《Cataclysm Card Emperor》 Chapter 1: Naked Corpse Ji Xun woke up in a completely unfamiliar room.Two thoughts instantly popped into his mind. First, lower back pain; Second, jumping the immortal. This is a sealed room, with walls of cement color all around, apart from a bed that looks like a toilet partition, there is no decoration. No windows, no furniture, it looks like a prison cell, an escape room, or some kind of special interest room. But its definitely not a serious room. Ji Xun was lying on the big bed himself, without clothes, and not in a good state of mind. And there was a woman lying next to him, also without clothes. After a few glances to confirm, yup, its all there. This is a beautiful body, with delicate skin that intoxicates people, full breasts, and a delicate and slightly charming face. What is going on? The suddenly intimate fortune made Ji Xun not feel romantic, but rather instinctively alert. He tried hard to remember if he had a hangover, or if he had been hit on the head. But his memory is clear, he slept normally last night and woke up in this strange room. Not a dream. Ji Xun quickly confirmed this. Although his waist was so sore that he could hardly straighten up, there was no wound and his lower back was obviously still there. No group of heavily tattooed men rushed in to collect money either. So it shouldnt be the case of jumping the immortal, nor was it a lower back pain. After taking another look at the beautiful woman beside him, Ji Xun reached out to touch her, wanting to wake her up and ask about the situation. But just that touch, he immediately frowned. A very abnormal touch. No! Ji Xuns expression instantly became serious, and he reached out to touch her skin again, so full and delicate, yet strangely cool to the touch. This is not the body temperature that a living person should have. Dead? A look of doubt flashed in Ji Xuns eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he reached out to explore the womans neck, and immediately seemed to detect something unusual, his expression becoming more and more grave. Certainly no pulse was felt. At this moment, he confirmed that this was a corpse. Weird Ji Xun looked at the corpse in front of him and the seriousness in his eyes gradually turned into puzzlement. Hes not unfamiliar with a corpse, nor is he afraid of having slept with one. What he finds strange is the strangeness of the corpse that he has never seen before. Instead of the fleeting amazement, this more bizarre scene made him feel that something was really wrong. Ji Xun thoroughly examined the body again, and found no noticeable wounds anywhere on her body. Apart from the absence of heartbeat and breathing, her body temperature is almost the same as that of a normal person. Thats the perplexing part. Normally, the body temperature of a deceased person would gradually drop one degree per hour for about ten hours after death, and halve after ten hours, which means that it would take about a day for the body temperature to be the same as the ambient temperature. Ji Xun had confirmed earlier, the body temperature of the woman in front of him was already close to room temperature. By this estimate, her time of death is roughly twenty hours ago. But heres the problem. A body begins to stiffen half an hour after death, and becomes completely stiff 9-12 hours later. Yet this corpse has smooth skin, full and elastic, with no sign of joint stiffness. This really makes people bewildered. The environment is normal, the temperature is normal, so whats wrong? For the first time, Ji Xun began to doubt his judgment. Could there be other factors affecting rigidity after death? Or maybe This is not a person at all? A prank? As the thought emerged, Ji Xun carefully inspected the corpse again. Pinching and examining every detail, he confirmed that she indeed has a normal skeletal and visceral structure, as well as body fluids in her mouth. In other words, she is not a lifelike silicone doll for a prank, or some strange thing. She is indeed a human corpse! Ji Xun was really puzzled. How could I have woken up here? How could there be such a strange corpse next to me? Ji Xuns eyes turned, and he pondered for a moment. He didnt look at the corpse again, but instead inspected the rooms environment. This room is also very strange. The rusty iron door is tightly closed, with no lock on the inside that could open it. It looks like a prison. But judging from the thick, heavy, and complex structure of the lock, it looks more like a bank vault door. Or a laboratory for detaining high-risk entities? From the rust, it looks like it has been abandoned for a long time. However, as he was observing, as if in response to some mysterious force, an even more bizarre scene unfolded. You have touched the extraordinary and gained enlightenment. Ji Xun looked at the line that suddenly appeared, almost thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him. He blinked and it was still there. Then he looked at the bed and saw another line of text. [Fallen Witch] Detailed explanation: A first-level B-grade calamity; a spiritual contaminant, a distorted witch who manipulates desires, adept at mental attacks, feeds on human essence and soul to survive; if you cannot kill it, perhaps a pleasant encounter at the end of your life is also a good choice; Damn! It really wasnt a person! Seeing this, Ji Xun narrowed his eyes slightly. Although he didnt know what this enlightenment was, he suddenly seemed to understand. Since the current situation cannot be understood using normal thinking, then lets try a different approach. Many unusual situations seem to point in another direction. At this moment, a bizarre thought popped into his mind: For example did I travel back in time? All the signs indicate that this is probably not the original world. After a moment of shock, Ji Xun did not show much surprise on his face, instead, a thoughtful expression emerged in his eyes, repeatedly pondering whether this assumption was logical. Obvious. With the assumption of time travel, everything that was previously inexplicable suddenly became clear. This explains why he ended up here, and why there is such a strange corpse in the bed. Oh right. Not a corpse! What is this B-grade, calamity, spiritual contaminant? S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Probably a monster? Or a humanoid creature from another world? Ji Xun re-evaluated everything with a different perspective. He didnt know what the mysterious force had enlightened him about, but it was clear that things were becoming increasingly strange. He looked at the description of the corpse that would absorb human souls, and knew that it obviously wasnt a good choice to stay with it right now. Better to leave first. Glancing at the clothes scattered under the bed, Ji Xun stood up to put them on and open the door to go out and look for other clues. However, as soon as he got up, a sense of weakness suddenly hit him. His legs suddenly went weak and he fell heavily on the womans body next to him. Splatter~ Heaving up and down, the touch was soft. Ji Xun struggled to get up in that delicate touch, his eyes twitching, finally understanding why he had travelled back in time. And with that, he actually saw his own body data. Chapter 2: Site-407 Abnormal Creature Containment Center A row of numbers appeared before his eyes.Ji Xun Strength: 0.71 Constitution: 0.58 Agility: 0.62 Spirit: 4.73 Description: Weak A data panel, huh? This is quite straightforward. Since Ji Xun had already accepted the fact that he had transmigrated, he didnt find this panel particularly strange. Instead, seeing these numbers, he immediately analyzed his own physical condition. The conspicuous 4.73 for spirit was probably related to the transmigration, or perhaps it was inherent to him. But the other values were too low. He estimated that a healthy bodys attributes should be around 1, but now they were only about fifty to sixty percent of that, making him as weak as a patient. And even more alarming, while he was observing, the numbers were still decreasing?! Youve been contaminated by curse energy, constitution -0.002 Youve been contaminated by curse energy, constitution -0.001 Mental Erosion Immunity . Just being close causes continuous contamination? No wonder Im so weak. Ji Xun complained inwardly, realizing immediately that the mental contamination was like nuclear radiation, causing continuous damage the closer he got. Obviously, he needed to stay away from the figure on the bed. Upon checking, he found that the clothes were not his, but his body was still familiar. He had crossed over, replacing the original owner, without retaining any of their memories. He glanced again at the woman under him. Though she was a monster, she was undeniably attractive. Heh. Ji Xun mocked himself, cautiously avoiding the naked corpse on the bed, afraid of startling it awake for any reason. Being naked was not a good choice, so he picked up the scattered clothes from the floor and put them on one by one. The dirty tactical gear included hardened steel-toed boots, a stab-proof tactical vest, and a rudimentary gas mask. It looked like some kind of field equipment. To his surprise, the equipment belt concealed under the clothes held two large-caliber revolvers and some ammunition. Given the world had monsters, carrying guns wasnt surprising. Ji Xun held the gun, his finger lightly moving on the trigger, checking the bullets, and thought to himself, The craftsmanship of the guns in this world isnt bad. The revolver was clearly made by a small gun workshop, with irregular manual polishing marks on various parts. But in terms of both structure and steel quality, this revolver was quite decent. With such a large caliber, a single shot could likely turn a persons head into a smashed watermelon. The bullet heads also had special silver patterns, likely not just decorative but serving some special purpose. s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Obviously, this gun wasnt just for dealing with humans but probably for killing monsters as well. What kind of world is this? Ji Xun grew increasingly curious. Holding the gun, he initially wanted to try shooting the creature on the bed. But he dismissed the thought after considering it. If a gun could easily kill this B-level disaster monster, the original owner probably wouldnt have died like that last night. Although he didnt know why the monster hadnt woken up, it was clearly not dead. At least, not by his understanding of dead. Leaving the room was the immediate priority. Ji Xun, fully equipped, walked to the rooms exit. It was a complex iron door from the inside. The door was rusty, appearing very old and outdated. It had some slight dents from apparent attempts to break it violently, but none had succeeded. Ji Xun pressed his ear against the door and knocked. The sound was muffled, as expected from a thick door. He wasnt planning to use brute force, so he closely observed the doors structure. Fortunately, there was a food slot-like vent on the door. He drew a dagger from its sheath, preparing to see if he could pick the lock. Coincidentally, while he was fiddling around, he suddenly heard a series of metallic scraping sounds from within the door. The lock was unlocking itself. Coincidence? Or did he trigger some mechanism? Ji Xun looked back; the corpse behind him hadnt moved. Now that the door was open, he had to face whatever was outside. After considering possible scenarios, he put on the gas mask and pushed the door open. The scene that met his eyes was still an apocalyptic bunker-style sealed passageway. Gas lamps? Those were antiques from two or three hundred years ago. Ji Xun immediately noticed the flickering wall lamp in the corridor, estimating the buildings age. Where was this place? A strong sense of curiosity filled his mind, and at this moment, another line of text appeared before his eyes. Youve gained enlightenment: Anomalous Space Containment Facility 407 for Anomalous Creatures'' Catastrophe Level Assessed: B Space Exploration Progress: 47.1% Space Death Rate: 69.4% Keywords: Survival Mission: This is a mysterious research facility housing aberrant creatures. You need to survive here for three days. Completion Rewards: Randomly produced cursed energy materials and finished cards from within the space. The higher the exploration rating, the richer the final settlement. . Reading this, Ji Xun roughly understood. This was somewhat like a special space in a game instance? But his understanding of this world was still insufficient to accurately grasp what this anomalous space meant. But a near 70% death rate was glaring. The dangers in this bunker were probably not limited to the creature in the room behind him; there were others. Perhaps there were other people too. His body barely out of the door, Ji Xuns hand was already on the revolver at his waist. He cautiously observed his surroundings. This enclosed corridor had no windows and seemed like an underground structure. Aside from his room, there was a similar iron door every dozen meters or so, with at least twenty or thirty rooms within sight. Are there monsters in all these rooms? Just as the thought occurred, he suddenly heard the creaking sound of a door opening. The door of the adjacent room was being pushed open from the inside. Something was coming out! Ji Xun immediately became alert, swiftly drawing his revolver and aiming at the figure emerging from the door. But clearly, the other person had also noticed someone in the corridor. And they moved faster! The moment they saw each other, both aimed their weapons at each other. Recognizing the other as human, the slightly slower Ji Xun didnt pull the trigger. Because the other person also didnt shoot. More importantly, Ji Xun noticed the barrel aimed at him from the other persons right arm, and his eyes behind the goggles widened slightly. What was this? A mechanical arm? Or perhaps a single-soldier steam-powered high-pressure jet cannon? Ji Xun couldnt accurately describe the other persons equipment. It was a set of steampunk-style mechanical gear, with a metal barrel about 30mm in diameter on the arm, precision brass valves and pressure gauges, and metal arm guards, connected by three high-pressure pipes to a small steam boiler on the back. The chest and leg joints also had complex mechanical structures, somewhat resembling a full set of single-soldier mechanical exoskeletons. The boiler was emitting white steam, indicating it was a steam-powered weapon. But putting aside the mechanical equipment and black technology. What caught Ji Xuns eye was the faint shield aura enveloping the person. The primitive steampunk black technology paired with a magical shield created a bizarre cognitive dissonance. Magic punk? Ji Xun initially thought having a gun would give him a fifty-fifty chance in a conflict. But this person knew magic! Seeing the magical shield, he realized that the technological and power systems of this world were abnormal. Oh, It wasnt normal from the beginning, with the naked corpse. The equipment gap was vast. Starting a conflict wasnt wise. Ji Xun felt his situation might be a bit dire. Chapter 3: Steam and Magic As soon as she rushed out, her eyes were as sharp as a knife.But when she caught sight of the open door behind Ji Xun, the murderous intent in her eyes instantly dissipated, and she blurted out in surprise, Youre still alive? Her voice intentionally lowered, but one could tell she was probably not very old. Perhaps she recognized him, so she didnt attack. ??? Hearing this, Ji Xun couldnt help but mock inwardly. He had already died once. However, this woman seemed to know him? When Ji Xun first crossed over, he knew nothing and his intuition told him not to speak out of turn. During this standoff, the mechanical-arm girl opposite to him seemed to figure something out and was the first to put down the steam cannon in her hand, making a friendly gesture. Looking at Ji Xuns empty clothes, she obviously guessed something and was even more puzzled, muttering, You spent the night with the fallen witch, and youre still alive? , Ji Xun listened but remained silent, also setting down his gun. The other party blatantly mentioned the presence of the fallen witch in the room, clearly indicating she knew a lot. The mysterious woman looked at Ji Xun, who didnt speak, and after a moment of contemplation, she asked straightforwardly, Are you a lone hunter, or do you have a team? Are you interested in cooperating? I mean, are you interested in working together? Her proposal was straightforward. She was evidently worried that the person in front of her might not understand his situation, so she added, Otherwise, given your current state, if the fallen witch comes for you tonight, you probably wont survive. What? Ji Xun listened, quickly calculating the implications of her words. This woman was speaking in an unfamiliar manner, and she clearly only recognized him but probably didnt know the original host. This saved him a lot of trouble. But from the sound of the womans words, it seemed he wouldnt survive the night? Where did that come from? This woman obviously had a lot of the information he urgently needed. After a moment of contemplation, Ji Xun calmly asked, Cooperate? Yes. The mysterious woman looked at him, not directly rejecting him and spoke frankly, I am interested in the information you have on the fallen witch. If youre willing to cooperate, we can hunt down this B-level pollutant tonight. Although success is not guaranteed, I will do my best to kill it. Killing the monster is the only way for you to leave this space alive. After a pause, she added, Of course, I will also do my best to ensure your safety. Ji Xun listened and understood her intentions of killing the creature for the materials. It seemed like this alternate dimension was some kind of game-like instance. He wanted to inquire more but knew little about this world, and he didnt know where to start. On the other hand, the mechanical-arm girl seemed to have a clear train of thought. She detected Ji Xuns hesitation and seemed to think he didnt fully understand the terror of the fallen witch. She asked with surprise, Have you not bought any information and just come in? Her eyes seemed to look at him as if he were a reckless fool. Ji Xun was worried about how to gather information, and the other sides comments seemed to classify him as someone reckless. He followed up by asking, So the fallen witch will come for me again? Ji Xun remained silent, but in his mind, he was recalling the naked corpse lying inside. s?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Being close to it would lead to radiation contamination, which was a kind of monster he couldnt comprehend. Moreover, the woman in front of him was so well-equipped that she didnt seem confident in taking it down, which confirmed his earlier judgment C he probably could not handle it, either. However, her words were not necessarily to be fully trusted. After a moment of contemplation, Ji Xun fell into thought. How could he hesitate in this situation? Anyone being targeted by a B-level disaster would immediately accept help, right? Seeing his hesitation, the mechanical-arm girl seemed to come up with an explanation on her own C this guy probably didnt have a clear understanding of the terror of the fallen witch, did he? She thought of something and asked with a note of disbelief, Did you come in without buying any information, didnt you? Her eyes looked at him as if he were a reckless fool. Ji Xun was at a loss as to how to gather information, and her remarks seemed to categorize him as someone who was ignorant. He asked in response, So will the fallen witch come for me again? Hearing this, the mysterious woman showed a helpless expression beneath her mask. She contemplated for a moment and explained, Then you should have seen the enlightenment; this is a spiritual-type B-level disaster that can lock onto a humans soul. If you spent a night with it, no matter where you hide within this space, it will find you. Ji Xun listened, his eyes slightly raised. So the enlightenment wasnt something only he could see; it was some kind of rule in this world. He understood this explanation; he was marked by the creature. And he also immediately realized that the reason this woman wanted to cooperate was definitely not to increase his combat capability. She wanted to make use of the creatures marking characteristic and needed a bait. However, upon hearing her explanation, Ji Xun was instead dispelled of all his doubts. After all, they didnt know each other, and no one would help without a reason. Even if it was exploitation, he wasnt bothered by it. Cooperation with an exchange of value was more stable. After a moment of contemplation, he asked the question that was on his mind, Can we kill it now? I mean He originally wanted to say that the creature was still in hibernation and seemed harmless, so it should be easy to kill. But he was immediately cut off. The mechanical-arm girl seemed to have detected his ignorance and firmly stated, If it were that easy to kill a B-level disaster, so many people wouldnt have died in this alternate dimension. Even if you could destroy its body, the creature would be completely intact by nightfall, no matter how you kill it. This has been attempted by multiple people. Additionally, anyone who comes into contact with its body will be left with a mark of resentment. At night, the one marked is doomed to die. Oh. It seemed like this plan wouldnt work. He was just inquiring. Ji Xun raised an eyebrow, Doomed to die? Yes! The mechanical-arm girls tone was confident, To my knowledge, no exceptions. If you dont believe me, you can try firing a couple of shots, since youre already marked anyway, she said, giving Ji Xun another look, clearly surprised that the guy hadnt died yet, and then added another question: Im very curious, how did you survive last night? Ji Xun had no intention of explaining that the original body was already dead, nor could he explain why he was still alive. But given the current circ*mstances, he really didnt have a choice. Although he didnt fully believe what the woman said, he could basically confirm a few things. First, the monster inside was truly troublesome, at least beyond his capability to deal with. Second, she had top-notch equipment and could have killed him easily without needing to talk so much. To use him as bait tied up seemed just as effective. Or maybe, she needed his cooperation to use him as bait. But regardless, at least until that Fallen Witch was killed, he had some utility. To be useful meant being temporarily out of danger Ji Xun knew nothing about this world, and at the moment, he desperately needed a source of information. Without hesitation, he agreed directly: Im willing to cooperate. After saying that, he added: But before that, can you share some information? I mean, about this space. Sure! The girl with the mechanical arm seemed relieved to hear this; the last thing she wanted was to deal with an idiot who couldnt grasp the situation. Having a bait would make hunting that calamity much easier for her. While talking, she gestured towards the room number 2013 she had just come out of and said, But there are still twelve hours until it gets dark, and I still have some preparations to make. If you want to survive until tonight, you can stay in the room. Otherwise, if youre not afraid of encountering monsters, you can come with me. But I cant guarantee your safety Ji Xun decisively said, Ill go with you. Clearly, sticking with her seemed the safer option. Chapter 4: Steam Sprayer Heh, no wonder you dared to stay in room 2012. This 407 Abnormal Creature Containment Site has been confirmed to have four floors, with one hundred rooms on each floor. Some rooms have monsters, some are empty. During the twelve hours when the iron doors are closed, it is night, and the monsters will go berserk, wandering through the corridors of the bunker; anyone who leaves their rooms will be killed, and occasionally, they will break into rooms to kill as well. Now, during the twelve hours when the iron doors are open, it is daytime, and the monsters are trapped in their rooms, which is the best time to explore this extradimensional space. However, its not absolutely safe; if you want to kill monsters and collect materials, youll have to explore the rooms. And opening a room door means facing unknown monsters This is why the death rate is so high. How