Chapter 69: Fortune Guesthouse (Four)

Chapter 69: Fortune Guesthouse (Four)

"What?" Nie Shuangshuang appeared utterly confused.

Whether from her own personal experiences or from what she had heard, she had never encountered someone being able to take a key NPC out of the dungeon.

Space-related tools or abilities were quite common, including ones Nie Shuangshuang had possessed before, but a universal characteristic of these abilities and tools was the incapability to store living beings.

Not to mention bringing NPCs out of the dungeon, even storing them within one's spatial abilities was entirely impossible.

If someone genuinely possessed such a groundbreaking ability, couldn't they just snatch bosses from level five dungeons and steamroll through every other dungeon?

"That's... impossible, right?"

Compared to newcomers like Gu Shanshan, a distinct characteristic of a well-known veteran player like Nie Shuangshuang was the extensive network and vast knowledge she had.

For instance, Nie Shuangshuang knew that the person with the most potent spatial ability could momentarily store living beings— well, not exactly store. It was the deputy leader of the Chaoyang Guild who had a peculiar ability to produce a myriad of bubbles, encapsulating living entities within thousands of separate, individual spaces created by these bubbles.

While living beings could not be stored as a whole in spatial abilities, if fragmented into small portions by these bubbles, they seemed not to be recognized as living entities by the system, thus could be stored.

If enveloped by the bubbles for a very short period, given the rapid segmentation process, the entrapped being wouldn't die instantly and could survive a significant amount of time even after the bubbles were removed.

However, if enveloped for an extended period, the entity would be divided into countless pieces, meeting a fate more tragic than one could imagine.

Nie Shuangshuang wasn't entirely aware of the specifics, but she knew a bit due to the past good relations between Ronghua and Chaoyang Guilds, primarily fostered by the friendship of the two guild leaders.

That deputy leader didn't seem to be a very upright person... but it couldn't possibly be him, could it?

Players who ranked high on the points leaderboard— like the former Nie Shuangshuang— generally wouldn't venture into lower-level dungeons anymore, focusing instead on preparing to clear the level five dungeons.

It couldn't be, could it?

Nie Shuangshuang's brows furrowed tightly, and soon she felt her head throbbing with the strain of thought.

"Ah." She closed her eyes in distress.

Why? She had bought the guide specifically to avoid having to think this much. Why was a level one dungeon taxing her mind to such an extent?

When Nie Shuangshuang opened her eyes again, Xie Fangcheng, who had brought up this brain-racking topic, had once again settled himself on the railing. He pounded his baseball bat on the ground, rested both hands on it, and propped his chin on his hands, looking utterly relaxed and at ease.

Nie Shuangshuang: "..."

Nie Shuangshuang asked, "Big brother, don't you have anything to say about our current situation?"

Xie Fangcheng nodded, "Yes."

"What??"

Xie Fangcheng sincerely suggested, "Shouldn't we go back and rest?"

Seriously?!

Nie Shuangshuang erupted, "Hey!! The guide is useless now! The spirit in the well has grown significantly stronger! The Heavenly Master is nowhere to be found!! How can you even think of sleeping at a time like this?!"

Xie Fangcheng reasoned with her, "But think about it, isn't the biggest challenge of this dungeon defeating the city lord?"

"Yes, exactly!!"

Xie Fangcheng pointed to himself, "So, wouldn't it be settled if I defeat him?"

Nie Shuangshuang pinched his philtrum, "Do you even understand the value of a level one dungeon's big boss?? Especially a boss that has NPCs in the dungeon to restrain it! These bosses are generally not much weaker than those in level two dungeons!"

Of course, if it was the 23rd ranked "Mad Rabbit," there would be nothing to fear.

But the current Nie Shuangshuang was acutely aware that her abilities were not only significantly reduced, but she had merely a fraction left, which left her with no choice but to flee in the face of the boss.

She obviously knew that Xie Fangcheng was quite powerful, capable of repelling the resentful spirit in the well, and clearly stronger than her.

But it wasn't enough.

Being only slightly stronger than her current self wasn't nearly sufficient.

Xie Fangcheng patted her shoulder, "Don't worry."

Nie Shuangshuang was genuinely curious, "Big brother, I really want to ask, where does this confidence of yours come from?"

Xie Fangcheng hesitated, "Uh," and pondered for a moment.

"Because justice prevails over evil?"

Seriously?! After all this, he's still an idealist?!

(This line seems to be empty, please provide content for translation.)

But no matter what Nie Shuangshuang was thinking internally, it seemed there were no other options available at present.

