Chapter 174: God-favored (Twenty-three)

Chapter 174: God-favored (Twenty-three)

Zhang Dao’an’s words were quite cryptic, leaving Jie Fangcheng momentarily unable to grasp his meaning.

However, once everyone composed themselves and commenced the search for the Godchild, Jie Fangcheng finally understood why he had said that.

Initially, when the players entered the dungeon, they found a large number of Godchildren daily. But ever since they stopped praying at the temple, the number of Godchildren found had drastically declined.

Including the ones found yesterday, they had located sixty-four Godchildren so far. A week had passed, and another week remained before the deadline to present a hundred Godchildren.

Yesterday the count was already low, with only six found.

Yet today, after the ceremony concluded, the players robed in white sensed all afternoon before someone finally faintly perceived one.

Just one.

Everyone couldn't help but exchange uneasy glances.

They still needed to find thirty-five more Godchildren to meet the offering requirements. If they continued to find so few daily, what would happen when the time came and they hadn't gathered a hundred?

Not to mention whether or not the dungeon could be completed... how could they fail the expectations of the gods?

"Regardless, let's first bring this Godchild back and then decide!"

The crowd moved en masse towards the perceived location.

It was an old house standing at the fringe of the Enlightened City. As the sun set in the west, a family of three was busily preparing dinner.

Dressed in plain hemp clothing, the man of the house was pouring water fetched from the river into a tank, while the woman heated the pot, throwing in leaves of an unknown plant. Their child, around seven or eight, excitedly showed them the wild fruits gathered in his pocket. Under the warm orange glow of the setting sun, the scene depicted a warm and blissful family.

As this joyful family conversed, the sound of footsteps reached their ears. The three of them lifted their heads, their faces changing in unison upon hearing the sound.

The two adults hastily shielded the child behind them, their expressions frantic. The child buried his face deeply into his mother's embrace, fearing to expose even a sliver of his forehead.

However, the divine mark that had been sensed resembled a firefly in the dark night; it wasn't something that could be concealed by mere physical barriers.

"Honorable Devotees..."

This was an unprecedented situation for the players.

Previously, their role was merely to pinpoint the exact locations, while the Divine Servants were responsible for retrieving the children. These children, newly introduced to their future roles, appeared to embrace the prospect of a life where they would be warmly clothed and well-fed.

Offered to the gods, it was rumored that they would lead an existence akin to celestial beings within the true sanctuary of the gods, an allure no child could resist.

With the demise of the Divine Servants, the duty of retrieving the children had fallen upon the players. Although emotional farewells occurred, with families shedding tears in tight embraces, no major disturbances had transpired.

The potential of their child ascending to serve the gods, an opportunity for great honor and fortune, soon persuaded the parents to relinquish their hold.

This was the first instance where a family displayed overt resistance, even going as far as kneeling together on the ground, desperately holding onto each other, when they realized that shielding the child's forehead was futile.

"Honorable Devotees, my child is neither nimble nor bright, unfit to serve the gods. He would only incur the deity's disdain in the sanctuary... Please spare him from this fate!"

A weighty silence hung among the players.

If there was an abundance of divine children, they could have shown benevolence, granting the NPC's plea.

However, with the diminishing number of children found each day, even one child had become a precious entity.

The requirement of "a hundred divine children" was fixed; the players sensed the difficulty in fulfilling this quota. To let go of this child meant potentially forfeiting their chance at completing the mission.

While many harbored this thought, none dared to voice it in this moment.

Had this been the initial stages of the mission, they might have forcefully taken the child with little remorse, viewing the characters before them merely as NPCs devoid of real emotions.

But now, their daily efforts to aid the city's inhabitants not only granted them divine powers but also the heartfelt gratitude of the NPCs.

The cruelty typically inherent in the game seemed greatly diminished within this mission, with players finding themselves amidst a haven of peace, their seemingly minor efforts elevating them to the status of saviors in the eyes of the NPCs.

Soon, the players developed a moral burden, desiring to maintain the facade of "good people" before the NPCs.

The task of separating the child from his parents now seemed an insurmountable feat, leaving everyone reluctant to become the villain in this scenario.

