Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 39: A Flashy Move

Crimson raised an eyebrow at his friend list.

Jack’s rank plummeted, and soon after, Crimson couldn’t find his name at all.

The Eternal Church had done experiments. If a player “logs out” and dies, their name should appear in gray as offline on the friend list. But Jack’s name had completely disappeared from the list—Crimson checked three or four times to make sure he wasn’t mistaken.

It seemed that the initial [Blood Gnome’s Bargain] went off without a hitch, giving Jack a very… fresh ending.

Whistling in high spirits, Crimson thought that if he wasn’t already in the middle of a quest, he’d love to dash into the instance to check.

But for now, he had a solid alternative plan.

“I need a squad of about ten Immortal Knights to enter ‘Night of the Hunt’. I need to know what’s inside.” Crimson eagerly contacted the Eternal Church. “I’ll be waiting at the instance exit. This opponent is intriguing—a reminder, don’t make me wait too long.”

The Immortal Knights of the Eternal Church were on par with the Investigation Knights of the Temple of Life. They were elites, but no matter how elite they were, they were just locals and couldn’t compare to players.

They were just disposable cannon fodder. It didn’t matter if they couldn’t come out, as long as the news did.

Crimson meticulously sorted through his inventory, ensuring he was as prepared as possible.

‘I need another tank to help take the damage,’ Crimson thought casually, sure that his god would arrange everything for him.

He absolutely—absolutely needed to know the true identities of those two figures.

If they could make Jack vanish, they could probably do the same to him. The way he and Jack entered the game was nearly identical and equally bizarre.

Crimson would always remember that day.

He was wandering around City A. Knowing he was being tracked by the Country C police, he changed his hair color and appearance, donned sunglasses, grew a beard, and tried to blend in as a foreign tourist.

Yet somehow, those damn cops sensed something. His homestay was being watched, so Crimson didn’t return, opting for a 24-hour coffee shop instead. To avoid attention, he mostly hung out in the coffee shop bathroom, smoking and planning his next move.

That was when he met the “game company employee”.

Just as Crimson was leaving the bathroom, he saw the man blocking the doorway. It was a nondescript Country C young man with a warm smile—though Crimson always found it hard to differentiate Country C people by their appearance. The man locked eyes with him, offering a chance to try the latest VR game.

Even for a true psychopath like Crimson, he thought the guy was off. Who would promote games in a bathroom?

“This test must be conducted in secret. If you agree, we’ll need you to sever all communications with the outside world for its duration,” the man said without noticing Crimson’s disdainful look. “Our company will provide accommodations and a cash reward once testing is complete.”

Crimson stopped dead in his tracks.

A secret test event, an excellent opportunity to elude the police… Why not? If the guy was playing tricks on him, Crimson would make him pay in blood.

The way Jack entered the game was similar to Crimson’s. When they first teamed up, after having too much to drink, Jack enthusiastically shared his own “adventure”.

Poor Jack, or rather, Mr. Liang, had been captured by the police. Almost certainly, the death penalty awaited him.

Liang Guanghui wasn’t willing to accept that fate. But with irrefutable evidence against him, not even the best lawyer could help. The only option left was to escape prison. To get a chance, he harmed himself and was sent to the hospital. But the tight security made it impossible to find an escape.

He was on the verge of despair.

However, the day before Liang Guanghui was due to return to prison, a strange doctor in a white coat visited him. The doctor’s features were forgettable, leaving no impression on Liang Guanghui.

But his words were unforgettable.

“We have an agreement with the police to let you test our latest VR device. The new device might have some risks, and we need your consent,” the doctor said.

Liang Guanghui didn’t know much about the law, but this didn’t prevent him from thinking the situation was ridiculous. Not to mention that domestically, using death row inmates for experiments wasn’t allowed; his case hadn’t even been brought to court yet!

“Don’t worry, we will conduct the test in the form of a ‘game’, which is not painful in itself. If you agree, we will transfer you to a better place, where you will be under the care of a research institution,” the doctor continued.

Liang Guanghui immediately set his doubts aside. It didn’t matter what the situation was; escaping police control was all he wanted! If he agreed, those who would be guarding him would no longer be police but frail researchers. There would definitely be more chances to break out.

So, he readily agreed.

What followed for him was identical to Crimson’s experience. They were both taken to a remote building, put on helmets, and logged into a game called “Tahe World”.

But on closer inspection, their experiences were all wrong. The game itself was extremely odd—

The novice village that Crimson and Liang Guanghui entered was called “Crossroads”. It was only later that Crimson learned that there was another novice village in the world called “Three Forks Road Village”.

The players in Three Forks Road Village were all law-abiding citizens, each with their own strengths in the game. They were worlds apart from them. According to the church’s intel, these players entered the test through an invitation email from the game company, a process that wasn’t as strange as theirs.

Why would a company mix death row inmates with gaming experts? What a peculiar combination.

…From the moment he knew this, Crimson keenly realized that compared to those law-abiding good people, his own experiences might be closer to the “truth” of the game.

This was extremely valuable information.

However, since Liang Guanghui “disappeared”, his information could basically be considered leaked.

Not sharing his own experiences with the young man was the right call, Crimson thought. The guy was proud yet spineless and had a big mouth; he was bound to run into trouble.

Like he always said, those who kill for lust are really boring.

Crimson was different—he intended to extract all the information from the two men. Honestly, Crimson was very interested in the method of “making people disappear completely”.

He hoped his targets were married, powerful, and successful. Crimson prayed fervently.

He would get valuable information, and his god should receive an equally valuable sacrifice.

……

“Can you connect to the Dragon Tomb Garden?” After naming the candle, Nol quickly asked the question he was most concerned about.

While the corpse of the young dragon neighbor hadn’t decayed too badly, he might still try the letter opener. He’d been craving those dragon corpses for a long time, which, to the current Nol, was like a buffet of attribute points.

Black Candle Kando looked at him speechlessly. “I refuse.”

“You said that as long as I know the person I want to find and where they are…”

“Last time you opened the door right into Subelbot’s bedroom, for god’s sake,” Kando lamented. “For the Dragon Nest, that’s a big deal. If we act recklessly again, our lives will be in danger.”

“…Taking a step back, if you connect from a special space to the outside, you definitely can’t afford the magical energy cost. You, me, and that notebook combined won’t be enough. Just drop the idea.” Seeing Nol still considering, Kando quickly added.

Nol looked at it regretfully for a long moment before sighing. “If I don’t specify who I want to find, can I just connect to the space?”

“It’s possible, but what exactly do you want to do?”

“Jack’s death was strange. The Eternal Church might take action.”

“Players can’t join in the latter part of the mission, but locals aren’t restricted. There might be local followers of the Eternal Church coming to investigate.” Nol pondered. “We need to be prepared.”

Although this was just his speculation, Nol felt uneasy without a contingency plan.

“Just prepare for me, and that’s enough.” Teest finished his soup elegantly. “Eugene’s Investigation Knights are nearby. Those cultists have to stay hidden. Even if they dare to come, they won’t send many people.” Teest’s usual smile returned. “The Eternal Church will probably send some Immortal Knights and have a few players ambush us at the exit.”

“…I don’t really want a direct confrontation.” Nol continued to ponder. “To maintain the ‘Betrayal Overture’ buff, we can’t be more than five meters apart. Old Hunter can’t be too far from the mission players… If we confront them directly, Old Hunter might get involved.”

“No, no, no, honey, you have more important things to do—aren’t you going to help the poor Old Hunter retain his memory? If you let those minor characters disrupt the rhythm, it’s not worth it,” Teest said nonchalantly. “Even without skill enhancement, I can handle them.”

“But…” Nol was about to speak when Teest picked up a small piece of cheese with his fingertips and stuffed it into Nol’s mouth.

It was hard to say this wasn’t retaliation.

Teest’s understanding of the human body was creepy. Nol instinctively wanted to close his mouth, but Teest easily pried it open. By the time Nol regained his senses, he could taste the light sweetness of dairy on his tongue.

“After all, you don’t understand their moves. Better to protect your precious neighbors.” Teest casually tossed a piece of cheese into his own mouth.

“Those who act separately die the fastest,” Kando chirped in.

“You’re absolutely right. I’m a bit scared now,” Teest said with a grin. “Want to join me, Little Candle? I can skewer you on my blade and draw them out—might hurt a bit, but I guess you wouldn’t mind.”

Nol eyelids twitched, quickly swallowing his cheese. “Stop arguing. I have a compromise.”

Teest and the candle both turned to him. “What?”

“Curious? Apologize first.” Nol turned to the black candle, which narrowed its eyes as if it were frowning.

“Why am I the only one apologizing?!” it exclaimed.

“You started it.” Nol sipped some hot water. “Besides, we need to cooperate from now on. Apologize quickly—I have experiments to do.”

Five minutes later, outside the hunter’s cabin.

“Wait a minute,” the black candle exclaimed in shock. “Are you nuts?”

“It’s called wisdom,” Nol said.

[Speaking of which, I’m glad you have body temperature now.] Teest’s thoughts came through.

The candle’s flame split again, this time only allowing passage for an arm. Nol only extended one hand—

Inside the hunter’s cabin, Teest happily toasted by the fire. Under his clothes, he concealed a single hand. Nol’s warm hand reached across space to gently touch his shoulder, like an obedient pet.

Around the wrist of the hand, a decorative flame encircled it like jewelry. The flame appeared to be out of place; Teest’s clothes were unharmed, and there was no sensation of burning.

Teest tilted his head, pleased, and kissed the back of the hand through the fabric. “I swear.”

Dozens of meters away in the snow, Nol solemnly replied, “I allow.”

The next instant, [Betrayal Overture] was successfully activated.

Nol nodded approvingly. “It seems the judgment is still within five meters. Not bad.”

“You… oh god, you…” the candle stuttered. “But if it comes to a real fight, Teest can’t always stay still! How will you know his surroundings…”

Nol smiled, directly invoking his skill list and showing the candle the built-in [Telepathy] from his marriage vow.

“This skill can directly transmit vision,” Nol said. “I told you, I’m a married man.”

The candle sighed like a deflating balloon. “You didn’t say the partner was that lunatic!”

“Now you know,” Noel shrugged.

[Actually, I still think it’s unnecessary,] Teest said. [Not to mention you have to keep the space channel open, this also restricts your left hand, doesn’t it?]

[I’d rather be restricted than worry about your side all the time.]

[Hey, don’t you trust my abilities? I’m very hurt.] Teest pretended to sob. [Don’t worry, even if the leader of the Immortal Knights comes, I won’t let them leak any information.]

[I’m just worried about you.] Nol threw back his thoughts.

This time, Teest didn’t respond right away. A few seconds later, his body moved under Nol’s left hand.

[Then I gladly accept.] Teest poked Nol’s fingers. [And, I want to correct my response—]

[Don’t worry, everything will be okay,] he said.

---

The author has something to say:

Their operations are getting weirder… Nol, how can you claim the system AI is the one going quirky? (…………

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 38: Kando

In the early hours of the morning.

Teest and Old Hunter were sound asleep in the hunter’s cabin. Nol and the couple stood outside the igloo not far away. The undead didn’t need to sleep, and Nol still had to guard against possible attacks from the shadow wolf.

Rosen had mixed feelings.

As a police officer, he should stop the actions of those two. Liang Guanghui had completely lost his dangerousness and didn’t even meet the criteria for emergency shooting.

But Rosen himself was powerless—he knew nothing about the external environment and didn’t know where to start.

Besides, there was no court or prison here. As long as Liang Guanghui believed that he wouldn’t commit a crime or kill, Rosen admitted he couldn’t obtain any effective testimonies.

Unable to provide a better solution, let alone Teest, he couldn’t even stop Nol.

“That Teest is dangerous. A normal person couldn’t possibly know about torture.” Rosen sighed. “Are you… really sure you want to go with him?”

Nol sat on a stump. Different from before, his breath now had a white mist.

“I am the producer of ‘Tahe World’, and I know everything up to two hundred years ago,” Nol responded somewhat evasively.

There was a moment of silence as Rosen and Julie exchanged a quick glance.

As Nol guessed, these two well-behaved neighbors didn’t show any anger. Rosen’s face read “sure enough “, while Julie had “no surprise there” on her forehead.

They even looked a bit pleasantly surprised.

After a while, Rosen exhaled heavily. “I’d guessed a bit. Your behavior is nothing like an ordinary employee’s. Brother, to be honest, your mind is priceless.”

“We’ll keep it a secret. Even among neighbors, this news is not suitable for spreading… When some people get angry, they can do anything.”

Julie pondered, “But I also wonder, with such abilities, you could form a more suitable team. Why specifically Teest?”

Judging by Mr. Teest’s attitude, that guy definitely wouldn’t tolerate a third teammate.

“My game has become reality. This is definitely man-made, and I could be targeted at any time. Being my companion is extremely risky.” Nol laughed, causing white mist to expel, and watched as it dissipated in the cold night. “Both of you are smart and capable. There’s no need to force yourself to stay by my side.”

‘Makes sense,’ Rosen thought. It seemed they were destined not to go together. Not to mention they lost the bet with Teest, even without the bet, Nol had no intention of teaming up with them. After about ten seconds of silence, Rosen asked, “Is Teest really trustworthy?”

“Of course not. I don’t trust him, just as he doesn’t trust me. But we are system teammates, destined not to harm each other,” Nol calmly stated. “I know what you want to ask. Teest despises both the Temple of Life and the Eternal Church. He can’t wait for me to expose their secrets. He won’t hide anything about these two religions from me.”

“And I’m very aware that I’m not that charismatic. I can’t make someone I just met risk their life for me. His willingness to investigate the truth of the world with me means he has his own agenda… Which means we are the perfect teammates.”

Nol kept a crucial reason to himself.

Teest was right. He was indeed his only respite.

That Fallen Knight never judged Nol. Nol’s words, “I need you”, weren’t just for show—he really needed someone like that, especially under the current pressure.

As for what Teest wanted from him, Nol didn’t care. They could use each other to the fullest, and that was enough.

Nol couldn’t help but touch his chest.

 To give a better burial, he created the [Ash Remnants], which ignited a hot blue flame. He then lit a similar flame in his heart. It gave him a body temperature close to a living person, accompanied by a burning pain with every heartbeat.

For long-term action with Teest, it was better to have body temperature. Teest didn’t like a touch that was too cold. At the same time, it was a reminder… Whether it was against the possible uncontrollable rage or the possibly uncontrollable attachment.

“…So, it’s not that I want to go with Teest,” Nol concluded. “We decided to move forward together.”

“That said, I think you trust him quite a bit.” Rosen massaged his temples, his round face full of resignation. With Nol’s words to this point, it wasn’t appropriate for them to question further. “Then I can only ask for some game information. The more the merrier, Julie and I will continue looking for the neighbors.”

Officer Luo didn’t say “all compatriots.” He, like Nol in the past, quickly made a choice between “neighbors with only one life” and “players with immortality”.

Nol smiled.

He stood up, took out a roll of parchment: “This is exactly what I wanted to say—I want to regroup ‘Joy Garden’.”

He casually threw it, and the parchment unrolled by itself, floating in the air.

Rosen took a light ball to see, and it turned out to be a hand-drawn map. It was so precise that it looked like a print, with the place names written neatly.

“Did you draw this? You must have a very good memory.” Rosen was amazed.

“After we leave here, we will split into two groups. The destination is the Black Forest, to the north of the Grape Collar. We will meet in the Red Mist Valley of the Black Forest,” Nol said nonchalantly, pointing to a spot on the map. “Teest and I will be responsible for diverting any Eternalists that may appear, taking the standard route. You two follow this mountain range—yes, this way. I’ll also inform Lynn about this later.”

“What’s there?” Dr. Zhu asked, looking at the cross marking the destination.

“A perfect stronghold. You’ll know when you get there,” Nol replied. “The main game storyline hasn’t been triggered, so it can’t be discovered. It will be our best shelter.”

The area near the Black Forest was deserted and infested with monsters, serving as a natural barrier, and it was also great for monsters to level up. Initially, Nol wanted to use it as a temporary shelter for the neighbors, but now it seemed to have a more suitable purpose.

Regular players mostly choose to rely on the Temple of Life. Criminals with unclear backgrounds like Liang Guanghui joined the Eternal Church instead.

With unclear situations, Nol didn’t want the neighbors to hastily get involved with the “gods”—especially since the neighbors might have turned into monsters and appearing casually could be dangerous.

He wanted to become a third force outside of “God” and “Demon King”.

After explaining, Nol rolled up the map and handed it to Rosen. “If you find more neighbors, remember to bring them there too.”

Rosen took the map and carefully placed it near his chest, saying, “Thank you.”

With a clearer goal in mind, the couple looked a bit brighter. Nol wasn’t surprised. For this unfortunate couple, perhaps everything that happened was a turn for the better.

A policeman and a doctor could surely handle most situations, perhaps even better suited for rescue than Nol himself. Either way, it was a good start.

“If you’re the creator of this game, you’re almost like the ‘Creator God’ of this world,” Rosen teased. “Are you going to tell Teest? Maybe he’ll treat you better.”

“He treats me quite well now.” Nol sidestepped the topic with ease.

If only he were really the Creator God, he could just wave his hand and send everyone back to Earth. But in reality, he could only wield his letter opener and randomly persecute some folks.

Speaking of which, Teest had seen the properties of the letter opener, and he could probably guess the close relationship between Nol and the system. But he probably wouldn’t think of the exaggerated concept of “Creator God”—after all, for this world, the “system” only appeared halfway through.

Since Teest didn’t ask directly, Nol didn’t intend to say.

…No, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to say. He just hoped Teest would maintain his current attitude.

If the Mad Monk truly despised anything close to “gods”, he might lose his last refuge.

Nol didn’t want to lose this companion yet.

……

Teest woke up.

He lay on the fur rug in front of the fireplace, warmed by the fire, almost stretching lazily on the floor.

