Chapter 118: The Despairing Vicious Cycle

Stefan and Michael both transformed, unfurling their enormous wings and soaring into the air—one darted toward Zoe, the other toward Number Eleven, each intent on rescuing the captive women. But as they drew near, a dozen black ropes dropped from above, weaving about them like a spider’s web, intent on binding them fast. The two men twisted and wheeled desperately, struggling to shake off the encroaching ropes.

Below, Lin Xiao was similarly forced to leap and dodge, evading all manner of flying objects. He rummaged in his inventory and drew out the Interstellar Annihilator Axe, wielding it one-handed as he hacked and slashed at the incoming debris, hoping to shatter them apart. Yet these eerie things were unnaturally hard; the blade could only knock them aside, never break them.

A harpoon lunged from the left, a wooden oar swung in from the right. Lin Xiao managed to deflect the harpoon, but the oar came crashing down, whistling through the air. In a moment of crisis, he hastily deactivated the Holy Light skill and grabbed the oar with his hand. An overwhelming force surged from it, as if a dozen burly men were all rowing with their might.

To his horror, Lin Xiao found himself lifted off the ground by the oar, his body swinging helplessly. At that moment, five or six black ropes snapped through the air, aiming to bind him fast.

With a bang, magical flames burst from his axe blade, forcing the ropes back. But then, two cylindrical wine barrels on the floor suddenly rose up, their stoppers popped, and twin arcs of liquor splashed out, gracefully dousing the magical fire with a hiss.

A scream echoed above. Michael, still new to his vampiric powers and unable to fly skillfully, was ensnared by two black ropes and left hanging in the air. Stefan fared no better. The black ropes descending from above multiplied—dozens now, thick and dense, blocking every escape and binding him tight. Soon, he too was trussed up, suspended midair, the ropes winding around his neck again and again, tightening inexorably. The sound of his bones being crushed echoed like popping beans.

Not only Stefan, but Zoe, Number Eleven, and Michael were all being strangled by the ropes. The monstrous force left their eyes rolling back, limbs flailing, and it seemed their deaths by suffocation were imminent.

“No!” Lin Xiao was frantic with rage and fear. This ghost ship was too sinister—utterly intangible, impossible to fight, all his skills rendered useless. He was forced into a corner of the cabin by the relentless onslaught of bizarre objects, his mobility gone, no room left to maneuver.

Suddenly, a massive anchor crashed down from above, slamming toward Lin Xiao as he dodged. He leapt aside, barely evading the anchor, but a harpoon shot directly at him, piercing his chest and sending blood spraying as his body slammed against the ship’s wall. Shock and disbelief twisted across his face.

Impossible. Did I really die so senselessly?

I’ve disgraced all those who have crossed over like me. But if I die, there are still thousands, millions more...

...

Knock, knock, knock!

A clear knocking jolted Lin Xiao awake.

“Jonathan, come out quickly. I think we’re in trouble,” Michael’s voice called from outside. Lin Xiao’s heart skipped; he stowed away the Demon Hunter’s Hand, returned to his normal appearance, opened the bathroom door, and stepped out.

The moment he crossed the threshold, a strange feeling rose abruptly within him. Where had he seen this scene before? He tried to recall, but it remained just out of reach.

Number Eleven, Misty, Duke Karen, and the others were all gathered at the cabin entrance, gazing out at the river ahead, where an old wooden sailing ship floated silently toward them through the night.

This vessel was an ancient style, about thirty meters long and three decks high, with three tattered masts standing fore, amidships, and aft, flying a black flag. In the shroud of night, it radiated an indescribable eeriness.

“We’ve run into the legendary ghost ship. Most likely, the Sanctum Paradise Church realized we were pursuing them and intentionally used black sorcery to summon this ill-omened vessel,” Misty explained uneasily. Duke Karen’s face was equally wary—clearly, he too had heard tales of the ghost ship.

Hearing Misty’s explanation, Lin Xiao’s sense of unease intensified, his heart pounding, blood pressure soaring, as if something inside him were about to burst free.

No, something is terribly wrong.

He had a sense that next they would be drawn aboard the ghost ship, then wiped out together in the cabin.

Seeing Lin Xiao silent, the others began discussing among themselves. Michael, anxious to rescue his sister, produced the Bloodshadow Demon Mirror from his pocket and declared he’d go himself.

At that moment, Duke Karen took the mirror, offering to summon the bloodshadow in his stead. Lin Xiao wanted to intervene, but for some inexplicable reason, he held back and waited to see what would happen.

Soon, as Duke Karen controlled the bloodshadow to scout the ghost ship, they were all instantly transported and found themselves within the ship’s cabin.

Lin Xiao stood quietly as Misty suggested using the Phantom Shift to escape. As expected, she was struck by a harpoon flying from the vortex, pinned to the wall, and died.

Immediately after, the group was ensnared by ropes and hung midair. Lin Xiao, his mind dazed, dodged attacks as best he could, but finally, in a moment’s carelessness, he was crushed to death by a falling anchor.

...

Knock, knock, knock!

The crisp knocking sounded again. Lin Xiao stood calmly where he was and spoke first:

“Michael, are we in trouble?”

“Huh? How did you know? Jonathan, I think we’re in trouble.”

The bathroom door swung open. Lin Xiao stepped out expressionless and stood quietly to the side. The scene was as familiar as ever—the same scent, the same plot. At best, he’d performed poorly and died immediately upon stepping on stage.

Knock, knock, knock!

Knock, knock, knock!

...

On the twenty-third opening of the bathroom door, Lin Xiao felt his nerves were about to snap completely. To watch the events unfold over and over, powerless to stop them, was an agony that gnawed at his patience and sanity.

It wasn’t for lack of effort. He’d tried hiding in the bathroom and refusing to come out, but the conversation outside continued as usual, and in the end, he’d still be transported aboard the ghost ship.

Another time, he’d told everyone exactly what was going to happen, but it was as though they hadn’t heard him; they simply carried on discussing, Duke Karen eventually released the bloodshadow to scout, and they all perished together.

Once, he’d tried to snatch the Bloodshadow Demon Mirror, but was thrown out of the yacht by Duke Karen and, regardless, the bloodshadow was released and they were all transported aboard the ghost ship to their deaths.

Again and again, the group was annihilated, the cycle repeating endlessly.

Lin Xiao had exhausted every strategy—thunder talismans, Holy Light, even the newly upgraded Demon Hunter’s Hand—all were rendered useless.

The bizarre objects aboard the ship seemed infinite, their cunning inexhaustible. No matter what he tried, as soon as they were transported to the ghost ship, doom awaited them all.

No matter how they struggled, fate could not be altered.

“No, this can’t go on. If we stay trapped in this endless loop, we’ll be lost here forever. I must think of something,” Lin Xiao muttered, clutching his head within the bathroom, his thoughts racing. This endless cycle felt like Sisyphus rolling his stone uphill—an eternal repetition, never to break free.

How could he break the cycle? How could he escape?

“Wait, I remember in college, in computer science class, we learned about bugs in programs. There was one kind—an infinite loop. What did the professor say? How do you break out of an infinite loop?

Damn it, I wasn’t paying attention in that class. I can’t remember how to break an infinite loop. Heaven, earth, if I had another chance, I swear I’d listen carefully.”

He was on the verge of collapse. To know you’re caught in an infinite loop but not know how to break free—was he doomed to repeat this hell forever, until his sanity finally snapped?