Chapter 74: Fulai Inn (Nine)

Chapter 74: Fulai Inn (Nine)

Nie Shuangshuang had cleared over a hundred dungeons, but none had ever been like this.

A coup? A revolution?? Isn't this supposed to be a horror game?

In Nie Shuangshuang's mind, images of figures like Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang began to play out... She felt that this Mr. Zhang wasn't donning a trench coat, but rather wearing a dragon robe.

Nie Shuangshuang couldn't resist asking: "So, what's our next move? Raise banners? Draft petitions written in blood? Assassinate the city lord?"

Zhang Daoan maintained a calm demeanor: "Have lunch."

Indeed, it was about time for lunch.

The inn provided meals and accommodation, and dining was done in the main hall.

Not long after the trio descended, other players also began to trickle into the hall.

People like Auntie Li and Xu Hanrui naturally joined Jie Fangcheng and his group at their table.

Sun Yan, who looked down on newbie players yet wanted to ingratiate himself with the big shots, also hesitated not a moment before joining this table.

However, the rest of the players kept a considerable distance due to the remarks made by Jie Fangcheng earlier, occasionally turning around to cast curious glances, perhaps wondering why this unfamiliar face, Zhang Daoan, had appeared.

Their scrutinizing gazes were blatantly obvious, and some were even whispering to each other, constantly peering in their direction.

Feeling increasingly irritated, Nie Shuangshuang slapped her chopsticks onto the table, turned her head and yelled, "What are you looking at?"

The whispering group of players finally retracted their gazes.

Nie Shuangshuang muttered a few curses under her breath.

Observing this scene, Zhang Daoan understood and commented, "Though highly annoying, you still intend to save them?"

Nie Shuangshuang paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile: "I can't overlook it, my conscience won't allow me to ignore someone in danger."

That's just the way she was. In the real world, she once rushed to help a child who fell down while she was on her way to work, without giving it a second thought. Next thing she knew, she found herself in this darn game.

After entering Ronghua, this character trait of hers became even more pronounced, earning Nie Shuangshuang a reputation as a volunteer among her guild mates.

After hearing her story, Zhang Daoan emotionlessly remarked, "Quite the good Samaritan, aren't you?"

The comment sounded somewhat sarcastic, making Nie Shuangshuang hold her breath and furrow her brows in irritation, though she didn't verbalize any objections.

Midway through the meal, a few individuals in the corner started shoving each other, eventually pushing one person forward as their representative, who then approached Nie Shuangshuang's table.

"Sister Shuangshuang," the newcomer called her fondly, a smile gracing their face.

It's said one should not slap a smiling face, yet Nie Shuangshuang raised her head with a cold expression, "What is it?"

The individual who approached was named Hong Wenhao, also a member of the small courtyard gathering this morning.

They had discussed at length in the courtyard earlier.

These two veteran players were only so capable. The more powerful one couldn't catch up with the monsters, while the one who could wasn't strong enough. Given the dungeon's apparent danger, they had to be extra cautious about their own safety.

In the real world, Hong Wenhao was a physical education student with an excellent physique. Furthermore, he wasn't the type to be brawny but brainless; he had a stint in the student union during his four college years, seemingly hinting at a leadership role amongst the new players.

His decision to approach them was based on his confidence in his capabilities and his status among the new players, expecting the veterans to at least give him some consideration.

"Is it true that you plan to meet the city lord this afternoon?"

Nie Shuangshuang first turned to Zhang Daoan for his opinion.

Zhang Daoan was sipping his porridge. After finishing his mouthful and wiping his lips, he finally looked up, "Who are you?"

"Ah," Hong Wenhao paused before introducing himself, "I'm Hong Wenhao, a former graduate student from the physical education department at D University, also the student union president at D University..."

"Pretty average university, huh," Zhang Daoan interrupted, then casually added, "Just get to the point, what do you want?"

Hong Wenhao: "..."

Since he specifically mentioned D University, he obviously had pride in his institution. Being interrupted like this made his face turn red instantly, "And who might you be?"

