Chapter 123: The Lost Memories (iii)
The headless body stood there motionless.
Not a single drop of blood flowed from the severed neck.
It simply remained upright, as though nothing had happened.
"What the hell?"
"Is Bill really dead just like that?"
"No way..."
"Is this really the end for the vice-captain of Beautiful Country?"
"But wait..."
"If Bill is dead, why hasn’t the judgment been announced?"
Gurgle...
Gurgle...
Gurgle...
Just as countless viewers exploded in disbelief, a pool of pitch-black shadows suddenly began writhing beneath Bill’s feet.
The shadows twisted like living creatures.
They danced.
Expanded.
Then surged upward.
His headless shadow stretched unnaturally tall before snapping back into place.
Whoosh!
The severed head that had rolled across the ground suddenly shot through the air.
It landed perfectly on Bill’s neck.
Click.
His eyelids trembled.
Then—
He blinked.
Bill came back to life.
"So that’s..."
"Picasselin’s ability."
"And Gene Ben Shua’s talent is Copy."
"Then..."
"What exactly is Bill’s?"
Shen Yu narrowed his eyes.
His thoughts raced.
Earlier, Bill had used Golden Hero to capture Matsumoto Megumi before disappearing.
At first glance, everyone assumed Menloa simply hadn’t activated Golden Hero afterward.
But that wasn’t true.
He couldn’t.
Because...
His ability had been stolen.
Shen Yu quietly watched Bill resurrect, countless thoughts flashing through his mind.
It’s basically confirmed now.
Bill’s talent...
...is Plunder.
A power that steals other people’s talents.
But one question still remained.
Is the theft permanent...
...or temporary?
Only future events could answer that.
Bill cracked his neck loudly.
Crack.
Crack.
Then he sneered.
"Hah!"
"A bunch of idiots."
"You didn’t seriously think I was going to die, did you?"
The next second—
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
The white sculpture beside him suddenly began to crumble.
Pieces of hardened clay fell to the floor one after another.
When the statue’s head completely shattered—
A train ticket slowly emerged from inside.
The bold black letters read:
[Pass Station: Farewell Station]
Bill grabbed it with a grin.
"So this..."
"...is a clearance ticket."
Without hesitation, he walked toward the ticket gate.
But instead of leaving immediately...
He stopped.
Then turned around.
His eyes swept across everyone present.
A smug smile spread across his face.
"Come on."
"Let me see..."
"...which one of you can keep up with me."
The next moment—
Picasselin’s statue spoke.
"What..."
"...is the thing you value the most?"
Picasselin scratched his head casually.
"What I value?"
"Hmm..."
"The river?"
"I guess bathing in the river."
He answered carelessly.
After all...
He believed he could simply revive again.
Unfortunately—
Wrong answer.
THUD!
The sculpture’s head flew off.
Almost simultaneously—
Picasselin’s own head blasted into the air.
The smile still remained frozen on his face.
But this time...
The moment his head separated—
Blood erupted from his neck.
PFFF—
A crimson fountain burst toward the ceiling.
His headless body collapsed instantly.
Outside the dungeon...
The United Nations livestream exploded.
"My dad is the Divine Cow!"
"Picasselin!"
"What the hell are you pretending for?!"
"Didn’t we already tell you?!"
"You love eating cow dung!"
"How could you forget?!"
"Damn it!"
"What are all these people standing around in the streets doing?!"
"Run!"
"RUN!!"
Within seconds...
News from Asan Country spread across the world.
The capital...
Had fallen.
Countless civilians suddenly stopped moving.
Whether walking through the streets...
Driving...
Working...
Or sitting inside their homes...
Everyone froze in place.
Their eyes became empty.
Then—
A strange black train slithered across the sky like an enormous serpent.
One carriage after another silently swallowed the motionless civilians.
Entire neighborhoods disappeared.
Five minutes later—
Global emergency broadcasts appeared.
BREAKING NEWS
The capital of Asan Country has completely fallen.