powerful would a B-class calamity be? So far, its known that rooms 1099, 2012, 3045, and 4011 each contain a B-class calamity beast. Apart from the Corrupt Giant in 1099, which was killed once, the other three B-class calamities have never been killed, and at least several hundred people have died instead. After all, this space restricts the tier of the entrants, and without a large team, B-class calamities are very difficult to take down. And yet youre still? The Fallen Witch is very special, and as a psychic-type, she has her own weaknesses. I have some special methods of restraint that could make it much easier to deal with her. Ill explain some of these details to you later. Although the girl with the mechanical arm spoke with a certain natural indifference and caution typical of strangers, she did not hide or withhold any necessary information. Her personality was direct and to the point. Ji Xun found her quite to his liking. He asked somewhat ambiguous questions to cover up his ignorance and gradually gleaned some useful information. This mysterious and magical world, with both humans and monsters possessing extraordinary powers, along with magical items like steam machinery and cards infused with magic, was slowly being unveiled in their conversation. Opening doors, staying alert, searching. The girl with the mechanical arm managed it all by herself. Ji Xun didnt need to do anything; it was perfectly fine for him to simply follow behind like a tag-along. Along the way, they encountered more than a dozen empty rooms. Ji Xuns stroll was rather leisurely. He felt none of the dangers associated with a 70% death rate. However, as they moved along, he seemed to notice something amiss, his expression shifted momentarily, and he silently pondered, The doors are twenty paces apart Is there something wrong with room 2012? He didnt know what his small discovery might mean, nor did he speak up, continuing to follow along. The gas lamps in the corridor were unstable, the dim yellow light casting lengthy shadows. As the two conversed, they arrived at the door to room 2049. Just like before, the girl with the mechanical arm intended to check inside. But as soon as she pushed open the iron door, there was a sudden change. The noise of the door disturbed the creature inside; with a loud clang, a strong gust of wind forced the thick iron door open, slamming it against the wall. A vile stench of rotten flesh, accompanied by a strong, bloody gust, hit them in the face. Upon seeing this, Ji Xuns pupils suddenly contracted. After opening so many rooms, this was the first time he had encountered a monster. A beast that looked like a flayed two-headed hound lunged out before he had time to react. Despite being a deformed hound, it had the size of a male lion and that overpowering presence akin to facing a demon. He also quickly discerned the prompt above the monsters head. Basilisk Twin-headed Hound Details: A first-tier D-class calamity beast adept at mental intimidation, an infernal variation of a canine-like creature with astonishing burst speed and biting power. Mental intimidation? Monsters in this world really are abnormal Ji Xun instantly understood the tangible pressure that loomed over him and his hand placed on his revolver at his waist reacted instantly, preparing for self-defense. But clearly, the girl with the mechanical arm was faster. She seemed unfazed by the possibility of a monster leaping out of the room, raising the steam cannon on her right arm like lightning and pulling the trigger with composure. With a fierce release of air pressure, her figure shook. Bang! The deafening blast echoed through the corridor. The beast, already pouncing less than a foot in front of the girl, was halted mid-air as the steam burst forth from the cannon. After a moment of suspension, the creatures muscles were torn apart by the high pressure and instantaneously disintegrated into a mist of blood. Drip, drip The air was sprayed with a mist of crimson. The steam quickly dissipated, clearing the sight. S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The room was covered in radiating flesh and blood, the stench almost overwhelming even through gas masks. What tremendous power. Ji Xun looked at this steam-powered marvel, suddenly realizing that not having a conflict earlier was a smart choice. In such confined bunkers, it was far more useful than bullets, and the range of lethality of the high-pressure cannon was virtually invincible. It was probably also a warning from her: dont try any funny business in front of me. Ji Xuns brows slightly raised, noting to himself: Shes pretty straightforward. His peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the pressure gauge on her mechanical arm, now emptied, and he silently estimated the recharge time to be over thirty seconds, which could be considered a weakness. Should this temporary ally harbor any ill intentions, this detail could be useful. With the monster dispatched in seconds, the girl with the mechanical arm looked back at Ji Xun, You Then she swallowed whatever she was about to say. That shot was indeed a demonstration of power. But to her surprise, this guy wasnt even affected by the calamitys intimidation? A talent for mental fortitude, perhaps She thought to herself, without further words, and stepped into the room. On the second floor, they explored some forty-odd rooms out of a hundred, but only room 2049 had a monster. Those undisturbed rooms were marked as unknown risk rooms by information brokers. The girl with the mechanical arms goal was clear: she aimed for the Fallen Witch and showed little interest in other creatures within the rooms. Nor did she show any inclination to use the elevators to move to other floors. To Ji Xuns surprise, apart from the two of them, they didnt encounter anyone else on the second floor, although they came across a dozen or so human corpses. Eager for more information, Ji Xun asked, Are there no other people on this floor? Since he hadnt caused any trouble along the way, the girl with the mechanical arm spoke much more amicably: Most of the aberrations on the second floor are psychic types. These creatures usually have some strange methods of attack, making them difficult to deal with. The easy ones were mostly cleared out yesterday; whats left are troublesome monsters that require certain methods to deal with. So normal hunters would rather venture to the more lethal third floor than find trouble here on the second. This is a hundred-man team space; there should still be dozens of survivors on other floors, but its best to avoid them if possible. Adding to her explanation, she said, Dont touch the unopened doors; nobody knows whats inside. If you run into a C-class or higher calamity, you could face total annihilation. Understood. Ji Xun didnt say much else. These were the benefits of buying information. One doesnt walk blindly into an unknown mess with a monster one cant deal with. The girl with the mechanical arm said, Lets go, to the next room. While Ji Xun and the girl were searching through a series of empty rooms on the second floor, outside room 1099 on the first floor, about twenty well-equipped individuals were cleaning up the remains of the B-class calamity Corrupt Giant. These werent ordinary treasure hunters; they were the vanguard elite of the Blackwater Mercenary Group. Only such a well-coordinated elite team could hope to take down a B-class calamity among the unofficial professionals. Even so, the casualties were not light. But as they looked at their loot, the mercenaries eyes gleamed with joy. Hahaha to think we got a silver-quality finished contract card, a rare Four of Clubs-Mysterious series. Weve made a fortune this time! Yeah. If we take this to auction, its sure to be hot property. After this venture, a generous share is guaranteed. Hey, you guys notice? Even after a silver card came out, that boss still didnt seem interested. What kind of material is he really looking for by entering here? What do you know? Didnt you hear the captain say that this boss is a real big shot from the upper city? What we consider rare silver talisman cards might not be much to those great personages. That one is obviously looking for rarer materials. Besides, this extradimensional space is less than 50% explored; there are certainly many hidden plots yet to develop. Maybe even the legendary gold cards could appear Heh, thats true. Whats the difference? To kill this Corrupt Giant, our mercenary groups two elite teams suffered non-trivial losses. Who could take down those B-class calamities on the second, third, and fourth floors? Yeah. This space even restricts the tier one can enter with; the monsters strength is ridiculously high. Ive explored dozens of extradimensional spaces and never encountered anything as bizarre as this Who cares? The boss himself went to the fourth floor; we just have to do our job for the money and wait here. Chapter 5: Witch Ji Xun watched silently as she arranged the cards in specific positions around the room. Including room 2013, she had set up in nine rooms in total, using 108 cards. Some rooms were clearly decoys, probably to prevent others from seeing her complete setup. Ji Xun noticed this but didnt say anything.He was more interested in the cards themselves. These cards, adorned with mysterious runes, were the source of the magic he had seen before. They were magical cards. Ji Xun had heard the term curse card master from the girl more than once, and he began to think that the power system of this world was related to cards. Not only were the cards magical, but the physical abilities of the humans in this world were also abnormal. Ji Xun had quietly observed the girls actions. She could easily push and pull iron doors that he himself would have to use all his strength to move. Her reflexes were incredibly fast, and her stamina was abnormal. Ji Xun estimated that her strength value was at least 5.0, many times his own 0.71. Even professional athletes from his previous life couldnt reach this level. From the girls words, Ji Xun inferred that this was not some innate superpower, but something that all humans in this world could normally possess. Superhuman strength, magic cards, disaster monsters, steam equipment All these pieces of the puzzle were coming together to form an increasingly bizarre picture. Ji Xun was gradually realizing just how special the world he had come to was. s?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. After the girl had finished everything, she sat down on the floor. The cloak she was wearing covered her entire body, adding to her mysterious aura. There was nothing left to explore on the second floor. All they had to do now was wait for the night, wait for the witch to come to them. At this moment, she glanced at Ji Xun, who was sitting on the bed, as if she had remembered something. She took out a test tube filled with a red liquid and said, This is an Energy Potion produced by the Hydra Alchemy Factory. Drinking it will improve your condition. Of course, it costs 8500 per tube. If we can get out, this money will be deducted from your share of the spoils. Okay, Ji Xun replied without hesitation. He caught the test tube that was thrown to him, uncorked it without any hesitation, and gulped down the contents. The potion was cool and refreshing, and it instantly revitalized his parched body. He could visibly see his bodys attributes slowly recovering. Seeing him drink the potion so decisively, the girl asked in surprise, Arent you afraid its poison? Ji Xun responded with a carefree smile, Is it really poison? He had been drained to half his life by the disaster the night before, and he was panting after just a short walk. If he didnt drink the potion and something unexpected happened, he doubted he would even have a chance to escape. When there was no choice, hesitation was just a waste of time. Taken aback by his response, the girl replied simply, No. She couldnt see his expression behind the gas mask, but she felt that this decisive teammate would be easier to work with. That was good. Ji Xun didnt dwell on the topic and asked, What do you need me to do to cooperate with you tonight? Hearing him talk about business, the girl with the mechanical arm immediately perked up and explained carefully, The Fallen Witch is good at mind control, and its shell is impervious to swords and guns. Moreover, it can repair itself if damaged. So dont act rashly if you want to kill it When it needs to absorb human essence, it will expose its weak mouthparts. Thats the best time to kill it. As expected, Ji Xun would need to cooperate to kill the monster. He wasnt surprised. He understood that he would have to use his body to lure the monster, wait for it to reveal its true form, and then attack. The risk seemed high. The girl already had a complete plan, so Ji Xun didnt need to interject. But he was more curious about something else. After a moment of contemplation, Ji Xun asked a question that had been on his mind, You seem to know a lot about this monster. His teammate seemed to know too much. It was like playing a game with a mature killing strategy. It was impossible without having killed the monster many times before. But she had said before that no one had killed this monster, and almost everyone who had seen it had died. The basis for cooperation was a certain level of trust, so this question wasnt abrupt. The girl with the mechanical arm seemed to have expected this question and answered directly, Although the books in the City of Innocence are very scarce, I happened to have read about this rare disaster in one of them. I got information from an information dealer that there was a Fallen Witch in this alternate dimension, so I came in to take a look. City of Innocence? It seemed to be a place name. Ji Xun made a mental note of it. He listened and smiled, not believing that this was the whole truth. Although they hadnt known each other for long, a lot of information about a person could be gleaned from some details. This girl was well-equipped and could casually give a stranger a potion that was probably not cheap, so she clearly wasnt short of money. Despite her deliberate concealment, the demeanor she unintentionally revealed couldnt be covered up by pretending. She was wealthy, knowledgeable, and well-mannered Why would such a person risk hunting monsters herself? Unless she was 100% sure she could get out, or there were other factors that forced her to come. She was full of mystery. But Ji Xun didnt think it was a bad thing. The stronger his teammate, the better it was for him at the moment. After all, the death rate in this alternate dimension was nearly 70%. Ji Xun wisely didnt ask any more questions, and the two of them sat quietly in the room. After a while, he noticed that the girl was sitting cross-legged, and an invisible energy field was gradually forming around her body. It seemed to be some kind of breathing technique or meditation method? Ji Xun watched in silent admiration. The two of them sat quietly for several hours, tacitly not speaking. The Energy Potion was a big help. After a few hours of recovery, Ji Xuns bodys attributes had recovered by about 20%. Although the weak label was still on his attribute panel, he was much stronger than before. At least he didnt feel shaky holding the large revolver. Finally, night fell. In room 2013, the familiar click click sound of metal echoed. The iron doors on the entire second floor were locked. This was the start of the night. This was the time when the monsters would roam the corridors, and any humans who hadnt hidden in their rooms would be killed. The girl with the mechanical arm also looked at the pocket watch on her mechanical arm, then turned to look at Ji Xun, who was lying leisurely on the bed. She was slightly surprised by his calmness, Youre more composed than I expected. Facing an imminent B-level disaster, she couldnt understand why the man in front of her was so calm. Ji Xun sat up and casually replied, Panic is a redundant negative emotion for humans. Apart from causing hormonal imbalances in the body and leading to erroneous judgments, it doesnt help solve problems. The girl didnt respond. She knew that his calmness wasnt feigned. During the hours they had been waiting, she had noticed his observing gaze. And she had been observing him. In an alternate dimension with a death rate as high as 70%, it was hard for most people to remain this composed, especially when facing a B-level disaster. She just couldnt understand why such a rational-looking guy would rush in so recklessly. Thinking of something, the girl added, When the monster comes, if youre still conscious, try to stay as calm as possible. Monsters dont like food with a strange smell. Okay, Ji Xun chuckled. Was she afraid he would wet himself in fear? But before they could talk more, the girl suddenly seemed to sense something. Her expression instantly became serious, Get ready, the witch is coming! Ji Xun also noticed something. Because he saw the familiar enlightenment: Exemption from Mental Erosion. The distance was too far, and the mental pollution didnt cause any substantial damage. But it was clear that the monster was outside the door. And it was getting closer. Chapter 6: Hidden Mainline Trigger His Cao family inherited a confidential file from thousands of years ago, which mentioned the existence of a mysterious 407 Research Institute on the ancient continent. It once hid an earth-shattering secret. He never thought he would actually find it. This wasteland of exile, known as the Old Continent, is where those hunters found this alternate dimension with the same name on the ancient doc*ments in the Evil Cross.If the records are true, then this place may contain one of the cards from the Fifty-Two Demon Lord Source Cards. That is a top-level demon mark widely renowned in epics. It might even be a card that no one has ever seen before. If he really finds it It is enough to make him soar to the heavens and change not only his Cao family but also the entire continent. The young man cant hide his anticipation. At this moment, the old man sets up a hexagram formation and turns to the young man respectfully, saying, Young master, everything is ready. To ensure nothing goes wrong, the young man confirms personally, Have the conditions for activating the T-Level Catastrophe Source been met? The old man responds, They have been fully met. More than five hundred people have already died in this alternate dimension since the news was spread. The souls sacrificed are more than enough. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, a confident smile appears on the young mans face, and he says, Then lets begin. Previously, the witch was in a dormant state, and the mental contamination was not too severe. But now, the monster has awakened and is standing at the door. Ji Xun can clearly feel an increasingly intense mental temptation emanating from it. Furthermore, the thick iron door seems to twist, and a transparent figure slowly materializes. With fair skin and a proud posture, every curve of the graceful body is visible. It was clearly a corpse before, but now it has come back to life. Witnessing this eerie and bizarre scene, Ji Xun wonders about its method of phasing through walls. Particle-based phasing or thought-based phasing? The monster can appear out of thin air; Ji Xun is finally convinced that his temporary teammate hiding in the corner of the wall did not deceive him. This monster will indeed come for him. It can find him no matter where he hides. As described by the humanoid mechanical arms girl previously, any ordinary person who sees the Fallen Witch enter their field of view will be immediately subjected to mental control and remain unaware of the danger until death. This is the formidable aspect of being controlled by a B-Level Catastrophes wide range mental influence. However, at this moment, Ji Xuns thoughts are still relatively clear, even if his mind is continuously invaded. The potential Enlightenment keeps displaying the phrase Mental Invasion Immunity. But as the monster approaches, the words on the Enlightenment start to change to Affected by Mental Contamination, Confusion +1. Ji Xun believes that his ability to hold on until now is probably due to his exceptionally high spirit power. If he were an ordinary person, he would have easily lost his sanity. The witch approaches closer, and the allure becomes more intense. It is not a temptation that can be resisted with conscious seduction alone but a supernatural ability that can stimulate the bodys response. Ji Xuns face turns red, and his blood surges. The monster seems to enjoy this feeling and does not hesitate to get closer, even sticking its face right beside his bed. A gust of demonic wind blows, and even through a gas mask, a pink fragrance fills the air, giving an extreme sense of pleasure. The revealing and captivating figure is fully exposed to the air and constantly stimulates the visual senses, making it feel like it is within reach, deeply seducing Ji Xun. Hiss Ji Xuns gaze has already become somewhat hazy, but he cant help feeling a chill in his heart. Although reason tells him that death is approaching, his body is honest. In this extreme state of spiritual pleasure, a thought arises within him, willing to die in this indulgence rather than shatter the beautiful dream. This thought grows stronger until it begins to destroy all reason. This is the terrifying aspect of the Fallen Witch. He cannot even draw his gun, let alone kill the monster. Fortunately, he is not alone. Ji Xun glances at his calm teammate in the corner and finally breathes a sigh of relief. If she has not been affected until now and the monster has not discovered her, then her strength must be even stronger than what he has seen. Ji Xuns only job is to obediently act as bait and wait for the witch to transform into its predatory form. Unexpectedly, just as the two of them are about to kill the witch according to plan, an unforeseen change occurs. Without any warning, the entire alternate dimension trembles slightly. It seems that a mysterious power has awakened, and another Enlightenment appears. This is a hidden mainline triggered by the explorers. The level of catastrophe in the alternate dimension has increased: unknown. Current exploration progress: 29.7%. A mysterious power has invaded the entire bunker, causing the catastrophes to mutate violently. The cabin locks have been opened, and they will actively hunt down all humans in the bunker. Survival Mode has transformed into Escape and Kill Mode. If you want to survive, you need to find the correct exit of the bunker. Seeing this, Ji Xun is filled with question marks: ???? This is different from the plan. Chapter 7: A Strong and Loyal Teammate Why did the hidden mainline get triggered?And what is this Escape Mode? The sudden change made Ji Xuns first reaction that he was being kept in the dark about something. But a glance at his temporary teammate made him dismiss this suspicion. Even with a gas mask on, the mechanical-armed girls momentary body tremor indicated her extreme shock at this change. It turned out that Ji Xun was not the only one confused, his teammate was equally baffled. This mysterious attack was like giving the monster a berserk state. The most direct evidence was the prompt on the witchs head changing from a B-level disaster to an A-level. S?