"Me?" Zhang Daoan smiled, "Hello, I'm Zhang Tao, cleared the game twelve times, member of the... Chaoyang Guild, ranked first in the guild. Any other questions?"

"..." Hong Wenhao fell silent.

He boasted about his impressive past life, but one look at this Zhang Tao made it clear; the achievements of their past lives seemed inconsequential in the eyes of these veteran players.

Yes, after all, they were dead now...

Zhang Daoan continued, "So, what did you come here to tell us?"

Regaining his senses, Hong Wenhao realized that the confidence he came with, along with a series of prepared statements, seemed to have diminished considerably at this moment.

"Oh... Well," finally, Hong Wenhao managed to say, "We were thinking, Sister Shuangshuang and Brother Jie are indeed very powerful. If you go after the city lord... we new players can't really be of any help, following you seems rather unrealistic."

Nie Shuangshuang glanced at him somewhat surprisingly.

Those words sounded quite reasonable.

"But... with so many of us here, Sister Shuangshuang, you can't just let us march to our deaths, can you?"

Hong Wenhao had also noticed that among these veteran players, Nie Shuangshuang seemed to have a fiery temper, yet last night she went door-to-door advising the new players, and her expression was the most mournful when witnessing numerous deaths this morning. Clearly, she was the easiest to persuade.

Hearing Hong Wenhao say this, Nie Shuangshuang's brow furrowed, "What exactly are you trying to say? Spit it out!"

"Ahem," Hong Wenhao cleared his throat and rubbed his nose, seemingly a bit uneasy as he glanced at the seated Zong Daoan, "Here's the thing, after our discussion, we realized that we need to stand on our own two feet instead of constantly relying on your protection. So... Sister Shuangshuang, do you think you could possibly assist us in some way?"

"What kind of assistance?"

"Well...things like items, skills, and such." As he reached this point, Hong Wenhao seemed to shed his embarrassment, his voice even raising a notch, deliberately loud enough for everyone in the lobby to hear, inviting other novice players to join their cause. "Us beginners lack skills and items. For you and Brother Jie, possessing extra items and skills is just a bonus, but for us, it's a lifeline in times of need! Sister Shuangshuang, could you lend us some items that you don't use... like that grid-drawing one you had this morning... You don't seem to need it, so could you lend it to us?"

Nie Shuangshuang was stunned.

In this game, items and skills were the cornerstone of every player's survival. No one would find their collection of items or skills excessive; each addition served as a comforting reassurance.

Nie Shuangshuang was generally generous and indeed possessed a set of core awakening skills that rendered some items redundant for her. She would usually share such items with friends... but that was with "friends"!

Who exactly was this kid in front of her? If Zong Daoan hadn't asked for his name, Nie Shuangshuang wouldn't have even known what to call him.

How could he have the audacity to ask for such favors?

Yet, not only was Hong Wenhao audacious enough to ask, but he seemed increasingly convinced of the validity of his request.

"With skills and items, our strengths will augment, maybe even to the extent of assisting you guys! Nobody wants to be a burden, right?"

As he spoke, Hong Wenhao sought to garner more support.

— Astonishingly, a few individuals echoed in agreement.

"Exactly, if we had items and skills, we could defend ourselves. Sister Shuangshuang, you and Brother Jie could go after the BOSS with peace of mind!"

"Just thinking about this morning, if we had that grid-drawing item, we could've been much more helpful. Perhaps Lu and Yue wouldn't have had to die..."

"Yes, yes, we don't ask for much, just enough to defend ourselves. Sister Shuangshuang, being as capable as you are, you surely must have items you don't need, right?"

The knife in Nie Shuangshuang's hand was raised in readiness, as Zong Daoan spoke calmly, "So, essentially, you wish to be protected, correct?"

Hong Wenhao hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded, "Yes! So, if Sister Shuangshuang could give us..."

"Simple. You desire protection, yet you don't expect to offer something in return, do you?" Zong Daoan eyed him, "Your candle supplies might not last the night, correct? Let's settle the accounts periodically then."

Hong Wenhao froze, "What?"

