Interactive Fiction: The Right Choice After Unemployment

Chapter 36 Critical Point

Option 30 40%, Option 30 [-]%, Option [-] [-]%.

……

【Option [-]】

[Walk towards the west with the flashlight]

……

Is Xue Ying still human?
Zheng Zhuo couldn't give an answer to this question.

If Xue Ying can be rescued, Xue Ying's [Radio Technology] skill will play an increasingly important role in the future.But another possibility is to venture out to rendezvous, only to see each other show off their new teeth—not a good rendezvous experience.

But walking towards the coast is a long way, and there may be variables in the middle.

"(...someone is using a flashlight to the west.)"

Zheng Zhuo looked at the voting results and thought.

"(It must be a person. Although I don't know why they chose to enter before dawn, whether they came to rescue us, but at least it must be a person.)"

Judging from the current information, Zheng Zhuo still doesn't think that murloc monsters, giant pythons, or mysterious forces that drive people crazy will use flashlights.

After a brief conversation with Chu Huairen, the two headed towards the place where the flashlight was shining just now.

"(Wait, it's best not to show me a murloc holding a bright flashlight.)"

That would definitely be the funniest hell joke of the century.

Zheng Zhuo was thinking wildly while pushing away the grass.

The two walked forward as quietly as possible for more than ten minutes, and the light of the flashlight became more and more obvious.The other party obviously noticed their flashlights and approached them.

Soon, with the rustling of the grass, two panicked faces appeared in the bushes.

It's Professor Lin Wen and classmate Wang!
"Zheng...Zheng Zhuo! Huairen!"

The two were covered in blood and their faces were pale.Professor Lin Wen's left foot was lame, while Wang was bent over and covered his abdomen oozing dark liquid with his hands.

Seeing that there were only two people who came here, and they looked like this, Zheng Zhuo's heart sank immediately.

He knew there would be no rescue.

"What's wrong with Shitai? Where's Xiao He?" Chu Huairen asked.He tried to keep himself calm, but his trembling tone still showed wavering.

"In the middle of the night... In the middle of the night, we heard Xue Ying calling your names..." Classmate Wang trembling uncontrollably, said, "We thought the three of you were back, but, in the end...a monster...appeared... Xiao He walked in the front, he was caught by that monster...only I took the professor and fled into the jungle... Xiao He...he...I didn't see him..."

"..." Zheng Zhuo and Chu Huairen fell silent.They already knew the answer: Classmate He is hopeless.

"The monster... The monster is gone too... We can only keep running... Where is Xue Ying? She..."

"It's better not to ask." Zheng Zhuo said, "It's just us."

"We heard the monster's voice just now." Chu Huairen gritted his teeth and said, "It's faster than you and has already gone to the east. We have to leave here now."

Zheng Zhuo nodded.He used [Appraisal] to see the two of them.

The information of the professor and classmate Wang are all in a flickering state after the [name], but they haven't turned into [■■■■■■] like a monster.

Zheng Zhuo is willing to think that the two can maintain it in a short time.

As for the others... If it is said that Shen's transformation was induced by physical damage, and Xue Ying's transformation was induced by mental damage, then... Is it possible for the sailors on the ship to survive these 24 hours? time……

"go to the beach."

Zheng Zhuo said seriously.

"Go back to the research ship. We must leave immediately."

……

Converge in pairs.Before meeting each other, they still had a glimmer of expectation.However, after meeting each other, only fear and deep despair remained in their hearts.

They keep going, keep going.The morning sun rises from the sea and hides behind the cloudy sky.

But there was still light all around.This light allowed them to see the beautiful signal tower of [Brave Future] in the distance.

The four thus supported the last strength.They moved forward desperately, getting closer and closer to the ship, they stumbled, and pushed aside the last clump of miscanthus——

then.

Hope was mercilessly shattered.

What appeared before his eyes was a scene like hell.

……

In the ears, hoarse, sharp screams and human wailing are intertwined.The beach near the docking point of the scientific research ship was stained crimson by the foul-smelling vomit.

Those crew members who hadn't disembarked originally had arrived on the ground at some point.The iconic crew uniform was still on, but under the uniform, it was replaced with completely different limbs.Those limbs were thin, long, and covered with scales and spines.Slime oozes from the chapped parts of their bodies, reflecting a dirty light against the overcast sky.

Creatures that had been the crew shouted and prowled the shore.

"So...everyone...how could..."