The resentful infant spirits had gained in strength, making the retrieval of the corpses impossible.

Even if Xie Fangcheng possessed formidable strength capable of retrieving all the corpses, it would be futile.

Without the Heavenly Master, these remains were merely that, remains.

As she considered their options, it seemed like if, as Xie Fangcheng suggested, the key NPC of the dungeon had been taken outside, their remaining strategy really only consisted of a desperate fight against the NPC.

After distributing candles to each player, Nie Shuangshuang returned to her room, finding the more she pondered, the more viable Xie Fangcheng's solution seemed — assuming he could defeat the city lord.

Could he really win?

Could a player with no notable reputation truly face off against the boss?

Nie Shuangshuang's brows furrowed tightly.

Tonight, of the thirty players, twenty-nine were enduring a sleepless night.

As for the newcomers, it went without saying. Outside, a thunderstorm raged with flashes of lightning and roaring thunder. Moreover, they had just heard successive screams, and with creepy paper dolls placed beside their beds, even the bravest were deeply frightened.

What about the veteran players?

Initially, the other veteran players were relatively relaxed.

Although Nie Shuangshuang was no longer in her glory days, she was still a master capable of clearing level three dungeons.

With a master on their side, what was there to fear?

... It turned out there was indeed something to fear.

During her second round distributing the new candles, Nie Shuangshuang's expression had grown somewhat grim, clearly encountering some sort of difficult issue.

This was bad, very bad. What problem had arisen? Even Nie Shuangshuang looked like this; could it be a total disaster? It seems one shouldn't overly trust the strength of a master!

As for Lu Tonghe, he was initially obediently staying in the room. However, unable to withstand the noise made by the attack on the resentful infant spirit, he assumed Nie Shuangshuang was fighting outside and couldn't help but rush out the door.

And what did he witness?

Nie Shuangshuang had only seen a paper doll floating down into the well, but Lu Tonghe saw Xie Fangcheng's paper doll holding a... table leg?

With a single swing, the monstrous assembly of resentful infant spirits, which were snapping and clawing fiercely, instantly screamed and scrambled into the water, retreating in utter disarray.

Too powerful!!

Lu Tonghe watched, eyes wide, gazing at the ceiling, that scene replaying over and over in his mind.

Could there really be a player this strong?

His paper doll alone can send a minor boss fleeing in panic??

Just how powerful must the person behind it be??

The thought of being neighbors with such a powerhouse made Lu Tonghe feel as if his surroundings had suddenly become more splendid.

Truly formidable!

During the day, when the master was chatting with the newcomers, he casually mentioned his clear count while making a "yeah" gesture. Could it possibly mean not two, but two hundred clears?

With this level of prowess, two hundred clears might indeed be plausible, right?

The most formidable player Lu Tonghe had interacted with so far was Nie Shuangshuang. At this moment, as he mentally compared her with Xie Fangcheng... it was indeed a tough comparison, as Nie Shuangshuang's strength was beyond his imagination as well.

These skilled players must all have their own strategies and tricks to clear the game!

Tomorrow, must carefully observe how they manage to clear the levels!

Hence, as soon as dawn broke the next day, Lu Tonghe climbed out of bed. Despite not having slept a wink, he was brimming with enthusiasm, ready to learn some advanced clearance techniques from the master.

Many players were already awake, including the majority of the new players, gradually emerging from their rooms.

The sky had cleared, but the sunlight filtering through the square gaps formed by the eaves was hardly bright, leaving the inn still seeming dark and damp.

Nie Shuangshuang had also risen early.

She had pondered throughout the night and felt more and more that indeed, it might be worth taking a chance with Xie Fangcheng to challenge the city lord today; if they couldn't win, they could quickly brainstorm other solutions.

If they could triumph...

Uh.

Nie Shuangshuang hesitated.

In this game, regardless of the level of the dungeon, any lapse in meticulous and serious approach could result in even the most skilled players facing a setback.

After all, the NPCs' strength wasn't on par with that of the players.

For instance, the currently acknowledged strongest player, the leader of the Chaoyang Guild, Ji Chaoyang, who topped the points leaderboard, was truly exceptional in Nie Shuangshuang's past experiences collaborating with him in the dungeons.

He had the power to single-handedly battle a minor boss in a level-five dungeon.

Yes, a minor boss.

The pinnacle of human strength could, at most, engage in battle with a level-five dungeon's minor boss, a feat that already represented a power beyond ordinary comprehension.

When faced with a gatekeeping boss, even Ji Chaoyang would have no choice but to flee.

Players were struggling for survival within these dungeons.

