Shao Ci's face drained of color as he remembered the dungeon's monstrous inhabitants. The prospect of all those creatures pouring out was unsettling, even with Kevin wielding holy water.
Glancing at Kevin, who was calmly studying the map, Shao Ci marveled at his composure. It seemed as though Kevin was oblivious to the imminent danger, as if the castle weren't infested with monsters.
Shao Ci contemplated, "..." Perhaps the key to enjoying the game is to maintain a clear distinction between it and reality. While others effortlessly recognize the virtual nature of the holographic game, for Shao Ci, the line between the game and reality seemed blurred. His experiences traversing diverse worlds added to this surreal feeling, as if he had entered a tangible world within the game.
... Maybe it's his gaming mindset that required adjustment.
"Now, shall we make our exit?"
Finally catching up, Shao Ci saw Kevin smiling and promptly replied, "Absolutely, let's move."
As the two raced down the corridor, the sound of a door shattering and the growls of awakening monsters reverberated behind them. Fortunately, these creatures were sluggish, making pursuit of the young men impossible.
With an even pace, the duo seized the moment to survey their surroundings.
The corridor's carpet appeared worn, covered in dust that billowed with every step, creating a hazy atmosphere.
At intervals, torches hung along the walls of the corridor, emitting an eerie azure flame. Despite this appearance, the flames not only gave off no heat, they even emitted a faint chill upon getting closer.
Shao Ci pondered the difficulty of encountering normal-colored flames in these dungeons.
Considering Kevin's swift actions earlier, Shao Ci inquired, "Have you memorized the entire map already?"
Kevin nodded, "More or less."
Shao Ci marveled, "..." It seemed Kevin possessed an exceptional photographic memory skill, a useful trait.
【Current Task: Meet with others.】
The system suddenly issued a prompt. Typically, players would start together in one location, but due to the role-playing nature of this scenario, they began scattered throughout the castle.
The dungeon within the castle consisted of numerous sections, seemingly organized by the strength of the monsters.
Thinking about it now, Shao Ci found the situation somewhat daunting. How could he locate others in such a vast castle?
Fortunately, the system was much more reliable than he initially thought.
When Shao Ci tried to move in a different direction, the system guided him with prompts like 'You cannot go there right now.' Attempting to open a nearby door, he heard, 'Now is not the time for that.'
Even a fool could find their teammates under such systematic guidance.
After traversing a lengthy corridor, the duo heard sounds of a skirmish. Pushing open a door, they witnessed three individuals engaged in combat with several monsters in the dungeon below.
Kevin immediately pulled out a longbow upon seeing the situation. It was the first time Shao Ci had a glimpse of his weapon – an intricately carved longbow with faint points of light swirling around it, clearly not an ordinary weapon.
His slender and delicate hand, illuminated by subtle points of light, complemented his exceptionally handsome face. In that moment, Shao Ci thought he looked Elven.
As Kevin prepared to use his weapon, his expression turned much more indifferent. The instant his hand touched the longbow, a radiant arrow materialized, emitting a glow, ready to be released.
He dipped the arrow in water and shot it directly, then continued to fire several arrows without pause.
These arrows hit the weak points of the monsters, and before the others could react, the creatures wailed and dissipated into points of light.
Shao Ci: "!!" Wow, so cool!
Even though such weapons surely came with built-in prowess, it looked really impressive.
Shao Ci glanced down at the kitchen knife in his hand... feeling speechless.
When could he get a better weapon? Anything would be better than this kitchen knife!
The group walked over. One person had an arrogant demeanor, scanning around with a haughty attitude. The other two looked up to this person as if he were their leader.
Shao Ci discreetly checked the information about them. While he couldn't see the levels higher than his own, some people had open profile settings, including the person in front of him.
Seeing the name, Shao Ci remembered – this person named Alan was briefly mentioned in the original text, ranking among the top few thousand players. Given the massive player base, being in the top few thousand was quite impressive.
