Chapter 91: Digital Cruise Ship (Part Four)

Chapter 91: Digital Cruise Ship (Part Four)

Ning Suisui was at a loss for words, "No what?"

"Just kill the NPCs directly."

"Kill what?"

"The NPCs," Xie Fangcheng turned his head towards Wei Yuan, "Why does this conversation seem familiar?"

Wei Yuan remained silent, turning to Ning Suisui, "You haven't experienced it, but you will understand once we return."

The phrase "you will understand once we return" was indeed true, yet the scenario was utterly ludicrous.

Ning Suisui's expression seemed to convey, "Have you guys lost your minds?"

How well Wei Yuan understood her sentiment at this moment, the sense of helplessness, yet also realizing the inadequacy of words.

"If you don't believe it, ask Nie Shuangshuang."

Nie Shuangshuang nodded, "I can vouch for it, it's true."

Now, the way Ning Suisui looked at Nie Shuangshuang was akin to gazing at a fool.

"It's really true! Trust me!" Nie Shuangshuang said, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry.

Ning Suisui was quite resolute: "I don't believe it."

Xie Fangcheng was exceedingly bold, pulling out his stick without hesitation.

He felt there wasn't much to explain, simply charging to beat the boss would settle it. After the fight, everyone could peacefully pass the three days, and this instance would be cleared, wouldn't it?

And if there were any issues? That would be even simpler. If trouble arose, just continue fighting; there would eventually be a day of peace.

However, just as he was about to say something, someone gently grasped his wrist.

Xie Fangcheng halted his actions, bowing his head.

Jiang Dao'an seemed as though nothing had happened, his gaze solely focused on Ning Suisui.

"Does whether you believe or not have any relation to us?"

Ning Suisui was momentarily stunned.

Jiang Dao'an released the grip on Xie Fangcheng's hand, adjusting his glasses slightly.

"I believe there is no necessity for us to cooperate, right?"

Ning Suisui was intelligent. Initially, she planned to use the Ronghua Guild to foster a more advantageous environment for them.

After being exposed by Jiang Dao'an, she casually brushed it off, playfully attempting to mask her initial intentions.

But when all is said and done, she intended to move forward at the expense of Ronghua, utilizing the others as pawns.

The individuals in the room were not naive. After Jiang Dao'an finished speaking, everyone was momentarily taken aback, followed by a pervasive silence.

Nie Shuangshuang and Wei Yuan didn't find it particularly surprising, as in the gaming world for an extended period, such schemes are quite commonplace.

Xie Fangcheng cared even less about this. Currently, in his view, players and NPCs were no different, only divided into those he could catch up with and those he couldn't.

Ah, there was a separate category for Jiang Dao'an - this brother was in charge of the paperwork, whether he could get leave sooner was entirely up to him.

Among the six individuals in the room, only Qi Chanyang seemed somewhat saddened after a moment of shock.

Despite Ning Suisui's widely recognized reputation for being frugal and homely, during their brief interaction, Qi Chanyang had formed a rather favorable impression of her.

Ranked seventh on the score chart, yet unlike some top-ranked players who were pretentious, she also maintained a good relationship with Nie Shuangshuang. Although quite money-minded, she wasn't an annoying girl.

But now, he realized once more the cruelty encapsulated within the game.

The ironic thing was, Qi Chanyang could understand why she acted the way she did, and it was this understanding that left him feeling disheartened and lost.

Ning Suisui, on the other hand, merely sported a smile once again.

She had a sweet appearance, with two shallow dimples adorning her cheeks when she smiled. At this moment, she appeared rather playful as she winked at Jiang Dao'an, speaking in a seemingly casual tone: "What's the matter? Can't a team have two clever people?"

Jiang Dao'an cast a fleeting, indifferent glance at her: "Your attempts at instigating dissent are futile."

Like switching a facade, Ning Suisui's smile vanished, she huffed audibly, turning to leave.

Upon reaching the doorway, she turned back to look at Nie Shuangshuang.

"Sister Shuangshuang."

Nie Shuangshuang let out a soft "Ah" in response.

Ning Suisui looked at her intently, "Even in instances where players are pitted against each other, the minimum survival threshold is 10%, you're aware of this, aren't you?"

"Indeed, I am."

