Chapter 124: Red Infant Theater Troupe (Part One)

Chapter 124: Red Infant Theater Troupe (Part One)

The spectators found it hard to accept Xie Fangcheng's green glow, but Xie Fangcheng himself adapted quite quickly.

But upon being teleported into the dungeon, the first thing he noticed was the abnormal light in front of him.

The green glow was gone!

Xie Fangcheng looked down, first noticing the long black hair hanging in front of his chest, followed by the bright red — the color of the traditional Chinese undergarment he was wearing.

"Huh? Where's my item?" Xie Fangcheng asked aloud, but no one responded. He then raised his head, pausing again.

In front of him was an old-fashioned Chinese bedroom, with no one else inside but Xie Fangcheng himself.

【Ding—You have entered the new dungeon: Red Infant Theater Troupe.】

【Dungeon: Red Infant Theater Troupe (Level 1) (All-People Dungeon)】

【Description: The Red Infant Theater Troupe is renowned in the neighboring ten miles, much loved by the villagers. With the festival approaching, the troupe has been invited to Shoufang Village to present the wonderful "Wupen Ji" to the villagers. As new recruits in the troupe, you bear the heavy responsibility of performing this play well. Good luck! Make the villagers feel welcomed!】

【Objective: To be a competent opera performer, isn't it essential to play the role sincerely and earn the approval of the troupe leader and villagers?】

【Clearance Condition: Successfully perform "Wupen Ji".】

【Since the highest historical survival rate for this dungeon exceeds 30%, the system will no longer provide new hints.】

A theater troupe?

There was a full-length bronze mirror in the bedroom. Xie Fangcheng walked over to it and took a peek at his reflection.

The others seemed unchanged, except their hair had grown longer, cascading down to their waists. Now clad in bright red undergarments, they appeared somewhat ethereal and eerie.

As dawn approached outside, Xie Fangcheng, clueless about the current situation, resolved to step outside by opening the door.

Indeed, this was a rural theater troupe. Outside lay a spacious courtyard where apparatus for the actors' rehearsals were stored.

An eerie silence pervaded.

Was he alone in this dungeon?

Xie Fangcheng cleared his throat.

"Ahem, is anyone there?"

Just as his words echoed, a terrified face peered out from the door of the neighboring room.

Zhang E had successfully cleared two dungeons and was considered a "veteran player". Although he hadn't encountered solitary situations in dungeons personally, he had read numerous posts and strategies as an experienced player who had cleared dungeons twice.

In these solitary dungeons, compared to group dungeons, one significant challenge was discerning who among those around were players and who were NPCs.

The disguise of the NPCs was incredibly realistic, making it difficult to identify them. Moreover, there was a possibility that they might assume the identities of players who had died in the later stages.

Players had to be highly vigilant to prevent mistaking these entities for real people.

It was widely acknowledged that in such dungeons, it was better to remain inconspicuous for as long as possible since attracting NPC attention early on could be dangerous.

Never did he expect to encounter someone so brazen among the players who entered the dungeon this time!

Yes, brazen was the word.

How could someone rashly step out and shout so loudly? Were they not afraid of losing their life?

Such bold actions were absolutely uncharacteristic of the highly intelligent NPCs.

"Have you lost your mind...?" Zhang E began, but upon seeing Xie Fangcheng's face, he paused, "Have...have we met before?"

"Huh?" The question seemed quite abrupt. Xie Fangcheng shook his head, stating, "No."

As his words faded, doors from the other rooms began to open one after another.

Everyone sported the same attire — long hair and red undergarments, standing eerily like spirits wronged in death, their appearances made even more unsettling under the pale morning light.

Fifteen individuals in total.

Without changing his expression, Zhang E scrutinized each "person" around him, desperately trying to discern who were players and who were NPCs.

At that moment, one player couldn't help but blurt out an astonished "Holy shit" upon seeing Xie Fangcheng's face.

Xie Fangcheng had finished surveying his surroundings.

Neither Zhang Daoan nor Lang Gu were present, and no familiar faces were found among the surrounding players. It seemed he would have to clear this level on his own.

Attracted by someone exclaiming "Oh my god," Xie Fangcheng turned his head.

The player who uttered the phrase couldn't help but step back, a look of horror mixed with a hint of reverence on his face, and within that reverence seemed to lurk a slight admiration.

"Brother Xie," the person said, bowing obsequiously, a servile expression on his face. "You might not recognize me, but I clearly remember your heroic stance when you fought Xiao Chaoyang!"

Oh!

One glance was enough to tell that he was a player.

Prompted by this remark, Zhang E quickly recognized Xie Fangcheng's face.

Unavoidably, if there was an event that was all the rage among the player community now, it would be the solo fight against the Chaoyang Guild by Xie Fangcheng and his team, followed by the explosive scandal involving Ji Ge.