Zheng Zhuo, Chu Huairen, Professor Lin Wen and student Wang were all stunned by the scene before them.

"no no--"

Classmate Wang shook his head and stepped back...

then.

A large, scaly hand protruding from the jungle grabbed him.

"Professor? Zheng Zhuo? Huairen? Xiao Wang—"

The "that thing" behind it made Xue Ying's voice.

It hugged Classmate Wang's hands and shoulders tightly, pulling him back.Its tone was weak, and it was covered by classmate Wang's hysterical screams. However, it made Zheng Zhuo's hair stand on end more than any other sound in the world.

quick--

Zheng Zhuo heard a humming echo in his head.

fast!
Zheng Zhuo and Chu Huairen ran to the beach, with Professor Lin Wen limping behind.

Zheng Zhuo looked back, but saw a more terrifying scene.

In the distance, a familiar figure approached along the coast.It is wearing the clothes of classmate He.

And the jungle on the other side swayed.

At first, the monster that Shen transformed into appeared behind the layers of vines.He didn't know when he had pulled out the stake on his stomach, and the disgusting contents flowed out of the big hole, but he was still able to move.

Zheng Zhuo only felt dizzy for a while.Inside his head, something seemed to be screaming.He began to feel that his body was hot and cold for a while...

"(Oops!)"

He bit his tongue hard, regaining his reason——

The worst happened.

Zheng Zhuo lowered his head.He saw clusters of irregular scales growing out of the wounds on his left arm and right hand.

go!go!
Can't stop anymore!He moved his feet again, followed Chu Huairen and Professor Lin Wen who passed by, and ran towards the fire ramp of the scientific research ship.

Gotta get to the boat now!leave here!

……

The three of them were getting closer to the gangway, and they saw some crew members gathered at the bottom of the rope ladder.

Those people looked terrified, however, they seemed to be conscious!Their murloc state is also far less pronounced than that of the distraught murloc crews that roam the coast.

At the lower end of the rope ladder, the conscious crew gathered there, and no one dared to make any sound.Behind them, there are still some people who have not yet fully transformed, but their sanity has completely collapsed.They stood still or cried, and knelt on the sand.

Among these people, Zheng Zhuo saw the captain.

Fortunately, the captain was on the more conscious side!
"captain!"

Zheng Zhuo, Chu Huairen and Professor Lin Wen ran down the rope ladder at this moment.

"It's you!" The captain's face was completely pale, he whispered, "I woke up in the morning, I don't know why, everyone is standing on the beach! Sleepwalking—some people, turned into—"

"I'll talk about that later!" Zheng Zhuo whispered, "Get on the boat!"

【Authentication】opened.

……

【■■■■■■】

Aggression: 20, 23, 27...

……

Zheng Zhuo saw that their aggressiveness was constantly increasing.

His forehead was covered with sweat.He understood a fatal thing: the mermaids on the beach had just transformed, and they didn't know the situation yet.But soon—a few minutes, even a few seconds—like Shen and Xue Ying, they will begin to yearn for human flesh—

"We're sailing, Captain," he said to the captain as calmly as he could. "Just us."

If the only remaining personnel on the scientific research ship want to survive, they must abandon the other crew members and leave the port immediately!
"No, no—" the captain's head was covered with sweat, "the manpower is definitely not enough! Without enough people, navigation, maintenance and docking will all become big problems—"

Not enough staff.

But now, these crew members standing still, with thorns all over their bodies, and the crew members crying and kneeling on the ground, can they really be regarded as "human hands"?

What should I do?
……

【problem】

[The scientific research ship has arrived!However, some crew members have begun to transform into indescribable forms.Which crew members to abandon? 】

【Option [-]】

[Abandon the crew that has been completely deformed]

【Option [-]】

[Abandon the completely deformed crew + the crew who started to grow scales but still retained their sanity]

【Option [-]】

[Abandon the fully deformed crew members + the untransformed crew members whose sanity has completely collapsed]

【Option [-]】

[Abandon the fully deformed crew members + those who have scales but still retain their sanity + those who have not yet been transformed but their sanity has completely collapsed]

　After [Option 1], [Option 1], [Option [-]] and [Option [-]], you can leave a message in the form of [this chapter says]. A message under [-] id counts as [-] vote.

　　票数统计截至至2022/11/20日中午12：00.
　　Finally, please recommend tickets~
　　
　　


(End of this chapter)