This was a lesson gleaned from years of gaming experience by the player community. If an instance includes a player elimination mechanism, aside from the yet unknown "Reincarnation Trial", all other instances maintain at least a 10% survival quota for the players.

Much like the renowned hot air balloon instance in the past, which also presented a 10% survival rate towards the end.

However, having a survival rate doesn't guarantee that a similar proportion of players will survive. Sometimes, in the frenzy of battle or in the rush to seize something valuable, it ends up with only one or two survivors.

The reason Ning Suisui and her team dared to enter this instance was their belief that the treasures obtained would suffice for the seven of them to clear the instance, aligning with the 10% survival rate doctrine.

At this moment, seeing Nie Shuangshuang looking at her somewhat peculiarly, Ning Suisui smiled and waved dismissively.

"I'll head back first, then. Also," she peeked half her face out before closing the door, casting a glance at Jiang Dao'an, "Sister Shuangshuang, your guild's new member is quite annoying, huh."

Saying so, she swiftly retreated, pulling her head back.

The door closed.

Indeed, her best girlfriend felt the same way as she did!

Nie Shuangshuang resisted the urge to nod in agreement.

She coughed lightly, "What does Suisui mean by that remark?"

Wei Yuan sighed, "She means she doesn't harbor any ill intentions towards you. She's counting you as one of the ten, hoping you won't hold any grudges against her."

Nie Shuangshuang paused, then chuckled helplessly, "What's there to be angry about? In the instance, it's every man for himself, guided by fate. Besides, having died and lived here for so many years, it's quite worth it."

Xie Fangcheng looked at her in surprise, "Wow, that's a pretty enlightened perspective."

Nie Shuangshuang nodded with a bit of pride, "Of course."

Despite her words, it was evident she felt somewhat touched.

She and Ning Suisui had never ventured into an instance together before, but both ladies were once figures on the leaderboard. Having received help from Jiang Dawu and being relatively friendly with Ronghua members, it didn't take long for her to get acquainted with Nie Shuangshuang, who also enjoyed changing her hair color and style.

When not venturing into instances, the two girls would dine and drink together, occasionally enjoying a shopping spree, cultivating a friendship that has lasted for many years.

This was the first time the two had entered the same instance together. Seeing the other person considering her well-being, Nie Shuangshuang was quite moved.

Jiang Dao'an glanced at her and abruptly said, "After all, it's 3.9 million, we certainly cannot let you die in this instance."

Nie Shuangshuang: "..."

Damn it! This guy is genuinely irritating!

Even Xie Fangcheng didn't quite agree, "That's not the right way to phrase it."

Nie Shuangshuang looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Xie Fangcheng continued, “You see, that girl is so fond of money, if I were her, I would have asked Shuangshuang for an additional four million to help her clear the level. But she didn't say such a thing, planning to assist her through the level for free; it shows she still cares about Shuangshuang, right? Huh? Wait, is it because you have no points left, that she refrained from saying that?”

Nie Shuangshuang fumed, “A twelve thousand floor! A 2.31 million pillar! A 3.9 million speed boost of 32! Why do you think I have no points left, huh??? Pay me back!!”

“Oh, oh.”

Xie Fangcheng bent down to rummage through his backpack, extracting the baseball bat that Nie Shuangshuang had given him and handed it to her.

Nie Shuangshuang was stunned, “What is this for?”

Xie Fangcheng leisurely replied, “To cover the cost of the twelve thousand floor.”

“…” Nie Shuangshuang roared as she attempted to strangle him, “Is this bat only worth twelve thousand??? It should be at least twenty thousand, right? Besides, wasn't this bat a gift from me?!”

Xie Fangcheng swiftly dodged behind Jiang Dao'an to avoid her.

Nie Shuangshuang's first reaction was to notice that his speed had indeed increased by 32 points, enhancing his dodging efficiency significantly, a highly noticeable improvement.

While she could lash out at Xie Fangcheng, she instinctively withdrew her hand when faced with Jiang Dao'an, leaning sideways and shouting at Xie Fangcheng who was hiding behind Jiang Dao'an, “Return my points once we step outside!”

Xie Fangcheng mumbled, “I'll try my best, I'll try.”

Jiang Dao'an suddenly suggested, “Why not settle the debt with items instead?”

