Chapter 165 Player Lu Quan Dies

Chapter 165: Player Lu Quan's Demise

"Lin Erbao: No can do, little bro. You're on your own. Your big brother barely escaped with his life; I'm not walking back into the lion's den."

"Lin Xiaobao: We're at the East Gate. If you're not out in half an hour, we're gone."

Xiao Bao's bluntness struck a nerve, instantly igniting Lin Erbao's fury. He took to the forum, railing against his brothers for their shameless abandonment. But the other "Bao" brothers weren't having it; they countered with their own tales of woe, insisting their inaction stemmed from genuine helplessness, not heartlessness.

Even Lin Dabao confessed to sporting dark circles after an all-night vigil, while Lin Xiaobao subtly hinted at being plied with drinks for intel, now feeling nauseous.

As for Zhu Bin and He Yongxin, they were too busy scrambling for their lives to join the conversation.

Hua Diao: "..."

Her companions seemed to be in dire straits. Would boasting about her good fortune just invite their resentment? Would they want to throttle her?

Hua Diao made a decisive choice—to go for it anyway.

"Hua Diao: Well, I'm a different story. Just now, the true Succubus Princess gifted me a massive haul—three crates of rare-grade items and scrolls!"

"Lin Dabao: !!!!"

"Hua Diao: And I even got Anfoya's verbal promise that the 'Succubus Love Thread' for Task Two, from the clan leader, is as good as secured."

"Lin Dabao: !!!!"

"Lin Erbao: Ugh, what is this, a humblebragging convention? My heart aches!"

"Lin Sanbao: Rare items by the crate-load? Why don't I get that kind of treatment? Though, the Succubus race is surprisingly generous. The female succubus who wouldn't leave me alone also gave me something—a rare-grade battle robe! She gave so much; if a human girl pursued me like that, I'd have given in long ago."

"Lin Dabao: Girl, be careful. Succubi are cunning, masters of showering gifts to win hearts. My employer, Pei Ji, is the perfect example—that guy's a scummy demon who loves to throw money around to chase people. Don't fall for these 'sugar-coated bullets.'"

Xie Tingsheng, currently holed up in a dark room with two deadweights, dodging pursuers, frowned as he scrolled through the forum. His handsome face tightened with caution. The Succubus race was notoriously indiscriminate; even a princess was enough to raise his guard. And with his wife's stunning beauty, a favorite target for succubi, he couldn't bear the thought of her being out there alone.

He tapped his fingers against the black wall, pondering how to clear this dungeon as quickly as possible.

Hua Diao, meanwhile, continued her explanation. "Hmph, do you think I'm that shallow? These aren't 'sugar-coated bullets'; they're reparations! I swindled them with my brilliant mind and Oscar-worthy acting."

"Lin Dabao: Oh? Do tell! We could learn a thing or two."

"Hua Diao: You guys can't replicate this. First, you need a high-status identity, like my current High-Elf Mermaid cover. Otherwise, no matter how smart or pretty you are, you won't get anywhere."

Just as Hua Diao debated whether to reveal last night's assassination attempt—to impress upon the "Bao" brothers, who were clamoring for her "get-rich-quick" secrets, the danger and irreplicability of her windfall—a piercing hum echoed in her mind.

Simultaneously, a system notification rang out in the minds of everyone within the dungeon.

*Ding dong—Player Lu Quan has died. Remaining players: 23.*

A collective gasp rippled through the players.

They knew entering a dungeon was high-risk, but the first actual death sent a jolt of dread through them. It proved that the dungeon's lethal intent had bared its fangs. They didn't know if they would be next, but a Sword of Damocles now hung over their heads, keeping them perpetually on edge.

A somber mood settled over them. The "Bao" brothers dropped their demands for wealth-making secrets and swiftly turned to the temporary dungeon forum for information.

Hua Diao was the first to respond.

"Peanut Squad Hua Diao: What happened? Whose Lu Quan was this? How did he die?"

"Flying Wolf Team Sha Hongsheng: Lu Quan was one of mine. I'm still unclear on how he died. We'd chatted privately before; I only know he obtained the Succubus's Wisdom Fruit and infiltrated the Succubus Palace. He shouldn't have been exposed, as he always had a succubus by his side, making conversation difficult. I don't know what happened afterward or why he suddenly died. If anyone has information, please tell me. Flying Wolf Team will surely repay the favor."

After typing, Sha Hongsheng's face was ashen. His luck in the dungeon had been terrible; he'd woken up imprisoned in a dark cell, unable to escape. Later, he was dragged into Liu Hu's mess, chased by succubi, scrambling for his life, narrowly escaping death multiple times. He had pinned all his hopes of clearing the dungeon on Lu Quan, who was the most successful among their four-person team, having disguised himself as a succubus and infiltrated the palace.

But he never expected the one to die would be Lu Quan, the very person he'd placed his hopes on. He simply couldn't accept this reality.

Beyond that, Lu Quan was also a brother-in-arms, and his death was a severe blow to Sha Hongsheng. Yet, despite the immense grief, he forcibly suppressed it, preparing to find a new hiding spot. He had been hiding here for over half an hour; the succubus guards would eventually find him, so he had to move.

Though he closed the interface, the tense, anxious atmosphere on it continued to spread.

"Peanut Squad Zhu Bin: Will someone with information please speak up quickly? How did he die? We've been running from succubus guards all over the place and we're still alive. And they said they wanted us alive; as long as you don't resist too violently, you usually don't die that quickly."

"Qingcheng Special Operations Bureau Hao Fei: I might have a lead, though I'm not sure if it's related to Lu Quan's death."

"Qingcheng Special Operations Bureau Lin Dabao: Spill it, spill it!"

"Qingcheng Special Operations Bureau Hao Fei: Yesterday morning, after luckily obtaining the Succubus's Wisdom Fruit, I also pretended to be a succubus. I happened to catch the Second Succubus Prince recruiting guards, so I signed up. Lu Quan was in the same batch as me. However, I was only assigned to be a regular gatekeeper, standing like a wooden post from yesterday morning until early this morning. Lu Quan was different; he performed very well and seemed to gain the Second Succubus Prince's favor. Last night, he entered the Second Succubus Prince's study to discuss matters and hadn't come out by early this morning. Then my shift ended, so I don't know his situation or if he ever came out."