"To secure a safe passage through the night, exchange it with your dungeon points," Zong Daoan suggested, turning to consult the main contributors for the night, "These players might not make it out of the dungeon, losing their points upon death. Being newcomers with nothing to offer, we could start a tab for now. Any objections?"

Before Nie Shuangshuang could react, Jie Fangcheng nodded, "No objections."

"Hmm." Zong Daoan directed his gaze at the still bewildered Hong Wenhao, and then at the surrounding players who were silently watching, "You've all heard. If you wish to survive tonight, pay with your points after exiting the dungeon. Those in agreement, come find me in the afternoon. Those opposed..."

Zong Daoan chuckled, "Find your own way to deal with the monsters in the well."

Only then did Hong Wenhao comprehend. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Zong Daoan, "Bro, what are you implying?! You want Sister Shuangshuang and the others to abandon us to our fate tonight???"

"It's not us who will abandon you, but yourselves," Zong Daoan's voice was not loud, yet rang clear in the silent lobby, "I've laid out a survival strategy for you. If you choose to reject it and court death instead— or perhaps you have your own ingenious survival plans for tonight, I'm eager to witness your splendid performances."

"Moreover, it is indeed regrettable that this morning, during the pursuit of the BOSS by players Jie Fangcheng and Nie Shuangshuang, we experienced an unfortunate accident. We lost two valuable companions who protected the majority of you. Due to your weakness, their deaths occurred, and we will hold you accountable for this responsibility."

"No, how is it our fault??" someone immediately countered, "It was clearly because Brother Jie and Sister Shuangshuang were away for too long, giving the monsters an opportunity to strike! What does that have to do with us?"

Jiang Dao'an looked at the speaker indifferently, "When they proposed to pursue the BOSS, did any of you object? Did anyone offer a better suggestion? Did anyone analyze a better strategy to clear the level? No."

"They assumed a major part of the responsibility for clearing the level. No one thinks this was expected, right? It's not. It is because, as players in the same level, your abilities are too weak. Not only were you unable to assist, but you also became a hindrance. Hence, they chose to take on more within their capabilities. However, it seems like you've all been overlooking the fact that the responsibility to clear the level is shared equally among every player. They took up their share, it was you who didn't fulfill yours, thus causing the death of other players. You can blame every person around you for the death of your companions because that is indeed the truth."

As it seemed someone else wanted to speak up, Jiang Dao'an only gave them a cold glance.

"Indeed, you are novice players with weak abilities — so, if you die in this game, it would only serve you right. After all, this game is a survival of the fittest. If you want to survive, you have to pay a price. I've already mentioned the terms. If anyone disagrees, you are free to choose another path. Any other questions?"

The room fell into a dead silence.

Jiang Dao'an nodded, "Then let's proceed."

With that, he picked up his spoon and continued to sip his porridge, spoonful by spoonful.

Nie Shuangshuang watched from the side, her expression transitioning from shock to complexity, and finally settling into admiration.

She raised her hand and slapped Jiang Dao'an on the back with a 'slap,' "Well done, brother!"

Jiang Dao'an was pushed forward by the slap, causing the spoon in his hand to shake, and a spoonful of porridge spilled out.

Jie Fangcheng quickly held back Nie Shuangshuang, "What are you doing? Do you have a death wish?"

Nie Shuangshuang was still giggling foolishly, "Ah? What happened?"

Jiang Dao'an wiped his hands and adjusted his glasses.

"Nie Shuangshuang?" he began slowly.

Nie Shuangshuang froze, feeling her hairs stand on end.

"Ah... what is it?"

Jiang Dao'an smiled, "Nice name."

.

In the afternoon, the first person promptly came to find Jiang Dao'an.

"I will give you all my points." Xu Hanrui still looked pale, but there seemed to be flames burning in her eyes, "If it wasn't for Sister Shuangshuang and Brother Jie, I would have died a long time ago. Thank you."

Nie Shuangshuang responded generously and straightforwardly, "Oh, there's no need for that."

However, Jiang Dao'an accepted, "Alright."

Not only did he agree, but he also emphasized in a firm and formal manner, "Although it's on credit, you should be aware of our strength here. Once you leave the dungeon, you must hand over the points. If not, bear the consequences. Understood?"