Nie Shuangshuang raised the baseball bat in her hand to eyebrow level, sarcastically inquiring with politeness, “With this kind of item?”

Jiang Dao'an glanced towards the door, whispering, “Isn't there a player ranked fourteenth on the points leaderboard, Gu Zailai, available?”

.

Room 272, second floor.

Gu Zailai ingested another system potion.

He appeared unscathed, without any visible injuries, and a detailed examination wouldn't reveal anything amiss.

Yet he was in pain, akin to soaking in ice and snow wearing a short-sleeved shirt in winter, unable to distinguish whether the chilling sensation caused the unbearable pain or vice versa.

Gu Zailai cursed under his breath, then snapped his fingers.

A thumb-sized, emerald-green entity with fluttering wings materialized at his fingertips, resembling a tiny fairy.

The tiny fairy initially retreated timidly, but constrained by rules, it eventually obediently perched on his fingertip.

“Master.”

Gu Zailai's voice was hoarse.

“Repair.”

He presented the area that was just struck to the flower fairy.

The flower fairy strained to flap its wings, fervently transferring a green luminescent glow from its body onto his arm.

Gu Zailai stared mesmerized at his own arm, thinking: Damn it... this is truly bizarre.

Just a while ago, he deceived Shu Yuan... that player who sought to team up with him despite having a lower score.

That Shu Yuan was genuinely naive, approaching him for acquaintance even though fully aware that he was the Cobra ranked fourteenth on the points leaderboard.

"Brother Gu, I am a player from the 'Goldfish' Guild. I heard... you were once a member of our guild, weren't you?"

Goldfish Guild, ranked eighth.

The guild master, Fu Jinying, ranked twelfth on the leaderboard, invested a large sum last year to recruit him, aiming to enhance the guild's ranking on the points leaderboard during the nationwide guild dungeon event.

The computation of guild rankings in the nationwide dungeon was notably intricate, considering not only the completion status of all members but also heavily weighing the performances of elite players. Every year, some guilds would spend points to invite lone wolves to join temporarily to boost their guild rankings.

Lone wolves generally preferred freedom from guild constraints but wouldn't miss the opportunity to earn easy points during this event, typically leaving once the dungeon event was over.

Gu Zailai was no different, but after the event, he was persuaded by Fu Jinying to join for a couple more tier-five dungeons with fragment rewards, extending his stay in the guild for a while.

Clearly, this stint had led to some misconception for Shu Yuan.

However, this misconception worked perfectly in his favor.

Gu Zailai was just pondering how to exploit the rules to accrue points when Shu Yuan, who voluntarily showed up, provided him with some valuable experience.

It's just that his score was 127, while Shu Yuan’s was 76, gaining him a mere 51 points from this encounter.

Gu Zailai's score hasn't even reached two hundred yet, which by all accounts is below average based on past experiences.

He needs to find a way to score from a couple more players.

He had already set his sights on another player who didn't seem very powerful. Being the fourteenth-ranked bigshot on the points leaderboard, if he took the initiative to propose collaboration, that player would probably be over the moon, right?

He had planned everything meticulously, but he hadn't anticipated that after he took Shu Yuan's points, another player would emerge from the hall, albeit at a slow pace.

“Stop!” The player shouted while running, brandishing a stick in hand.

Gu Zailai couldn't help but scoff at the charging figure.

Is this player mentally ill? Does he even know who I am?

Just judging by this speed, it was utterly improbable for such a pace to be seen in a tier-five dungeon. Only beginners in tier-one or tier-two dungeons would be this slow; anyone with a bit of experience wouldn't be this sluggish.

However, he had noticed this youngster when he entered the dungeon earlier.

Xie Fangcheng's attire was indeed quite eye-catching, considering that the robe he was wearing must be worth at least a couple hundred thousand.

Especially since he was seen associating with people from Ronghua.

Ah, Ronghua.

Considering it's those good-for-nothings from Ronghua, this behavior seems understandable.

Gu Zailai casually took out his weapon from the bag - a pair of twin Emei daggers.

He stood still, planning to give the young one a proper lesson shortly; did he have the nerve to shout at him with such low capability?

Even the current guild leader of Ronghua would only be able to kneel and lick his boots upon seeing him.

As Gu Zailai mused on this... he was suddenly struck on the shoulder by a stick.