With no cultists causing trouble, this mission finally felt a bit relaxed. Old Hunter had gone out, either for firewood or to check on his white wolf. In the spacious hunter’s cabin, there were only him and Nol left—

Nol was reading a book next to him, still engrossed, with a tall pile of manuscript paper beside him. Teest suspected he had used up all his paper. Considering they’d be working together for a long time, Teest didn’t mind keeping some manuscript paper handy.

Well, that’s decided then. Teest yawned again.

“Mr. Mage.”

Teest stretched out and playfully tugged at Nol’s ankle, which now felt warm. “Did you stay up all night again?”

“I’m thinking about how to safely destroy this place.” Nol looked down.

“If closing the instance is like what happened in the Three Forks Road Village, then we should be safe.” Teest, not quite ready to get up, turned to evenly warm himself by the fire. “But whether Old Hunter and the rest are safe, who knows? Maybe that headless girl will show up again.”

Nol nodded, picked up the letter opener, and examined it closely.

Seeing the glint of the letter opener, Teest slowly pulled his limbs back under the blanket and carefully pulled the furry blanket up to his chin.

Nol looked at him helplessly. He simply tore off the edge of his robe and wrapped the blade completely with the cloth strip. Only then did Teest stretch out his arm from under the blanket again, deliberately looking away as if to hide his earlier fear.

“Use it to stab Old Hunter, and maybe we can get out.” Teest coughed twice, deliberately changing the subject.

“No, if a hunter breaks off from the instance, it’s probably similar to death. The instance will look for a new hunter,” Nol explained softly. “My current thought is to wound the shadow wolf. It is the key to this instance. But…”

“But you can’t guarantee the safety of the instance’s NPC.” Teest understood.

“Mm, it’s challenging,” a voice said.

In the blink of an eye, Teest jumped up, holding the “Betrayer” tightly in his hand. Nol frowned at the source of the voice—on the top of the magic staff, a blue vertical eye was rolling around.

Teest narrowed his eyes. Compared to Nol’s eyes, the black candle’s blue eyes were more like murky seawater. He didn’t like it very much.

“There’s no need to get excited. I just had a long, long sleep. Who knew this mage could summon a dragon boss? Even ants know that Subelbot hates humans. What kind of leverage do you have on it?”

The black candle began to chatter like a machine gun, complaining like an old man in the market, completely dropping its pretentious tone when it first woke up.

“Summoning that thing consumes a lot of magic. If it wasn’t for me using my reserve, you and your unlucky notes would have been scrapped… You should really thank me, ouch.”

“As soon as I woke up, you two sneaked into this ghost of a place again. God, why is my life so miserable…”

“Who are you?” Nol, annoyed by its rambling, interrupted. “What’s your relationship with the Eternal Church?”

The candle shut up—even though Nol hadn’t yet found its mouth. It rotated its eye, taking a hard look at Nol.

“My god, are you blind?” it exclaimed a few seconds later. “I am the stub of a candle!”

Nol took a deep breath, yanked the candle off the staff, opened the window, and wound up to throw it.

“No, no, no! I was wrong, I’m sorry!” the candle screamed. “I don’t even know who I am! It’s so embarrassing to admit!”

Teest looked at it speechlessly for a moment. He put away the knife and moved back to the fireplace. “What do you mean, ‘you don’t know who you are’?”

“I don’t know my name, just that!”

After being placed back on the staff, the black candle clumsily opened its candle tears and clung to the top of the staff like an octopus. “Don’t get me wrong; my other memories are intact. I know a lot, like the weaknesses of most monsters—the vast majority!”

It said it with a touch of pride as its vertical eye intently watched the two.

Teest: “…”

Nol: “…”

This sounded familiar. Could this guy be a colleague from the game company? But Nol really couldn’t remember any colleague being this annoying.

So he continued to ask, “How are you related to the Eternal Church?”

“They are shameless thieves! I am innocent!” the candle cursed. “Those bastards broke me off the candlestick while I was sleeping and then fed me with impure death energy. Ugh, even dogs wouldn’t eat it—”

“Where were you before? I mean, when you first became conscious… My earliest memory is on ‘Earth’,” Nol carefully threw out the code.

The black candle was silent.

“Your questions are really strange.”

After a while, it slowly said, “It’s not like we’re dating. Why are you in such a hurry to ask someone’s private matters? ‘Earth’? Never heard of it. Which remote corner is that?”

Nol decisively pulled out his wedding ring. “Married, thank you. Happily, I might add. If you keep dodging the topic, I’ll bury you in wolf dung.”

Teest, who was taking a sip of soup on the side, almost choked.

It seemed like this guy wasn’t a colleague. Nol’s remaining goodwill was about to run out. If the candle wasn’t a fellow from Earth, then more urgent matters needed to be addressed.

“Come on, repeat after me,” Nol said. “The Goddess of Life and the Eternal Son are trash.”

Having someone blaspheme so bluntly for the first time, the candle was shocked into a short, “Uh.”

Teest really choked this time. He banged on the table, coughing and laughing, tears almost coming out.

“Repeat,” Nol demanded. “We’ll talk about other things after repeating. If you can’t do that, there’s nothing for us to discuss.”

Next, he was about to find a base for the neighbors, and he certainly couldn’t have a strange follower by his side.

Anyway, the Eternal Son is undoubtedly trash, and the Goddess of Life was questionable. But if the Goddess was well-intentioned, she could tolerate such an offense.

“Goddess of Life, Tilia, is trash. Eternal Son, Anstis, trash. Is that enough? I’ve insulted them by their full names!”

The black candle finally settled down. “Now, can we finally discuss important matters?”

“First, thank you for providing me with the summoning method and magic power.”

Nol said politely as he sat back in his chair and placed the candle next to the soup bowl. “Second… since you claim to be knowledgeable, how much do you know about this instance?”

“Instance? Do you mean this space?” The black candle pondered for a moment. “If I’m not mistaken, it seems you want to save the people here…”

“It’s not ‘us’, it’s him,” Teest murmured.

“Don’t interrupt.” Nol stuffed a piece of cheese into Teest’s mouth and turned his gaze back to the candle. “… Go on.”

“You can save them,” the candle said. “To my knowledge, there are two ways to destroy such a special space.”

“The first is for the rules to close the space actively. In this case, all intelligent life within the space will be wiped out, and no one can escape.”

…Just like the situation in the novice village. Nol exchanged glances with Test, realizing the candle did have some insights.

“I guess what you’re looking for is the second method, artificial destruction.”

The candle spoke leisurely. “Find the ‘core’ of the special space and kill or destroy it—in this case, creatures living in the space for a long time will be safe. However, once they leave the special space, intelligent beings will lose all related memories.”

‘…Just like Mrs. Petty, who left the novice village,’ Nol thought.

Even if she was fortunate enough to survive from the headless woman, her memories would revert to those of “five-year-old Rebecca”. So far, everything the candle said was correct.

“In my opinion, being alive is good enough. Why be picky?” the black candle said. “If you think the shadow wolf is the key, try it. Maybe it will solve the problem.”

Teest tapped his spoon and nodded seriously. “Destroy the instance, save the people, everyone’s happy.”

“No.”

Nol said calmly.

“The survivors will find themselves waking up in a completely unfamiliar place, their appearance completely changed, and unknowingly losing important friends… I don’t like this outcome either.”

Teest shrugged nonchalantly and continued eating his soup.

Beside the soup bowl, the candle silently watched Nol. “…You are truly a capricious person.”

“Then you’ll have to put up with me, Candle,” Nol replied.

“Calling me ‘Candle’ is too crude,” The black candle said. “I’ve thought of several grandiose names for myself. You can call me Sexton or Sweenid…”

“These names are too long… How about ‘Kando*’?”

*Clarity: Compared to Sexton (赛克斯托恩) or Sweenid (斯威恩尼德) Kando (坎多) is much shorter… and it’s basically a homophone for candle (in English).

After thinking for a few seconds, Nol decisively said, “Yes, let’s call him Kando.”

To his surprise, the black candle didn’t make a fuss. It was silent for a long time, and its blue vertical eye slightly curved. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Nol felt that its presence seemed stronger than before, less out of place.

“Thank you for giving me a name,” the black candle said cheerfully. “I really—really like it.”

---

The author has something to say:

The second supporting character makes its appearance!

Nol, on the path to becoming the head of an evil organization (?)

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 37: Bad News

For a moment, even the shadow wolf stopped moving.

Jack’s features were quite handsome. Standing roughly two meters tall, he somewhat resembled a famous muscular Hollywood actor. At that moment, his body bubbled up with thick blisters, much like boiling porridge.

His facial features were deformed, muscles melting, streaming down his body, and disappearing the moment they touched the snow.

The muscular facade gradually vanished, and the remaining flesh quickly reformed—

Where the burly Jack had fallen, there was now only a skinny man.

He was undeniably of Eastern descent, with a sleazy appearance with a face full of acne scars, standing less than 1.7 meters tall, slightly hunchbacked. His face twisted in pain while his eyes were rolling frantically.

The cold quickly turned his ears and nose red, while the rest of his skin turned pale. He was still wearing an orange vest typically worn by criminal suspects, glaringly conspicuous against the snow.

With a soft sound, a player’s earring fell to the snow, turning into a pile of powder and then being blown away by the wind.

“It can’t be… Impossible…”

Jack murmured in a daze, looking at his hands and cuffs. There was grime accumulated under his nails, and his cuffs were stained with soup. A scar lay vividly on the back of his hand, with marks of stitches.

He grasped at the air in vain, trying to retrieve an item from his tool bar, but only caught the biting cold wind.

“Status bar! Status bar!”

He croaked hoarsely while his expression became increasingly terrified. The language that came out of Jack’s mouth was no longer a common tongue but a mother tongue very familiar to Nol. There was also a stab wound from a letter opener on his shoulder, a small injury that continued to bleed without any signs of healing.

“…Liang Guanghui?!” From the nearby bone cage, Rosen took a sharp intake of breath.

Jack abruptly turned his head, looking blankly at Rosen. His lips turned blue, and he was too shaken to speak.

Dr. Zhu didn’t lower her voice. “You know him?”

“A buddy of mine caught him. Before we came here, this guy was in the detention center. His case was still in progress.” Rosen stared intently at “Jack”, speaking rapidly.

“Liang Guanghui committed crimes in the north, specializing in killing girls around fifteen and sixteen. He deceived girls who weren’t valued in the countryside to ‘pursue a better life’, and then violated them. Afterwards, he would dismember them and dispose of their bodies. Most of the families of these girls didn’t report the crime or cooperate so it was very difficult. We have found at least five victims so far…”

Nol listened numbly.

His body was icy cold, as if he had become part of the chilling wind. In his drooping right hand, the letter opener “Bad News” was still dripping blood.

…Reality…

…This is reality.

This world is undoubtedly real.

Finally, he thought, his terrifying suspicion had become a reality. The previous abnormalities could be forcibly explained as “changes in the game”. However, now the evidence in front of him was irrefutable.

Not to mention that “Tahe World” was adapted for VR headsets. Even if it were a VR gaming pod, it wouldn’t reproduce one’s appearance and clothing to this extent.

Moreover, such a serious criminal would never be allowed to log into a game. Neither a gaming headset nor a gaming pod would be allowed into a detention center.

The players weren’t trapped inside game characters. They physically arrived in this world and assumed the forms of their characters through some system.

…Are they still on Earth? Why does this world resemble his game so much?

…If even a murderer could be brought here, what exactly is this “game” that players have logged into? Why does it keep them here? And who or what are these bizarre “gods”?

…Who is behind all of this?

To Nol’s surprise, he didn’t even have the energy to collapse anymore. Despair and fear had turned into kindling, atop which anger was slowly igniting.

This was his game, a paradise he had crafted with his own hands. He had poured years of effort and hope into “Tahe”, and now someone had turned it into a pure hell.

These were his compatriots. He had eagerly anticipated the players’ reactions, hoping they’d love this world, explore, relax, and even fall in love. Now they were trapped, reaping only fear.

He would never forgive whoever orchestrated this. He would…

Nol clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The pain dispelled the rising hatred. Hatred was the enemy of reason, and being the most informed among his kind, he couldn’t let emotions cloud his judgment—

He had the best chance of uncovering the “truth of the world”.

Thanks to this Jack, Nol had realized two things.

First, this wasn’t a game. Until he understood the truth, nobody could easily return home.

Second, if there was nothing wrong with the letter opener, then he, the creator, was special in the eyes of the “system”… Special enough to directly strip players of their privileges.

“Omniscience” and “highest authority” would be his greatest weapons.

From this moment on, his plan might need a slight modification—uncovering the world’s truth would be his primary objective.

Speaking of which, as expected from the “Bad News” letter opener, Nol tightly gripped the tool. This Jack was undoubtedly a malicious letter from reality.

Nol took a deep breath of the cold air. Not a single tear fell this time.

Perhaps this was the first time he had been this calm since arriving in this world.

“Do you need me to hug you again?”

Warm hands gently touched Nol’s shoulders from behind, and the voice of Teest sounded in his ears. In the cold winter, Teest’s breath felt warm and carried the thick scent of pine and blood.

“I’m fine,” Nol said, placing a hand over Teest’s. To his surprise, his own hand was trembling slightly.

“You don’t look fine,” Test replied. “You look like you want to kill someone—I guess you’ve finally confirmed that this world is real.”

Nol remained silent.

Teest chuckled, his fingers grazing the letter opener. The blood on its blade had turned to thin ice.

Teest never asked anything. Nol looked down, appreciating that.

“We should move Liang Guanghui before he freezes to death,” Julie warned. “He surely knows something.”

From a distance, Rosen looked at Nol and Teest, who stood close together.

Teest, taller than Nol, stood behind him, leaning forward, his silver hair cascading over Nol’s shoulders.

He looked like a ghost, firmly attached to Nol.

From this angle, Rosen could see Teest’s face. Although Rosen had seen many kinds of people, he had never seen such emotion on any human face. It was pure joy and curiosity, like a beast sensing another.

“You’re right. Mr. Liang can’t die just yet,” Nol said after a long silence. “Let’s head back to the save point.”

“What are you talking about?” Jack… or rather, Liang Guanghui, with purple lips and a trembling voice, murmured. “I don’t understand… I don’t understand… status bar…”

From start to end, the shadow wolf stared at Nol, never moving an inch.

And in a corner unseen by Nol, the black candle atop the staff opened its eyes. Its eyes shifted subtly, the pupils nearly touching one end of the slit. In the shadow, it silently watched the “Necromancer” standing a few steps away.

……

The flames in the fireplace never ceased, casting shadows of everything inside the room that danced silently.

Liang Guanghui was tightly bound by ropes, with some fur piled on him, barely ensuring he wouldn’t freeze to death. His gaze was scattered, and he looked utterly devastated, clearly not yet recovered from the shock.

Wrapped in fur, he appeared even smaller and frail, a far cry from the intimidating presence of “Player Jack”.

The hunter, accompanied by the white wolf, squatted in a corner, feeling a bit bewildered after the player’s transformation. But having witnessed the methods of Teest and Nol, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Rosen and Julie sat on the bed’s edge, with Rosen’s brows constantly furrowed. To them, this world felt real, and this wasn’t shocking for them. They had been surviving in the snow-covered wilderness for over a month, completely unaware of any game. They always believed this was reality.

But Nol, who “came from a gaming company”, was different. Rosen thought Nol would break down, but after enduring multiple shocks, Nol seemed even more composed. Fortunately, his emotions remained intact—

A few steps away, Nol stood silently, gripping the handle of a letter opener so tightly that, even in the warm glow of the fire, his knuckles remained white.

Teest, having washed his hands with snow water, cheerfully approached Liang Guanghui. “Now it’s time for the ‘interrogation’ phase.”

“Only players can understand the language, and he can’t understand you now. Won’t there be communication problems?” Nol asked.

“I can understand him. That’s enough. I have my ways,” Teest said casually, lifting Liang Guanghui by the collar. The latter seemed to realize something and began to struggle desperately.

“Help!” He cried out in Nol’s native tongue. “This is reality! It’s real! God, I’m one of you. We should unite—!”

“I won’t do anything. I was wrong before. I thought this was a game! I’m willing to go to jail or face execution, just don’t let him take me away… Please…”

Ignoring the pleas, Teest began humming a tune. He dragged Liang Guanghui with one hand while spinning the “Betrayer” between his fingers in the other, its blade glinting in the firelight.

“Damn you! Don’t you have any humanity? Is this how you treat your own kind? I won’t say a damn thing, even if it kills me!”

As begging seemed to have no effect, Liang Guanghui’s voice turned shrill. “Grandpa’s log-off here will be noticed by the Eternal Church. You’ll all die—”

Rosen instinctively moved. Nol shifted slightly, blocking Rosen’s view.

“I’m sorry, Officer Rosen,” Nol whispered, standing directly above a conspicuous bloodstain. “I need information—to interrogate a scum, which might give us a clue to survive. I believe it’s worth it.”

“I’ll take full responsibility. If we get back, you can arrest me.”

Looking into Nol’s blue eyes, Rosen hesitated for a moment.

Nol was well aware of what he was doing, his eyes full of sorrow but determination. Seeing that Rosen had no intention to intervene, he stepped forward, intending to follow Teest.

But Teest stopped.

Holding up his hunting knife and smiling almost sweetly, he said, “Sorry, honey, I don’t like being watched when I’m ‘creating’. Besides—”

He sized up Nol, his smile fading slightly.

“I want to leave a good impression on you, lest you stab me with that letter opener.”

Teest cheerfully added, “You might want to enjoy the beautiful snowy scenery or look at some cute animals. It’ll be good for you.”

“To borrow your own words—leave the rest to me. I got this.”

Without giving Nol a chance to respond, he jumped out of the doorway, taking Liang Guanghui with him to the upper level of the “house cube”.

Nol didn’t follow. He returned to the fireplace, adding a few logs to the fire, and began to calculate something on paper.

The only sounds in the room were the scratching of his pen and the soft crackling of the fire. Perhaps Teest had cast a soundproof spell because it was also silent outside.

The letter opener was set aside, shimmering by the fireplace as if nothing had changed.

……

In the early hours of the morning, Teest returned to find the room empty.

