Chapter 199 The Divine Maze

Chapter 199: The Divine Labyrinth

The Western Continent of the Fantasy Realm.

The desert stretched endlessly, a vast expanse of rolling yellow sand and shimmering heat waves. It was a land of adventure and fortune for all races, with caravans converging from every direction, their camps dotting the landscape.

Hua Diao, led by Melody, arrived at the Medusa clan's camp.

Tents crafted from beast hides exuded an exotic charm, wooden stakes were wrapped in red ribbons, and a cookfire burned even in broad daylight, supporting a large pot that emitted the rich, savory aroma of meat...

Hua Diao took a deep breath and rubbed her stomach—she was genuinely feeling a bit hungry.

"Would you like some? It's sesame snake stew simmered with licorice root."

Melody's goodwill toward Hua Diao had soared, both for confronting Sophia and for their lively conversation on the way to the camp. In no time, she regarded Hua Diao as a close friend and now warmly invited her to sample their specialty dish.

Sesame snake?

Hua Diao's eyes darted to Melody's long, golden serpent tail, a hint of shock in their depths, but she agreed without hesitation. "Oh, absolutely!"

A Medusa clan specialty—miss this chance, and there might not be another! She simply had to try it.

As she followed Melody toward the large pot, Hua Diao discreetly observed the other Medusas in the camp. They all appeared youthful, each exuding an exotic charm with striking, well-defined features, no less beautiful than Melody.

Along the way, some Medusas coiled their serpent tails into oversized spirals, sprawling lazily to sunbathe, while others playfully sparred with their tails, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Melody, you're back! Who’s that behind you? What race is she? A friend you made during your travels?"

A vivacious Medusa by the pot, stirring with a large ladle, asked cheerfully.

"She’s a mermaid friend I just met. She helped me drive Sophia away—I’m so happy!"

"Oh? She actually managed to confront Sophia? That’s amazing! Tell me, tell me, what happened?"

And so, the two Medusas and Hua Diao eagerly chattered about the confrontation with Sophia. Female bonding could be this simple—gossiping together made them fast friends. Hua Diao quickly blended in, and soon, more of Melody’s friends joined, forming a lively circle around the cookfire.

Seizing the opportunity, Hua Diao gleaned plenty of information about the Western Continent’s desert. For instance, the desert here didn’t necessarily mean barrenness—it could also be a chance for sudden wealth if one managed to unearth rare ores beneath the sands.

Melody and her clan, the Medusas, had come here for mining and fortune.

According to them, the Golden Sand Desert was the most mysterious in the Western Continent. Normally impossible to find, it only parted its misty veil to open once every century, welcoming adventurers from all races to seek their fortunes.

This was the densest concentration of ores in the Western Continent. As long as one dug earnestly, they were guaranteed to find something and wouldn’t leave empty-handed.

But that wasn’t the main reason all races flocked here. What truly drew them was the Divine Labyrinth deep within the desert.

This labyrinth was said to have been created by the Creator God himself. Its passages branched in all directions, a sprawling network, each hiding countless treasure chests filled with riches waiting to be discovered.

However, the labyrinth wasn’t just about opportunity—it also held danger and competition. Its rules dictated that only one person could occupy a passage at a time. If two entered the same passage, a duel would automatically commence.

Once a duel began, there was no draw—only victory or defeat. The winner could continue exploring, while the loser would be teleported out, ending their labyrinth adventure.

What intrigued Hua Diao the most was the legend that the final reward at the labyrinth’s center wasn’t just mythical-grade treasures but also the possibility of encountering the Creator God—the one and only deity of the Fantasy Realm.

Hearing this, Hua Diao’s heart pounded fiercely. If she could meet this Creator God, would she finally uncover why the Fantasy Realm had disguised itself as a game and invaded Aqua Blue?

And the truth behind Aqua Blue’s apocalypse?

The thought filled her with excitement. Clenching her fists, her eyes alight with determination, she blurted out, "I must go to the Divine Labyrinth!"

But what were the conditions for entering?

As a mermaid, she couldn’t possibly admit ignorance, so she couldn’t ask directly. She’d have to fish for information carefully and take things step by step.

While the Medusas continued their lively gossip, Hua Diao discreetly opened her game interface to check her quests, hoping they wouldn’t conflict with her plans.

This dungeon’s quests were the same as the last—three mandatory tasks to clear it.

1: Enter the Divine Labyrinth.

2: Win three duels.

3: Become the final victor of the Divine Labyrinth and reach its center.

Hua Diao inwardly gasped. As expected of a 25-fragment dungeon—the difficulty was immense! The first two were manageable, but the third—reaching the labyrinth’s center—aligned with her earlier thoughts, though she had only intended to try her best without absolute certainty.

After all, the Divine Labyrinth was a place coveted by all major races. Aside from the interracial wars, this was the most high-stakes event. According to Melody and her sisters, unless something unexpected happened, every major race would send representatives this time, ensuring fierce competition.

How could outsiders like them, weaklings tempered only by the apocalypse, possibly compete against these battle-seasoned races?

Hua Diao scratched her head, feeling overwhelmed. This was way too difficult!

All she could do was pray her luck held and she wouldn’t run into any top-tier fighters in the labyrinth.

After reviewing her quests, she checked her private messages.

As usual, Xie Tingsheng had messaged her first.

[Xie Tingsheng: Where are you? Are you safe?]

Hua Diao quickly replied: [I’m at the Medusa clan’s camp. Safe for now, and I’ve even made friends with them. What about you?]

This time, Xie Tingsheng didn’t reply immediately. Nearly ten minutes passed—enough time for their squad and the eighth brother’s team to start a small group chat—before his response came.

[Xie Tingsheng: I’m at the dragon clan’s camp. Safe for now, too.]

Hua Diao’s eyes widened in shock. [The dragon clan’s camp? Wow, talk about a fake meeting the real deal! So, they haven’t exposed you as a dragon impostor yet?]