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The psychic field on its body was like a stone thrown into calm water, causing invisible ripples throughout the room. Visibly, its strength had increased significantly! This made the hunting plan that the two had originally smoothly executed suddenly become several times more difficult. Just now, Ji Xun was barely able to stay conscious, but now facing the evolved disaster, his mind was like being hit by a muffled stick, completely confused. Various danger warnings flashed frequently. The data on the attribute panel dropped rapidly. Death was closer than ever. Ji Xun was not clear what this disaster level change meant. But his teammate obviously understood. The mechanical-armed girl clearly sensed the monsters strength and cursed under her breath, Damn it, how did it become an A-level mutant! Almost at the moment when the mutant power surged, the invisible energy field on the Disaster Witch rolled, and suddenly shattered the spell chain that had been locked tightly. The barrier cant control the monster anymore! However, the bad situation did not stop there. The card in the mechanical-armed girls hand turned into powder as the barrier collapsed, and she was shocked by the backlash of her own blood, and a scarlet whip came at her like lightning. Snap! There was no way to avoid it, and the whip hit the girl. The whip made a sonic boom in the air, the shock wave shattered her cloak in an instant, and hit her chest solidly. The power of this whip was so great that it directly deformed the metal exoskeleton on her chest and left a bloody wound on her flesh. A mouthful of blood spurted out, The figure flew backwards. With a thud, it hit the wall heavily. Upon closer inspection, the scarlet whip turned out to be a centipede-like long tail that sprouted from the monsters body. At this moment, the Fallen Witch had completely transformed into an unexpected monster form, not only with a big bloody mouth, but also a centipede long tail and four spider-like long legs. Because she vomited blood, the lens of the mechanical-armed girls gas mask was covered with scarlet, blocking her vision, so she tore off the mask and gasped for breath. But as Ji Xun guessed, she was not old. Although her face was covered with a bloody gauze that covered her mouth and nose, her skin was tight, her eyebrows were delicate, and she had a pair of deep black pupils, sharp and divine. The Fallen Witch revealed a completely monstrous form, and its combat power soared a lot. It realized that the human behind it was a great threat to itself, and its hatred shifted instantly. After the long tail whipped the mechanical-armed girl and flew, the monster ignored Ji Xun, the food, its four spider legs grabbed the ground and moved quickly. Looking at its bulky body, it moved extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, the spider spear had been stabbed. The mechanical-armed girls eyes were cold, and she pulled the trigger of the steam cannon on her right arm. With a bang, white steam instantly covered the entire room. In the fog, the monsters huge body was also blown away by the high-pressure airflow. However, the scene of the monster being sprayed into blood by a cannon did not appear. The girls pupils shrank sharply, and she keenly captured this point. Her reaction was also very decisive, taking advantage of the recoil to retreat violently, and in mid-air, she drew out several cards. The sound of whoosh and whoosh passed by. The three cards that flew out in a Y-shape turned into three vortex wind blades in an instant, cutting into the fog. Ji Xun, not far away, was also quite surprised when he saw this scene. Are they just a few cards that turned into wind blade flying knives as they flew? A thought flashed. Clang! Clang! Clang! There was no sound of cutting, but like touching metal, the sound came from the fog, and the girls face changed drastically. She had just landed and had no time to catch her breath, and the fatal crisis had already come. She instinctively wanted to dodge. However, Even if her reaction was so fast, it was still too slow! Almost at the moment she exerted her force, a shadow suddenly shot out from the fog. The girl had no time to dodge, and with a bang, the centipede long tail burst her magic shield on the surface of her body, and the whole person was once again thrown out and hit the wall. This whip was much stronger than before! The girl only felt a burning sensation in her throat, and she couldnt help but spit out another mouthful of turbid blood. In the blink of an eye, the fog dissipated, and the monster had changed again. At this moment, it was surrounded by a ripple-like psychic field, and its body was covered with scales. On the centipede tail, you can see three faint cut marks, which are the traces cut by the Wind Blade Card. Intact? Even an A-level disaster wouldnt be so! Seeing this scene, the mechanical-armed girls expression changed, and she thought of an incredible possibility, and exclaimed in shock: Secondary mutation! How could it appear on a first-order disaster! The mechanical-armed girl was hit again and was already seriously injured. The situation took a sharp turn for the worse, and it seemed that they were about to be wiped out. No one expected the situation to turn out like this. Ji Xun, who was not far away on the bed, was also affected by the high-pressure shock wave of the jet cannon, and fell heavily in the corner. Fortunately, this corner is safer. And the monsters attention was attracted by the girl, Ji Xun was thrown by this, and also recovered his sanity and control of his body in that abnormal mental state, calmly observing the two sides of the battle. The monster easily broke free from the long-established barrier, clearly possessing overwhelming combat power. Without other means, the two are almost certainly dead. But Ji Xun didnt think his temporary teammate only had this trick. He looked at the partner who had been thrown twice and vomited blood, and murmured in his heart: If you have a trump card, its time to take it out. From beginning to end, the mechanical-armed girl only showed the strength she wanted people to see. But intuition told Ji Xun that she was hiding her clumsiness. As for Ji Xun himself, even in such a crisis, he was still extremely calm. Fear? If death is inevitable, those negative emotions that will affect thinking are completely redundant to him. Sure enough! At this moment, it was already on the verge of death, and there was no room for hesitation at all. The girls eyes flashed coldly, as if she had made some decision, and she shouted: Release! Ji Xun watched as his pupils shrank sharply. After hearing that shout, it seemed as if some mysterious power was released, and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped a lot. He knew that his teammate had made a big move. At the same time, with a pop, the witchs tail whip came for the third time. The speed was faster than before! Obviously, this monster was inspired by the said mysterious power and was still getting stronger. This whip, if it were the girl before, she would probably be seriously injured again. However, the next scene was unexpected. The long whip was so fast that it left a fan shadow, but the girl with her chest full of blood had no panic on her face, nor any intention of avoiding it. She stood up, raised her hand calmly, and the centipede long whip stopped a foot away from her palm. As if there was an invisible force field lingering in her palm, she squeezed it hard, and the tail was like a snake with its neck stuck, struggling hard, but unable to escape. Upon closer inspection, the mechanical-armed girls momentum suddenly changed. Her silver hair moved without wind, and the cold air was pressing. A flame-like cold air field lingered around her body, blocking the corrosive acid sprayed by the monster. And a semi-transparent strange phantom appeared behind her. At this moment, she was like a demon god descending. Ji Xun just glanced at it, and it felt like being stared at by a demon god, making people feel scalp numb: So strong! I dont know if its an illusion, he feels that the energy emitted by this teammate at this moment is more like a demon than the witch. The breath of his temporary partner suddenly changed, and suddenly became unfathomable. Ji Xun was not too surprised when he saw this, and pondered in his heart: The materials that need to be exploded by the witch, indeed have psychic abilities. But what is this, telekinesis? And the ice power is not normal cold air. He had been very curious before, his own psychic power was so high and still affected by the monster, but his teammate seemed to be fine all the time. If its not the resistance effect brought by the equipment, then its because her own psychic power value is also very high, which can be immune to the psychic pollution that the witch is constantly spreading. Now at a glance, it is indeed a strong psychic power. And no matter what she showed before, mechanical equipment, cards, close combat skills are obviously cover-ups, the real trump card is the super psychic power and ice power at this moment. No wonder its so mysterious, this ability is a bit high in recognition. Although Ji Xun didnt know much about this world, looking at her this big move form, such a high recognition ability is absolutely not ordinary. But its hidden and not revealed, Im afraid theres a reason why the identity cant be seen. But now is not the time to think about these. The mechanical-armed girls momentum suddenly changed at this moment, she no longer dodged the monsters tail whip, her fists condensed into a fierce rush of cold air, and she launched a crazy output towards the monster. Thud! Thud! Thud! . A muffled sound like a bell resounded throughout the room. The girl was fearless of psychic pollution, her fists wrapped in frosty flames, heavily hitting various parts of the monsters body. With each punch, a large area of the monsters armor was frozen, causing the monster to retreat step by step. However, it was an A-level disaster after all, and under the pressure of its rank, it was difficult to determine the winner for a while. Ji Xun squinted his eyes in the corner, watching the battle, and couldnt help but mutter to himself, It seems to be lacking a bit. He thought that his meager combat power would not be needed, but looking at the current situation, he had to do something. The disasters in this world can be roughly understood as bosses. The silver-haired girl could face an A-level disaster head-on, which shows that her strength is definitely outstanding among her peers. But obviously, its not enough. The Fallen Witch is a psychic monster, and its close combat ability is not strong. However, its shell is very hard, making it very difficult to kill. Looking at the girls advantage, it would be difficult to determine the winner in a short time. But thats not the key issue. The problem is that the battle between one person and one monster is very intense. There are more than one monster in this alternate dimension space. Gunshots have been heard outside the door, obviously someone is engaging with other monsters. They cant drag this on any longer. Ji Xun made a decisive decision when he thought of this. He stretched out one hand and made a tactical gesture of holding a gun. Obviously, his teammate saw it very keenly. She saw it, but a look of disbelief appeared in the mechanical-armed girls eyes: What help could this guy provide? During the new book period, there will be two chapters every day, and there will be more updates after the book is on the shelf. (End of this chapter) Chapter 9: Hidden Space Even she doesnt have confidence in her own survival at this moment, let alone bringing along a burdensome person.But she patiently explained, Based on the current situation, the two known B-rank calamities on the third and fourth floors have likely mutated into A-rank. Other monsters probably have mutated as well. I dont even have the assurance to survive, let alone bring someone along Ji Xun knew that the other party misunderstood his intention, so he explained, No, what I mean is, have you ever thought about changing our strategy to clear this place? ??? The mechanical-armed girls expression turned into one of confusion upon hearing this. Her initial reaction was that this guy probably wanted to seize the last chance at survival. But looking at his calm gaze that remained unchanged, she immediately felt conflicted. Although they hadnt known each other for long, they both had a certain level of understanding. She was well aware that, although her temporary teammate was weak, he definitely wasnt a fool. Just like when they first met, she said cooperate, but actually meant I need a bait. Both sides understood each other without saying it out loud. And the hidden meaning she heard from his words now was: I have a way to get out, but I need a teammate. Although the mechanical-armed girl still found it unbelievable, she pondered for a moment and asked, What do you mean? Ji Xun didnt directly answer, but instead asked meaningfully, If the exit is somewhere on the fourth floor how confident are you in making it to the fourth floor alive? The mechanical girl didnt understand why he would ask that, but she answered honestly, I have no confidence. Ji Xun asked again, Then do you think its possible for someone else? The mechanical-armed girls eyes flickered with a strange light as she pondered and said, Its almost impossible. She was well aware that her strength had already reached the peak of a Card Master Apprentice, even with many secret cards up her sleeve. She was already one of the few at the top of the non-professional combat pyramid. This statement was already conservative. If she couldnt survive, then it was even less possible for others. Ji Xun smiled mysteriously, So, the problem lies here. Although he had guessed that this teammate was strong, personally confirming it only further confirmed his suspicions: this instance was overleveled! Although Ji Xun still didnt fully understand what kind of existence the interdimensional space was in this world, based on the information he currently had and witnessing the monsters dropping equipment and materials upon death, he was certain of his speculation. That was, the interdimensional space, just like a game, was a level test with a reward mechanism. Passing the level rewards the player. A level that cannot be passed is meaningless. The existence behind designing game levels must have put a lot of effort into creating so many intricate settings, definitely not to let the players perish. Since the monsters were beyond the players killing capabilities, then there must be a problem with the strategy. So, this interdimensional space must have a correct way to clear it. For example, a secret passage. Or some plot items required to clear the level. Coincidentally, Ji Xun had already discovered some clues. Ji Xun didnt beat around the bush and stated his thoughts directly, Based on the current situation, it is almost certain that the monsters in this interdimensional space have been eroded by that mysterious power and have become much stronger than normal. Not to mention the monsters on the second floor, the third and fourth floors are practically dead ends if you try to force your way through. Since the space restricted the entry of adventurers, the strength of the monsters should also be limited. But unexpectedly, the monsters strength was at a level that even top experts couldnt kill. So, Either the monsters have a special method to be killed by players, Or, Forcing kills is not the correct way to clear the instance! S?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The girl fell into silence upon hearing this. She had also considered this strategy before and thought it made sense. But now, she couldnt help but feel hopeful yet afraid of disappointment. Forcing kills was not the correct way to clear the instance. Then what else could they do besides trying their luck on the fourth floor to find an exit? At this moment, she gradually felt that this guy in front of her seemed to really have a way. Ji Xun didnt say anything more, but looked meaningfully at the girl, as if waiting for something. Seeing this gaze, the girl immediately understood and said calmly, If you find the right clue, I can agree to cooperate. Upon hearing this, Ji Xun smiled slightly. This was the promise he had been waiting for. Previously, when they cooperated, Ji Xun felt that this temporary teammate was to his liking. Coincidentally, he was currently physically weak and needed a reliable partner with strong combat power. And a teammate who keeps their promises and has strong strength couldnt be more suitable. After a pause, the girl asked, So, what do we do now? Ji Xun didnt beat around the bush, stood up, and pointed to the wall next to him, Break the wall. Impossible! Upon hearing this, the mechanical-armed girl suddenly felt somewhat disappointed. If it was so easy to break through, someone would have tried it already. She looked at Ji Xun and explained seriously, This wall is part of the spaces rules and cannot be broken through by external force. Ji Xun smiled mysteriously. How did he miss the fact that the walls couldnt be broken? They had fought so intensely before, and the walls in this room were completely intact. Walls like these couldnt be broken by external force. He didnt explain further but drew a frame of a doorway about 1.5*2.2 meters in size next to him and said, Not elsewhere, but here. ??? The mechanical-armed girl showed a puzzled expression upon hearing this. What difference does it make if its a wall? Ji Xun knew he had to provide some reasonable explanations, so he directly explained his findings, I take a step of 75 centimeters, and I counted the steps clearly as we passed all the rooms on the second floor. I took 20 steps between each room door, so the interval is a standard 15 meters. But between 2012 and 2013, I accidentally took one more small step This? Upon hearing this, the mechanical-armed girl, who had just been full of doubts, suddenly seemed lost in thought. She immediately understood the meaning behind these words: there is a hidden space behind the walls! At the same time, she was amazed. How did this guy realize it? By measuring his steps He followed behind her during the day, and she thought he was just a burden. She didnt expect him to measure the distance between the doors and discover such a subtle difference! Hope and fear inevitably intertwined. Measuring the distance by steps doesnt sound reliable. Could he have made a mistake? A series of questions arose in her mind. Ji Xun didnt wait for her to overthink and continued, And there is also a problem with the distance between the rooms. Although they look the same, the wall near the entrance is nearly a meter shorter than the wall near the bed. So, the shape of the room isnt rectangular as we see it but trapezoidal. Pausing for a moment, he confidently stated his conclusion, That means there is a hidden space behind this wall. Upon hearing this, the mechanical-armed girls expression immediately changed. Being reminded by someone, she also immediately noticed the problem! P.S. I have signed a contract, so you can now vote for the book. Im begging for your support. The data is very important for a new book. Thank you all. Chapter 10: T-level Catastrophic Event Origin The room was a single shade of concrete, and in such a color scheme, the length and short lines were the easiest to be misjudged by the naked eye.And most importantly, this was the 2013 room! Under normal circ*mstances, next door would be where the Fallen Witch stayed, and several rooms nearby would be affected by the spiritual pollution. No one would wander around here. Even if someone passed by, their mental power would be disturbed, causing them to ignore those details. The visual deception and mental interference led to the small difference in door distance being overlooked. The girl with the mechanical arm understood everything and looked at the man, whom she thought she could easily kill with a single hit, with an incredulous expression: With such interference, this guy actually noticed something abnormal? This was not simply a matter of being careful. Ji Xun finished his explanation, his expression unchanged, not thinking that it was a big deal. In fact, he had discovered this problem early on, but didnt want to get involved. At that time, he didnt trust his temporary teammate enough and just wanted to endure until the third day to leave, so he didnt say anything. But now things were different. In addition to what was mentioned, Ji Xun didnt explain many other details. The structure of this underground bunker was simple, in the shape of a character, with one hundred rooms on each floor and only one rusted elevator for going up and down. This design itself was problematic. Firstly, the purpose of this bunker was evident from its name, the 407 Abnormal Creature Containment Facility. It was clearly a research facility. But were there only places for holding monsters in the laboratory? In a normal structure, it would be easy to analyze the locations of other rooms, so they came up with this misleading parallel structure. Following this line of thinking to investigate the room structure would also reveal the problem. Of course, the premise was not to be disturbed by the psychic domain of anomalies on the second floor. S~?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Ji Xun himself had a keen observation ability different from ordinary people, and he discovered the problem after taking a few steps. Then he deduced the problem with the entire spatial design. Since it was determined that this was a clearance and reward dungeon, discovering a secret door was the most interesting aspect for Ji Xun, not deciphering it. It was to reverse-engineer the designers motivation for designing this level. The girl with the mechanical arm had completely forgotten to look down upon her temporary teammate. Time waits for no one, and she walked directly to the wall that Ji Xun had drawn. There was even a mark of a ? symbol on the door frame. Without delay, the girl raised her fully charged mechanical arm and aimed at the mark, reminding him, Step back a little. Ji Xun naturally took cover behind the girl. Then, with a boom, a gust of air nearly knocked them over. They simultaneously heard the sound of bricks shattering within the wall. It really broke open! The girl with the mechanical arm stared at the gaping hole in front of her, her eyes filled with disbelief. Although she had been told about the reasoning process, finding a new direction for clearance still made her feel like she was in a dream. This meant that the clearance method for the 407 Abnormal Creature Containment Facility might really be as that man had said C they had found a new direction for clearance! Ji Xun looked at the hole without any joy because he had already been convinced. He looked at the pitch-black opening with a thoughtful expression. Breaking through the wall was easy, but that did not mean that the hidden plot triggered was not difficult. Instead, he felt that the designer was confident in designing his subsequent designs, so he did not add any more surprises to the walls. Without thinking too much, the smoke and dust from the shattered wall had not dissipated yet, and both of them simultaneously saw the new revelation: Triggering hidden plot, increase exploration by 5%, receive additional rewards upon settlement. The girl with the mechanical arm carefully examined the opening in front of her. It seemed to be a laboratory area, with a creepy green glow, constantly hinting at the anticipation of monster ambushes. However, Ji Xun acted as if he didnt care at all and greeted her, Lets go, lets go in and take a look. The girl with the mechanical arm glanced at him and still stood in front of Ji Xun, taking the first step into the laboratory. She was very clear about her role in the cooperation. Before, she had taken the lead, but now it was his turn. This was a very messy laboratory, with battle traces everywhere, dried bloodstains on the ground, and several dried-up skeletons wearing white coats. The metal instruments also had scratches left by unknown creatures. The chaotic chemical counter was filled with scattered test tubes, dissecting tables, monster specimens soaked in yellow-green liquid, and various peculiar tools All the instruments had a strong steampunk black technology style, a thick atmosphere of magic and mystery pervaded the air. It was like an alchemy laboratory, but also like a biology laboratory. The girl with the mechanical arm cautiously walked ahead, scanning the surroundings. This should be the research lab of the 407 bunker. As expected, a research facility could not only have a place to hold monsters. Ji Xun looked around and nodded, Hmm. Lets find some useful clues. The girl with the mechanical arm gave him a puzzled look. Why was this guy searching for unknown clues instead of finding an exit? But soon, Ji Xun stopped in front of a room, speaking with a deep voice, It should be here. The room was larger than the previous ones, resembling the office of the management. Before she could figure out why they had stopped here, Ji Xun had already walked in and rummaged around, quickly finding a safe in the corner. A safe? It looked like an important plot item. Before the girl with the mechanical arm could exclaim why this guy was so certain that there was something here, she watched as Ji Xun took