As time ebbed away, someone finally spoke, albeit with visible strain.

"The compassionate deity cherishes every child and will not scorn your son for his perceived inadequacies. On the contrary, He will bestow upon him abundant assistance and affection."

The family remained tightly embraced, the child weeping and refusing to let go.

With the initial plea voiced, the other players seemed to find their opening, joining in with persuasions of the lavish life within the divine residence.

"Once he enters the divine residence, he can indulge in any meat he desires, wear the finest garments at will..."

The child's cries escalated in sorrow, "But if I serve the deity, I won't see my parents anymore..."

Someone ventured, “Well, it's not necessarily so. If you perform well in the temple, the benevolent deity might even allow you to see your parents again.”

This was nothing but a lie.

Even under the influence of the “Dream-Return Fish”, all players could vaguely sense that given the brutality of the game, the consecrated godchildren were probably destined to be sacrifices. The possibility of them surviving, let alone returning to see their parents, remained uncertain.

There were no known cases of returns in the city of Qiming.

Yet, this suggestion seemed to have swayed the huddled family of three.

The players continued their persuasion. Witnessing the magnanimous demeanor of the divine beings, the parents realized that they couldn't keep their child who was a godchild after all. They cried a while longer before finally making up their minds.

The husband brought out a small bag of rice that they had saved and couldn't bear to consume from inside the house, and the wife offered her personal purse, which constituted the only valuable possessions in their humble and impoverished home. Together, they handed these to the players, imploring them to take good care of their child when they returned to the temple.

Despite the players’ attempts to decline, the couple insisted vehemently, their strength seemingly surpassing even that of the system-enhanced players.

The visiting players led the still-crying child, holding the "protection money" given by the child’s parents, and returned silently to the Divine Residence Tower.

As the sun set in the west, the group observed their shadows on the ground, the overlapping silhouettes resembling a monstrous creature devouring humans.

The crowd exhibited varied expressions.

Once back inside the Divine Residence Tower, having delivered the child to where the godchildren were housed, the players regrouped at the first floor, finally breaking the silence with scattered remarks.

“We didn't have a choice, given the conditions for clearing the level…”

As soon as one person spoke, numerous voices chimed in agreement.

“Yes, exactly, this was a reluctant move on our part. Essentially, none of us wanted to proceed this way.”

“Considering their living conditions, where they barely had enough to eat, the child might indeed be better off in the Divine Residence Tower. If they reach the real temple, perhaps the deity will treat them kindly, offering a life less harsh than their current one, right?”

“Indeed, we haven’t necessarily done wrong. Besides, they are ultimately just NPCs. What would they remember when the instance resets?”

“The deity created the city of Qiming, and naturally needs devoted believers to…”

“What deity! Isn't that also just an NPC!”

Someone in the Ronghua Guild suddenly raised their voice.

Just now, a large group of people went together to "welcome" the godchild, including members from Ronghua.

At that moment, standing before the modest house, many wore expressions of reluctance, yet in the end, no one voiced their reservations.

They knew all too well that what they were doing was appalling, but they had no better alternatives.

Engaging in such actions amounted to victimizing these innocent NPCs. The members of Ronghua were well aware, their disdain for the so-called “deity” deepening progressively.

What they hadn't anticipated was that upon returning, some of the players who accompanied them would attempt to justify their actions, as if uttering these words granted a necessary rationale to their deeds.

The furious roar from the members of Ronghua caused the hall to fall silent once again.

But this time, a retort came quickly, "So what's your solution? If we don't bring back the divine child, do you want all of us to die here?"

This was precisely why many in Ronghua, despite feeling guilty and knowing it was wrong, didn't speak up to say "spare the child" at that moment.

This is the method for the regular players to clear the level; without enough divine children, the players will die.

The people from Ronghua ceased speaking, while on the other side someone murmured resentfully, "Playing the good guy, huh? As if bringing back this divine child benefits only us."

At that moment, the door of the Divine Residence Tower opened, and Wei Yuan and others walked in, chatting happily amongst themselves.

It was only when they reached the hall that they noticed the tense atmosphere, and Nie Shuangshuang cheerfully went to inquire about the situation from her close friends.

