Chapter 213: Count Dracula (Part 5)

Chapter 213: Count Dracula (Part 5)

The night passed without incident.

It was rare that the latter part of the night was both devoid of clattering skeletons and midnight ambushes; Xie Fang Cheng slept soundly until the morning light.

He was well-rested, and as he glanced around during breakfast, he noticed that the other players looked worn out, resembling overworked office drones who had pulled an all-nighter. For a moment, Xie Fang Cheng, an office drone himself, felt a pang of sympathy.

The players weren't like him; none had partaken in the rose-blood wine during last night's dinner.

Some pretended to drink but actually poured it into a hidden space they controlled. Others gulped it down only to retreat and vomit it back up.

These were seasoned players, after all. The wine was an obvious trap; it might save lives now but could have dire consequences later.

Players who had survived to level two had their own methods of making it through.

As for what might happen tonight, that was a problem for their future selves to confront.

Liu He Yi was audacious and somewhat renowned in Zone C41—he was already a D-level Hunter.

Hunter!

Only those who had completed a D-level hunting field task had the right to bear the title of "Hunter."

D-level Hunters were regulars in level three instances.

It was rare for someone like Liu He, who had only cleared level two instances and never ventured into a level three, to have already gained the title of Hunter—and it wasn't merely due to luck.

It was a magical world, one plagued by an unknown miasma that would sporadically appear in various regions over time.

Ordinary people had all perished, leaving only a small group of survivors.

When the micro-world was on the verge of collapse, powerful Guardians would manifest to maintain order and uphold its rules in the world's stead.

Of course, some of these Guardians did become true "Guardians," doing everything in their power—even draining their last drop of blood—to sustain the crumbling micro-world.

Some, however, abuse their immense strength to prey upon the remaining survivors, plundering the last resources within their miniature worlds.

Take the current "Emperor" of Zone C, for example. He slaughtered all the survivors in his S-class mini-world while serving as its guardian, and then entered the game laden with its resources.

The moment the "Emperor" entered, he already possessed the strength of an S-class Hunter, a meteoric rise that many in Zone C envy.

It's not just about being skilled... it's also a tremendous stroke of luck!

We're talking about an S-class mini-world here!

Most players only gain access to S-class hunting grounds after becoming A-class Hunters, and the resources they obtain are comparatively scarce.

Many fully collapsed S-class mini-worlds produce Extinction Fields post-collapse. Escaping such a field grants "Authority" over the mini-world.

While "Authority" may not mean much to ordinary players, for district heads like those in different Zones, it's an essential component in building their empires.

Take the Elf Queen of Zone D, for example. Due to insufficient "Authority," she was only able to modify certain aspects of Zone D19, unable to fully eradicate the zombie virus.

Acquiring such "Authority" is notoriously difficult; the primary source is the decennial "Competitions," where higher ranks yield more "Authority."

The secondary source is the destruction of S-class mini-worlds.

Upon their demise, Extinction Fields reduce these mini-worlds to dust—unlike Zone D19, which still had a planet left to rebuild upon.

An S-class mini-world, once it collapses, leaves not even debris.

There is, however, one exception.

Whitestar.

The mini-world where Zone A1 is located, Whitestar, is also the game's initial base. Rumor has it that the presence of dragon bones sealed within spared the planet from annihilation.

The "Emperor's" S-class mini-world wasn't so fortunate; not only did he slaughter his kinsmen, but the world also produced an Extinction Field upon its collapse.

Extinction Fields are universally acknowledged as the most terrifying "instances," embodying the world's collective malice. Yet the resources left behind also serve as rewards for players who clear these instances.

These rewards exert a deadly allure. A saying among players goes: "Not all top-tier rewards come from Extinction Fields, but all top-tier items are from Extinction Fields."

Regular players covet the items, while high-level players vie for the "Authority." Hence, every newly-formed Extinction Field triggers a scramble among various zones. Many of these fields accommodate tens of thousands of players and last significantly longer than standard instances—the longest recorded Extinction Field lasted five years.

As for how lucky the "Emperor" was—he annihilated all sentient beings in his mini-world, causing it to collapse due to a broken balance of rules.

The ensuing Extinction Field immediately sucked him in. Players from all zones, including top-ranked hunters, flooded into this new field. But being the last surviving guardian of his mini-world, the "Emperor" was naturally shielded by it.

Despite being one of the main culprits behind the world's demise, the Extinction Field granted this "Guardian" the ultimate advantage, letting him miraculously survive and ultimately emerge victorious.