The person hitting him chastised non-stop while continuing to strike: "Stealing from others, huh? No morals, huh? I'll teach you a lesson!"

After a couple of agonized shrieks, Gu Zailai finally reacted. He hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and fled, glancing back frantically as he sprinted.

Fortunately, the person behind could not catch up with him, allowing Gu Zailai to escape.

When he returned to his room, he initially brushed off the incident, absent-mindedly drinking a potion. In his mind, he vowed that the kid was doomed! The next time he saw him, he would skin him alive and tear him apart! But was there something odd about that stick? Why did it feel like his speed had decreased when he was being hit, leaving him unable to dodge the blows?

It seems that judging the rarity of an item based solely on its appearance wasn't as effective as he had imagined.

No matter, he would seize that stick tomorrow.

Later, Gu Zailai realized... the pain still lingered.

Really...

The luminescent green light finally vanished. The little flower fairy fluttered about, floating in mid-air and softly spoke: "Master, you have no wounds, so the medicine cannot treat you."

Gu Zailai's eyes widened, as he forcefully grabbed the fairy's wing.

"What did you say?"

The flower fairy let out a faint cry of pain, one wing fluttering freely while the other was painfully gripped in his hand, causing her to break out in a cold sweat from the pain.

"Master!"

Gu Zailai's eyes narrowed like a serpent's, he hissed, "Heal properly, don't be as useless as your counterparts."

With that, he released his grip.

The flower fairy, with her aching wings, cautiously hovered in the air, her tiny palms stretched out as she forced herself to attempt healing once more.

She tried her best, but Gu Zailai felt no alleviation of the pain in his arm.

In a fit of rage, he once again grasped the little flower fairy before him.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

Impatiently, Gu Zailai swatted the little flower fairy into the teal bracelet adorning his wrist.

"Who is it?" he inquired.

Then, Gu Zailai heard a voice at the door that was somewhat familiar yet strange.

"Hello, room service."

"Not needed."

The person at the door murmured softly, "What to do if he doesn't need it?"

Then, seemingly making up their mind.

"Nevermind."

Following that, a clanging noise that could reverberate throughout the entire second floor echoed—

The door slammed open, shaking precariously as it rebounded from the wall.

The individual at the entrance slapped the door back against the wall with such force that the solid wooden door, roughly five centimeters thick, now bore a visible handprint and a web of cracks.

Xie Fangcheng wasted no words and charged in, wielding his stick.

Damn it!

Gu Zailai's eyes widened.

Although his speed was indeed fast, he couldn't withstand the harassment of Nie Shuangshuang and Wei Yuan, who stood at the doorway utilizing their tools and skills against him.

Soon, Gu Zailai finally activated his core ability.

【Skill: Serpent's Kiss · Rare · Special (7/7)】

【Description: The serpent roams the jungle, showing its venomous fangs when it encounters enemies. Perhaps this process deserves a romantic name, let's call it the Serpent's Kiss.】

【Note: The serpent's venom is not infinite but replenishes over time.】

【Effect: Summons serpents (7/7) to assist.】

【Special Skill: Python Coils】

In an instant, seven serpents of varying lengths slithered around the room. A giant python suddenly coiled around Xie Fangcheng.

"Die!" With a flourish, Gu Zailai unleashed the weapon in his hands while the python ensnared Xie Fangcheng,

Two peculiarly shaped guns appeared in his hands; one exuded an icy blue hue from the left, while the right emanated a fiery, scorching red.

The weapon, named "Ice and Fire Sonata," ranked eleventh on last year's weapon charts and was a highly renowned offensive item.

At this moment, a blue and a red bullet shot straight towards Xie Fangcheng, as the seven vividly colored serpents menacingly circled around his feet.

His arms and legs were ensnared by the massive python; its lantern-like serpentine eyes fixated on him, the head of the creature nearly as tall as a person.

The python opened its gaping maw, revealing a bloody abyss.

Xie Fangcheng gracefully extended his arm, forcefully clamping the python's mouth shut. He then swung it outward, using the python like a whip.

The previously ceiling-reaching, densely packed body of the python swept through the room, causing a trail of destruction, leaving nothing intact.

However, Xie Fangcheng kept Nie Shuangshuang's warning in mind.

"Be careful! We are on a ship; restrain your strength a bit, don't smash a hole through the ship!" she had cautioned.