In the afternoon, while the other players were holding a ceremony in the Divine Residence Tower to find the divine child, Wei Yuan and others stepped out.

It was Jiang Dao'an who suggested, "Since freeloading meals feels so uncomfortable, why not work a bit and earn some money?"

Initially, Wei Yuan thought the idea was unfeasible. The residents of Qiming City were impoverished, and besides, there were help points available in the morning where the city's inhabitants could get free labor. They wanted to earn money through labor, but it depended on whether the impoverished Qiming City had suitable jobs.

But to Wei Yuan's surprise, not long after Jiang Dao'an set up a small stall, people started coming to seek help.

Strangely, those who came to them were universally silent and cold, seeking help for tasks that could have been done for free at the help points in the morning. These weren't emergencies but had been ongoing for a while.

Issues like a sick wife at home who didn't recover despite medication, or a child with a broken bone not properly set... Though Wei Yuan and his group weren't doctors, the system's potions were highly potent, curing ailments with a single dose.

Jiang Dao'an, who had been wandering the streets these past few days, quickly figured out the residents' tolerance for pricing – setting a price that was bearable but certainly painful.

Therefore, the majority who came to them were those who had no other choice.

Until the evening, when they received a rather odd request.

"The cabinet at home is too heavy to move, want to take it outside for some air?" Nie Shuangshuang found the request absurd, "The money we're charging is nearly more than the cabinet's worth, isn't it?"

The person seeking help was a young man in his late teens, thin but with bright eyes.

"Yes, but this cabinet was left to me by my mother."

There was no need to ask about the whereabouts of his mother now; everyone already knew.

"Alright, it's just moving a cabinet. I can go alone, right?" Nie Shuangshuang proposed.

However, Jiang Dao'an glanced at her, "I'll go."

Nie Shuangshuang paused, stunned.

Why was Professor Jiang volunteering to help move a cabinet? Although Nie Shuangshuang could vouch for him being a good person now, he usually appeared indifferent and didn't have much physical strength. She was quite certain that if she picked a fight with him, Professor Jiang would be down in a few moves. Usually not keen on manual labor, he was the kind to stand by, gesturing for others to help in such situations. Why was he volunteering to help an NPC this time?

Jie Fangcheng, on the other hand, could make a guess.

Although unsure of Jiang Dao'an's exact plan, considering his usual demeanor, it seemed he was plotting something rebellious or revolutionary yet again, never forgetting his Marxist professorial flair even for a moment.

At this point, encountering such a peculiar request, it most likely harbors a deeper meaning behind it.

"I'll go with you," said Xie Fangcheng. After saying this, he looked at Zhang Dao'an's expression and inexplicably added another sentence, "I'm afraid you'll get killed."

No one could outplay Zhang Dao'an in the games of schemes and deceit; however, it's also true that this man lacks substantial combat ability. His only skill is to produce a red line, which is significantly limited by his own physical condition.

Zhang Dao'an did not decline but even smiled, "Then, I appreciate your efforts, Manager Xie."

Xie Fangcheng touched his nose a bit.

Pairing up with Zhang Dao'an meant that Wei Yuan's group now also had someone who could actually fight.

Not Nie Shuangshuang or Wei Yuan, but Yan Xiaohua.

The dream fish in Yan Xiaohua's mind had long perished, her thoughts were abnormal with a fragmented dream world. She was constantly dreaming about finding her grandfather. After a few unsuccessful attempts, she realized something was wrong with her grandfather, and within two days dismantled the dream fish.

Initially, when Wei Yuan and the others met Yan Xiaohua, they were quite wary of this "ghost." But after Qi Chanyang eloquently narrated her backstory and the events that took place in the "Wax Museum" instance, her appearance changed too. Now donned in a handcrafted skirt by Qiao Mai, and her hair styled into new braids, she has seemingly become the beloved child of the Ronghua group.

Regardless of her transformed appearance, Yan Xiaohua had the power to effortlessly take on three Nie Shuangshuangs whose strength had not declined.

Having her around allowed them to walk boldly in this instance. Even if they encountered something she couldn't handle, she could at least hold on until Xie Fangcheng arrived.