out some twisted iron sheets from the safe and pressed his ear against it, beginning to pick the lock. This was a master key that Ji Xun had made when he had nothing to do during the day. It was originally meant to deal with the iron locks in the cabin. Although this world had extraordinary powers and magic cards, locks were still mechanical locks, and there was always a way to open them no matter how complex they were. Fortunately, this safe was not considered complex to Ji Xun. The girl with the mechanical arm watched quietly, not interrupting. This guys calmness gave her a reliable feeling. She also didnt feel the need to find an exit in a hurry. The laboratory was quiet, with only the sound of gears turning, like creak and creak. Suddenly, there was a metallic crack. Ji Xun smiled faintly and said softly, Its open. So fast? The girl with the mechanical arm was also surprised. She watched Ji Xun unlock the safe with such professional skill and recalled his appearance when he analyzed the problem with the wall earlier. She couldnt help but curiously ask, What is your occupation? Occupation? Ji Xun pondered for a moment and responded, Im an actor. The girl with the mechanical arm said, I asked about your occupation sequence. Are you a professional thief? She thought he had a psychic power, but it seemed not. Ji Xun couldnt answer. Before his reincarnation, he was an actor. A clown actor adopted by a circus from an early age. That inexplicable high mental power was related to this occupation. He could feel that there were many versions of himself in his mind, playing different roles. It was as if he had always appeared calm, but he didnt lack the emotion of fear. It was just that the reason, curiosity, excitement, desire for knowledge, twisted madness and other roles suppressed it. This overloaded mental activity allowed him to learn things quickly and possessed meticulous and active thinking. It also allowed him to master almost all the difficult circus acts at an early stage. Such as wire walking, knife throwing, extreme underwater escape, firearms, throwing cards Lock picking was a compulsory skill for underwater escape. But that mental power also troubled him greatly. He couldnt sense the emotional fluctuations of normal people, such as joy. This made him increasingly fond of chasing thrills for a period of time before his reincarnation. To find a way to vent his mental distress through that sensory stimulation. Thoughts whirled in his mind for a moment before returning. Ji Xun opened the safe and took out a stack of doc*ments. Inside, things were messy and seemed to have been searched through, with some parts missing. The breakthrough enabled the translation of a wedge-shaped text, similar to an unknown script, into a readable form. On May 3, 1141 of the Empire Calendar, S-Class Cataclysm Source was unsealed, and research began. Subject #1144 in Experiment Chamber 1001, awakened with extraordinary abilities, showing a new variation in powers related to dark elements, exhibiting extremely high resistance when injected with Heim Type 7 Ash Reagent at ten times the dosage, five days later, an unknown dimensional distortion occurred Conclusion: This source card possesses an S+ level affinity for dark element growth. Subject #815 in Experiment Chamber 1099, attempted grafting, resulting in a mental distortion, recommended for continued observation After seven days, the distorted subject evolved into the B-class catastrophe Fallen Witch, possessing an extremely charming ability Conclusion: This Cataclysm Source possesses extremely high growth in psychic abilities and should be researched further The subjects distortion state has stabilized, the sixteenth injection of the T3 reagent has successfully induced a secondary distortion, and the subject has evolved into the A-class catastrophe Fear Witch Conclusion: Cataclysm Source shows growth potential Subject #549 in Experiment Chamber 2012, attempted fusion, resulting in a mental distortion, recommend continuing observation After seven days, the distorted subject evolved into the A-class catastrophe Fear Witch, possessing an extremely charming ability Conclusion: This Cataclysm Source possesses extremely high growth in psychic abilities and should be researched further The subjects distortion state has stabilized, the sixteenth injection of the T3 reagent has successfully induced a secondary distortion, and the subject has evolved into the A-class catastrophe Fear Witch Conclusion: Cataclysm Source shows growth potential Subject #815 in Experiment Chamber 1099, attempted grafting, resulting in a mental distortion, recommended for continued observation After seven days, the distorted subject evolved into the B-class catastrophe Fallen Witch, possessing an extremely charming ability Conclusion: This Cataclysm Source possesses extremely high growth in psychic abilities and should be researched further The subjects distortion state has stabilized, the sixteenth injection of the T3 reagent has successfully induced a secondary distortion, and the subject has evolved into the A-class catastrophe Fear Witch Conclusion: Cataclysm Source shows growth potential Subject #3045 in Experiment Chamber the subjects secondary distortion evolved into the A-class mystery disaster Cursed Gambler, causing instant death Subject #4011 in Experiment Chamber the subjects secondary distortion evolved into the A-class assassin disaster Shadow Phantom, hiding in the shadows On August 16, 1145, summary report: After fusing with the catastrophe samples, each subject awakened different talents. So far, the experiments have confirmed thirty-one growth directions for special talents The experiments have confirmed that this Cataclysm Source is a unique epic source card that has never appeared in history. Preliminary conclusion: The fusion of this card requires a high basis of mental power, an affinity for darkness, and mania other incompletely identified conditions. Research institute recommendation: The fusion of subjects has a 100% probability of distortion, with contamination and overflow risks. It is recommended to change the sealing level from S-class to T-class and seal it permanently. This was what Ji Xun was looking for, A crucial clue! Chapter 11: The Curse Gambler Neither of them spoke. The only sound in the room was the rustling of papers as they flipped through the files.The safe contained experimental reports with a vast amount of text, but Ji Xun read through them quickly. The mechanical-armed girl was obviously more familiar with the significance of the file classifications than Ji Xun. Upon seeing a key point, she silently exclaimed, This 407 Anomalous Creature Containment Facility is researching a T-class Calamity Source! Ji Xun listened to the barely audible murmur while speed-reading through the documents. This was what he had been looking for. Some key clues to clear the level. In the files, he not only saw information about the [Fallen Witch] in Room 2012 but also the [Corrupted Giant] in 1099, the [Cursed Gambler] in 3045, and some others. Records of the most troublesome calamities they had explored so far were all there. However, Ji Xun realized he had made a slight mistake in his previous assumptions. This bunker wasnt researching the imprisoned monsters. These monsters were just byproducts of the experiments. The real research subject was that Calamity Source. Although he didnt fully understand what the Calamity Source was. But from the descriptions, it seemed to be some kind of highly contaminating dangerous item. His peripheral vision constantly monitored the mechanical-armed girls expressions as she browsed the files, and it wasnt hard to deduce that this was probably something extraordinary. The two didnt communicate as Ji Xun rapidly flipped through the files. At this point, he opened another envelope and found an incident report. Sealed File: S719 Incident Report Incident Rating: D-class Details: On July 19th, anomalies were detected in the central experiment monitoring data. All containment chambers experienced short-term unusual agitation of the mutants. After careful inspection, no suspicious conditions were found. Judged to be a low-level risk. Solution: Increase patrols. Investigating Specialist: Dr. P. Luo File Correction: On August 2nd, a mutant riot occurred in the experimental bunker. It was at this moment that I realized we might have made a grave mistake C this is an S-class catastrophic incident! The Calamity Source had actually been leaking contamination long before, and we had been unknowingly infected. My perception, and that of everyone in the lab, had been eroded by some mysterious force, causing us to misjudge the risk level. Its too late to stop it now; the horror has already descended upon us. Reading this, the puzzle pieces in Ji Xuns mind seemed to connect. Although a few pieces were still missing, he had roughly reconstructed the cause of the events at this [407 Anomalous Creature Containment Facility]: Someone had once researched a dangerous Calamity Source in this bunker, which resulted in these monsters. But during the research, a contamination leak occurred, infecting the entire laboratory. The monsters rioted and killed everyone in the lab. Not too complex of a plot. S?a?ch* Th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Ji Xun noticed there werent many files left to go through. As he continued reading, he casually reminded the mechanical-armed girl beside him, Be careful, the monsters should be appearing soon. The mechanical-armed girl, hearing this, thought he had discovered something and immediately became alert. But after sensing for a moment, she didnt detect any monsters. Although she was confident in her perception, she still asked for confirmation, Did you notice something? Ji Xun hadnt actually noticed anything and chuckled, Its just that according to normal plot progression, now that weve obtained the key clues, the difficulty should increase. The mechanical-armed girl was completely bewildered by this jargon, ??? Im just guessing, Ji Xun said with a shrug, realizing that his words had gone over her head. He pointed at the documents and said, From what weve seen so far, these documents are all necessary clues for clearing the level. So if there are monsters, theyll definitely appear after we get the documents. If the monsters killed us as soon as we entered, all those intricate level designs would be meaningless. The mechanical-armed girl still found it hard to believe. Guessing? What kind of logic was this? Just like how they had inexplicably found these crucial clue documents, she couldnt understand why this guy was suddenly so certain that monsters would appear soon. Ji Xun looked at the empty laboratory, not elaborating further, and said meaningfully, Well know soon enough. In this alternate dimension, he had sensed something unusual. It just happened to confirm some of his hypotheses. However, before any monsters arrived, they first encountered some outsiders. While they were still browsing through files in the archive room, they heard the sound of intense gunfire. It seemed that the people from the first floor had rushed up, attempting to force their way to the third floor. The firepower was fierce, but the monsters were clearly fiercer. The sound of gunfire was constantly suppressed near the elevator on the second floor. Damn it! The monsters on the second floor all have mental contamination abilities. Its hard for us to reach the third floor like this. Captain, should we retreat? Retreating is also a dead end. Quickly find a way out! Hey, theres a hole in the wall of Room 2013! Quick, hide in the room for a moment! Whether by coincidence or after trying each door, those people outside rushed into Room 2013 and then discovered the hole. Judging by the commotion, there were quite a few of them. They entered the research lab. Through the glass, Ji Xun saw a squad of fully armed elite troops rush in, about a dozen or so people. The mechanical-armed girl recognized the insignia on their uniforms and warned, Be careful, theyre mercenaries from the Black Water Group. Theyre cutthroats. Concise and to the point, Ji Xun immediately understood that these people were probably not to be trifled with. He turned his eyes and asked, Can you take them? The mechanical girl didnt speak, just glanced at him. That look clearly meant: I can protect myself, but youre the liability. Ji Xun immediately understood and smiled, not minding. Compared to the level difficulty they were about to face, he felt these mercenaries werent much of a threat. In fact, having more people meant more chances to test strategies. Being professional mercenaries, the armed group easily discovered traces of the two from the marks on the ground. Captain, there are people here! After Ji Xun and his companion were discovered, both sides appeared very cautious. Fighting was not an option. With over a dozen opponents, the chances of accidentally injuring a weaker member were too high. Ji Xun signaled his companion not to act rashly, spread his hands, and took the initiative to speak, Gentlemen, we have no intention of being your enemies. Seeing him walk out of the room with his hands up, the bald, muscular man leading the other side sized him up and also lowered his guard a bit, then asked, Did you kill the monsters outside? In this situation, everyone knew the biggest threat was the monsters, and rashly starting a conflict was not a rational choice. Yes, Ji Xun responded, We were lucky. While fighting the monsters, we accidentally broke the wall and discovered this place. From this opening, he guessed these mercenaries hadnt recognized what that puddle of flesh outside was. Not everyone recognized the A-class calamity [Fallen Witch]. At least within this instance, all those who had seen its monster form before were dead. Otherwise, if they had recognized it, these mercenaries would definitely be speaking more politely than they were now. As he spoke, Ji Xun didnt forget to gather information, Gentlemen, what exactly happened? Why did the difficulty of this space suddenly increase? The bald, muscular man obviously knew something but didnt answer. He sized up the two of them and asked in return, Have you found anything? Probably thinking Ji Xuns side was just two scattered individuals, this guys demeanor and attitude exuded the arrogance and dominance of having superior numbers. With a dozen guns pointed at his head, Ji Xun also put on a compliant face and responded, Oh. We just found a safe, but we couldnt open it. Being a professional actor, at this moment he portrayed the luck of an opportunistic adventurer who had survived by sheer luck, without any flaws. A safe? Although the bald, muscular man was suspicious, he couldnt detect any inconsistencies. But clearly, the keyword safe immediately attracted everyones attention. Their instincts told them: This was a key clue! With black gun barrels pointed at them, Ji Xun and his companion wisely retreated. Two mercenaries went in to confirm and shouted, Captain, there really is a safe. The bald captain immediately ordered, Number Six, go and try to open it. From the squad, a weasel-faced mercenary walked in, Yes, sir. A mature mercenary group would definitely have various professionals, such as those in the thief sequence, skilled at opening treasure chests and disarming traps. Seeing the lockpicking tools that man took out, Ji Xun knew this person was very professional. However, he wasnt worried about them finding the safe empty after opening it. Because time wouldnt allow it. Previously, the two of them had been a small target, making little noise. Now with such a big commotion, if there were monsters, they should be coming by now. He pulled the mechanical-armed girl beside him, finding a position against the wall to stand, so at least their backs wouldnt be exposed to monsters. Sure enough. Suddenly, everyone clearly felt an inexplicable chill. The mechanical-armed girl was the first to notice something and warned in a grave tone, Be careful, somethings coming in. Her gaze swept sharply across various spots. Ji Xun, on the other hand, was quite relaxed. Having something to fight meant there was risk; if they were completely outmatched, there was no need to consider the risk. His strength was so low that even worrying was unnecessary. He could leave the fighting to his companion. In his mind, he was organizing and analyzing the complex information from the files they had just found, categorizing them one by one, then selecting what might be useful, and connecting it to the current situation to formulate contingency plans. His thoughts were racing. Not far away, there were clearly some perceptive superhumans among the Black Water mercenaries. After a moment, they also discovered something and exclaimed, Captain, theres a calamity aura approaching! Upon hearing this, the dozen or so mercenaries immediately entered combat mode, forming a professional-looking iron barrel defense formation. Gun barrels pointed towards the corridor at the far end of the laboratory. For a moment, the vast space was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and even breathing became heavy. Now that the difficulty of this alternate dimension had been raised to unknown, no one knew what kind of monster would appear. The atmosphere was very tense. Suddenly! A shadow flashed at the corner of the distant corridor in the laboratory, and several spider-like humanoid creatures quickly crawled out from the ceiling. Like cold water dripping into a hot oil pan, at this moment, the huge laboratory boiled over. Rat-tat-tat-tat Boom-boom-boom-boom Various guns and artillery poured out like a rainstorm, the sound so loud it was as if someone had been stuffed into a drum and beaten wildly. The muzzle flashes were like light elves in the darkness, flickering and dancing, illuminating faces twisted with fear and tension. It must be said that the combat effectiveness of these Black Water mercenaries was directly reflected in their equipment. Various heavy firearms, along with steam-powered black technology, unleashed super-strong destructive power. Steam hammers, high-pressure jet cannons, mechanical flying forks The single-soldier boilers equipped on these burly men were larger in volume and more powerful. The dozen or so people cooperated tacitly, alternating fire cover, giving the monsters no chance at all. Those few humanoid spiders were turned into sieves as soon as they appeared. Compared to any monsters, Ji Xun was more curious about those magic cards. During the battle, he saw another new type of magic card. He watched as the bald man swiftly threw out several red cards, which suddenly exploded like grenades near the monsters with boom boom sounds. The cards could fly out in large numbers at once, and with good throwing technique, they could achieve precise explosions. This was much more useful than hand grenades. However, in the blink of an eye, the monsters at the edge of their vision were lying on the ground as a mess of rotten flesh. But the crisis was far from over. The mechanical-armed girl sensed something, her expression becoming increasingly grave. And Ji Xun also felt that this level of monster was far from reaching the expected strength. Sure enough! The group had just killed a wave of small monsters and hadnt had time to catch their breath. At this moment, from another corridor entrance, a monster over two meters tall slowly walked out. This was a humanoid dog-like monster with a ferocious face, missing one hand. Ji Xun looked over, his eyes narrowing slightly. With such high recognition, it was clearly the B-class calamity from Room 3045 on the third floor. However, now it was no longer the B-class mentioned in the intelligence. [Curse Gambler] Description: First-order A-class calamity; It was once a cheating gambler who had one hand cut off. Even after mutating into a monster, it retained the bad habits of a gambler; A mysterious contaminated being, skilled in curse techniques; It will gamble with you, with life as the stake, whoever loses dies; It is a skilled gambler, dont imagine it wont cheat, and dont think about escaping, not gambling means certain death; This was a curse-type BOSS! Seeing this, everyones faces changed simultaneously, including the mechanical-armed girl. Because this monster had another nickname among hunters: Touch and Die. Chapter 12: I also want to take a gamble Just as the intelligence had stated, the bullets hitting the monster seemed to sink into asphalt, causing ripples before it restored itself. There was no damage at all. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The dozen mercenaries all showed fear on their faces. They had all heard of the terror of this calamity. Anyone it targeted would not survive! Even the girl with the mechanical arms had a drastic change in her expression as she urgently warned her companion Ji Xun, This monster is of the curse type. Whoever it targets will die! I have no way to resist that kind of curse. As she spoke, she cursed under her breath, Damn it, how did this calamity end up here. She had confidence in dealing with other monsters. But curse-type monsters couldnt be dealt with using conventional means. It was either supernatural or nothing! Avoiding it was the best option. Ji Xun listened without any change in his expression. He actually thought that encountering this monster made the situation normal. Before he could finish his sentence, the group of mercenaries revealed the correct posture to face this monster. The captain with the bald head shouted, Run! They had no intention of fighting, and the mercenaries chose to run as soon as possible. The bad news was that whoever the monster targeted would die. The good news was that it only targeted one person at a time. At this moment, everyone was gambling. They were gambling that the monster wouldnt choose them. However, since this calamity appeared, someone was bound to die. Just as the group of mercenaries had run a short distance, they suddenly saw a black shadow flicker past. Upon closer inspection, the gambling dog, who was hundreds of meters away, appeared mysteriously in front of the group of mercenaries. Ji Xuns gaze slightly narrowed and he was slightly surprised. Teleportation? Hearing about it was one thing, but seeing it with ones own eyes was another. The hired mercenary in front of the gambling devil also didnt expect to be chosen. His face turned pale. The bald captain and the other mercenaries looked at him with pity, but in their hearts, they were relieved that they were not chosen. Its good that it didnt choose them. The bald captains eyes flashed with a cold light, without any hesitation. Just run, dont worry about him! Everyone knew that if the monster chose you, there was no chance of survival. There was no meaning in staying behind. Just as the words fell, the group of people completely disregarded their companion and didnt even look at the safe anymore. The monster completely ignored the escaping mercenaries and raised two shining playing cards in front of it with one hand. After showing them, one of the cards had the pattern of the Ace of Spades. Flashing in rapid succession, the two playing cards exchanged positions countless times. It was a simple two-choice gambling method, which seemed to be testing eyesight. The monsters throat emitted a low and devilish voice. Place your bet, which card is the Ace of Spades on? The mercenary who was chosen stared with a deathly pale face. It seemed like he was being restricted by some mysterious force, standing there dumbfounded. He tremblingly reached out his hand, not wanting to choose, but knowing that not choosing would definitely result in death. Choosing seemed to offer half a chance of survival. I choose this card. The dog-headed monster looked at the card he chose, and a mocking human smile appeared on its terrifying dog face as it hoarsely said, Congratulations you guessed wrong! The answer was revealed. The chosen card was flipped over, revealing nothing. While the other card, it was indeed the Ace of Spades. The moment the words fell, the terrified expression on the mercenarys face instantly froze, and the person lost all sign of life and died on the spot. Not far away. Ji Xun, who had just run a short distance, watched this scene and couldnt help but sigh, This is a curse, such a strange method of killing. Originally, he wanted to see how the monster killed. But after seeing it, he realized that it was a method that completely