But Xie Fangcheng's suggestion to go straight for the boss on the second day of entering the dungeon was too enticing for Nie Shuangshuang to resist.

Exactly!

Back when her own abilities hadn't yet diminished, she never even dared to contemplate such a bold approach to clearing the dungeon... why not just defeat the boss directly?

If they truly managed to defeat it, wouldn't that mean a hundred percent clearance rate for this dungeon?

Nie Shuangshuang was brimming with motivation. At the crack of dawn, she sprung from her room, darting like a ping-pong ball to bang on Xie Fangcheng's door.

She banged on the door for quite a while before it was finally opened.

Xie Fangcheng yawned, looking at her with sleepy eyes.

"What is it?"

Nie Shuangshuang, bursting with energy, exclaimed: "Let's go take down the city lord!"

"Huh?" Xie Fangcheng responded reluctantly, "What time is it even...”

"The earlier we start, the sooner we enjoy the rewards; delay, and we'll be begging in tears! Come on, let's move!"

The logic was indeed solid; since they had to face it sooner or later, might as well get it over with now, and they could even enjoy a meal upon returning...

Eh? A meal?

Had he forgotten something?

Unable to recall and unwilling to force himself, Xie Fangcheng gritted his teeth and said, "Alright then."

And so, the two decided upon their next course of action.

They didn't deliberately lower their voices, and while the players in the opposite building couldn't hear them, Lu Tonghe, who was right next door and already waiting in the corridor, heard everything clearly.

His expression grew more bewildered and perplexed as he listened.

Seeing that Nie Shuangshuang and Xie Fangcheng were really about to leave, Lu Tonghe hurriedly spoke up: "Um, esteemed players..."

Both faces turned to look at him.

One face was filled with excitement, resembling someone ready to ride a pirate ship.

The other still appeared drowsy, coupled with a continuous yawn, messy, upright hair, clearly indicating a night of deep, undisturbed sleep.

Lu Tonghe steadied his mind, feeling that his worldview, which had already been reshaped by the game, was now on the brink of collapse.

"What are you planning to do?"

"To defeat the city lord," Nie Shuangshuang replied.

"..." Lu Tonghe's voice trembled, "Um, I, I don't quite understand... the city lord, isn't that... that the boss?"

A principle well-known among all players: the boss within a dungeon possesses the greatest strength.

Most dungeons don't allow players to confront the boss directly; the reason being quite simple - the players stand no chance.

Therefore, dungeons provide various clues, guiding players to find the boss's weaknesses and to locate NPCs who are friendly towards players and capable of subduing the boss.

—— Do not attempt to face off against the boss head-on; it's a surefire path to demise.

This is an iron rule formulated from the painful lessons and tears of countless players.

What did he hear now? They are planning to fight the boss? Which one? The one right beside them?

Lu Tonghe was utterly disheveled amidst the turmoil.

"Yes," Nie Shuangshuang replied.

Lu Tonghe became stupefied.

Is this what being a big shot is like?

So the approach of a big shot to clearing the dungeon is so different from that of ordinary players?

Ordinary players gather clues, win over friendly NPCs, have the NPCs fight the boss, while the players themselves try to survive in the midst of it all.

The big shot's strategy to clear the level is to directly confront the boss, forcing the boss to struggle for survival in the turmoil?

"This... this..." a myriad of words converged at Lu Tonghe's lips, eventually forming the phrase, "Can I join?"

.

Initially, it was only Lu Tonghe who wanted to join, but as the three of them descended the stairs, the players across could see them.

Everyone followed suit swiftly, and soon, the news that Xie Fangcheng was going to challenge the boss spread throughout the entire player community.

It was alright for the new players, as they had not yet witnessed the horrors of the dungeon, nor did they know the true strength of the dungeon's NPCs, but the term "fight the boss" was clearly an initiative led by a big shot.

"Wow! Brother Xie is really awesome!"

"So the way to clear this dungeon is to kill the boss? What was the clearance condition again?"

"'Successfully attend the Hundred Days Feast.' If the city lord is dead, can the feast still be held?"

"As long as the city lord's child survives, it should be fine! Maybe once the city lord is defeated, we will have cleared the level?"

"Amazing! And here I was thinking this game was incredibly challenging—"

Auntie Li, being warm-hearted, couldn't help but turn back to emphasize to the newcomers.

"No, the dungeons in this game are truly terrifying, the NPCs are excessively strong."

"However, this dungeon is rather unique. You mustn't use it as a reference when you enter the next one," he cautioned them earnestly.

