Chapter 18

Chapter 18

◎Third Installment◎

*Boom!*

With a thunderous crash, the colossal Luban Ruler—a grotesque amalgamation of flesh, blood, and dark crimson wood—came crashing down vertically, accompanied by the sickening grind of bone against bone.

The pungent, foul stench, a nauseating mix of blood and decay, was almost enough to make one's head spin.

*Crash!*

Lao Liu's "Immovable Wisdom King Armor," raised with all her might, groaned under the strain before shattering in a burst of golden light.

Her body was sent flying like a kite with a severed string, slamming hard against the cold metal wall behind her.

"Cough..." Lao Liu hacked up a mouthful of blood, her HP plummeting to a critical level.

Sui Yu hurriedly stepped in to cover. Though he was only using a Dan Qing Fragment, because Lao Liu had absorbed the brunt of the damage, he could manage to hold the line for now.

Qing Shu and A Mu were already swiftly working to heal Lao Liu.

Lao Liu, not caring how expensive they were, began shoving potions into her mouth as if they were free.

However, the second-form "Rules" paused for only a few short seconds before raising the giant ruler once more and bringing it crashing down towards Bai Yan's position.

Bai Yan reacted swiftly. He raised his hand, activating the first effect of "Swift Snow," buying Lao Liu a crucial moment of respite.

Lao Liu charged forward again, releasing another "Immovable Wisdom King Armor."

As the colossal ruler struck, the splattering filth and blood caused the golden shield to sizzle with a corrosive sound.

Lao Liu: "It's no good! This old lady can't hold on much longer!" In her panic, her local dialect slipped out.

The frontline defense was on the verge of collapse.

"This damn thing's attack range and power are just insane!" Hong Lan tumbled aside, dodging yet another wide-area sweep.

The paths that were once easily accessible for flanking were now completely covered by "Rules'" frenzied attacks.

Everyone's hearts sank.

This was only the first-floor boss, yet it had already made them feel an overwhelming, seemingly insurmountable pressure.

If they suffered casualties here, the subsequent stages would be nigh impossible.

What to do?

Ji Xia no longer attempted to flank. She retreated within the defensive perimeter formed by Lao Liu and Sui Yu, observing carefully and thinking calmly.

"Luban ruler, measures seven cun."

"Measures the bone joints, shatters them to pieces..."

Ji Xia recalled the eerie nursery rhyme "Rules" had chanted in its childlike voice when they first encountered it.

The rhyme mentioned a Luban ruler, and now a giant one had truly appeared.

There *had* to be a connection!

Ji Xia quickly scanned the layout of the entire front courtyard, especially the floor tiles that looked like marble but were actually made of metal...

Seven cun was a little over twenty centimeters... exactly the length and width of one floor tile!

Ji Xia's eyes narrowed abruptly. An extremely risky idea rapidly took shape in her mind.

"Bai Yan!" Ji Xia's voice cut through the battlefield's roar. "Go to this coordinate! Walk along the seams between the floor tiles!"

Her words made everyone freeze for a moment.

Ji Xia was telling someone whose attack and defense were reduced by 70% and who held the primary aggro to leave the group?

What if he got instantly killed?

However, the person named showed no hesitation.

Bai Yan's silver-gray eyes lifted lazily. The moment the giant ruler came sweeping down again, carrying a foul, bloody wind, he moved.

True to form, the giant ruler was firmly drawn to him, immediately changing direction and smashing towards him with immense force.

Bai Yan, like a weightless feather, landed precisely on the narrow seam between two floor tiles.

A miracle occurred!

The frenzied giant ruler, which should have locked onto and pursued Bai Yan, suddenly jolted to a halt.

The countless pale eyes covering its surface spun wildly, revealing a kind of program-error-like confusion, as if it had lost its target.

When Bai Yan lifted his foot to move, it locked onto him again.

With a few evasive maneuvers, Bai Yan had already stepped onto the "safe spot" Ji Xia had marked.