The city’s residents have collectively lost consciousness.
An unidentified train has abducted the population.
Current estimate: over 300,000 civilians missing.
"Damn!"
"I’ve almost run to the suburbs!"
"...Wait."
"What am I doing?"
"Why am I holding my phone?"
"Huh?"
"Why is there a train outside my house?"
"What is this livestream?"
The once-overwhelming barrage from Asan Country suddenly became sparse.
Confused.
Panicked.
Free America — Gunfights Every Day:
"What the hell?!"
"Does this dungeon forcibly descend into reality?"
"The entire city just... forgot everything?"
Wild Boar Peppa:
"This scenario is impossible to solve."
"The moment it descends..."
"...the whole city dies."
Maotai Liquor Wholesale:
"A friend from Asan Country asked me to pass along one sentence."
"Bill..."
"...what exactly did you do?"
The livestream had descended into complete chaos.
Inside the waiting hall, however...
Everything remained eerily silent.
"What..."
"...is the thing you value the most?"
The third question finally reached Shen Yu.
The pure-white statue slowly inserted both hands into its own neck.
Instantly—
A tearing pain erupted in Shen Yu’s throat.
It felt as though invisible fingers were trying to rip his head from his body.
His expression flickered.
Silently...
He looked at the scarlet word stamped across the back of his hand.
Scum.
The first two questions had been solved through obvious clues.
The strawberry marks.
The stockings.
Both were reminders left behind by someone.
But this word...
Had never been explained.
Shen Yu lowered his eyes.
These should all be rewards...
Left behind by someone whose favorability I had already maxed.
Scum...
Strawberry marks...
His eyelids twitched.
Don’t tell me...
I’m actually a complete scumbag?
If that’s true...
Then what would someone like that treasure most?
Crack...
Crack...
The flesh beneath his neck split open.
Blood slowly seeped out.
Time was running out.
Shen Yu gritted his teeth.
Then, with an uncertain expression, he muttered,
"I..."
"...value playing with people’s feelings."
"Playing with romance."
The statue became still.
Then—
Correct answer.
The tearing pain disappeared instantly.
The statue’s hands fell away.
Its head dropped onto the floor.
Inside—
Another train ticket appeared.
Shen Yu stared blankly for a second before awkwardly picking it up.
Then he silently walked toward the ticket gate.
Bill’s face turned green.
"What the hell?"
"You answered correctly again?"
"You..."
"You bastard!"
He glared at Shen Yu with bloodshot eyes.
After hesitating for a long moment...
He still chose not to activate his stolen ability.
Apparently...
He still had reservations.
"What..."
"...is the thing you value the most?"
The questioning continued.
Gene Ben Shua was next.
His head flew off.
His copied ability restored him.
Another clearance ticket appeared.
He also walked toward the gate.
The fifth participant...
Meilin.
Before the statue even finished asking—
She began copying Shen Yu’s earlier movements.
Her hands searched across her own body.
Soon...
Her fingertips touched several crimson marks hidden beneath her clothes.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Then she spoke calmly.
"I have..."
"...masochistic tendencies."
"In certain situations..."
"I enjoy pain."
Correct answer.
Silence.
Everyone stared at Shen Yu.
Then at Meilin.
Both had somehow answered correctly again.
No one understood how.
Only one person remained.
Menloa.
He looked helplessly at everyone already holding their tickets.
Suddenly—
Golden light erupted around him once more.
His talent...
Had returned.
Shen Yu’s eyes flashed.
So that’s it.
Bill’s Plunder can only maintain one stolen talent at a time.
No wonder he keeps acting arrogantly...
Yet rarely makes a move himself.
He silently memorized the information.
Just then—
Buzz—
A brilliant golden radiance enveloped both Menloa and his statue.
The two figures slowly disappeared together into the light.
Shen Yu watched the scene unfold.
His lips moved slightly.
"One thing..."
"...you should pay attention to..."