Chapter 81 Sunset Town (6) This Dungeon Ends

Chapter 81 Sunset Town (6) - End of This Instance

"How is this possible…" The soldier behind Zhao Lan stumbled back in disbelief.

Zhao Lan, too, found it incredible. "Day is night, and night is day… Where exactly are we?"

"In an illusion," Yu Xing stated with absolute certainty, her thoughts now sharp and clear. "Think about it: it’s not strange that a passenger chose to stay in Sunset Town, but why would his family appear here? You also mentioned that there are fake people in Sunset Town—how did they come to be? I believe they were conjured by the residents' desires."

She spoke with growing conviction. "Because that passenger longed for his wife and child to be by his side, he manifested them through his longing. And that mother who always soothes her child at night—her child is dead. Because she yearned for her child’s presence, she conjured one up."

Her words had completely bewildered the soldiers. Only Zhao Lan could barely keep pace with Yu Xing’s reasoning. "So, by your logic, the entire Sunset Town might be an illusion?"

Yu Xing countered, "Do you really think it’s plausible for a utopian town like this to exist beyond the wall, in the middle of the mountains?"

"What’s a utopian town?" Shen Tanrong asked.

"…" Yu Xing was momentarily speechless. This Shen Tanrong—why did he have to fixate on such trivial details?

"It’s a place like this—beautiful, where no one goes hungry, everyone gets along, families are whole, and there’s no pollution," Yu Xing explained. "Do you really think a town like this makes sense?"

Zhao Lan took a deep breath. "If it’s all an illusion, why does it become so eerie at night? The residents keep scrubbing the floors, unresponsive to others. And those imagined people can even die, even though they seem perfectly normal during the day."

This question didn’t even require Yu Xing’s answer—Shen Tanrong had already figured it out. "Because day is night, and night is day."

Zhao Lan was momentarily confused before realization dawned. "You mean, when it’s day in the town, it’s night outside—when the pollution is at its worst. The town feels the effects of the pollution, making all the illusions more vivid. At night, when it’s day outside and the pollution weakens, the illusions become unstable…"

"Exactly," Yu Xing nodded. "That’s my theory."

Though the theory was shocking, there was no denying its logic—it explained many of the town’s anomalies.

"Then why don’t they let anyone into the school?" Zhao Lan asked.

Yu Xing turned to look at the residents encircling the school and frowned. "I don’t know about that."

Perhaps the way out truly lay inside, or perhaps there was another reason…

Just as Yu Xing was deep in thought, Da Ya’s voice finally came from the direction of the school.

"Nothing! There’s no way out here!"

"There’s absolutely nothing!!"

Zhao Lan, Shen Tanrong, and the soldiers all turned to Yu Xing, hanging on her words.

Yu Xing silently stared toward the school, thinking to herself, *Yu Xing, you can’t panic now. You have to get everyone out of here. Look at the way they’re looking at you—full of desperate hope. You can’t let them down.*

"Don’t worry," Yu Xing said through gritted teeth. "I *will* get you all out."

Zhao Lan scrutinized Yu Xing, feeling a strange unease. Why did Xingxing seem so… off?

"I believe you," Shen Tanrong said with absolute sincerity. "We all believe in you."

Zhao Lan found it even more peculiar. Why did this squad leader, Shen, trust Xingxing so much—more than she did, despite having spent far less time with her?

They stayed there until dawn.

Once day broke, Sunset Town snapped back to normalcy almost instantly. The residents gathered around the school dispersed, returning to their homes and resuming their daily lives.

Watching this, Zhao Lan raised her hand, letting sunlight fall on her arm. A primal dread seized her—fear of looking up. If the town’s day was the outside world’s night, what if she looked up at the sky now? Would she be polluted?

Pedestrians began appearing around them again, along with street vendors.

By day, Sunset Town might as well have been an ordinary town of the Old Era.

Yu Xing stood up, intending to go inspect the school—but she found herself unable to lift her leg at first.

"What’s wrong?" Shen Tanrong noticed her hesitation. "Are you okay?"

Zhao Lan also turned to look and gasped when she saw Yu Xing’s lips had turned purple. She immediately rushed over to support her. "Ah! Why are your hands so cold?"

Zhao Lan was shocked. "They’re like ice!"

"I… can’t walk," Yu Xing struggled for breath. "I wanted to check the school."

Zhao Lan had no idea what was happening to her, nor why both Yu Xing and Miao Yuanjin felt this cold while she remained unaffected.

But right now, she was at a loss as to how to help Yu Xing. Since Yu Xing wanted to go to the school, Zhao Lan made a decision. "Give me a hand," she said to Shen Tanrong. "Let’s carry her there."