exceeded his understanding. As the intelligence had stated, this kind of instant death curse couldnt be exempted by conventional means. The group of mercenaries also saw this scene, and each of them was frightened. Their speed of escape became even faster. However, after killing one person, the dog-headed monster teleported away again. The mercenaries hadnt even reacted, and the dog-headed monster had already appeared in front of the group of mercenaries. After all, there were more than ten people, and the probability of being targeted by the monster was much higher. And this time, the one chosen by the monster was the sixth man who was good at picking locks. Just like before, the other mercenaries decisively abandoned their comrade and ran away. But obviously, the mercenaries also realized that with more people, they would be more likely to be targeted by the monster. Even during their escape, the bald captains eyes flashed with a ruthless light as he unexpectedly shot two playing cards towards Ji Xun and the girl with the mechanical arms. The girl with the mechanical arms noticed it keenly and raised her gun like lightning, shooting and shattering the two playing cards several meters away. However, unexpectedly, when the two cards burst open, they exploded into fluorescent powder all over the ground. The girl with the mechanical arms saw this and her face changed. Not good, these are dirty bomb cards! This powder is bait made by the venom gland of zombie worms. The smell attracts the majority of calamities Take off your vest quickly, lets get out of here! Ji Xun took a glance at the powder on his body. Although he didnt know what kind of worms they were, he guessed the purpose of this substance. He spoke in a nonchalant tone, Those mercenaries didnt take action earlier because of precisely this plan. In their eyes, the only value of us surviving is as bait. But it doesnt matter The girl with the mechanical arms listened to his words and felt that something was off. She thought she misheard him, ??? The words she didnt say before were: Even if I wanted to save you if you were chosen by the monster, I wouldnt be able to. But what does he mean now? Listening to his tone, it seemed like he believed that he could survive in front of the gambling dog? Where did he get the confidence from? Before she could ask any further, Ji Xun explained his motive for saying those words just now, Since those mercenaries cant kill this gambling gambler, then sooner or later we will have to face this monster or other monsters. The risks of exploring the unknown areas arent necessarily lower than facing this monster. Let those guys step on the landmines first. Moreover ??? The girl with the mechanical arms wanted to ask what he meant, but after thinking about it, she felt that he was right. Since the gambler from the third floor could chase after them, what about the even more terrifying mysterious calamity on the fourth floor? Or others? The exploration degree of this dimensional space was only a little over 30%, and there were dangers that couldnt be seen, much more dangerous than this gambling dog. In the end, not running would cause even more trouble. The girl hesitated for a moment. After a pause, Ji Xuns eyes flickered with an imperceptible madness, and he said the last sentence, Besides, I also want to take a gamble. Chapter 13: Gambling with One’s Life The girl asked puzzled, Gamble?Yes. Ji Xun nodded, his eyes shining brightly, his tone certain and calm: Betting on whether my deduction is correct. Hearing this, the girl really couldnt understand what her teammate was thinking. This guys tone was so calm that one couldnt hear any fear or uneasiness. Instead, she heard a kind of eagerness to gamble with life? He actively wanted to gamble with the monster? Wasnt this guy afraid of death? At this moment, only one word popped up in her mind: Crazy. Perhaps because of that fluorescent powder, or Ji Xuns jinx. The two had just stopped for a short while when suddenly a foul odor assailed them, and a dog-headed monster teleported in front of them. Face to face, the terrifying pressure of an A-class calamity was almost tangible. Moreover, the curse-type monster gave people a feeling of infinite, mysterious terror, as if facing an abyss. However, the monster didnt choose Ji Xun, but stood in front of the mechanical-armed girl. The girls expression changed dramatically, her face darkening as she cursed inwardly: What rotten luck. With so many people around, it chose her. She could only sigh at her bad luck. But even at this moment, she wasnt actually in a hopeless situation. The mercenaries had no way to deal with this calamity, but that didnt mean she didnt. The girl had an ancient relic capable of forced spatial teleportation out of the instance. Once used, she could leave immediately. The only drawback was that after using that treasure, she couldnt take anything she had obtained in the space with her. Including the previously obtained [Witchs Pituitary], which was a rare find. If she missed this chance, who knew when she could find such suitable professional materials again. Unless absolutely necessary, she didnt want to give up. But now, looking at the hideous face of the dog-headed monster in front of her, she was already in a desperate situation. There was no choice. The mechanical-armed girl felt a wave of gloom in her heart. What a pity. At the same time, she felt apologetic. Once she left, her teammate would surely die. She had promised to protect him to the best of her ability. But this was a situation she was powerless to change. Ah She sighed softly. However, before she could consider using that special relic to forcibly leave the instance, something unexpected happened. She never imagined that at this moment, a provocative question suddenly came from beside her: Do you dare to gamble with me? The girls eyes widened, looking at Ji Xun beside her with utter disbelief. For a moment, it was as if her thoughts had frozen. After a brief stunned moment, she understood what Ji Xun had done. This guy Was he provoking the monster? He was provoking the monster!!! Sure enough, how could the monster tolerate such blatant mockery? For a gambler, there was nothing they wouldnt dare to bet on. It immediately abandoned its current target, turning to look at Ji Xun, a mocking smile appearing on its dog head: Which card is the Ace of Spades? As this incredible scene unfolded, the mechanical-armed girl was completely dumbfounded. Her eyes were full of confusion. This guy had actually saved her? But why would he do this? Even if they were in a cooperative relationship, it didnt have to go this far At this moment, the girl finally understood what he meant earlier by we. This guy had said earlier, If we get chosen, let her escape first. In other words, no matter who the monster targeted, he had prepared himself to face it? But this No one had ever survived in front of the [Gambling Dog]. Why would he do this? The mechanical-armed girl really couldnt understand. Her gaze turned to Ji Xun, suddenly feeling a subtle complexity towards this temporary teammate. Had Ji Xun been possessed by a saint, sacrificing himself for others? No! It was absolute rationality that allowed him to clearly analyze the current situation. If this bodyguard teammate died, Ji Xun could be 100% certain that he wouldnt survive what came next. Those well-equipped mercenaries had an extremely low probability of survival, let alone himself? Even a small monster could bring him fatal danger. So escaping now, apart from living a bit longer, had no meaning. If they couldnt kill this dog-headed monster, death was inevitable in the end. Moreover, there was an even more important factor. He needed to verify a hypothesis. The information obtained so far was enough, and the clues were stringing together in his mind. He had already understood part of the game rules of this alternate dimension. This was the confidence behind his words. With only 30% of the instance explored, it was just the beginning. Only by verifying those hypotheses did he feel there was a real chance of surviving and clearing this instance. Undeniably, this verification process did involve an element of gambling. But for Ji Xun, if he were to be indecisive about his own certain judgments, what an uninteresting straw man life that would be. Furthermore, An eager thought in his heart had long been unable to contain itself. He really wanted to gamble now. Tsk tsk. What could be more thrilling than gambling with ones life? I choose Ji Xun wore a composed expression, deliberately delaying for some time. Seeing the struggling look in the eyes of the girl beside him, he also guessed that this teammate was probably going through some complex psychological activity. But staying here now was not a good choice. He raised an eyebrow, giving her a look to escape quickly. Seeing this, the mechanical-armed girls expression became conflicted for a moment, seemingly feeling that it was unethical to leave behind someone who had saved her. But seeing Ji Xuns urging gaze, her eyes hardened, knowing that staying longer was meaningless. She said, Take care! As soon as she finished speaking, she quickly retreated into the depths of the corridor, her silhouette disappearing in an instant. With his teammate gone, the last factor that could cause accidents was eliminated. At this moment, Ji Xuns eyes were now without concern. In this moment, it was as if the beast in his heart had been awakened, a sense of excitement surging through his blood. He looked at the monster in front of him, without any fear, instead, the corners of his mouth raised in a provocative arc. Like a clown walking on a tightrope, even if a misstep would cause him to fall, he still wore a bizarre smile on his face. The monster also looked at him, full of mockery. I choose this one. Ji Xun had one hand in his pants pocket as he made his choice. He casually chose a card and directly flipped it over. This nonchalant draw was actually a choice between life and death. But a miraculous scene appeared. The flipped card showed the Ace of Spades pattern. The gambling dog opposite, seeing this scene, still had a mocking smile on its face, but its expression had already stiffened, as if it could speak: How is this possible! In an instant, the gambling dog seemed to understand something. It seemed to have lost a second of memory just now: it had been mentally interfered with! s?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. But rules were rules. The established rules of curse techniques had never been known to change. At this moment, this [Curse Gambler], like all gamblers, wanted to grasp the last straw of survival, to live on. But the backlash of the curse had already come like an overwhelming tide. Ji Xun narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the dog-headed monster in front of him, and smiled brightly: It seems my luck is not bad, I guessed correctly. The dog-headed monster didnt have time to say anything, the vitality in its eyes rapidly dissipating. This gamble was a bet on life. The monster lost the bet and died on the spot from the curses backlash. Ji Xun looked at the calamitys corpse that had collapsed in front of him and let out a comfortable breath. At this moment, the morbid pleasure brought by the excitement made him feel as if his soul had ascended. Although Ji Xun was good at poker, he wasnt arrogant enough to think he could match gambling skills with an A-class calamity. Just as the monster would cheat, he also used some not-so-honorable means. The hand in his pocket was holding the [Witchs Gaze] skill card he had obtained from hunting the Fallen Witch earlier. When released, it could cause mental hypnosis on targets within range. The [Curse Gambler] on the third floor was much more threatening than the [Fallen Witch] on the second floor. But in terms of mental power, the latter was probably stronger. If not immune to this spell, it would cause at least 1 second of forced hypnosis. Just now, when drawing the card, Ji Xun used this hypnosis, not giving the dog-headed monster a chance to cheat, and directly flipped it over. Luckily, he chose correctly on the first try. Even if he hadnt chosen correctly, time would have allowed him to flip over the other card. Sure enough, he won. It also confirmed his hypothesis. As the calamity died, a green light slowly condensed on the monsters corpse. Ji Xun looked at the card floating in the light orb, once again confirming that hypothesis, and murmured: Sure enough [Gamblers Severed Hand] Quality: Silver Description: One-time mysterious curse skill card; When released, it casts a curse on a single target below the second order whose mental power is not higher than 100% of the users. 50% chance of triggering instant death; If failed, the curse backfires, and the caster suffers equal damage; The monster had dropped another skill card, which was that bizarre curse gambling technique. Forced 50% death rate, very powerful! And very unbeatable! Ji Xun carefully read the cards effects, a glint of wisdom flashing in his eyes. At this moment, he finally confirmed something. This was indeed a gamble. But what was being gambled wasnt some two-choice luck, nor cheating skills, but the understanding of the spaces rules. Since BOSS couldnt be killed by force, it could only be killed by rules. This was what Ji Xun wanted to verify. On a deeper level, he understood the thinking of the designer of this alternate dimension. The A-class calamity [Gambling Dog] was dead, and the curse power inside the monster lost control. Ji Xun stood next to the corpse, and enlightenment appeared again. Curse power out of control, suffering from contamination erosion, constitution -0.02 There was still glowing material in the chest of the corpse, probably another superhuman material. But Ji Xun didnt have that miraculous space containment card. Even if he cut out this material, it would be too hot to handle. However, at this moment, a figure slowly walked out from around the corner of the corridor in the distance. It was his teammate with a face full of disbelief. The monster could teleport to find people, so escaping didnt mean much. The mechanical-armed girl had been hiding in a nearby ventilation duct earlier, which was the limit of her perception range. She had originally planned to wait until her temporary teammates aura disappeared before escaping herself. But unexpectedly, after waiting for a while, instead of her teammate dying, she sensed the calamitys aura suddenly disappear?! Although she couldnt believe it, the fact was right before her eyes. Ji Xun saw her return as promised and smiled lightly. His teammate was indeed loyal. The mechanical-armed girl looked at him, then at the corpse on the ground, her expression changing several times. The guy who was probably dozens of times weaker than herself had actually killed that curse-type A-class calamity alone? It really felt like a dream. Chapter 14: The Second Transformation Heart of the Curse Gambler Youre really willing to risk your life like this? Ji Xun pointed at the monsters corpse and said, I think this monster dropped some materials.The difficulty of this level wasnt in figuring out the solution, but having the courage to actually try it. The mechanical arm girl looked at Ji Xun with a hint of doubt in her eyes. But she took out a dagger, expertly cut open the monsters chest, and took out a heart filled with green crystals. [Double Mutated Heart of the Gambler] [Quality: Extraordinary Radiant Silver] [Description: A rare and mysterious material of the curse attribute, it contains an extremely powerful curse contamination power, capable of unleashing maximum physical explosion power and speed.] Holding the heart in her hand, the girl could clearly feel the surging energy within, and found it incredible. For a first tier material, it had such strength that she had never seen before. Its no worse than my previous Witchs Pituitary Gland, she said. This is a top-tier material for almost all physical classes. If you want to level up in melee combat, I havent seen better material at the same level. Saying this, she looked at Ji Xun and added, Ill keep it safe for you. Storing such high-level materials required a high-quality storage card, and it was clear that her teammate couldnt afford one with his current equipment. Thank you, Ji Xun replied, not being polite. This material was obviously valuable, and keeping it would be a good addition to his assets in this new world, regardless of whether it had any use or not. Moreover, his teammate was generous enough to not ask for a share of the spoils despite not participating in killing the monster. As more and more questions filled her mind, the mechanical arm girl carefully stored the heart and handed a card to Ji Xun. Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked, How did you determine that the Witchs Gaze could kill this monster? Although her tone was calm, her longing for knowledge within was overflowing. Someone who was not even a transcendent being managed to kill an A-level Cataclysm by themselves, which was simply a miracle. At this moment, she fully understood what Ji Xun meant by making a bet with her before. Judging from the results, her teammates confidence was not solely based on luck. Hearing her inquiry, Ji Xun, without hiding anything, calmly replied, Lets change our perspective. He continued, If we think from the perspective of an adventurer, we will naturally focus on solving this level. But if we think from the perspective of the designer, we would consider how to design the level. It needs to be challenging enough, but not impossible for players to pass. Thats the only way to ensure that the skills and items obtained from the previous levels can be used in the future levels. The skill card is the key to connecting the subsequent levels. The mechanical arm girl listened attentively, her brow furrowing in deep thought. Behind Ji Xuns calm tone, she sensed remarkable qualities: extreme calmness, intelligence, and meticulous logical thinking. And madness. Ji Xun continued, From the moment I noticed the problem with the wall, I guessed that this interdimensional space had a very clever and logically rigorous level design. There are four floors in the dungeon, each with a B-level Cataclysm that is significantly stronger than the others. With this level of difficulty, the boss must be related to the subsequent levels The girl also had sharp wit, and she seemed to immediately know what he wanted to say. But she interrupted, What if, I mean, what if there is no connection at all? Ji Xun smiled mysteriously, hinting at something deeper. Without any connection, those elaborate designs would be meaningless. He added, Moreover, if there is no connection, do you think anyone can survive under the A-level Cataclysm after going through the mutation? If Im not mistaken, the normal clearing process should be that someone kills the A-level Corrupted Giant on the first floor, then gets a critical item to kill the second-floor Fallen Witch, and so on. The levels are like iron gates that require corresponding keys to open. And these Cataclysms serve as the keys. But we dont have The girl wanted to say that they didnt go to the first floor, but she stopped midway. Ji Xun filled in the reason for her, Because you are too powerful. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Her teammate was powerful enough to directly kill the Cataclysm on the second floor, which allowed them to skip levels. From this perspective, her teammates abilities were indeed extraordinary. Even when they were chosen by the gambler, his calmness made her almost certain that he had other means of escaping. Upon hearing what seemed like a compliment, the girl didnt feel joy but instead fell into deep thought. Even though they hadnt communicated much, she felt as if this man had seen through her secrets. With this explanation, their train of thought became clear. But there was still one question. What if you guessed wrong? she asked. Ji Xun fell silent for a moment and didnt answer. The girl initially thought he was hiding something, but after the silence, she heard a serene response. Thats why theres an element of gambling involved. Ji Xuns brow twitched, then he smiled indifferently. Indeed, everything was just speculation until it was confirmed, and verification involved risks. But in his eyes, there were things more interesting than death. Bang, bang, bang Gunshots occasionally echoed in the dim laboratory. A group of Blackwater mercenaries who had previously fled unexpectedly encountered trouble. After collecting the spoils from the Cataclysm, Ji Xun called out, Lets go, lets check out whats ahead. They had guessed correctly on this level, so the following levels would be like an open book for Ji Xun. Though unsure of what they would face, he had confidence. The mechanical arm girl didnt say anything but silently agreed. At this point, if she still couldnt grasp the fact that her teammate was not as weak as he appeared, then it was her own problem. But the old question resurfaced. How could someone with such intelligence be so reckless as to venture into this interdimensional space alone? And even spend a night with that witch? Could it be he was seeking some kind of special excitement? Normal people wouldnt risk their lives like this. But this guy was so crazy that she couldnt rule it out Moreover, the facts were right in front of her eyes. He slept with the witch and made it out alive! The girl quickly dismissed those strange thoughts from her mind. But she couldnt deny that he did have extraordinary qualities. The two of them walked through the corridors of the laboratory, occasionally exploring various areas, searching for clues while also collecting loot from the mercenaries they encountered along the way. They walked and searched for small items. It seemed that the Battle Royale mode had turned into an exploration mode. The mechanical arm girl found it strange. She didnt know when exactly, but since killing the Gambler, that feeling of looming death had faded away. Upon careful thought, it seemed that the feeling had come after defeating the Gambler. It was as if composure could be contagious; her partner had never been seen panicking. Every time they encountered a crisis, he was able to turn the danger into safety. That feeling However, as her thoughts drifted, the sound of hurried footsteps and anxious curses suddenly came from a distance. Captain, Ah Kuns leg got cut off Fuck, did any of you see where the monster is? Kill that thing for me! No, we didnt see the monster. It should be the Unknown Cataclysm on the fourth floor! Help me, Captain, dont leave me behind!!! The laboratory corridors were closed and confined, and the sound traveled far. Even before anyone could see them, they could hear the roars and cries. Ji Xun, fully focused, gazed at the scene, his eyes sharpening. The mechanical arm girl, realizing something was happening, said with a solemn expression, There is a powerful Cataclysm nearby stronger than the Gambler! Ji Xun naturally couldnt let his guard down. But if someone else stepped on a landmine, it would save them a lot of trouble. He thought of what to do, then suddenly drew his pistol and pulled the trigger, extinguishing one of the gas lamps above their heads. With a loud bang, the light went out. A corner of the corridor sank into darkness. Ji Xun looked at his teammate, who had entered combat mode, and shook his head as a signal. He pulled her into the darkness, saying, Lets assess the situation first. The mechanical arm girl hesitated for a moment, then chose to trust him and refrained from asking further questions. The two figures silently retreated into the darkness. After a few moments, the sound got closer and closer. The two watched as a bald strongman and four mercenaries, as if being chased by something, ran back in panic without a clear direction. There were originally over ten people, but now only four remained. And as they ran, a strange scene unfolded. Without any warning, the head of the last mercenary suddenly flew into the air, blood sprayed like a fountain, and the person collapsed to the ground. The neck had been cut, leaving a smooth, bladed wound. Ji Xun watched with complete concentration, his gaze sharpening. Chapter 15: Why does this guy keep betting his life? Ji Xun carefully observed the shadows of those panicked mercenaries.Just now, he clearly saw that before the mans head