Mu Anqi had a rough idea about the number of people on this trip. She knew there would be a lot, but when she actually met up with the whole group, she realized just how many people there really were!
The players were fine. The Fang siblings hadn't met Zhao Guogu and Si Suying last time, so they introduced themselves and started chatting now. Neither Fang Xunjiu nor Fang Yunjiu were particularly reserved types. While Si Suying wasn't skilled in socializing, with Zhao Guogu around, conversation wasn't a problem at all. As for Xia Yun, Wu Sansheng, and the others… they were all old acquaintances from surviving games together.
In comparison, the interactions between the Ghost Kings and Demon Kings seemed slightly awkward. The four-leaf clover demon's human form was that of an extremely petite young girl, wearing a green puffy dress and a four-leaf clover hairclip. She looked like the very embodiment of a mascot, utterly adorable. She didn't know anyone present. Thanks to Zhao Guogu, she had met the black panther demon who recruited Si Suying a few times, but this black panther demon was a strikingly sturdy, dark-skinned beauty with a rather booming voice who seemed… not very friendly.
"Oh, if it isn't the fox spirit?" The black panther demon looked around, spotted Bai Yulai, and eyed the players with interest. "Is that your latest scholar? You're even accompanying them on a trip to the Black Mirror Vortex, organizing this mixer… Have you turned over a new leaf?"
Bai Yulai had dressed up meticulously today, intending to leave a stunning impression on the various Demon Kings, Ghost Kings, and the new player youngsters. Who would have thought she'd run into this black panther demon? A faint smile still graced her face, her eyes still brimming with charm, but she gritted her teeth and whispered a warning, "Would it kill you to lower your voice a little?"
Jiang Yuexia shrugged and didn't press further, instead pulling the four-leaf clover demon, who seemed to want to shrink into a corner, over. "This is 'Qing Tian' (Sunny), a four-leaf clover demon. Super lucky. I'm Jiang Yuexia, a black panther demon."
"… Bai Yulai. My true form is a white fox." Bai Yulai twirled a strand of her hair around her finger and introduced herself with a smile.
"Ye Jingmeng. My true form is a Green Vine demon. This is my younger sister, Ye Muyun." The Green Vine demon sisters also came over to introduce themselves.
"He Guxia." The female sword cultivator ghost stood to the side, holding her sword, and spoke tersely.
"Ji Huaichu." Under Mu Anqi's persistent meaningful glances, General Ji had no choice but to add her own introduction.
"The Black Mirror Vortex we chose for this trip appeared suddenly over the sea at six o'clock this morning. Lady Red has already sent people to blockade that area of the sea. We can just go straight in and clear it out." Ji Huaichu briefly outlined the travel itinerary.
"Lady Red again," Mu Anqi couldn't help but remark. "Does her managed area frequently have Black Mirror Vortices appear?"
"It seems so." Ji Huaichu thought for a moment and added, "This entire coastal city and the sea area fall under her jurisdiction." Perhaps it wasn't that coastal and sea areas were more prone to Black Mirror Vortices, but mainly that Lady Red's territory was simply too vast.
Since the Black Mirror Vortex had appeared over the sea, they still needed to take a boat out. Of course, using an airship was also possible, but there would be nowhere to dock it once they entered. And taking the airship directly inside… seemed a bit too ostentatious.
At the boarding point, Lady Red was still dressed in a stunning red cheongsam that perfectly outlined her figure. The style of this cheongsam seemed slightly different from the one she wore during the Fatal Pollution incident, though Mu Anqi couldn't remember the exact changes in patterns or design. Lady Red still held her long tobacco pipe, and Wan Jin, also dressed in ancient-style attire, stood guard at her left side.
"General Ji, you really are becoming more and more free," Lady Red said with a smile, a hint of teasing in her tone. Her gaze paused on Mu Anqi for a moment, only to see Ji Huaichu expressionlessly raise her hand to shield the player behind her. The smile on Lady Red's lips deepened, and she shook her head slightly. "You… really now? Am I some kind of man-eating evil ghost? … Wan Jin, take them aboard."
"I was originally thinking, since you're traveling to the Black Mirror Vortex, you might need my people to accompany you as guards, a gesture of hospitality. But it seems that won't be necessary now."
"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Red." Ji Huaichu cupped her hands in gratitude. "If Lady wishes to join us, it's certainly possible. The Black Mirror Vortex has never had any restrictions."
"That won't be necessary. It might scare these youngsters." Lady Red laughed. She tapped her tobacco pipe lightly and said softly, "However, I wouldn't mind having some little foxes for company…"
"…" Bai Yulai, hiding in the crowd, gave a shiver, her tail twitching. She reluctantly pulled out a small brocade pouch-like item from her pocket—this was something she had saved up, originally intending to give it to Wu Sansheng for "protection." "If Lady doesn't mind these humble offerings, please use mine." So saying, she handed over the pouch containing her shed fox fur.
Wan Jin stepped forward to take the pouch. Lady Red didn't linger further, seemingly having truly just wanted some little foxes for company, and vanished directly. Wan Jin stored the pouch in her robe and stepped forward. "Everyone, please board the ship. I will take you to the entrance of the Black Mirror Vortex and await your return."