At that time, after tearing up the first-floor flooring at the Chaoyang Guild, Xie Fangcheng stayed on to watch Wei Yuan count the entry fees, as the players from the Ronghua Guild indeed lacked strength. If he left and Ji Chaoyang led another surprise attack, the other members of Ronghua would undoubtedly meet their demise.

Thus, Xie Fangcheng and Lang Gu took turns guarding the place, making his face highly renowned.

Some players, unwilling to pay the entrance fee, would secretly gather around the Chaoyang Guild's entrance to catch a glimpse and recognize this legendary warrior.

When players saw Lang Gu, they would say, "See that? That's the murderer from the player hall killing incident." When they saw Xie Fangcheng, they would generally start with, "Damn, that's so green."

Green.

Indeed, this had become Xie Fangcheng's primary characteristic. When Zhang E first saw him, Xie Fangcheng had shed all traces of green, wearing only a plain, unremarkable red outfit, leaving Zhang E momentarily stunned.

Now that it had been pointed out, Zhang E's expression swiftly morphed into one of fear tinged with awe, and within that awe resided a hint of admiration.

Leaving everything else aside, just the fact that they took on the Chaoyang Guild alone was enough to earn everyone's admiration.

As for the possibility of using external aids, honestly, if they were indeed using such aids, most players were thinking, "We should get on good terms with Brother Aid to soar together."

The game being compromised by cheats? What did that have to do with these players?

With Xie Fangcheng's identity revealed, the difficulty of the dungeon plummeted by fifty percent instantly.

Everyone no longer needed to fret over distinguishing between players and NPCs; the expressions of those around them told the story.

Those showing a similar mixture of fear and admiration were likely players, while the bewildered ones were basically NPCs.

"Who is this?"

Some were still whispering queries, clearly NPCs at a glance.

Eight people had this bewildered look, aligning with the dungeon's pattern.

Consequently, the remaining seven players quickly grouped together, none of them had anticipated that the first step would be this simple.

Zhang E started warmly, "Brother Xie, what are your thoughts on this dungeon? We will definitely follow your lead, right?"

With such a luminary among them, everyone naturally nodded in agreement.

"Absolutely, watching Brother Jie thrash Xiao Chaoyang was really satisfying!"

"No need to ask, we just follow the lead of the big shot in this instance, big shot, please lead us to victory!"

"Big shot, what should we do now?"

Jie Fangcheng didn't expect this turn of events at all; he was somewhat bewildered and asked first.

"I have a small question."

The crowd unanimously acknowledged that the big shot was being humble. Without knowing what the question was, they felt unsure if they, being novices who can only clear level one dungeons in the mass player instance, could answer it.

Jie Fangcheng pointed at the other eight confused people standing there: "Are they not players?"

Silence.

No one expected that Jie Fangcheng, a figure who has been talked about extensively in the forums over the past two days and almost admired by everyone, would ask this question.

Those eight people were not players, something that was quickly realized by the six individuals present. Everyone naturally assumed that a big shot like Jie Fangcheng would have known already. But who would have thought he would ask such a novice question.

"Uh," Zhang E, although unsure if he genuinely didn't know or was pretending not to know, still explained, "Normally when entering a dungeon, players tend to gather together, with about five minutes of safety time for discussion. But if it's separated into individual rooms, it means NPCs will be mixed among players. One of the challenges of the dungeon is distinguishing between players and NPCs. This situation is common in level one dungeons, where new players who are completely unfamiliar with the game enter, confusing the vision of others. However, during the mass player instance, no new players will enter, so it's relatively easy to differentiate."

Especially with Jie Fangcheng here, it's even easier to differentiate.

Jie Fangcheng suddenly realized: "I see, thank you."

The crowd: "..."

Is this really a big shot? How come he doesn't know such a basic question?

As several people conversed, the eight NPCs also gathered together, whispering to each other, and occasionally casting glances at the players.

These NPCs were highly intelligent. Many players had noticed that they seemed more like replicas of players, not only aware of the game's settings and players but also clear about some things that only players knew recently.

Like the fact that the first guild was the Chaoyang Guild, for instance.

However, the knowledge of NPCs in this area is somewhat outdated. In the past, players would use the latest news among the player community to identify NPCs, but since everyone focuses on different aspects and indeed, some loner players don't pay much attention to popular events in the player community, relying on this to identify NPCs is not very accurate.

Especially just before the three days of the mass player instance, a truly nationwide event occurred.

Jie Fangcheng's current fame is so vast that even the most

reclusive

players have heard a thing or two, let alone those participating in the mass player instance, who have to use the teleportation point in the player hall to enter the instance.

