Almost the moment she emerged, Mu Anqi blurted out, "What about Senior Bai and Xunjiu?"
After encountering the black-robed figure, she was especially worried about these two teammates with lower combat abilities.
"To think you'd worry so much about little old me, it truly makes—" Bai Yulai initially tried to affect a coquettishly shy demeanor, but then she caught Ji Huaichu's gaze that looked at her as if she were already a dead fox. The affected words cut off abruptly, and she gave an awkward, embarrassed chuckle. "Ahem… I'm fine."
"I'm fine too. That guy seemed powerful, but he didn't seem to have any real offensive methods. I just couldn't hurt him either. As for what he said, I didn't listen at all. I gave him a 'nice guy card' and then threw the card into the blood pool to test it." Fang Xunjiu scratched his head here, looking somewhat simple and foolish. "I don't know if it had any effect. Anyway, I touched the black mist and left."
"I also left by touching the black mist. I didn't really fight." After all, her special ability was "Evil God Possession." If she herself was an evil god, why would she be afraid of other evil gods?
"I tried attacking the black-robed figure, but it was useless. So I destroyed its cross, blasted the blood pool, and left," Jiang Yuexia said calmly.
"My sword can sever everything," He Guxia stated flatly, holding her sword. "The teleportation was somewhat sudden, so I couldn't leave a message. My apologies."
Although everyone else had shared, Bai Yulai still didn't want to reveal how she had cleared the stage. Could she tell them she had assumed her true form and directly swallowed the black-robed figure in one bite? She had been teleported out immediately after swallowing it—in fact, she was the first one teleported out. But the process was too uncouth and didn't match her image, so she absolutely refused to talk about it.
As for Ji Huaichu…
Ji Huaichu had used her ability briefly. Mu Anqi saw the ghostly figures emerging from General Ji's black mist… had turned black-red?!
"I absorbed a bit of the blood pool," Ji Huaichu said. "No negative effects. As for any enhancements, it's unclear for now." It seemed like it had just changed color?
Perhaps in the coming period, her ghostly shadows would have double the lethality against the Black Mirror Vortex monsters. The color had changed, and since it was a blood pool sacrificed to some "god," it really ought to have some effect.
Mu Anqi wasn't quite sure what the effect was either, but as long as Ji Huaichu showed no signs of discomfort, it was fine. She looked up at the pitch-black night sky; the horizon was still an endless expanse of dark fog. As far as the eye could see, the perimeter wall was still visible, but they no longer seemed to be on the outskirts.
Gods… deities. Mu Anqi mulled over the word. Why do things in the Black Mirror Vortex always like to associate themselves with gods? she wondered. It was the same with that so-called God of Beauty in the City of Seven-Day Cycles, and the same with that plastic figure in the Fatal Pollution. And now this… whatever this Fear Fortress is, it's the same. What, is there a God of Fear too?—Gaining power far beyond one's control or comprehension and immediately proclaiming oneself a deity… such behavior is rather laughable.
But what can players do? Players can only become the brave heroes who slay gods.
…
"Let's sleep here for a while. What if we wake up and it's already dawn?" Zhao Guogu, full and content, lay sprawled on the sofa, not wanting to move. She just wanted to be a laid-back slacker carried by the more capable players.
"This city is full of those monsters. If you're not afraid of waking up inside some creature's stomach, then go ahead and sleep." Even though she knew Zhao Guogu was incredibly lucky, Wu Sansheng still thought she was being far too careless. This was nowhere near a safe place to rest. Those monsters could easily break into the house—what could ordinary glass and a simple wooden door possibly stop? Absolutely nothing.
"Let's sort out the containers, boil water, and fill them. We also need to take the eggs from the fridge. Pack clean, warm clothes and the travel bags too."
After scavenging through the house, Wu Sansheng and the others had no intention of staying the night. They had just entered the Black Mirror Vortex; even if they couldn't reunite with their teammates, they still needed to gather enough resources and information. However, just as Wu Sansheng closed the suitcase, pulled it up, and handed the travel bag to Zhao Guogu, Qing Tian hugged a white rabbit doll she had found from who-knows-where and looked at her innocently.
"..." Wu Sansheng averted her gaze. "You can bring it if you want. Let's go, we need to explore other areas."
"Do you want me to carry that for you? My bag isn't very heavy." Si Suying, seeing Zhao Guogu's pitiful expression while carrying the large backpack, couldn't help but go over and ask.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm not completely helpless. You're an assassin—you can't have an assassin carrying so much stuff." Zhao Guogu waved her hand. Although she wanted to be a slacker, she knew when to do what. Even if Si Suying wasn't an assassin… she still couldn't exploit her future wife like that!
And so, the lucky party left the cozy little house and continued exploring the streets.
…
Meanwhile, Xia Yun and her group had made a new discovery.
