Chapter 120: Purging the Tumor

Chapter 120: Purging the Tumor

Zhang Dao'an's hint was too strong, even Xie Fangcheng followed his gaze towards Zhang Min.

The ship suddenly entered a calm area from a perilous sea teeming with monsters, an area just like the legendary location hiding the ocean treasure, where the sky bore a rainbow and the clear waters were strewn with treasures as beautiful as pearls.

Under such a magnificent backdrop, it wasn't just the players who noticed the uniqueness of this sea.

Countless NPCs stood on the deck, gazing mesmerized at the dream-like scene before them.

Zhang Min was no different.

However, compared to the other NPCs whose expressions bore shock and bewilderment, Zhang Min seemed somewhat enlightened, even a bit familiar with the surroundings, as if he had been here before.

Ning Suisui also heard the words of Zhang Dao'an. She had always harbored a slight suspicion that Zhang Min was not a typical clue-providing NPC; she seemed more like a friendly type of NPC who could hold her ground against the BOSS and assist players.

However, with the inclusion of Xie Fangcheng, the approach to completing this instance has diverged drastically from a regular level five dungeon.

According to Ning Suisui's initial strategy, ordinary players entering this instance would first perceive it as a player competitive dungeon, where killing other players and seizing their points, aiming to be amongst the top three players to secure the treasure, seemed to be the obvious tactic.

But this approach is wrong.

By the second day, players would realize that those who die transform into powerful cruise ship wraiths, far too formidable for an ordinary player to counter.

The more players that die, the more wraiths there are.

Much like a snowball effect, only by braking timely at the beginning and collaborating as a team, players would stand a chance to clear the instance.

This leaves one strategy: to find the key NPC and join forces to combat the monsters aboard the ship.

Clearly, Zhang Min is the NPC to collaborate with.

Theoretically, her strength is not merely what has been revealed so far, as players are incapable of contending with the BOSS.

Zhang Min should be equipped with the capabilities to defeat the BOSS under specific circumstances.

What this specific circumstance might be, Ning Suisui couldn't figure out... Unfortunately, this instance has been off track right from the start.

Xie Fangcheng is overwhelmingly strong, having directly killed the BOSS, leading to the current situation where the lesson Ning Suisui could deduce is "it's possible to cooperate with both key NPCs and background NPCs to jointly resist the sea monsters".

However, Zhang Min must be a point of breakthrough; she still harbors many undiscovered potentials.

Now, upon hearing Zhang Dao'an's words, Ning Suisui immediately took advantage of her good relationship with Zhang Min, swiftly approaching her to bond with this crucial NPC.

Witnessing this scene, Zhang Dao'an merely withdrew his gaze, appearing uninterested.

With his casual demeanor, it was evident he had discovered something. Xie Fangcheng couldn't resist but lean in and whisper, “Hey, hey, is that what you mean? Is Zhang Min the greatest treasure on the cruise?”

Zhang Dao'an responded softly, "Yes, and no."

Meanwhile, Zhang Min finally snapped back to her senses.

She looked at Ning Suisui, who was chatting leisurely beside her.

“Suisui.”

Ning Suisui indeed had a knack for socializing. Even an NPC like Zhang Min, who normally addressed others as Mr. or Ms., seemed quite close to her.

"Ah!" Ning Suisui quickly responded.

At her side, members of the Golden Leopard squad had all gone into the sea to search for treasures, leaving only Yan Xiaotong behind.

After all, securing a spot in the skill rankings wasn't as simple as wholesale buying cabbages at a vegetable market; surely there was only one spot available, having just Ning Suisui and Yan Xiaotong was sufficient.

If this skill ranking is something that requires brute force to acquire, having more people won't make any difference.

At this moment, Zhang Min gave her a smile.

【Ding—Player Ning Suisui has scored 5799 points in [Digital Cruise], acquiring the Ocean Treasure: Eye of Truth.】

Ning Suisui paused for a moment.

Points!!

It's no wonder that Ning Suisui had forgotten about this feature; they, the group of players, hadn't utilized these points again since, especially since the BOSS had been killed, and all the marine creatures on board had been defeated. They didn't need to pay for the fare or accommodation, only the system alerts kept ringing.