Yu Xing was all but carried to the school. From the outside, the school looked deceptively ordinary—an iron gate with a wooden sign that read, "Future Elementary School."

Inside were concrete paths and a few two-story school buildings.

Though it was daytime, the school gates stood barred. There were no teachers or students in sight.

The gates were bound with several thick chains from the inside. Zhao Lan frowned. "Why would they lock the gates with so many chains? Are they afraid the residents of Sunset Town would steal from the school?"

That was darkly amusing. It wasn’t even certain whether the residents of Sunset Town were human—why would they steal?

Countless questions crowded Zhao Lan’s thoughts. "If Sunset Town really is an illusion, why would an imagined school need to be locked up like this?"

"Xingxing!" Da Ya’s voice suddenly called from above.

Looking up, they saw Da Ya and two soldiers balanced precariously on the wall, preparing to climb down.

"Are you okay?" Zhao Lan jogged over, arms outstretched to catch Da Ya.

Da Ya landed with practiced ease from the wall. "I’m fine—just nearly died of fright."

Shen Tanrong, still supporting Yu Xing, merely nodded at the two soldiers. Yu Xing, her body locking up, turned to Da Ya and asked, "You really found nothing in the school?"

"Nothing," Da Ya said as she walked over. "We searched the entire place again—inside and out, short of turning the place upside down. There’s nothing. It’s just a normal school."

The two soldiers also confirmed, "We really didn’t find anything."

Zhao Lan glanced toward the school. Shen Tanrong asked Yu Xing, "Do you want to go in? I can carry you."

Yu Xing had initially wanted to enter, thinking Da Ya might have missed something. But when she saw the heavy locks securing the gates from the inside, she changed her mind.

The gates were locked from within—meaning it was to keep something *outside* from getting in.

Last night, all the residents of Sunset Town had gathered outside the school, yet not a single one entered. Instead, they kept muttering about how no one should go in…

This didn’t seem like an attempt to prevent escape. It was more like they were restraining themselves.

"The way out isn’t in the school…" Yu Xing suddenly came to a chilling realization.

"Then where is it?" Da Ya asked.

Yu Xing strained to lift her hands, now completely numb with cold.

"There's no way out." Yu Xing looked around at the sun-drenched Sunset Town. "This is all an illusion. As long as we break the illusion, we can leave."

Zhao Lan said worriedly, "But how do we break it? We've tried pinching ourselves, cutting our hands, walking blindfolded—nothing worked."

"Yeah." Da Ya slapped the school wall hard, feeling its solid texture. "Is this really an illusion?"

Yu Xing felt that if things continued like this, she might die—frozen to death. And if she died, the others around her would likely die too, even if they showed no discomfort and seemed far more normal than her.

Just then, the passengers staying at the clinic arrived, including the young man they had woken up the night before.

The same young man who had been on the verge of death last night was now bursting with energy, following the group with the others. All the passengers looked perfectly healthy.

"Finally found you," the young man said with a smile. "What brought you out here?"

Yu Xing and the others stared at him. The young man scratched the back of his head awkwardly under their gaze. "I came to tell you—I think Sunset Town is great. I like it here and don’t plan to leave. You don’t need to take me with you when you go."

Another female passenger added, "Same here. I don’t want to leave either. The townsfolk promised us houses if we stay. I’ve decided—I’m living here from now on."

After the two spoke, the other passengers shared uncertain looks.

Shen Tanrong asked coldly, "What about the rest of you? Planning to stay too?"

The passengers seemed conflicted. Finally, one said, "We haven’t decided yet!"

"Still thinking..."

"We’ll decide after our injuries heal..."

The metallic scent of blood grew stronger, making Yu Xing nauseous.

"Xingxing, do you want to rest? Try to sleep a little." Zhao Lan was genuinely frightened by Yu Xing’s condition. "You look awful."

"Right," Da Ya chimed in, equally concerned. "Let’s take you back to the mayor’s house. You need rest."

Shen Tanrong glanced at her, then bent down and lifted Yu Xing onto his back.

They hurried back to the mayor’s house. Yu Xing’s limbs were as cold as ice, and she was slipping in and out of consciousness.

"No... we're running out of time..." Yu Xing’s mind flashed back to the young man's eager declaration to stay.

This wasn't right. How could someone who had been on the verge of death last night suddenly be full of life and eager to stay?

"All of this... it's just an illusion..." Yu Xing’s voice weakened.

"That's right, just an illusion," Zhao Lan reassured anxiously, gripping Yu Xing’s hand. "Rest easy. We’ll find a way to break it."

"Yeah," Da Ya said, on the verge of tears. "Xingxing, you're scaring me."

