“He’s gone berserk. If this continues, we’re all going to die. If we still have to adhere to all these restrictions, I suspect the system is intentionally torturing the players. Fighting ghosts? What a joke.”
Chen Kaijie felt a chill in his heart. The system’s rules seemed designed to ruin them, leaving them at the mercy of NPC slaughter. Drawing items but being unable to use them—what nonsense was this?
That aside, Shen Qingqiu’s combat abilities were part of her player skills. No matter how strong she was, the system had no right to strip her of them. Otherwise, what was the point of various players entering the dungeon?
Smarter players could be made foolish; weaker ones could become strong—where was the fairness in that?
In this dungeon, the system’s settings were clearly aimed at crippling Shen Qingqiu’s abilities, which was blatant cheating!
Just then, the system finally spoke on the matter, “The NPC in this dungeon harbors intense hatred. Until the main culprit is dead, players must be restricted. All system actions comply with regulations. Please refrain from making reckless statements.”
Xiao Muyu gritted her teeth. She had already made up her mind. This was forcing them to watch Xiao Qian and Shen Wanlin die.
Good and evil will ultimately be repaid. They indeed deserved their fate, but maintaining the role setting was inherently contradictory. Who could watch their father be tortured and remain indifferent?
Shen Qingqiu’s gaze sharpened as she looked at Xiao Muyu, then struggled to stand up, rushing towards Shen Wanlin. However, after just two steps, she stumbled and fell to the ground, crying out sorrowfully, “Father!” Shen Qingqiu’s role was that of a delicate young lady. Seeing Shen Wanlin being tormented, she could only collapse on the ground, crying heart-wrenchingly, tears streaming down like raindrops.
The scene was incredibly genuine and touching, leaving Chen Kaijie and the others dumbfounded. Was their vice-captain this deep into her role?
Dong Zhongxuan: … Was the person who threatened him so viciously just a moment ago a phantom?
Xiao Muyu was initially stunned but quickly understood Shen Qingqiu’s intention. They had to maintain their roles, but only on the surface. She almost wanted to laugh.
So Xiao Muyu soon put on a pained expression, staggering as she tried to rush towards Xiao Qian. Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian, being perceptive, immediately grasped the situation, rushing over to pull Xiao Muyu back, crying out tearfully, “If you go, you’ll only get yourself killed. Calm down.”
Chen Kaijie finally understood and hurriedly went over to pull Shen Qingqiu away from Shen Wanlin.
“Qingqiu, your aunt saved you with her life. Calm down. You can’t save your uncle.”
The five of them then entangled together, while on the other side, Xiao Qian and Shen Wanlin were being tortured to the brink of death by Dong Zhongxuan.
The more Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu suffered, the more pleased Dong Zhongxuan felt. The three paper figures,to Shen Wanlin and Xiao Qian, were filled with hatred, completely ignoring everyone else.
They clawed and bit at the two men relentlessly. The strength of the paper figures was like that of wild beasts, tearing flesh with each swipe. In no time, the two men were covered in wounds, with blood and flesh falling beneath them. The thick smell of blood was nauseating, the scene akin to a death by a thousand cuts.
Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu couldn’t continue their act. No role could respond otherwise to such a scene—it was a living hell.
The hands and faces of the paper figures were soaked in blood, stained red. Dong Zhongxuan, as their controller, looked immensely pleased. He approached, savoring the air’s blood scent, catching the dripping blood from Xiao Qian and drinking it as if it were a delicacy.
The sight was revolting and terrifying. Both men’s bodies were stripped of flesh, bones exposed, yet they hadn’t died, their bodies twitching and convulsing in pain. Xiao Muyu rasped, “Stop torturing them. Kill them already.”
Xiao Muyu didn’t pity them; she knew for Dong Zhongxuan, such deep hatred demanded to devour their flesh and drink their blood to be barely appeased. But she was human, and witnessing such punishment made her physically sick.
Xiao Muyu was acutely aware she was an ordinary person. Cruelly speaking, she rationally understood the tragedies and suffering of the Dong family were grievous. But no matter how empathetic, she could never fully grasp it like Dong Zhongxuan and his family.
Some pains, as Liu Ya had said, could only be truly understood through experience.
The agony Xiao Qian and Shen Wanlin endured, seen with her own eyes, made their crimes all the more real and unbearable in this moment.
This might explain why people often accuse victims of being unrelenting—because in similar situations, they might be even more ruthless.
Dong Zhongxuan laughed, savoring the expressions on Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu’s faces, gloating.
Shen Qingqiu endured, desperately wanting to say, “If you’re going to kill, do it quickly. Stop with these unnecessary torments.” She wasn’t afraid of being tortured; it just sickened her.
But she couldn’t provoke this madman, so she could only look at him in terror and despair, her eyes cold.