Thus, the group split into two teams. Xie Fangcheng and Zhang Dao'an went to help the NPC "move the cabinet", while Nie Shuangshuang and others set up a stall for a while before going to purchase dinner for the evening.

Upon reaching the location, Xie Fangcheng was quite puzzled.

It really was just moving a cabinet. The young man didn't ask for anything else. After they finished moving it, he not only paid them as promised but also boldly said, "After it has been sunned, can I ask you guys to move it back in for me?"

Zhang Dao'an nodded.

Once they stepped out of the house, Xie Fangcheng asked, "What was that all about? Just that simple?"

Zhang Dao'an shook his head, repeating the same words, "We'll talk about it tonight."

"Going into the dream again?" Honestly, entering the dream felt like opening a mystery box each time. Xie Fangcheng didn't have much to worry about, as his dreams were either about working overtime or complaining about his boss in private, not fearing Zhang Dao'an witnessing it.

But as for Zhang Dao'an's dreams... well, although a bit embarrassed to admit, it indeed piqued one's curiosity.

In the end, Zhang Dao'an just gave a faint smile, "We don't have to enter the dream."

Only then did Xie Fangcheng realize.

The dream fish was now as obedient as the dog he was raising, being as compliant as one could be.

This man truly is...

The two quickly rejoined with Nie Shuangshuang and the others. Along the way, they were discussing the prices in Qiming City, seeming as if they were on a vacation.

But upon their return, they were greeted once again by the solemn atmosphere within the Shenju Tower.

After asking her question, Nie Shuangshuang opened her mouth slightly, seemingly at a loss for words.

She could actually comprehend the dilemma.

The members of the Ronghua Guild were certainly not malevolent, but they were facing a moral dilemma akin to the trolley problem.

Should they prevent the players from finding the God's child, leading to the eventual failure of the mission and the death of the players, or should they stand by and watch as the players sought out the God's child, sacrificing innocent NPCs in the process?

Sneakily, Nie Shuangshuang cast a glance at Zhang Daoan.

She could understand the predicament herself, but she also remembered what Zhang Daoan had said earlier: those without conscience should stay in the instance.

In Professor Zhang's eyes, could the people of Ronghua be considered as those lacking conscience?

Seeing her expression, Zhang Daoan understood her thoughts and directly asked, "With Manager Jie and me here, do you all believe that there is no other way to clear this instance, except by sacrificing the innocent NPC?"

Yet, someone responded to him with a heavy heart, "But I cannot conceive of a method to clear the instance without sacrificing the God's child."

Indeed.

Having interacted with Jie Fangcheng and Zhang Daoan for a while, the members of the Ronghua Guild knew well that these two never adhered to the conventional instance progression. Perhaps they already had alternative strategies for clearing it.

But those were the strategies of Jie Fangcheng and Zhang Daoan, not theirs.

At that time, they were the ones facing the trolley problem. With neither Jie Fangcheng nor Zhang Daoan present, no one arrogantly assumed that "since these experts surely have a way, let's pass this agonizing choice onto them".

Transferring this moral responsibility onto others was absolutely not something the people of Ronghua would do.

After posing his question, Zhang Daoan wasn't surprised by the response, he simply glanced at Nie Shuangshuang again.

Nie Shuangshuang was still somewhat confused, asking, "What does that mean? I don't understand?"

Qiao Mai promptly pulled her away.

Nevertheless, with Nie Shuangshuang's interruption, the atmosphere among the Ronghua group became lively once again.

This time, many people were visibly uncomfortable.

"The residents in the city of Qiming have been brainwashed too thoroughly! How could they adhere to so many inhumane rules?"

"In the past, wasn't it because the divine servants suppressed them? Weren't the divine servants blessed by the deity, making them stronger than ordinary people?"

"This instance is really nauseating. It seems not terrifying on the surface, but I would rather enter a horror instance where we know exactly who we should fight, unlike now when we don't even know who our enemy is."

"Can't we fight against the deity?" someone suddenly suggested.

A silence fell upon the group.

