Brian Carter and the others collapsed to the ground as soon as the main door closed. Except for Michael Bolton, the three of them were gasping violently, desperately sucking in air—even though their lungs were full of oxygen, the extreme terror in their hearts made it impossible for them to stop. Only when they were nearly suffocating did Brian Carter and the other two gradually steady their breathing.

"Not bad at all..." Michael Bolton tucked the Desert Eagle into his waistband, speaking with a mocking sneer.

Brian Carter caught his breath and asked, "What do you mean?"

Michael Bolton glanced back at the mercenaries, who were inspecting their comrades' corpses in the laser death corridor. He turned back and said in a low voice, "Actually, the most dangerous time for newcomers is the first horror movie. Mindset is the key. First, you have to understand your situation. I've seen many newcomers who think all of this is an illusion or some TV show, so they die the fastest—and in the most miserable ways. But this time, the newcomers, including the three of you who are still alive, were able to adjust your mindset quickly. Especially you and Laura James, your qualities are the best I've ever seen. Not only did you adjust your mindset, but you also managed to overcome your fear quickly. That's a testament to your abilities."

"Second, overcoming fear alone isn't enough to survive. In your first horror movie, you're basically just ordinary people. If you're lucky, you know the plot, but even then, the chances of dying are still very high. So, for newcomers, the first horror movie is really a process of elimination by luck. As long as you survive the first horror movie, you can get exchange items and strengthen yourself—like this Desert Eagle, or the physical enhancements I have. Understand?"

After saying this, Michael Bolton pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to Brian Carter, and said, "Congratulations, rookies. How does it feel to survive? Feels great, doesn't it? Like the climax at the moment of sex—this kind of thrill, hahahaha..."

David Thompson reached out at this moment and said, "Big Michael, give me one too."

Michael Bolton shot him a sidelong glance and said, "Kid, trying to smoke like the others? Don't think I can't smell it—besides the scent of milk, is there even a trace of smoke on you? Just behave. If you don't want to die, stick close to us."

David Thompson scratched his head and lowered his gaze. "Big brother Bolton, I'm already at minus ten points. What should I do?"

Michael Bolton was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Didn't get a single reward, and you're at minus ten? Hahaha, your luck is really something else. Don't worry, if you survive this horror movie, you'll get a thousand reward points. But remember, at the end of each round, you get a thousand reward points. If you're still in the negatives... you'll be erased on the spot."

David Thompson's face immediately fell. Brian Carter smiled and patted him on the shoulder. At that moment, the four of them suddenly heard urgent knocking at the door, and at the same time, the heroine Alice's voice came from outside: "Open the door! Hurry, open the door!"

The mercenaries in the corridor also rushed over. Without waiting for them to speak, Michael Bolton opened the main door on his own. Alice and Matt squeezed in through the gap, and behind them, countless zombie hands were grabbing at them. Michael Bolton let out a fierce laugh, drew the Desert Eagle, and fired several shots, blasting off the zombies' arms. Then, with a bang, he slammed the main door shut again.

Matthew Addison quickly asked Alice and the others, "How is it outside? Is the way we came still passable?"

Alice shook her head and said, "Those monsters are everywhere outside. They're waiting for us on that road. There's no way we can get through."

The mercenaries fell silent. The computer expert Kaplan held his head and said, "We're not getting out. There's no other passage in the Red Queen's mainframe room! We're finished!"

The male lead Ryan, who triggered all of this in the plot, suddenly said, "Can't we just stay here? When they realize we haven't returned, they'll definitely send reinforcements. I think it should be safe here! I really don't want to face those unkillable monsters again."

At his words, the mercenaries looked a bit awkward. Ryan asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

Kaplan coughed and said, "There might not be any reinforcements..."

Ryan angrily grabbed him by the collar and demanded, "What do you mean? What do you mean, there might not be reinforcements?"

Matthew Addison sighed and said, "Our orders were to bring back the Red Queen's motherboard and seal off all passages between the Hive and the outside world. Remember the passage between the building and the Hive? If we don't get back there within three hours, the entire passage between the building and the Hive will be sealed off... Damn company executives, I finally understand why they gave such orders. This place is full of those monsters!"