Chapter 121: Charging Straight at the BOSS

Chapter 121: Charging Straight at the BOSS

This incident was utterly unforeseen by everyone present, including the players in the southeast corner who witnessed the crime scene first-hand.

The base lobby was bustling with activity, most people wouldn't linger here for long, heading to their instances or going back to their respective homes unless they were seeking guides or browsing the forums. Why loiter in the base lobby?

Hence, when someone who had been lingering here for two or three days appeared in the base lobby, it sparked discussions on the forum.

Mainly because this individual sported a quite distinctive appearance.

A male, with long hair, dressed in a red robe.

Standing there, his back straight as a rod, he resembled a sculpture, not moving an inch, not even taking breaks, having stood there for so long that the forum was abuzz with speculations about whether this was another performance art piece by the Death God Guild.

These days, the hall has been bustling with players coming and going, with many making a detour to the southeast corner before entering the dungeon to glance at the recently famous spectacle. Now, with the impending purge operation, some players are visiting en route to pay homage.

The player who was killed was one such visitor.

A group of six from the same guild wandered from the northwest corner to the southeast corner after arriving in the main hall, eager to witness the recent celebrity amidst the player community.

Upon reaching the southeast corner, they indeed encountered the legendary "Statue Brother".

Not only did they find him, but the man, who had remained as still as a statue, suddenly turned his head to look at one of them when they approached.

"Zhang Yu?"

Zhang Yu was stunned, "Do you know me?"

As he spoke, he scrutinized the figure before him with earnest attention.

It has to be said that the man looked somewhat sinister, with a pallor resembling a corpse. Zhang Yu figured that if he had met this guy before, it would be hard to forget such a face...

Suddenly, the pale-faced, long-haired man stepped forward and reached out a long arm, grasping Zhang Yu by the neck and hoisting him off the ground.

The incident happened so suddenly that Zhang Yu's companions only reacted after he let out a cry of anguish, drawing their weapons and rushing forward.

"What's this guy's deal? Zhang Yu! Are you okay?"

"Let go! Are you asking for death?"

"Just kill him! How dare he attack a member of the Goldfish Guild!"

Amidst the cacophony, assaults came from all directions, yet the unarmed man in the center of the encirclement merely extended his other hand.

That hand, although pale and slender, blocked all attacks like an impenetrable fortress.

Zhang Yu struggled violently, but the hand gripping him seemed to be made of iron, slowly tightening without budging an inch.

The attacker merely stared at him calmly.

"Zhang Yu, at the age of twenty-one, harbored resentment against your parents over a disagreement about internet fees. In a drunken rage, you killed them. A child from a neighboring family witnessed the act, prompting you to kidnap and bury the child alive in the mountains."

Zhang Yu froze for a moment, his struggle intensifying shortly after.

"Who... cough cough are you?!"

He never received an answer to that question.

Upon confirming his identity, the man squeezing his neck showed no mercy, exerting more force.

A chilling snap echoed.

In one moment lively and animated, the next moment Zhang Yu was strangled to death. The long-haired man laid Zhang Yu's corpse on the ground, his expression remaining impassive.

The surrounding onlookers retreated a few steps, bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

But the players who were companions of Zhang Yu were already furiously brandishing their weapons and rushing forward, even calling upon other guild members with cries of camaraderie.

"Damn it! Someone inexplicably killed Brother Yu! ...In a dungeon? No, not in a dungeon! Right in the game lobby!"

"Quick, notify the guild leader! Someone is provoking our guild! Send reinforcements!"

"Zhang Yu!! Who the hell are you?"

The person under attack maintained a serene demeanor, regarding the surrounding people’s weapons as no more threatening than lollipops in the hands of children. With open arms, he gracefully embraced the attacks of the five individuals, effortlessly disarming them with a single, graceful gesture.

"Damn!"

Who is this person, exactly?

Zhang Yu and his group weren't exactly top-ranking players; their abilities were rather average, generally capable of handling only level two or three dungeons.

But limited strength didn't necessarily equate to limited wit.

The ease with which the man in front of them strangled Zhang Yu was poetic, almost relaxed, despite the barrage of weapon attacks — since they hadn't received any rewards for nationwide dungeon rankings, their abilities were restricted in the lobby, rendering their attacks virtually powerless.

Nevertheless, there were five of them, after all!

Could this guy... could this guy be some sort of formidable character?

The five were merely companions of Zhang Yu in the gaming world, and now that Zhang Yu was dead, there was no need to risk their lives in a fight with the man before them.

Remarkably, although a gruesome incident had just unfolded in the southeast corner, tranquility quickly restored, leaving behind only a lifeless body surrounded by faces wearing a myriad of expressions.

Many people were whispering amongst themselves, yet no one dared to raise their voice in the presence of this ruthless murderer.