Xie Fangcheng had a good measure of his own strength. With a swing of the python in his hand, he only wrecked the furnishings in the room to smithereens, even shattering the glass door of the bathroom. Yet, the ceiling and floor were left largely intact, bearing only minor cracks.

He dodged the two bullets with a swift movement. Unexpectedly, the bullets had tracking capabilities, making a U-turn towards him after missing their initial mark.

Xie Fangcheng hadn't anticipated this.

Neither had Gu Zailai.

Gu Zailai was whipped into the corner by the python now wielded like a flail, spitting out a mouthful of blood before looking at Xie Fangcheng with shock. Seeing him dodge the bullets brought an initial shock, followed by elation.

The "Ice and Fire Sonata" wasn't just a simple firearm. Not only did the bullets have auto-tracking features, but upon penetrating their target, they would explode inside the body. Externally, it seemed as if the skin was scorched away, exposing the burnt flesh underneath, yet the internal organs were frozen solid by an intense cold.

The weapon's most terrifying aspect was the irrevocable damage it inflicted, leaving wounds that no healing abilities or potions could mend, causing victims to die in extreme agony.

At this moment, Gu Zailai's face bore an excited grin, eager to witness the arrogant youngster before him beg for mercy in his dying moments, just like others before him.

However, Xie Fangcheng extended his hand behind him, and with a "pop" sound, it seemed like he pulled something out.

The two bullets, one red and one blue, lay in his palm. He examined them curiously, seemingly muttering, "What is this thing?"

Just as Xie Fangcheng was about to say something, he saw Gu Zailai's expression alternate between shock and joy once more.

Lowering his gaze, Xie Fangcheng noticed a bundle of snakes coiled tightly around his ankles, their vibrant colors intertwining, creating a dizzying, floral-like pattern.

It seemed these snakes had never encountered such a docile enemy, who stood still, allowing them to bite at will. They formed a ring around his ankle, attacking like sunflower seeds, although none managed to penetrate, breaking several fangs in the process.

"Damn, how disgusting!" Xie Fangcheng remarked, stomping his feet to crush the snakes surrounding him.

Gu Zailai watched in stunned disbelief.

Xie Fangcheng tossed the bullets towards him. Despite his shock, Gu Zailai recognized the bullets' potential for destruction, hastily rolling away to evade them.

Utilizing the momentum from the roll, he quickly downed a vial of system potion.

But it was futile.

Gu Zailai felt as if every organ in his body had shattered, experiencing an excruciating combination of pain and cold pervading his entire being.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, forcing himself to get up and flee, when suddenly, the sound of whooshing air reached his ears.

Gu Zailai quickly turned his head, only to hear the sound of a stick brutally smashing into the wall beside his ear.

"Running away?" Jie Fangcheng asked, "Do you think I can't catch you if you run?"

Gu Zailai clutched his abdomen, giving Jie Fangcheng a cold, hard stare.

"What exactly do you intend to do?"

"Robbery." Jie Fangcheng succinctly replied, thrusting a pre-written note into Gu Zailai's hand. "Give me these, and I'll spare you tonight."

Gu Zailai unfolded the note to see a densely packed list, looking almost like a Singles' Day shopping list, seemingly endless at a glance.

Upon closer inspection, he saw names of well-known artifacts like "Song of Ice and Fire", "Moonlit Flower Fairy", "Winter Snow Corridor"... a plethora of renowned items in his possession were listed, indicating the adversary came prepared.

It is worth mentioning that this list was obtained by Nie Shuangshuang from Ning Suisui. True to her nickname "Treasure Hoarder Rat", she had a meticulous inventory of valuable items held by other players, and could quickly draft a detailed list, even offering help enthusiastically.

The moment she found out she could assist without any cost, she immediately closed the door.

Looking at the list, Gu Zailai felt a sense of absurdity: "What do you mean? You want these things from me???"

"Yes."

Damn! So arrogant!!

He fixed a fierce gaze on Jie Fangcheng.

Damn it... this is too much!

Though he realized that the arrogant man before him must have some sort of backing, rage still surged in Gu Zailai's heart at this moment.

"You think you can control me just because you're powerful??" he said, pressing down on his own wrist, ready to take a gamble, "I command you... jump into the sea!"