"Wait!" Yu Xing jerked suddenly on Shen Tanrong’s back. "It’s not *our* illusion—it’s the townspeople's! Self-harm won't break it!"

"Then what do we do?" Shen Tanrong steadied her while saying, "Should I kill every last person in this town?"

His tone was dead serious. No one doubted he meant it.

"Would that actually work?" Yu Xing was skeptical. If ropes untied themselves, would the dead stay dead?

Not even the Broomstick Star Skill worked on these people. Could they really be killed so easily?

"Stop overthinking!" Zhao Lan snapped, seeing Yu Xing’s worsening state. "We’re here! Why won't you trust us?! Have you even seen what you look like right now?!"

Yu Xing, carried on Shen Tanrong’s back, was rigid as a board, her skin taking on a bluish tint, lips deep purple, eyes glazed over—like she was at death's door.

Zhao Lan squeezed her hand. "Trust us. We won’t stop until we find a way out."

Da Ya dabbed at her tears. With Miao Yuanjin unconscious and now Yu Xing collapsing, she was terrified.

But then, Zhao Lan noticed Yu Xing’s eyes light up.

Yu Xing's eyes suddenly blazed with realization, straightening excitedly on Shen Tanrong’s back. "I know! I know!"

Her sudden energy left everyone speechless.

"Put me down!" Yu Xing shouted.

They had just reached the mayor’s front steps. Shen Tanrong hesitated. "Almost there. I’ll put you down inside."

He quickened his pace, entering the house in a few strides, then set Yu Xing down in the living room.

As they returned, the mayor appeared with a smile. "Back so soon? Breakfast is ready. Come eat."

They completely ignored him. All eyes were on Yu Xing, who exclaimed, "I've figured out what’s off about these houses!"

Despite her worry, Zhao Lan couldn't help but ask: "What is it?"

"You reminded me, Zhao Lan," Yu Xing said. "There aren't any mirrors. None in any house—not a single one—nowhere in all of Sunset Town!"

A stunned silence fell as they all remembered. True enough—whether at Old Zhang's place or any other house they’d entered, they’d never seen a mirror.

"You're right," Zhao Lan said slowly, sensing something. "What possible reason could there be for no mirrors?"

Yu Xing turned to the mayor. Though her arm trembled with effort, she pointed at him. "Isn’t the answer obvious? Only those afraid of mirrors wouldn’t have one."

Her fingers flexed, and a hand mirror materialized in her palm—one she’d bought earlier and kept in her storage ring.

Pure terror contorted the mayor's face.

Yu Xing raised the mirror toward him.

"Aaaagh!" The mayor shrieked and tried to flee.

"Grab him!" Zhao Lan clapped her hands together, preparing to unleash her Divine Skill—but shockingly, nothing happened.

Shen Tanrong and the soldiers lunged, restraining him firmly.

Yu Xing lurched forward unsteadily, lifting the mirror to the mayor’s face.

"No! Don't!" he howled.

If no mirrors existed in Sunset Town because its residents feared them, what would they see if they actually looked?

Yu Xing had to know. As she positioned the mirror before the mayor’s face, she peered into it—and in that heartbeat, a monstrous visage stared back at her.

The face of an utterly terrifying monster...

"Ah!" Da Ya gasped. "A monster!"

The world suddenly plunged into darkness, transforming from bright day to utter blackness.

Yu Xing gasped, and the next moment, everything returned to daylight as she found herself back in Mayor Chen's house.

Mayor Chen had somehow broken free from his restraints and was fleeing in panic. Yu Xing urgently shouted, "Quick, catch him!"

Shen Tanrong and the others pounced again, pinning him down.

Yu Xing walked over and said, "Keep his face still, force his eyes open!"

Shen Tanrong gripped the mayor's shoulder with one hand and his head with the other, preventing him from moving. Zhao Lan stepped forward, raising both hands and using her thumbs and index fingers to force open the mayor's eyelids, stopping him from closing his eyes.

"Take a good look at yourself," Yu Xing shoved the mirror right against the mayor's face. "See what you really are!"

"Ah!!" The mayor let out an ear-splitting shriek.

The surroundings darkened again, and Yu Xing's vision turned pitch black.

She groped blindly, hearing the sound of flowing water in her ears.

Disoriented, she turned around and looked up, seeing two incredibly bright moons hanging in the sky.

The moons loomed high above, and as she stared, she fell into a trance. Suddenly, the Purple Moon flickered, as if winking at her.

Yu Xing jolted back to awareness and hurriedly looked down, but her body felt paralyzed—only her hands could move, while her lower half was completely immobilized.

After a brief moment of panic, Yu Xing used the moonlight to assess her situation.

