Chapter 246: Different Points of Attention

Chapter 246: Different Points of Caution

The item information on the notice board clearly indicated it was a person from the Lost City standing there... so why didn't this uncle know?

Another team's doing? The uncle's lost teammate?

Right, that sign itself was suspicious. It was already in the outer region of the primeval forest, meaning the person who put up the notice was about to walk out of the mountains.

It didn't fit the instance setting.

The Spirit Realm's introduction clearly stated that the people in the city were trapped, and those who entered the mountains to explore had encountered a great crisis. Theoretically speaking, they shouldn't have been able to exit the mountains this quickly; otherwise, this setting would seem rather lackluster.

Zhang Yuanqing pondered, but his mouth didn't stop:

"You just said faces grew on the tree, that it was your missing teammate. What happened after?"

The middle-aged man answered:

"We were all terrified at the time, never having encountered such a situation. In the end, the captain suggested chopping the tree down to see what was really going on."

Aren't you just courting death... Zhang Yuanqing grumbled inwardly, and sure enough, he heard the middle-aged man say with a face full of lingering fear:

"Then trouble started. The captain had barely swung one axe blow when the trunk began to bleed, just like a human. That face suddenly opened its eyes, crying out in pain. That sound was both miserable and terrifying; I still can't forget it to this day.

"The captain was scared witless too, and didn't dare chop further. Just as we were at a loss, the teammate inside the trunk suddenly glared at us with venomous hatred, shouting: Eat you all up, eat you all up...

"Then, the surrounding trees suddenly seemed to come alive. There was clearly no wind, yet the branches moved like hands. Scared out of our wits, we fled immediately."

Zhang Yuanqing asked: "So, you got separated while running?"

The middle-aged man shook his head:

"That came later. That night we didn't even dare make camp; we rushed through the night. By dawn, we ran into a troop of monkeys."

"Monkeys?"

"Yes, man-eating monkeys." The middle-aged man's voice was low, fear mixed with hatred:

"One of our members didn't escape in time and was eaten by the monkeys. I saw it with my own eyes—those beasts swarmed him like jackals gnawing on prey. My companions and I got separated during the escape."

Zhang Yuanqing stared at the dead branches beneath the uncle's feet, trying to extract as much intelligence as possible:

"Uncle, what do you know about these mountains?"

The middle-aged uncle shook his head:

"This forest just appeared out of thin air. I only know it's extremely dangerous. Before us, others tried to cross this forest and escape the cage."

"But none of them ever returned. I hope they've already found the way out."

Having said this, the middle-aged man continued:

"Young man, I must be going. I need to find my companions and search for a way out of the mountains. I hope you can leave this place as soon as possible too. Remember, the trees here eat people; you must be careful. They fear blades and fire. When in danger, remember to protect yourself.

"And, beware the monkeys!"

Watching the middle-aged man leave, his figure disappearing into the depths of the woods, Zhang Yuanqing withdrew his gaze, summarizing and refining the conversation just had.

"Outer region. Known dangers: trees and monkeys. According to the uncle, that member was lured away by a calling voice, which led to him appearing inside the tree. Does this mean the calling voice was actually emitted by the trees?"

"Summary: Ignore the cries to avert crisis; trees fear fire and steel; when monkeys come, you can only stand your ground."

Zhang Yuanqing's eyes suddenly brightened.

Felling trees, burning them—could that yield points?

If so, given the vast expanse of this primeval forest, he would make a killing.

"Obviously not. That would be too simple. Perhaps not every tree is dangerous; the man-eaters hide in the woods, and only killing them grants points..."

As Zhang Yuanqing pondered, he suddenly frowned:

"The signpost was erected by the people of the Lost City, telling me not to use blades or fire in the forest. Yet the uncle from the Lost City told me trees fear blades and fire, implying I could use them for self-defense when necessary. They contradict each other."

In his experience, contradiction meant hidden plot, demanding exploration.

Clues were too scarce; overthinking was useless. Zhang Yuanqing pressed deeper into the dense woods, Blood Rose clearing the path ahead—though without blades, pathfinding had lost its meaning.

But when danger came, Blood Rose walking point could block the blow for him.

Thus they advanced for half an hour until Zhang Yuanqing heard, from his left, a dense chorus of "squeaks," mingling with the "huala" of wind shaking treetops.