The man who had killed a player stood there quietly, showing no signs of planning an escape.

The Goldfish Guild was among the top twenty guilds, and soon after the message was conveyed through the guild channel, a large group of around ten people hurriedly arrived at the scene.

One of the five individuals brightened at the sight of the leader of the group, exclaiming, "Vice Guild Leader!"

After gathering, the five quickly recounted the events, emphasizing that they were merely passing by when the long-haired man suddenly attacked, completely unprovoked.

The Vice Guild Leader furrowed his brows as he listened, before walking up to the man in the red robe.

"Brother, did you have a grudge against Zhang Yu?"

He knew Zhang Yu to be a generally honest person, not the type to harbor grudges within dungeons.

This enigmatic man in the red robe had killed one of their own guild members, and this matter couldn't simply be left unsettled; otherwise, what would become of their Goldfish Guild?

This guy didn't look familiar at all; he couldn't be one of the top-ranked players, could he? How could he have killed Zhang Yu with such ease?

While the Vice Guild Leader was still contemplating, the questioned individual remained silent, shifting his gaze to another player nearby.

"Liu Yi?"

The player named Liu Yi was just passing by to watch the excitement. He arrived fairly early, witnessing the entire process of how the long-haired man suddenly started killing.

Now, the man in the long robe had set his sights on him. Liu Yi's heart raced as he retreated two steps, watching him warily.

"What do you want?"

The next second, the incident with Zhang Yu reoccurred.

The robed man moved incredibly fast, rushing to his side in two steps, his arm extended.

But Liu Yi was not a small-time player like Zhang Yu; he was a high-level player who had managed to squeeze into the top 200.

He shouted loudly, a blade aflame with ghostly blue fire suddenly appearing in his hand. His body also erupted in nearly two meters of ghost fire, slashing towards the man in front of him.

Liu Yi's outbreak was sudden. Players next to him couldn't dodge in time and were tainted by the ghost fire. The blue ghost fire ignited rapidly like a living entity, causing the affected person to roll on the ground screaming until another player from the leaderboard used a skill to extinguish the flames, sparing their life.

Over there, the blade aflame with blue fire held by Liu Yi was caught by the red-robed man's right hand.

The blue fire spread over him too, yet it seemed like there was a protective layer over his skin. The flames flowed over him like water before quickly extinguishing.

Once again, he was going for the neck.

"Liu Yi, involved in the trafficking of six children, causing the death of three during the escape."

His voice was steady and unhurried, his fingers applying pressure—

But the Liu Yi in front of him was indeed not comparable to a player like Zhang Yu.

Suddenly, the body in his hand disintegrated like a glass-made flame, breaking into pieces before falling to the ground and rapidly escaping past the feet of the surrounding players. It only reformed about ten meters away from the red-robed man, reverting back to Liu Yi's form.

Liu Yi had never experienced such a bizarre brush with death. After reforming, he looked back in panic and fear.

Over there, the long-haired man saw him, flicked his robe, and once again charged in his direction.

Liu Yi screamed, activating a skill to flee desperately, soon disappearing from the player's lobby.

What he didn't see was, after chasing a few steps, the long-haired man suddenly halted, his cold gaze once again fixed on another player.

This player was accompanied by about twenty people, evidently a minor manager from some guild, arriving in a group.

Now being targeted by the long-haired man, this person immediately waved his hand.

"Kill him first!"

At this time, the long-haired man was not only looking at him but also at another player not far away who was also accompanied by a few people.

So, when the first group that cleared the "Digital Cruise", led by Liu Guangming, emerged from the instance, everyone was initially chatting joyously and merrily.

It is known that the rewards from the "Digital Cruise" were not limited to the three meticulously selected treasures per person at the treasure points; there was also a significant point reward. It can be said that the rewards for this one instance were more generous than those of two or three previous level-five instances combined. Moreover, with the pleasant experience of clearing the instance, everyone was incredibly happy.

Consequently, upon encountering the bustling scene, Liu Guangming and the others couldn't help but exclaim, "Damn!"

"What's going on?!"

A brawl has broken out in the players' lobby!

Countless skills and items were being deployed, enveloping the entire lobby in a halo of skill lights.

There's no other choice; this game doesn't have any form of team immunity. The robed man is alone, but if he intends to kill, those threatened would naturally retaliate.

Thanks to the incitements of the Tu Chaoyang Guild, although the player's lobby is vast and spacious, it's somewhat crowded when accommodating thousands at the moment.

Hence, most of the skills and items wielded in retaliation, truth be told, hit other players nearby rather than reaching the robed man.

The Goldfish Guild members are seeking vengeance, other targeted guild members are fighting back, and bystanders inexplicably caught in the crossfire demand justice. All of this is further complicated by guilds and players with old grudges taking advantage of the chaos...