was cut off, a cut appeared in his shadow on the ground first, then his neck broke. In other words, some mysterious power killed his shadow. Then the person died. Another incomprehensible method. Ji Xun muttered slightly. It looked as sinister as the previous curse technique. This must be the legendary disaster on the fourth floor of the bunker that no one had seen before. The information stated that anyone who went to the fourth floor would inexplicably die. The wounds seemed to be cut by a blade, but no one had ever seen what the monster looked like. S?a??h th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The mechanical-arm girl beside him felt a chill down her neck as she witnessed this scene. Such an attack method, even she couldnt defend against it. She glanced beside her. Although she couldnt see clearly in the dark, the subtle heartbeat rhythm she heard was not the least bit panicked. She knew this guy was still as calm as ever. The mechanical-arm girl didnt understand why they were hiding here together. It seemed like the monster hadnt discovered them. Contemplating her teammates earlier action of breaking the gas lamps, she vaguely guessed: Could the dark environment evade the monsters perception? How did this guy find that out? The mechanical-arm girl felt she grasped the key point. However, before she could think more, that guy beside her suddenly drew his gun again. Bang, Bang Several gunshots rang through the air. The girls eye twitched inexplicably. Then her face changed dramatically with a look of disbelief as she turned around. The disaster was chasing after the mercenaries, and they could probably avoid it by hiding quietly here. But who would have thought that he fired his gun! The mechanical-arm girl was stunned as she watched Ji Xun suddenly shoot at and extinguish the nearby gas lamps. Has this guy gone crazy again? Wouldnt firing attract the monster here at this time? Before she could understand, she heard a rapid yet clear voice arranging the battle plan: The disaster hides in peoples shadows. It will definitely come for me, you sense it and tell me. If I make a mistake, you kill it. The mechanical-arm girl understood from his words: This guy is deliberately luring the monster? But how did he know the monster would definitely come to him? And how did he know the monster was hiding in shadows? Wait, shadows! If the monster is hiding in shadows, then if there are no shadows, wouldnt it have no place to hide? When are there no shadows? When there is no light! Suddenly enlightened, she realized why this guy broke the lights and hid in the dark. Ji Xun knew his actions would certainly puzzle his teammate. As she was a combat partner, he explained, Light allows people to see, but sometimes it covers the brilliant stars in the darkness. While the monster hadnt come yet, he added, Once it loses its target, itll be very troublesome when it comes looking for us next time. The mechanical-arm girls face showed sudden realization. Indeed, once this shadow disaster kills those mercenaries, it will surely come for the surviving people in the lab them! At that time, being attacked passively, with the monsters silent stealth methods, risks would be infinitely magnified. She instantly understood why this guy chose to lure the monster now. She also guessed what he prepared to counter it. Although she roughly figured out the reason, this was still currently the strongest and most troublesome known disaster in this different dimension! Does this guy never hesitate even a bit when betting his life every time? The sudden gunshots also attracted the attention of the three desperate mercenaries. They were first stunned, who was firing? Then, the wild joy of surviving the disaster. Those two idiots actually lured the monster away! Wait, no. Those two guys arent dead? Did the monster not find them? But it didnt matter, escaping now was more important. At this moment, the three of them wished they had more legs. Within the blink of an eye, they disappeared in the passage. Ji Xun didnt wait for the monster to kill all the mercenaries before taking action, as he needed the bald ones to continue stirring up trouble and trigger the unknown dangers ahead. Leaving them alive was good. The gunfire only attracted the monsters attention, not locked its hatred. To ensure the monster took the bait, Ji Xun took out a lighter. As soon as it ignited, Ji Xuns figure was illuminated by the flickering flame in the dark. The firelight illuminated his face with a gas mask. His eyes reflected the flame, bright and spirited. Holding the lighter behind himself, his swaying shadow appeared in front. The mechanical-arm girl already knew what he was going to do. This guy was using himself as bait to kill that monster! His decisiveness left no time for further thought. At this moment, there was no room for hesitation, she quietly retreated into the darkness, fully alert. If her teammate made a mistake, she could still remedy it. Indeed, it came! The girl sensed with all her might and suddenly found the target. Its here! Ji Xun received a needle-like signal alert in his head simultaneously. This mental communication was a method they had devised, much more efficient than speaking. Almost instantly, Ji Xun released the skill card [The Gambling Dogs Severed Hand] aiming at his shadow without hesitation. As he made the move, the revelation entered his mind. [Shadow Demon] Details: First-tier A-level disaster; dark-type pollutant, excels in shadow assassination; its a demon hiding in shadows, able to silently take your life; death follows like the wind, always with them. Another A-level disaster. The monster on the fourth floor of the bunker, which no one had ever seen. Because those who saw it all died. Once it possessed someones shadow, seeing it meant immediate death. However, before the disaster could kill him, a mysterious force descended. Ji Xun preemptively released the skill card [The Gambling Dogs Severed Hand] on his shadow. A mysterious curse was released, and then he saw the revelation. Casting a curse on the target, 50% probability success, target killed. Ji Xun survived. His shadow squirmed and deformed, falling to the ground. On closer inspection, it was an ink-black dwarf monster, the A-level disaster [Shadow Demon]. Seeing the monster killed, the mechanical-arm girl appeared beside Ji Xun in no time, looking at the corpse on the ground in disbelief, her eyes seemed to speak: An A-level disaster killed just like that? It was so simple she felt like dreaming. The previous [Gambling Dog] was like this, and now the [Shadow Demon] too. Killed in a single confrontation. If she hadnt previously hunted an equally strong but slightly weaker [Fallen Witch] and heavily injured it, she would suspect the difficulty of this dimension had decreased. Ji Xun had already explained before, the mechanical-arm girl knew the so-called secret to clearing. She also knew that Ji Xuns curse card was the key to clearing. But even with the card, it was only a 50% chance! Half a chance to kill the monster, half a chance to die. How did this guy dare? Moreover, no one had ever seen that elusive monster on the fourth floor. Even the most comprehensive information she bought from the informant was just scraps. How did he know the monster hid in the shadows? For a moment, she even doubted if her temporary teammate was a humanoid disaster himself. How else could he understand this dimension so well? And survived a night with the witch? As the thought crossed her mind, she asked in an odd tone, How did you know the monster hid in the shadow? Ji Xun, hearing her tone, obviously guessed she misunderstood, said with a wry smile, It was recorded in those files. What else did you think was in such important clues? With that, he roughly recounted the file content: Specimen 4011 in the experiment chamber underwent a second mutation into an A-level assassin-type disaster [Shadow Demon], hidden in the shadow- ??? Hearing this, the girl realized she overthought but was subsequently extremely shocked. Only now did she vaguely remember there seemed to be some research records on the monsters. But that thick stack would take days to finish reading. This guy remembered fully after one read? Those documents were still in her storage space, the girl asked in a strange tone, You read all those thick files? Earlier, being threatened by monsters all the time, when did they have time to read carefully? Ji Xun casually explained, Not all of them. I picked the key points. The monster description happened to match the information you mentioned, so I paid extra attention. His mind was highly active, skimming through texts rapidly wasnt difficult. One persons reading efficiency was equivalent to several people reading together. This was one of the few benefits brought by a morbid mental state. But there was no need to explain that much. The mechanical-arm girl, upon hearing his explanation, seemed to comprehend something. This guy, could he have awakened some mysterious talent direction, such as wisdom? That might be the only explanation. No wonder his body was so weak, but he always acted calm and composed. But remembering is one thing, taking real action is another. Frowning, she asked again, But that card only has a 50% success rate. Werent you afraid of losing the bet? Obviously, I won the bet. Ji Xun nonchalantly shrugged. But it wasnt just that. Seeing her unyielding eyes demanding an explanation, he added, If you dont consider other factors, this would indeed be a matter of betting ones life. But its fully confirmed now, there are other forces at play in this dimension. ??? The mechanical-arm girl still didnt understand. Its hard to explain in a few words, Ji Xun didnt intend to elaborate further, Youll understand soon. The trial in this dimension weve passed should be nearing the final level. Facing the Gambling Dog initially involved some luck, but that was no longer the case now. When he saw the [Gambling Dogs Severed Hand], he was sure he could kill the Shadow Demon. Chapter 16, First Nine The loot from the A-grade disaster explosion naturally did not disappoint. However, this time, the monster did not drop any materials; instead, all the energy from the corpse converged into a single card. It was not a one-time skill card but a cultivation card. The front of the card depicted a dark, shadowy monster, while the back bore a silver pentagram. [Skill: Shadow Stealth] Description: Silver skill cultivation card; requires Dark Affinity 15. After fusion, you will master Shadow Stealth (Lv0), gaining the ability to blend into the darkness. The mechanical-arm girl looked at the card and exclaimed softly, Oh, its a cultivation card. Ji Xun was once again bewildered. He understood the words, but he didnt grasp the true value of the card. The mechanical-arm girl seemed accustomed to his occasional ignorance. This guy was clearly intelligent, but it seemed he lacked a lot of common knowledge. Oh! Low-level hunters wouldnt normally come into contact with such cultivation cards, so its natural to be surprised. She explained, These are said to be cards imprinted by the divine consciousness of ancient spell card masters with an extremely low appearance rate, even lower than that of radiant silver materials. They are more efficient than martial arts manuals; anyone who meets the conditions can directly master the skill after fusion. This is one of the most sought-after commodities in upper society, and its value is very high. Moreover, this [Shadow Stealth] appears to be a lost assassin secret technique. At least, Ive never seen it before. Its best not to sell it easily. Listening to her explanation, Ji Xun finally understood. This was akin to the ghostly movement of the earlier monster, which could hide its true form in shadows. If an assassin mastered it, it would indeed be highly effective for both survival and assassination. Ji Xun also found it fascinating to master a skill without arduous cultivation, directly imprinting it on the soul. Such an item would indeed be highly attractive to the wealthy. As she spoke, the girl handed the card to him without hesitation and said, I dont follow the assassin profession line, so this card is no use to me. Then I wont be polite, Ji Xun glanced at her and accepted it without declining. He already knew that this companion didnt like taking advantage, a trait hed witnessed before. Moreover, since she said it was valuable, it must be valuable. But looking at himself, his Dark Affinity value was only 1. It would be a while before he could fuse with this card. Besides the cultivation card, another ordinary black card appeared on the monsters body. This card had no function, only two lines of text: When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you. Someone must light the darkness before dawn arrives. Staring at the card, Ji Xun had a vague feeling as if it was hinting at something. He said, This should be the final key to clearing the level. Unlike the skill cards dropped by earlier monsters, which could kill the next boss, this card only had two lines of text. The mechanical-arm girl pondered for a moment but couldnt figure out its purpose, so she asked, What does this card mean? Ji Xun: A clue. The mechanical-arm girl looked exasperated: Of course, its a clue! But what does it signify? I dont know either, Ji Xun understood her expression and shrugged helplessly. You dont think I know everything, right? The mechanical-arm girl didnt respond, but her expression indicated: Havent you shown that all this way? It seemed they had developed a habit of thinking that whenever they encountered a puzzle, this guy would decipher it from some peculiar angle. Understanding her thoughts, Ji Xun smiled and shook his head. He said, Its like playing a puzzle game. The mastermind behind the scenes leaves clues so you wont miss the answers, but also makes the clues obscure. Youll only have an epiphany at a specific moment when you need it. You cant expect to decipher its purpose as soon as you get it. This explanation seemed convincing; the mechanical-arm girl, behind her gas mask, also nodded in agreement. Ji Xun thought for a moment and said, We should be heading to the final checkpoint now. Typically, the last checkpoint is either the hardest or the most unexpected. He looked at the card again and added, It seems to be the latter now. The mechanical-arm girl remained silent, pondering the two lines of text on the card. They packed up the loot and continued deeper into the laboratory. As Ji Xun speculated, they were about to face the final checkpoint. After killing the [Shadow Fiend], they didnt encounter any threatening mutated creatures. Some scattered small monsters occasionally ran out from the corners of the laboratory, but the mechanical-arm girl always detected them in advance and easily killed them. As they walked, Ji Xun suddenly spoke, By the way, may I ask, Miss, how should I address you? From the beginning, neither of them had asked the others name, but considering they had endured hardships together, he casually asked. Hearing this, the mechanical-arm girl continued walking without responding. s?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Just as Ji Xun thought she didnt want to talk to him, she suddenly responded indifferently, Chujiu. Ji Xun pondered, Chujiu? Clearly, it wasnt a proper name but a code name. But it was better than calling her the mechanical-arm girl. Ji Xun introduced himself, Ji Xun. Nice to meet you. Chujiu remained silent. Ji Xun didnt mind. Despite her cold demeanor, she was still a good companion. They continued walking deeper. The laboratory had to end somewhere; after a while, they reached a rusted elevator. Someone has used the elevator. Hmm, probably those mercenaries. After checking the passage and finding no danger, they took the elevator. Judging by the way it looked, this was the path leading to the exit. It resembled an abandoned mine elevator, rusty and creaking as it ascended, making one fear it might suddenly fall. Fortunately, nothing happened, and after ascending more than twenty floors, they reached the top of the elevator. Walking through a narrow passage, they entered a strange mirrored world. The floor was white, and the ceiling and walls were covered with mirrors of various sizes. Without sensing any monster presence, they walked in. At first, there were only a few mirrors, but gradually, the number of mirrors increased. They saw countless versions of themselves, strange and bizarre, and countless pairs of eyes staring back at them. In the mirrors, they saw all their inner thoughts, doubts, obsessions, anger, caution, fear, desires, and some distorted reflections, representing twisted desires. Tsk, this is interesting, Ji Xun said, stepping forward steadily. Most people might feel uncomfortable seeing so many mirrors, but he was used to it. Every moment, the images in his mind were like this: countless versions of himself arguing. Seeing these reflections didnt bother Ji Xun at all. But Chujiu beside him seemed visibly disturbed by what she saw in the mirrors. Seeing her condition, Ji Xun patted her shoulder, Lets go. Chujiu snapped out of her nightmarish state. This Mirror House seemed not difficult, and its trial unclear. They walked straight through it. Suddenly, they reached a dead end. Chujiu exclaimed, A dead end? A maze? She was recalling where they might have gone wrong when Ji Xuns eyes narrowed slightly, No. Weve arrived. As soon as he spoke, the surrounding mirror light retreated like a tide. Looking again, they found themselves inside a sealed iron cage. A revelation appeared: Entered an unknown space, discovered a special hidden mainline. Exploration +5%. (End of this chapter) Chapter 19: [Ace Gray Joker] She had never had such an exhilarating experience.At this moment, she seemed to see a clown walking on a tightrope in her eyes. Not only was he unafraid, but he also grinned at the Grim Reaper in the abyss, full of mockery. This guy teased the Grim Reaper! Crazy. No matter how calm she usually was, she couldnt suppress her excitement and curiosity at this moment. She asked rapidly, You, you, you knew this gun had a problem? She had watched two people die by this gun with her own eyes, yet the one in their cage had a problem? Ji Xun shook his head with a smile, denying this thought, No. The gun has no problem. Chu Jiu also thought it wasnt the guns problem, Then why could you fire six shots? The games rule is that you can only fire one shot at others, but it doesnt say you can only fire one shot at yourself. Ji Xuns mouth curved slightly, as if still immersed in the thrill of the Russian roulette game. Besides, I said before, the factors affecting the levels are more than just the spatial rules themselves. As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at the iron spikes overhead. Time had passed, but the spikes hadnt fallen. This meant that they had cleared the level. Both of them cleared it alive. He cleared it in a way that the contestants in the other two cages didnt choose. Looking at Chu Jius inquisitive eyes, Ji Xun turned his gaze to the stunned mechanical clown and asked with deep meaning, Right, Mr. Clown? But the clown didnt respond, just stared quietly, though the smile on its face seemed to grow increasingly grotesque. At this moment, Chu Jiu was filled with countless questions, wanting to know what had happened. Having a good impression of his teammate, Ji Xun didnt hesitate to explain. Now that they had cleared the level, he had understood everything. He spoke eloquently, If it were simply a game of Russian roulette, how boring would that be? It would show that the layout designer had no skill. Such a delicate layout couldnt have such an ordinary ending. Chu Jiu agreed while listening. This hyperspace was the most sophisticated she had ever experienced. If the last level was just about killing to get out, it would lower its grade, completely undeserving of the previous brilliance. This was something she had heard him say before. But how did he know the problem with the gun? Ji Xun smiled mysteriously, slowly revealing the truth, Remember that phrase, When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you? That was actually a clear enough hint. When you gaze into human evil, evil will in turn gaze into your heart, revealing your true self. Chu Jiu suddenly realized, You mean that card? Only now did she understand. They had killed the Shadow Demon earlier and obtained a card. They had speculated it was the clue for the last level. Now it was being used! Wait, no, it hadnt been used! Those two cryptic phrases, what did they have to do with clearing the level? This guy had fired six shots at his own head! He must have discovered something else to dare bet like that. Ji Xun explained, When we entered the mirror house, I had a general guess. So, seeing the layout of the iron cage, I guessed more. After hearing the roulette game rules, I completely grasped the layout designers intention. Speaking, he smiled brightly, eyes full of fervor, So in this final level, the real test was never about Russian roulette luck. No test is more profound than a test of human nature. Chu Jiu: Speechless. She had heard all the words but didnt grasp the meaning. She stayed silent, not wanting to appear dumb. After a moment, Ji Xun continued, The essence of hyperspace is to pass tests and earn rewards. The purpose of levels is to filter out those with specific traits favored by the designer to pass and receive the ultimate reward. From the earlier Wall Breaker, Witch, Gambler, Shadow Demon, to now the clown game, youll find that those who pass must possess these traits: desire restraint, courage, wisdom, firm beliefs, and perhaps kindness. This space is unique in that it also tests special traits like a gamblers mindset, cunning, madness, and obsession. Only adventurers who meet all these traits receive ultimate recognition. He paused, then continued, And the other phrase: Before dawn, someone has to light up the darkness. The designer gave the final hint: the chosen ones must be those who can bring light in endless darkness. Thus, from the start, anyone pointing a gun at their teammate was already out. If the teammate cannot die, the choice could only be to Shoot oneself! Only then did Chu Jiu realize the deep meaning of the two phrases. So, he fired six shots at himself! There must be other factors she hadnt fully grasped, but she thought of something else and asked, Then about earlier Ji Xun cut her off, You want to ask if the old servant who fired several shots at himself earlier could have passed too? He answered his own question, No, he couldnt. He could have survived, but not passed. The greatest respect for the layout designer is to follow the games rules and pass it. Although we bypassed some small levels along the way, it didnt matter. The master-servant duo appearing here indicates they took a shortcut. They had special intel from the outside, not discovered within the space themselves. Without those traits, they could never get the ultimate reward. Exploiting game bugs to pass is fine, but youll miss some necessary clues and gameplay experience. You might get some rewards, but not all. Thats a given. Chu Jiu pondered. Ji Xun acknowledged, That guy is pretty smart too, clearly realizing this, which is why he didnt take the gun until the last moment. Even if he guessed it, someone in his status wouldnt dare bet. If he died, everything would be lost. Anyone in his place would hesitate. After all, power and status can be restraints, making one lose the spirit of adventure. Its destiny, unrelated to wisdom or anything. Listening to Ji Xun untangling and explaining each levels plot, Chu Jiu finally felt her tangled thoughts clearing up. But how could a normal person shoot themselves six times based on just these two clues? Chu Jiu couldnt help but ask, All these are your conjectures. What if you had bet wrong? If I lost, Id die. Ji Xun responded lightly. His tone was calm, as if discussing something trivial. Under the gas mask, his face broke into a bright smile. He stared at the mechanical clown as if seeing himself in a mirror. After a moment, Ji Xun spoke in a low voice, For me, the victory in such a gamble is more enticing than death. These exquisite levels gave him that long-lost, pathological, ultimate pleasure reaching a cerebral climax! Seeing it twice already, Chu Jiu was used to it. She knew he seemed to have fallen into that self-absorbed and crazy state again. For it, the same holds true. Sensing some gaze from the darkness, Ji Xun added, If I had made the wrong bet, Id die! But it would lose! If I didnt die, we both wouldnt win! It wouldnt let itself lose! Chu Jiu was puzzled, It? Ji Xun smiled brightly, Yes. Another term could be the spaces designer? Or the spaces will? The final boss? Anyway, something like that. Ji Xun asked again, Do you know why Im saying all this now? Chu Jiu initially wanted to say: Isnt it for me to hear? But she immediately understood the implication of his words and asked, Why? Ji Xun smiled slightly, Because, that guy has been spying from the shadows. Chu Jiu was stunned, looking around, But by saying this, wouldnt it Ji Xun shook his head, Its meant for it to hear. Unraveling a perfect mystery is a pleasurable experience. For a level designer, having someone appreciate his designs intricacy brings more fulfillment than killing and toying with players who cant grasp a levels joy. Chu Jiu felt a headache, automatically relating his words: How come I feel like the foolish player youre mentioning is me? After a pause. Ji Xun looked at the grotesque mechanical clown again and asked for the second time, Right, Mr. Clown? This time, the clown responded, Yes, adventurer. Its originally exaggerated mouth widened into a smile that seemed to split its face, then it said, Congratulations on completing the test. Ji Xun, feeling as though meeting a worthy opponent, responded, Thank you. It was a delightful experience. The iron cage opened slowly. The clown smiled slightly. Its smile gradually stiffened. The already colorful paint quickly dulled, as if losing life, suddenly turning gray. The mechanical clowns mission ended here. At the last moment, it uttered the cards second phrase, Before dawn, someone has to light up the darkness. As if hearing an ancient whisper. Ji Xun listened silently, contemplating seriously. He gazed at the dead mechanical clown, unmoving for a long time. At this moment, enlightenment dawned. You heard descriptions of darkness in the whispers from the abyss, you touched miracles. Ji Xun pondered, looking at the previously unremarkable black card in his hand. Now, it had changed. The calamity item listed in the file had already been in his hand. It was a gray poker card. [Ace C Gray Joker] Quality: Epic Category: Demon Mark Extraordinary Attributes: 1. Trickster: Insight +10, photographic memory, cognition cannot be erased or altered by any external forces below card rule levels, probability of interpreting demon whispers; 2. Cursed Gambler: A clowns life seems cursed by fate, always plagued by bad luck. He grows in adversity and pain, like a blade dancer, finding meaning in thrills. The more dire the situation, the better the luck. S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. 