The player hall is currently adorned with many display booths, so it can be said that currently, any player capable of entering the mass player instance knows Jie Fangcheng's name.

Even if they haven't seen him personally, they certainly have heard of him.

He doesn't recognize him? Definitely a bona fide NPC.

The eight NPCs were unsure how they were exposed, but among themselves, they were aware of each other's true nature. Their mission, blending amongst players, was clear: eliminate the players and "clear the instance" in their stead.

Now that they've been so thoroughly exposed, they no longer attempted to disguise themselves, fixing their gazes squarely on the players.

Under the scrutiny of those chilling eyes, someone couldn't help but shudder.

"What do we do? They've found us."

The players transported into the first-level instance during the mass event were generally not very powerful, and they started to regain their senses at this moment.

Identifying the NPCs was not the main concern; the real focus was that these NPCs intended to attack and replace the players.

Could the seven of them withstand the assault from these NPCs?

Before they could figure it out, Jie Fangcheng swiftly drew his golden greatsword from his backpack.

Zhang E hesitated momentarily, reacting instinctively to stop him: "Brother, don't be rash! The NPCs in the game are extremely powerful, especially in this kind of deceptive instance, each NPC is highly skilled! Before we fully understand the killing mechanics of this instance, we should observe..."

Jie Fangcheng had already dashed forward like an arrow released from its bow.

Zhang E opened his mouth in dismay, "...so unpredictable."

Jie Fangcheng realized that although his attire had changed, the properties of his verdant items remained. His speed was not to be underestimated, causing a look of pleasant surprise to emerge on his face.

Meanwhile, a bloodthirsty and excited glow surfaced uniformly on the faces of the eight NPCs opposite him.

Regardless of the instance's murder rules, initiating an attack on the NPCs had undoubtedly triggered their aggressive response.

Both parties were content with the current situation, creating a win-win scenario.

Several NPCs hastily retrieved their weapons - like ordinary players, they were equipped with a diverse array of weapons like swords and blades, all extending towards Jie Fangcheng.

With a swing of the massive sword in his hands, Jie Fangcheng knocked a group of them away.

A symphony of agonized screams echoed throughout the entire theatre.

The eight NPCs were sent flying in unison, scrambling to flee upon landing.

What was Jie Fangcheng's current speed?

He randomly chose a direction and charged forward, swiftly disappearing from everyone's sight.

Before long, a spine-chilling scream emanated from that direction.

Soon after, Jie Fangcheng returned with a swagger, carrying his sword nonchalantly.

Although his position didn't grant him the ability to discern evildoers at a glance like Lang Gu could, he could still detect a faint foul odor in the air.

Upon his return, after striking down a well-deserving NPC, Jie Fangcheng hesitated before the stunned faces surrounding him, remarking, "That wasn't a good entity."

It took a while for everyone to grasp the meaning behind his words.

...But that wasn't what left everyone in awe!

Most had only heard tales of Jie Fangcheng dismantling the Chaoyang Guild; this was their first time witnessing such an explosive personality firsthand.

He truly is a heavyweight!

As everyone's minds were flooded with a chaotic whirlpool of thoughts, finally, the first genuine NPC made an entrance.

An elderly man with grey hair, donned in a short robe, pushed open the theatre doors and entered, leaning on a cane.

Seeing the crowd standing in the courtyard, the old man snorted coldly, his words tinged with a mocking and disdainful undertone.

"All esteemed actors are up practicing their skills at the crack of dawn? Eager to give a stellar performance in three days, are we?"

As he finished speaking, everyone turned their heads in unison towards Jie Fangcheng, who stood amidst the players, their eyes filled with anticipation, excitement, and the thrill of watching unfolding drama.

This old man dares to speak to the boss like this; isn't he seeking death?

Just moments ago, the boss was provoked to charge headfirst by merely being stared at by a few NPCs, and this elderly man with a cane isn't going to be slashed and beaten by the boss directly?

Damn! This feels great! Is this the joy of clearing levels alongside a heavyweight??

However, the scene everyone envisioned, with Jie Fangcheng rushing forward to thrash the old man, did not occur. Jie Fangcheng just stood there, holding his golden greatsword in a lackadaisical manner, an infuriatingly casual and at ease demeanor about him, yet he showed no reaction.

The old man's mockery met with no response, his expression turning even sourer.

"Let me be blunt with all of you! The troupe leader is extremely dissatisfied with your abilities. Dreaming of performing on stage with your current skills? Perhaps in your next life!"

With that, the old man, leaning on his cane, let out another scornful chuckle and gracefully passed by everyone, returning to the backstage.

Everyone's gaze once again converged on Jie Fangcheng.

Unable to restrain himself, Zhang E inquired, "Brother Jie, aren't you going to chop that old man down?"