He looked toward the sound and saw that stretch of forest trembling incessantly; faintly, lithe monkeys leapt and climbed among the crowns, chasing prey below.

The prey sprinted through the primitive forest, thick with undergrowth and dangling vines, at a startling speed, utterly unhindered by the complex terrain.

The monkey troop leapt through the canopy with peerless agility, yet for a time could not catch their quarry.

Such speed, such agility—is it a wood demon? Zhang Yuanqing saw no human, yet had already reached a verdict.

Finally, as the rustling drew nearer, he saw a tall, comely woman emerge from the left thicket.

About thirty, she wore loose black trousers, a cyan windbreaker, her hair in a bun, running shoes on her feet.

A lovely oval face, long legs, a full bosom straining the windbreaker, yet a slender waist.

The moment she burst from the brush, the two parties came face to face; her expression changed sharply, she halted abruptly, staring at Blood Rose and Zhang Yuanqing, assuming a guarded stance.

"Huala~"

At that instant, the canopy monkeys gave chase in force—some diving straight at the oval-faced woman, others continuing their arboreal dance, reaching the air above Zhang Yuanqing and Blood Rose before plunging down with murderous intent.

They measured a full meter in length, covered in coarse black hair, stocky bodies, long arms knotted with muscle.

Damn, collateral disaster... Zhang Yuanqing turned half-sideways, dropped his torso, and drove his right foot straight up.

"Bang!"

Sole met the black-haired monkey's chest solidly; he felt the creature's thorax tough as leather, heavy as boulder, with none of the satisfying impact he craved.

He knew at once this kick had not badly injured the monkey.

Sure enough, the monkey sprawled face-first, then scrambled up at once, knuckle-walking, half-hopping, half-running in a fresh lunge.

Zhang Yuanqing calmly drew the Bloodthirsty Blade, gripped its tip, and hurled it with all his might.

"Puh!"

The Bloodthirsty Blade became a silver flash, pinning the black-haired monkey through the chest.

*Deng deng deng...* Zhang Yuanqing sprinted in great strides, leaped into the air, and kicked the knife hilt, driving the forty-centimeter Bloodthirsty Blade entirely into the monkey's chest cavity.

The black-furred monkey crashed to the ground, its legs twitching a few times before the breath of life left it entirely.

Although the signboard stated that items were prohibited, Zhang Yuanqing believed that as long as he didn't use the blade to fell trees or vines, there would be no issue.

[Ding! You have slain a Mountain Monkey, gaining 1 Point.]

On the other side, Blood Rose clamped a hand around the throat of the monkey lunging at her, slammed it viciously onto the ground, then dropped a knee onto its chest, raising her right fist high.

A straight punch drove downward.

*Crack...* The black-furred monkey's head exploded instantly, brain matter and blood-slick bone fragments spraying in all directions.

[Ding! You have slain a Mountain Monkey, gaining 1 Point.]

The Yin Corpse's kills were credited to its master.

Blood Rose's pupils flared crimson; she inhaled lightly, and a mist of blood rose from the black-furred monkey's body, surging into her nostrils.

The Yin Corpse's aura surged violently, as if it had grown stronger still.

"Squeak~"

The monkey troop in the trees seemed frightened, shrieking incessantly; several that had been preparing to pounce on prey scrambled to grip branches, barely avoiding a fall.

Then, amid the "squeaking" shrieks, they reached a consensus and retreated the way they had come, vanishing swiftly.

A dozen points just ran off like that; I still haven't figured out this dungeon, no need to rush into a killing spree... Zhang Yuanqing watched the trembling treetops recede, confirming the monkeys wouldn't return, only then turning his gaze to that tall, voluptuous Wood Yaoguai woman.

She appeared somewhat bedraggled, yet had suffered no harm whatsoever.

With a Wood Yaoguai's agility, so long as she wasn't surrounded by the troop, there would be no danger.

"Sorry about that, dragging you into this."

The Wood Yaoguai woman dusted off the mud on her body, breaking into a radiant smile.

"Think nothing of it!"

Wearing Wang Tai's face, affecting Fu Qingyang's cool, Zhang Yuanqing replied with a cold, detached indifference.

"I am of the Five Elements Alliance, Spirit Realm ID: Peony Fairy. And you?" she introduced herself.