“Teest,” Nol called out from the nearby snowy ground, his voice fragmented by the cold wind. “…Where’s Liang Guanghui?”

He stood quietly in the darkness, having finally put away the letter opener.

“The ‘inquiry’ went smoothly, and the gentleman answered with exceptional sincerity.”

Teest said with a smirk. “But he’s more fragile than I thought. He died so quickly that he didn’t even provide experience points. To be honest, I was quite surprised.”

“It’s good that you got the information.” After a long pause, Nol nodded.

Teest leaned in closely and asked, “Did you have a pleasant evening? It seems like there’s no one in the house. Did everyone go out for a walk?”

“They went back to the real hunter’s cabin first. I was waiting for you here, wrapping things up.” Nol moved behind Teest and carefully closed the wooden door.

Teest looked around and wasn’t too surprised to find that the corpses of the players in the snow had disappeared. Those who died on the snowfield were all transferred around the house. Nol fixed their bodies, and they leaned against the external walls of the cabin, snuggled on each other, as if taking a short rest.

“You tried the ‘letter opener’ again,” Teest stated.

“Yes, the hunter, the couple, and I—we all tried it. Old Hunter even caught a pheasant for me to stab. It was a fulfilling evening,” Nol said with a stern face. “There’s nothing wrong with the knife itself. It only becomes particularly terrifying when I hold it.”

“Those players have returned to their original forms. We’ve… taken proper care of them.”

“What about that poor pheasant?” Teest asked, showing no real concern for those unfortunate beings from another world.

“I injured it, and nothing happened. Then it became everyone’s dinner.” Nol replied absent-mindedly. “I know what you’re about to ask. I won’t stab you with it until I’m sure of the situation… and we’ve agreed on that, haven’t we?”

“You really put me at ease.”

In fact, what Teest wanted to ask was, “Why not try it on that couple? Maybe they’d turn back into humans.” Of course, they weren’t regular players and might perish entirely.

But given Nol’s current mental state… it seemed peculiar. Teest didn’t want to argue with Nol just yet, so it was best not to bring it up.

Stretching, Teest said, “What follows is simple. You continue your experiments here joyfully and just wait for the mission’s time limit to pass.”

“No.”

Nol closed the wooden door and turned around, standing in front of a pile of “physical save points”. Slowly, a smile crept across his face—

“Next, I’m going to destroy the entire instance.”

Teest’s stretching motion froze mid-air.

Behind Nol, a fierce blue flame suddenly rose, engulfing the entire cabin. The silhouette of Nol was starkly outlined by the flames, almost violently striking one’s vision. The blue glow tore through the night, reflecting bright colors on the dark clouds.

Unlike the previous necromantic blue fire, this flame was blazing hot. The wooden houses and bodies melted away like snow, disappearing without even leaving ashes behind.

With the boundless fire behind him and still smiling, Nol’s hair gently fluttered in the night breeze. His blue eyes burned with the same intensity as the flames.

Teest held his breath, an uncommon pause in his thoughts. After a long while, he barely murmured, “Why destroy them? Such a grand gesture might alert the creator of the save points…”

“Because the dead deserve a sincere funeral. Even if that being notices, at most, they’ll target you and me,” Nol answered matter-of-factly.

“Mr. Mad Monk, you once said that you don’t need to be responsible for me. And also…”

“And also?” Teest repeated, gazing intently at Nol.

Nol’s smile widened. “If one is always cautious and only seeks a 100% safe path, is that truly an ‘adventure’?”

That same smile.

Teest couldn’t help but reach out, longing to touch those blazing eyes. They shone so brightly that one would want to encase them in a jewel box.

Halfway through his motion, Teest snapped back to reality, trying to mask his intention. But this time, he was too late.

Nol caught that hand, pulling it close to his own neck. Teest could feel the fake pulse of the lich and… the warmth of soft skin.

Nol tilted his head slightly, pressing his cheek against the back of Teest’s hand.

“See, I have body temperature now,” he chuckled.

Behind Nol, the blue flame grew fiercer. The heat dispersed, melting the snow. In this moonless and starless night, it seemed like the only light source.

Teest remained silent for a long time.

“…Are you trying to tempt me, Nol?” he finally asked.

“Yes,” Nol replied calmly. “Next, I will destroy even more… I need you. Come with me, my knight.”

Teest rarely took a deep breath. He took a step forward, his palm hooking around Nol’s nape. The latter didn’t dodge or hide; he just looked intensely with his burning eyes.

Teest tilted his shoulders slightly, and their foreheads touched.

Their breaths brushed each other’s faces, equally hot.

“I like this temperature.”

The usual smile on Teest’s face disappeared completely. His face was strangely stiff, as if, other than smiling, he was unfamiliar with other expressions.

He didn’t close his eyes, just looking straight at Nol. Those blue eyes were close, still burning intensely.

‘How dazzling,’ he thought.

“I’m yours,” he said.

---

The author has something to say:

Hehe, someone’s heart is moved; I won’t tell who it is. (?

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 36: Letter Opener

Teest stood on a thick branch, seemingly weightless. The accumulated snow on the branch didn’t move at all.

His eyes were fixed intently on Jack’s bloodied mouth.

There was no deflection of the damage, indicating that Jack had no items that would reflect damage. Jack didn’t immediately put on a protective shield, which meant his previous shield must have been from an item and was limited in use.

Jack’s face twisted in pain, his mouth half-open, the root of his tongue writhing, unable to regrow a new one for a long while.

Nol’s judgment was right; this guy had at least the talent for “rapid healing”.

“Teest, you’ve applied both [Malicious Corrosion] and [Unstoppable Bleeding] on your blade. Both these skills are possessed by the Fallen Knight.”

Before they set off, Nol had told him this alone. “If there’s abnormal growth at the wound, it means the enemy has the ‘rapid healing’ ability. Remember to adjust your tactics accordingly.”

His mage husband was truly omniscient, Teest thought happily.

He suppressed his breath and jumped down from the branch without stirring a single snowflake.

Greeting Teest were countless bone-like hands.

Teest tiptoed across these skeletal hands, charging at Jack, who was riding the shadow wolf.

Jack commanded the shadow wolf to pounce forward, suddenly surrounded by thousands of gray-black needles. These needles, hidden among the snowflakes and cold wind, had tips that shimmered with a mold-green glow.

They were like piranhas that sensed blood, madly rushing towards Teest.

Teest jumped to the nearest tree, with the poison needles chasing relentlessly. Jack charged at Teest, attempting to pincer him mid-air.

Needles from the back, a wolf’s mouth in the front.

Just as the needles were about to touch Teest’s clothing, he quickly ducked. The needles instantly pierced the shadow wolf’s fur, making it cry out in pain and fall from the sky. As a storyline boss of the instance, the shadow wolf was immune to all special statuses but couldn’t resist the pain caused by the rain of needles.

Jack’s vision was disrupted; the Teest that was just before him had suddenly vanished.

“Surprise!” A voice with a hint of amusement sounded close by.

Suddenly, an upside-down head appeared in front of Jack—Teest had somehow sneaked behind him. This unexpected guest stood on the shadow wolf, bending forward, looking at him upside-down, with silver hair flowing down with his movements.

Jack’s vision was almost completely obscured by the hair, reminding him of the white cloth used to cover the faces of the deceased back in his hometown.

In the next instant, accompanied by a clear “snap” sound, Jack’s vision spun around wildly.

Teest twisted his arms and neatly turned Jack’s head 180 degrees.

“It doesn’t feel like you’re dead, worthy of a player,” Teest muttered regretfully, as if biting into undercooked meat.

He didn’t get greedy and instead nimbly jumped away—

First bound by someone, then face pierced by poison needles, and now stepped on by the target player, the shadow wolf roared in rage. It rolled wildly in the snow, trying to shake off the burden on its back. The [Advanced Rider’s Saddle] relied on the system’s power to adhere to its back. Enraged, the shadow wolf raised its head and howled.

‘The boss’s big move is coming!’ Jack thought with joy.

He hastily applied several protective shields to himself and shoved three or four potent recovery pills into his mouth—having his spine snapped was really brutal. Even with “Rapid Healing” and “Damage Reduction”, he was almost killed by Teest.

With the shadow wolf’s howl, surrounding shadows transformed into sharp blades, which then morphed into several black tornadoes. They swirled around the shadow wolf, instantly shredding nearby trees.

The shadow blades scattered, and Teest’s arms, which he used to shield his face, were immediately scarred. Yet, he barely bled as numerous bone pillars rose from the ground, directly dispersing the tornado of shadow blades.

Nol stood at the original spot, blocking the others, with no expression on his face.

With his left hand pressing the dragon-skin notebook to his chest and the staff in his right hand occasionally raised, it seemed as if he was directing an invisible orchestra—

Massive troll rib bones pierced out from the ground like bamboo shoots, and toxic python bones moved swiftly among them. The shadow wolf was trapped by the thick ribs and entangled by the snake-like bones. In a snap of its jaws, those bones turned into fragments, instantly replaced by new ones.

While Jack was busy recovering health, he clung to the shadow wolf’s back, getting caught directly in the onslaught.

His head hadn’t even been straightened yet, weirdly tilted at ninety degrees.

“As expected.”

Nol spoke in a flat tone. “By fixing yourself to the shadow wolf, it can’t use shadows to move freely. To control it so effortlessly, we should thank you for your assistance.”

As he spoke, his actions didn’t stop. Countless skeletal rats took every chance they got, climbing up Jack’s body. By the time they reached the throat, the one on top bared its teeth and bit directly into Jack’s neck. The ones that followed were fiercely tearing at the flesh around the throat, drilling into the wound.

A few steps away, Teest whistled with a hint of admiration in his expression.

The skeletal rats pried the flesh apart, making the wound hard to heal. The HP that Jack had just managed to restore was rapidly declining. With his throat shattered and his tongue destroyed, he couldn’t even scream.

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

A few seconds later, an indifferent female voice echoed in Jack’s head.

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

……

“The [Advanced Rider’s Saddle] requires the user to be ‘at least level 50 after a class change’. Your level is quite high,” Nol remarked without glancing at the gruesome wound. “Let’s see when you lose your qualification to use it.”

“Guh guh”

After a moment of silence, Jack opened his mouth, which no longer had a tongue, and laughed as if he was exhaling. He reached into his pocket and crushed something.

A rich black mist emerged from his pocket, quickly enveloping Jack’s body and forming into black armor. The skeletal rats were instantly kept at bay by the armor and fell to the ground with pitter-patter sounds.

In an instant, both Jack and the shadow wolf vanished from the spot.

The rare item [Shadow Armor] allowed the user to operate in a shadow state for 60 minutes, hiding in the shadows of all things. This was a one-time-use item and was more expensive than any item seen so far.

Nol stood still, pointing with his staff. “Teest, Rosen.”

He sounded almost calm.

Behind Nol, giant troll-like ribs protruded once again, forming a cage that protected the couple, the hunter, and the white wolf at the center.

Rosen sat on Julie’s shoulders, waving both hands. Countless light orbs filled the bone cage, locking out all shadows.

At the same time, Teest moved through the bushes, appearing outside the rib cage. His “Betrayer” transformed into a sword—

Ding!

The fangs of the shadow wolf clashed with the blade. Its tongue was cut by the sharp edge, and the “Betrayer” had a faint bloodline.

Inside the skeletal cage, Julie let out a deep roar. Protecting Rosen behind her, she reached out with scalpel-like claws and her fur took on a rock-like texture.

Rosen maintained the light orbs, chanting hurriedly. With a crackling sound, the outside of the bone cage was covered with a thick layer of ice, soon to become an ice fortress.

Jack clicked his tongue harshly, directing a swarm of needle-like mosquitoes towards the not yet sealed ice fortress. The shadow wolf bent its body; its fur stood on ends due to magic.

Teest did a backflip and stood firmly on the edge of the ice.

Ding ding ding. Dazzling light from the sword emerged, and all the needles were knocked onto the ice by him. They trembled helplessly, like birds trapped in a vice.

The blood on the “Betrayer” was completely shaken off, leaving tiny red dots on the white snow.

Cursing in his mind, Jack was about to use an explosion spell on the ice shell when an almost simultaneous interruption occurred.

The mage seemed to be able to predict the future, as his interruption was precise—Jack’s explosion felt like it had exploded inside him, and the shadow wolf’s charging skill was disrupted by an ice cone, both shaking in pain almost simultaneously.

Enduring the pain, Jack changed his strategy, trying to physically break the ice shell. Unfortunately, his fist had not been out for a second when it was deflected by Teest’s sword, missing its target.

“How did you know…”

Jack finally managed to speak; his voice was hoarse and malicious. At this moment, his face was hidden behind the helmet of the shadow armor, looking no different from a monster.

“Let me answer that—Nol is a protector. You dare not face him head-on, so of course you want to kill those he protects first.” Teest’s golden eyes appeared above the sword’s blade, still annoyingly bent. “As for your attack methods, if I were you, I would do the same. Consider this a compliment.”

Jack let out a bitter laugh, directing the shadow wolf away from Teest, intending it to bite the frozen bone cage.

Unexpectedly, the shadow wolf showed resistance for the first time.

Before Jack could think further, a pair of cold arms suddenly wrapped around his waist. These arms carried a hint of magic, sticking firmly to him, preventing him from sinking back into the shadows—just as he had done to the shadow wolf moments ago.

Jack slowly looked down to see a pair of scarred, pale arms.

It was a pair of hands belonging to a corpse.

Then came more and more hands. These corpses slowly crawled out from beneath the snow, their bodies mutilated and diverse in race, with expressions frozen in despair.

Like drowning people longing for a piece of driftwood, they tried their best to grasp at Jack. Jack’s wrists and ankles were tightly bound by countless cold, heavy hands, as if they were shackles made of flesh.

Jack wanted to shock the shadow wolf to urge it to flee, but the corpses broke his fingers one by one, rendering him immobile. Underneath him, more corpses clung to the shadow wolf, which was frantically biting at them.

But these corpses weren’t fragile bones. Many still emanated residual magic. Even when physically torn apart, they wouldn’t disintegrate like skeletons and continued to cling to Jack and the shadow wolf—even if only a hand remained.

Then, poisonous needles pierced down, lightning flashed, and the shadow blade became a storm, but the corpses remained unfazed.

These people had died long ago on this desolate snowy plain. They couldn’t die again.

Jack was sweating profusely. He couldn’t help but look in Nol’s direction and exclaimed, “Fuck, where did all these dead people come from?! All summoning takes time, when did you start summoning…”

“The moment I laid eyes on you,” Nol interrupted distractedly.

He stared at the stiff and cold corpses. More and more corpses emerged. The earlier ones were torn apart by the shadow wolf and thrown into the snow, looking like broken plaster statues. The newcomers stepped over these fragments, silently reaching out.

There was a woman with swollen arms, a skinny child, a man with bite wounds on his legs, a young man with rotten feet, a beastman with a hole in its chest…

How many people had died in this instance? Nol lost count.

“Fuck you. How much mana do you have?!” Jack roared, desperately using items to fend off the persistent corpses. “This is cheating! This is cheating! There’s no such spell, and there’s no necromancer in this game—”

“There is now,” Nol whispered.

Jack felt like he was sinking into a marsh of corpses. Their stiff bodies choked his throat while cold fingers clawed at his mouth, as if they wanted to tear him apart alive. He felt heavier and colder, almost as if he were becoming one with the corpses.

Skeleton rats appeared again, this time focusing on the electric whip around the shadow wolf, trying to pull Jack off.

‘It’s time to end this,’ Nol thought.

‘It can’t end like this,’ Jack thought, almost as a curse.

He stopped struggling, reached for his neck, and violently tore off the amulet on his chest. It had been hidden under his armor, unseen by the mage.

Let’s see how you predict this now. Under the mask, Jack revealed a twisted grin.

[The Eternal Amulet has been damaged. You will sacrifice 10 levels to deal true damage at your current level’s limit. This attack will ignore all interruptions and defenses—]

With the appearance of the powerful special profession “Necromancer” in the game, the information was valuable enough. Since he couldn’t win, he might as well complete the mission and run.

Having lost fourteen levels, he was way behind the main force. But no worries, there were still many people outside to kill…

[“Eternal Sacrifice” activated. Please select a target—]

‘[White Wolf],’ Jack thought.

His phantom armor disintegrated on the spot, and Jack turned into an afterimage, rushing towards the white wolf in the bone cage. The Necromancer stood directly in his path of attack. Surely, he would prioritize self-defense.

If not, Jack would happily kill two birds with one stone—this was the absolute item given by the Eternal Church. Nothing could interrupt his attack!

Noticing Jack’s full charge towards the cage, Nol was taken aback for a moment. Everything happened too fast, and he only managed three thoughts.

…He didn’t recognize this skill.

…He didn’t have time to chant a spell.

…He had to stop this charge.

So, Nol let go of his staff and grabbed the only offensive item he had. As they passed by each other, Nol sidestepped and swung his arm with all his strength, plunging the letter opener deep into Jack’s shoulder.

Jack abruptly stopped, as if his skill was paused. He let out a non-human shriek and collapsed on the ground, staring in disbelief at Nol.

Player “Jack’s” face began to melt.

---

The author has something to say:

Defeating Jack can hardly be considered the climax of this arc. He’s not worth it—

The letter opener finally makes its appearance.

Teest: …This knife is different from what was described. (Scared)

Nol: Bug(?). So it’s finally my turn, right?

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 35: Teest’s Gamble

In the midst of the snowstorm, a group of people slowly made their way. Among them, the figures of the old hunter and the white wolf stood out.

This wasn’t due to the request of Nol or Teest. They had just planned to hunt the Eternalist when they were blocked at the entrance of the igloo by the fully-armed old man. Hunter changed into a more efficient hunting outfit—even though it was a bit tight for him now. He carried a quiver full of crossbow bolts, and a long knife was added to his waist.

Even the white wolf wore an additional piece of leather armor, covering its vital parts slightly.

The old hunter panted heavily, looking as if he had run all the way back.