The moment he steadied himself...

The giant ruler stiffly wandered in place for a second.

"It can't see him!" Hong Lan exclaimed in surprise.

But "Rules'" confusion didn't last long. Having lost its primary target of "Gentleness is Beauty," it let out a piercing shriek, its crimson gaze locking onto the others who also bore the mark of the rules.

The giant ruler rose, aiming to smash down on Sui Yu!

"That's it!" With this successful test, the last shred of uncertainty in Ji Xia's mind vanished. She spoke rapidly, "There are ten safe spots here. As long as we step on them, we can temporarily block 'Rules' perception!"

Qing Shu, who had already been pondering a solution, immediately caught up with Ji Xia's train of thought. "It's that nursery rhyme!"

Clearly, he had also noticed that the tile length matched the rhyme's hint.

A boss in a ten-player dungeon shouldn't be this invincible.

They had just been caught off guard by "Rules'" fierce assault and hadn't had time to think about the blatant hint!

Qing Shu said no more. He quickly observed the locations of the "safe points" and issued precise instructions within the party, ensuring everyone could step onto a nearby one.

"What about the Vice President? He can't move!" Lao Liu asked anxiously.

"The spot under the Vice President's feet *is* a safe point!" Ji Xia had already considered this. The phantom shackle kept Qing Shu immobile, but the small patch of ground beneath his feet happened to be a safe spot.

Qing Shu, who had already shifted to stand on it with one foot, said, "I'm fine!"

Lao Liu hesitated no longer. She stowed her Immovable Wisdom King Armor, nimbly leaped backward, and landed precisely on another foothold.

Hong Lan, Sui Yu, and A Mu also sprang into action immediately. Relying on the players' exceptional physical control, they each found their own "safe spots" in the nick of time.

The instant everyone found their footing, the frenzied giant ruler lost all its targets, freezing in place. The countless eyes on its body spun wildly, emitting a "click-clack" sound as it glitched out.

Ji Xia's gaze swept across the scene, inadvertently falling on Mo.

Mo, that perpetually silent and gloomy figure, had been standing quietly on the outermost foothold long before anyone else received the cue.

It was as if he had seen through everything from the very beginning and found the "safe zone."

Definitely not an ordinary person.

Ji Xia's focus returned to the giant ruler, which had briefly "crashed" due to the disappearance of its targets.

"We must find its weakness quickly!" Hong Lan stared anxiously at the ruler teetering on the edge of frenzy. "What does 'measuring the joints until they shatter into pieces' mean?"

"Does it want to break our bones..." Lao Liu, heavily drained, could no longer think clearly.

Time was of the essence. Seeing the giant ruler's tremors grow increasingly violent, Ji Xia finally discarded all hesitation. Her raised voice cut through the speculation: "Aim for its joints—the ten markings on the ruler! All ten of us, use our fragments simultaneously!"

Yun Ling, attached to the Divine Cloud Brocade, couldn't hold back any longer and muttered softly, "You're amazing. How on earth did you figure it out?"

She looked down on this puny Luban Ruler and this broken "Luban Lock City," but she was increasingly feeling that her temporary host seemed to have some tricks up her sleeve.

Ji Xia, however, was reminded by the Little Paper Person.

She was a newcomer; she shouldn't be so certain.

So, Ji Xia added with a hint of uncertainty, "I... I'm just guessing. It might not be right, but it's worth a try!"

Actually, Ji Xia was overthinking it.

No one else gave it a second thought. They had already bought into the idea that the newcomer had a sharp mind.

Qing Shu quickly affirmed in the channel: "The 'riddle' is actually quite straightforward! The markings correspond to 'joints,' 'shatter' corresponds to fragments, and 'into pieces' means a multitude!"

"Everyone, focus on your assigned marking!" Qing Shu swiftly allocated targets. "On my count: three, two, one... Attack!"

Instantly, Spirit Ink brilliance erupted in unison!