Peony Fairy? The ID rings a bell... oh, that female colleague who wouldn't stop sucking up to me during the online meeting... Zhang Yuanqing froze for a moment, then felt a surge of surprise.

He hadn't expected the first Spirit Realm Walker he'd encounter in a Slaughter Dungeon would be a coworker.

However, revealing one's background right off the bat would show one's vigilance was too low. Zhang Yuanqing thought, his surface demeanor remaining cold:

"Wang Tai!"

"Wang Tai..." Peony Fairy mouthed the name, smiling charmingly:

"You're the Night Wanderer from the Taichi Sect, aren't you? Wood Yaoguai are sensitive to life auras; I know that's a Yin Corpse."

As an official member, a Saint Candidate, she possessed ample knowledge and experience.

She thinks I'm from the Taichi Sect, so that's why she revealed her identity? Fine, I take back what I just thought... Zhang Yuanqing shook his head:

"I'm a rogue cultivator."

Of the official members participating in this slaughter instance, thirty-eight in total—not a large number; one needed only to commit their IDs to memory to know Wang Tai wasn't among them.

If he admitted to being of the Taiyi Sect, it would be tantamount to exposing himself; then again, exposure hardly mattered.

Fairy Peony let out an "oh," impossible to tell whether she believed him or not.

She hesitated a moment, then invited him: "Perils abound within the instance; those of the Lawful alignment ought to aid one another. If you don't mind, shall we travel together?"

Before Zhang Yuanqing could answer, she tossed out another condition: "I intend to seek out Yuanshi Tianzun and the other colleagues. If you come with me, you'll be our companion."

If you knew I *am* Yuanshi Tianzun, who knows what face you'd make! Zhang Yuanqing had precisely this intention, and said: "Done!"

Rallying his colleagues was one of his goals; doing so under Wang Tai's identity could, to an extent, evade the scheming of the turncoats.

Once the accord was reached, Fairy Peony hurriedly said: "We'd best leave quickly—if those monkeys bring reinforcements, it'll be trouble."

Zhang Yuanqing nodded, keeping a reasonably safe distance from Fairy Peony as they advanced, and said: "Those monkeys' combat strength isn't high."

Fairy Peony's face turned grave: "No, that's because you haven't seen the Monkey King."

"Monkey King?" Zhang Yuanqing suppressed the urge to turn his head, looking at the woman nearly ten years his senior.

"Right. It's a white monkey—no, more like an orangutan, about three meters tall, utterly terrifying. I suspect it possesses quasi-Grade 4 strength." Fairy Peony's face was full of dread.

Quasi-Grade 4 meant stronger than the Extraordinary, slightly weaker than a Saint.

Such ambiguous power ratings appeared only on artifacts and instance bosses; the Ghost Bride Bai Lan was quasi-Grade 4.

The first mini-boss has shown up... Zhang Yuanqing waved his hand, sweeping aside several thick vines, and said: "This instance is somewhat strange; I still can't discern the pattern. Why don't we share information and see what we find?"

Fairy Peony gave a slight nod and said: "After entering the instance, the mission prompt had me start from the outer layer, using the notice board as reference, and advance toward the central region."

Zhang Yuanqing chimed in: "Seems everyone's side quest is the same. Hmm, what did the notice board say?"

Fairy Peony recalled as she recited the notice board's precautions.

The first three were identical to what Zhang Yuanqing had seen, but the fourth was problematic.

"Four: Beware of animals, especially monkeys."

Zhang Yuanqing raised a brow: "You're sure?"

The Peony Fairy asked back in astonishment, "Then yours isn't?"

"My fourth rule is: if you see other people in the forest, do not make eye contact with them." Zhang Yuanqing informed her of his own precautions without reservation.]

From the Peony Fairy's micro-expressions, he could detect no trace of deceit; she shouldn't be lying, otherwise this woman was a veritable Film Empress.

The Peony Fairy frowned: "Why would it be like this?"

Zhang Yuanqing advanced while staying vigilant of his surroundings, saying:

"Two possibilities. One, the dangers encountered in different zones differ; your signboard warned you to beware of monkeys, so you encountered monkeys. While my signboard warned me not to make eye contact with people, so I encountered people inside the instance."

"Two, every signboard gives different precautions; this implies we can use the rules to screw over enemies. Everyone who entered the instance grasps two laws for surviving in the jungle; these are weapons we can utilize."