She was... submerged in water, with only her neck and above above the surface.

And the water wasn't just water—it was thick with deep, clinging mud. Most of her body was trapped in the sludge, which was why she couldn't move.

Under the moonlight, she saw countless objects floating on the water's surface.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed one such object very close to her on the right. Fighting against the mud, she turned around and finally understood why she was numb from the cold—she had been submerged in this muddy pool all along.

After much effort, she managed to turn and finally saw what was floating on the water.

It was the head of a horrifically deformed creature.

"Ah!" Despite her experience, Yu Xing was startled.

Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't a monster but... a deformed human head.

If she looked carefully, she could make out facial features—eyes, nose, mouth, and ears—but the face and neck were covered in large, disgusting tumors. These tumors pressed against the features, twisting the face into something grotesquely misshapen, far more terrifying than any monster.

Looking around, the water's surface was blanketed with such heads—Yu Xing was surrounded by these twisted human faces.

"Zhao Lan!" Yu Xing screamed into the water. "Da Ya!"

"Miao Yuanjin!!"

No response came. She assumed the others were in the same state as her, but she was the only one who had regained consciousness.

She struggled in the mud but couldn't break free. If this continued, she'd freeze to death.

As she struggled, the deformed heads around her suddenly moved closer. At the same time, she felt hands grabbing at her from the mud—hands grasping at her legs, shoulders, and arms, dragging her deeper into the sludge.

"Ugh..."

"Gurgle, gurgle..."

Yu Xing was pulled underwater, gulping down mouthfuls of murky water. Her consciousness began to fade, and before her eyes, visions of Sunset Town seemed to reappear.

No... If she died, everyone else would die too...

Eyes tightly shut underwater, she twitched her right wrist lightly, and suddenly, a broomstick appeared in her hand.

A plain, ordinary broomstick.

"Splash!!"

The sound of breaking water echoed as a figure erupted from the water under the bright moonlight, soaring into the sky. Ripples spread across the water's surface, fracturing the moon's image into countless fragments.

"Cough, cough..."

"Ugh..."

Yu Xing clung desperately to the broomstick midair, trying to vomit out the filthy water she had swallowed.

She was in bad shape—her body numb with cold, her thoughts sluggish—but thankfully, she still had elixirs.

After downing one, her body rapidly recovered. The cold faded, her limbs regained feeling, her mind cleared, and her strength returned.

Straightening up on the broomstick, Yu Xing guided it downward, hovering just above the water's surface.

Below her stretched a vast swamp, the water blanketed with human heads—almost all deformed to some degree. Even in daylight, this sight would terrify any ordinary person, let alone at night.

Finally, Yu Xing spotted Zhao Lan and the others among the sea of floating heads.

They were all in the same state she had been—bodies trapped in the mud, only their heads above water.

Their faces were blue-lipped from cold, yet they wore peaceful smiles, as if dreaming of something joyful.

Acting fast, Yu Xing grabbed Miao Yuanjin's shoulders and attempted to haul her up into the air on the broomstick.

Just as Miao Yuanjin was about to be pulled free, several hands shot out from the water, grabbing her and dragging her back into the mud.

"Still attacking?!"

Yu Xing's other hand now held a magic wand. She murmured, "Avada Kendagua!"

"Kaboom!"

A thunderous explosion blasted the deformed creatures apart, sending limbs flying in all directions.

She successfully pulled Miao Yuanjin out of the water. Surveying the area, she spotted a patch of land devoid of plants—apparently safe. She placed Miao Yuanjin there and checked her vitals—still alive, though weak.

As long as she was alive, Yu Xing could save her.

But there was no time to treat Miao Yuanjin now—Yu Xing urgently needed to rescue the others.

The deformed beings in the water were likely the residents of Sunset Town—corrupted beings, all sharing a beautiful dream of Sunset Town in the mud.

In that dream, everyone was alive, with normal appearances, bright and spacious homes, families by their sides, never going hungry, always with food and drink.

After rescuing everyone from the mud, the pond was left in ruins by Yu Xing’s blast, a nightmarish scene of severed limbs scattered everywhere.

She even spotted a misshapen skull resembling Mayor Chen among the wreckage.

The twisted visages floated in the water with their eyes closed, undisturbed by the thunder and lightning; nothing could wake them from their sweet dreams—unless confronted with cruel reality, such as seeing their true reflections in a mirror.

Yu Xing, astride her broomstick, flew over the swamp, densely packed with floating deformed heads. After a moment’s hesitation, she raised her magic wand.

"Thunder—shatter the darkness!"

After the lightning struck, the swamp was no longer filled with countless deformed heads or scattered limbs.

Only churning fog and ashes sank into the depths remained.