"Why hasn't anyone come yet?" Yan Chi leaned against the third-floor windowsill, looking at the vast, white expanse. Two hours had passed since the players logged into the instance, but not a single person had appeared.
Shen Mingsu took his hand and led him to the sofa, cupping Yan Chi's face in his large hand. "They should be here soon. Don't stand too close to the window; the snow's hitting your face. Look, it's all red from the cold. Let me warm it up for you."
The warmth from his large hand gradually warmed Yan Chi's pale face, and a blush slowly returned. They were very close, and as Yan Chi's body temperature returned, he gradually felt sleepy, leaning against Shen Mingsu's shoulder and dozing off.
Shen Mingsu looked down at his curled eyelashes fluttering, feeling a tickle in his heart. His eyes were full of laughter. He reached out and touched his eyelashes, then leaned down and kissed his forehead.
"Brother, tone it down a bit, we're still here." A voice sounded softly from behind. Xing Zhinan rested his chin on his hands, his eyebrows drooping as he watched the intimate couple.
Beside him, Feng Yun had already closed his eyes, seemingly taking a nap, but whether he was truly asleep or just pretending, only he knew.
Xing Zhinan felt the air around him was thick with the cloying stench of love. Unlike humans, these hard-to-die monsters didn't need partners to raise offspring to inherit their abilities.
Aside from Feng Yun, the widow, everyone around Xing Zhinan was single. Seeing a couple so affectionate felt like a major blow to him.
Xing Zhinan sincerely suggested, "If you two really can't stand it, there's a spare room next door, why don't you go take care of it?"
As soon as he spoke, Yan Chi woke up. His thin face instantly turned bright red, and he immediately distanced himself from Shen Mingsu, now enough for three or four people to sit between them.
Shen Mingsu's arms were empty; the pink bubbles of romance had been punctured by this spoilsport. He stared expressionlessly at Xing Zhinan; it seemed his hunting moment was about to begin.
Xing Zhinan: "Hehe~"
Shen Mingsu: "..."
Yan Chi was too shy to say a word, his face flushed as he looked out the window. Suddenly, he saw several giants carrying axes walk out. Yan Chi remembered what Song Qian had told him, "If we release the giants now, will the players still be able to get here alive?"
Feng Yun, now more alert, said, "Xiao Qiu, go and call them back."
Miss Qiu, waiting outside, bowed. "Yes, sir."
Yan Chi seemed to understand why the players hadn't arrived. "Mr. Feng Yun, did you send someone to fetch the players?"
Feng Yun frowned. "Why fetch them?"
Yan Chi: "Uh… I think the players probably couldn't get here on their own."
The players couldn't withstand the snow and fire. Staying in the snow for too long might burn them alive. Most importantly, without a guide, they would have difficulty finding their way to the castle in the heavy snow.
Seeing Feng Yun's silence, Yan Chi knew he had abandoned the players at the foot of the mountain to fend for themselves.
Finally, Feng Yun sent another male servant to fetch the players.
"Teacher Xiao Chi, come and see!" Shen Mingsu called out to Yan Chi. After fiddling around on the table for a while, he showed Yan Chi his final creation.
Inside a glass-like box, snow was falling heavily, and a dozen miniature figures huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.
In another transparent box were Shen Chang Le and his four companions, who had been waiting for the players for too long and were now dozing off on the sofa out of boredom.
Yan Chi's eyes widened slightly, fascinated by the two transparent boxes. He reached out and touched them, his fingers passing through the miniature figures, but he felt nothing.
“They can react to the players' and the little ones' movements in real time, and we can come to the rescue in time for any emergencies.” Shen Mingsu hooked his arm around Yan Chi's neck, pressed his face intimately against his, and rubbed against him, seeking praise, “Am I smart or not?”
Yan Chi nodded repeatedly, his amber eyes seemingly filled with sunshine, “Mmm! So amazing!”
Shen Mingsu helped him sit on the sofa, covered him with a fluffy blanket, and then sat close to Yan Chi, sharing a small piece of the blanket. His body temperature was high, and Yan Chi quickly warmed up as well.
On this snowy day, Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu began to watch “TV” comfortably and warmly.
Xing Zhinan, who was standing nearby, was just about to find someone to mock this lovey-dovey couple with when he turned his head and saw that Feng Yun had closed his eyes again.