Over ten thousand perished in that Extinction Field, with only a handful surviving. Thus, the "Emperor" rose to prominence.

Countless players idolize and admire such a journey. Liu He, as a resident of Zone C, had heard the "Emperor's" story countless times.

He wasn't as fortunate; he's just an ordinary man from an ordinary mini-world. Yet, even without ever clearing a level-three instance, his credentials as a Hunter could provide him bragging rights for a decade.

I really am strong, aren't I?

That's what Liu He thought.

As a result, his temperament was far from gracious. Upon entering the instance, he immediately began to taunt those around him, particularly upon spotting an elf. After all, the "Emperor" had kept several exquisite elf players as pets, publicly seeking mates for them to produce even better "pets."

For the dignified elves, this was an abhorrent humiliation. Elves throughout the game held immense animosity towards the "Emperor" and the players of Zone C.

The vendetta between the two sides had been festering for years. Elves were easy to identify—they were generally players from Zone D, given their distinct tribal traits and unquestioning loyalty to the Elf Queen. In essence, if an elf displayed natural attributes, it was almost guaranteed they resided in Zone D.

Hence, Liu He's disdain for elves came as no surprise. What he hadn't expected, however, was to encounter a player even more formidable than he.

The thought kept him awake.

He had abstained from drinking and wasn't overly concerned about making it through the night—his skills were more than sufficient for a level-two instance.

NPCs were of little concern to him... except, of course, for the Count.

The ultimate boss of a level-two instance generally held the power of a C-class Hunter, which was decidedly above Liu He's level. Upon the Count's entrance, Liu He confirmed that this was a foe he couldn't contest.

But he wasn't foolish enough to challenge this boss recklessly, inviting his own demise.

Having cleared numerous instances, Liu He felt confident that the Count would likely not make an appearance tonight; he hadn't triggered any conditions that would lead the Count to target him.

But what about the other players?

Particularly the one who had effortlessly sent the dining table flying with a mere slap—delicate in appearance yet astonishingly powerful.

Had his words offended that player?

Should he apologize?

Since becoming a Hunter, Liu He had been brazenly arrogant within instances, readily berating or attacking teammates he deemed unsatisfactory. After all, he was a blunt person—and in fairness, people from Zone C generally behaved this way.

It had been a very long time since Liu He had apologized to anyone.

In previous instances, his prowess went unquestioned, rendering him virtually unrivaled within level-two settings.

But that youngster was genuinely formidable!

Liu He was torn, and remained so as he returned to his room that evening.

Lying in bed with his eyes closed, pretending to sleep, his fingers were positioned near his wrist, ready to draw an item at a moment's notice.

He couldn't predict what might transpire tonight. NPCs were generally inconsequential; most were likely to be minor bosses that he could handle effortlessly.

The only uncertainty was whether that player might launch a stealth attack.

As he remained on high alert, the room was soon filled with the grating sound of bone rubbing against bone.

Liu He sensed someone squatting beside him... No, not someone, it was more like a skeletal figure.

That was because Liu He could feel icy bones caressing his neck.

Goosebumps rose on his back; he nearly jolted upright but managed to suppress the urge.

"You...not asleep?"

The skeleton inquired, its sharp phalanges poised to pierce his throat.

Steady yourself.

No worries; NPCs follow certain rules. If it's asking this, chances are, as long as I pretend to be asleep, it won't break the rules and kill me outright.

Liu He's breathing evened out, making his feigned sleep appear more natural.

The icy fingers of the skeleton traced his neck, then glided onto his face.

"Ah... this face..."

Entering this instance made Liu He feel a trace of vanity deep inside.

It meant that, in the eyes of the system, he was exceptionally good-looking; otherwise, he wouldn't have been transported to this kind of scenario.

Indeed, he was extraordinary—not only in terms of strength but also in terms of appearance.

As Liu He reveled in this thought, he heard the skeleton caress his face and lament, "So... ugly..."

Liu He: "…"

Another voice chimed in: "Indeed… ugly, not as good as... that one."

Even though the skeletons didn't specify, in that instant, Liu He immediately understood whom they were referring to.

Elves were already a race renowned for their beauty, but that one who could smash tables into the ground was even more beautiful than elves—and his beauty was aggressively alluring, impossible to ignore yet irresistible to the eyes.

Damn it… If only I were an elf.

Malicious thoughts began to fill Liu He's mind; he knew the "Emperor" had a penchant for collecting beautiful "pets."

