Global Survival: I Got the D-Rank Personnel Simulator-Chapter 41: Banquet Guest

Just as Lin Ye thought the night would continue like this until the event ended, the theater doors were knocked on again—though this time the sound was strange, as if the knocking object was made of different material.
"Come in."
Lin Ye spoke.
An enormous, bloated dark brown insect squeezed into the theater. If not for the wide entrance, it might not have fit.
Only the insect's head entered the theater, the rest of its body remaining outside. Its body was covered in nearly healed wounds, as if it had just survived a fierce battle.
The giant insect surveyed its surroundings with satisfaction before speaking:
"This place is good. Leave now, and I'll spare your life."
Lin Ye studied the insect curiously. Though he clearly heard its strange sounds, his mind somehow understood its meaning—the system's translation ability was truly absurd.
"Is living not good enough for you? Must you come here to die?"
Though his words were blunt, Lin Ye had already focused his mind, ready to strike at full power.
This insect far surpassed him in both spiritual energy and physical strength. Without the theater's enhancements, Lin Ye would have fled long ago.
Of course, he didn't believe for a second that it would spare him. If he tried to leave, he'd likely be killed halfway by that impatient insect at the door.
"Weakling, I'm not killing you outright not because I can't, but because I don't want to get hurt. Last chance—leave this place. It's your only way out."
The giant insect pressed forward, dozens of bright yellow eyes on its head fixated on Lin Ye, adopting an offensive stance.
"I'm not killing you only because you haven't come deep enough inside yet. Come in, then die here."
Lin Ye's focus peaked. He didn't expect the insect to retreat—if judging purely by their base strength, Lin Ye might not even survive one of its basic attacks.
"You've angered me."
The giant insect charged violently into the theater, sending rows of seats flying across the room. Within seconds, it reached the base of the stage.
Boom!
It crashed against a spiritual energy shield composed of numerous protection runes. Countless spiritual energy blades stabbed into its head, the chaotic energy shredding its brain.
But this injury wasn't fatal—its weak point was its lower abdomen, currently pressed against the ground.
Lin Ye drew Red Blade and slashed downward. Spiritual energy surged from the blade, an invisible edge carrying chaotic energy to cleave through the insect's defenses and body.
Boom!
A bullet followed the wound, piercing its vital spot and completely obliterating its mutation organ.
Watching the insect's corpse vanish, Lin Ye holstered his CL0 Pistol.
All corpses were transported to the loot space, preventing him from using the magazine to absorb flesh.
'Have to wait until returning to the shelter.'
Before Lin Ye could catch his breath, hordes of Mutation Creatures flooded into the theater. As if coordinated, they rushed the stage together.
Lin Ye watched them impassively as numerous severing runes activated, dozens of spiritual energy blades sweeping toward the entrance.
These blades had been ineffective against the giant insect, serving only to chip away at it, so Lin Ye hadn't activated them earlier.
After all, each rune activation required cooldown before reuse.
These Mutation Creatures had gathered nearby, believing Lin Ye weak and unwilling to leave. Seeing him defeat the giant insect, they assumed he was exhausted and charged in desperately.
If they killed Lin Ye, all his previous gains would be theirs.
Unfortunately, they picked the wrong opponent.
Every creature that entered was shredded by invisible spiritual blades, their flesh transported to the loot space while the entrance became soaked with fluids.
Lin Ye frowned at the vanishing flesh, imagining the system dumping the corpses into his shelter like trash, making it hard to breathe.
"The system wouldn't do something that horrifying, right?"
After some thought, Lin Ye decided to stop worrying and focus on the present, leaving tomorrow's problems for tomorrow's self.
"You're quite strong. Excellent. I'm pleased."
A voice spoke behind Lin Ye. Sensing backward, he realized someone had appeared abruptly behind him.
Lin Ye turned to see a man in formalwear.
Around 20 years old, resembling Blue Star humans, male, with orange-yellow hair and eyes, dressed in bright orange formal attire.
"Who are you?"
Lin Ye leaped off the stage, wrapping himself in spiritual energy shields. If this person could appear soundlessly behind him, they could kill him before he reacted.
"You don't know? No wonder such delicious offerings appeared. I thought you were believers willingly sacrificing themselves, but you're just ignorant intruders fighting for seats. Impressive you've remained sane."
The man smiled.
He stood casually center stage, ignoring Lin Ye's defenses.
"...Carnival Feast?"
Lin Ye suddenly understood why it was called a "feast."
"I'm a banquet guest, and you all are the main course."
The man's smile widened.
"I enjoy taking your forms—it adds flavor when devouring you."
Lin Ye stared. Though he couldn't gauge the man's depth, he refused to surrender. Since this was a system event, there must be a way to overcome him.
"Enough talk. The Carnival Feast should begin."
Before the man finished speaking, a pale white arm pierced his chest, clutching an orange-yellow crystal.
"H-How...? What...are you?"
The man shattered like an illusion, leaving only Little Ye holding the crystal.
"Beautiful. Though if it were me, I'd have waited until he attacked."
Lin Ye stepped back onto the stage, canceling his theater-powered mutual destruction strike.
"Normally I would wait. But not now. Every word he spoke tested my patience."
Little Ye licked her lips, gazing at Lin Ye with heated intensity.
"Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Lin Ye sensed her abnormal state.
"Nothing. Just affected by the carnival atmosphere."
Her cheeks were flushed, but her tone remained calm.
"The Carnival Potion's mental effects? You took them for me?"
Lin Ye quickly guessed correctly.
"It's nothing serious. Just heightened emotions at most."
Little Ye crushed the crystal. A surge of mental energy fused with the theater, expanding Lin Ye's spiritual power while altering the theater itself.
If the theater was a seat, they now occupied the city's highest position, far above others.
"The feast's finale demands something on stage. Shall we dance?"
Little Ye suddenly suggested.
"Uh, I can't dance."
Lin Ye replied awkwardly.
"Neither can I. But it's fine—frantic spirits and fervent bodies are what dance is for."
Little Ye declared.