Chapter 128.1 Merfolk Shore
“These days, it’s been mostly overcast, without beautiful sunsets,” said Wen Shi. “Around 8 in the evening, the sky gets really dark. How about we start around then?”
Chubby Guy: “Sure.”
On the fourth floor, the two of them went their separate ways. Wen Shi carried on ascending the stairs, while Chubby Guy didn’t immediately start walking. He observed Wen Shi’s figure heading upstairs, realizing he needed to watch out for this person tonight.
There was a side quest without a clear deadline, and its level of difficulty was generally manageable. Normally, players would be focused on how to handle the principal after choosing a faction, but during the journey, there was no discussion about factions.
When Wen Shi got back to the dorm, he secured the door and went straight to Jian Qingrong. “How’s your contamination plan progressing?”
Jian Qingrong told the truth, “Fed until satisfied with blood. It’s all set for consumption.”
With arms folded, Wen Shi leaned on the table. “How much time does the consumption take?”
“After losing its heart, that part of the body shrank a fair amount, around half an hour.”
Wen Shi: “Faster than I had anticipated.”
Taking out the mini octopus, which struggled as if to dash towards Wen Shi, Jian Qingrong spoke lightly, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought it out.”
Bringing along the mini octopus was intended for the task at hand, both for carrying and devouring.
Simultaneously initiating the devouring process on both sides doubled the efficiency.
An adept capitalist, unrelenting even in squeezing out his own eyeball for profit.
“I can use the contaminant to move the body elsewhere for consumption, but there’s a catch.”
Wen Shi nodded directly. “I understand.”
Irrigating the contamination source wouldn’t draw much attention from the Merfolk King. After all, the principal had engaged in his share of foolish acts before. The real issue arose when absorption commenced, as it might catch the Merfolk King’s notice, prompting it to call in reinforcements from other merfolk.
With the principal around, it wasn’t easy for external merfolk to enter Mingzhu Academy. Inside the campus, the trouble came from Mr. Ruan and the merfolk stationed at Dormitory Building 32.
Wen Shi: “I’ll divert one merfolk’s attention. You should immediately carry the remains elsewhere for consumption. Big Brother will handle suppressing the other one.”
Jian Qingrong suddenly looked towards him.
Wen Shi: “I’ve got it figured out.”
Despite appearing risky, the plan held no real danger. He was absolutely certain of its success.
“Leading away the merfolk is secondary,” Wen Shi said calmly. “My main goal is to understand the deceptive tactics employed by people from the【Wangcai Bank】.”
The discomfort that arose from the coin split in two-halves, which had once been a promissory note, prompting Wen Shi to identify potential hidden dangers around him.
Finally, he quietly detailed the plan. When Arlon heard Wen Shi mention the possibility of the Merfolk King not fully trusting his subjects, he suddenly laughed. “You missed one possibility. If that happens, we can close the net ahead of schedule.”
•
At 8 o’clock in the evening, Wen Shi went downstairs punctually to find Chubby Guy.
With the early darkness of the cloudy evening, there were still two hours until lights-out. The dormitory supervisor wasn’t currently paying much attention to players entering and exiting.
Dormitory Building 32 was shrouded in countless rumors, deterring students from venturing near it. As they walked in that direction, both of them, including Chubby Guy, whose physique was quite substantial, appeared tiny in the eerie, pitch-black surroundings.
Wen Shi: “The seniors often mentioned accidents during the construction of this place.”
In response, Chubby Guy released an advanced drone assembly item and the electronic screen in his hand displayed real-time images sent from above.
After a moment, he stared at the screen. “Can things go smoothly? Look at it from up high, what does this resemble?”
The zoomed-in images on the electronic screen allowed for a better overview of the outlines.
Up ahead, there were three narrow, elongated paths converging at a central point. All three roads met at the same point where the Dormitory Building 32 stood, like a long nail firmly embedded.
“A nail?”
Chubby Guy: “Developing formerly abandoned burial grounds has always led to strange occurrences. In the end, many of them were repurposed for school buildings. You’ve probably heard quite a bit of those rumors.”
Wen Shi nodded.
“Apart from being cost-effective, the legend says that the geomagnetic energy here can suppress Yin energy. Young people these days don’t believe in these things due to their strong vitality, so creating an environment that can deter malicious spirits is possible.” Chubby Guy pointed at the paths in the screen. “These paths are designed to guide geomagnetic energy. You see, they all lead directly to the academic building. If you add a dormitory building at the junction, house a group of energetic students in there, you might achieve the energy suppression.”
He put away the item and looked ahead with seriousness. “However, it’s evident that whatever’s here can’t be suppressed. The building isn’t even complete.”
Wen Shi understood that was a thing of the past. The Merfolk King’s heart held immense power. Now that it was absent, this piece of land would naturally be much better.
Tonight, he wasn’t dealing with any supernatural forces, just merfolk, along with his companion on this quest.