Xing Zhinan: “…”
Well, you can never wake someone who is pretending to be asleep.
At the foot of the mountain.
Upon discovering that the snow could ignite on their skin, the players scrambled for cover, eventually huddling together in a small cabin.
The cabin was cramped; there wasn't even room to sit, and the door couldn't be closed to avoid oxygen deprivation.
"We're doomed...we're definitely doomed..."
A ragged player frantically tore at his hair, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm just a C-rank player! How could they have chosen me for this dungeon? Karma...this must all be karma...I shouldn't have killed you, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."
The faint sobs were irritating. The burly man, unable to bear it any longer, grabbed the man by the collar, pushed through the crowd, and threw him outside the cabin.
The pure white snow landed on the man, instantly igniting into a ghostly blue flame. A wave of cold and burning sensation washed over him simultaneously. The man writhed in agony, desperately crawling back towards the cabin.
A burly man stood guard at the door, kicking him aside and coldly watching the man be engulfed in flames.
The burly man's fierce gaze swept over each player, his voice booming, "Anyone who dares to make a sound again will suffer this fate!"
The players turned pale with fright; the more timid ones covered their mouths, suppressing their sobs.
The snow outside the cabin fell relentlessly. Low-level players huddled together, shivering. Among them was Song Qian's fan, Lu Yuanming, a D-rank player who had only cleared one dungeon and was practically at the bottom of the food chain.
Lu Yuanming was thin and small, but remarkably optimistic. He glanced out the door every now and then, comforting the player beside him, "Don't cry, this dungeon only looks scary, it's not difficult at all."
The player looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Really, believe me! As long as we follow an NPC named Yan Chi, we'll see a huge dragon, and then they'll take us to an ancient castle. The kind head maid will prepare a safe room for us, and then we'll be safe!"
Player: "What about that NPC you mentioned?"
Lu Yuanming rubbed his nose. "Probably hasn't spawned yet. Let's wait a bit."
Yan Chi, far away in the castle, hearing this: "..."
Don't wait, silly kid, he won't spawn.
Suddenly, Yan Chi's expression changed slightly. He leaned closer to examine a miniature figure; the figure's face looked strangely familiar.
The player wearing gold-rimmed glasses… it was Zheng Yu. He was still alive?
Yan Chi had assumed the players in the cabin had been killed by the giants after he and Song Qian left. He hadn't expected Zheng Yu to have survived until now, even among the new players.
If he remembered correctly, Zheng Yu and Song Qian were both A+ level players, while the highest-ranking player among the newcomers was only the burly man, an A level player.
…
Zheng Yu walked towards Lu Yuanming. He was covered in blood, his back soaked through, blood dripping from his clothes to the ground. His gold-rimmed glasses were only half intact; the other lens was shattered. He looked extremely disheveled.
Lu Yuanming looked up at Zheng Yu, his gaze blank. "Hello, is there something you need?"
Zheng Yu: "Do you know where Song Qian is right now?"
"Yeah, I was watching his livestream before entering the dungeon." Lu Yuanming stared at Zheng Yu's face. "You look familiar... Holy crap! You're Zheng Yu! You're still alive!?"
Zheng Yu: "..."
Lu Yuanming realized his slip of the tongue and quickly covered his mouth. Song Qian's livestream was from Song Qian's perspective; he only knew that the giant had gone down the mountain and subconsciously assumed that the players in the cabin had all been killed by the giant.
But Zheng Yu was still alive! That's impressive; no wonder he's an A+ level player.
Zheng Yu's eyes behind his glasses were unfathomable. He couldn't understand how that idiot Song Qian had actually made the right bet. Was Yan Chi really a guiding NPC? Could NPCs help players?
Faced with the facts, Zheng Yu had no choice but to believe it. "How's Song Qian now?"
"Him? He's doing great." Lu Yuanming said enviously. "The NPCs prepared a guest room for him, warm and comfortable, with servants bringing him tea and water."
Zheng Yu: "..."
So what was the point of his miserable chase with the giants?
Lu Yuanming's livestream was deserted, but Zheng Yu's was a different story. Almost immediately after Lu Yuanming said that, Zheng Yu's viewers exploded.