After all, these marine monsters also had point values. Killing one would grant some points; although not a significant amount, it summed up to a considerable total over time.

Ning Suisui hurried to check the item she had acquired.

An orange skill orb.

【Skill: Eye of Truth - Rare (7/7) (Usable)】

【Description: Go ahead and see! Witness all that is real!】

【Notice: The Eye of Truth can reveal the truth, but beware, your own strength also determines the extent of truth you can see.】

【Effect: See through all disguises.】

What a great item!

Many players and NPCs possess disguising skills, especially in certain ghost-themed dungeons, where ghosts are adept at impersonating humans only to turn against them later. This skill is a powerful tool for clearing those dungeons, particularly since it's not bound and can be traded.

If placed on the market, the starting price would be over five hundred million points.

But... it isn't a skill ranking.

Ning Suisui stared blankly at the skill orb in her hand.

Yan Xiaotong, who was nearby, quickly asked first, "Do I get a reward too?"

Her score wasn't low either, exceeding five thousand points.

Zhang Min simply shook her head.

She turned her gaze towards Xie Fangcheng, who was standing not too far away.

【Ding—Player Xie Fangcheng has scored 17695 points in [Digital Cruise], acquiring the Ocean Treasure: Leaf in the Wind.】

Xie Fangcheng paused for a moment.

Seeing this name, he felt a moment of exhilaration.

Wind!

Given his simplistic understanding of this game, any item associated with the character "wind" generally pertains to speed.

However, when a hairpin shaped like a fallen leaf materialized in his hand, Xie Fangcheng realized his thought was indeed too naive.

【Item: Leaf in the Wind · Rare】

【Description: A leaf in the wind, seemingly so fragile, yet astonishingly resilient!】

【Hint: Dance in the wind! You'll find that all attacks turn into mere illusions!】

【Function: Grants damage immunity after use, the extent of which is correlated with speed.】

"What a piece of junk!" Xie Fangcheng expressed his dissatisfaction vehemently.

After examining the attributes, Zhang Dao'an was more appreciative, stating, "It's a good item."

Damage immunity - just hearing it implies a remarkable defense capability.

It just wasn't particularly useful for Xie Fangcheng.

Over there, Ning Suisui had originally prepared to negotiate with Xie Fangcheng, considering the possibility of purchasing his loot. To her surprise, it appeared he hadn't obtained a ranking skill either!

If the initial rules of the "Digital Cruise" instance were anything to go by, the top three should definitely receive ocean treasures... could it be that the first place went to Zhang Dao'an?

But after evaluating Xie Fangcheng, Zhang Min withdrew her gaze without even sparing a glance for Zhang Dao'an.

It was quite normal; anyone who could see Zhang Dao'an's current score would be astounded to find that this prominent figure in the cruise instance, who seemed to have a complete grasp of the game, only had a score of 2231.

This was a score even below that of an average player.

The reason was simple: while everyone was engaged in heated battles with marine monsters in the later stages, Zhang Dao'an had been in the control room the entire time, operating the instruments with Zhang Min.

He was a quick learner; after seeing Zhang Min operate it once, Zhang Dao'an knew how to manipulate it.

If it wasn't him, then there should be another person with the highest score...

Pondering this, Ning Suisui froze before abruptly turning her head to look at Zhang Min.

Underneath the rainbow, something about Zhang Min seemed to have changed.

She gazed serenely at the sea, peering through the rainbow towards the distant horizon.

Beyond the rainbow, countless monsters were still salivating over the prey that escaped their grasp... but this time, Zhang Min felt that she had acquired the ability to annihilate these creatures.

She didn't need to rely on artillery; she could accomplish it on her own.

Sensing she was being watched, Zhang Min turned her head.

Her once dark pupils had turned a deep blue hue, as if she had transformed into an embodiment of the ocean.

"How... how many points do you have?" Ning Suisui couldn't help but ask.

Zhang Min didn't respond, just offering a smile.

Ning Suisui's brow furrowed, she swiftly stepped back from the NPC who had suddenly seemed somewhat menacing, and quickly moved to join Xie Fangcheng and his companion.

"Did Zhang Min acquire the 'Heart of the Ocean'?!" Ning Suisui's face turned unsightly.

