Chapter 101.2 Crimson Sunset Expedition (End)
The lock on the gate vanished, and the tour guide appeared from the main entrance, just like before, waving a little colored flag in her hand.
All the scorching gazes turned to her. Though it was the same face, the current tour guide lacked the inscrutable aura she had back in the core of the brain monster.
Amidst the numerous glances, the tour guide’s gaze first fell upon Wen Shi. When she realized he was still alive, her visibly uneasy expression worsened. For some reason, although she had received her compensation and the previous feeling of disgust had somewhat faded, she was now inexplicably angry. As soon as she saw Wen Shi, she developed a strong sense of misfortune.
“Everyone, line up. We’re getting ready to take the shuttle bus back.”
The group ignored the coldness in her voice and searched for the shadow of the bus.
Almost simultaneously, a horn sounded from outside.
The tour guide led the group out.
A player suddenly asked, “What about those still inside?”
The tour guide remained indifferent, “The departure time for the shuttle bus is fixed. Those who didn’t come out due to personal reasons can either walk back or take a paid ride.”
Walking at the end of the line, Wen Shi turned to look back before exiting the iron gate. The Crimson Sunset Cosmetic Surgery Clinic, seemingly a synonym for shabbiness and dilapidation, lay before him. The peeling and mottled wall emitted an aura of decay. At one of the windows on the fourth-floor corridor, a tall figure stood. His noticeable goat horns couldn’t be ignored, and even the impending daylight couldn’t pierce through the darkness surrounding him.
Everything seemed forgotten in the bygone days.
Wen Shi’s mood suddenly grew heavy. A slender tentacle slipped into his palm. The mini octopus grew larger, leading him forward.
On the way back, the interior of the bus remained dark.
Though appearing to keep his eyes shut, Wen Shi was actually using the attribute panel’s【Mailbox】feature. He wrote a letter to the host–
I’ve just concluded a fantastical journey, exploring another branch of Frank’s. Currently, I have a somewhat immature hypothesis.
The creatures confined on Frank’s topmost floor don’t seem entirely indifferent to the hospital’s situation. It appears they can’t reach a consensus on certain matters.
If one day you manage to reach the depths of Frank Hospital and face an unbeatable creature, you can try praising the founding director incessantly, claiming to have come to admire his magnificence.
If you encounter a creature with a soft heart, perhaps it might let you off the hook.
Lastly, I wish you smooth work.
Best regards.
After selecting the host as the recipient, Wen Shi sent the letter.
He gazed out of the window, recalling how the host had mentioned that there were true spirits among his father’s followers–likely the one he had encountered earlier. The true spirit had clearly informed him that someone was trying to resurrect his father through him, and it seemed his father had anticipated this situation, leaving behind a final wish to prevent it.
As things stood, this restriction still held. Despite the true spirit employing all possible means of persecution, they had yet to impose any constraints on the leniency of the goat-headed security guards.
Otherwise, he would probably have been made to spill the beans on the fourth floor.
“Why me?”
Wen Shi furrowed his brows, wondering if resurrection required his parallel-world self as a medium.
A pointed tentacle tapped him. Since Wen Shi was sitting in a two-person seat, the octopus occupied the seat beside him. It whispered, “If you’re tired, you can lean against my head and rest.”
While saying this, its big head shifted slightly towards him.
The complex emotions vanished in an instant as Wen Shi forced a wry smile and declined.
As the vehicle neared the inn, the tour guide moved to the front and said, “Our current journey has come to an end. Tourists who wish to continue sightseeing can contact me to pay the price difference…”
Upon reaching this point, she cast a wary glance at Wen Shi.
Wen Shi felt unfairly singled out. Having been touched by the goat-headed security guard’s chains, his current survival time within the instance had not exceeded twenty hours.
Confirming that the troublemaker had no intention of staying, the tour guide continued, “The return train will depart promptly at ten o’clock. Please ensure you have your identification documents with you.”