The other two seemed quite ordinary, like passerby characters, and their names didn't leave much of an impression. Upon hearing Kevin's name, the others didn't react much – it wasn't a familiar name to them. One person furrowed their brows, feeling a bit familiar but unable to recall why.
However, Kevin's recent display earned him some respect from the group. As for Shao Ci, a person who already lacked presence, he went completely unnoticed by the others.
A group of people exchanged information and discussed the intelligence they had gathered. As soon as they entered the game, they found themselves imprisoned together in a relatively large dungeon, which contained a considerable amount of data. Upon leaving, they encountered monsters.
It's unclear what the owner of this castle was thinking, having placed this information directly in the dungeon, seemingly wanting others to find it.
From the information everyone gathered, they roughly pieced together the story of this dungeon. Apparently, the owner of the castle used a forbidden technique, acquired from an unknown source, to resurrect a deceased loved one.
It's been many years since then, and it seems the castle owner is no longer human.
Shao ci: "..." It feels like we could easily imagine all sorts of melodramatic plots.
Even if the castle owner is in a pitiable situation, causing the death of so many people and creating all these monsters, they must be mentally unstable or possibly even insane.
After the five of them met, the mission displayed as completed. One person expressed confusion: "What about the sixth member?" Everyone knew that six people were required for the sacrifice.
Alan coldly snorted: "Who knows, maybe dead. It doesn't really matter."
Shao ci: "..." No, this definitely feels problematic!
But Shao ci couldn't figure out what was wrong.
【Current Mission: Obtain the key to the hall and successfully enter it.】
【Side Mission: Successfully obtain holy water; the more holy water obtained, the more points awarded.】
Upon hearing about points, everyone suddenly became more spirited.
For those with some strength, the goal of tackling the dungeon was not just about clearing it; now, it involved earning more points. If they could obtain powerful items, that would be even better. However, dealing with matters that depended on personal favor was always more convenient than dealing with points.
This mission confirmed that there was a substantial amount of holy water in this dungeon. Perhaps they would rake in a considerable number of points, making it even better than completing a high-level dungeon.
Moreover, holy water was a precious item. If they collected enough, there was a chance of obtaining more when leaving the game, and selling it could yield a good amount of points.
Alan immediately walked up to Kevin, snorting coldly, "You have holy water, right? Hand it over."
Confident in his own abilities, Alan wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state if he had possessed holy water before.
Kevin, with a gentle demeanor but icy blue eyes, smiled faintly in response. An invisible pressure made Alan feel a chill, causing him to shiver. He hesitated to utter the threatening words he had in mind and said in a cold tone, "Well, your weapon does seem suitable for this holy water. I'm not the kind to force others. For now, go ahead and keep it."
Shao Ci: "..." Hey, did he seriously just say that?
Afterward, the group deliberated on how to proceed with the search, ultimately deciding to scour the surroundings, considering the likelihood of ample holy water in the dungeon.
After a thorough inspection of the dungeon, they stumbled upon a bottle of holy water in a cabinet, promptly claimed by Alan.
Subsequently, they reached the ground floor. Despite the castle's vastness, numerous rooms were abandoned, sealed shut and inaccessible. The doors leading to the hall and the second floor were securely locked, requiring a key for entry.
While searching, they found a few bottles of holy water, mostly commandeered by Alan. The others, wary of offending him, resorted to secretly stashing away any they found for later.
Encountering a few monsters along the way, Alan effortlessly dispatched them. He was swimming in holy water, using it liberally.
After turning a corner, they confronted a two-meter-high statue – a menacing humanoid figure holding a weapon in one hand and a key in the outstretched other.
"That's definitely the key to the hall," everyone understood, but none dared to approach, fearing the statue might unexpectedly come to life. Things couldn't be this straightforward.
The sacrificial pawn was usually the one to go first, and initially, everyone looked at Shao Ci. However, Kevin calmly shielded Shao Ci.