What use is there for an NPC to possess such a rank-defining skill? After the instance restarts, everything will reset to zero. Isn't this a waste?

Zhang Dao'an appeared utterly composed, as if everything was within his grasp. Didn't he know from the beginning that Zhang Min had the highest score among everyone on the cruise, and that the skill would eventually fall into her hands?

Granting a skill to an NPC instead of a player, isn't this a reckless waste of heavenly gifts?

Zhang Dao'an proved that he had indeed known all along.

"Zhang Min has been operating the artillery all along, she is the one who has killed the most sea creatures, thus she has the highest score. Is there a problem?" he asked.

"You!" Ning Suisui felt as if her heart was bleeding.

She couldn't help herself: "You knew all along? What does it count for the ocean treasure to fall into the hands of an NPC?"

Zhang Dao'an glanced at her but remained silent.

Xie Fangcheng seemed even more indifferent.

The Heart of the Ocean, it didn't contain the word "wind" in its name, it was obvious it wasn't related to speed.

The skill could be given to anyone. According to Zhang Dao'an, if it went to Zhang Min, it seems this NPC might end up being segmented.

Now that one of the segments had acquired this kind of skill, it was uncertain if it would have any effect on the other segments.

Ning Suisui watched, devastated, as the skill she coveted the most didn't end up in her possession, nor with any other player, but instead with an NPC in the instance, leaving her heartbroken to the point of breathlessness.

Every glance at the scene brought her pain, so she decisively took Yan Xiaotong with her and headed directly into the sea.

Only Zhang Dao'an and Xie Fangcheng were left on the deck.

Xie Fangcheng wasn't particularly interested in the fervent treasure hunting activity below, but seeing Zhang Dao'an also lacking interest, he nudged him.

"Aren't you going to grab three pieces?" he asked.

"No rush."

This kid... seemed to be harboring some other intentions.

Soon, players who had found three treasures in the sea began receiving system notifications one after another.

"Instance cleared successfully! I'm about to be transported out!"

"Me too, me too!"

"Hahaha, let's all head to the restaurant to hang out once we exit! Don't forget to add each other as friends!"

The group excitedly began to plan how they would enjoy their time together once they left.

This instance was quite special; despite players acting deceitfully towards each other in the early stages, by the end, they had transformed into reliable companions, brothers, and sisters willing to watch each other's backs.

Having spent so long in this game, it was rare for players to encounter an instance where they could unite as solidly as this one, which naturally led to a sense of reluctance to part.

Soon, flashes of white light intermittently flickered underwater, signaling the players being transported out of the instance.

Before long, even Ning Suisui, who was the last to enter the sea, managed to find a skill she was quite satisfied with and was teleported out.

Within the instance, only Xie Fangcheng remained amongst the players.

At this moment, Zhang Dao'an finally revealed his true intentions.

He looked back at the luxurious cruise ship behind him.

"Then I shall claim this ship," he declared.

This grandiose idea left not only the NPCs like Zhang Min dumbstruck but also Xie Fangcheng somewhat speechless.

"Is that even possible?"

Zhang Dao'an appeared nonchalant: "Since this place is a treasure location, then the cruise ship at this spot should also count as one of the treasures."

As if to corroborate his words, the next second, Xie Fangcheng heard a 'ding' sound resonating in his mind.

【Ding — Player Zhang Dao'an has found the treasure: Abraham Cruise Ship.】

【Player Zhang Dao'an has chosen the treasure: Abraham Cruise Ship. Please, remaining guests, disembark at your earliest convenience.】

On the other end, the other NPCs apparently received the same message, causing an immediate uproar throughout the ship.

Zhang Min froze momentarily before her complexion quickly turned rather unsightly.

"This is MY ship! I demand you forfeit this treasure!" she exclaimed.

Zhang Dao'an merely turned his gaze towards Xie Fangcheng.

Xie Fangcheng stood in front of him, his expression still somewhat blank.

He turned to glance at Zhang Dao'an.

The young man still had that indifferent demeanor, acting as if the treasure he chose wasn't this massive cruise ship, but rather an insignificant common treasure.

Zhang Min angrily slapped the railing of the cruise ship.

Indeed possessing the Heart of the Ocean, with her angry slap, the previously calm sea seemed to gain a commander, instantaneously raising huge waves that surged towards Zhang Dao'an.

