Zheng instantly choked up. He couldn't feel the killing intent from Jie anymore. The feeling Jie gave off was natural and cool, as if he could face death with a smile. In addition, that familiar cigarette scent made Zheng's fist stop in place.
Jie took out a cigarette with his shaking hands. The blood on his fingers also got on the cigarette. He let go of it then it floated toward Zheng. "This taste can only be exchanged from God, you can't buy it in any world."
The same words were also said when Zheng first entered this world. During Resident Evil when everyone was at risk of dying and getting infected, when they were hanging on together, Jie also handed him the same cigarette.
Zheng grabbed the cigarette then lit it with his Red Flame. He took a deep smoke. As the burning entered his lungs, this was the taste of bros and comrades.
"Everyone died in Nightmare on Elm Street, including me. Then I became this non human Guide. If it wasn't for the unintentional creation of her, I probably wouldn't have the courage to live anymore. Then one movie after another. Many newbies joined and fought. God noticed my abnormality as the leader and a Guide. He started to increase the difficulty our team has to fight against. Like Resident Evil was the difficulty of only several people but we barely made it out at the end. This doesn't happen in other teams."
Zheng took a slow breath. He quietly gazed at the woman walking over to him. Her face was flowing with tears but she still looked so tender, peaceful, and a bit happy. She took Jie's shaking hands into her hands.
"Scientific movies are the easiest genre, followed by science fictions like Alien, then magic, then supernatural ghosts. The truly most difficult ones are wars in science fictions and unexplainable phenomena. The Final Destination series belong to the unexplainable genre. Aside from genres, episodes of a series also determine its difficulty. Like Alien is easier than Aliens and Alien 3. Though there are some exceptions."
Jie's voice was getting weaker. He took a smoke and said. "Sometimes accidents happen in a movie. God will randomly change the plot. When this happens, it is almost guaranteed to get wiped. Didn't we encounter this in Alien? But you were lucky to unlock your constraint during that movie. That's why we made it out."
Jie suddenly throw up a mouthful of blood with little pieces of organs. Nana took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth. But the tears on her face couldn't be stopped.
"My existence is breaking God's rules so a lot of times I am forced to take action. You probably don't know of this but people like you who could reach the second stage of the unlocked mode by yourself, God copies their genes into team Devil. You are also still improving so God doesn't want anyone to hold you back. That's why when Lan put you in danger during The Grudge, I was ordered to kill her."
Jie looked at Nana. He smiled and also held on her hands tight. "I was forced to do it that time but I am also not under God's full control, so I sent you a message to save her. Then you encountered a team battle right after being aware of it. This shouldn't have happened. Usually a team will go through several easy movies to earn points and rewards before encountering a team battle. So they can power up, especially for the unlocked members. But my existence made God continuously increase our difficulty. Furthermore, we were forced into the Final Destination series because I attacked the other team in the last movie. And we got straight into the second movie of the series. We would've probably wiped if we go through this like usual."
As Jie was speaking, an airplane was flying over this city. A bolt fell off from its engine, then another one.
"Movies like this one usually end in a wipe. This is all I can do, bro. Take care."
Jie's head fell into Nana's arms. The cigarette on his hand slid off his fingers into the blood.
"No!"
Zheng shouted. He couldn't keep his tears anymore but before he got close to Jie, he was pulled into the half awake state again. Though looking from him from the side would see him floated above the ground. Light particles emerged from Jie's body and flowed into his, just like how it was when exchanging an enhancement.
"Unlocking leader position for team China. Genetic constraint check. Second stage. Evolving by one stage. Current stage of the genetic constraint is stage 3. Fusion begins."
God's voice was stern as usual. There was not a bit of emotion. But Zheng being in the half awake state couldn't hear its voice.
The engine of the airplane above began to smoke. The pilot attempted to control it but as the engine suddenly exploded and the plane went downward, straight toward the top of the television building!
Zheng didn't know anything happening outside. He was forced to float in place while the particles entered his body. Jie's body was becoming translucent as more and more particles left him. Finally he was gone. Disappearing along with him was Nana. She held onto his hands with a smile until the last moment.
Zheng could almost feel what's happening. He wanted to say something but in the end he continued staying in the half awake state. But tears just couldn't stop flowing out of his eyes. The cigarette on his hand had burned up to his fingers. Yet he still kept holding onto it.
The plane was crashing down at increasing speed. The passengers inside were screaming, and some praying. Judging by this speed, Zheng wouldn't be able to escape this attack from Death.
"Fusion complete. Obtained leader position. Unlocked the third stage of the genetic constraint. Mission completed for team China."
God's voice sounded right before the plane crashed into the building. Followed by an explosion.
The same familiar half awake state. When Zheng finally opened his eyes, he was standing inside God's dimension. The familiar sphere of light and darkness beyond the platform. The two girls were standing there, Heng and Honglu were lying on the ground. Jie and Nana finally disappeared.
Zheng silently looked at the cigarette butt he was still holding and sighed. He put it into his pocket then began to organize the information that entered his head.
The leader position wasn't just a title. The leader could quickly search exchangeable items in the system. Like Heng had the elf bloodline then it would show him abilities, weapons, magic that were best for the bloodline. This could prevent them from wasting points and rewards. One of the benefits the leader brought to the team.
Second, the leader had the power to know what movie was coming up next. Then they could prepare suitable weapons and study the plot in advance.
Third, the leader had access to more information. Like Zheng just found out there were a total of 17 teams. Teams were separated into regions according the continents in ancient times. Team China contained the largest land and was also one of the biggest teams. There were also two special teams. God copied the genes of players with potential to form team Devil. This was supposedly the strongest team among all. This team was used to test what environment was more suitable for evolution.
The other team was any time a person becomes a leader, God would ask if this person wanted to join this team. So it contained the strongest member from every team. Of course, some people would refuse to join. Every member in this team had entered the unlocked mode. The team was named team Celestial. It was also formed as a test for evolution.
All the players were so minuscule in this world. They got toyed with like lab mice. Even the leaders were merely struggling to survive.
Zheng touched his pocket, the one with the cigarette butt that Jie left him. Then God asked if he wished to join team Celestial.
"I refuse."
P.S. Second stage is only one of the many reasons to get cloned into team Devil.