Both of them moved forward with their own hidden intentions. Chubby Guy kept trying to find topics along the way, attempting to see if Wen Shi would mislead him on something. However, as they neared the decrepit building, Wen Shi continued to play the role of the listener.
The desolate building lacked windows, and the dark square openings seemed as if something might come out at any moment. Such dim, damp, and chilly places were also home to snake nests and rat holes, so Wen Shi treaded carefully. The dormitory building was a recent addition. There was no doubt that the merfolk’s remains were buried underground.
Scanning around, both he and Chubby Guy almost simultaneously spotted the well under the big tree. Several thick iron chains were fastened beside it. It was an oddly conspicuous sight.
Wen Shi took out his phone for illumination, revealing a few drops of dark red bloodstains at the edge of the well. While it should have been a terrifying sight, the only thought that crossed Wen Shi’s mind was, “What a waste.”
Most likely, this blood was accidentally spilled by the mini octopus during transportation.
Chubby Guy quickly leaned in to take a look, but the bottom of the well remained pitch-black.
Wen Shi directed the flashlight’s beam at the well, but the darkness persisted. Chubby Guy popped a candy to counteract mental contamination, causing spiraling black mist to disperse before his eyes. Below, the upper half of a body without limbs lay exposed.
“Holy sh—t.” Chubby Guy shuddered, his skin covered in goosebumps. Although he had mentally prepared himself, a fearsome crack marring the pale skin, and an eerie void beneath the chest faced him. Startled, Chubby Guy couldn’t help but jump back.
He exclaimed, “Defiling a corpse wouldn’t mean digging into its chest, would it?”
“……” You’ve misunderstood Jian Qingrong. At most, he was just pouring blood into the exposed chest cavity.
After a couple of gasps, Chubby Guy pulled Wen Shi behind a tree, waiting quietly for tonight’s unexpected visitor.
However, Wen Shi’s focus was on the briny scent in the air that reached his nostrils, similar to the surging mist he had felt last night when the merfolk appeared. This time, he was absolutely certain that the merfolk was nearby.
Over the next ten minutes, Chubby Guy kept one eye fixed on the front while keeping the other on the movements of those around him.
Without taking out any defensive items, this was highly unusual.
Just as a loud alarm rang in his mind, Wen Shi finally took action. He retrieved the【Greenwood Sword】 from his backpack.
Among Wen Shi’s many skills, sword skill was one he had used in almost every instance, but few in the virtual world were aware of it. Players who had survived instances alongside him and witnessed the power of the longsword generally refrained from mentioning it. Some were grateful for being guided to a successful completion, while others simply wanted to forget as witnesses of the events, never wanting to recall them.
Chubby Guy glanced at the seemingly ordinary longsword and his eyes gleamed. “Once the defiler arrives, we’ll attack from both sides. You take the lead, drawing its attention with your skills, while I’ll approach from behind.”
Wen Shi’s expression held a subtle smile. “You wouldn’t be running away from the back, would you?”
Chubby Guy: “If you don’t trust me, we can make a pact.”
Without directly responding, Wen Shi shifted the conversation, “The moisture content in the air isn’t normal.”
They stood by the well, and while a damp and cold feeling was normal, Chubby Guy felt it was unusually humid. It far exceeded the typical atmosphere of the campus.
Once this factor was noted, even the scent in the air didn’t seem quite right.
Wen Shi: “Is there a way to trace the source of the moisture?”
Since their arrival, this was the first time Wen Shi had guided Chubby Guy to take action. Despite his vigilance, Chubby Guy had to search for the potential origin of the danger.
With various means at his disposal, he produced something resembling a metallic wind vane. The wind indicator, much like a whimsical fly, spun rapidly for a few circles before coming to a stop at the junction between the edge of the abandoned Dormitory Building 32 and the road extending eastward.
The dense canopy of ancient trees cast a shadow that seemed deeper than any other shade. Wen Shi couldn’t make out anything clearly.
Staring at the wind vane, Wen Shi smiled. “How about we make a bet?”
Chubby Guy grew even more cautious.
Without employing any anti-eavesdropping items—NPCs couldn’t hear discussions about game elements—Wen Shi presented Chubby Guy with an opportunity to collaborate with an NPC to kill him. “I’m offering you a chance to team up with an NPC to take me down. Care to gamble on whether you can help the NPC succeed in killing me?”
During battles with monsters, players always had ways to trip up their opponents.
Chubby Guy was speechless. “Are you daring to mention it because there were precautions and countermeasures in place beforehand?”
Wen Shi’s gaze shifted to the shadows. Given the cunning nature of the merfolk, if he didn’t take the initiative, the other party would surely stay hidden in the darkness, observing until both sides were weakened before deciding whether to strike. If that was the case, why not maximize the benefits?
He tossed the prepared contract scroll to the side. When Chubby Guy saw the terms written on it, his expression changed.
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