3. Wildcard: Infinite body containment, all-element resistance with growth, the fusioner isnt limited by sequence, can use any profession card to advance; 4. Devils Feast: You can extract extraordinary traits from corpses; Evaluation: The Joker card is the most unique in poker, being both the ace and the wildcard. The clown mocks the gods hypocrisy, ridicules Deaths incompetence, and satirizes human greed and cowardice. He roams the shadows, spying on the world. This card is legendary yet hidden in historys dust, one of the fifty-four demon source cards, pointing to an indescribable high-ranked demon. Fusion compatibility 97%, mutation probability not exceeding 5% upon fusing this demon mark. At the cards bottom, a line of handwritten text was inscribed. Though unfamiliar with the script, Ji Xun understood: Is this a demons enslavement contract? No, quite the opposite; it is a sign of conquering the demons powera signature M. Demon mark quality grades: Whiteboard, Black Iron, Silver, Gold, Legendary, Epic. Chapter 20: The Devils Feast Is this the T-level cataclysm source?Ji Xun looked at the card in his hand. Previously it only had two lines of text, now it had an image of a funny clown wearing a pointed hat. Although it was a two-dimensional image, the clown on the card seemed like a three-dimensional being reduced to two dimensions, immensely realistic. Its eyes were filled with mockery towards the world and scorn towards death. It grinned widely, with a devilish smirk that raised its lips to a terrifying degree, giving off a chilling and sinister feeling. Just by looking at it, a strong sensation of mystique and evil washed over, causing a subtle sense of unease. However, Ji Xun felt no discomfort. It felt like looking into a mirror. s?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. He saw his own shadow on the card, familiar yet mysteriously fitting. The clowns appearance gradually turned into his own likeness. Immediately after the clown image appeared on the black card, it seemed to activate some ritual, causing the entire card to melt and transform into clusters of black glimmers that swirled around Ji Xuns body, gradually merging into him. This was not a card everyone could see in its true form. At least Chu Jiu beside him didnt see the clown image on the card. She just took a glance and then looked away. She didnt clearly see which source card it was, nor did she intend to. Ji Xun didnt know the value of the card, but Chu Jiu knew it very well. A black iron quality demon mark found in the black market of the dungeon was already considered a rare card accessible to ordinary people. Silver ones were even rarer, considered treasures that were hard to come by. Gold cards were strategic resources almost monopolized by high-ranking individuals. As for legendary cards, they were like legendary treasures that ordinary people might never see in their lifetime. Above legendary, there was still another kind of card in this world that very few had truly seen. These were the Fifty-Two Epic Source Cards recorded in history. The fifty-two epic source cards corresponded to fifty-two powerful demon gods from legend, bestowing pure demonic power upon curse card masters. These are ancient relics from before the great cataclysm, said to be crafted by ancient deities. Any time one of these cards appeared in the world, it would inevitably cause disputes. Yet Chu Jiu didnt have any intention of taking it for herself. She knew very well that treasures chose their masters. Only those with highly compatible resonance could fully see the demonic power on these fifty-two demonic source cards and integrate it. Otherwise, the probability of mutation was very high. Just like this inter-dimensional space [407 Anomalous Creature Containment Facility], according to the records, this was a secret bunker initially used to study this source card. But without exception, all experimental subjects mutated and they still couldnt figure out what card this was. This card had been preserved here for thousands of years. Chu Jiu looked complicatedly at her teammate who was currently integrating the card and awakening, saying nothing. She saw a distorted light gate appear before her and knew she could leave. Integration would still take some time, so Chu Jiu decided to go out first to check the situation, walking over without hesitation. But upon approaching the distorted light gate and seeing the final rewards, her rarely seen joy appeared, Huh? The rewards for clearing such a difficult inter-dimensional space were beyond imagination! After some time, Ji Xun came out of that strange feeling. The black card [Grey Joker] in his hand was gone. Am I a transcendental now? Ji Xun understood what had happened. This was a world of curse card masters. From the information gathered so far, the Demon Mark was the key to opening the ultimate mysteries of the human body, and upon awakening, it allowed individuals to obtain supernatural powers that surpassed human limits from the demon gods indicated by the cards. At this moment, a door to a new world opened. He looked at his attribute panel again but then remarked, Ah, strength, physique, agility, none of them increased at all. The card that seemed very powerful did not visibly enhance his physical attributes. The basic attributes on the panel hadnt changed; things like elemental resistance and comprehension were hidden attributes. But that transcendental feeling was very real. It felt like a rebirth; at this moment, he felt that the world he saw was completely different. He could clearly perceive those tiny particles in the air, which were the four basic elemental particles of earth, wind, water, and fire. What a magical sensory world! Ji Xun very much enjoyed the sensation of his senses being infinitely magnified, making the entire world appear clearer. Deceiver, Misfortune Gambler, Wildcard, and Devils Feast. The abilities described by these four entries were very exaggerated. He didnt know much about this world and couldnt fully comprehend what benefits [Grey Joker] brought. But the most intuitive thing was that a new active skill appeared on his panel[Devils Feast Lv0 (1/500)]. The ability to absorb extraordinary properties from corpses? He turned to look at the nearby two iron cages, where the corpses of the old servant and the mercenary were still fresh. Why not give it a try? With this thought, Ji Xun walked over without hesitation. At this moment, the corpse, with its blood not yet dried, looked completely different in his eyes. Soft wisps of smoke were emanating from its surface. This was the uncontrolled curse power and extraordinary properties. Previously invisible to the naked eye, these mysterious substances were now visualized before hima wondrous experience. He tried using the feast, releasing a gray mist from his body to come into contact with the blue smoke. Like a giant whale opening its mouth, it swallowed large quantities of seawater. You used the feast to devour, physique +001 You used the feast to devour, strength +001 You used the feast to devour, resilience +0007 You used the feast to devour, fire element affinity +04 The corpse, freshly dead, had a very dense outflow of extraordinary properties. Even with large amounts devoured, there was still more flowing out continuously. Attributes were increasing! Continuously increasing! Not just attributes, it could even absorb elemental affinity. Ji Xun looked at the constantly changing values on his panel, spirits lifted, Directly devouring to increase attributes? Although subtle, it was indeed increasing. The feast turned the extraordinary properties of corpses into his own. The doors to a new world had opened! Although its slow to absorb, this [Feast] is practically a divine skill for the late stages! Ji Xun looked at his basic attributes, which continued to change, feeling inspired. The later the stage, the stronger it would become. He wasnt sure how long it would take to fully absorb the extraordinary properties of the two corpses, but estimated that increasing strength by 1 would take at least six hours? This was clearly related to his lack of familiarity with the skill. After upgrading from Lv0, the efficiency of devouring should have a lot more room for improvement. But obviously now wasnt the right time to devour. Although the inter-dimensional space was cleared, there were still potential crises out there. Taking this final reward wasnt something everyone could do like his teammate without feeling envious. At least the fourth young master of the Cao family certainly wouldnt agree. Moreover, it was still unknown what the outside world was like now. Considering the previous situation where dozens of people died in just one inter-dimensional space, this world was likely very harsh. Yet Ji Xun found himself liking it here more and more. Not delaying, he walked toward the distorted light gate wanting to leave. At this moment, upon awakening, he was slightly surprised, There are still final rewards? Not only were they there, but they were also very generous. Chapter 21: The Universal Mask of the Relic Clown "Congratulations on clearing 407 Anomalous Creature Containment.""Dungeon exploration rate 87%, received A-level reward, guaranteed reward 100%." "Strategist: Random card draw reward +30%." "Monster Slayer: Additional card draw reward +20%." "Weak Overcoming the Strong: Additional card draw reward +25%." "Light Injury: Fixed reward +2%." "BOSS Slay: A-level [Fallen Witch] special reward +5%; A-level [Curse Gambler] special reward +7%; A-level [Shadow Demon] reward +7%." "Completed hidden plot exploration *3, hidden reward +15%." "Overall rating S, obtained pass-through chest 1." Ji Xun looked at the series of settlement evaluations, not quite understanding. But thinking that he had killed several main BOSSes, the rewards should be good. He looked again at the two chests floating in mid-air, gently touched, and the plot chest opened five hexagram cards. There was also a prompt below: "20% probability of drawing a white card, 79% black iron card, 1% silver card." The second special chest had only one card. "Drawing cards?" Ji Xun smiled slightly, another gambling dogs game. Five choices, one. He casually clicked on a card. S?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Without the golden legendary glow, two cards appeared in front of him. "Opened pass-through chest, obtained SkillAdvanced Firearm Expertise *1." "Opened special settlement chest, obtained RelicJesters Universal Mask *1." Ji Xun looked at the attribute introduction of the two cards in his hand, his eyes brightened. Although the plot chest did not draw the 1% silver card, the reward was better than expected. [SkillAdvanced Firearm Expertise] Details: Black iron skill cultivation card, requires intermediate firearm expertise, using or mastering advanced firearm expertise, you will possess superb shooting skills. He was just at the intermediate level. "Unexpectedly, another skill cultivation card." Ji Xun looked at the card with a firearm icon and muttered. He recalled that Chujiu had said that skill cultivation cards were extremely rare, considered the most valuable among cards of the same quality. He didnt expect to get two in this different-dimensional space. Does it mean that his card-drawing luck is actually pretty good? Or is it due to the high evaluation leading to a higher probability of drawing exclusive items? Anyway, he drew it. Looking at the attribute panel, he was exactly at [Intermediate Firearm Expertise (654/800)], able to use this card. With a thought, he crushed the card. "Used SkillAdvanced Firearm Expertise, you have mastered the skill." Exaggeratedly, the skill panel updated to [Advanced Firearm Expertise (1554/3000)]. "This skill card is amazing." Ji Xun, to understand how this card works, paid close attention to the changes in his body before and after using it. Clearly, he felt like some mysterious force added something to his memory. It was as if he had a short but enriching dream. He swam in the dream, and then he actually learned to swim. Ji Xun felt great. After integrating the card skill, his hand instinctively touched the revolver at his waist, instantly feeling different. Previously, firearms were still an external tool to him. But now, touching the revolver felt like an extension of his arm. He had a feeling that if he drew the gun, he would definitely hit whatever he aimed at. In his previous life, he had seen military reports, where some top firearms masters mentioned that this level was akin to feeling that the firearm is an extension of their body. "So this is advanced firearm expertise, truly amazing." Ji Xun felt fully rewarded. Perhaps firearms are not too strong in this world with extraordinary powers, but with his current weak body, the most direct way to increase combat power is with firearm skills. This skill card may not be the best, but it is definitely the most practical right now! Without much thought, he turned to look at the other card he obtained. [RelicJesters Universal Mask] Description: Once worn for too long, it cannot be taken off. Details: An ancient relic exclusive to a sequence that lost its divinity, possessing strong mental erosion; consuming 10 mind power per hour after wearing, it can arbitrarily change faces, and based on ones mental power attribute, gain illusion resistance +35%, curse immunity +20%, mental probe immunity +70%, mystery +30%, dark affinity +20; insufficient mental power leads to mental distortion; can absorb mental power to enhance the relics quality. "Exclusive relic?" Ji Xun looked at the card with a mask icon. The mask was flesh-colored, like a freshly peeled human skin. It was a piece of equipment. Ji Xun didnt understand why equipment needed to be sealed in a card. But when the mask appeared in his hand at the thought, he immediately guessed the reason. In his hand appeared a mask as thin as a cicadas wing, light as a feather, but holding it made his vision blur. A prompt appeared: "Mysterious erosion, mental power -01." This mask, like the extraordinary materials inside those monsters, had energy pollution akin to nuclear radiation. Now Ji Xun had a better understanding of "extraordinary pollution." It wasnt something to be overly feared, probably because his body was too weak to withstand some overly powerful exotic energy. Its like sunbathing, getting too close, or too long being harmful to humans. Sealing the equipment in a card is probably to protect the user and prevent the extraordinary traits of the equipment from leaking? Like leaving a kitchen knife exposed to the air would rust, storing equipment in a card prevents extraordinary traits from being lost. Ji Xun didnt think too much about it. He would have enough time to explore this magical world in the future. Ji Xun estimated the usage time of this equipment in his mind, thinking: "Wearing it continuously consumes mental power. So I can use it for about ten minutes now?" Normally it should last about twenty minutes, but he didnt think draining his mental power was a good idea. The attributes of this mask were some terms he couldnt accurately grasp, so Ji Xun wasnt sure of its strength. But suddenly, wearing the mask, he saw a very intuitive stat change on his status panel: Dark affinity 25. His original dark affinity was only 5, and this mask temporarily added 20. "Reaching dark affinity of 25, can I now learn that [SkillShadow Stealth]?" Ji Xun took out the skill cultivation card he previously obtained from killing the shadow demon and tried it. The prompt showed it indeed could be used! Compared to the mask or something, he felt that this [Shadow Stealth] was the lifesaving godly skill at the moment. Without much thought, Ji Xun directly used the cultivation card. As the card disintegrated into powder in his hand, the dream-like inspiration swept through in an instant, and the skill panel added another [Shadow Stealth Lv0]. He actually learned it! Compared to firearm expertise, which he mastered in his previous life, this [Shadow Stealth] was truly an extraordinary ability. Ji Xun felt very magical. Trying to use the skill, a magical scene unfolded in front of him. He watched as his body gradually blended into the darkness, disappearing without a trace. How to describe that state? Like swimming underwater, the dark elements wrapped around and hid his body instantly; he felt his whole body submerged in the dark elements. The previously completely ethereal dark elements now felt tangible, like touchable water. However, seconds later, a staggering figure reappeared from the darkness. Ji Xun looked at himself emerging from the darkness, still immersed in the magical experience of using an extraordinary ability for the first time. Like a fish in water. Yet suddenly, he fell back onto the shore. He immediately realized something: out of mana. The data panel showed: Mana 1/13. This tiny bit of mana remained from devouring the few extraordinary traits of two corpses earlier. Ji Xun thought: "Mana is the blue bar for using curse cards, there should be some breathing methods or cultivation secrets in this world." He had seen Chujiu meditating before, with rhythmic breathing that might be the secret to cultivating mana. It seemed he needed to pay attention to such things after going out. Ji Xun thought so. A few seconds of experience opened up too many thoughts; if he could stealth long-term in the dark, this ability would be essential for home and travel. Wearing the Jesters mask consumed mental power quickly, Ji Xun took it off, and his dark affinity returned to 5. Then he noticed that the [Shadow Stealth] skill grayed out. Without high dark affinity, he could no longer sense the dark elements. The skill was imprinted in his mind, but his body couldnt perform it. Previously, it was like swimming in water, now its like swimming in the air, same movements but couldnt swim anymore. As expected. Ji Xun didnt think much and walked towards the twisted light gate to leave the different-dimensional space. He wanted to see this new world. Chapter 22: The Incident at the Campsite after Passing Through S The surroundings suddenly changed, and Ji Xun found himself out of the eerie secret room he was just in.It was a magical experience, like a time-space teleportation, stepping through the twisted light gate led to another world. Just as he was about to observe the environment, he found thick mist all around, with extremely low visibility. The air was filled with a strong smell of sulfur. While Ji Xun was trying to figure out where he was, he heard a familiar and urgent voice next to him saying, Quick, follow me! The person was none other than Jiu Jiu, who had come out first from the dimensional space. What Ji Xun didnt know was that when he cleared the stage with an S rating, a drastic change occurred simultaneously outside the dimensional space. For every dimensional space, it was like a treasure cave for treasure hunters. The 407 Detainment Center discovered in the Demon Cross Ruins was known for its high yield of treasures. Naturally, there were explorers. Not far from the dimensional space was a temporary camp, with a roaring campfire. Dozens of members of the Blackwater Mercenary Corps were stationed here, along with one or two hundred treasure hunters preparing to enter the space again. In a tent in the corner of the camp, the leader of the Blackwater Mercenary Corps was respectfully guarding a young man in a suit. And the bald team leader who came out alive was now reporting something to this fourth young master of the Cao family, Cao Yuhui. After leaving the dimensional space, Cao Yuhui had not relaxed his frowning brows. He had just obtained a B ranking upon clearing the level, which was far from his expectations. He kept thinking about how he should have dealt with the last clown game in the space, there must have been a better solution. Although he lost a loyal old servant, it was fortunate that it was not entirely in vain, as he obtained valuable information. Now that he had confirmed that the T-class Disaster Item was in the space, no matter what means he had to use, he must obtain it! The bald team leader was still eloquently recounting how he led two mercenary squads all the way from the first floor of the dungeon to the end: Young Master, those monsters were too ferocious, if it werent for our sufficient firepower This guy had no idea how Ji Xun and the other person managed to survive until the end. It seemed like luck was on their side, rushing to kill the monsters each time, while those two stayed far away from the monsters attention. In his view, without them attracting the monsters hatred, those two would never have survived until the end. Of course, even though he had some vague suspicions, he couldnt say anything right now. He just embellished how brave their Blackwater Mercenary Corps was, encountering various terrifying disasters along the way. They made it to the end relying solely on his bald command and the bravery of his teammates. At the end, the bald man added, Ah, its a pity for the brothers. Cao Yuhui listened to the bald mans experience of clearing the level, but instead of clearing his doubts, the look of confusion in his eyes intensified. He had triggered the hidden mainline in the space himself, how could he not know the danger? According to reason, except for the people who followed him, the rest couldnt have possibly survived. But unexpectedly, in this nearly impossible difficulty level, a few managed to survive. The bald man detailed how they encountered the A-rankCursed Gambler, the mysterious A-rank disaster on the fourth floor, and how many people died along the way. All of this was within his expectations. But