Xu Hanrui nodded immediately, "No problem."

After speaking, she hesitated for a moment: "But this credit is just for tonight, right? Is there any other price to be paid tomorrow?"

"Staggered payments, tomorrow has its own rate."

"Alright."

Xu Hanrui left.

Nie Shuangshuang couldn't help herself: "This young lady isn't like those other players, she is actually quite good."

"What does her being a good person have to do with aiding her in clearing the dungeon?" Zheng Daoan looked at her, "People tend not to cherish what comes easily. Even if she thinks this way now, can you assure that she won't change?"

Nie Shuangshuang fell silent.

Xu Hanrui's arrival seemed to act as a catalyst, prompting the second, the third... Shortly after the afternoon began, six of the remaining twelve newcomers agreed to the exchange.

But after those six, there was no movement from the other players as evening approached.

Nie Shuangshuang indeed has a kind heart, but she isn't a naive saint.

Zheng Daoan proposed a trade — the dungeon clearing credits in exchange for safety tonight. If they weren't even willing to give up their credits, as Zheng Daoan pointed out, they were forfeiting their own lives. Nie Shuangshuang might be kind-hearted, but she isn't foolish, why would she step forward to assist them?

This number of people, however, was beyond Nie Shuangshuang's expectations.

"There are still six left, so many..."

Nie Shuangshuang murmured.

Zheng Daoan shook his head: "Not six, seven."

"Huh?"

Zheng Daoan explained: "Isn't there still an old player?"

Upon hearing this, Nie Shuangshuang realized what he meant.

"Sun Yan? Wasn't he sitting with us at noon?"

Although Nie Shuangshuang didn't hold him in high regard, she thought that Zheng Daoan's "us" included Sun Yan.

Naturally, Sun Yan thought so too.

He was blissfully staying in his room, feeling that this dungeon was indeed quite relaxed.

Not to mention Jie Fangcheng and Nie Shuangshuang, their abilities were evident, making the dungeon seem not so difficult.

As for why so many had died... A death rate of over ninety percent among the newcomers was quite normal, and although two veteran players died, it was because of their stupidity.

If they had fled early like him, the monsters would most likely target the slower newcomers, instead of chasing the veteran players who were faster.

How wonderful.

Sun Yan thought, he was totally winning this without lifting a finger!!

Sun Yan, who was gleefully thinking this, didn't even bother to light a candle when evening arrived.

After all, Jie Fangcheng and others would protect him, right...??

"Damn!!" In just a blink of an eye, the paper doll next to Sun Yan was attacked by two resentful spirits with only mouths left, instantly turning it into scraps.

Sun Yan quickly activated his personal skills, fleeing the room at high speed.

"Brother Jie!! There's something in my room! Help me!!" he yelled.

He then realized... Jie Fangcheng and others were standing in the corridor of the building to the west, accompanied by six new players, looking indifferently towards the building on the east.

The resentful spirits knew how formidable Jie Fangcheng was, not daring to venture west, but upon noticing Jie Fangcheng’s lack of response after heading east, they immediately began hunting for prey.

Shrieks echoed from various places in the eastern building.

Damn! When did they move to the west side? Why wasn't he informed???

Sun Yan was thinking thus.

Nie Shuangshuang was powerful, capable of leaping from one building to another in an instant, but Sun Yan was just an average player. He glanced downwards into the courtyard where resentful spirits were surging and attempting to escape.

Sun Yan hurriedly lifted his face.

"!!Brother Jie! Sister Shuangshuang!! Please save me!!"

Nie Shuangshuang crossed her arms over her chest, stating: "But you didn't come to find Teacher Zhang this afternoon."

Even Auntie Li came — of course, it appeared that Auntie Li was part of their team and didn't need to pay.

If Zhang Tao even took money from Auntie Li, Nie Shuangshuang would indeed have serious reservations about him.

Zheng Daoan wasn't really relying on this to make money, he clearly understood who should pay and who shouldn't.

This Sun Yan, of course, should be charged, not only should he be charged, but as Jie Fangcheng knew more about his real intentions, he already had a vague sense that this person was doing it on purpose.

