She had only been testing the waters, but unexpectedly, Spinning Top actually lived up to his "simple-minded" persona and sent over his coordinates.
Spinning Top: "Are you far from me? It's very safe here. If you come over, we can team up."
It was, in fact, quite far. As Renee Kane tried using the Teleportation Prop Card, she saw the teleport button light up after she input the name and coordinates.
The fact that the prop card was usable proved the coordinates were real.
She replied, satisfied, "Too far. There are Fire Ants everywhere outside, I can't make it. It's a shame. Otherwise, with you digging up boxes and me having supplies and weapons, we'd be unstoppable.
"By the way, that prop of yours that can block one fatal attack—can it block damage from things like Skills?"
Spinning Top seemed to hold nothing back. "It's not that incredible. It can only block physical trauma, but that's still really powerful. At the very least, it's an extra life and a bit more security."
Miss Black Tights: "Name a price. You must be low on supplies by now."
Spinning Top: "I can always get more supplies, but I can't sell you these two props."
Miss Black Tights: "Then what's the point of coming to me with all this? Are you trying to show off?"
Spinning Top: "And what if I am? Didn't you do the same thing, showing off your supplies to me? Too bad it's all useless. A worthless piece of trash like you won't be able to hold on to those supplies for long.
"Why don't you just give all your supplies to me? I've got a pile of prop cards and my luck with opening boxes is off the charts. I'll definitely outlast you."
Miss Black Tights: "To hell with you! You useless piece of shit who can't even get a supply box open, you can go hug your precious prop cards and die! I'd love to see how long you last without food and water!"
Spinning Top: "A loser like you doesn't need to worry about me. Let me tell you something—as long as I have these prop cards, I'll never lack for supplies. Everyone else understands the situation better than you. They know just how useful powerful props and Skills are.
"Unlike a worthless bum like you, who's hogging a beta tester slot just to sit around and wait to die. Still dreaming of using your piddling supplies to build a faction? Have you seen any other beta tester making a scene like you? Everyone else is calling you a fucking idiot behind your back, while you're still preening over your little stash of food!"
Renee Kane: ...
'Is there any difference between this and just carving "Hurry up and use Parasite on me" on his face?'
Her previous judgment had been correct. Spinning Top most likely had a trump card up his sleeve to counter "Parasite."
He might not have been this desperate before, but after the volcanic eruption, his meager supplies had likely run out. He was just waiting for Miss Black Tights to make a move so he could launch a Counter Kill.
That was why he had so eagerly sought her out, every word calculated to provoke "Miss Black Tights," terrified that she *wouldn't* use Parasite on him.
'I just don't know what this trump card is... Could it be the danger premonition he mentioned before?'
'No, that's probably not it.'
Renee Kane figured that the so-called "danger premonition" and "body double" were likely just lies Spinning Top had concocted to lure Miss Black Tights into attacking him.
'And even if he really did have those two props, so what? I have a Teleportation card. There's no way I'd let him escape.'
'It's nothing an extra bullet can't solve.'
Renee Kane sometimes felt that Spinning Top's luck was genuinely terrible—what he was saying was actually quite astute, but it was just too soon.
Right now, faced with an unknown disaster, everyone was worried about their own survival. Their main focus was on getting through this current trial, so the demand for props was indeed lower than the demand for supplies.
It wasn't as if other beta testers hadn't tried to be like "Miss Black Tights," selling supplies to increase their Life Value.
But not everyone had the guts to invest their entire fortune into a game of unknown origins. Even Vincent Sherman, in her past life, had hesitated for a long while, only confirming the game was something extraordinary after piecing together numerous small clues.
Thus, aside from a few who had seriously stockpiled supplies, most had only put in a token amount of money, treating it as just a game. Some had even ignored the initial text message entirely.
When they realized the game was not what they had expected, these beta testers didn't dare sell too much, needing to prioritize their own survival by holding on to their supplies.
Renee Kane could afford to be so "extravagant" with her offerings only because she had already secured plenty of superior replacements for herself.
But once this trial was over and everyone had built up some resources, players like Spinning Top would indeed become both highly sought after and deeply feared.
Countless thoughts raced through Renee Kane's mind, but she played along with Spinning Top's script, cursing furiously, "Evan York! Don't think you're hot shit just because you have a few props! Don't you forget, I still have a Parasite Prop Card—one you sold me yourself.
"Hahahaha, go on, keep showing off! Once I use this prop on you, everything you have will be mine! How about you run your mouth then?!"
Spinning Top seemed flustered by her words and quickly replied, "Don't think I don't know the requirements for using 'Parasite'! Are you really willing to waste so much Life Value on me? I'm telling you, I've got nothing but prop cards! Using 'Parasite' on me will be a complete waste!"
Miss Black Tights: "Hahahaha, scared now, you dumbass! My Life Value might not be high, but I'm more than happy to spend it on screwing you over! Aren't you supposed to have amazing luck with boxes? I'll make you dig boxes for me for seven straight days! I'll just sell the props you get from Diamond Boxes. You think I won't make back my investment then?
"I should even thank you for the reminder! I'd almost forgotten I could use Parasite on you! Hahahaha! Don't worry, for old times' sake, I'll put you out of your misery once I've squeezed you dry of all your worth!"
*
Looking at Miss Black Tights' reply, Spinning Top's cracked lips curled into a slight smile. The newly healed sores instantly split open again, but he seemed not to notice.
The thrill of a big fish taking the bait, intertwined with the joy of finding a lifeline in a desperate situation, left him no room to mind the pain.
Spinning Top had originally thought that Leon Lynn's tone felt a little strange after he came back online, but for one, no one could have imagined the game had a skill as overpowered as "Annihilation," let alone that it would be used so precisely on Leon Lynn.
And for another, that slight sense of dissonance evaporated the moment "Miss Black Tights" called him by his real name.
Downing the last of his Electrolyte Water, Spinning Top grinned wide and typed back, "Impossible! You can't do this! Leon, we're friends! I can give you the prop cards I found! Just let me go!"
Miss Black Tights: "Why would I need you to give them to me? After I use Parasite, everything you have becomes mine anyway! Hahaha, if you have to blame someone, blame yourself for being so stupid! Evan York, you should feel honored to be my dog.
"Are you ready to accept your fate of being Parasitized? Hahahaha…"