The female ghost seemed to realize that Xiao Muyu was awake and stopped her previous actions. She leaned in closer, staring at Xiao Muyu, then grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp, jagged teeth.
As Xiao Muyu tried to move her arm to reach for her talisman, an icy, stiff hand suddenly gripped hers. This ghost seemed to know exactly what she was trying to do.
In that moment, a thought struck Xiao Muyu. She decisively abandoned the idea of summoning the talisman.
The red-dressed water ghost indeed grew furious, her mouth opening wide in a silent, menacing scream aimed at Xiao Muyu.
At that moment, a loud crash sounded. The bedroom door was violently kicked down, hitting the floor with a bang that made the ghost shudder.
Before the ghost could turn her head, a tall, slender figure leaped onto the bed, grabbed the ghost by her collar, and choked her before hurling her away.
The ghost hit the ground silently, her body twitching. Before she could disperse and escape, Shen Qingqiu stepped on her, pinning her to the floor with a swift stab of a dagger through her body.
“Muyu, are you okay? Answer me!” Her voice was urgent and flustered.
“Not dead yet,” Xiao Muyu replied, struggling to sit up. She then took out a talisman and pressed it to the ghost’s forehead.
The ghost screamed, extending a hand with fingers like sharp blades, which Shen Qingqiu promptly grabbed and broke one by one.
“Ah!” The ghost howled in excruciating pain, her swollen, waterlogged face contorting and tearing at the seams, looking absolutely grotesque.
Shen Qingqiu frowned at the sight, finding it overwhelmingly unpleasant. She kicked the ghost’s face, twisting her head sharply.
Not stopping there, Shen Qingqiu clenched her fist and began pummeling the ghost, her voice cold and disdainful, “Look at yourself, who are you trying to disgust by getting so close? Who allowed you to lie on her? I haven’t even been that close to her. Why couldn’t you just stay hidden as a water ghost?”
Each punch landed with a loud thud, the force clearly substantial. Xiao Muyu couldn’t help but take a step back, tilting her head to distance herself from Shen Qingqiu. No wonder she’s fought in underground matches, Xiao Muyu thought, even a ghost can’t withstand her strength.
At first, the ghost wailed and shrieked, but eventually, she started whimpering and crying. If not for her grotesque face and the eerie sound of her voice, she might have seemed pitiable.
“That’s enough, stop hitting her,” Xiao Muyu finally said, not out of sympathy but because the ghost’s crying was grating on her nerves.
Shen Qingqiu finally ceased her assault. She tossed the red-dressed ghost to the floor, coldly warning, “If you try to escape, I’ll make sure you can’t even remain a ghost.”
The ghost whimpered and trembled, bowing repeatedly to Xiao Muyu. Her appearance was so ghastly that Xiao Muyu had to look away in disgust.
Shen Qingqiu had already turned on the lights. Seeing Xiao Muyu’s reaction, she gave the ghost another kick for good measure.
“Change back to how you looked before you died, or I’ll chop off your terrifying head!” Shen Qingqiu, holding a dagger, threatened the female ghost with a look of sheer menace. Quickly, the ghost’s bloated face began to transform.
Although still pale and battered from Shen Qingqiu’s beating, the ghost now resembled a human, her delicate features revealing a once beautiful visage.
“What did she want by coming here?” Shen Qingqiu glanced at the ghost and then closely examined Xiao Muyu’s face, noting her pale complexion but no visible injuries.
Xiao Muyu, sitting on the bed, adjusted her pajamas. She hadn’t paid attention to what Shen Qingqiu was wearing during the scuffle, but now she saw clearly.
Shen Qingqiu was clad in a silk spaghetti-strap red dress. Her narrow shoulders, slender waist, and tall figure, coupled with loose waves of hair, exuded a lazy, alluring charm. The dress accentuated her curves, and to top it off, she wasn’t wearing any undergarments.
Xiao Muyu turned her face away, forcibly redirecting her gaze from the tempting sight. She pulled out her tool card and, noticing the ghost still staring intently at her right hand, said calmly, “She wanted my tool card.”
“Tool card?” Shen Qingqiu frowned, her eyes cold as she stared at the ghost. “No wonder players haven’t been returning after entering this dungeon. It’s not a coincidence.”
“Players who rent apartments are usually those who’ve passed B-level dungeons. In A-level, tool cards become even more crucial. Losing one could lead to failure in clearing the dungeon,” Xiao Muyu analyzed, her gaze still fixed on the ghost.
Shen Qingqiu nodded, then noticed Xiao Muyu hadn’t looked her way once since the light came on. With a knowing smile, she teased, “Muyu, why are you staring at her? Is she prettier than me? You haven’t looked at me once since the light came on.”
This flirtatious comment starkly contrasted with the ruthless manner in which she had just beaten the ghost.
The ghost, pinned under Shen Qingqiu’s foot, stared at her in disbelief, eyes wide with shock.
Xiao Muyu gritted her teeth, “Shen Qingqiu, could you please dress properly?”
Shen Qingqiu glanced down at herself, noting her slim waist, long legs, and ample chest. “What’s wrong with my attire? It’s just a nightgown, and I’m not exposing anything…”
She coughed lightly, “I don’t wear underwear to bed, and you said you’re not interested in women, especially not in me. What’s the big deal?”