Ten forces, each imbued with the aura of different civilizations, struck the ten dark red marking notches on the Luban Ruler with pinpoint accuracy at the same moment.

*Crack—!*

A crisp sound, like shattering glass, emanated from within the giant ruler.

Ji Xia said quickly, "The mechanic is broken! Let's go!"

The crimson giant Luban Ruler now lay on the ground, collapsed.

This was the perfect finishing opportunity. If it woke up again, they'd be in for another tough fight!

Hong Lan and Ji Xia reacted the fastest. Their figures transformed into crimson meteors as their "Star of Destruction" spears shot forth like dragons, piercing the bloody monster.

Xing Xing's figure flickered like a ghost. The cold gleam of "Flowing Firefly," like a venomous snake's flickering tongue, swiftly followed up with damage.

Lao Liu, hefting her Immovable Wisdom King Armor, hammered the Luban Ruler's body as if smashing a brick.

A Mu's fragments were all support-oriented. Not only did she buff the three teammates who charged forward, but she also took every opportunity to viciously jab the Luban Ruler with her fragments.

*Crack—!*

The crisp sound echoed throughout the area. The giant ruler trembled violently, cracks spreading from the markings. Under the combined high burst damage of the four women, it was finally cleaved in two.

The Luban Ruler's health bar hit zero, with no possibility of rising again.

[System Notification: Successfully defeated "Rules," cleared the first trial. Rewards obtained: Spirit Ink*100,000, Dan Qing-grade Civilization Fragment [Unidentified]*15, Mysterious Brilliance-grade Civilization Fragment [Unidentified]*2.]

The ground shimmered with light, the rewards so lavish they were breathtaking.

The value of Mysterious Brilliance fragments needed no explanation!

Everyone's eyes lit up, the fatigue from the previous bitter battle vanishing in an instant.

"Mysterious Brilliance... Wow, it's Mysterious Brilliance!" Hong Lan leaned on her spear, shouting with a brilliant smile.

Lao Liu plopped down on the ground, drenched in sweat. "This old lady is wiped out..."

As "Rules" was broken, the chilling sense of restraint that had enveloped Bei Chen, Qing Shu, Bai Yan, and Sui Yu abruptly disappeared.

"I... damn! That nearly suffocated me!" Bei Chen took a deep, loud breath, his booming voice instantly filling the front courtyard as if trying to make up for all the forced silence. "Not being able to talk was worse than getting beaten up!"

He rolled his neck. The bloody characters on his back representing "smile without showing teeth, speak not in loud tones" crumbled away like weathered sand art.

The other three also felt a weight lift from their backs.

Bei Chen strode forward, efficiently gathering the fragments that had dropped on the ground. "Let's put these in the guild's Fragment Box for now. We'll decide on distribution appropriately after we clear the instance!"

No one objected.

There were more tough battles ahead. Not daring to waste time, they quickly sat down to meditate, recovering as much Spirit Ink as possible.

The front courtyard temporarily returned to quiet, filled only with the steady breathing of the group and the faint glow of flowing Spirit Ink.

Suddenly, a clear male voice tinged with uncertainty abruptly came from the shadowy corridor leading to the mansion:

"You... are you World Painters?"

The voice was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly putting the resting group on high alert. Their gazes snapped toward the source.

It was a tall, slender young man dressed in a faded blue robe. Though the fabric was coarse, it couldn't conceal his scholarly aura.

He was quite handsome, but his face was pale now, his brows knit with an unmeltable sorrow, like a startled lone crane.

Qing Shu stepped forward, his gaze behind his glasses coolly assessing the other. "We are World Painters. And you are...?"

"I am Lin Fan," the young man said, his voice trembling as if clutching a lifeline. "Please, I beg you, save Lady Gongshu! I'm useless, I'm a waste, I can't do anything... but... but I can't... I can't just stand by and watch such a wonderful Lady Gongshu have her mind captured by a demon!"

Author's Note:

Third update delivered~ Red envelopes are dropping in the comments section, mwah.