Xie Fangcheng swung the great sword transformed from the【Material Pack】in his hand, cleaving the wave in two before turning his attention to Zhang Min who was behind him.

"Stop this nonsense, or I won't hesitate to cut you down!" he warned.

Zhang Min was well aware that she stood no chance against the man before her, yet the cruise ship held immense significance to her.

At that moment, Zhang Dao'an, who stood behind Xie Fangcheng, suddenly spoke, "If I choose this cruise ship, I can take it with me to prevent it from navigating under the control of monsters once more."

Zhang Min paused, plunging into deep contemplation.

Although the monsters on board had been eradicated, Zhang Min harbored a sensation that the ship would revert to its original state once these "guests" departed.

She too would return to her original state.

...Wait! How did those guests leave?

A white light?

What was that...

Zhang Min stood rooted to the spot, her mind seemed to grasp at something, yet she couldn't fully comprehend it.

Shortly thereafter, Zhang Dao'an also received a notification from the system.

He turned his gaze towards Xie Fangcheng.

"Manager Xie."

"Hmm?"

"Better make an exit soon," Zhang Dao'an said with a smile, "A battle might have already ensued outside."

"Huh?" Before Xie Fangcheng could react, a flash of white light occurred, and Zhang Dao'an vanished before his eyes.

Along with him, the cruise ship beneath their feet disappeared too.

Caught completely off guard, Xie Fangcheng and the numerous NPCs around him began plummeting downwards, like dumplings tipped into a pot.

But just before they were about to splash into the sea, Zhang Min waved her hand, and the sea water abruptly morphed into the form of a ship, catching the falling NPCs and Xie Fangcheng who landed on the water-made vessel.

An uproar ensued.

The NPCs were baffled, unable to comprehend the sudden disappearance of the ship from under their feet.

"Miss Zhang Min, what should we do now?"

"What is this? A ship made of water? Can it take us back?"

"How can we return to land? I want to go home!"

Zhang Min, who had been immersed in her own thoughts, finally snapped back to reality.

She surveyed the surrounding faces, each one familiar to her.

Regardless of the circumstances... After her father had led so many people out to sea and experienced so many events, she intended to bring them all back home.

"Rest assured, everyone! I will safely bring all of you back," Zhang Min vowed.

"Really? Can we actually go home?"

"This is terrifying; I never want to set out to sea again!"

"Miss Zhang Min, will we return on this water-crafted ship? Can we truly return?"

Faced with one question after another, Zhang Min addressed each one, providing answers.

She had begun to embody the bearing of a captain, reminiscent of her father in his prime.

However, she wasn't entirely like her father.

Because she was the new captain, one who possessed skills far surpassing those of her father.

Xie Fangcheng watched with a reflective expression, quickly receiving a notification from the system.

【Ding—Congratulations player Xie Fangcheng for completing the instance [Digital Cruise].】

The white light enveloped him as well.

Yet, compared to other players who were swiftly transported away by the white light, Xie Fangcheng floated in the air within the luminance once more.

Unnoticed by anyone on the water ship, Xie Fangcheng recalled what Zhang Dao'an had mentioned earlier.

The massive sword materialized in his hand swung towards the sky—

A rift appeared in the heavens, with white mist pouring down.

Zhang Min was the first to notice the descending white mist.

She stared blankly at the white mist cascading from the sky. Soon, a look of realization dawned in her eyes.

The boundless sea surged forth, lifting her and the crew behind her to meet the descending white mist.

The mist swirled around them, as laughter of liberation echoed across the sea.

Quickly, the white mist continued to spread, rolling from the treasure point beneath the rainbow, surging towards the endless dark sea beyond, rapidly engulfing the hellish ocean.

Shrill screams and sounds of fleeing were heard as the monsters waiting outside were enveloped in the pure white fog, disappearing at a rapid pace.

In mid-air, Xie Fangcheng's eyes, one black and one white, focused on the distance.

The Book of Life and Death diligently flipped a page, Xie Fangcheng narrowed his eyes to read the content on the turned page, written in Song typeface:

"Good news! Good news! Bao Bao has successfully invited the second Big Brother!"

The second one? I haven't even seen the first one yet.