It's chaos.

Absolute chaos.

The entire players' lobby is filled with furious shouts and the sound of skills being launched.

"Damn it, Chaoge Dynasty, you did this on purpose, didn't you? Screw you! If you dare, come face us directly! What skill is there in ambushing?!"

"Wang Yan, you bastard, taking the opportunity to attack people, huh? Come on! If I don't kill you today, I'll take your surname!"

"Who unleashed the area attack skill amidst so many people? Do you have a death wish?!"

"Don't put it so nicely! First, withdraw your ‘Thousand-Mile Ice Seal’!"

The players' lobby now resembles a chaotic battlefield, with the once clean and tidy place resembling a scene of plunder.

"What on earth is happening?"

Liu Guangming was dumbstruck. Coincidentally, a member of their guild passed by, and Liu Guangming grabbed hold of him.

"Xiao Qi, what's going on?"

Xiao Qi explained frantically, "Initially, it was supposed to be a cleaning operation, but then someone appeared out of nowhere, attacking everyone he sees!"

"What?? Where is this homicidal maniac?" Liu Guangming stood on tiptoes to get a better view. It seemed like there were violent players everywhere, making everyone hesitate to leave the teleportation point, fearing they would be engulfed in a sea of skills the moment they stepped out.

Xiao Qi was taken aback by the question: "Ah...”

He was also called over temporarily, "Anyway, there's someone like that... Vice President! Let's not discuss this much now; our guild members are clashing with the Goldfish Guild! Those cowards attacked us sneakily, injuring our guild members!"

Liu Guangming was instantly enraged, "Let's go! Take me to them!"

Without another word, he led his team away, leaving the others exchanging uneasy glances.

In just a brief moment, the remaining individuals swiftly emerged from the instance.

Seeing the grand melee, which was a spectacle rarely witnessed in a century, many exclaimed, "Oh my!"

"A cleansing operation? What is that?" asked someone from Ronghua, evidently puzzled.

"Who knows... Anyway, I've received a call from our guild members, so I'll take my leave first! Let's meet up at the restaurant after the battle!"

Everyone nodded in understanding.

By the time Zhang Dao'an stepped out, even he clearly hadn't anticipated such an event to occur.

"Cleansing operation? A homicidal maniac?"

But his mind was racing, quickly grasping the cause of the situation after taking a glance.

The newcomers from the Underworld sure are bold, he thought.

With that in mind, he quickly pinpointed that distinctive target.

However, at that moment, the robed man who had just judged another evil spirit suddenly turned his head, looking at Zhang Dao'an who was also gazing at him.

Swiftly, despite the distance and the crowd obstructing the way, the robed man sped towards the teleportation point.

He fixed his gaze straight on Zhang Dao'an.

"Zhang Dao'an?"

Zhang Dao'an calmly took a step back without showing any signs of distress.

"A person from the Underworld?"

Recognizing that Zhang Dao’an knew about the Underworld, the robed man raised an eyebrow, followed quickly by a furrowed brow.

"How can this be?"

Although unsure of the robed man's thoughts, Zhang Dao'an could tell that this new Underworld member was not someone reasonable and easily softened like Jie Fangcheng.

Indeed, it was so.

The robed man suddenly reached out his hand.

"Even though you bear no sins, your pieced-together soul should not exist—"

"Watch out!"

Nie Shuangshuang quickly pulled Zhang Dao'an away with a rapid move.

Wei Yuan and the others from Ronghua, although unable to ascertain what was happening, instinctively united to protect Zhang Dao'an at that moment.

Ning Suisu, clueless about the situation, positioned herself with her Golden Panther squad nearby. Even though she found Zhang Dao'an quite irritating during the instance, using every means to get what she wanted, she swiftly aligned herself with Ronghua upon exiting the instance.

"Excuse me, sir, what is your intention here?" Ning Suisui, holding a weapon in her hand, eyed the man in front of her.

Despite the many eyes on him, the robed man's attention remained solely on Zhang Dao'an. To him, the crowd seemed like nothing more than air. He extended his arm, effortlessly parting the crowd in front of Zhang Dao'an as if they were mere reeds, and reached out towards Zhang Dao'an once more—

A flash of white light.

Suddenly, a golden greatsword blocked his path, swiftly followed by a reflexive swing of the blade—

"Huh?"

Jie Fangcheng, who had just arrived, wasn't paying close attention. He only saw someone seemingly attempting to strangle Zhang Dao'an and hurriedly intervened with his sword.

After blocking the attack, his muscle memory kicked in, and he forcefully swung the upright blade outward.

A resounding "thud".

The robed man was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, landing and rolling twice before quickly getting back up.

Seeing Jie Fangcheng, the members of Ronghua immediately started complaining to him in unison.