Subconsciously, there seemed to be a voice constantly persuading and enticing them: how could they harbor disrespectful thoughts towards the deity? The deity bestowed upon them such a beautiful dream, granted them numerous tools and skills; they couldn't betray this grace. Think about their devout prayers, consider all they had witnessed in their dreams...

——But this deity, is truly revolting!

Is this entity truly worthy of my devout belief?

I should have faith... but it should be placed in our guild leader!

Just then, the voice of Zhang Daoan resonated.

"Your minds have been invaded by a nauseating 'Dream-Returning Fish', many of your thoughts are not your own but are those implanted by the fish," he said.

At his declaration, many felt an epiphany, as if a fog lifting, revealing two distinct 'selves' in their previously muddled minds.

One was the authentic 'self', and the other, the incessantly chattering invader within.

A silver fish swam out from within Zhang Daoan, its silvery tail fluttering as it navigated through the air towards the members of the Ronghua Guild.

Previously, the presence of other Dream-Returning Fish had prevented it from entering their bodies.

This time, spurred by the owner's thoughts of expelling the intruding fish from their bodies, the silver fish could now freely move in and out of them.

Watching one Ronghua player after another close their eyes and collapse with a thud, only to wake up shortly, clutching their heads and groaning, Wei Yuan couldn't help but shed tears of mixed emotions.

He helped each one of them up, one by one.

"Damn it, Old Qin, I thought we lost you in this instance!" he exclaimed.

"Remember this, Xiao Zhu, trust in science for eternal life, don't fall for this supernatural nonsense!"

"Youyou..."

"Enough from you. You dare to lay hands on Qiao Mai and still try to lecture me?"

The group resembled individuals rescued from a cult, their recent memories clear yet terrifying upon reflection.

They had thought the residents of Qiming City were brainwashed, yet hadn't they too fallen under the deity's manipulative influence?

The transformation within the Ronghua group was significant, drawing the attention of many in the hall.

In fact, the Ronghua and Grim Reaper Guild members constituted eighty percent of all players in the instance. The remaining few players, somewhat stirred or deeply numb, were now spectators to the unfolding scene.

Observing this, the president of the Grim Reaper Guild approached them.

"Brother Jie, Brother Zhang, do you perhaps have a way to drive out the fish inside our heads?" he inquired.

Indeed, while members of the Ronghua Guild frequently found themselves in a daze, occasionally losing track of their identities and the reality of the instance, the Grim Reaper Guild members remained fully aware of their situation, cognizant of the foreign entity within their minds.

Brainwashing them proved to be a challenge too great for these modified fish to accomplish.

Upon the Grim Reaper Guild leader's query, Zhang Daoan responded with a smile.

Jie Fangcheng, standing nearby, could already anticipate his next words.

"There is a way," Zhang Daoan said with a benign expression, "Given our good relationship, it will be fifty million per person."

"Fifty million? What fifty million?" The Grim Reaper Guild leader was initially amused hearing about the "good relationship," but the mention of "fifty million" left him dumbfounded.

The computer Jie Fangcheng borrowed was from this guild leader. Showing reciprocity for his generous loan, Zhang Daoan remarked, "Yours will be on the house."

...Damn it!

The Grim Reaper Guild leader stood agape, unable to resist asking, "I recall it being twenty million, wasn't it?"

Zhang Daoan maintained his smile, "It was your guild member 'Moon-Slaying Blade' Yang Chi who suggested it — fifty million per person, to be collected from you guys."

Not just the Grim Reaper Guild leader, even Jie Fangcheng was astonished at this moment.

How many days had they been in this instance? Setting aside the duration, Zhang Daoan had even dined amicably with these people from the Grim Reaper Guild just the other day.

At that time, Jie Fangcheng had thought, "Who would have guessed? Professor Zhang is also a fan of the two-dimensional world, huh?"

But how did he still remember Yang Chi now? And now he was asking for fifty million per person from the guild members?!

The guild leader's face portrayed the verge of fainting — the allure of the fantasy world could not withstand the pressure of this tangible financial demand.

He turned towards Jie Fangcheng in a plea for help.

Jie Fangcheng rubbed his nose, casting a glance at Zhang Daoan first.

"Or... we could make it a bit cheaper, perhaps they could grant you a flattering nickname in exchange?"