Xie Fangcheng pondered.

Who could it be—

.

Ten minutes ago, in the players' lobby.

After two or three days of public discourse escalating, virtually all players who hadn't entered the instance were aware of a distressing piece of news: a player named Xie Fangcheng was using cheats!

Those who have played the game know that cheats severely compromise the gaming experience of players.

Imagine, after laboriously and painstakingly completing countless instances, you finally manage to clear one, earning a hundred thousand points.

But on the other hand, a player using cheats has manipulated their data, raking in a billion points along with numerous rare items.

Then, unfortunately, you find yourself in the same instance as the cheater, where players happen to be in competition with each other.

You have only a hundred thousand points, while they boast a billion points and rare items, making it blatantly obvious who is using the cheats.

Who could tolerate such injustice?

Moreover, propelled by some individuals, Xie Fangcheng has been painted as an egregious criminal, a ruthless killer deserving no mercy.

—Now is the time to eliminate him, before he clears too many instances and accrues massive illicit gains, before he becomes the strongest player!

Soon, an online campaign titled "Eliminate the Cancer" emerged, the objective being to blockade the player transfer points and to immediately execute Rong Hua members and Xie Fangcheng the moment they emerge!

Yes.

Rong Hua too has been added to the execution list.

For they were "shielding a cheater, attempting to gain more benefits through cheats", a behavior that blatantly contradicts the original principles of the Rong Hua guild. If not eradicated now, these individuals will eventually become leeches, draining the life from all players.

As for the contributions Rong Hua made in the past, they are still appreciated by many, of course.

But what is remembered fondly is the Rong Hua that was powerful yet supportive of the weak, not the current shell that is barely alive, potentially becoming an obstacle at any moment.

As for how to "Eliminate the Cancer", a foolproof plan was quickly devised by someone.

It's easy to find out which instance the Rong Hua members entered; after all, Nie Shuangshuang and the others were quite open about collecting fragments at that time.

Digital Cruise.

This is an instance without any guides, indicating that no one has cleared it before.

But just because no one has cleared it doesn't mean that the players outside have no information about this instance at all. Somehow, word has gotten out that the time limit to clear this instance is three days.

Three days.

Many players witnessed the members of Rong Hua entering the instance; a quick calculation would easily reveal the approximate time of their exit.

Therefore, today, as the time approached for Xie Fangcheng and his team to teleport out, many players congregated in the gaming lobby, easily numbering in the thousands at a casual glance.

It's not that all of these individuals are firmly committed to the "Eliminate the Cancer" campaign. Despite their vocal claims of righteousness, the majority are veteran players who wouldn't truly risk their lives for such an illusory "shared destiny of players".

Essentially, those who arrived were merely there to scout for potential opportunities to pick up any loot that might fall.

After all, Xie Fangcheng is just one individual, and the players from Rong Hua currently possess only limited strength. Wouldn't it be relatively easy to kill them?

If a player dies within an instance, they are simply gone, but if they perish in the gaming lobby, their items will be dropped.

Just as the rumors on the forums suggested, if Xie Fangcheng is indeed using cheats, he might drop some valuable items — and what if one were to snatch them up?

After all, the items and skills acquired within instances can't be used in the gaming lobby, only the rewards from the universal instance leaderboard can be utilized there. Even if Xie Fangcheng does have cheats, he's merely a novice who hasn't participated in the universal instance yet, isn't his demise certain?

Even in the worst-case scenario, if he proves too powerful, one could always flee amidst the crowd! With so many people present, it's not guaranteed that one would be targeted, right?

This was the general consensus among those who came to participate in the cleansing operation.

Whether it was the masterminds behind the scenes or the well-prepared Zhang Daoan, everyone had a rough estimate of the current situation.

This would be a brutal cleansing operation, with deep and lasting repercussions, regardless of whether it's Rong Hua being purged or the players being counter-slaughtered.

But as the crowd of players continued to grow, an unexpected event occurred first...

"Damn it! What are you doing?!"

A roar of fury suddenly erupted in the gaming lobby, housing over a thousand players, followed swiftly by a scream of agony.

Soon, a commotion erupted from the southeast corner.

"What the hell? Who is this person?? Why are they killing people out of the blue?"