when he heard about the hole in the wall of the 2013 room, Cao Yuhui felt something was fishy. The wall could be broken open? Before that, he directly used the secret method recorded in the family heritage files to find the passage to the lab, then went directly into the central control room of the dungeon. But there was a mention of breaking walls? His thoughts suddenly opened up. After listening, Cao Yuhui asked, So you mean, when you entered, the wall of the 2013 room was already broken? Yes. The bald man still couldnt understand why there was a hole in the wall of the 2013 room. Clearly, everyone had tried it, and the walls were all unbreakable. But that room had a hole in the wall. He was very astute and didnt talk about anything unrelated to his merits. But the more Cao Yuhui thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Since there was a hole in the wall in the 2013 room, it didnt make sense for them not to encounter theFallen Witchin the 2012 room. He asked again, Did you not encounter theFallen Witch on the second floor? This question also puzzled the bald man, No, we didnt. Could she have been killed? A thought flashed in Cao Yuhuis mind, but he immediately felt that he was overthinking it. Since it wasnt the mercenaries who killed her, how could those two loners have the ability to kill the Fallen Witch? Most likely, they were just lucky not to encounter her. After all, this dimensional space only allowed apprentice cardists to enter, and the strength of theFallen Witchwas something these Lower City hunters couldnt handle. The only reasonable explanation was that the two loners accidentally stumbled upon the hole in the wall and survived until the end. But something felt off. No matter which monster they encountered behind the wall in the lab, those two loners wouldnt have been able to handle them. Could it be that the bald man was right about their good luck, managing to evade danger each time? Cao Yuhui felt that something was amiss. In a flash, he thought of the moment when the two of them reached the end without using their guns, that kind of calmness was definitely not luck. S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Or perhaps he had misjudged, and it was just a pair of hapless lovers? Cao Yuhui couldnt figure it out for a while, he looked at the bald man coldly and asked, Is that all you have to say? Anything else? Looking at the expression of the young master, the bald man suddenly felt that something was wrong, but since he had said everything he could, he responded, Nothing more. With a wave of his hand, Cao Yuhui didnt even deign to look directly at him, muttering to himself, Strange, where did it go wrong? The bald man was the only live person from the dimensional space besides himself, and he had to die. The secret of the epic source card must not be exposed. Cao Yuhui had received information from the bald man, and he now had a comprehensive understanding of the layout of the entire dimensional space. He also speculated that perhaps because he took a shortcut, he missed some crucial clues that wouldve led him to solve the puzzle at the end. He thought about sending someone to explore the path from the 2013 room next time to see if they could find any key clues. Near the exit of the 407 space, some mercenaries had been stationed to monitor it for a long time, along with a few cardist captains. Since no one had emerged for so long, he was certain those two individuals had died inside. Cao Yuhui couldnt think of any other possibilities. What if No, there was no what if. No matter what, they were just two apprentice cardists. Thinking about this, he waited in the camp. He waited for a few more hours for the dimensional space to restart, and the portal would once again materialize. But he never expected that one of the loners in the space was not an ordinary person. And because of this negligence, a major incident occurred! As time passed, the mist outside the Devils Cross camp became denser and denser, with visibility reduced to just a few meters covered by the campfire. Although the ruin had been enveloped in thick fog for years, todays mist seemed thicker. This made Cao Yuhui somewhat restless. Whether it was the damp air and the pungent volcanic ash that made him uncomfortable, or for some other reason. If it wasnt for the T-class disaster item, he wouldnt have come to this place where only Lower City talents would come. However, just then, someone in the distance suddenly shouted. Captain, its not good! The portal to the 407 dimensional space has disappeared! How is that possible! How could it disappear? In no time, the entire camp was in an uproar. Upon hearing this news, the fourth young masters face turned pale as he suddenly stood up, his expression turning ashen. Although he couldnt believe it, he also guessed what had happened: Those two people had cleared the dimensional space! He shouted, Find that person! (The end of this chapter) Chapter 23: Devils Cross Relic Ji Xun was originally curious about the outside world, but as soon as he stepped out, he heard the urgency in Chu Jius voice.The urgency in his tone already indicated something, without any hesitation, he followed and plunged into the mist. The surroundings were all covered in fog, Ji Xun didnt know where he was, and it seemed to be night time with no light. Fortunately, after merging with the Joker card earlier, his night vision ability had greatly improved, allowing him to see clearly. The ground was cemented, surrounded by tall buildings, with signs of decay left by time like weeds, cracks, and shadows of unknown creatures, resembling ancient city ruins. Chu Jiu didnt speak, leading the way in front, walking quickly together. Until they reached a platform, the two finally stopped. Ji Xun looked around, it looked like the roof of some building here, with higher buildings above, and some shorter ones below. Before he could figure out where he was, Chu Jiu suddenly took out a bottle of potion and sprayed Ji Xun all over like disinfectant. Ji Xun hadnt figured out the situation when his teammate said, This is the [Odor Removal Potion]. Chu Jiu knew that with this guys intelligence, he would definitely not fail to understand the reason, so she didnt explain much. Ji Xun immediately understood the purpose of the potion upon hearing its name. Listening to the name, he knew it was a way to prevent tracking. His teammate was as cautious as ever. At the same time, this confirmed his previous speculation, that he had caused trouble by breaking through that different dimensional space. Although there was a small probability that Chu Jiu was also here for what he had, facing this teammate who had gone through hardships with him was definitely better than the young master from the Cao family. Hold on! After using the potion, Chu Jiu suddenly gave a light shout. Time was of the essence, so she didnt explain, she just grabbed the tactical vest of Ji Xun without hesitation. Then with a leap, she jumped down into the foggy abyss in front of them that was unknown how deep it was. Although she had seen this guys intelligence, she still had to admit that his physical fitness was really bad. If he had jumped himself, he might have fallen to his death on the spot. Although Ji Xun guessed that they were running away, the direct act of leaping off the cliff made his eyelids twitch. Before he could react, his body was rapidly falling with Chu Jiu. Yes! It was like an extreme bungee jump. His soul was still on the platform, while his body had already fallen towards the abyss, chasing after him. In mid-air, Chu Jiu shot out a steel wire from the mechanical arm, the steel wire extended with a hissing sound, and then it sounded like it had landed on some iron frame, making a clanging sound. Ji Xun immediately felt a force cushioning his fall, and his soul finally caught up. Cool air enveloped them, and his anti-gas mask was covered in mist. He watched as this weak girl, who looked half a head shorter than him, casually twisted herself with one hand, swinging back and forth in between the misty silhouettes of buildings like on a swing. Although this method was a bit scary, the displacement speed was very fast. After bouncing on the steel wire seven or eight times, they were already far away from the previous building. Clang. Ji Xuns feet landed on the ground, and he saw that they were standing on a gigantic metal pipe. The fog was heavy, and the bottom of the pipe was still not visible. The sound of flowing water could be heard, estimating that it was at least thirty meters high. Chu Jiu didnt look back and continued to lead the way, reminding him, Be careful, there are some deformed monsters in the drainage ditch below. It would be troublesome if you fall down. Any disturbances could also be noticed by others. Okay. The mist enveloped the pipe wetly, and Ji Xun walked carefully to avoid slipping. At this moment, he finally had the opportunity to say, Thank you. Obviously, this teammate had just done him a big favor, even saved his life, so it was only natural to say thank you. Chu Jius tone was calm, still with that tone of not wanting to owe any favors, No thanks, we each take what we need in cooperation. Without you before, I wouldnt have been able to come out of that dimensional space. She knew very well that without this guys unconventional thinking breaking the situation, she wouldnt have been able to come out of the space smoothly and with such rich rewards. Not only did she get unexpected job materials, but she also received an A+ rating when she came out. Getting an A+ rating in such a difficult dimensional space was very rare. This allowed her to draw a card that matched her perfectly. Therefore, Chu Jiu felt that she owed him one. But precisely because of the high rating, she speculated that it would cause big trouble. She knew very well that since she got an A+ rating, that teammates rating must be even higher. An S rating? Very likely. But once someone gives an S rating to the dimensional space, the entire space will collapse and disappear. Then big trouble will definitely ensue. So Chu Jiu decided to stay. Sure enough, not long after she waited nearby, the 407 dimensional space suddenly collapsed. That young master from the Cao family probably thought they were dead, or maybe he was just an apprentice cardsmith, so he only sent some Blackwater Mercenaries to guard. And after the collapse of the space, the location of the exit also became random. This made Chu Jiu think of helping out along the way. Fortunately, everything went smoothly. It was too easy to deceive some mercenaries with her methods. She made the mist thicker, and before the mercenaries could see clearly, she had already found them. Ji Xun listened to her words, laughing it off, Miss Chu Jiu, you are too polite. Without you, I wouldnt have been able to come out alive. Then he added, Besides, you just saved me again. Chu Jiu listened but didnt respond. Both of them were smart people, and there was no need to beat around the bush when talking, so there was no need for unnecessary politeness. They walked on the pipe for a while, and Chu Jiu jumped down to a horizontal pipe four meters below. Could this be a height that anyone with extraordinary abilities could jump? But looking at the height, Ji Xuns eyes twitched slightly. Logic wasnt scary, but his physical condition wasnt allowed. He speculated that whether his legs would be hurt if he jumped down was one thing, but falling off the pipe into the unknown deep fog was the most likely scenario. Without feeling embarrassed at all, Ji Xun smiled and said, Miss Chu Jiu, in case I fall, could you catch me? Without saying anything, Chu Jiu glanced up. The guy previously exuding an overbearing aura in a different dimensional space and now cowering when jumping from a pipe made it seem like two completely different people. But watching him like this, Chu Jiu felt some balance in her heart. Ji Xun realized her thoughts, but now information was more important, so he directly asked, So how do you think I can safely return to the Innocent City? Although it seemed strange to Chu Jiu that he would ask such a question, she responded, Half an hour later, the Hunters Guilds transport train is about to leave Devils Cross. Now that the news hasnt spread, it should be your best opportunity to leave. Ji Xun noted this down silently. So there was still a train. If he wanted to leave, the sooner the better. Considering how much importance the young master from the Cao family gave to that Epic Source Card, he wouldnt publicize even if he found out who took it. Taking advantage of the news not spreading, leaving this relic was the best choice. Of course, the premise was that he could leave safely. The two walked for more than ten minutes on the pipe, feeling like they were in a super-sized steel mill with various sized pipes inside. The style of the surrounding buildings was also very unique, towering and slender like tall towers. Each building had various pipes and walkways, with a strong magic punk style. If Ji Xun remembered correctly, Chu Jiu had mentioned the name several times, something like the Devils Cross Relic. As they walked, the two had reached a platform that was quite high in the relic, offering a clear view. The mist was heaped like a sea of clouds at the waist of the buildings. The two were just at the waist, surrounded by tall buildings. The whole city was permeated with a mysterious and ancient charm, filled with remnants of a bygone era. What surprised Ji Xun even more was that this was actually an underground city? S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Looking up at the sky, he didnt see any stars, just a dark expanse. The light sources of the entire city seemed to come from some underground plants and the fluorescence of the building materials. There was also a distant volcano. At the end of the view, there was a tall active volcano? Yes, an underground volcano! Ji Xun also realized that there was a sulfur smell in the air. The flowing red magma from the crater stood out in this dim underground world. Looking closely, he saw that the layout of all the buildings in the relic formed a giant cross shape. Viewed from above, it looked like a mysterious symbol with magical effects. No wonder this relic was called the Devils Cross. Ji Xun marveled, Such a grand underground city, whats the situation in this world? Listening to this, such a magnificent city was just an ancient relic. The human-inhabited Innocent City was somewhere else. And not far from their sight, there was a glow of buildings, where there was a bustling crowd, probably the Hunters Camp. Chu Jiu stopped here and prepared to say goodbye, The camp is right ahead, and there are no deformed monsters around here, so well part ways here. Okay. Ji Xun nodded. It was already generous of her to escort him this way. The rest of the distance he could manage on his own. Initially, Ji Xun thought that Chu Jiu had some ulterior motive for helping him, but now seeing her actions, he realized he had overthought it. This teammate really didnt want to owe anyone any favors. Before parting, Chu Jiu reminded him, One more thing. Whatever happens, you better not mention that youve seen me, or else youll bring endless trouble upon yourself. Also, dont mention your gains in this dimensional space to anyone else, or it will be troublesome. Ji Xun naturally understood, Take care. Chu Jiu didnt say anything, just jumped down. Ji Xun watched her agile figure disappear into the thick fog, and without a teammate, the slight breeze around him suddenly seemed full of danger. Without delay, he walked towards the camp. End of Chapter. Chapter 24: Campsite After his teammates left, Ji Xun cautiously walked towards the direction of the campfire.He climbed down the rusty stairs and from halfway down, he could already overlook the bustling camp. The camp was shrouded in mist from the campfire, with people crowding inside. It was a mechanical small town. Treasure hunters used the dismantled iron plates and huge rivets from the ruins to patch together a tall steel wall. The town was brightly lit, bustling with people, roughly estimated to have tens of thousands of people. Almost every building had smoke emerging from chimney pipes. Ji Xun had previously felt that the steam technology tree in this world was a bit crooked, and now he saw that it was indeed the case. At a glance, he saw the steam train in the town like a giant steel python, with large mechanical crane arms lifting various goods. Even the workers carrying goods had some strange mechanical exoskeletons, allowing them to easily move tons of goods. He was a bit worried about his attire being noticed and causing trouble, but after observing the attire of hunters in the camp, Ji Xun immediately felt relieved. Tactical vests with boots, this was the standard outfit on Randa Street. Seven or eight out of every ten hunters in the camp wore this outfit, the styles of even their gas masks were almost the same. Ji Xun also relaxed and climbed down the stairs, landing on the ground. Walking over, the camp gate was wide open, with several hunters leaning against the watchtower, lazily scanning around. As long as it wasnt a monster attack, no one would care who entered the camp. There were many people coming and going, excitedly discussing various stories from the ruins. Ji Xun mingled in the crowd and smoothly walked in. This was a camp built for exploring the ruins, with all facilities inside serving the hunters. Card shop, weapon shop, machinery modification shop, potion shop, material merchant shop, in short, various supply shops. Ji Xun passed by those shops, looking at the array of firearms and individual mechanical equipment, feeling envious. He had thought his revolver was pretty good before, but now it seemed quite basic in comparison. There were even dozens of types of bullets, like armor-piercing rounds, incendiary rounds, demon-banishing rounds, burning rounds. He glanced at the price tags outside the shop: Armor-Piercing Rounds: $3 High-Explosive Grenade: $300 M127 Revolver: $1300 Double-Barrel Demon-Hunting Gun: $2550 Individual Mechanical Power Assist Skeleton (800KG): $32500 Clear prices. His own large-caliber gold revolver was only worth $1300, while more advanced equipment cost tens of thousands. There were also daggers, leather armor, tactical boots, grappling hooks. In short, as long as you had the money, you could buy a better set of adventure equipment. Equipment was a hunters tool for survival, so hunters naturally didnt hesitate to spend money. These shops were filled with all kinds of hunters. Ji Xun walked along, buying a tactical backpack and updating some essential equipment. He didnt even consider looking at the mechanical skeletons. Too expensive. Too bulky. He continued walking forward, and there was a large shop in the core of the camp with a sign that read Heisen Merchant Guilds Card House. There were exquisite glass display cases at the entrance, displaying various colored magic cards. Wind Blade Card: $3000 Explode Card: $5000 Arcane Chain Shot: $15555 Second Level Hellfire: $30000 Most of the cards in the display case were disposable skill cards, as well as blank storage cards, energy cards, various incomprehensible spiritual cards, and armament cards. Ji Xun glanced inside but didnt enter the shop, muttering to himself, It must be because they are cheap. Previously in the different dimension, he had seen both Chu Jiu and the hired mercenaries use several types of magic cards. But they were rarely used. More commonly used were firearms. Now looking at the prices, he immediately understood why. The power of magic cards was indeed much stronger than firearms, and they could satisfy various combat needs. But the prices were outrageous. A grenade was only $300, while a first-level Explode Card cost $5000. The physical damage was similar, but the price difference was more than tenfold. But he had no trouble understanding this. s?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Firearms could be mass-produced on a factory assembly line, and in this world where steam machinery was advanced, the manufacturing cost was definitely not high. On the other hand, cards involved magic and magic sealing, which currently seemed to require manual processing. Expensive for a reason. Plus, the upper limit of magic cards was clearly higher. A grenade was already one of the most powerful ammunitions in personal equipment, but it was only roughly equivalent to the lowest-level cards power. The outrageously priced high-level cards hinted at their incredible power, with some extraordinary magical effects. For example, a card priced at over a hundred thousand, Chain Lightning. The skill effect was instantaneously causing group lightning damage and paralysis to the targets in the area. Being able to control the power of lightning physically? This was very difficult even with advanced technology in the previous life. Ji Xun looked in amazement, while also full of expectations for the extraordinary powers humans could wield in this world. Next door, there was also an apothecary with some seemingly mystical alchemical potions. Ji Xun looked at the rows of various potion labels and almost got dizzy. He picked a few necessary basic potions and didnt look further. High-level potions were still pricey! Ji Xun had only a few cash he scraped off the mercenaries bodies in his pocket, and couldnt afford high-level potions at all. He was not clear about the price level in this world, nor did he know the purchasing power. But he soon found a reference. There was a crude tavern in the camp, where a group of hunters were eating, drinking, and chatting inside. Walking on the street, he glanced at the prices: Black bread $15/piece, drinking water $3/Liter. Not too expensive. Having walked for a while and feeling hungry, he took out money to buy a piece of black bread the length of his arm. Holding it in his hand, it looked like a baseball bat, hard and crispy. He tried it. Surprisingly, besides the risk of breaking a tooth due to its hardness, it tasted good. After chewing it and breaking it down, the carbohydrates were broken down by saliva, and a sweet aroma swept over his taste buds. It was like the compressed biscuits from his past life, not caring much about the texture but prioritizing energy supply. After a few bites, he quickly felt his calorie needs were satisfied. Everything in the Devils Cross camp was new to Ji Xun. As a newcomer, if possible, he planned to explore the surroundings or sit in the tavern. Hearing what people were chatting about, he could learn more about what this world was like. But now was clearly not the time. Ji Xun bought some supplies and hurried towards the train station behind the camp. On the way, he also observed his surroundings. The camp was not large, more like the size of a small town. After walking for a short while, he arrived at the train station. It was a rudimentary platform that looked like an ancient ruin, with traces of the years everywhere. The station was bustling with people coming and going. Workers were busy loading various goods found in the ruins onto the train, while the treasure hunters who had a fruitful harvest joyfully gathered in groups to board the train. After treasure hunting, if you didnt die, then you must have earned something. The hunters would take this train back to the City of Innocence and then spend a long period of indulgent life. Ji Xuns observational skills were unusually keen, and he immediately noticed something unusual. Blackwater Mercenary Groups people. In the busy crowd, Ji Xun immediately spotted a few guys who looked suspicious. While other hunters were eager to board the train, they were scanning around in the crowd as if looking for something. Ji Xun wasnt sure if those guys were looking for him. But even if they were looking for him, their information was very limited. Perhaps all they knew was that it was a man and a woman? Previously in the different dimension, wearing a gas mask, even Cao Jias Fourth Young Master didnt get a clear look at his face, so there werent many clues exposed. As long as he didnt reveal any flaws, the probability of being found out was low. But this world did have extraordinary powers. Ji Xun didnt dare to be careless. Mimicking the carefree steps of the pedestrians, he blended into the crowd, showing no signs of being timid or avoiding as he boldly walked towards the train. (End of the chapter)