Dong Zhongxuan, perhaps bored, grabbed both men’s heads, forcing them to face Shen Qingqiu and Xiao Muyu, deliberately provoking them.
His voice was hoarse and garbled, “Take a good look. Soon, they’ll be my brides. After I’m done with them, I’ll send them to join you.”
Shen Wanlin and Xiao Qian groaned in pain, shaking their heads. The next moment, Dong Zhongxuan bit through their throats, the sound of beast-like chewing making people retch.
Their enemy’s blood nourished his body, gradually giving his skin a more human hue, though his face shriveled like a dried corpse.
“Why did he become like this?” Xiao Muyu asked, tense, looking at Mei Qianqian.
Mei Qianqian took a breath, “Brother An had a forbidden book with many sinister soul-calling methods. The paper figures were made using those methods.
Second Brother’s body, lost in the river, was found using the book’s methods.
But Brother An didn’t listen to me. He used the paper figures to retain Second Brother’s soul and captured those eight girls.
A pure yang constitution usually restrains evil. But after a violent death, it turns into extreme yin and evil. The array formed stabilized Second Brother’s soul, giving him consciousness.
But tainted by eight lives, filled with resentment, he turned into a vengeful ghost, losing his humanity. He made Brother An a sacrifice.”
Dong Zhongxuan suddenly looked at Mei Qianqian. He had lost all humanity, driven only by hatred. He stared at her, growling, then lunged at her.
Xiao Muyu immediately stepped in, pulling Mei Qianqian back.
At that moment, the system spoke, “NPC consciousness dissipated, revenge complete. But primary NPC Mei Qianqian remains alive, maintaining role settings. Players must decide: kill or spare!
Friendly reminder, revenge begets revenge. Once killing starts, it only stops with more killing, and death will follow.”
The system’s words stunned the five players. Shen Qingqiu immediately looked at Mei Qianqian, now standing blankly behind Xiao Muyu.
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes filled with killing intent, especially seeing Xiao Muyu’s injury and torn clothes. She clenched her right hand tightly.
Chen Kaijie was indeed conflicted. They were now just slightly better than ordinary people in terms of physical skills. Except for Shen Qingqiu, who was allowed to carry a dagger after her combat power was restrained, the others couldn’t use anything.
Dong Zhongxuan had completely turned into a fierce ghost. He showed no mercy even to the paper figures representing his parents and wife, grabbing them and tearing them apart to swallow the residual souls inside.
He approached step by step with a sinister smile. If they couldn’t unlock the cards, they would inevitably lose everything!
Mei Qianqian also felt Shen Qingqiu’s killing intent. She wasn’t surprised; after all, she couldn’t escape the responsibility for the deaths of Shen Yurou and Shen Wanlin.
But when Shen Qingqiu rushed over, she only said in a low voice, “Stay away.”
Then she supported Xiao Muyu, who had been repelled. Mei Qianqian was stunned, hesitated as she reached into her sleeve, and then retreated.
Supporting Xiao Muyu, Shen Qingqiu whispered to the other three, “She cannot be killed.”
It was because there was no reason for that slight goodwill to have any meaning; she even suspected it was another trap.
Xiao Muyu, being exceptionally intelligent, understood that a good student not only solves problems but also understands the thoughts behind the questions and identifies the pitfalls and difficulties.
At first, Xiao Muyu didn’t know how to deal with this deadlock, but the system’s sudden suggestion gave her the answer.
“Revenge begets revenge; once killing starts, it can only end with more killing, and death will follow like a shadow. My father and Uncle Shen killed over a dozen Dong family members, and they eventually died at the hands of the Dong family.
But those eight girls were innocent, and so was Qingqiu’s aunt. So Miao’anli must pay the price.
However, we have not harmed anyone. Second Mother, if you can escape, please do. Leave this to us.” She handed the paper figure in her arms to Mei Qianqian.
From Xiao Muyu’s face, Mei Qianqian saw no grief, fear, or hatred. She was as calm and composed as ever.
From her words and the paper figure, Mei Qianqian knew that Xiao Muyu had figured everything out.
The five of them stood in front of her, blocking Dong Zhongxuan, an act like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Shen Qingqiu watched as Chen Kaijie, Zuo Tiantian, and Su Jin were all thrown aside by Dong Zhongxuan, feeling a faint despair. She didn’t even want to consider reason anymore and wanted to turn around and kill Mei Qianqian.
But when Xiao Muyu held the dagger, her expression was solemn yet calm. Shen Qingqiu didn’t know what she was thinking, but those eyes, at the brink of life and death, remained resolute and bright, as if everything was within her expectations.