"Why is it special?" Auntie Li paused before turning her gaze towards Xie Fangcheng.

Adapting seamlessly to the situation, Xie Fangcheng turned his head and candidly explained, "Because I am incredibly powerful."

Upon hearing his statement, a silence fell over everyone present.

Isn't this a bit too arrogant?

A cry resounded internally among the crowd.

Even Lu Tonghe turned his head away, his face a picture of unbearable dismay.

Brother Xie is indeed strong, but could he at least feign a bit of humility?

The group exited the inn amidst an odd atmosphere.

In the city of Fulai, there were only a few pedestrians on the street, with not a single vendor to be found on the spacious roads.

Even the few pedestrians on the road hurried along, giving no more than a fleeting glance at their unfamiliar faces before quickly lowering their heads and continuing on their way.

Nie Shuangshuang identified a kind-faced middle-aged woman and retrieved a small basket of sweets from her system backpack.

This was also a common item, "Chinese sweets irresistible to all age groups", much like Qi Chanyang's "Lollipops loved by everyone". Both were popular low-cost items in the market, costing a hundred or two points. Their sole function in the dungeon was to engender goodwill from background NPCs, facilitating players in asking standard questions.

"Hello," Nie Shuangshuang greeted with a warm smile, offering the sweets, "We are new here and not very familiar with Fulai City. May we ask you some questions?"

The woman hesitated for a moment but couldn't resist the lure of the sweets. She took them and nodded, "Go ahead."

"I noticed that there are quite a lot of houses in our city, but it seems like there are very few people on the streets. Has something happened?"

The woman's expression became somewhat pained, "Fulai used to be a big city nearby. Everyone was living well here. Don't be fooled by its current desolation. Just half a year ago, these streets were lined with stalls, bustling from day till the curfew at night. But then, half a year ago, a malevolent spirit that preyed on children entered Fulai City."

Nie Shuangshuang thought about the resentful infant spirit in the well.

The woman started crying, "That evil spirit comes to feast every night. Over the past six months, all the children in the city have fallen victim to it. Some families couldn't bear the pain of losing a child, with some drowning themselves in the lake and others taking poison. The rest of us, we stayed because we want to witness that evil spirit receiving its retribution."

Auntie Li, being a mother herself, could deeply empathize and comforted her at the side.

The woman, having cried countless times before, managed to regain her composure quite quickly, despite being overwhelmed by her emotions.

"I know, you all have been invited by the city lord to attend the grand prince's hundred-day feast," the woman said with a somewhat struggling expression, "You must be very careful."

"Thank you," Nie Shuangshuang responded, before asking another question, "Could you tell us where the city lord's mansion is?"

The woman pointed westward.

"Just cross this street, and you'll arrive."

"Thank you."

Just as they were about to set off for the City Lord's Mansion, Nie Shuangshuang turned around and asked, "By the way, do you know if there resides a celestial master at the chaotic burial ground outside the city?"

The woman faltered, then her eyes lowered, concealing a visage filled with resentment.

"I know."

"Do you know where the celestial master might be?"

At this moment, hope rekindled in Nie Shuangshuang.

If the celestial master is still around, could they perhaps realign the method of clearing the stage with the strategy guide?

After all, the strategy guide contains the experiences of those who came before, following it should not lead them astray, should it?

The woman's voice emanated faintly, laced with depths of sorrow and anger.

"The celestial master," she said, barely able to contain her bitterness, "that vastly powerful celestial master... has long taken up residence in the City Lord's Mansion."

Nie Shuangshuang was stunned.

In reality, the main storyline of this replica was exceedingly simple.

In the days when the City Lord was a penniless youth, he caught the affection of a rich young lady at first sight, who married him against her parents' wishes.

After marriage, they were deeply enamoured for a few years, swearing eternal love. Seeing the young man’s progress, the lady's parents finally accepted him as their son-in-law, even sponsoring his studies for the imperial examination in the capital.

The City Lord devoted himself to his studies for years and eventually topped the examination.

Being youthful and accomplished, with a dignified and handsome appearance, he even attracted a marriage proposal from the Prime Minister's family.

Consequently, the once impoverished youth, now a distinguished scholar, was instantly swayed.

The rich young lady, despite her wealth, seemed rather mundane compared to the Prime Minister's daughter.

A family of wealth,

A prestigious lineage?

Without any hesitation, the City Lord orchestrated the murder of the rich young lady and her family, sinking them in the lake, utterly disregarding the fact that she was eight months pregnant at the time.