[What the hell?! Song Qian is not only alive, but living so comfortably? How is that possible?! Shouldn't that idiot have been kidnapped and killed by the NPCs?]
[I watched Song Qian's livestream all day. He just finished a hot shower, drank the hot milk brought by the servants, and is now in bed asleep.]
[Damn it! Is this a dungeon?]
[Our Lord Zheng was scrambling and dodging giant axes in the snow, almost getting cleaved in two, and you're telling me his teammates are already asleep?!]
[…Bro, don't be a hero, go find a powerful ally. Softie's the best policy.]
[…]
Zheng Yu: “…”
These people know how to rub salt into his wounds.
Half an hour later, a male servant stood smiling at the door of the wooden house, followed by two giants wielding axes. The moment they appeared, all the players went on alert.
The servant glanced at the small note in his hand, “Welcome, distinguished guests from afar. We have prepared fine wine and delicacies for you on the mountain. Please come with us.”
The players looked at each other, no one taking the first step.
Lu Yuanming stared blankly at the male servant. "Wait a minute, how come there's an extra plot point?"
Zheng Yu walked up to the male servant first. "Is Song Qian with you?"
The male servant nodded with a smile. "Yes."
Zheng Yu stood next to the male servant, casually swatting out the fire that had risen on his sleeve. "If they don't want to leave, can you take us there first?"
The male servant's polite smile almost faltered. He glanced at Zheng Yu a few more times. This player's cooperation made him feel uncomfortable. Shouldn't they struggle and resist before going with them?
What's wrong with this guy?!
Zheng Yu had some reputation among the players. Several players who recognized him stepped forward, willing to go with the male servant. Gradually, all the players came out of the small wooden house and followed the male servant.
Seeing that the players would soon arrive at the castle, Yan Chi was quite restless. He glanced at Shen Chang Le and the others; they had already found a deck of cards and were leisurely playing Dou Dizhu (a card game).
Two snow beasts darted and frolicked around their feet.
Yan Chi felt the anxiety of a student about to take the college entrance exam. He abruptly threw off the blanket. "No, I need to go down and talk to Chang Le and the others."
Some of the players looked fierce, and Yan Chi was worried that Chang Le and the others would be bullied.
Shen Mingsu didn't stop him. "Okay, I'll go with you."
Two male servants stood guard outside Li Huai's room. They nodded to Yan Chi, opened the door, and two snow beasts darted out, circling around Yan Chi's feet.
"Meow~ Meow~"
The little creatures meowed softly. Yan Chi petted them one by one and said to Feng Wang and the others, "The players will be here soon. Are you ready?"
Feng Wang was confident. "Don't worry, teacher, I definitely won't be last this time."
As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at Xingluo.
Xingluo grabbed Shen Chang Le with one hand and Ahui with the other, pulling them to his side. "Really? But I think you're definitely going to be last this time."
Xingluo indeed lacked combat power, but he could bring the absolute best in combat to his side.
Shen Mingsu saw through his little scheme at a glance, crossed his arms, and leaned against the doorframe. "Little brats, let me remind you, the practical assessment isn't about who kills the most players. We'll evaluate everything comprehensively. If your final report overlaps significantly with your classmates', you'll get zero points."
"So, just a reminder, you're opponents now, not teammates."
The five students fell silent, exchanging glances. Xingluo quietly released Shen Chang Le and Ahui. "Okay, just don't hit me."
Shen Chang Le: "Yeah, after all, we're deskmates."
Ahui: "You can call me if you get hit."
Xingluo: "...Waaah."
Yan Chi comforted them: "Don't be nervous. The assessment lasts seven days. Just think of it as a trip to Feng Wang's house. Don't feel pressured. We'll protect you, don't worry."
He beckoned to Li Huai, who walked blankly to his side. "Teacher?"
Yan Chi took out a delicately crafted small knife and handed it to Li Huai. Li Huai stared blankly at the knife in his hand. “This is for you, from your father.” Yan Chi gently stroked his head, tucking a stray hair behind his ear, his voice soft. “Your father asked me to apologize to you on his behalf. He loves you very much, but he didn’t know how to love you, how to protect you, so he hurt you.”
“He asked me to bring you this little knife, and to say sorry to you again.”
Li Huai stroked the knife, his eyes reddening. “I never blamed him.”
How could he possibly blame his father?
