The Gamemaster didn't answer him and it didn't look like Zhihao was expecting the man to answer his question.
Although the Gamemaster didn't want to answer his question, he was still willing to warn the man, "The game is simple, don't look back."
"..." Zhihao was silent as he heard this, but he couldn't understand the deeper meaning behind it.
"Don't turn around even if it is me, instead of him, that has been dragged away." The Gamemaster spoke as he met Zhihao's eyes.
Zhihao didn't say anything but he understood some things.
This man was not lying, but he was still hiding something and he was baiting Zhihao to find out what it was that this man was trying so hard to hide..
Zhihao averted his eyes and looked at the screen in front that said the same thing.
<Don't look back>
Zhihao didn't know much, but he was sure of one thing, that this gamemaster was also going to be dragged away just like Li Ling was and that thought made him feel a bit uneasy.
If this guy was also going to be dragged away then the only one left here would be Zhihao who would slowly start to lose his mind.
At this moment maybe Zhihao was still a bit calm and hadn't turned around because he had two more people by his side, but if they were both gone, Zhihao was sure that he was going to go crazy.
The thought was really unsettling and he finally understood why this was a Hard-ranked level but he was still wrong.
This wasn't the reason why this level was ranked as Hard.
Zhihao looked determined as he spoke, "I have played a lot." He smirked as he felt his confidence coming back to him, "Something like this wouldn't be enough."
The Gamemaster smiled in satisfaction as he saw the determination in the man's eyes.
"If there is anyone that would beat you, that would be me," Zhihao spoke confidently, and oddly enough, he didn't feel weird nor did he feel embarrassed about saying that.
It was his thoughts and he wasn't trying to hide them so it was okay.
The Gamemaster already seemed to know about his ambitions so he might as well just let him hear it with his own mouth.
Zhihao might have sounded conceited as he said this but he was sure that he was going to be the one to beat this guy. He wouldn't be having it any other way. He refused to let someone else do it.
The Gamemaster didn't look angry or afraid as he heard this. It almost looked like he anticipated it. Almost like he was also cheering for the man to beat him.
Wasn't that what this entire game was about?
It wasn't about having fun, it was about beating the Gamemaster.
It had always been about that.
Zhihao was now ready for whatever this level was about to throw at him. Let it be his crying brother, a truck, or a growling creature.
It didn't matter what it was because he had a bigger goal in mind and he needed to get through all these small levels in order to reach that goal. Although he would forget about that goal every now and then, right now, the Gamemaster had made him remember it and it motivated him
It seemed like even the Gamemaster was holding up hopes on him so why would he let this small level block his way?
"I'm ready."
It looked like his voice was the trigger to the next sound effect since just as he said this, they got hit with another sound.
Zhihao listened attentively with a calm mind and in under a second, he was sure what this sound was.
It was the sound of rushing water coming closer and closer like a Tsunami.
Zhihao had never seen a Tsunami in real life but that didn't mean he didn't know how it sounded. He was sure that he would never be mistaking that sound because of all the movies he watched.
It was shocking how much movies can teach you and although most of it was weird information, maybe one day, it would be coming in handy like right now when Zhihao could decipher the sound of rushing water.
Zhihao felt his ears tingle as he heard this and as if on reflex, he shut his eyes waiting for it to be over.
Shutting his eyes was no use since it only amplified his senses and he could now vividly imagine how there was a big wave behind him while he was trapped strapped to a chair.
If it were real life, he was sure that he would be dying from the mere impact of that wave, but thankfully, it was just a game.
But just because it was a game didn't mean it was safe.
If Zhihao was already suffering from heart illness then this game would have been the death of him and in a literal way.
The sound came so close that he seemed to feel his back getting wet from it. It was a tingly sensation all over and soon, after much controlling himself, it was over.
The sound was gone.
Zhihao sighed in relief as he didn't hear anything else.
"Alvi, when is this getting over?" Zhihao asked as if the bot would magically say that they were already at the end of this level but the bot was not so nice.
[Stop complaining]
[You haven't even suffered yet]
"..." Zhihao felt like he could choke her neck at this moment. Was she looking down on his sufferings?!
The next sound that came took him some time to get but it was the sound of scissors and it was coming from right behind him making him feel like the person was really behind him, cutting his hair. Zhihao felt the sound create a tingling sensation on his neck as if his hair was really being cut. It was unsettling and he didn't like it as he physically flinched and drew his head in, trying to shake off that feeling.
"Oh my god, what are you doing?" He heard someone speak from afar as they came closer to him but the scissors never stopped and Zhihao didn't think anyone was going to speak so it came as a shock to him and almost made him turn around. The person who was 'cutting his hair' spoke back to the voice.
"Look at that pretty little neck."
Zhihao felt a shiver go down his spine as he eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Makes me want to cut it."
A series of red alerts popped up in Zhihao's mind.
Whoever created such scenarios was certainly talented. How can they even think about creating something like this?
As Zhihao thought this, he unconsciously glanced at the Gamemaster sitting on his right side and just as he did, he felt it a bit shocking.
The man who was not fazed till now was now lightly shivering, although it was hardly noticeable.
The man was afraid.
Zhihao suddenly remembered the time when the Gamemaster had told him that they weren't hearing the same thing, which meant that whatever Zhihao was hearing right now, the Gamemaster was hearing something completely different and if that was the case, Zhihao was curious to know what it was that this man was hearing?
What was so scary that it made even the creator scared when hearing it?
Zhihao couldn't guess no matter how much he pondered over it. His mind was just blank. There was nothing he'd imagine the Gamemaster to be afraid of.
The sound of cutting scissors and the two people faded away and in place of them came a new sound.
Zhihao rolled his eyes as he heard the new sound.
He recognized it in an instant and he was thoroughly annoyed at it.
It was the sound of a fly.
A really annoying fly that you would never be able to catch or chase away.
Zhihao waved his hands around his head as he tried to get the fly away and just as he did, he felt stupid.
It was just a sound illusion.
There was no real fly there so what was he doing?
Zhihao wanted to laugh at himself as he finally realized how bad his instincts were.
He sighed and kept on listening.
He couldn't take it.
It was too annoying and although he wanted to turn around to smack the fly away, he could not do that.
He kept reminding himself in his mind that this was just a sound.
Just a sound.
Just a freaking sound!
He shook his head sideways on instinct and once again wanted to smack his head for doing something so stupid.
One sheep.
Two sheep.
Three sheep.
Four-
This is not working!!!
Zhihao would be lying if he said that he didn't almost turn around. Thank god the sound stopped cause if it didn't then he really would have given away to instincts and turned around.
The fly flew away after losing interest and Zhihao sighed in relief.
He hoped to get a few seconds of peace but the next sound came faster than he had expected.
[OMG look back!]
"..."
It was Alvi.
It was the freaking bot who was trying to make him look back!