Deliberately not reminding Sun Yan, for he wasn't part of their group.

This afternoon, they had intentionally moved more quietly when directing everyone to shift, simply to keep Sun Yan in the dark.

Sun Yan did have some abilities, still managing to handle the resentful spirits albeit frantically. Though he suffered a few cuts on his skin, screamed pitifully, and looked extremely miserable, he wasn't facing imminent death.

"Ahhhh! But I am with you guys!!" Sun Yan shrieked.

"Who said you were with us? Join our 'lumber fatigue' just because you want to?" Nie Shuangshuang had absolutely no fondness for him, and didn't hesitate to retort sharply at this moment.

Jie Fangcheng asked from the side: "What does 'lumber fatigue' mean?"

"A team. It's an outdated internet slang," Zheng Daoan responded.

"Oh, I see."

"Outdated??" Nie Shuangshuang turned her head, an incredulous expression on her face. "This was quite trendy before I died! What's in vogue now?"

Sun Yan screamed in agony, his eyes filled with a blood-red hue: "How could you guys do this?!!"

"Indeed, how could you claim the merits of the deceased as your own!" Li Sheng, usually good-natured, was glaring at him hostilely.

After all, it could be said that the deaths of Yue Qin and Lu Tonghe were partly to protect Li Sheng.

Yet Sun Yan wanted to tarnish Yue Qin’s reputation, making his death seem meaningless and unjust!

Sun Yan was well aware of his moral deficit.

Just then, in the eastern building, a new player was the first to be unable to hold back, dragged out of the room by a resentful spirit.

Half of the new player's body was gone, and seeing Nie Shuangshuang, whom he had thought would be easy to manipulate, merely observing coldly with crossed arms, he finally had a moment of clarity: "Save me!! I... I am willing to give up all my points!!"

The people opposite remained unmoved.

However, Sun Yan quickly caught on: "I am willing to give a hundred thousand points!! Plus the clearance points from this instance!!"

The number of resentful spirits was increasing, and he was about to be overwhelmed.

On the western building, Zheng Daoan finally gave a nod of approval.

Nie Shuangshuang, who had been ready for a while, didn't hesitate and leaped into the eastern building, quickly pulling Sun Yan back to safety.

This had been agreed upon beforehand.

"Selfish, cowardly, and foolish, it's disgusting, but he shouldn't die at the hands of these monsters," Zheng Daoan had said during the afternoon when it was just the few of them.

This left Nie Shuangshuang stunned for a moment: "Did you discuss this with Brother Jie?"

How come their statements matched so perfectly?

"What?" Zheng Daoan paused, taken aback.

Even Jie Fangcheng couldn't resist looking at him: "You have quite a high level of moral thinking, don't you!"

Nie Shuangshuang: "..."

Did this man just praise himself with that remark?!

So, although it seemed like she was just watching the show, Nie Shuangshuang had been prepared all along.

Now that Sun Yan was the first to be rescued, the remaining new players quickly caught the drift.

"I... I'm willing to hand over all my points, props, and personal skills! As long as you agree to save me!!"

"Ah!! Save me first, I can't hold on any longer!! I will give you anything, just please save me!! I beg you!!"

"Brother Jie, Sister Shuangshuang, please help me, I don't want to die... I am willing to give you the points from my next instance as well!!"

While the others were wailing and pleading across, Zheng Daoan meticulously confirmed with each one individually, nodding only after receiving a definite response.

Four in total.

In the end, except for Sun Yan, the scene across turned eerily silent after Nie Shuangshuang made four trips back and forth.

Two newcomers didn't even get the chance to go through this ordeal before they perished.

One person, who had never experienced such pain before, was rolling on the ground begging Nie Shuangshuang, "Sister Shuangshuang! Do you have any potion that heals immediately upon drinking? Can you give me a bottle?"

Nie Shuangshuang had seen it all clearly by now: "Yes, we do. Twenty thousand a bottle."

The player, who was wailing and lamenting moments ago, fell silent.

See?

Indeed, being too kind to them isn't the right approach.

