five of the Boneblood Pigments I had risked my life to
I walked past Julian and Samara with my blood-dripping cleaver resting on my shoulder.The overwhelming stench of blood must've shattered the sophisticated atmosphere they were trying to create, because Julian immediately pinched his nose and took two steps back in disgust."Hey, Gabriel, could you stay away from me? You smell like a sewer rat. You're polluting the art in this place."I stopped in my tracks and looked over my shoulder at him. Without warning, I swung my cleaver through the air.The black slime clinging to the blade flew off with a wet splat, spraying across his spotless white shirt and tailored slacks."What the hell are you doing, you maniac?" Julian shouted, his expression livid.I let out a cold laugh and stepped closer. "I just hope your sophisticated soul can handle whatever crawls out of those paintings tonight."At that, Samara shielded Julian like a protector. Her gaze darkened as she glared at me. "Watch yourself, kiddo."I gave her a dismissive glance
Three days later, the System's shrill alarm echoed through all of Safe Zone."Warning! C-Rank advanced raid, Crimson Art Gallery, will begin shortly. All eligible players, please prepare for deployment."I got fully geared up, secured my cleaver at my waist, and strode into the teleportation circle. A flash of white light engulfed my vision. Soon, the thick stench of blood hit me like a wall.When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing inside a dark, eerie art gallery. Grotesque paintings adorned the walls. Some of the frames were even oozing thick, black blood."Welcome to the Crimson Art Gallery."The System's emotionless voice rang in every player's ears. "Players, you must do everything to survive for three days and remain alive until the final event, the Art Appreciation Gala. Good luck."I swept my gaze across the room. There were more than 20 players in this raid. Almost immediately, I spotted a family huddled together in one corner—Mom, Dad, and Millie, now missing an
I looked at my family, who had the ugliest hearts, and responded with a cold smile. "You want me to get it back?"Slowly, I pulled a mini projector out of my pocket. It was a playback device I had just bought from the Shop."Before you ask me to risk my life, why don't we watch a short clip first?" I said.I pressed the play button. The wall instantly lit up with a clear projection, broadcasting the exact scene that had just unfolded in the Safe Zone plaza earlier.On the screen, Julian wore his charming smile, acting every bit the gentleman as he called out to Scarface. Then, he willingly placed the High-Tier Healing Scroll into her hands.He even deliberately used his charm, brushing his fingers across the back of her hand.The living room fell silent. Scarface's loud laughter from the recording echoed through the cramped Safe House, grating on their ears.Millie's face instantly turned pale. She stared at Julian, her lips trembling. "Julian, didn't you say she stole it from y