“I’ll go with you. The one you’re dealing with is a player, right? I’m afraid he’ll turn around and ambush my wolf,” Old Hunter said. “Besides, I’m easily affected by player rules. It’s better if you keep me close.”

Nol bent down to pet the white wolf’s head, and the wolf gently licked his hand. Even though it was old, its vitality felt incredibly real.

“Let’s go together then,” Nol said. “We’ll protect it.”

“This could be dangerous. Why not let the old man hide with the wolf?” Rosen seemed worried.

Before Nol could respond, Old Hunter interrupted with a curse. “Fuck, do you think I don’t want to? I have to guide the players! Unless there’s a player nearby, I can’t stray too far from the cabin.”

Rosen: “…Thank you for your hard work.”

……

The destination indicated by the coordinates wasn’t close. The old man and the wolf walked slowly, and it would likely take them from morning to evening. Teest and Nol led the way, while the old man and the wolf walked tensely in the middle, and the Luo Zhu couple brought up the rear.

By noon, the group stopped to eat. To avoid any mishaps from hunting, the old man took out dried meat from his backpack to share. He skillfully started a campfire, hung a small pot, and boiled soup with snow water and deer fat.

The dry, hard meat regained its tenderness in the water, becoming light and tender, slowly emitting the unique aroma of meat.

Nol didn’t eat, volunteering to patrol nearby so others could dine in peace. So, by the pot sat an instance NPC, a player-turned NPC, and two monsters-turned from another world. Without Nol, the atmosphere around the fire felt like distant relatives from both sides of a wedding sharing a table—related in a practical sense but emotionally distant.

Old Hunter looked around; his confusion palpable. Nol said they were there to protect friends, but none of them seemed close.

“You seem to have a problem with me, Mr. Law Enforcer.” Teest filled a bowl of soup and addressed Rosen.

After hesitating, Rosen replied, “You look like someone who could kill.”

“Just for that? Your place must be very peaceful,” Teest said, laughing, stopping his spoon.

“Not just that,” Rosen said seriously, his face not matching his cute looks. “I’ve caught many murderers. Some kill impulsively, some are psychopaths. I never mistake the latter—you and that burly cultist, there’s something off about your eyes.”

Teest slurped on the tip of his spoon. “Well, no wonder they chose you as a law enforcer. If you weren’t in monster form, you could have been an Investigation Knight here.”

This guy really couldn’t be bothered to pretend, even daring to accept the title of “psychopath”. Rosen awkwardly chuckled. “No, no, no, you might as well have ‘I’m suspicious’ written on your face. I’m not blind.”

Curious, Teest continued, “Since you’re good at reading people, what do you think of my companion?”

“He…” Rosen started but suddenly stopped, realizing something, and glared at Teest. “I don’t want to discuss this with you.”

“But I do,” Teest replied innocently. “We all enjoy discussing topics of interest. I’m interested in Nol. I can see you have some insights about him. Indulge my curiosity.”

Rosen looked Teest up and down. “I don’t like talking about friends behind their backs.”

“Oh, seems like you don’t have good things to say.” Teest smiled.

“No, I’m not—”

“Mr. Teest, if you have something to say, be direct. You don’t mind painting a dangerous image of yourself, and you’re prompting Rosen to recall Nol’s anomalies… In the end, you want us to be wary of Nol, right?” Julie interrupted, holding her soup bowl like a teacup.

Teest casually fished some meat from the pot and admitted nonchalantly, “Of course. You’re the unpredictable factor. You know when to advance or retreat, possess some brains and strength, and are from the same place as him. It would be strange if I didn’t care.”

Julie instinctively straightened her back—just for that fleeting moment, the wolfkin instinct in her sensed a nearly bloodthirsty hostility. A chill ran down her spine, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

“If things are resolved smoothly, we will invite Nol to join us. Even if he refuses to leave you, we will suggest that he come with us.” After pondering for a moment, Rosen laid his cards on the table. “Nol is under a lot of pressure; he needs normal companions who can understand him. If you really care about him, please think about it.” He deliberately emphasized the word “normal”.

“Ah, but I don’t like moving with too many people.” Teest showed a troubled expression. “How about we make a bet—if he agrees to go with you, I will willingly back off, no second words.”

“But if Nol refuses both of you, you both will voluntarily leave, ensuring you don’t leak any information about Nol to other outsiders. Given your wisdom, you should recognize his uniqueness.”

“Do you want to bet, Mr. Law Enforcer, Ms. Healer? Fair and square, with one’s life as the penalty.” Teest playfully waved a spoon, his golden eyes filled with mischief. But his tone was soft and enticing, carrying an almost irresistible charm.

‘This guy must have pulled some trick,’ Rosen thought, completely unmoved.

Teest was indeed a formidable ally on the same front, but he was just too dangerous. Rosen’s detective instincts were screaming alarms.

However, Teest’s proposal was very tempting. Those with psychological disorders often have their own set of logic. If Rosen could win the bet, Teest might genuinely stick to the rules of the game. But if they ignored his hints and insisted on accompanying Nol, Teest might take their lives—he wouldn’t even have to do it himself, just expose them as “monsters” to humans.

If Rosen was alone, he would definitely stick with Nol, ensuring he wasn’t influenced by Teest. But now he also had loved ones to protect, and as for Nol…

Was Nol’s subtle madness truly only due to Teest’s influence?

Frankly, Rosen wasn’t sure. Nol was undoubtedly kind, but something felt off to Rosen. Regrettably, he wasn’t familiar with “Xu Yue” and couldn’t figure him out.

…To hell with it! Let Nol decide!

“We’ll take the bet.” Rosen gritted his teeth. Dr. Zhu sighed but didn’t object.

Teest gave a smile that could only be described as enchanting. “A wise decision, Mr. Law Enforcer. Then it’s settled.”

“What on earth are you all talking about?” Old Hunter finally couldn’t help but interrupt. “All this talk in outsider and wolfkin language—players really do know it all.”

Teest turned to the hunter and cheekily winked.

……

Nol had no idea what Teest was scheming behind his back. He was in a peculiar mental state—one half of his soul was shrieking from the overwhelming burden, while the other half had defensively transformed into a resigned shape for self-preservation.

Whether in body or spirit, the only way to escape the stimulus was to become numb. If it meant preserving his core kindness, sacrificing a bit was worth it.

At dusk, the group located the anomaly coordinates.

The spot was in a cold spruce forest, seemingly unremarkable. Snow was heavily falling, and the towering spruces were dizzying. Nol scanned the area and sniffed—he didn’t sense any bones nearby but detected a faint stench of decay.

He cautiously gripped the Staff of Sacrifice he had unstrapped from his back. The black candle, the core of his magical power, still seemed dormant. If it weren’t for its inanimate appearance, Nol would’ve thought it was dead.

“There’s the smell of a corpse nearby. Be careful,” Nol whispered, deciding to search around the coordinates. However, before he could even look up—

“Over there. I guess we have to go through.”

Teest casually pointed towards two identical spruces. “The traces on the ground lead that way; the grass beneath one of the trees has been stepped on. It’s that person; the footprints match.”

Speechless, Nol looked where Teest was pointing. All he saw was the pristine snow and naturally shaped dried grass. Even upon close observation, he couldn’t discern anything. What on earth were this guy’s eyes made of?

Teest patted Nol on the back. “Eternalists have a special footprint-erasing technique. Unfortunately, it has a tiny flaw. Let’s go; that person isn’t inside now.”

“You can tell?” Rosen couldn’t help but interject.

“The latest trace indicates that he left. Judging by the accumulated snow, he’s been gone for a while. His footsteps going out were heavier than when he came in, suggesting he’s carrying around 5kg of luggage. I bet he won’t be back anytime soon.”

Teest said, “Huh? Why are you looking at me? I don’t have a map on my face. Let’s go in and check.”

Inside, Nol revised his assessment of the Mad Monk’s danger level. If the target wasn’t a member of the Eternal Church, he might have even felt pity for Teest’s prey. This guy had evaded capture for over a decade, and it wasn’t just about combat skills.

“It’s a pity you’re a player; otherwise, you’d be the one to take my place,” Old Hunter said dryly. “You and the white wolf match in color.”

“It’s my honor, sir, but I prefer summer,” Teest responded with a chirpy tone, stepping through the symmetrical fir trees. In an instant, he vanished, as if swallowed by the cold wind.

Did he just go in? What if there’s a trap?

Nol tensed up, ready to follow, when suddenly a silver head appeared between the trees. Teest’s head hung eerily in the air with an excited expression on his face. “Come and see. It’s quite a sight!”

…Fine.

Nol’s worries faded. He followed Test into the trees.

Unlike Teest, Nol couldn’t smile at what he saw before him.

Twenty-seven log cabins were stacked in a cube, arranged with perfect precision, as if weightless models were simply placed in the snow. They all looked the same but were in varying states of decay; Nol guessed that was how they looked when their last owners died.

Near the closest cabin lay four or five naked bodies.

Their faces were upwards, half-buried in the snow, looking like dolls plucked from toy houses. Snowflakes settled on their dull eyes, which stared blankly at the sky.

Apart from the half-beastmen hunter’s body, the rest were male and female with no visible injuries. They had perfect proportions and exquisitely crafted faces—each wore a shining gold earring on their left ear. The warm gold now only seemed cold.

The dead neighbors, the dead NPCs… before Nol now, were the dead players.

Aren’t players supposed to be immortal? He thought blankly.

“Oh, you’re looking at the player corpses.” While Nol was in a daze, Teest had already made a round around the cabin. “They chose to log off, equivalent to ‘suicide’… Even in a different world, there must be those who choose that end, right?” He asked uncertainly.

Nol nodded gravely.

By this time, the remaining members had also entered, all stopping by the bodies. Rosen was silent, while Julie simply put her hands together in a prayer.

“The torture and punishment of the Eternal Church are world-class,” Teest continued, seemingly unphased by the mood. “But in a situation like this, players are lucky. No one can stop them from logging off. If it were locals, the Church has countless ways to prevent them from ending their lives during interrogation.”

“You seem to know a lot about the Eternal Church,” Rosen noted, his voice extraordinarily dignified. “If you weren’t on our side, I’d have thought you were one of them.”

Teest smirked and curved his eyes. “That’s not impossible.”

Nol bent down, trying to close the eyes of the dead, but his fingers were so cold, unable to soften the frozen eyelids to close them. Even though his palms felt icy and the corpses were equally cold, there was a stinging sensation.

Those cloudy eyes remained open, like amber filled with despair and pain.

Finally, Nol carefully removed one of the earrings. Once a player died, it would easily fall off.

The gold earring lay quietly in Nol’s hand, emitting a strong sense of rejection, like a lost dog missing its owner.

“That won’t be of any use,” Teest interjected. “Player’s earrings belong only to the respective player. They can’t be reused, or else they wouldn’t be left behind.”

“I just want to study it,” Nol responded. “So, that Eternalist isn’t here?”

“He’s not. He only left some things in the room… Hey, wait for me!”

Nol didn’t wait to hear the rest. He headed straight inside.

The old hunter followed him in, inhaling sharply. The primary furniture in the room matched his own cabin’s; only the position and details differed. The desk here was tidy, with a few scrolls of beast skin scattered on it, written in the beastmen language.

The saved hut seemed to not reject monsters and outsiders. The couple and the white wolf followed inside. The white wolf curiously sniffed around and finally growled softly at the burning fireplace, looking like it wanted to challenge it.

Nol squatted down in front of the scattered scraps on the floor.

“Wolfbane mushrooms, centipede grass, mystic river lotus.” He picked up the fragments with his fingers, smelling them one by one. “Blood of the grey spider-bird, saliva of the soul beast… all ingredients for the ‘Heartbreak Poison’.”

“Over here…these scorch marks were left by the lightning whips. Two of them, korot tree gum used for prop adhesive, and leather…”

He muttered while half-squatting on the wooden floor, right above a large black and red bloodstain.

This time, Nol didn’t show any signs of collapse. He calmly discerned every trace, emitting a subtly dangerous aura. At this moment, it seemed he didn’t care about the neighbors’ thoughts or speculations and displayed his abilities without hiding them.

Through the thick cloth, Teest rubbed the goosebumps on his arm, focusing even more intently.

“Don’t stray too far from me later.”

A few minutes later, Nol stood up. “The ‘Heartbreak Poison’ is specifically aimed at creatures other than players. It’s a lethal poison, and the poisoned won’t survive for more than five minutes… Other than that, this guy also made some sort of tool. I guess it’s for the shadow wolf. Prepare for the worst.”

“Like what?” Rosen asked.

Nol adjusted the folds on his robe. “For instance, he might have found a way to control the shadow wolf… Just in case, we need to make some preparations.”

……

As it turned out, Nol’s predictions regarding enemy tactics were always accurate.

As night fell, at the end of the trail, Nol smelled the familiar stench of corpses.

“Everyone, stop.” He raised the Staff of Sacrifice. “There’s an ambush ahead. The magical fluctuation isn’t right.”

“Ah, I was hoping to train the dog a bit more. What a pleasant surprise.” A cheerful voice rang out.

Burly Jack, riding the shadow wolf, emerged from the shadows of nearby rocks.

He sat on a peculiar saddle, which firmly fixed him on the back of the shadow wolf. Two lightning whips were modified into reins, connecting to a sturdy collar around the wolf’s mouth. The shadow wolf seemed restless and agitated, as if wanting to break free. A second later, electricity flashed, and the wolf let out a painful howl, obediently staying put.

[Top-level Lightning Whips] [Advanced Rider’s Saddle]… This guy really invested a lot. Daring to put a collar and saddle on a shadow wolf, only because the wolf wouldn’t attack him.

Truth be told, this set wouldn’t last long on the shadow wolf. But even if it lasted just half a day, it would be a huge disaster for them.

Nol narrowed his eyes, quickly strategizing.

On the other side, the burly man continued, “Have I not introduced myself? I’m Jack, a remarkable player—Hey, old hunter, you know right? I’m a player.”

“I know you’re an idiot,” Old Hunter coldly retorted.

Jack laughed. “Your bravery is only temporary. Listen, Hunter—come. Come to me quickly. I need your help—”

“Stop me!” The hunter seemed dazed, shaking his head desperately, shouting at the Luo Zhu couple. The white wolf was the first to bite his trouser leg, pulling him back with a concerned look.

Jack, riding the shadow wolf, grinned like watching a comedy. “I need help. I truly need you to come to my…”

Jack couldn’t finish. Nol smirked.

A white shadow swept from above the rocks. With a flash of cold light, a piece of purplish-red flesh fell into the snow, steaming and bleeding like pomegranate seeds.

It was Jack’s tongue.

“Good evening, Mr. Jack.”

Teest deftly leapt onto a tree branch, half-squatting on a thick one. He looked at Jack with a smirk as blood gleaned on “The Betrayer”.

“Don’t you think you talk too much?”

---

The author has something to say:

Physical silence.

Teest: Marriage is a world of two. One more is too many!

Nol, his anger gauge is about to reach 100%…

————————————

Some readers asked why the hunter could roam freely before. It’s because there were no players in the instance at that time. Once players arrived, his movement got restricted~

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 34: Found You

Fifty-one years ago, the hunter woke up on the bed in the cabin.

The flames in the fireplace roared, the crackling of burning wood mixed with the howling of the blizzard outside. Despite the loud sounds, the room felt incredibly silent.

The grogginess of sleep faded from his mind, and the hunter got out of bed, wandering around a bit aimlessly.

He soon found a mirror, and the dirty mirror reflected a young face—the hunter had light blue eyes and deep brown hair that was thick and curly like bear fur. His lips were full, and the corners of his mouth turned up, as if he always carried a hint of a smile. But in his eyes, his face only showed confusion.

‘My name is Hunter, nineteen years old, a hunter,’ he thought to himself, looking around the familiar yet unfamiliar cabin.

There wasn’t much in the room. The cutlery and wooden chairs were simple, hunting equipment neatly arranged against the wall. Other than the bed, there was only a round dining table and a long desk. The desk held a few miscellaneous books and an opened letter.

A small letter opener lay beside the letter, gleaming new.

The letter’s writer claimed to be his friend, greeted him simply, and brought news of his long-lost relatives—they were all “players”, often busy, and it was uncertain when they might visit.

[This is fate, my friend.] The letter ended.

Relatives. Hunter thought blankly. Indeed, he had been orphaned since childhood, raised in this empty log cabin, always longing to see his family. When the players come to visit, he must treat them well and face them honestly. If all his relatives were good people, he could tell them the story of the white wolf…

But why couldn’t he go find his family? Why did he have to wait here?

With these thoughts, Hunter packed his bag, took up his weapon, and prepared to leave the snowy wilderness.

Strangely, on one hand, he felt like he was encountering these weapons for the first time, but on the other, he knew “how to use” them by heart. Hunter traveled through hills covered in snow, crossing towering forests, making marks along the way, marching enthusiastically.

He was going to find his family. The hunter’s cabin was cozy, but it was too empty. Hunter didn’t know how he had endured before, but he couldn’t stand being alone.

He walked from day to night and night to day. When hungry, he hunted pheasants and rabbits; when thirsty, he melted some snow to drink. He crossed snow-covered hills, crossed frozen rivers, encountered polar bears, and avoided wolf packs.

He walked for a month… maybe three months, or even half a year. Hunter didn’t count those endless days and nights. His hands became incredibly rough, his beard grew curly, covered in grease and dirt, but hope remained in his heart.

He had to keep moving. This snowy land must have an end.

At last, Hunter spotted a small log cabin in the vast snowfield. Warm light shone through the cabin’s window.

There’s someone!

Overwhelmed with emotion, Hunter shouted and rushed towards the cabin. But as he approached, his heart raced. Was it a hallucination? This cabin looked incredibly familiar.

No, no, perhaps it just looked alike. He had been away for so long; the fire should have gone out.

The door was unlocked, and Hunter cautiously pushed it open.

The fireplace roared with flames, and in the center of the table was an open letter. The lamp next to the letter shone quietly, and the letter opener still gleamed.

This was his hunter’s cabin; everything was exactly as he had left it.

[This is fate, my friend.]