"If there are any special circumstances, you can contact me or Madame at any time," Wan Jin said. "Madame has free time recently and will act immediately."
…
The large ship gradually approached the giant black mist.
"… Is the Black Mirror Vortex very dangerous?" Qing Tian quietly asked Jiang Yuexia beside her. As a four-leaf clover demon, although she had been lucky enough to meet Zhao Guogu and recruit her, she herself had never been to a Black Mirror Vortex, nor had she taken Zhao Guogu to one.
"Relax, even if anyone else is in danger, you definitely won't be." Jiang Yuexia patted Qing Tian's shoulder, nearly knocking the petite figure over. "There are so many people here, what's there to be afraid of?"
[Ding! You have entered the Black Mirror Vortex area. Enter?]
Yes.
[Ding! Entering the Black Mirror Vortex…]
[Beep! Activating Dungeon: Fortress of Fear!]
[Entering… Please wait…]
[Beep! Passive Skill · Chosen One takes effect!]
[Congratulations to the player for obtaining 3600 + 500 Guansi.]
Lifting her eyes, it was already night.
Upon entering the Black Mirror Vortex, the first thing to do was, of course, to confirm if any teammates had been separated. However, when Mu Anqi looked back, she only spotted the sword cultivator He Guxia and a bewildered-looking Bai Yulai.
"… Where is everyone?" This teleportation scattered everyone?! Where was her big General Ji—Thankfully, she could still communicate with the General mentally. "Seniors, don't worry, let's first regroup with the others."
—"Where are you?" Ji Huaichu's voice sounded in her mind.
"I'm not sure either, there aren't any distinctive buildings here… Ah! I see a city wall. General, do you see that black clock tower? Should we regroup there? I have the White Fox Demon King and the sword cultivator lady with me."
—"Okay. Be careful. This Black Mirror Vortex feels a bit strange."
Strange? Well, that made sense; no Black Mirror Vortex was ever normal. Mu Anqi knew Ji Huaichu was telling her not to underestimate the enemy. She glanced at Bai Yulai and He Guxia, thinking that with a Ghost King and a Demon King by her side, there was no way she would let her guard down too much. She didn't want to tarnish the General's prestige.
"Seniors, let's head to that black clock tower to regroup."
"Mm. No need to ask for my opinion." He Guxia murmured softly, her sword held close as she also surveyed their surroundings. In her eyes, a player like Mu Anqi was practically a child—the age difference was just too vast. She was from a world of immortal cultivation, after all! As for Bai Yulai… an unreliable white fox. The safety of this small team clearly rested on her shoulders.
"This place is really strange, not at all like a good spot for tourism." Bai Yulai complained, stroking her large white tail and smoothing its fur. The eerie environment made her uncomfortable, not to mention they had arrived at night, the streetlights kept flickering, and there wasn't a single soul on the streets… It was all just too bizarre.
What was Ji Huaichu thinking, calling this a "trip"? Couldn't she have picked a place a bit more… among the living? Next time, she'd have to give that fellow a proper talking to!
"Ah, is that fog?" After walking for only a short while, a white mist had begun to rise for some reason within the town. Sensing something amiss, Mu Anqi activated her glowing brooch and gripped her demon-slaying sword, along with a substitute paper figurine.
As they passed by a narrow alley, the sound of rhythmic, measured footsteps suddenly reached them. Mu Anqi instinctively looked back, but the white fog obscured the source of the sound. Were they teammates, or—
Before she could finish the thought, the sword in He Guxia's embrace was already unsheathed. Mu Anqi only saw a cold glint flash above her head before a long, black, unidentified creature was pinned to the wall beside her. Under the light of her glowing brooch, Mu Anqi saw that the elongated creature had fine, dense teeth and a long tongue, with four tiny claws beneath its slender body—it seemed to be some kind of crawler. This thing had just… flown down from the wall to ambush her? Before she could figure out what this strange creature was, the rhythmic, orderly footsteps drew closer. A hulking black shadow, easily over two meters tall, approached. When Mu Anqi saw it, she even wondered if she was hallucinating.
—Three heads and six arms?! Wasn't this Nezha?!
The monster's body was blood-red, very humanoid in shape, almost like a flayed human. It wasn't bleeding, and its six red hands held a pair of large hammers, a pair of long knives, and a pair of spikes. The red heads had no facial features; when it smiled, the red skin and flesh stretched open to reveal black hollows, forming the curve of a grin. It seemed incapable of speech or sound. The moment it spotted Mu Anqi and the others, it charged at them, weapons in hand.
"Congratulations and may you be prosperous!"
It proved that even with three heads, a single blessing phrase was enough to completely control it.
The instant the blessing was spoken, the long sword flashed out, slicing the monster in half at the waist! The severed monster fell to the ground, motionless, but no blood flowed out. Its body gradually softened, the weapons in its hands disappeared, leaving behind only a puddle of red, mud-like substance.
"…Let's regroup first." Such a bizarre Black Mirror Vortex. Did this one have an owner? Or was it simply formed from malice? Monsters like these… felt more like pure malice.