Later on, the City Lord married the Prime Minister's daughter. The lady experienced complications during her pregnancy until a celestial master, shrouded in dark veils, approached the City Lord with a secret method to ensure the stability of her pregnancy.

Shortly thereafter, children in the city began to disappear.

Initially, the disappearances were sporadic and clandestine, targeting one or two infants. Gradually, the "evil spirit" became more brazen, with a growing appetite, moving onto toddlers, then preschool-aged children...

The City Lord’s wife’s pregnancy stabilized.

Until not long ago, she gave birth to a monstrous creature, covered in eyes atop its head and nails protruding from its body.

The monster nearly killed the City Lord upon its arrival, yet the City Lord had always been wary of the celestial master, having amassed various protective artifacts. Utilizing them on the creature in the nick of time, he managed not only to escape death but also merged with the monster, gaining a substantial boost in power instantaneously.

The celestial master hadn't anticipated this turn of events, getting injured during the ensuing battle with the City Lord. She retreated alone to her cabin near the disorderly burial grounds to recuperate, readying herself for a life-and-death showdown with the City Lord once again.

Meanwhile, to absorb more essence from the children, the City Lord started distributing invitations widely, inviting families with children to stay at the Fortunate Arrival Inn.

—The original plotline was as follows:

The children who had died were killed by the City Lord using the secret technique taught by the celestial master. Their vengeful spirits would gather in the well with the flow of water, where the celestial master intended to assimilate them, using them as weapons in her offensive against the City Lord.

The arrival of the players expedited this process. Attaining the remains of her child would allow the celestial master to break through her current power limits, fully capable of killing the City Lord.

But now, instead of assimilating the vengeful spirits, the celestial master has moved into the City Lord's mansion?

What does this mean?

Has the celestial master found a more effective way to deal with the City Lord?

Surely they haven't reconciled and made peace, have they???

This is a matter of sworn vengeance.

Nie Shuangshuang couldn't make heads or tails of it.

But clarity was no longer necessary, as they had already arrived at the gates of the City Lord's mansion.

Contrasting the desolation on the streets, there was even music emanating from within the mansion.

Nie Shuangshuang furrowed her brows.

What on earth was happening in this scenario?

Shouldn't the City Lord be recovering from his injuries? How could he be in the mood to enjoy music??

"Something doesn't feel right," Nie Shuangshuang muttered, eyeing the tightly locked gates of the mansion, "The celestial master and the City Lord should be arch-enemies, how could she reside within the mansion?"

Lu Tong was a thoughtful person, still earnestly contemplating an alternate strategy to clear the level.

"How about this, let's find a way to establish contact with the celestial master first. Maybe she has other plans? Perhaps she is undercover? If that's the case, we might be able to assist her," he suggested.

"Makes sense," Jie Fangcheng agreed.

The next moment, he lifted his foot, resulting in a resonant "bang".

The thick, firmly shut gates of the City Lord's mansion were shattered with one kick, both doors trembling before falling flat onto the ground with a thud.

Lu Tong was dumbfounded.

"Ah...?" he queried, "Brother Jie, what are you doing?"

Jie Fangcheng looked at him, "Didn't you suggest contacting the celestial master?"

Yes indeed!

What he meant by "making contact" should resemble a scene from a TV series, secretly climbing onto the roof, lifting a couple of tiles to sneak a peek below, and perhaps arranging a meeting with the celestial master when she's around... this, this should be the actual "making contact," right??

Jie Fangcheng casually nodded, affirming, "Yes, that's what I meant by making contact."

Within the City Lord's Mansion, the guards responsible for its protection were already rushing over amidst an uproar.

"What do you think you're doing? Breaking into the City Lord's Mansion is a grave offense, do you understand?!"

Jie Fangcheng rolled up his sleeves, brandished his stick, and candidly responded to the guard’s inquiry, "I am here to see your City Lord."

"To see our City Lord? What business do you have with him?"

Jie Fangcheng had already charged forward, his voice carried by the wind, reaching the ears of everyone present.

"I am here to kill him."

He stated.

.

Nearby, amidst the chaos in the City Lord’s Mansion, rows of mushrooms huddled in a corner.

Lu Tong and the veteran players crouched at the forefront of all the players, ensuring that no stray individuals accidentally crossed over, potentially wreaking havoc on the new players.

Nie Shuangshuang had already disappeared, and every now and then, screams reverberated throughout the mansion.

"Has it been half an hour already..." someone asked with a vacant expression.

Lu Tong wore a stunned face as well.

To be honest, when Jie Fangcheng and Nie Shuangshuang announced their plan to directly confront the boss at the City Lord's Mansion, both Lu Tong’s rationality and emotions rejected the idea.