Hunter felt as if all his bones were removed, leaving only the cold wind in his body. He collapsed at the door, silent for a long time.

At twenty-one, the young man would never give up easily. Hunter believed he had just taken the wrong path. Year after year, time and time again, he tried new directions, new ways to remember the route.

Ten years passed, then twenty. The starting point was always the cabin, and the endpoint was always this same cabin.

Along the way, Hunter saw countless desperate messages from those trapped. He once thought of saving an ordinary person, just to have someone by his side. But he couldn’t do it—

Once, he encountered a young man nearly frozen to death. The man cried out for help, but in a split second, Hunter completely forgot his rescue plan.

He had to wait for the players; this man didn’t deserve to enter the hunter’s cabin.

He had to wait for the players; this man was a disgraceful intruder.

He had to wait for the players…

So, he left the young man in the freezing night. When Hunter came to his senses and hurriedly returned, all he found was the man’s head left behind after being eaten by a wolf pack.

Time trudged on slowly, and the passionate youth turned into a dispirited middle-aged person.

Hunter no longer tried to leave. During the day, he chopped wood, hunted, and daydreamed. At night, he patrolled the forest. To not lose his ability to speak, he began talking to the air, imagining nonexistent friends and family.

It was then that Hunter encountered the white wolf.

He had, of course, tracked this suspicious white wolf before, but ever since he discovered the secret that the “white wolf was constantly being replaced”, he no longer bothered to investigate. The white wolf was gentle by nature, and out of a certain shared misery, he didn’t hunt it.

But this time, the white wolf looked only a few months old, recently weaned.

The little wolf was pure white—not the usual color for a wolf cub. It looked around in terror, instinctively calling, trying to summon its mother and pack. No wolves came for it, and the accumulating snow almost buried it.

Hunter glanced at it, then numbly turned away. This chance occurrence wasn’t great; it would die soon and be replaced by another white wolf.

‘If I died, someone else would replace me too,’ Hunter thought. Perhaps he should end it all… The thought surfaced briefly before disappearing. Hunter looked out of the window again; the fluffy wolf cub was still howling.

So noisy.

Half an hour later, cursing, Hunter stood up and warmed some deer blood. He put it in an old water bag and approached the cub.

The wolf cub, terrified, bared its teeth and shivered. It wanted to escape but only managed a feeble attempt with its limbs.

“Come, drink.” Hunter crouched down, opened the bag’s cap, releasing the pungent smell of fresh deer blood. “Drink before it gets cold.”

Probably starving, the cub hesitated, then cautiously approached. Its cold nose touched the hunter’s hand. It then turned its mouth to the bag, licking and sucking hurriedly and making continuous whining noises.

The cub was fluffy, warm, and soft to touch. Hunter’s hand trembled slightly, and he held the blood bag more firmly.

After quenching its thirst, the cub sniffed Hunter intensely, as if imprinting his scent into its soul. After sniffing, it tentatively licked his hand, rubbing its mouth against his fingers.

Hunter was stunned, his eyes inexplicably teary. Every creature on the snowy plains, from the mightiest to the weakest, was always alert and would never approach humans. When was the last time he experienced kindness from another living being…?

He stretched out his trembling hand and gently stroked the cub’s head.

From then on, the white wolf cub stayed nearby. Hunter fed it deer blood, roasted organs, root vegetables, and mashed meat. His mundane life was enriched by this new “entertainment” of caring for the wolf cub. The cub grew quickly, as young predators often do. Month by month, the white wolf developed sharp fangs and claws and could hunt the strongest stags.

Afterward, its visits to the cabin became less frequent. Hunter didn’t really mind; after all, it was a wolf, not a dog. He didn’t expect much affection from a beast.

Until one evening when Hunter was fifty-three.

During a hunt, Hunter had an accidental fall. His foot got stuck in a crevice beneath the snow layer, his ankle cut, rapidly spreading the scent of blood. He cursed silently as cold sweat formed on his forehead.

There was a pack of wolves nearby.

Sure enough, before he could free himself from the pain, pairs of glowing wolf eyes appeared from the darkness.

…This was the end. With a deep sigh, Hunter slowly put down his crossbow.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, a white figure darted in front.

His white wolf, now in its prime, stood tall and robust. It stood before Hunter, baring its fangs, growling deeply from its throat. However, being a lone wolf, its intimidation was limited. In the relentless cold, the wolf pack was always in need of food. The pack circled them for a bit and finally charged.

The first gray wolf to pounce was tackled by the white wolf, its throat bitten fiercely. Another wolf attacked the white one, tearing its flesh, staining its white fur with blood. But the white wolf stood its ground, fiercely biting back.

This time, Hunter didn’t hesitate to grab his crossbow. “You came for me, didn’t you? Come on!” Biting down hard, he aimed at the wolves attacking the white one.

……

The night grew darker. The accumulated snow melted from the warm blood, turning the surroundings muddy. Hunter’s arm had chunks of flesh torn away, and the white wolf was also riddled with wounds. After killing seven or eight wolves, the pack finally retreated.

The white wolf quietly walked up to the old hunter, signaling for support. With the wolf’s help, Hunter managed to free his stuck foot. He knelt on the blood-streaked mud, holding the blood-stained head of the white wolf tightly. The white wolf turned its face and licked away the blood and tears from his face.

“Friend,” Hunter said hoarsely. “…my friend.”

……

“After that, we’ve always looked out for each other,” Hunter said as the white wolf lay silently beside him. “I’m seventy this year, and it’s gotten so old, I thought we wouldn’t meet any players.”

Considering the white wolf and the couple couldn’t enter the hunter’s cabin, the group decided to chat in the igloo, which made it feel extremely crowded.

Hunter’s gaze towards Teest remained wary, but he had no choice but to recount everything that had happened.

Nol was deep in thought.

In the design of “Tahe”, such enclosed instances were separate maps. But the lich’s instance was placed underground, and the “Night of the Hunt” instance had become an alternate dimension. From the hunter’s description, it was almost like a miniature planet.

The strangest thing was the letter.

There was no such letter in the game. At the time, they felt that “a hunter living alone” seemed a bit lonely, so they added letters of correspondence between the hunter and his friends and family in the scene. Those letters were piled together, and they didn’t create any specific content. After all, this was just a game scene; they didn’t need to consider questions like “how the letter got in”.

Now all those blank letters had disappeared, leaving only this cryptic one emphasizing “fate”. Given this was a closed instance, how did the letter get in?

Nol suspected it had something to do with the mysterious force behind the game’s reality.

“Do you still have that letter?” Nol asked.

The old hunter gave a wry smile. “Of course, there’s so little to read here. I know what you’re looking for. The signature on the letter just reads ‘Your Friend’. The paper and envelope are nothing special.” He paused. “…No, I can’t really say that. After all, it’s the only letter I’ve received like this.”

Nol nodded. “Please find it for me. When we return, I’d like to take a look.”

“You’re going back? … Aren’t we leaving together? Didn’t we agree to stick together until the end?” Old Hunter questioned cautiously. “I really don’t mind if you stay in the house.”

Nol smiled. “It’s not that simple. We have friends to protect and the ‘intruder’ to deal with. If you’re worried, you can go back with the white wolf.”

“We will fully assist them, rest assured,” Rosen said to the old hunter, revealing a bit of his policeman demeanor.

After reassuring the old hunter, Rosen turned to Nol and said with a relaxed tone, “Thinking that we’ll be out in just over a week makes me so happy. This place is always so gloomy, and I really miss the blue sky.”

Nol guessed Rosen wanted to lighten the mood, trying to keep him from feeling guilty for potentially burdening their comrades. Unfortunately, the mood was instantly shattered by the old hunter’s question—

“What is ‘the blue sky’?” the old man asked with his cloudy eyes, cautious and curious.

The igloo fell into a deafening silence.

“…You should go back first,” Nol said with a forced smile.

The old hunter stared at him for a long time, then patted the white wolf’s head and left the igloo. As the old hunter’s figure disappeared, so did Nol’s smile.

He immediately pulled out a parchment from his bag and began scribbling calculations. Teest leaned against the wall of the igloo, unabashedly peeking at what he was doing.

Rosen took a glance, and the characters looked a bit like programming statements. Not being a programmer, he couldn’t make sense of it.

“What are you doing?” he asked curiously.

“My companion is researching magic.” Teest tilted his head. “…Hmm, it seems this is not a common research method for people from other realms.”

Rosen gritted his teeth—this kid was too sharp. Despite having a fellow countryman right in front of them, they still had to be cautious. So, Officer Rosen refrained from asking further. He instinctively reached into his pocket, seemingly searching for his phone.

“What are you doing?” Julie patted his head.

“I just find it weird,” Rosen whispered. “I have a buddy who’s a programmer. When they develop something, they release new versions and make changes from the backend… I’ve never heard of someone writing code directly in a game.”

“I’ve also never heard of growing up to be a two-meter-tall male wolfkin,” Dr. Julie replied. “We’ve already experienced something as unscientific as transmigration; why fuss about this?”

“If Xu Yue is a technician, wouldn’t he find it strange himself?” Rosen frowned. “How would he come up with this method?”

“We’ve discussed this before. Given the current unusual circumstances, don’t be suspicious of our companions.”

“Sorry, sorry. Occupational hazard…”

“I think my companion knows what he’s doing.” Teest ghosted behind the two, one hand on each person’s shoulder. “He can hear everything—both of you.”

Nol could indeed hear everything, but he didn’t care. A certain level of skepticism was necessary. If Rosen was someone who merely followed orders and acted foolishly, it’d be better for the police force to fire him sooner.

Right now, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

A quill pen glided swiftly on parchment, equations and structures forming rapidly. Nol’s eyes remained unblinking as lines of characters gradually transformed into magical runes.

[Bone Divination: Consumes 1,000 MP. Toss human or animal bones to receive a somewhat vague indication. ※ This is a trade. Your price is set. Please choose your question wisely.]

In the game, there were similar divination skills like [Divine Revelation] and [Whisper of Wisdom], but they belong to the light-oriented professions and weren’t related to a lich.

On the dark magic side, there was [Blood Gnome’s Bargain], which demanded the user offer animal blood or even life, which Nol disliked.

Clapping his hands, a skeletal rabbit emerged from the soil, obediently dispersing into random bones. Nol picked up several thin bones, his magic forming a black mist that wrapped around the white bones, creating intricate patterns.

The exchange had to be of equal value; his question couldn’t exceed the value of 1,000 MP. The higher the level or complexity of the answer, the greater the possibility of failure. He couldn’t directly ask “the truth of the world”, or the bones might respond with a string of obscenities.

His question had to be clear, concise, and have a definite answer.

Nol smirked, throwing the bones. “Tell me the incorrect coordinates of this map.”

…A basic mapping question.

This was his game, and he knew the rules of map creation—all locations had fixed coordinates. If there were hidden spaces on the map, an additional parameter would be added to the existing coordinates. Hidden spaces only existed on the universal map and couldn’t be set in instances.

The attribute of “Night of the Hunt” itself was a hidden space. According to the rules, there couldn’t be another hidden space within. Yet, with the trapped entities running all over the place and the fact that these physical save files remain undiscovered was truly strange. Knowing that the instance map had been tampered with makes things clearer.

If someone misused the rules of “Tahe”, forcefully creating hidden spaces, there would be “errors”.

Indeed, the bones danced on the ground for a moment, forming a string of parameters.

[Coordinates: 23, 7, 59, 0.1x, 0.03x?]

“Found you,” Nol whispered. “I hope this is your home, Mr. Cultist.”

“That’s it?” Teest crouched down, poking at the coordinates. “You always surprise me.”

“No, we’re far from done.” Nol waved, and the rabbit bones disappeared under the snow. “I’ve only provided a potential target. The rest is up to you.”

Teest blinked, feigning confusion.

“You’re best at hunting Eternalists, right? It’s the Night of the Hunt, Teest.” Nol stood up.

“As you command, my hunter.” Teest also stood, brushing snow from his clothes. “That guy is also from another world. If you want me to be gentle—”

“No need.” Nol smiled. “He treats this place as a ‘game’, so we’ll respond in kind.”

---

The author has something to say:

Jack: Hehe, I’m hiding in the physical save files. Bet you didn’t think of that.

Nol: Who’s causing trouble in my beautiful instance? Investigate every anomaly!

…Bullseye, Jack.

Mr. Teest, the bug-fixer, is itching to move.

Actually, wolves don’t usually live this long. Just consider it a miracle of the magical world! (…

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 33: I Don’t Like

“Ha ha ha ha ha!”

Crimson’s hearty laughter came through the communication crystal. He was ecstatic. “What to do now, Jack? If you had mentioned it a few days earlier, maybe I would have sneaked in to help you—but now the mission is already a third over, and I can’t enter the instance now.”

“Those two players, the torture target, and me made four at the beginning.” Jack insisted it was an accident. “I didn’t want to kill the torture target the second day I entered. I just didn’t think about getting reinforcements…”

“Oh, are you sure those two are players? Did you see their earrings?” Crimson didn’t really push the point.

“No.”

Jack gritted his teeth. The fireplace burned with fierce flames, making him feel irritated. “Their methods are nothing like the locals. I can tell that much. Even if the instance is full, creatures other than players can still enter, right? Get some locals and monsters in.”

“Oh—you want to use those disposable cannon fodder against players? Seriously?” Crimson was still laughing.

“Those two seem to have some moral baggage,” Jack said. “Their team has a dwarf and a gray wolfkin, and they seem to get along well. The dwarf even cooperates with the wolfkin.”

Crimson’s smile faded. “That’s a rare combination. Dwarfs and wolfkins don’t get along; their languages are completely different… Ah, that reminds me of some recent rumors. It’s said that there’s a place where monsters who understand languages have appeared. The Temple of Life has started paying attention to this.”

“Don’t tell me I should capture them,” Jack said cautiously.

“The dwarf and wolfkin? They aren’t worth the effort. Do as you please.”

Crimson paused for a moment. “I’d rather you capture that swordsman and his companion alive. Since they haven’t joined the Temple of Life, there’s a chance to win them over—but if they are hypocritical do-gooders, killing them is fine too.”

Back to square one. Annoyed, Jack said, “So, I need more hands, don’t you get it? Besides the two players, there are also two monsters. Even if I have many items, it’s not enough to handle all of them.”

“But you have the shadow wolf,” Crimson reminded him. “Use your brain, my friend.”

“You make it sound easy,” Jack muttered, glancing at the communication crystal in front of the fireplace.

Here it comes, the highlight of the communication. Crimson may be smart, but he always loved to show off. He would always hint at what he might do, which was what Jack was looking for.

Game ID Crimson, real name Crimson Lamier. A notorious serial killer from Country A, known for his brutal and bizarre crime scenes.

His known victims numbered 26. He loved to target males in their prime with good families—he would kill them, skin them, and then place them on a homemade altar, offering these “perfect lambs” to his imagined god.

The victims’ families would have their eyes and tongues removed, forced to eat the cooked flesh of their relatives. When found, most were mentally broken, unable to provide useful testimony.

…This was what Jack learned from the news.

This notorious criminal fled to Country C, where there’s no extradition treaty with Country A, hoping to hide among its dense population. When it was discovered that he entered the country illegally, the local police were on high alert. Strictly speaking, Jack was trapped indirectly by Crimson.

But Jack had to admit, when it came to “how to destroy a person”, Crimson had a much greater knack for it.

“Ugh, I’ve said it a thousand times, you killers who murder for the lower half are so boring,” Crimson lamented. “Always targeting the same type of weak person, not understanding the complexity and beauty of human nature…”

“Of course, I can’t compare to a renowned killer like you,” Jack said sarcastically.

“It’s simple. Aren’t those two players actively looking for the white wolf? This means they value the dwarf and wolfkin, who can’t enter the house. Otherwise, they could have just stayed inside, sipping hot soup, and waiting for the timer to run out.”

“To deal with a protector, the best attack is to kill those he’s protecting. Of course, if they don’t care about the deaths of the monsters, it shows they can be won over—don’t think about how to handle those two players, Jack, target the two monsters.”

Crimson casually summarized, ending with a wolf howl imitation.

Jack’s eyes lit up. He knew he could extract something from Crimson.

“I know that.” He snorted. “Never mind, whether I get external support or not, I’ll figure something out.”

Crimson’s chuckle came through the crystal. “Of course, of course, you surely know. Waiting for your good news, friend… Oh, by the way.”

Jack was about to end the call but stopped. “What?”

“Earring,” Crimson elongated the word. “The player’s earring, you have to confirm. In any world, the self-righteous always die the fastest.”

He thought it was something significant. Jack scoffed. Players were the strongest. He might as well assume both were players; what could go wrong?

He already knew what to do.

……

Teest was touching Nol’s left ear.

Nol’s earlobe was of average size, pale in complexion, and cold to the touch, almost like squeezing packed snow. Teest rubbed it gently with the pad of his finger, slowly warming the soft flesh with his body heat.

It felt like some sort of contamination, Teest thought with pleasure, applying a slight pressure. The sharp hook of the earring pressed against the earlobe, and the shining gold slowly pierced into the flesh. A drop of bright red blood oozed out, quickly tinting the gold with a layer of red. Against Nol’s pale skin and dark hair, these colors seemed especially pure.

Teest deliberately slowed his movements to savor the rare sight, even deliberately touching a bit of the blood with his fingertip.

Nol’s brows slightly furrowed from the pain. His breathing was faster than usual, but he didn’t make a sound. His hair wasn’t long, and as he tilted his head, most of his neck was exposed.

Teest’s gaze irresistibly drifted to Nol’s neck.

It was perfect, the lines as smooth as a sculpture. Teest’s eyes wandered to the locations of the artery and throat. They were within easy reach, but he wondered if they were lethal for a lich.

“Done,” Teest said a few seconds later, stepping back with satisfaction.

The player’s earring now adorned Nol’s left ear, still stained with a glaring blood mark. Nol, still with furrowed brows, nonchalantly cast a healing spell on his ear and asked, “Why did it take so long?”