If such a stunning man were an elf, the "Emperor," if he knew, would definitely want to keep him in captivity.

Liu He's thoughts wandered, and strangely, he found himself getting excited.

Should I go post about this player's appearance online? Maybe it will catch someone interested's attention?

Unfortunately, this damn game, while seemingly indifferent to human life, has a lot of restrictions on the details.

For example, you can't take pictures of other players without their permission.

Breaking the game's rules could result in an immediate account termination warning.

Yet mere words struggle to encapsulate the aggressively captivating beauty of this person...

Lost in thought, Liu He was startled by a raspy voice near his ear.

"You're... only pretending... to sleep," the voice chuckled. "I saw your... eyeballs... move."

Liu He's breath hitched abruptly.

The next second, he executed a quick roll on the bed.

With a "ripping" sound, the skeleton's phalanges tore through his shirt.

Damn it! Busted!

Swiping a finger across his wrist, Liu He swiftly retrieved a crescent-shaped weapon from his bag and lunged at the skeleton before him.

Stab—

Accompanied by a bone-grating sound, the skeleton staggered back two steps.

Liu He did possess skills; capitalizing on his advantage, he swiftly dispatched both skeletons to the ground.

With bones scattered across the floor, Liu He took several labored breaths, himself also wounded.

He coughed a few times and used the wall for support to stand up.

The strength of these skeletons wasn't especially formidable—or rather, this was precisely the level of difficulty he had expected from a tier-two instance.

Now that he'd dealt with the skeletons pestering him, Liu He pondered for a moment and decided to venture outside.

Whether to check on other players or NPCs or to look for clues, anything was better than wasting time here.

With his own formidable abilities, even if he couldn’t beat an NPC, he could at least escape!

Thus resolved, Liu He opened the door.

Almost simultaneously, the door opposite his opened as well.

No one stepped out; just a foot swiftly kicked something round and rolling into the hallway.

The object went "thud, thud, thud."

Finally stopping after a few rotations, a skull ended up face-to-face with Liu He on the floor.

Liu He: "…"

Liu He turned back into his room and deadbolted the door.

He didn't sleep a wink for the rest of the night.

The person across the hall, capable of smashing a table into the ground with a single palm strike, had also kicked a skull in Liu He's direction. How could it not be taken as a warning?

What to do, what to do? Was the other party actually going to attack him?

Liu He spent the night on edge, as did most other players.

Not everyone had Liu He's level of skill; the majority of players chose the same coping strategy.

—Pretending to sleep.

But not everyone had the mental fortitude of Liu Feiyao. Even seasoned players found it impossible to sleep knowing a skeleton was crouched beside them, spending the entire night in trepidation.

Consequently, everyone woke the next day with heavy hearts and weary faces.

Except for Jie Fangcheng.

He had slept like a baby during the latter half of the night, arriving fully refreshed.

The more Jie Fangcheng thought about it, the more he suspected that Lu Jia might be Professor Zhang.

Even if it wasn't Professor Zhang, he must know him—certainly, he was no count.

That made things simple. One could tell at a glance that the Count was nefarious and bound to make a move.

As soon as he did, Jie Fangcheng would apprehend and kill him on the spot.

After all, in this survival scenario, all that was needed in the castle was a butler to prepare meals and maintain cleanliness.

Of course, what mattered more was that those noisy skeletons from yesterday better not show up again.

Now he had to think about how to find Professor Zhang...

As Jie Fangcheng munched away, deep in thought, he kept his eyes on the Count, eagerly awaiting a display of his vicious nature.

Unfortunately, the vampire Count proved to be rather gentlemanly.

As if oblivious to the guests' haggard looks, he not only prattled on with banalities like "Did everyone rest well last night?", but also refrained from revealing his vampiric tendencies. He simply smiled and nodded courteously at everyone.

"During the day, you may wish to visit the garden and admire the roses. They are as beautiful as all of you," he said.

With that, the vampire Count donned his tailcoat, put on his hat, and departed.

When one of the players inquired with the butler, the response was, "The Count has recently made the acquaintance of a learned gentleman."

Clearly, the vampire Count's interest in this new friend now exceeded his interest in the players.

Jie Fangcheng wasn't bothered, but the other players exchanged uneasy glances.

"Can an instance NPC be distracted by a regular NPC from outside?"

Normally, this would be impossible.

Regardless of what instance NPCs think, ordinary NPCs from the outside world tend to avoid contact with instance NPCs and players due to memory adjustments and other factors.

And now, an NPC from outside is actually looking for the Count?