Alan hesitated to confront Kevin, opting instead to pat the shoulder of a nearby person. "Don't you have a skill for speeding up? Why not go, snatch the key, and run?"
The poor soul visibly trembled, clearly intimidated. Yet, under the weight of Alan's threatening glare, he reluctantly mustered the courage to step forward. Slowly and nervously, he approached the imposing statue.
With a swift grab, he snatched the key, displaying a surprising burst of speed, seemingly on the brink of making a getaway. However, in the blink of an eye, an unseen force slammed him to the ground, his escape abruptly halted.
As the unfortunate adventurer crumbled to the floor, the once-still statue came to life, ominously lifting its weapon. The air thickened with tension.
The distressed adventurer shot a pleading look at Alan, seemingly paralyzed and unable to draw his weapon.
"What's there to fear? It's just a statue," Alan dismissed with an indifferent tone. A swift arrow grazed past his ear, piercing the statue's form, but to everyone's surprise, it left no mark. The arrow dissolved into points of light.
Kevin, folding his longbow, shook his head. "You should've—"
Before Alan could unleash his anger, he witnessed the arrow's futile attempt. He realized the immense power behind that shot, a power he could sense with his own strength. Yet, it couldn't break through the statue's formidable defense.
While Alan possessed potent abilities, he reserved them for critical moments. Using them now, especially just to save someone, seemed out of character.
Without hesitation, Alan rushed forward, snatching the key from the helpless adventurer. He swiftly retreated, as if afraid of being caught in the potential fallout.
The onlookers stared in astonishment. Alan coldly huffed, "What's there to gawk at? That statue is beyond our league. Instead of standing around, let's make a quick escape. Besides, it's just a game. Dying won't hurt us. If we don't have the strength, it's our own fault if we die."
Saying this, he swiftly fled ahead.
After the key was snatched, the statue went berserk. It swung its weapon downward, ruthlessly impaling the unfortunate adventurer. With no chance to retaliate, the victim cast a resentful gaze at Alan's retreating figure before dissipating into points of light.
The statue, armed and furious, pursued with initially sluggish but increasingly rapid speed.
"Damn it," another person, aware of their own capabilities, hurriedly followed Alan. Despite Alan's questionable actions, his formidable strength made sticking close seem much safer.
Shao Ci had long fled, but his stamina waned quickly. Gasping for breath, his low-level character struggled.
The pursuing sounds grew alarmingly close, and Shao Ci felt his end was near.
Kevin, observing the situation, softly inquired, "Need some help?"
Shao ci nodded gratefully, thinking this stranger was surprisingly helpful. In the next moment, he found himself scooped up by Kevin.
Shao Ci: "…?" Did he just assume he needed a stamina potion?
Seeing Shao Ci's bewildered expression, Kevin smiled apologetically. "Time is tight; this is faster. I hope I didn't offend you."
"It's okay..." Shao Ci hastily reassured, "I'm causing trouble because I'm too weak."
After being lifted by Kevin, Shao Ci marveled at Kevin's incredible strength. Carrying someone seemed effortless for him. Turning a corner, Kevin swiftly opened a door to a room, placed Shao Ci down, and closed the door behind them.
This room, unlike the others, was more intact, featuring a desk, chair, and a somewhat worn-out sofa.
Curious, Shao Ci asked, "What kind of room is this?"
"It's a study marked on the map," Kevin explained. "I believe there might be something important here."
"Why didn't you mention it earlier?" Shao Ci inquired.
"I didn't want to inform those people," Kevin replied with a slight smile, openly revealing his disdain for the others.
Shao Ci could understand; someone like Alan wouldn't be inclined to share information either.
Outside, a tumultuous noise indicated a colossal creature passing by. As the noise faded, relief washed over Shao Ci.
He walked to the desk and found notes, filling him with excitement.
Indeed, he preferred exploring informational aspects rather than engaging in battles. Solving mysteries had a satisfying allure when unraveling complex puzzles.