Confronting the boss seemed simple enough, but with what weapons?

Now he understood... they would do it with a stick.

Just moments ago, as Jie Fangcheng plunged into the midst of the guards, Lu Tong reflexively took a couple of steps forward, contemplating that they could overpower these NPC guards, despite some of them possessing considerable strength, they surely couldn't be that powerful.

Jie Fangcheng was really being too reckless... right???

The guards were numerous, and when Jie Fangcheng dived into the group of NPCs, it resembled a grain of rice falling into a rice bin, immediately engulfed by the swarm of guards, even Nie Shuangshuang broke into a cold sweat for him.

These guards might have moderate strength individually, but in such numbers! This seemed like a suicidal tactic from Jie Fangcheng—

"Ahhhh!"

It was hard to articulate the chaos that ensued at that moment. It wasn't a grain of rice that had fallen into the bin; it was more like a rat that had found its way into the rice bin.

Jie Fangcheng's stick danced swiftly in his hands, sending guard after guard flying with each blow.

—Indeed flying—guards were sent sailing right over Nie Shuangshuang’s head, landing to roll about haphazardly on the ground.

Jie Fangcheng managed to send people flying with a single strike of his stick, creating a spectacle that resembled joyous fireworks erupting in the sky.

Nie Shuangshuang was initially ready to rush to his aid, but found herself spellbound by his performance.

Jie Fangcheng fought at a blistering pace, quickly reducing a group of guards to a sprawl on the ground.

Some of the more astute ones had already started screaming and scattering in all directions. Without a word, Jie Fangcheng shouted, "Don't run!" and pursued them like a runaway stallion, quickly disappearing from sight. Soon after, screams could be heard echoing from the direction he had taken off in.

The crowd was left with their mouths agape.

Everyone was stunned and lost for words.

"Can a dungeon be cleared like this?" Even the veteran players were mesmerized.

Nie Shuangshuang turned her head and remarked, "If you had his kind of strength, you could clear it this way too."

"Ah." The veteran players came back to their senses, not forgetting to emphasize once more, alongside Granny Li, to the wide-eyed new players that the game was indeed perilous and extremely difficult to clear, urging them to tread carefully.

As for the one who charged out... pay him no mind; it was a spectacle none had witnessed before.

Nie Shuangshuang led the players to the wall, initially intending to protect them since their strength was clearly inadequate. In case any enemies slipped past Jie Fangcheng and approached, without Nie Shuangshuang guarding the place, things might go awry.

However, the frequency of screams from Jie Fangcheng's direction gradually decreased.

Soon enough, a sullen Jie Fangcheng returned, his stick hoisted on his shoulder.

"What happened? Did you encounter the City Lord or the celestial master? Why did you come back?" Nie Shuangshuang inquired.

Jie Fangcheng's face soured further, "Couldn't catch up."

Nie Shuangshuang nodded, understanding.

"You're really dragging your feet with that speed, aren't you?" Nie Shuangshuang jested.

Jie Fangcheng could only sigh in resignation, "There was no other way."

Having come all the way to the City Lord's Mansion, and causing such a commotion, it would be utterly frustrating to return without accomplishing anything.

Nie Shuangshuang pondered briefly before retrieving a piece of chalk from her backpack.

【Item: Little Red Girl's White Chalk·Rare (Damaged)】

【Description: Oh dear, Little Red adores playing the hopscotch game! She is a good girl who adheres to the game's rules; the drawn squares should not be touched recklessly, you know!】

【Tip: Although the white chalk can draw many squares, it will eventually run out, right?】

【Effect: After drawing a perfect square, Little Red will guard and protect the individuals within the square!】

【Special Warning: This item is damaged, and the Red-Dressed Girl's power has diminished. Please use with caution.】

Nie Shuangshuang quickly drew squares for the players.

"This is a very defensive item. As long as you stay within the squares, you'll be safe. Remember, do not step out of the square," she warned.

Having said that, Nie Shuangshuang snapped her fingers at Jie Fangcheng.

"Let's go, I'll hold them back as much as possible until you arrive, okay?"

Jie Fangcheng nodded, repeating, "Okay, okay, okay."

The two walked side by side, engaging in conversation that carried over to where the players were standing.

"Hey, you're really strong, huh? What's your individual skill? Do you have any special items? How are you so adept at fighting NPCs?"

"Oh, I'm just experienced. By the way, I've been wanting to ask, do you still have those pastries you gave to that lady earlier?"

