Chapter 111: Personal Task

    Having witnessed so many absurd and outlandish spectacles in the Cycle, Shen Nianzu was relatively composed compared to the others. However, even he could not deny the ominous feelings that arose from the stark contrast between the temple’s sacred aura and the nauseating bloody stench in the air. And thus he nodded in acknowledgement to Xinxin’s words.

    "Be careful," Jiang Shun warned in a low voice once the temple hall came into view.

    Alas, nothing could ever prepare them for the bizarre scene that unfolded before their eyes.

    "AH—!" Xinxin, Lang Zhenya, and Fatty cried out in alarm upon seeing the blood-soaked ground. Now they finally understood why the air reeked intensely of blood. Every inch of the temple hall was drenched in crimson, including the once awe-inspiring and magnificent murals that had now twisted into something sinister and malevolent.

    "Fuck..." Jiang Shun stepped back to avoid getting blood on his shoes. He scanned the area but found no trace of Luo Qing or Zhang Lei anywhere, as the temple hall was completely barren save for the bloodstains. "Where did they go? Have they died and been wiped out by the Nightmare?" he muttered. "No, that doesn’t make sense. If the Nightmare has really gotten rid of their bodies, there will be no blood left behind either."

    Furrowing his brows, Shen Nianzu added, "Moreover, is this really the amount of blood that two people could produce? By the look of it, it appeared more like a massacre of four or five took place here last night..."

    He had no idea whether it was only his imagination or not, but as he gazed into the sea of blood, he found his mind going blank and he could hear a faint whisper carried by the wind. It started as a soft, nearly inaudible murmur at first before growing louder and more distinct. This... this is mental pollution!

    "Don’t stare at the hall for too long!" He shouted, snapping Xinxin and Lang Zhenya out of their trance. "There is something messing with our mind here!"

    "AH—!" Startled, Fatty staggered backward and tripped on his feet, falling on his butt. Trembling uncontrollably, he pointed at the coffin with a horrified look. "I–It moved! I swear I saw the lid move!"

    Shuddering, Lang Zhenya huddled closer to her companion in fear, her face as pale as a sheet. "Jiang Shun..."

    Jiang Shun shifted his gaze to the coffin with a deep frown. He stared at it for a tense three seconds before hastily looking away, confirming that it remained motionless still. Coupled with the warning Shen Nianzu had just issued, he quickly drew a conclusion and scoffed at Fatty, "You must be hallucinating. What do you think is inside the coffin? A walking corpse?" his words were dripping in sarcasm. "Be careful not to look at it for too long lest you want to be the next victim in this Cycle."

    "By the way, how do you know about mental pollution, JJ?" he asked Shen Nianzu, his tone became polite and reserved all of a sudden.

    Shen Nianzu smoothly conjured up a lie on the spot and seamlessly told it without even batting an eyelid, "I have encountered something like this in my previous Cycle, and the sensation feels exactly the same right now."

    Jiang Shun easily bought his lie and nodded, "Fair enough."

    In any case, it would not hurt to be more careful.

    However, here comes the real problem. Who would be willing to step forward and investigate what had transpired in the temple last night? More players would surely be chosen again tonight, and if they wanted to survive, they had to find out what was going on first. Alas, just one glance at the bloody temple hall was already enough to deter them from going.

    Just as the group found themselves at a standstill, a loud rumble reverberated through the air and shook the ground beneath their feet, catching them off guard. It was the same sound they had heard yesterday!

    Xinxin held the wall for support, flustered. "W–What is going on?!"

    Moments later, a series of footsteps approached them and Anna emerged from the corner of the hallway, accompanied by two male NPCs flanking her on both sides.

    Shen Nianzu narrowed his eyes at her, scrutinizing. Ever since she showed up at their tent and took Jin Jiuchi to the gate of the afterlife last night, this was the first time he had gotten the chance to examine her closely. Compared to her immaculate appearance the previous day, she now looked... distraught as if something was weighing heavily on her mind. There were even faint dark circles below her eyes.

    Had she come out from the gate of the afterlife? What was her purpose in bringing Jin Jiuchi there? And more importantly, why did she acknowledge Jin Jiuchi as her God? It couldn’t be solely because of his ability to shift into an animal form, could it?

    As the intense ray of sunlight fell on her, Shen Nianzu’s pupils shrunk in shock when he noticed that her body was half-transparent! S–She was...

    "Greetings, everyone," Anna greeted them, her voice carrying an icy edge. "I see that you have gathered here to—" Her gaze landed on the blood-soaked temple hall, and in an instant, her complexion blanched. She swayed on her feet, looking as if she would have fainted straight on her feet if not for the two NPCs who supported her. "Oh, what a blasphemy! The divine is incensed and has unleashed his fury upon us!"

    "The guards must have committed a grave act of insolence!" She turned to the NPCs, her tone harsh as she chastised them. "What have you done?! Could you not have chosen more wisely?"

    "It is our fault," the NPCs lowered their heads with a remorseful look.

    "Wait... wait a minute," Fatty cradled his head and let out an incredulous laugh. "Are you saying that... those two have done something to trigger the... death condition, resulting in their current predicament? Where are they right now? Are they still alive?"

    Anna let out a contemptuous snort, "Of course they are. To make amends, they shall remain here and dedicate the rest of their lives in service to God."

    Terrifying chills ran down everyone’s spine when they heard that. Luo Qing and Zhang Lei had not died yet? Instead, they were condemned to a lifetime of servitude to God? Why did it sound more horrible than death itself?

    Anna expressed the immense sorrow in her heart and declared that she would pray for forgiveness, leaving the players alone with the two NPCs. "We’ve learned from our past mistakes. We will be more cautious in selecting guards this time. We will assess your dedication before making a final decision. Now, let’s get to work," they remarked in a grave tone.

    The five of them exchanged solemn glances. Assess their dedication? What did they mean by that? Burdened by questions, they could only trail behind the NPCs with a heavy look to continue digging the pit.

    Shen Nianzu noticed Xinxin trembling faintly beside him. Raising his head, he saw that the youth’s complexion was pallid, and a look of terror marred his features. "What’s wrong?" he asked, frowning. "You’re not affected by mental pollution, are you?"

    Xinxin bit his lip hard and shook his head. After a moment, he nodded hesitantly. "X–Xiao Shen, what should I do? The Nightmare assigned me a task for this Cycle..."

    Ah, that’s right. Shen Nianzu recalled that this was Xinxin’s third Cycle, which meant that he would receive a personal task from the Nightmare. Should he complete it, he would advance into a veteran player after getting out of this Cycle. But if he failed...

    "What is the task?" Shen Nianzu inquired.

    Tears welled out of Xinxin’s eyes as he whispered in a shaky voice, "Guard... I have to guard the temple for one night and I’m not allowed to scream no matter what I see or hear..."