Just to put on a player’s earring, Teest took four to five minutes. The continuous pain made Nol uncomfortable. Not to mention, he had to hold still and let someone else handle him, which wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“I had to get it just right. Otherwise, our enemies would spot the flaw,” Teest explained, gently touching the earring pendant. “You agreed to this.”

The touch made Nol flinch slightly. He glanced skeptically at Teest but only clicked his tongue without saying more.

‘People do need to vent,’ Teest thought. Nol seemed in better spirits than yesterday, reminiscent of their first encounter. In a way, it was easy to deal with him—after all, good people tend to be alike.

And indeed, Nol suited moonstone better; heavy gold would ruin his temperament.

“That burly guy might mistake me for a player, and there might be Eternalists waiting at the instance’s exit,” Nol said seriously. “I’ll pretend to be a player from now on. Remember to cooperate.”

“Of course, I remember.” Teest smiled. “By the way, I need to take you somewhere… How about I blindfold you for a surprise?”

“Let’s go,” Nol replied, pretending not to hear the last part.

If it took that long to put on an earring, who knew what would happen if he was blindfolded? Maybe he’d open his eyes to find himself hung up by the Mad Monk’s golden thread. Nol couldn’t guess Teest’s thoughts, but he was sure the man was unpredictable in this regard.

Upon reaching their destination, Nol once again confirmed that Teest was far more unpredictable than he had imagined.

Their destination was an igloo built a few days ago, where Rosen and Julie had been spending the night. However, the most eye-catching thing inside the igloo wasn’t them—

The old hunter was tied up tightly with a golden thread, sitting in the igloo they had built. An old white wolf was circling him, its nose making anxious sniffs. The wolf was frantically digging around the old hunter, as if trying to hide him.

Catching the scent of herbs on Nol’s snow boots, the white wolf abruptly turned its head. Its nose wrinkled, baring all its teeth, and let out a threatening growl.

“Idiot! Idiot!” the old hunter shouted, his eyes bloodshot. “Run, run!”

Instead, the white wolf lowered its body, adopting a battle stance, getting even closer to the old hunter.

Nol was silent for a while. “What’s going on?”

“Last night we found the hunter and the white wolf. They’re close,” Rosen said, sounding brighter upon seeing Nol had recovered. “I wanted to let you guys know, so I cast a light spell near the cabin… but only Teest came out.”

Teest blinked innocently. “My companion was sleeping soundly, and I didn’t want to disturb him. But this is a great discovery, so I quickly captured them—mainly Mr. Hunter. The white wolf didn’t leave on its own, and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

Rosen frowned, clearly not approving of Teest’s methods. But given the dire situation, he said nothing.

Nol closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Finally, he walked over to Teest and patted his shoulder. “Thank you for not killing the white wolf.”

He was certain if the Mad Monk had entered the instance alone, the moment Teest saw the white wolf, it would have been doomed.

“Of course, I have to discuss this kind of thing with you,” Teest said cheerfully. “Besides, if I killed the wolf on the spot, Mr. Hunter here might have a heart attack.”

The old hunter’s veins throbbed on his forehead, unable to break free from the golden threads that bound him. He cursed vehemently. The white wolf looked even more tense; its tail tucked between its legs but still growling softly.

“Alright, everyone’s here.” Teest ignored the white wolf’s intimidation and looked at Nol. “Honey, what do you think? The Eternalist hasn’t found us yet. If we kill it, we can all leave.”

“It’s just an animal that’s about to die of old age. Think about your compatriots. A cultist and shadow wolf are running amok; the longer they stay here, the greater the risk.”

Nol didn’t answer.

Teest glanced at Rosen and continued with a grin, “This law enforcer didn’t stop me. It seems that in your world, human life is more important than an animal’s.”

“That’s my friend! Damn it, it’s been my friend for decades!!!” the old hunter roared, his eyes bulging as he sprayed spit everywhere. “If you dare to kill it, I will—I will—”

He stumbled over his words, unable to speak.

Rosen pursed his lips tightly, his face looking terrifying. It was Julie who stepped forward, her tone as calm as ever.

“Mr. Xu, we need to clarify one thing,” Dr. Zhu said softly, incongruent with her fearsome beastly appearance. “Without you, we would still be lost. We have no position or right to demand you to end the quest immediately. Both Rosen and I feel the same.”

“It’s our lives at stake, and you don’t have to take responsibility. Whatever judgment you make, we’ll accept.”

Teest didn’t speak. He folded his arms, looking interested. On one side of the scale were the lives of his compatriots, and on the other were the aging hunter and his wolf.

For a kind-hearted person, this choice was somewhat cruel.

To his surprise, Nol barely hesitated. He walked up to the old hunter. With a flash of blue fire, the golden threads fell to the ground. Just as the old hunter was about to rise, Nol pressed him back down with one hand.

He showed no expression and didn’t utter the heartwarming words Teest had expected.

“Answer my question,” Nol said gravely. “If you want to protect your wolf, do as I say.”

The old hunter swallowed hard and nodded.

“The player is your only family. You can’t refuse to help the player, you can’t lie to the player, and when necessary, you have to give the player clues about the white wolf… is that correct?”

The old hunter stopped struggling. He looked at Nol in astonishment. “…Yes.”

Nol was silent for a few seconds. “Who told you this?”

“Nobody told me.” The old hunter sat down disheartened, trying to shield the white wolf with his body. “I was young when I woke up in the cabin… After waking up, all I remembered was that my name was Hunter, I was 19, and I lived here as a hunter.”

He shook his beard, his tone almost mocking.

“Waiting for the player, helping the player, guiding the player to find the white wolf—this is my fate. I just know these things, like a bean knows it should sprout… Isn’t that what destiny is?”

“Do you know if there were other hunters before you?” Nol continued.

The old hunter laughed.

It was hard for Nol to describe that smile—a mixture of pain, contempt, and despair, like a blunt knife stabbing at him.

“Of course, I have some guesses,” Hunter said. “Listen, since I’ve been here, the white wolf has cycled three times. One white wolf dies, and a new one appears right away. There’s always a white wolf here; only ever one white wolf… If that’s true for the white wolf, why not for me?”

He looked up with his clouded eyes, staring directly into Nol’s. “Young man, both humans and wolves live in packs. Why are only we left waiting here alone?”

“You realize all of this but still can’t violate the rules regarding the player,” Nol muttered.

Must help, must be honest, must guide. These were the core rules when the system randomly generated the “Hunter” NPC.

“Fate cannot be defied.” The old hunter sighed. “No matter how much I hope or curse, it will come.”

Nol was silent for even longer. After a sigh, he asked the question he had been concerned about from the beginning—

“You didn’t finish your sentence earlier, ‘If you dare to kill it.’ What were you going to say? ‘I’ll die with it?'”

“Is not being able to end your own life also part of your ‘fate’?”

The old hunter still maintained that wry smile. “Isn’t it obvious? Do you like living alone in such a ghost of a place?”

However, when the system generated the “Hunter” NPC, there was no such rule. That was what Nol thought.

Reality? Game? Countless clues point to the same answer, and Nol didn’t like it.

No, these were just… circumstantial evidence; he needed stronger and more brutal proof.

“That’s enough, Mr. Hunter.” Nol reached out to the hunter. “Thank you for your answers. We—well, at least I—don’t want to kill your wolf. Let’s hold on until the end. Maybe we can find a better solution.”

Teest took a sharp breath, his eyebrows raised high. “Oh honey. A little kindness is charming, but isn’t it too soft-hearted to let your compatriots bear the risk for an old wolf?”

Nol helped the confused old hunter to his feet before turning to Teest.

“It’s not about being soft-hearted or not.”

He smiled at Teest, the golden earring on his left ear gently swaying, almost dazzling against his black hair.

“Rushing to clear the game means killing the white wolf, letting the hunter die in despair. Then we leave here with our heads full of tragic memories—it shouldn’t be like this; this place shouldn’t be that kind of terrible place.”

“I just don’t like the way it is now. That’s my only reason.”

---

The author has something to say:

Teest: After the hug, my partner seems to be mentally stable!

Teest:

Teest (surprised): …Maybe I was wrong. Let me look again.

Nol: ?

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 32: You Need Me

Late at night, in the hunter’s cabin.

The flames in the fireplace crackled, licking the logs and bringing out the unique, cool aroma of pine. The old hunter went on his usual night patrol with his crossbow. He typically patrolled from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., always bringing back pheasants and rabbits—of course, he never shared his game.

Now, only Nol and Teest remained in the hunter’s cabin. After guessing the existence of the “archive”, the cozy cabin acquired a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

Teest sat cross-legged in front of the fireplace, casually throwing pinecones into the fire. The flames danced wildly over the pinecones, and the crackling became more intense.

It was their fifth night in the cabin.

The burly man hadn’t shown himself since his defeat. The team of four had split up. The married couple secretly looked for the burly man while Teest and Nol searched for the white wolf. Days passed with no results. Nol had encountered the shadow wolf a few times, but luckily, they always managed to escape.

As the days went by, the mood didn’t lighten. Surviving fourteen days would complete the mission, and the Eternal Church surely wouldn’t sit idly by. The burly man must be plotting something.

Nol spoke less and often stared into a corner, lost in thought. He barely ate and only pretended to eat when the old hunter was present. He also didn’t sleep at night. When Teest and the old hunter went to sleep, he’d get up to craft his magic.

‘Such a peculiar situation,’ Teest thought. Although Nol was unharmed, he seemed drained, as if some vital force was continuously being sapped from him.

Now, Nol sat silently, looking at the flames, but not as if he were really seeing them. His eyes looked as though they had been replaced by a puppet witch, beautiful but with a deadened hue.

“I think the old hunter will be fine. You don’t need to worry about your neighbors.” Teest adjusted the burning logs with tongs. “The Eternalist surely doesn’t want us to know about the ‘archive’, so he has no reason to harm the hunter.”

“I know,” Nol whispered.

Teest continued, “That couple is interesting. Are all you folks from another world like that? I mean, they seem more like comrades than spouses.”

Nol finally looked at him. “A good spouse is always a good comrade… but not everyone’s the same. My parents, for example…”

Teest stopped fiddling with the tongs, making the room go silent.

“…are different,” Nol continued, seemingly unable to stand the silence. “They are reserved, not expressive. But they never missed an anniversary. They’d always buy a cake, even taking time off work.”

“That’s nice.” Teest smiled. “In my family, whenever they got the chance, my parents would act all lovey-dovey, always together, completely disregarding how their child felt.”

The fire illuminated the room, reflecting Teest’s bright and genuinely sincere smile.

Perhaps touched by this sincerity, Nol continued without thinking, “I was always busy with work and didn’t get to see them often. They never complained… I’m their only child; I should’ve spent more time with them. Even if I couldn’t visit, I should’ve called more often… I…”

“So you hope this world is an illusion,” Teest whispered. “That way, you could just wake up from this nightmare and return to your family, right?”

Nol didn’t reply.

Teest set down the tongs, shifting on the fur rug to sit next to Nol.

“I don’t really understand your ‘game company’ that you talk about. But I guess you have a stronger connection to this world than others,” he said with a smile. “You said you know more, and those who know more always carry a heavier burden… especially kind-hearted people like you. You feel guilty towards those who remain in the dark.”

“Guilt?” Nol mused.

Teest grabbed Nol’s cold hand, holding it firmly. Nol just watched him silently, the same way he watched the flames earlier.

“Yes, you feel guilty towards your compatriots and this world.” Teest tightened his grip. “But you don’t need to feel that way for me—I don’t need you to bring me home, relieve my pain, or guide my way.”

His voice softened, sounding almost seductive, like the devil tempting a mortal.

“I am the sinner of this world. No matter what you’ve done, I have no right to judge you… You don’t owe me anything, okay?”

Nol twitched his lips, showing a smile that was almost not a smile. “Are you tempting me, Teest? Trying to make me dependent on you mentally?”

“Hey, then you’ve misunderstood me.” Teest released Nol’s hand. He pointed two fingers at the hollow of Nol’s neck, precisely at the artery. “I swear I’m not hinting at anything. This is pretty clear, honey.”

“…Go on,” Nol said. He grabbed Teest’s wrist and, a moment later, released it as if scalded.

Teest withdrew his hand, his smile growing sweeter. “I want your knowledge, your wisdom. You need me too—to maintain sanity, one must have room to breathe.”

“I am your only respite.”

While speaking, Teest’s gaze shifted downwards. It gently slid over Nol’s collarbone, chest, and waist, eventually resting on a small letter opener in Nol’s pocket.

Teest stared at the dark fabric, his voice sticky and intimate, like a lover’s whisper. “I know you’re smart, so it wouldn’t be strange for you to leave me at any time. I just hope I can stay by your side longer…”

Nol didn’t respond.

“…I can’t hurt you; I can protect you, so you’re not alone. Other than life, loyalty, and love, I can give you everything you want.” Teest looked into Nol’s eyes, sounding almost tender.

‘Well,’ Nol thought, ‘at least this Mad Monk is straightforward.’

Nol doubted that the Mad Monk understood “love and loyalty”. But then again, Nol really didn’t have the energy to nurture friendship anymore, especially with this unpredictable lunatic.

Being overtly kind was a form of burning out, and he was close to being extinguished.

Teest might be right; they needed a simpler, more brutal, and more practical relationship.

Nol knew that Teest was tempting him, but he did need someone—someone to relieve him of the guilt he felt. Otherwise, in time, his sanity would be consumed by accumulated emotions.

Time flowed leisurely. Teest waited silently with a smile, awaiting Nol’s response.

“You want to maintain the engagement, and then we use each other,” Nol summarized. “It’s a deal, right?”

“Yes, yes,” Teest said happily. “To show sincerity, I’m willing to throw in a bonus. Honey, what can I do for you? Hunt polar bears, catch the shadow wolf, or—”

“Hug me,” Nol said.

“…What?”

“I want a hug,” Nol calmly repeated. “Just a hug, until I say ‘stop’.”

Teest was silent, staring at Nol for a full half-minute before finally opening his arms and gently embracing him.

‘So warm, suffocatingly warm,’ Nol thought.

He buried his face in Teest’s neck, holding onto that silver hair as if it were a lifeline. He felt the heartbeat, the rhythm of breathing, the warmth. From Teest’s neck, he caught a faint scent—the sweet, bloody scent of a monster’s blood, mixed with Teest’s own.

It was a sense of ironic reassurance.

Teest felt the dampness on his shoulder, which he guessed was probably tears. But Nol’s body didn’t tremble due to sobbing; he was still and cold, as always.

After a moment’s hesitation, Teest lifted his hand and gently held the back of Nol’s head, running his fingers through Nol’s silky hair, patting his back.

That letter opener was still in Nol’s pocket, and Teest knew it. It was so close, and Nol was defenseless. Maybe he should take it… always being in control. That was the Mad Monk’s rule.

Technically, this wouldn’t breach their deal, he thought absentmindedly. Nol had already agreed to the engagement.

But just now, looking straight at him, Nol’s eyes were faintly alight with that blue fire. Teest really liked their color.

After some consideration, Teest just sighed. He lifted his other hand and wrapped it around Nol’s waist. After that, he did nothing and said nothing.

Nol never said “stop”.

The lich’s breath became fainter and quieter, and Nol fell asleep just like that.

In this regard, Teest wasn’t too surprised. Nol had been tense non-stop for so many days; it was time to relax a bit.

Teest carefully let go of his embrace, pondered for a few seconds, and moved the pillow next to the fireplace. It was warmer there, and Nol didn’t feel as cold to the touch. After some brief adjustments, the two of them lay next to the fireplace.

As for the old hunter’s goodwill… no matter. Anyway, deducting points from zero was still zero.

“Goodnight, Nol.” Teest yawned and muttered quietly.

……

“No good. I still can’t smell anything. That burly guy must have specifically masked his scent.” Dr. Zhu, supporting Officer Luo on her shoulder, moved through the snow.

Rosen’s head constantly scanned from side to side, wary that the shadow wolf could jump out at any moment.

“We can only search slowly. Tailing is always this tedious,” Officer Luo said in a low voice while fidgeting with the wolfkin’s ears.

Julie twitched her ears. “Mm, if we can’t find it by 2, we’ll go to sleep.”

In this godforsaken place, it was essential to keep up one’s strength. They were different from real players. If they messed up at a critical moment, they might not get another chance. To keep themselves awake and alert, the two would chat from time to time.

“Do you have any impression of that Xu Yue?” Rosen suddenly asked.

Julie shook her head. “The neighbors who I have relationships with are families with old and young. But now that you mention it… Xu Yue once spoke in the homeowner group chat. He changed his username from the unit number to his real name. I remember him quite clearly.”

“Eh, I don’t pay much attention to that homeowner group,” Rosen replied.

“Why? Do you think he’s suspicious?”

“It’s not exactly that he’s suspicious, but generally speaking, ordinary people wouldn’t think of using living people as human shields,” Officer Luo said. “I know game players can have some quirky tactics, but this isn’t a simple game. Thinking of such a strategy already feels a bit…”

He inhaled sharply, changing the subject. “I’m more concerned about Teest. There’s something off about him. With that look in his eyes, I’m sure I’m not mistaken—that kid doesn’t even bother pretending in front of me.”

‘Indeed,’ Julie thought resignedly. In many ways, Officer Luo couldn’t influence Teest.

“You think he might have a bad influence on Xu Yue?” Dr. Zhu guessed.

“Yes, in a place like this, people’s moral standards can easily waver.”

Rosen smiled wryly. “Xu Yue is an outsider. I don’t know what he’s seen, but his mental state clearly isn’t right—he’s under too much stress. If this continues, he’ll break down.”

“Well, Xu Yue’s sense of justice is too strong. If he were only looking out for himself, he could hide in the hunter’s cabin for two weeks without searching for the white wolf. Think about it; the shadow wolf can’t get in, and that evil cult player probably can’t beat them.”

Dr. Zhu said, “In the end, he didn’t need to care about us… Maybe he feels responsible because he works at that game company.”

Officer Luo laughed. “What I can’t stand the most is this. Good people always have a harder life than the wicked.”