Across from them, Xiao Hua asked Yu Xingzhou if he wanted to go back. According to the tour guide, this instance should still be open for exploration.
Many players were whispering to each other, considering the feasibility of staying behind.
Only tourists were eligible to take the bus. Before boarding, the old lady handed the mirror to the mini octopus. A question mark slowly appeared in the mirror.
Wen Shi understood his meaning and shook his head. “You shouldn’t go.”
Noticing that Qian Laiye was also looking his way, he sighed, “Players who chose the burglar quest aren’t eligible to participate.”
Calculating based on the time when the mini octopus and the others were wanted, by five or six in the afternoon today, the wanted posters for the thieves would undoubtedly spread to every corner of Sunset Town. Staying behind would be like falling into a trap.
Qian Laiye seemed momentarily surprised upon hearing this, probably not having expected there to be this pitfall.
The bus eventually stopped at the entrance of an alley, where a girl in a white dress stood in the shadows, waiting. The first one to step off, the tour guide, was taken aback.
“Are you crazy?”
The day hadn’t fully dawned yet, and someone unfamiliar might mistake her for a wandering ghost.
The girl ignored her and headed straight for the teenager, her gaze sweeping up and down.
Great! Still alive.
No need for the Soul-Locking Gu Voodoo Doll anymore.
Reading too much from her gaze, the teenager somewhat understood Wen Shi’s helplessness. The two of them walked ahead, while Wen Shi, who got off later, held the mini octopus and followed behind. The scene was eerie yet harmonious.
There wasn’t much time left until ten o’clock. After returning to the inn, Wen Shi quickly took a shower and checked his ID card. He gathered at the inn’s entrance ahead of time.
Among those who returned alive, aside from the shadows, only Xiao Hua hadn’t disembarked. It seemed she intended to stay and continue exploring the instance.
Yu Xingzhou had been touched by the infernal chain and chose to return.
The inn wasn’t far from the train station. The tour guide, stingy until the end, led the group on foot. By this time, the sun had risen, and the entire Sunset Town had returned to its everyday bustle.
The old lady waited for Wen Shi in a discreet corner nearby. Unexpectedly, she first encountered the teenager who had gone to the ticket counter to buy tickets.
Wen Shi still provided the money for the tickets, and the other person handed over the remaining money to him and the girl.
The teenager couldn’t get on the player-exclusive K6666 train. On a whim, he sought the turtlekin’s recommendation and ended up buying a ticket to the Temple of Doom.
The ticket he purchased was in the opposite direction of K6666. Just as Wen Shi walked over and glanced at the station name, he raised an eyebrow and said, “Doom implies disaster. Are you sure you want to go there?”
The teenager nodded.
Wen Shi didn’t try to persuade further, knowing that it was time for everyone to go their separate ways.
The few of them passed through the entrance of the station in silence. During this time, the old lady slipped into Wen Shi’s suitcase. The security at Sunset Town’s train station was quite lax, and they easily reached the platform.
Carrying the luggage, as he boarded the train, Wen Shi looked towards the opposite platform. The teenager got on the train first, he had knocked out the elephant-eared ticket inspector, making it easier for the girl to board.
Wen Shi: “……”
Compared to thrusting a steel pipe through someone’s throat, this was quite understanding and righteous.
The tour guide didn’t board the train with them. She habitually waved a little colored flag and said, “Wishing everyone a smooth journey.”
Just before the train departed, Wen Shi suddenly moved to the side of the door.
Thinking he had changed his mind and wanted to join the tour, the tour guide immediately attempted to push his head back in. But Wen Shi spoke just in time. “Have you heard of the Merfolk Shore?”
The shoving arms stiffened briefly. The tour guide’s expression turned more serious. “Why do you want to know about that?”
Wen Shi’s smile held a meaningful hint. “For sightseeing, of course. If it’s fun, I might go there in the future.”
This NPC almost seemed eager to get himself killed. To lure him in, she might reveal some information.
The tour guide smiled.