"Ah, yes, I do. You want some?" Nie Shuangshuang asked, her voice tinged with curiosity, "You even chat with NPCs to gather clues?"

"No, I just thought they looked quite appetizing. Can I try a couple?"

Damn it!

The players behind them wore expressions of shock.

Lu Tong and the others were speechless.

Leaving aside the tense atmosphere... where did this idea of eating the item even come from??

Can items even be eaten...?

Actually, in Lu Tong's system backpack, there were similar food-type items, but for players, having a pancake with a sausage and an egg at the entrance would only cost about ten points. These food-type items, even if cheap, would cost hundreds of points. How could anyone possibly try them just out of curiosity?

Besides, items can't be eaten, right?

Over there, Nie Shuangshuang responded to him: "They can't be eaten."

Lu Tong nodded silently, thinking that this was the attitude of a seasoned player.

Subsequently, Nie Shuangshuang continued, "I've tried it before; if you try to bite it, a message pops up saying the item food cannot be consumed."

Her voice carried a hint of regret.

The two of them continued their conversation as they moved further away. Soon, from the distance where they had headed, screams of NPCs resounded, one after another.

Occasionally, one could hear Nie Shuangshuang shouting, "Over here, over here!" "Over there, over there!"

A player muttered to themselves, "Is this really a boss battle? It feels more like a game of whack-a-mole..."

Everyone broke out in a sweat.

.

Inside the main building of the city lord's mansion.

Jie Fangcheng and Nie Shuangshuang had fought from the south to the north in a full circle. It was only Jie Fangcheng who had confronted the city lord — a seemingly handsome and vigorous middle-aged man. However, upon clashing, the man's back split open, revealing a circle of children's arms sprouting from it.

The resentful infants in the courtyard were mostly mutilated, either missing limbs or reduced to mere heads.

The missing parts had been absorbed by the city lord standing before them.

But it was futile.

The city lord's intricate transformation couldn't withstand Jie Fangcheng's simple yet powerful strike. With one blow, the city lord felt like a half-filled water gourd about to be emptied by the force of the hit.

Unbeatable!

The crafty boss used both hands and feet, swiftly fleeing from Jie Fangcheng's sight.

As for the celestial master... according to the strategy guide, she should be veiled in black, but when Jie Fangcheng encountered her, she was wearing a goose-yellow gown, appearing like an innocent rich young lady based on her looks alone.

If not for the instance when she saw Jie Fangcheng, flinging several children's heads from her sleeves, Jie Fangcheng might have hesitated to recognize her.

But the force of Jie Fangcheng's strike was too immense, causing the celestial master to flee as quickly as the city lord.

Jie Fangcheng only pursued for a short distance before deciding not to chase in vain.

At this moment, despite searching with Nie Shuangshuang, they hadn't encountered the city lord or the celestial master again.

Nie Shuangshuang found it hard to believe when she learned of the celestial master's appearance from Jie Fangcheng.

"What? The celestial master really conspired with the city lord?" Nie Shuangshuang couldn't help expressing her frustration, "This city lord was initially a poor lad, the celestial master's family supported his education and imperial examinations. After he succeeded, he massacred her entire family. Any person with a shred of conscience would seek vengeance for such blood feud, it would be considered unfilial for the celestial master not to seek revenge. How could she cohabit and reconcile with this city lord??"

Jie Fangcheng then recalled the first instance dungeon.

In that first instance dungeon, after Ge Juan was taken away, the character "Ge Juan" was not missing in the instance.

He then connected this to the glitch-like system announcement he received after clearing that instance.

【A similar model will be selected from the database for reconstruction.】

If a key NPC was taken away, the game system would extract a similar spirit trapped within the game from the database to rebuild the key NPC.

It wasn't difficult to deduce from the impostor Ge Juan's behavior that the real Ge Juan was a loving mother to her child, while the fake one had no affection for the child at all.

Therefore, this celestial master seemed to be another similar model selected from the database.

This is... truly disgusting.

The real celestial master wasn't a good person either, seeking vengeance, she let all the children in the Fulkai City accompany her in death.

Such actions would surely warrant eternal imprisonment in the underworld, no excuses, no matter how dire, could justify sacrificing the innocent.

The citizens of the city would find even the most brutal of punishments insufficient for her.

She committed these atrocities in the name of vengeance.

What about the impostor celestial master?

Looking at the state of the city lord, it doesn't seem like he's been attacked at all.

Even Jie Fangcheng, who usually maintains a steady demeanor and harbors an indifferent attitude towards life and death, felt an unprecedented level of annoyance at this moment.