“If you have no objections, once we clear this instance, we can invite Xu Yue to join us. But first, we need to find that cult player. Actually… Shh!”

Julie suddenly stopped, crouching down and alertly turning in a certain direction. Rosen nodded, threw a few concealment spells around, and readied an attack spell in his hand.

Both of them carefully moved through the darkness towards the depths of the forest.

The skies in the instance were always gloomy. There was no sun during the day and no moonlight at night. Thick clouds continuously poured snow towards the ground, but strangely, the snow accumulation remained at a consistent depth.

Julie stepped over the thick snow crust, and through the darkness, she saw the source of the scent—

The old hunter stood deep in the forest with a crossbow in his left hand and a bag of herbs in his right. The scent from the herb bag was pungent, identical to the smell of Nol’s snow boots.

About ten steps away from him, a white wolf stood quietly.

It was a beautiful wolf with golden eyes and fluffy white fur that seemed to shimmer. It gracefully stood on the snow, looking like a winter forest sprite.

At that moment, it tilted its head, gazing at the old hunter nearby.

The white wolf seemed to ponder something for a few seconds, and then it made its move—lowering its body, it lunged at the hunter.

Julie instinctively wanted to rush to help but was held back by Rosen.

“Something’s off,” she said.

As she spoke, the white wolf had already reached the old hunter. It panted and nuzzled against him affectionately, its tail wagging nonstop.

“You idiot! You idiot!” The old hunter crouched down slightly, vigorously rubbing its head. “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from this scent? Not even if I’m here. Listen—not even if I’m here!”

The white wolf seemed not to hear, only affectionately licking the old hunter’s face. Its teeth were severely worn out, showing its age.

The hunter picked a clean rock and took out some processed wild chicken and deer innards from his backpack. He carefully laid them on the rock. “Eat… Come on, eat. Eat more.”

The white wolf took the clean piece of chicken, dragging it in front of the old hunter, and then hopped to the side of the innards, munching eagerly. Its tail wagged gently the entire time, looking extremely happy.

The old hunter just watched. He held up the piece of chicken while his expression gradually shifted from tender to sorrowful. There seemed to be some tiny reflections in the hunter’s eyes, but Julie couldn’t see clearly—in this freezing winter night, tears wouldn’t flow.

Having eaten its fill, the white wolf joyfully rolled around in the snow. It cleaned its claws and mouth with the snow, then went back to the old hunter, affectionately rubbing against his leg and even attempting to stand up and pounce into his arms.

“My friend…”

The hunter caressed the warm fur of the white wolf, his voice trembling a bit.

“I can’t hurt them. I can’t even hide my true thoughts from them. This is my fate… Even if I could tell a single lie—do something against my will just once—you have no idea how much I wish I could keep them in the cabin, hold out to the very end… Now they’re searching everywhere for you. I feel like I’m about to get you killed, my friend…”

The old hunter slightly bent down, hugging the white wolf’s head. He hugged with much force and sheer desperation.

It seemed the white wolf sensed his sorrow, and it calmed down, allowing the hunter to hold it quietly. Gradually, the old hunter’s back began to tremble. The white wolf turned its head and gently licked his face.

Its tail kept wagging gently.

---

The author has something to say:

In this chapter, the two completely broke the line of friendship development. You know what’s left to develop, right? (said in a suggestive tone)

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 31: Insane

Nol didn’t hesitate to use [Bloodline Suppression]. Facing a target as formidable as the shadow wolf, the second time wasn’t as effective as the first. The freezing effect wasn’t triggered, and the shadow wolf’s movement only hesitated for a moment.

While using [Bloodline Suppression], Nol summoned the skeletons of two shadow snow leopards. These leopards were massive in size, born with wind attribute magic, and they moved as if they were on flat ground when running on the snowy plains.

At the same time, Teest slammed several small balls into the ground, which exploded upon impact, releasing a pungent odor. Teest then quickly grabbed Nol by the waist and mounted one of the leopards.

In just a blink of an eye, by the time the shadow wolf’s front paws hit the ground, Nol had already been whisked away by Teest.

Dr. Zhu reacted swiftly, grabbing Rosen and jumping onto the other leopard.

“Don’t go to the hunter’s cabin,” Nol murmured. According to the game’s settings, the shadow wolf wouldn’t harm the hunter, giving players more room to operate. If the hunter was killed off, who knew if a successor would emerge from that couple.

“I know.” Teest, controlling the snow leopard, raced in the opposite direction of the cabin.

Teest didn’t want to prolong the fight. They couldn’t handle a single shadow wolf, let alone one accompanied by other threats. Jack’s defense was as thick as a turtle’s shell. Before they could break through it, the shadow wolf would have already devoured them.

Yet, uncharacteristically, Nol seemed fixated. Even when dragged onto the snow leopard by Teest, he kept his eyes on Jack, unleashing a barrage of wolf-tooth bullets. They hit the protective shield with a clattering sound and then weakly fell to the ground.

The shadow wolf leaped among the shadows of trees and rocks. Even though Teest specifically chose the most open and flat route, the creature still pursued them relentlessly.

Its shadowy web stretched out, shooting forward now and then. Teest had to dodge left and right on the snow leopard, avoiding being caught directly by the shadow web.

Moreover, there were ice spikes summoned by that burly guy that appeared from time to time. He used a “trip up technique”, making the dried grass come alive and wrap around the skeletons, making the group’s progression extremely difficult.

Nol lowered his eyes.

The shadow wolf’s attack logic remained the same—it prioritized players who had taken on the quest. But it seemed as if it couldn’t see that burly man. Could it be that he, like Teest, was an NPC with unique talents? The thought made Nol shiver involuntarily. NPCs, players… He used to analyze these terms without a second thought, but now they made him deeply uncomfortable.

Suddenly, the burly man summoned what seemed like a surfboard out of thin air and hopped onto it. The totem on the board emitted a faint glow, allowing it to glide swiftly over the snow. He pursued closely behind the shadow wolf, clearly intent on not letting them go.

“Hand over the candle!” he shouted at Teest. “You can’t escape! I’ll chop off your legs and make you cry licking my feet!”

He seemed to be enjoying this as if it were a fun game.

Nol realized that the ability to summon items out of thin air was a feature exclusive to a player’s system inventory. The burly man was indeed a player. Paired with the invincible shadow wolf, they were at a severe disadvantage.

Nol leaned back against the skeletal snow leopard, hugging Teest. Looking over Teest’s shoulder, he stared intently at the Eternalist. Nol had only encountered relatively ordinary players like Bly and Barto before. Their reactions to being trapped in the game were typical.

But what about this burly guy? Didn’t he notice the abnormalities of this world? Why did he join an organization like the Eternal Church? Why did he say such things? Why was he laughing?

“…est.” The howling cold wind fragmented Nol’s voice; he had even forgotten to use telepathy.

“What?” Teest tilted his head.

“Teest, stop,” Nol said. “We must repel that player; otherwise, we have no chance of winning.”

“To fend off the shadow wolf, I need a shield, and there’s no sturdy shield around,” Teest replied. “No offense, but your neighbors aren’t much help.”

Nol chuckled. “Who says we don’t have a shield?” Pointing to the burly man chasing them, he added, “Isn’t that one?”

Teest paused, taking a sharp breath.

Nol continued, “The shadow wolf won’t attack him. I want to know the extent of this ‘non-attack’. If it genuinely won’t attack him, then he’s the best shield. If the shadow wolf bites him, he won’t die… He’s a player.”

Teest turned, silently staring at Nol, whose beautiful blue eyes were dimmer now.

“I have to know why the shadow wolf won’t attack him,” Nol whispered while staring at a certain point in the void. “Bugs need to be addressed properly.”

“If he dies, what will you do?” Teest casually remarked. “He is, after all, your kin.”

‘But this is also my world,’ Nol thought.

“I will use a revival spell,” Nol replied calmly. “I won’t let him actually die.”

Teest smiled. It might’ve been Nol’s imagination, but this time, his smile seemed genuinely sincere. He whistled, signaling the couple to step back, and made a graceful turn with the snow leopard beside him, leaping into the snow.

Nol’s expression hardened, and with a gesture of the book in his hand, countless skeletal hands emerged beneath the burly man, firmly holding onto the protective shield and trapping him in mid-air.

Caught off guard, the burly man froze in place.

The shadow wolf charged forth. With a jump, Teest lightly landed behind the tall man. Just as the massive wolf jaws were about to reach the burly man, the shadow wolf abruptly stopped.

It looked at the tall man with confusion. Not out of fear, but more like someone who doesn’t eat cilantro discovering it in their bowl.

Finally regaining his composure, the burly man exclaimed, “Fuck!”

He tried to break free from the skeletal hands, but they kept emerging, not attacking but merely holding him up in the air, tossing him around.

Teest used the burly man as a live shield, nimbly dancing around the skeletal hands, stabbing at the shadow wolf like a silver gust of wind. The wolf, with its long neck and sharp claws, just couldn’t get a hold of him.

Alongside the attacks, a health bar appeared above the shadow wolf’s head, exaggeratedly long compared to the lich, to the point of despair.

But it didn’t matter; their goal wasn’t to defeat it.

This was a basketball game where the “Eternalist” acted as the ball and the “shadow wolf’s massive mouth” was the hoop.

The couple quickly caught onto their intentions and swiftly joined the fight.

Rosen set up rings of light spells, gathering all nearby shadows around the burly man, drastically limiting the wolf’s mobility. Julie, with Rosen on her back, dodged and jumped to avoid the combat.

Jack, seeing his struggles were futile, began to use spells. However, he wasn’t a magic-based class, and his attempts barely disrupted Teest’s movements. Even more annoyingly, each time he was about to cast, a skeletal hand would interrupt him. The magic backlash alone wiped out 20% of his health.

Jack knew the strongest players around, and none were like this.

…Where did they come from?

While the burly man, Jack, was dazed, Teest successfully baited the shadow wolf into opening its mouth. At the right moment, they tossed Jack into the wolf’s mouth.

Crack!

Jack’s protective shield was bitten through, losing four layers. The shadow wolf, eyes wide, spat him out. Before Jack could curse, he was lifted into the air again by the skeletal hands.

“Fuck you all. I’ll cut you down myself!” Jack was furious. “Wait until you fall into my hands—fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Crack! Crack!

After a familiar setup by Teest, the wolf opened its jaws again. Nol made the “shot”, and Jack’s shield dwindled to its last layer, its glow almost gone.

This won’t do; I need to run. These two are too troublesome. With me here, the shadow wolf can’t fully utilize its powers.

Painfully, Jack took out a small crystal ball and swallowed it. The next moment, he turned into a colored mist, finally escaping the skeletal hands’ grasp.

Invisibility, double agility, solid smoke, sensory disturbance… Jack ripped one spell scroll after another, disappearing into the spreading smoke.

With the burly man gone, the battle was won.

While the smoke hadn’t cleared, Teest threw a couple of stink bombs. Without the burly man’s interference, fifteen minutes later, they managed to shake off the shadow wolf.

By dawn, the four had found a secluded spot and hastily built an igloo. Teest brought out honey, and they all ate it with snow, barely restoring some energy.

This was their first encounter with the shadow wolf, and luckily, no one was injured. Nevertheless, the group looked uneasy, especially Nol.

On the contrary, Teest seemed as casual as if he was out for a night stroll… he even appeared somewhat happy.

“If you can accept quests, can the two of us also?” Rosen spoke to Nol again, seemingly trying to make conversation.

“If there’s no prompt, probably not,” Nol replied lethargically. “You can only accept quests inside the instance. You two directly possessed creatures inside, skipping the ‘entry’ step… It’s like a game bug.”

Rosen sighed. “This damn game has too many bugs. Brother, is this really a game? Is it because the system isn’t compatible with the ‘real world’ that it’s so—?”

“I haven’t found conclusive evidence yet.” Nol quickly interrupted Rosen, his face expressionless.

So far, apart from Witch Lynn that he had guessed on his own, Nol hadn’t told anyone that he was the producer himself. Even the dragon nest trio didn’t know. Initially, Nol just wanted to avoid disputes, but now he really couldn’t dare to speak out.

This fact was like a wound, gradually festering at the bottom of his heart.

There was a hint of worry in Rosen’s gaze as he looked at Nol. But when he looked at Teest, that worry turned into caution.

“The person just now seemed to be a player.” Julie deftly changed the subject. “He must have come in on a quest. Why didn’t the shadow wolf attack him?”

Nol lowered his head. “I’ve verified, it’s not that the wolf ‘never attacks’. He must have used some method to interfere with the shadow wolf’s judgment. If the fight had continued, he would’ve been bitten to death.”

After saying that, he smirked. “Theoretically, the instance shouldn’t allow items that can ‘avoid the shadow wolf’s attacks’. I’m more inclined to believe he exploited a system loophole.”

“Like wearing the hunter’s clothes?” Teest asked with a smile.

Rosen was startled. “What?!”

“When we fought earlier, I also noticed any potential items, especially since he’s a magic-poor class. Unfortunately, I didn’t detect any unknown aura, and he was using all common magical items.” Teest shrugged. “But his clothes were strange, sewn with deer and bear hides; I’ve only seen such clothing on hunters.”

“I also wore the hunter’s clothes, but the shadow wolf attacked me.” Nol pointed to his snow boots. “Dr. Julie, your sense of smell should be similar to that of the shadow wolf. What do you think? Can you smell the hunter’s scent?”

Julie sniffed a few times.

“The smell of medicine is pungent, but I can indeed smell other people’s scents,” Dr. Julie said solemnly.

“The Old Hunter is still alive, so we can’t make a direct comparison.”

Teest continued enthusiastically, “That clothing is slim and long. It doesn’t cover the Old Hunter’s big belly, but the sleeves cover his hands. It’s not the Old Hunter’s clothes—it should belong to another hunter—a dead hunter.”

Rosen frowned. “That’s not right. We’ve seen the records. When a hunter dies, their bodies vanish.”

“Unless that guy knows where the bodies have gone,” Nol said slowly.

He finally looked up, a smile on his face.

“I’ve always wondered, the cycle of the hunters is weird… Some hunters die from injuries, old age, or sickness. Some should die in their houses, so some should leave marks on the walls. But there’s nothing.”

The hunter’s cabin looked ordinary, almost identical to the original concept art. When Nol first saw it, he didn’t notice any issues. Of course, after moving in, he did notice the traces of time on it, but—

“The current hunter’s cabin has been standing for at most 40–50 years. The earliest records of the cabin date back over a century ago,” Nol stated.

Seeing his smile, Rosen frowned. “What are you trying to say?”

“In the snow, there’s a hunter’s cabin, and inside lives an enthusiastic hunter.”

Nol turned to him, his blue eyes shimmering in the dark. “When a player arrives and finds the cabin and hunter mismatched, or when there are too many strange traces in the house, that’s not good. The player would feel uneasy, so the hunter and the cabin must match. When the hunter dies, the corresponding cabin must also be ‘refreshed’.”

For a moment, no one spoke. The outside blizzard roared like a beast.

“Since the hunter’s bodies haven’t truly vanished, can I assume the hunter’s cabins also can’t just ‘refresh’ out of thin air? They might be stored somewhere in the instance, like the hunter’s bodies,” Nol said calmly. “Yes, that makes sense… That’s a complete ‘save’.”

The corners of his mouth rose. “Every time a hunter dies, his body and the cabin are both preserved, convenient for later research.”

“The system must protect the saves from being damaged, which is why the shadow wolves don’t want to attack a player wearing ‘part of the save’.”

“Oh, what about those white wolves? They’ve been hunted, and their bodies didn’t vanish,” Teest asked sweetly, as if listening to a fascinating bedtime story.

“They have simple behaviors and lack research value,” Nol replied.

“I see,” Teest murmured.

Rosen moved closer to Julie. His back was slightly hunched, clearly on guard. Julie wrapped his hand with her claw, squeezing it reassuringly.

“I understand,” Julie said in a comforting tone that doctors often have. “I’ve heard that this kind of ‘save’ seems to be purely background data and won’t manifest within the game instance.”

“If that player got the ‘save’ clothing, does it prove that this world isn’t just a simple game…?”

Nol’s smile faded.

“Perhaps,” he replied. “But we still need conclusive evidence.”

……

Jack hurried through the night, gasping for breath.

He miscalculated; those guys weren’t easy to deal with. The dwarf and wolfkin were certainly not players. Even if the mage and warrior were, including him, there should still be one more player spot left. If Crimson was here, he wouldn’t be in such a sorry state. He shouldn’t have lied about the instance being full, trying to hog all the credit for himself. Now, all he could do was grit his teeth and endure.

Tonight’s battle was a complete defeat for him. Damn, how humiliating. It was a pity the player he brought in died. Otherwise, he could’ve taken out his frustrations on him.

Jack refused to end the game like this. The style of that mage was similar to the previous masked monster—perhaps they were the same person. This was crucial information. Even if he couldn’t find the candle, he must salvage something before leaving…

No, no! This was just a lapse in his judgment. Next time, he would be better prepared.

The burly Jack trudged through the snow, one step deep and the next shallow, finally reaching his destination.

Two identical spruce trees stood about a meter apart, their roots surrounded by mirror-image clusters of weeds. Even knowing the location, Jack almost missed it.

He exhaled a frosty breath, closed his eyes, and walked right between the two trees.

When he opened his eyes again, it was still the same forest, but there was something new in the clearing—

Over twenty identical wooden cabins were neatly lined up, piled up in the snow like cubes. The cabins all looked the same, differing only in age and damage. Some had white plaster on the walls, and some were patched up with differently colored boards. One was covered inside and out with chaotic scribbles in blood, appearing almost black in the snowstorm.

It stood silent among the trees, like a quiet fortress.

Jack entered the hut in the middle of the bottom row. Inside lay the player he had brought in.

The player was frozen solid, his limbs stiff and pale. Fortunately, the extremely low temperatures meant slow decomposition, so there was hardly any smell. After briefly admiring the corpse, Jack tossed it into the snow outside, where three or four other bodies already lay, all of them well-proportioned and handsome.