While searching for supplies in an abandoned house, Xia Yun was surprised to find five cups of instant noodles in different flavors in a cupboard. Even more astonishingly, the house still had running water and electricity! After briefly cleaning the electric kettle, she planned to make three cups of noodles for herself and the Demon Vine sisters. Just as the water was about to boil, Ye Jingmeng, who was searching the house, suddenly exclaimed, "Sister! Xia Yun! There's a secret room here!"
Ye Jingmeng was extremely excited, completely immersed in the game, feeling as if she had discovered some great treasure.
"Xia Yun is still making noodles for us, sister. Let's explore after we eat," Ye Muyun replied lazily, tossing a broken shield she had picked up onto the living room floor.
"But the treasure down there is calling to me… How about I go down first to take a quick look and scout the way for you?"
Ye Muyun: "..."
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"…Then let's explore first. We can eat afterwards just the same," Xia Yun sighed. She put the two unopened cups of noodles into her bag. After all, if they went down and couldn't come back up… at least they'd have two cups of noodles left. As for the "junk" piled in the living room, there was no need to take that.
"Wow~ It's pitch black, really has that exploration vibe." Ye Jingmeng looked very happy, scattering Qing Teng seeds as she walked. The sprouting tendrils swayed with her steps, seeming just as delighted.
"Is there anything we can use for light?" Ye Muyun frowned. The further down they went, the worse the smell in the air became. This stench, mixed with the scent of blood and rot… whatever was down there might not be treasure.
Xia Yun pulled out a miniature artificial sun. "Seniors, please close your eyes for a moment." After saying this, she threw the miniature sun down. It hit the wall, emitting a dazzling light that illuminated the entire area. It was then that Xia Yun and the others realized what was below wasn't treasure at all, but some kind of array drawn in blood!
A blood sacrifice? The amount of blood needed… Xia Yun looked at the haphazardly piled bones beside the array, then back at the array itself. Fear Fortress… a blood sacrifice? A curse? An empty town with no residents… Could it be that the townsfolk fell under some curse, or were sacrificed or cursed, turning the city into a dead city composed of monsters? Or perhaps… those monsters were the transformed residents?
"It seems the array needs blood to activate," Ye Jingmeng mused, stroking her chin. "How evil. Truly fitting for the Black Mirror Vortex." If such a ghost still existed in the Shattered Mirror Continent, it would probably be hunted down by the entire continent and beaten until its soul scattered, right?
Ye Muyun glanced at her sister. "Shall we activate it and see what happens? Maybe some evil god will pop out, and killing it will clear the stage."
"It probably won't be that simple~ But since we're here, we might as well activate it." Ye Jingmeng laughed. "I remember there are some monster corpses on the street. I'll go drag them over."
"I wonder if it'll be enough…"
Xia Yun: "..."
Wait, you two Big Shots, is this really okay? This is clearly an evil array! Is activating it really safe? And those are monsters—can monster blood and corpses even activate this array?
Perhaps because Xia Yun's expression was too shocked, Ye Jingmeng and the others noticed. To accommodate the only player's feelings, Ye Jingmeng gently asked, "Is it okay? We'll do our best to handle any consequences. Little Xia Yun, you'll allow us to do this, right?"
Xia Yun: "…Alright."
She really didn't… have any objections either.
"How gentle you are. Would you also indulge your master's occasional whims like this?" Ye Jingmeng remarked with feeling. "Though He Guxia's whims… are probably all related to sword techniques. Well, I'll go collect the corpses now~ Muyun, you take Xia Yun upstairs to eat the noodles first."
"Okay." Ye Muyun agreed, though she voiced a slight grievance. "But I've always indulged you too. How come you never praise me for that?"
"Probably like what those players say: 'Those who are favored act without fear'?"
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"Hmph."
A very faint white mist began to spread again. Fortunately, it wasn't thick and didn't severely obstruct vision. He Guxia, flying on her sword high in the air, could still roughly make out the situation below.
He Guxia kept watch from above, while Ji Huaichu released ghostly shadows to scatter and collect items along the way, also killing any approaching monsters. The two cooperated with extreme tacit understanding, greatly increasing the team's exploration speed.
"..." While moving, Ji Huaichu suddenly paused, sensing something in a certain direction. She asked hesitantly, "The Demon Vine's ability… is it to manipulate vines for attack?"
"It should be," Jiang Yuexia replied. Qing Tian could also communicate with four-leaf clovers, though Qing Tian hadn't developed any offensive abilities, and her own aggressiveness was low.
"I found the Demon Vine sister and the others," Ji Huaichu said, pointing in a direction.
He Guxia immediately flew that way upon hearing this. Sure enough, she saw several vines entangling a roaring, struggling three-headed, six-armed monster, dragging it towards a specific location… Strange, do these monsters have some other use? The Demon Vine… probably don't eat these, do they?
"Ye Jingmeng, Ye Muyun?" He Guxia called out sharply, using her ability to project her voice. The vines dragging the monster paused for a moment. Immediately after, He Guxia saw roadside sprouts suddenly surge upwards, waving at her enthusiastically…
And pointing the way.