The crowd was puzzled, but the fact remained that the Count had left.

Before departing, he had mentioned the roses in the garden, which clearly offered a new clue.

So, after breakfast, the players all headed for the garden.

Indeed, just as the Count had said, the garden was ablaze with ravishing blood-red roses, a hue of such stunning beauty that none had ever seen in roses before.

Naturally, the garden was not only home to flowers; gaunt, expressionless old crones were tending to the blooming roses with their bare hands.

Silently, they gathered the mud mixed with a red liquid around the roots of each rose plant, forming small mound-like bulges.

Sharp thorns adorned the roses. It was unclear whether the soil was already tinged with blood or if it had been stained by the bleeding hands of the NPCs tending to the flowers.

What sent shivers down one’s spine was the way these NPCs moved like marionettes. When their hands were pricked and started to bleed, they seemed entirely unaware, continuing to gather soil for the rose mounds without even a reflexive withdrawal of their hands.

The seductive beauty of the roses stood in stark contrast to the haggard appearance and broken hands of the old crones surrounding them, making many feel uneasy.

"The color of these roses... isn't it the same as the color of the dresses we're wearing?" one player suddenly realized.

Comparison was easy since most players were still wearing the formal attire from earlier. Standing next to the roses, they could confirm it instantly.

It was indeed an exact match.

This led them to reminisce about the morning.

Everyone had dressed up formally except for one player who casually came in a shirt, ate his breakfast in utter relaxation, and continued until the Count had left.

Who on earth was this guy? Why was he acting so brazenly?!

After comparing the colors of the dresses and roses, everyone instinctively looked around, trying to spot this uniquely audacious individual.

After scanning the area, they realized he hadn't even bothered to join them.

"Seriously, who is this guy? Talk about audacity!"

The audaciously unconcerned Jie Fangcheng found himself idle—he really wasn't fond of flowers or plants, mainly due to their lackluster taste.

So, he simply returned upstairs alone, hoping he might run into Lu Jia again.

Although he didn’t find Lu Jia, Jie Fangcheng did stumble upon a room filled with the smell of blood.

Inside the room, a silhouette in a blood-red "Blood Night Rose" gown "stood" in the center.

Only upon closer inspection did he realize that it was a layer of human skin, draped over an iron mannequin.

How perverse.

Jie Fangcheng bowed his head, preparing to find a stick.

In reality, if it's just a feud among NPCs, he wouldn't care much as long as it doesn't affect him; he tends to respect the outcomes of such matters.

But when it comes to torture methods like flaying, Jie Fangcheng has a strong aversion.

He was still searching for a stick when he heard the butler's voice behind him.

"The 'Blood Rose' set consists of twelve dresses. However, this guest failed to take good care of his own dress, resulting in frayed fabric. The Count is very displeased."

Jie Fangcheng responded with a simple, "Oh."

The butler continued, "Sir, I would advise you not to be so obstinate. Anger the Count, and he has a thousand ways to make your life a living hell."

"Is that so?" Jie Fangcheng replied courteously. Whether he was actually listening or not, he made sure to acknowledge the statement.

The room resembled an art collection gallery, featuring a human-skin mannequin in the center. Display cases surrounding it held various gems, showcasing the Count's wealth.

Jie Fangcheng's eyes swept the room, finally lighting up upon spotting something.

The butler was dissatisfied with his response and continued nagging behind him, "I'm telling you this for your own good. Don't be ungrateful. The Count's power is beyond the imagination of mere mortals like you. Those who defy him will—!"

Crash—

With a stomp of his foot, Jie Fangcheng shattered a display case containing a scepter.

The butler shrieked, "What are you doing?! Do you realize that was the Count's favorite scepter, a gift from the king of some Eastern small nation...? What are you planning now?!"

Jie Fangcheng picked up the scepter and used it to knock over the human-skin mannequin in the center of the room.

"You... you!!!"

After toppling the mannequin, Jie Fangcheng turned to the stunned butler and kindly advised, "I personally recommend you leave now."

The butler was dumbfounded. Following Jie Fangcheng's statement, he hesitantly asked, "Why?"

Being a conscientious worker, Jie Fangcheng considered the butler's well-being, "That way, when the Count returns, you can claim ignorance about what transpired here and say that you couldn't stop me."

Playing dumb is often a suitable strategy for seasoned professionals.

The butler opened his mouth, then opened it again.

"And what if... what if I try to stop you?"

With an honest smile, Jie Fangcheng responded politely, "Then you'll die."