Nie Shuangshuang reflected inwardly.

Ironically, when not treated well, no one among these players seemed to have any complaints now; their expressions appeared significantly more compliant.

Hong Wenhao - the one who, with confidence, had asked Nie Shuangshuang for props in the afternoon, was very assertive when they discussed in a group of six earlier.

"Impossible, just by looking at that woman, you can tell she has a kind heart; there's no way she would just stand by and watch us die. That newcomer at noon was just trying to scare us. What's there to fear? There are so many of us; would she really let all six of us die together?"

As it turns out... yes, she would.

Hong Wenhao was somewhat wiser by night. Realizing something was amiss, he immediately lit a candle, reducing the extent of his injuries slightly. He no longer held the haughty demeanor he had during the day, instead trembling fearfully in a corner.

Over there, Zheng Daoan was methodically tallying up the items they had agreed to give earlier.

Jie Fangcheng was harmoniously coordinating with him.

"It's already so late, isn't it the same if we tally them up tomorrow?"

Zheng Daoan replied calmly, "While the resentful spirits haven't left yet, let's finish the tally. If anyone displeases us, we can throw them down directly."

Who would dare to lie after hearing that?

Shortly, Zheng Daoan completed the tally of the list of items promised by several individuals, his gaze sweeping over everyone present from behind his glasses.

"Let me reiterate to everyone, you are currently in debt. Once we exit the instance, promptly transfer the points and don't make us chase after you. We have individuals here who are very adept at debt collection."

Jie Fangcheng cooperated perfectly, pulling out a baseball bat and smashing the wall next to him with a single swing.

"I personally handle the debt collection for my company, and not a single debt has gone bad. Think about this carefully on your own."

Everyone trembled in fear.

"Alright, it's getting late. Everyone should find a room to sleep in. I guarantee everyone's safety for tonight."

Someone asked timidly, "What... what about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Zheng Daoan smiled, "Tomorrow will have its own price."

No one spoke anymore; everyone returned to their rooms one after another, unsure how many would actually be able to sleep tonight.

Nie Shuangshuang watched with a mix of delight and complex emotions. She whispered to Jie Fangcheng, "Is your friend really a university professor? Why do I feel like he resembles more of a local mob boss?"

This relentless dual suppression through intellect and force really made it hard not to question whether this philosophy professor was simply just a professor.

"He should be." Jie Fangcheng replied to her.

Nie Shuangshuang exclaimed in admiration, "In that case, his course attendance rate must be a solid 100%, right?"

Unexpectedly, Professor Zhang had exceptionally sharp hearing. He turned around and said gently, "It's not that exaggerated."

Nie Shuangshuang breathed a sigh of relief.

Zheng Daoan added, "Those who are hospitalized are excused from attending."

Nie Shuangshuang: "......"

Damn it!

What on earth is the background of this guy?!

The group was talking and getting ready to retire to their rooms, though Nie Shuangshuang hesitated for a moment.

"However... I can understand it for those six on the other side, but what about the ones who came to find us early in the afternoon? Are they really supposed to give points too?"

"Why not?"

"They didn't really do anything."

Zheng Daoan looked at her quietly, "Not taking action when they should have, doesn't that warrant a lesson?"

"Ah..." Nie Shuangshuang scratched her head, quickly accepting this logic, "You have a point. Well... goodnight?"

"Mm."

Nie Shuangshuang returned to her room. Jie Fangcheng yawned and waved at him, "I'm going to sleep too."

"Alright."

Jie Fangcheng touched his nose, "Thanks a lot."

Zheng Daoan just smiled.

"Manager Jie, shouldn't it be me, this 'person', thanking you instead?"

"Huh?"

"Thank you for being willing to assist the players? It seems like it would be most convenient for you to simply eliminate everyone, yet you have never considered that, have you?"

Indeed.

To kill the players and then allow the Book of Life and Death to gather their souls after clearing the instance—it would be much more convenient than leading a group of players to clear it.

But Jie Fangcheng had never considered doing this.

"Oh, I'm on vacation," Jie Fangcheng responded.

Zheng Daoan only smiled, giving a casual wave of his hand, "Good night."