However, he preferred being a spectator in puzzle-solving situations. He wasn't adept at such challenges—especially not his forte. He was the type to get the "bad ending" in romance games without consulting a walkthrough.
Flipping open the notes, Shao Ci was momentarily surrounded by darkness. Then, a black-and-white scene unfolded before him.
Shao Ci thought, "This must be one of those occasional flashback scenes in the dungeon, for narrative convenience."
The black-and-white imagery was quite distinct.
Feeling like he had possessed someone, Shaoci could only observe without any agency, akin to watching a movie.
The current scene clearly depicted the grand hall of the castle—a spacious area adorned with luxurious carpets, staircases leading to the second floor on either side, and a massive statue in the center.
The person in this memory seemed severely wounded as he hurriedly reached this location. His vision swayed incessantly, and Shao Ci could hear his labored breathing, accompanied by fresh blood staining the floor.
Suddenly, everything went dark again. After an unknown duration, the scene became vaguely visible once more. The person had collapsed on the ground, opened his eyes, and observed the towering statue surrounded by several corpses.
Shao Ci pondered, "So, this is a memory flashback of someone sacrificed earlier."
Next to the bodies stood a figure. Due to the person's extremely blurred vision, his features were indiscernible. Only the outline of a tall young man could be vaguely perceived.
The young man noticed that the person was still alive and approached.
Then, the scene darkened again. In Shao Ci's ears, the sound of a sharp weapon piercing into the body echoed, repeated several times. One could almost imagine the expressionless castle owner killing the sacrifice.
Yet, it didn't end there. After the person died, the scene instantly shifted to an overhead view, as if seen from a god's perspective.
Several corpses lay before the statue, the floor soaked in blood, and a highly intricate magic circle adorned the ground.
The castle owner remained perpetually obscured, covered in blood. He did something while looking down, and the magic circle illuminated. Under its influence, the surrounding corpses rapidly shriveled, their energy drained.
Then, as if realizing something, the owner abruptly lifted his head.
Shao Ci jolted awake, the notebook still open before him.
"Huh," Shao Ci sighed in relief. Was that a depiction of a sacrificial scene just now?
He turned to find Kevin wearing a contemplative expression. Kevin spoke, "Did you witness that scene too?"
"I did," nodded Kevin. "We wouldn't be shown those images without reason. I fear the magic circle might come into play later."
Shao Ci hesitated, then interjected, "...wait, that magic circle... I"
"He's practically forgotten everything." In truth, he hadn't even entertained the idea of memorizing the intricate details of that magic circle!
Who could blame him? Remembering such complex things in an instant is beyond normal.
"It's okay," Kevin reassured him in a soothing tone. "I remember."
"Oh, right..." Shao Ci recalled Kevin's photographic memory. Given the number of people in this dungeon, mutual assistance might be crucial.
Then, the memory of the person Alan deceived into death resurfaced. There might be several others meant for sacrificial purposes.
For some inexplicable reason, Shao Ci found himself trusting Kevin significantly. Perhaps it was Kevin's natural demeanor and apparent reliability—undoubtedly more dependable than Alan.
As Shao Ci continued to peruse the notes on the table, he discovered a cautionary message on the first page: "Do not read."
"..." Seriously? After glimpsing those three words, who wouldn't be unable to resist the temptation to open it, especially given the circumstances? Even if it meant risking their lives, curiosity would be an irresistible force!
Undeterred, Shao Ci decided to turn to the next page. However, the system promptly issued a warning: "A mysterious force prevents you from opening the notebook."
"!!" So, it was truly sealed. This hinted that the notebook's contents were likely potent—perhaps a lifesaving item for critical moments or even a method to confront the boss.
Shao Ci meticulously stored the notebook away, wary of any accidental loss.
After stowing away the notebook, he noticed a sheet of paper beneath it. Written in elegant script were the words, 'Do not turn around when he is watching you.'