"Brother Jie! You're finally here! This guy came out of nowhere and tried to kill someone! You have to teach him a lesson!"

Jie Fangcheng's expression subtly changed.

Across from him, the man who had been sent flying by his sword stood up, initially startled at the sight of Jie Fangcheng. He reflexively retreated a couple of steps, his expression a mix of conflict and complexity as he gazed at Jie Fangcheng, finally resigning to his fate.

He stepped forward, bowing slightly towards Jie Fangcheng, his hands clenched into fists before him.

"Lord Jie."

Silence.

Outside the teleportation point, players were engaged in a heated battle—quite literally, as those wielding fire-based skills created an imposing scene. The ceiling of the hall had even turned black from the flames. Everyone was fighting fiercely, venting years of accumulated grievances. What started as a group of over a thousand had now grown to an estimated three to four thousand, summoning friends to join the fight, and the gaming hall could no longer contain them, pushing the battle outdoors.

Yet, within the teleportation point, a quiet sanctuary emerged.

Lord!!

A title scarcely heard since the 21st century, except on television.

Jie Fangcheng seemed to take it all in stride.

He inquired, "Xiao Gu, why is it you? Where is your boss, Mr. Cui?"

Lang Gu furrowed his brow, straightening up with fists clenched beside his cheeks, "Our lord is preoccupied with numerous affairs and cannot attend to this. I was organizing archives when suddenly I found myself here. Lord Jie, there seems to be an abundance of wandering spirits here, may I ask why..."

"Alright, alright, that's enough," even though accustomed to this, Jie Fangcheng felt a bit embarrassed under the surprised gazes of those around him. He quickly pressed down Lang Gu's fists, "It's a long story, I'll explain it to you later. It's good that you're here, let's go, come on."

"Go? To where?"

"No time for idle talk, let's head straight to battle the BOSS!" Jie Fangcheng commanded with a wave of his hand, "After that, you can go back to your 007 duties."

Lang Gu frowned deeply, "Lord Jie..."

"Call me Manager!"

"..." Lang Gu paused before speaking, "Do we know what kind of BOSS this is? Could it be the creator of this game?"

"Something like that. But you guys really aren't up to par, not knowing the whereabouts of the Book of Life and Death for so many years. I've always said that relying on a single app for all tasks is not prudent. See, now there’s trouble."

Jie Fangcheng draped an arm over his shoulder, and as they walked a distance away, he suddenly remembered something and turned back.

"Hey, everyone, wait for me in the dining hall! I’ll join you once I’ve dealt with Ji Chaoyang and his bunch!"

Clearly, he intended to confront the Chaoyang Guild.

But at that moment, Zhang Dao'an suddenly stopped him.

"Hold on."

Jie Fangcheng looked at him.

Zhang Dao'an adjusted his glasses slightly.

"Considering the scale of the situation Ji Chaoyang has orchestrated, it's apparent that they have prepared in advance. It might not be possible to find them in the Chaoyang Guild. I should accompany you."

Given his proactiveness and sharp mind, Jie Fangcheng certainly couldn’t refuse.

"Sure!"

However, Lang Gu, who was embraced by him, furrowed his brows even more.

"Lord Jie, this individual seems quite peculiar. Moreover, how can you be so familiar with a wandering spirit?"

Jie Fangcheng gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Relax, we're not in the Underworld anymore; there's no need to be so formal."

Despite the reassurance, Lang Gu remained stern, "Unacceptable."

His next words betrayed his position as a diligent employee of the new Underworld, "Furthermore, Lord Jie, considering your current behavior, how shall we manage future reports?"

Given the current complexity of reporting procedures in the Underworld, maintaining such close relations with these wandering spirits would amount to writing a book rather than a report.

Especially since Jie Fangcheng's job involves cleansing evil spirits, he certainly shouldn't be fostering close relationships with wandering spirits, who might be tainted with forbidden elements. This was completely against the rules, warranting a severe punishment in the past, akin to being struck by lightning.

Although Lang Gu's tenure wasn't long, he was well aware of Jie Fangcheng's reputation in the Underworld, and knew that someone with his personality would likely detest the reporting process.

Jie Fangcheng seemed to be in high spirits, letting out a hearty laugh before pulling Zhang Dao'an by the shoulder, giving him a friendly pat on the back.

"Allow me to introduce you to Zhang Dao'an, a university professor." Jie Fangcheng continued with a smile, "He has kindly agreed to help me with the reporting."

Lang Gu turned his head towards him with a shocked expression, yet his face remained stern.

"But... this person should have been obliterated long ago, this violates the rules."

Jie Fangcheng patted Lang Gu's shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry, when it comes to reporting this matter, he will be the one to take care of it upon our return. It has nothing to do with us, just let it be."