“It’s really fun.” She stood in a direction with the sunlight at her back, her unique ant-like eyes fixed on Wen Shi. “But I’ll give you a piece of advice—don’t get close to the Merfolk King, it’ll bring you misfortune.”
The old-fashioned green train emitted a whistle before starting, and the train doors automatically closed. Wen Shi returned to his seat. The mini octopus was busy using the mirror to catch melon seed shells, deftly peeling for Wen Shi with its flexible tentacles.
“……”
He was touched, but next time, maybe not.
Inside the luggage, the old lady extended her frail arm. Wen Shi instinctively reached out, and upon their skin contact, he heard a notification sound—
“Congratulations, you’ve activated the companion skill—Grand Sealing Art.”
“This skill is limited, usable only once per instance. In this state, you can seal your own living aura for one minute.”
The name of this skill strangely brought a touch of amusement.
Wen Shi further checked his attribute panel. A skill lasting less than a minute, yet requiring eight hundred points per use. He didn’t complain about the game’s steep charges. If chased by monsters, using this skill could save his life.
“Thank you, Grandma,” he earnestly expressed his gratitude.
Inside the suitcase, the old lady cupped her face, thinking her dear grandson was indeed the most well-behaved and adorable in the world.
Wen Shi was still waiting for the next wave of game notification sounds.
As the train left Sunset Town, the notification sound finally returned:
“Congratulations to the player for completing the standalone ‘Crimson Sunset Expedition.'”
“Instance settlement is imminent.”
Wen Shi swallowed, recalling Ji Yuanzhi’s words that standalone games could offer twenty to thirty thousand points upon completion. He hoped the game wouldn’t deduct points in this aspect. In a last-ditch effort, he devoutly praised the game in his mind.
“You’ve completed Main Quest 2. You’ve earned a reward of twenty-five thousand points for this instance.”
“Furthermore, the host has reviewed your letter. As a token of gratitude for your thoughtful reminder, he has arranged for an item to be shipped from overseas. Would you like to spend twenty points to receive it?”
Shipping fees had surprisingly gone up.
Wen Shi put on a wry smile and said, “Yes.”
A new item appeared in his backpack.
【Pen Stylus: One-time use item. The first pen the host-turned-journalist used when switching professions. When you write an article using the pen, the public’s trust in the content of the article automatically increases by fifty percent.】
“……”
Wasn’t this just a tool for spreading rumors?
The host seemed to have a bias towards being a journalist.
Wen Shi and Yu Xingzhou exchanged their findings and discovered that players who chose the Shadow Hunter quest received an additional two thousand points during settlement. The game specifically designed settings related to light and shadow, and quests revolving around this aspect generally receive higher points.
Wen Shi calmly accepted this fact. Even before choosing the quest, he had a similar guess.
The train entered a mountain tunnel, and everything around them darkened.
Players could sense that they would be directly teleported out of the tunnel.
Because he would be able to meet the old lady during afternoon tea in the future, Wen Shi didn’t say a special goodbye. With a turn of his head, the reluctant mini octopus gave him a clingy touch before disappearing along with him right before the light completely dimmed. There was a fleeting radiance on the dusty surface of the mirror before it vanished with Wen Shi.
This meant they were headed to another place.
“!”
The pupil of the big eyeball trembled.
Why could a broken mirror tag along with Wen Shi but not itself?
Could it be that it was a fake true spirit’s incarnation?
While Big Eye began to doubt the world, all the passengers in the train compartment disappeared. In front of Wen Shi’s eyes, there was darkness. He had become familiar with this experience, calmly waiting for the teleportation to complete.
…
Virtual world.
The square was packed with people.
Yu Xingzhou and Li Nan exited the instance as well, and someone even set up a gambling pool for this purpose. They bet on who could come back alive, and every day, people stared at the player numbers on the big screen.
This spectacular scene was even more exaggerated than Wen Shi’s first exit from an instance. He felt like a monkey trapped in a zoo cage, almost wanting to extend his hand to ask these people for an entrance fee.