Yan Chi looked at the child with heartache. He was different from him; he had once had a father who loved him, and losing him after having him was more painful than never having had him at all.
Yan Chi gently hugged Li Huai, stroking his head. “Yes, our Li Huai is a very good and well-behaved child.”
Li Huai felt his warm embrace and inexplicably thought of Li Xian. When his father was still alive, he would often hold him in his arms. Feng Yun’s love was silent; he rarely hugged him or Feng Wang.
Li Huai hadn't received such a gentle embrace in a very long time. He instinctively hugged Yan Chi tightly around the waist, burying his head in his chest, as if this would give him immense security.
The snowy night fell silently. Before the last rays of the sun had completely disappeared, the players finally reached the mountain.
Their clothes were mostly just tattered rags. The cold wind made them shiver. Those who were closer huddled together for warmth, while others were already considering taking clothes from others to wear.
Miss Qiu: "Guests, please come in."
The players couldn't help but look nervous, their eyes scanning the surroundings, not missing any small detail that might threaten their lives.
Miss Qiu's snake tail swayed gently, always leading the way for the players. "Guests, your timing is perfect. It's dinner time, and we've prepared dinner for you."
A large table, large enough to seat thirty people, was laden with a dazzling array of dishes. The aroma of the food made the players' stomachs rumble, and they unconsciously swallowed. Five people were already eating at the table. The players were instinctively wary, but seeing that these five were all young children, their tense bodies gradually relaxed. Kids were always better than giants.
"The guests have arrived," Miss Qiu said respectfully, standing behind Feng Wang and Li Huai.
The players naturally realized the five children's extraordinary status and instinctively avoided them when taking their seats. However, seats in the back were limited, and someone had to sit next to them.
Lu Yuanming was fast, and he plopped down in a back seat. Before he could even sit for five seconds, he was picked up like a chick and thrown to the ground.
"Who is it!" Lu Yuanming's bottom hurt from the fall. He looked up and saw a burly man had taken his seat. The scars on the man's face moved with the opening and closing of his mouth, looking incredibly terrifying.
The burly man chuckled contemptuously, his arm muscles bulging. "Kid, is this a seat for you? Didn't your mother teach you some manners? Want me to teach you?"
Lu Yuanming dared not speak his anger, but could only walk to the front. He cautiously glanced at Ahui, "Um, can I sit here?"
Ahui glanced at him, "Yes."
She seemed a bit aloof, but she could still talk. Lu Yuanming breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the steaming food on the table. He let out a loud groan, picked up his fork, and began to wolf down his food.
"Delicious, delicious...you, you eat too!" Lu Yuanming stuffed food into his mouth, and seeing that Ahui hadn't eaten much, he urged her to eat quickly as well.
Ahui: "..."
Seeing that she hadn't eaten, Lu Yuanming slowed down his eating, feeling uneasy. "Is...is it poisoned?"
Ahui: "..."
Xingluo chuckled, finding this player rather amusing. "It's not poisoned, eat with confidence."
"Oh, that's good." Lu Yuanming didn't doubt his words at all, picking up a large chicken leg and eating it. "Wow, it smells so good! You guys eat this every day? You're so lucky!"
Ahui: "..."
Why can't eating shut this guy up? Is he some kind of cynic? He always has so much to say.
On the third floor, four adults were watching this scene.
Ahui's annoyance and Lu Yuanming's satisfaction while eating were both clearly visible. Yan Chi smiled, while Xing Zhinan laughed so hard she almost fell over. "Little Ahui hates gossipy people the most! Do you believe that in her summary report, this guy will definitely be a troublesome bad player?"
Yan Chi nodded in deep agreement. In his eyes, Ahui was like a little mushroom that liked to take root and sprout in a quiet corner. She was usually quiet and didn't like talkative people.
But surprisingly, she got along very well with Mingcai. Perhaps that's just how wonderful female friendships are.
After dinner, Miss Qiu led the players to their respective rooms, two to a room. While assigning rooms, she casually reminded them, "Please don't leave your rooms after 10 PM."
The players silently memorized this.
Zheng Yu asked Miss Qiu, "Can I share a room with Song Qian?"
Miss Qiu was surprised for a moment, then nodded, "Of course, Mr. Song Qian is alone too."