Jie Fangcheng somehow felt as if he had been seen through.

He also waved back, "Ahem... Good night."

Returning to his room, Zheng Daoan removed his glasses.

He looked at the wall, as though he could see through it to perceive the person in the room opposite.

"Really... that persistent soft-heartedness hasn't changed, huh."

Zheng Daoan sighed.

.

The next morning, everyone gathered again to have breakfast.

This time, no one needed to deliberately arrange anything. The other players voluntarily gathered around Jie Fangcheng's table. Regardless of their individual thoughts, at least superficially, everyone sitting together resembled a unified group.

Nie Shuangshuang couldn't help but admire the scene internally.

Just look at how skillfully he managed this. Yesterday the players were at odds with each other, but now, even if everyone harbored their own ulterior motives, on the surface, they were as docile as quails.

The inn was no longer inhabited by players alone.

"Hey, waiter! Bring me some beef!"

The waiter quickly limped away to serve the customer—there was no helping it; yesterday this stubborn NPC insisted on driving out the tenants who didn't have children with them.

Jie Fangcheng was the first to bear the brunt.

Without a word, Jie Fangcheng picked up a stick and chased him, beating him for two streets.

The waiter, looking utterly forlorn, indeed didn't dare to speak further with this group of players. Their paper dolls had become full-fledged mascots now.

However, refraining from speaking to the players didn't mean he wouldn't make requests of the regular NPCs.

"Esteemed guest, our humble establishment is presently catering exclusively to families with children in anticipation of the city lord's young master's hundred-days celebration. You see..."

This guest hadn't brought a child, but evidently had plenty of silver. Without another word, they slapped down a bar of silver.

"Enough with the chatter! Hurry up, I need to hit the road after eating!"

The waiter tried to warn again, "Young master, our place truly..."

"Speed up! Stop dilly-dallying. Do you think I lack the funds?"

The waiter's expression shifted, and then from nowhere, he drew a knife from his waist. With two swift slashes, he brought down this NPC, showcasing remarkable agility.

The novice players exchanged bewildered glances once more.

They had always perceived this waiter to be somewhat weaker, and this feeling wasn't necessarily incorrect. In this dungeon where vengeful infants and the city lord's wife kind of monsters exist, the waiter's strength leaned towards being one of the more skilled among humans, yet not particularly strong.

But this waiter was still an NPC that they, the rookie players, couldn't contend with.

It seems they really need to stick close to the powerhouse individuals; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to withstand even a couple of casual strikes from this NPC.

The crowd exhibited a range of expressions, and breakfast was finished in a somber silence.

Today, Jie Fangcheng and Nie Shuangshuang were planning to go to the western lake with Zheng Daoan to take a look around. Seeing them rise, the new players could only exchange glances, none daring to inquire.

Xu Hanrui, however, didn't overthink it and asked directly: "Brother Jie, where are you guys headed?"

Jie Fangcheng replied to her, "We are going to check out the lake to the west of the city."

"May I join you?"

"You may, but if we encounter any monsters, Shuangshuang and I will pursue them, and we won't be able to protect you," said Jie Fangcheng.

Xu Hanrui nodded, "Understood."

Someone whispered, "What about us, if we stay at the inn..."

The sentence only got started before the person speaking halted, not continuing any further.

Was there really a need to ask? Even the individual accompanying them was told they couldn't be protected, so those staying at the inn would undoubtedly be even less safeguarded. It might be better to follow along; perhaps they wouldn't encounter any monsters. And even if they did, perhaps they might receive some aid?

Consequently, someone promptly asked, "Can we also come along?"

"Yeah, yeah, we will look out for ourselves."

"Absolutely, we won't hold anyone responsible if something happens!"

Jie Fangcheng glanced at Zheng Daoan.

Zheng Daoan spoke up, “Alright then. If you wish to accompany us, it will be ten thousand points per person.”

Everyone: “...”

Someone bravely asked, “But earlier, when Xu Hanrui said she wanted to come along... you didn't mention any points required.”

“First-come, first-serve discount, is that not allowed?” retorted Zheng Daoan.