Thankfully, around such ‘tourist attractions’ like the big shots, other players only dared to observe from a distance. No one dared to recklessly approach. Wen Shi followed a relatively spacious path away from the crowd. As for Song Yan, who knew what was going on with him. Normally, everything would return to normal when returning to the instance, but he remained a mirror. It seemed he would need the full three days.
Since Song Yan was essentially a living thing and couldn’t be stashed into his backpack, Wen Shi deliberately walked in the middle of the group. He took off his coat and used it to cover the mirror in his hand, making sure it wasn’t too conspicuous.
The newbie had shed its insect exoskeleton and was suddenly faced with such a grand scene, feeling quite unsure of what to do.
“Is there anything to pay attention to here?” the newbie asked cautiously.
Wen Shi replied, “Let’s talk about it after we return to the hotel.”
Yu Xingzhou was quite generous, allowing the newbie to temporarily stay at the hotel owned by Second Commandment.
Once away from the scrutiny of others and inside the hotel, Wen Shi felt considerably more relaxed. Yu Xingzhou needed to return to the guild for a while and didn’t accompany them to the hotel.
While waiting for the elevator with the newbie, the front desk staff approached and conveyed a message, “The Vice Guild Leader mentioned earlier that it would be best for you to meet him after coming out.”
Wen Shi nodded and gestured to the newbie beside him, “This person…”
The front desk staff was perceptive. “Rest assured, we will make arrangements.”
While the newbie was expressing gratitude, Wen Shi moved to the side and used the communicator to contact Ji Yuanzhi.
The call connected quickly, “I have some time right now. Just wait for me at the hotel.”
With no one around in the resting area, Wen Shi didn’t return to his room but sat down on a sofa instead.
Half an hour later, as he was nearly dozing off on the couch, Ji Yuanzhi finally appeared. He still wore those glasses, and his relatively ordinary face seemed to carry a touch of magic within it.
“How’s your interaction with the Guild Leader?” Ji Yuanzhi got straight to the point, skipping the usual pleasantries.
Wen Shi knew he wouldn’t ask this question without reason and nodded, “It’s alright, I guess.”
Ji Yuanzhi took a seat next to Wen Shi, resting his wrist on the armrest of the sofa. “The Guild Leader has a special means to bring people into instances,” he said, pausing for a moment before lowering his voice, “If you want revenge, it’s best to talk to the Guild Leader as soon as possible.”
A thought stirred in Wen Shi’s mind, and he furrowed his brows while turning his face to the side. “Is there any movement on Pei Hongxin’s side?”
“In recent years, he’s become more low-key,” Ji Yuanzhi reminded, “I received some insider information that Mr. and Mrs. Pei Hongxin might be relocating overseas.”
After years of navigating the business world, Pei Hongxin seemed to have intentions of retiring in success.
“In a couple of days, they will be hosting a gathering, which will include some influential figures returning from abroad. Pei Hongxin probably intends to expand his network through this event, preparing for future external investments.”
“He’s scared.” Wen Shi’s eyes darkened. He understood well that cautious individuals like Pei Hongxin worried more about their past being exposed the higher they stood.
Ji Yuanzhi glanced at Wen Shi but remained silent.
The insurance money was secondary. That fire incident had indeed garnered significant public sympathy for Pei Hongxin and his wife. Even those who came to collect debts or demand payment were hesitant to confront them. Pei Hongxin’s wife had even intentionally burned herself, and at the time, many people had raised donations for them.
Wen Shi fell silent for a moment and then asked, “Can you help me get an invitation to that gathering?”
Ji Yuanzhi paused, exchanging a glance with him. “Are you planning to…”
Wen Shi nodded. In the past, he had worried that acting prematurely might alert Pei Hongxin, but now that he had confirmed a way to bring him into the game, it wasn’t acting prematurely. It was turning the target into a startled bird.
“Say,” Wen Shi’s furrowed brows relaxed, and he suddenly laughed, “If I attend that gathering, standing openly in front of them, what do you think would happen?”
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