She escorted Zheng Yu to Song Qian's room and then left with the others.
Facing the viewers' questions in the live stream, Zheng Yu explained, "I still feel this instance isn't safe; there must be hidden dangers. Forming an alliance is the safest option. The newcomers are all too weak; only Song Qian is capable."
"He slept during the day, so he can get up to keep watch at night. In this instance, we must maintain maximum vigilance at all times; only then will we have a chance to get out alive."
Zheng Yu's eyes sharpened. He pushed up his glasses, and with a "crack," half of his lens fell to the ground, shattering completely.
Zheng Yu picked up the shards, hid them in his palm, and casually told his viewers, "Glass shards can also be lethal. Remember, don't miss anything that can be used as a weapon."
The live stream chat was stunned into silence for a moment by his words about valuing life. After a long while, a comment slowly floated by: "…Brother, your life really weighs a ton."
Song Qian was sound asleep in bed when suddenly he heard his door being pushed open. He quickly pulled a knife from under his pillow and gripped it tightly.
Upon seeing the person enter, Song Qian was startled. "Zheng Yu? You're still alive?! Wait, are you alive, or am I dead?"
Zheng Yu was already familiar with this question. He hummed in response, "No, I'm alive."
Song Qian laughed at him. "Oh, who was it that said NPCs were all bad, that Yan Chi was definitely a liar, deliberately trying to fool me, and even called me an idiot?"
Zheng Yu, ever the opportunist, replied, "Yeah, I was wrong, sorry."
Song Qian had won a round and was in high spirits.
Zheng Yu: "So, form an alliance with me, let's clear the dungeon together."
Song Qian: "...You're still up to no good."
Meanwhile, Lu Yuanming stayed in the guest room for a while. His roommate, a reserved and silent middle-aged man, didn't speak to him at all. Bored, Lu Yuanming ran out of the room.
He saw Miss Qiu standing at the end of the corridor and walked over to her without thinking. He couldn't guarantee the other NPCs' character, but in this dungeon, Yan Chi and Miss Qiu were definitely good NPCs! “Hi~” Lu Yuanming waved to Miss Qiu, who nodded in response.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Lu Yuanming muttered to himself, “Is it because we’re too far apart and the communication condition hasn’t been triggered?”
Lu Yuanming took a step forward, and Miss Qiu’s dark gray vertical pupils stared coldly at him. Lu Yuanming was startled and took a step back, but to trigger the communication condition, he gritted his teeth and took another step forward.
He was glared back by Miss Qiu again, repeatedly, more than ten times.
“Slap!” Miss Qiu raised her hand and slapped him across the face, stunning Lu Yuanming. He covered his face and stared blankly at her.
Miss Qiu was still the gentle and polite Miss Qiu. “Guest, I apologize for the offense, but please don’t be so rude, otherwise I might not be able to resist slapping you. I’m truly sorry.”
She walked past Lu Yuanming and left.
Lu Yuanming was also stunned.
The four people, including Yan Chi, who were watching this scene, also fell silent.
Feng Yun looked at Shen Mingsu, his brows furrowed. "What kind of monsters and demons did you let in? Aren't these players' stupidity contagious?"
Shen Mingsu rubbed his chin. In all his years, this was the first time he'd ever seen a player like Lu Yuanming. "If it's really unbearable, just kill him. Don't let him infect our normal kids."
"Don't talk nonsense." Yan Chi patted Shen Mingsu's hand. As a teacher skilled at discovering children's strengths, he said, "You can't just see this child's flaws. He also has strengths that Feng Wang and the others can learn from."
Shen Mingsu listened attentively: "For example?"
Yan Chi was silent for a moment, then racked his brains. "He...he's very lively?"
Shen Mingsu: "And then?"
Yan Chi: "Lively...and enthusiastic?"
Shen Mingsu: "Besides being lively."
Yan Chi: "..."
He was sorry, he really tried his best.
"By the way, why didn't Miss Qiu let the players leave their rooms after 10 PM?" Yan Chi asked, puzzled. "Is there some kind of taboo?"
Shen Mingsu took Yan Chi's hand, their fingers intertwined. "No, not at all. After 10 PM is the servants' mealtime, but they're all carnivorous monsters."
Shen Mingsu smiled and shook their clasped hands. "It's late, let's go to sleep."
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