"Of course, judging by the headcount, there shouldn't be that many laws; many people's laws are likely duplicates. Following this line of thought, perhaps collecting all the laws is one of the main questlines for this instance."

The Peony Fairy's eyes were full of shock; she looked this young man named Wang Tai up and down, realizing one thing.

—I’ve hit the jackpot.

Based on such crude, simple information, he could analyze this much; regardless of whether he was right or wrong, this keen analytical ability was something she simply did not possess.

It was clear this young man named Wang Tai was indeed a master at clearing instances.

A real talent, indeed.

Amidst her surprise and delight, the Peony Fairy also felt a pang of loss; Yuan Shi Tianzun, Zhao Chenghuang—these top-tier geniuses were heights she admitted she could never reach, yet she never expected a chance-encountered Night Wanderer to possess such outstanding capability.

Perhaps there were many such figures inside the instance.

The Peony Fairy felt like a small-town test-grinder who arrived at a big-city exam hall, only to discover everyone here was a high-IQ academic ace; a gloomy realization.

"Right, the reason I was hunted by the monkey troop was because I overheard them talking; I have an artifact that lets me understand animal language. Those monkeys said, more humans have entered the forest, they must not be allowed to approach…"

"Approach what?"

"I didn't hear clearly; I was discovered by the monkey troop soon after."

Whether she hadn't heard clearly or didn't want to say it—could it be they must not approach the forest's depths… Zhang Yuanqing didn't press further, instead actively changing the subject:

"There should be a fifth precaution, right?"

His signboard had five rules.

The Peony Fairy hummed in assent, "Fifth: if you see a mountaineer claiming to be from the Lost City, do not speak with them, leave immediately."

The moment the words fell, she saw Wang Tai five meters away abruptly halt his steps, his face stiffening.

Do not speak with mountaineers from the Lost City, leave immediately? In Zhang Yuanqing's mind, the word "Fuck" reverberated on loop!

At this moment, he felt a chill crawl up his spine, a seed of inexplicable horror taking root in his heart.

Just a short while ago, he had just conversed with a middle-aged uncle from the "Lost City".

The Peony Fairy was clearly a quick-witted married woman; seeing his state, she frowned and asked: "You... you encountered a mountaineer?"

And chatted for ten-odd minutes… Zhang Yuanqing nodded with a heavy expression, recounting the entire process of his dialogue with the middle-aged man.

The Peony Fairy's countenance instantly shifted; she silently moved a few meters away from him.

This woman! The corner of Zhang Yuanqing’s mouth twitched, and he said blandly:

"At least I’m perfectly fine right now, nothing has happened."

He didn't believe that violating the precautionary regulations would cause him to capsize in the gutter; under conditions of information asymmetry, he would make mistakes, and so would others.

Based on his understanding of the instance, these high-probability pitfalls rarely brought immediate, fatal harm.

Either they accumulated and stacked, or they required specific conditions to detonate.

If this brought a lethal crisis right now, then by this point, half the people in the instance should be dead.

Thinking along these lines, Zhang Yuanqing halted his steps and opened the leaderboard.

He first glanced at the total headcount, discovering only 174 Spirit Realm Walkers remained in the instance; six more had died since the last check.

It hadn't been an hour since entering the instance, and the death toll was already pushing ten; the mortality rate was a bit high... Zhang Yuanqing did not grow complacent just because his journey had been smooth sailing so far.

One hundred and seventy-four Spirit Realm Walkers wandering blindly in a primordial forest—who knew when they might run into each other, or when they might run into a boss.

Peony Fairy suddenly halted her steps, tilting her head to listen; a few seconds later, she looked over, her voice deep:

"To our left, roughly fifty meters out, Spirit Realm Walkers are engaged in combat."

In the forest, a Wood Demon's perception was maximized, comparable to a Scout's Insight.

Fifty meters? Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a moment, then said:

"I'll go invisible and take a look; you and my Corpse Puppet stay here."

Waiting for Peony Fairy to nod, he entered Night Roam, carefully avoiding the shrubs and dead branches underfoot, as well as the vines hanging from above, rapidly closing in on the left flank.

Half a minute later, Zhang Yuanqing arrived at the battlefield without a sound.

Before he even had a chance to clearly observe the combatants, he first heard a sinister, creepy laugh:

"An island nation's female high schooler, hey; how about we do her in."