Jie Fangcheng responded indifferently, "Why would I go slashing at him without cause? I'm not a violent lunatic."

You're not violent? The Chaoyang Guild's top floor is gone, even the ground floor is gone!

An internal uproar ensued amongst the crowd.

But since Jie Fangcheng refrained from taking action, no one dared to openly request, "Brother Jie, we'd like to witness another classic scene of a player beating up an NPC, could you please perform it again?"

Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

So, even with such a potent weapon at their disposal, the players realized they still had to progress according to the standard dungeon-clearing procedure.

The appearance of the old NPC seemed like a trigger, soon followed by a steady influx of additional NPCs entering from outside.

Some are dressed in theatrical costumes, clearly having just stepped down from the stage.

Some are bustling about, resembling menial workers.

Zhang E and the others have previous experience with clearing dungeons, and are quickly gathering information at this time. Soon, the group has pieced together the main plot of this dungeon.

Hongying Opera Troupe is an old company, usually performing in the countryside. This time, they were invited to perform "The Tale of the Black Basin" at the festival in Shoufang Village three days later. Since the other actors in the troupe have not practiced this play before, the troupe leader has to find external actors to fill in.

They, the players, are the actors who were found.

But after they entered the troupe, the troupe leader found that their foundational skills were quite lacking, and he doesn't want to let them perform on stage.

To successfully perform "The Tale of the Black Basin," they need to gain the trust of the troupe leader.

Relying solely on brute force won't work in this dungeon.

"The Tale of the Black Basin? What is that?"

The players are quite unfamiliar with it.

Xie Fangcheng, on the other hand, is quite familiar with this play.

"The Tale of the Black Basin narrates the story of a man named Liu Shichang who seeks shelter at the Zhao family's home after a weary journey. However, Mr. and Mrs. Zhao get greedy, kill Liu Shichang, burn his body to ashes, and make a basin out of it. Liu Shichang's spirit becomes attached to the basin, and later, when Zhang San comes to ask the Zhao's to repay a debt, he takes the basin as interest. Liu Shichang's spirit appears and tells Zhang San the truth. Zhang San then brings the basin to Judge Bao, seeking justice. In the end, Judge Bao executes Mr. Zhao, avenging Liu Shichang."

The plot of the play is quite common, even simple, one might say.

Everyone seemed slightly relaxed after hearing the explanation.

"We have seven people here, I wonder what roles there are... The script should be available from the NPCs, right?" someone raised this question.

Getting the script didn't seem difficult; the NPCs in the theatre were basically ignoring them. Some socially adept players used items that could increase the NPCs' affection, and quickly found information about the script.

"The script is with the troupe leader, I think we should go directly to him."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Following the guidance of other NPCs, they quickly arrived at the room where the troupe leader was.

But the troupe leader was not in the theatre, only the limping old man was inside. After hearing their intentions, the old man looked at them.

"You claimed to be able to perform 'The Tale of the Black Basin,' that's why the troupe leader recruited you. And now you are asking us for the script? Absurd!"

A player quickly responded, "We only want to put on a better performance of 'The Tale of the Black Basin,' it's not that we don't understand the play."

The old man turned to the speaking player, "Oh, is that so? You understand this play, do you?"

At this point, the player had no choice but to brace himself and nod, "Naturally."

"In that case," the old man fetched a book from a cabinet behind him and tossed it in front of them, "it seems that you won't be needing the theatre to prepare props for you then."

The player was momentarily stunned.

"Go back," the elder said, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, a sarcastic smile appearing on his wrinkled face. "Prepare well; the troupe leader and I are very much looking forward to your performance."

When they returned to their room in confusion, everyone gathered around the table. As they opened the script, they gradually realized the gravity of the situation.

"Does the play... start with Liu Shichang seeking shelter at Zhao Da's home?"

Liu Shichang takes refuge at Zhao Da's house, only to be killed by Zhao Da and turned into a basin.

Clearly, this instance is not testing the players' skills in traditional opera. Could it imply that the player portraying Liu Shichang is in mortal danger?

The script was quickly flipped to the last page.

This script, resembling a book, was written with a brush, the previous sections were penned in black ink. However, when they turned to the last page, a patch of bright red characters caught everyone's eye.

【In the end, the Zhao couple met a tragic fate, executed by the guillotine.】

This brief line, written in even larger characters than the preceding black text, seemed to shout at them.

Liu Shichang, and the Zhao couple.

Already, the script confirmed that three characters would meet their end.

Does this indicate that the players must vie for safer roles?

Everyone surreptitiously eyed the other players around them. Under the weight of the current atmosphere, no one spoke for a moment.

At that moment, Xie Fangcheng began to speak, deep in thought.

"Considering the old man's stance of not providing even props... would they still provide us with meals?" he wondered aloud.