Only one didn’t look so good, belonging to a male half-beast. The body was naked, with a messy, dirty beard. His left leg was torn apart by wild beasts, and his right hand still clutched a crossbow. The cabin had once belonged to him, but Jack had dragged his body out. Now it was his.

Jack lit the fireplace, carefully removed his beast-skin coat, and hung it near the flames to dry. The room gradually warmed up. Sitting down in front of the fireplace, his mood had lightened considerably since entering.

The night was deep, and a snowstorm raged outside. The warm firelight cast a soft glow over everything in the room.

“It’s quite beautiful when you look at it this way,” Jack mused, stretching out his legs and getting drowsy.

Those fools outside probably never understood what the shadow wolf was—who would have thought this place would have a “physical save”? Even Jack shuddered a bit when he first saw these identical cabins.

‘If there’s a god in this world, it must be utterly insane,’ he thought.

---

The author has something to say:

Celebrating the young couple’s first basketball game together, quacking happily.

Shadow Wolf: Woof! Why do people keep forcing cilantro into my mouth when I don’t like it!

You all got fooled by Jack regarding the number of instances!

The advanced tech of the Eternal Church be like: This is what Lord Demon Jack said.jpg

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 30: Virtual or Reality

The sky grew darker, and spending the night outside in the cold winter was perilous. The couple couldn’t get close to the hunter’s cabin, so they simply found a nearby cave to stay in.

Nol and Teest hunted some deer, wild chickens, and rabbits. They left half for the couple and dragged two deer back to report.

“We got the deer.” Nol smiled at the old hunter.

To win the old hunter’s favor, Teest skinned the deer and portioned the meat before bringing it back. The old hunter rolled his eyes, inspecting the chunks of meat and deer skins. After a while, he scolded, “Where’s the deer blood? Both of you, imbeciles.”

His tone was harsh, like a father reprimanding his son.

“Cutting the meat in such large pieces makes it hard to dry! And the deer skin… It smells too gamey when brought inside. Where are the bones? Surely you didn’t throw them away? Idiots, both of you. You understand nothing!”

Nol’s smile twitched slightly. Should I just summon the bones to dance in front of you?

The old man’s temper was unbearable. Logically, the hunter should at least provide them with basic instructions. Yet, not only did the old hunter not guide them, he barely spoke a word unless it was to scold.

Recalling the misfortunes of other hunters, Nol swallowed his anger. “Sorry, we’ll be more careful next time.”

“What next time? You’re staying here again tonight?” The old hunter coughed. “Damn, so annoying.”

Nol, Teest: “…”

Teest maintained a smile but quietly clenched his fist, causing his knuckles to crack.

Luckily, the Mad Monk’s self-control exceeded his malice.

Late at night, after eating the deer stew Teest made, the old hunter went out with his crossbow. The moment he left, the atmosphere inside the cabin became several times more relaxed.

“For some reason, the old guy seems prejudiced against us.”

Teest slumped into a chair near the fireplace and looked like he was about to melt from the warmth of the fire. “I wonder what reward he’ll give us based on his fondness? We’ll be lucky if he doesn’t slap us.”

“I doubt it would come to that.”

Nol sighed. He was sitting cross-legged on a fur rug, engrossed in a history book.

The old hunter couldn’t be that bad; after all, he had given them boots suitable for snow. Otherwise, he could’ve just let them freeze their toes off.

At the moment, two pairs of boots are drying in front of the fireplace. Old Hunter also stuffed the boots with herbal pouches that have antibacterial and moisture-absorbing properties. As the flames heated them, a rich medicinal aroma wafted through the room.

“He seems to hate us staying in the cabin. Perfect, tomorrow we’ll…”

Mid-sentence, Nol realized Teest had dozed off.

…Indeed, he was the unpredictable Mad Monk. He probably hadn’t had a regular schedule. Given the tough environment, he was probably on edge. Nol covered Teest with a fur blanket.

The flickering firelight illuminated Teest’s face, dancing over his long hair. For a moment, Nol admired his companion’s good looks. Many players designed their characters to be handsome or beautiful, but Teest’s appearance was natural. What kind of family did he come from?

After settling Teest, Nol returned to his book. The only sounds were the rustling of pages and the crackling of wood.

He’d been catching up on this world’s history, comparing it to his memory of the game’s setting.

This continent, called Tahe, hadn’t yet understood the concept of planets.

After a long dark age, war broke out in Tahe. After centuries of strife, the era known as the Evergreen Age began, signifying peace. The history mirrored the game’s setting, except for religious aspects.

The Temples of Life and Eternal Church seemed to exist since the age of strife. They flourished and left numerous records. There were various other religions, but they faded into history.

The main storyline of Tahe was set around the 496^th year of the Evergreen Age. The last time Nol checked in Whitebird City, the current date was August 7, 723, meaning he woke up more than 200 years after the game’s setting.

During these 200 years, countries that were once peaceful had conflicts, and the continental borders had shifted considerably.

The Kingdom of Gemino was originally one of the three major nations in the setting. It borders the Desolation Islands, which was ruled by the Demon King, on its west side and was under constant attack from monsters. Seeing the king doing nothing, Gemino split into two countries, East and West.

More than the shifts in the world map, Nol was more concerned about the “Demon King”.

The owner of the item shop in Whitebird City once mentioned that two hundred years ago, the dragon-blood hero Drake went to subdue the Demon King and has since been missing without a trace. Historical records also frequently mentioned the “Demon King.” Books on the Demon King weren’t detailed, only noting that he dwells across the Endless Sea. No one had ever successfully defeated him, so there wasn’t much information.

People only knew that the Demon King’s power corrupted the land, causing everything to decay and die, making him the nemesis of all living things. Even the Eternal Church, which venerates death, didn’t get along with the Demon King.

…This setting seemed very clichéd, and Nol couldn’t quite figure it out.

He was only sure that in his “Tahe World” game, there was no such thing as a “Demon King”. The enemies the players faced were just crazed monsters or evil humans with ambitions.

“Desolation Islands”—just by its name, it shouldn’t be in a casual game.

The players and neighbors trapped here, the missed two hundred years, the suddenly appearing gods and a Demon King… there were too many unknown puzzles. Nol decided to prioritize the most important one.

He needed to first figure out if this place was a game or reality, as it was directly related to their plan to go home.

Organizing his thoughts, Nol put down the book and decided to spend the remaining time studying magic.

Now, he could save on sleep, as the rules of the “advanced undead ” were waiting for him to explore.

……

Teest quickly woke up, as he never slept deeply. He noticed the blanket on him and smelled the peppered meat soup.

Nol filled an iron cup with soup and warmed it by the fireplace. Seeing Teest awake, he looked up with a smile and threw the paper filled with writings and calculations into the fire.

“We don’t have milk here. Drink some soup before heading out. Your shoes are dried and over there,” Nol said, taking a cup for himself. “It’s been exactly two and a half hours. The old hunter should be back soon.”

Teest looked at him for a while. “How did you know I wanted to go out?”

“Because we didn’t find any clues during the day,” Nol replied with a mysterious smile. “The night might hide more secrets.”

…Sorry, he actually knew that the white wolf would only come out at night! But it was hard to explain. If the player’s affinity with the hunter was high, the hunter would provide this clue. Since they couldn’t rely on the old hunter, Nol had to step in.

Fortunately, Teest was smart, so he wasn’t too concerned.

Teest took a couple of sips of the soup and exhaled. “Not bad. I was planning to stay up.”

The two were on the same page.

Woken up in the middle of the night by Nol, the couple got ready without a word. They made simple preparations and ventured into the dark.

The wolfkin Julie and Nol joined forces. The four of them conducted a wolf census in the vicinity—two pinpointed the wolf’s location.

Nol set up a skeletal trap, and Julie tackled it, pinning down its neck. Under the intimidation of the gray wolfkin, those wolves barely whimpered.

There were brown, gray, and even a few black wolves, but no white wolves. To ensure the white wolf didn’t stain itself, they scrubbed every wolf with snow.

“Could it be that the mission’s time is too short and the white wolf didn’t spawn?” Rosen, seated on his wife’s shoulder, stroked his chin in confusion. It wasn’t that he was too lazy to walk; when Officer Luo stepped into the snow, her short legs were mostly buried. Julie was worried he’d get lost.

“It’s probably bad luck,” Nol replied, sounding disheartened.

This was supposed to be a fun and peaceful game instance.

Players would enter, search for the white wolf’s traces in a vast snowy forest, and enjoy the wonderful snowy scenery out of season. They could taste the delicacies of the snowfields and watch the unique animals of the cold regions.

Enthusiastic hunters would share legends and assist players in completing tasks. If they unfortunately encountered the shadow wolf, players would just black out and find themselves outside the instance.

Now? NPCs who entered mistakenly were brainwashed into becoming the hunter. And if they were caught by a shadow wolf, it probably wasn’t as simple as “black out and get kicked out of the instance.”

The shadow wolf surely hovered around the white wolf. The fact they didn’t encounter the white wolf right away might be a good thing. Nol was more concerned about the lurking Eternalist. If possible, he wanted to catch that person first.

“Should we look elsewhere?” Thinking of this, Nol suggested. “We still have time. I’d like to see the relics of where humans once lived.”

Maybe this could pique the curiosity of the Eternalist and lure them out.

“Good idea.” Teest’s gaze wandered around constantly. He was obviously considering the same thing.

For a brief moment, Rosen showed a troubled expression. He glanced at Julie, who first shook her head, then nodded.

“I’ll lead the way,” Julie said calmly. “I’ll take you to the biggest ruins.”

Upon arriving at their destination, Nol seemed to understand Rosen’s dilemma.

Here, the site was located next to a rocky hill, with several logs scattered around, indicating there once was a small community. Around the cave, there were even three or four collapsed tents.

The lost people had made weapons out of stone and built stoves and tables using mud and bones. On the table was a bowl carved out of wood, with its remnants of soup long frozen. Large animal skins were spread on the stone beds, with three frozen corpses lying on top.

A man and a woman clung to each other face-to-face, with a four- or five-year-old child between them. The three were emaciated, their faces showing twisted pain. Their bodies were pale like stone, almost blending in with the stone bed.

They clung tightly to each other, fingers digging into each other’s skin. The extreme cold had preserved every detail of their bodies, from the child’s thin face, the woman’s swollen right arm, to the terrifying bite mark on the man’s leg.

The walls of the cave were inscribed with words, which later turned into blood writing. It started with pleas and prayers but ended with curses of despair. Compared to this place, the Dragon Tomb Garden seemed so peaceful.

Nol stood still, already chilled by the cold wind, but now he felt like the cold had penetrated his soul. Those curses seemed like sharp arrows, piercing him from head to toe.

‘It shouldn’t be like this,’ Nol thought, bewildered.

Not long ago, he approached challenges with a puzzle-solving mindset. The plight of the trapped was tragic, but it was just fragments of a story. Now, this scene violently invaded his mind.

Is this your world? A tiny voice whispered in his heart.

All this happened because you didn’t give the hunter a fixed personality, just as you didn’t name the master of the lich. Your neighbors, your kin, the locals… everyone is suffering, dying in the world you created.

Can this world still be called a “game”? 

No, it must be a game. It cannot be real. It absolutely can’t be.

“This is not a place where a village can thrive. Too few resources, harsh weather, and people who come here are almost unprepared,” Rosen murmured, lifting his torch higher to brighten the space.

“Actually, considering the circumstances, they did relatively well. They had a somewhat normal life for a while and left in a dignified manner.”

Julie gently touched the corpses and sighed. “The others had it worse. I don’t recommend you look… Some preferred to eat their family and friends rather than die of cold and hunger.”

Nol didn’t reply. In the dark cave, he felt like he was about to be swallowed whole.

“Brother, are you sure you’re okay? Don’t force yourself. Even us police need counseling when faced with such scenes.” Rosen walked towards Nol while casting a discreet glance at Teest.

Teest looked at the scene indifferently, unfazed, as if the family on the bed were genuinely stone statues. Compared to the tragic scene, he seemed more interested in Nol.

In the darkness, those golden eyes kept staring at Nol, not moving for a second.

“I’m fine.” Nol took a deep breath after half a minute. “You chose this place not just because it’s more… peaceful, right?”

Rosen hummed in agreement. He walked over to a part of the cave wall, tiptoed, and pointed to the densely written words: [Look here.]

According to the records on the wall, six people initially arrived. One of them unfortunately became the hunter, but he seemed more temperate than other hunters—he had a brief conversation with his family, who came to recognize him.

The hunter said he couldn’t provide them with supplies or help. He could only offer these conveniences to the “players”, for the “players” were his real family.

“I thought I misunderstood at first, but now it seems that the word refers to ‘players’,” Rosen moved a few steps and pointed to another spot. “Look at this.”

The record was shorter this time.

The master of this place found a white wolf. The white wolf was docile and wouldn’t attack humans, making it perfect prey. When a white wolf was hunted, another one would appear the next day—equally docile and white, but possibly of different age and size.

“It seems that not only hunters have been replaced by cycles, but they are really well-prepared.”

Teest spoke with a light tone. “After all, the white wolf is just an ordinary wild beast. With so many wolves here, catching one, dyeing its fur, and brainwashing it is much easier than dealing with humans.”

Nol punched the stone wall. His flesh was damaged but quickly healed, leaving only cold blood stains behind.

“Shh…”

Seeing this, Teest took two steps closer and supported Nol from behind. He stood between the couple and Nol, blocking Rosen’s view.

Nol let him hold him.

He had a false heartbeat, but his body was extremely cold. Teest’s hands felt as hot as flames. Through the thin fabric, Nol almost felt burned by those hands.

“Don’t be so upset,” Teest whispered, his voice almost bewitching. “The past is the past. You still have time to save your neighbors. Save that punch for the Eternalists.”

‘But this is no longer about the neighbors,’ Nol thought. Even so, he managed to force a wry smile.

He then turned to Rosen and Julie. “I’m sorry, I lost control a bit.”

“The smell of blood!” Rosen was about to reply when Julie suddenly spoke up.

Teest instantly activated a skill to remove their auras, followed by Nol’s invisibility—after the upgrade of the dragon-skin notebook, he no longer cared about conserving invisibility space. To outsiders, the four of them seemed to disappear on the spot.

Julie set Rosen on her shoulder and nodded silently to the two men. Rosen clenched his teeth, casting an AOE wind spell. The group moved silently on the snow, leaving no footprints.

The scent of blood came from a giant polar bear.

This bear could reach a height of four meters. Although it was huge, it was very agile. At this moment, it was fighting a large black wolf and was clearly losing.

The giant wolf was nearly three meters tall, pitch black to the point that its fur details were indiscernible. From their distance, they could only see its glowing red eyes, and its blood-covered fangs, tongue, and claws.

It was the Shadow Wolf, a symbol of disaster.

Its shadow seemed alive, entangling the polar bear like a fishing net, rendering it immobile.

The Shadow Wolf easily tore through the thick bear skin. With each bite and claw, blood spurted. The polar bear’s continuous howls made it sound like a helpless lamb. The worst part was that the Shadow Wolf seemed to be playing more than hunting—after feasting on the softest belly meat and organs, it left.

It didn’t run away, but instead jumped effortlessly, merging into the shadows of the trees.

The one-sided hunt lasted less than five minutes.

Nearby, the group remained still. As the bear’s corpse began to freeze, Officer Luo couldn’t hold back anymore.

“…Damn, bullets probably can’t penetrate that thing’s hide,” Rosen murmured.

“Nol said this is a plot boss. It’s not meant for you to defeat.”

Julie spoke casually, but her tone was serious. “We should find the white wolf quickly. If this creature can move through shadows, it’ll be hard to detect and defend against.”

“You two,” Teest cleared his throat, “I think you spoke too soon.”

Something warm and pungent dripped onto everyone’s heads, translucent with a faint hue of blood.

Teest pulled Nol close while Julie grabbed Rosen, and they retreated in opposite directions. The Shadow Wolf missed its bite, its lower half still tucked within the shadow of a huge rock.

It bared its teeth at them, exhaling a mist full of the scent of blood.

Nol deactivated his invisibility, directly invoking the Dragon’s [Bloodline Suppression]. The Shadow Wolf whimpered, freezing in mid-air.

Teest wanted to draw his sword, but Nol stopped him. “Run!”

Although the Lich Valdorlock’s strength adjusted according to player strength, the lich was designed for players to defeat, while the Shadow Wolf was designed to defeat players.

“Can this thing be stronger than a dragon?” Teest asked while running.

“Impossible. There’s basic logic in species strength,” Nol said. “But it’s a special monster, definitely at least twice as strong as the lich.”

“Brother, give me a comparison I can understand,” Officer Luo said while catching wind on Julie’s shoulder.

Nol replied calmly, “A bite from the Shadow Wolf is like an ordinary wolf biting a mouse.”

“Tsk.” Teest suddenly hit the brakes.

Nol tensed up, wondering if Teest was about to lose it again. But he soon saw the reason—

“We meet again.”

A tall figure in a cloak blocked their path. He held a long sword, layered with multiple protective barriers.

“The skull mask from last time isn’t here? …A dwarf, wolfkin, mage. Ah, I see. So, the one who wielded the sword last time was you.”

He raised his right hand, pointing the blade directly at Teest. “Tell me where the candle is, or I’ll give you a taste of hell.”

Nol clenched his teeth, taking a step forward. “Have you lost your mind? The Shadow Wolf will be here any moment, and it’ll tear apart every living thing—”

“Except for me.” The tall man laughed.

The next second, the Shadow Wolf leapt out from his shadow, lunging straight for Nol.

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The author has something to say:

The ordinary wolves around: In the middle of the night, a bunch of freaks break into our home, pin us down, and give us baths one by one. Any ideas, everyone?

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Regarding the confusion in the last chapter about the number of players in the instance… I have probably three things to explain!

① Do not believe the nonsense of the Eternalists.

② Do not believe the nonsense of the Eternalists.

③ About whether Teest is considered a player… You can think of him as an offline player? He’s still a player, can level up, take on quests, and get rewards… but that’s pretty much all he can do.

The same goes for the people in Nol’s community (those with incomplete player rights).

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