When Dong Zhongxuan reached out to grab her, she glanced at Shen Qingqiu and pushed her aside. The last look was hurried, but the expression inside was familiar to Shen Qingqiu, gentle and determined, “You must trust me, Qingqiu.”
It made Shen Qingqiu abandon her desperate plan. Her overly frail body staggered back a few steps but didn’t fall as expected, being supported by someone.
She turned her head, her eyes flashing. After the initial surprise, she felt a sense of relief. Mei Qianqian only prevented her from falling, quickly letting go and curling her fingers.
Then she bit her finger hard, took out a small paper figure in white from her sleeve, and pressed the blood from her fingertip onto the paper figure’s brow.
The paper figure was vividly painted, clearly resembling Dong Zhongxuan. As soon as Mei Qianqian’s blood was applied, Dong Zhongxuan’s movements stiffened.
He quickly realized that Mei Qianqian had tampered with something and roared furiously, charging towards her.
Shen Qingqiu hurriedly pulled Mei Qianqian aside, and Xiao Muyu took the opportunity to leap over, slashing with the dagger from behind Dong Zhongxuan.
Mei Qianqian swiftly smeared blood on the paper figure’s eyes, causing a red line to appear across Dong Zhongxuan’s eyes, forcing him to cover his eyes with his hands instead of dodging.
“His weak point is his eyes. Gouge out his eyes, quickly. I can’t affect him for long.”
She wasn’t like Dong Zhongxuan, unable to control the paper figures to that extent. If she hadn’t made a substitute paper figure using his birth date when she feared Miao’anli wouldn’t listen and in preparation for Baihe Lord’s bride selection, there wouldn’t be any chance now.
The dagger slashed across Dong Zhongxuan’s back, but it was like stabbing into mud, causing no substantial damage.
Hearing Mei Qianqian’s words, Xiao Muyu grabbed Dong Zhongxuan’s shoulder, raised her left leg, and fiercely struck his waist. When her foot hit the ground, she mercilessly kicked his knee.
Dong Zhongxuan, covering his eyes, was forced to his knees by Xiao Muyu’s strike.
He was furious, reaching back to grab her, but Xiao Muyu dodged, pressing the dagger against his right hand on his shoulder.
Chen Kaijie quickly stepped in, twisting his left hand backward.
Dong Zhongxuan sensed their intention, his strength surging. Chen Kaijie was dragged over by his reclaimed right hand but refused to let go, preventing him from protecting his eyes.
Seeing Chen Kaijie struggling, Su Jin threw herself on Dong Zhongxuan, pulling his hand back with all her strength. Zuo Tiantian helped Xiao Muyu press his left hand down, stopping him from standing up.
Seeing the critical situation, Shen Qingqiu gritted her teeth, almost sliding over. She took the dagger from Xiao Muyu and, using all her strength, stabbed Dong Zhongxuan’s left eye quickly.
The sharp dagger, filled with its owner’s ghost-killing intent, entered with a sound like shattering glass.
Dong Zhongxuan roared, a chilling ghostly aura erupting from him. The immense pain amplified his strength, sending all five of them flying.
As the one who made the move, Shen Qingqiu bore the brunt of Dong Zhongxuan’s wrath. She almost lost consciousness upon hitting the ground, the dagger flung and embedded in the window behind her, nearly killing her.
Shen Qingqiu spat out two mouthfuls of blood, unable to move. She was used to her powerlessness in this scenario. Struggling, she glanced at Xiao Muyu, who quickly got up, seemingly uninjured. Shen Qingqiu felt relieved, as long as she was okay. Xiao Muyu’s heart ached seeing Shen Qingqiu spit blood. Seeing such a strong person lying on the ground after one glance, she felt a chill.
Dong Zhongxuan went berserk, covering his left eye as thick black smoke poured from it. His remaining eye fixated on Shen Qingqiu, instantly appearing before her.
Chen Kaijie, the closest, despite his pain, climbed up and punched Dong Zhongxuan in the head, but Dong Zhongxuan’s enraged face cracked, slapping Chen Kaijie away, rendering him immobile.
Xiao Muyu’s heart trembled with regret for her previous rationality.
Shen Qingqiu, unwilling to give up, muttered through clenched teeth, “Do you want to see if you can still get what you want if I die now?”
Dong Zhongxuan reached for Shen Qingqiu’s throat. Just as Xiao Muyu’s eyes filled with desperation, a small paper figure shot out from Shen Qingqiu’s collar, directly entering Dong Zhongxuan’s right eye. Caught off guard, he covered his eyes and roared in agony.
A fierce wind swept through the house, splitting the furniture. Xiao Muyu rushed over, tightly hugging Shen Qingqiu, ignoring the debris hitting her. It hurt, but she felt incredibly at ease.
Dong Zhongxuan’s rampage ceased as he fell to the ground in a fit of rage.