"Search. They must definitely be inside the city lord's mansion. If all else fails..."

Jie Fangcheng immediately thought of a new approach.

"If all else fails, let's just tear down the city lord's mansion."

Nie Shuangshuang paused, baffled: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Was she still pondering what "tear down" meant as an adjective? Dismantle? Did Jie Fangcheng have some skill to dismantle buildings?

It wasn't that Nie Shuangshuang was narrow-minded; it was just that the buildings crafted by the system were really robust, and even at her peak, Nie Shuangshuang had never considered demolishing a house.

Meanwhile, Jie Fangcheng had already swung his staff.

With a "boom", the noise echoed louder than yesterday's thunder.

The wall collapsed before him.

Without another word, Jie Fangcheng swung his staff a second time.

Another resonating "boom" sounded.

Nie Shuangshuang's mouth hung open: "You...cough, cough, cough!"

Dust filled the air.

Frantically waving her hands, Nie Shuangshuang spat out several mouthfuls of dust.

"You...you..."

Jie Fangcheng gestured to her with a nod of his chin: "Move aside."

"Ah..." Nie Shuangshuang, albeit confused, obediently stepped aside.

The two were now standing inside the main house, as Jie Fangcheng swung his staff a third time, targeting a load-bearing pillar.

A thunderous "boom" reverberated throughout.

Nie Shuangshuang watched the scene before her with a stupefied expression on her face.

The... house has collapsed.

The collapsed house revealed a concealed secret chamber.

Jie Fangcheng stepped into the dark chamber and quickly sensed that something was amiss.

He stomped his foot fiercely, causing another wave of teeth-gritting sounds as something else broke.

The secret chamber... no, now it was clearly visible to all.

On the floor of the now illuminated room, a staircase leading downwards appeared before them.

Nie Shuangshuang and Jie Fangcheng exchanged a glance and immediately rushed down the stairs, quickly disappearing from sight.

Meanwhile, the players huddled in a corner were engrossed in a conversation that was somewhat tense yet somewhat boring.

Because this instance was somewhat too easy, the atmosphere among them was quite pleasant.

Veterans like Lu Tonghe were sharing some wisdom and experiences with the newcomers, urging them not to take the ease of this level for granted.

At that moment, someone first noticed that something was wrong.

"Hey! Is... is the water level in the courtyard well rising?"

Lu Tonghe quickly turned his head to check.

Indeed, it was.

The city lord's mansion occupied a vast area, designed as a quadrangle, with a well situated in the very center.

Unlike the dark and grim well at the Fu Lai Inn, the well in the city lord's mansion had been aesthetically adorned with some lotus plants.

At this moment, what was once just a glimpse of a lotus bud had now revealed much more, even the leaves were faintly visible.

Lu Tonghe paused for a moment before hurriedly calming the panicked novice players.

"Everyone, stay still! Pay attention to the white grid on the ground! The grid that Sister Shuang drew is powerful, it will protect us if something truly comes out from the well!"

The group had barely managed to stay calm for half a minute when the water level in the well began to rise more and more rapidly.

Then... the water started overflowing from the well.

If evil spirits or monsters emerged, the little girl in red who drew the grid would appear to protect the players.

But what would happen if it were water that could... wash away the chalk marks of the white grid?

Initially, the water only flowed slowly across the ground, but soon, the well seemed to boil over, spewing forth blood-red water.

The bloody water quickly reached where the players were. Just as it touched the white chalk grid, a cute little girl in a red dress with twin ponytails appeared beside the grid.

Before the players could even catch their breath, she looked at the notch in the white grid at her feet which was created by the flowing blood, and turned around with a mix of helplessness and frustration.

"If the grid disappears, so will I. You all should run quickly," she said.

After saying this, she turned her head away.

From the well, rotten hands reduced to mere skeletons began reaching out.

Subsequently, the owner of that hand began to hoist its body upwards.

It was a pregnant woman dressed in garments that, despite being soaked and decayed, still hinted at their once luxurious nature. She was bound with chains, the other end attached to a heavy, massive rock.

Half of the pregnant woman's face had already decayed, an eyeball hanging loosely from its socket, staring directly at the players huddled in the corner.

"Fresh flesh... fresh flesh... eat, eat..." The pregnant woman murmured, her hand caressing her belly. Even with only half a face remaining, she displayed a gentle maternal touch as she lowered her head, "Child... needs to be born healthy... so..."

She lifted her head slowly again, then suddenly climbed out of the well, landing on all fours, her large belly pointing upwards.

"All of you... must die!" she shrieked.