Xiao Muyu, striving for calm, took a deep breath. “How do we deal with her?”
The smile vanished from Shen Qingqiu’s face as she looked down at the ghost with cold disdain. “What use is a filthy creature that doesn’t do good? No point in keeping it.”
Her tone was chilling, the threat palpable. Even Xiao Muyu felt a shiver.
The ghost, trembling uncontrollably, begged, “Please, spare me, spare me.”
“Can talk, can you? I thought you were mute. I won’t kill you if you tell the truth. Where are you from? How are you able to stay here?” Shen Qingqiu crossed her arms and began the interrogation.
The ghost, having never encountered such resistance, was terrified. She had haunted this room for a year, and no one had dared to challenge her before. Desperation had driven her to attack Xiao Muyu tonight, unaware of Shen Qingqiu’s fierce protection.
Listening to the ghost’s tale, both Shen Qingqiu and Xiao Muyu were stunned. “You came from a dungeon? How is that possible?”
“I’m a tool card.”
Xiao Muyu immediately looked at Shen Qingqiu, thinking of her “Doll” card.
Shen Qingqiu gestured for the ghost to continue.
“I was originally a female ghost drowned in a bathtub in A-level Dungeon 004. After the dungeon ended, I attached myself to a player I liked and came out as a tool card. But he was killed here, in this apartment.”
“Most tool cards become ownerless if the host dies. But I’m different; I belonged only to him. After he was killed, I stayed in this room.”
“I thought I’d be stuck in the card forever, but then a woman came. She somehow released me, and since then, I’ve been able to come out at night, though only briefly. I need new tool cards to draw energy from to maintain my form.”
“So you tried to draw energy from my tool card?” Xiao Muyu asked.
The ghost nodded, pleading, “I won’t do it again. Please spare me. I’ll behave.”
Xiao Muyu remained silent, but Shen Qingqiu spoke, “You can’t leave this room, can you?”
The ghost nodded, “That woman said if I leave, I’ll be completely destroyed. This is the only place I can survive. I tried, but I can’t get out.”
“Who was this woman? A player or someone from the network?” Xiao Muyu asked, curious.
The ghost hesitated before shaking her head, “I don’t remember. She was powerful and told me to scare new occupants but not too much. I overstepped this time…”
After a few more questions, Shen Qingqiu ordered the ghost back into her card.
Picking up the card from the floor, Shen Qingqiu read the inscription: “Mountain Crush.”
Rarity: Unable to detect, origin unknown.
Item Description: A particularly fond-of-sleep-paralysis ghost, damp and not at all cute. When summoned, the ghost causes the designated target to experience sleep paralysis, rendering them immobile and speechless for ten seconds. Additionally, due to extreme fear and fatigue, the target’s speed is reduced by 35% for one minute thereafter.
Shen Qingqiu: Truly a qualified ghost, performing sleep paralysis as soon as she appears.
“This ghost appeared very mysteriously. According to our current observations of the Tianwang World, there shouldn’t be any ghosts appearing. These ghosts should only stay within the dungeons. Even if they accidentally come out, the system’s strong control ability should handle it properly. Therefore, unless…”
“Unless the system doesn’t know of its existence.” Shen Qingqiu picked up the conversation, suddenly startled.
“In other words, this is a bug,” Shen Qingqiu murmured.
She glanced at Xiao Muyu, lowering her eyes, looking somewhat pensive, lost in thought.
Until Xiao Muyu spoke up: “Why did you suddenly burst in?”
Shen Qingqiu snapped back to reality, quickly raised her head. Xiao Muyu was standing by the door that had been kicked down, looking complicated.
Shen Qingqiu touched the tip of her nose and honestly confessed: “Knowing there’s something strange in this house, how could I leave you here alone to sleep.”
Xiao Muyu was stunned. Shen Qingqiu continued: “I was just sleeping on the sofa outside. I planned to keep watch. When I sensed something wrong, I knocked on the door. When you didn’t respond, I simply kicked it down.”
She said it casually, but Xiao Muyu could sense Shen Qingqiu’s genuine concern from these words.
In reality, many people had pursued her, trying to warm her heart and move her, but no one had ever managed to reach Shen Qingqiu’s level, making her feel out of control.
When Shen Qingqiu said these things, she never did it like those who wanted to show their determination, staring at her, trying to convey their sincerity through their eyes. She always spoke as if it was a matter of course.
Xiao Muyu hid her feelings, knowing that although Shen Qingqiu never sought credit for her actions, if she sensed any sign of attachment, she would undoubtedly exploit it.
“We’ve only paid three months’ rent, and you kicked the door down. This means additional expenses.”
Xiao Muyu pretended to be helpless but found it amusing. How strong is this person to kick a door off its hinges?
“You can’t blame me. I was anxious and didn’t control my strength,” Shen Qingqiu seemed a bit aggrieved. Then she looked at the card in her hand, smiled, and handed it to Xiao Muyu.
“Here, this might not be too useless as a gift, right?”
Xiao Muyu glanced at her and reached out to take it, but Shen Qingqiu pulled it back.
“This thing isn’t safe; I’ll hold onto it. It’s very late, let’s sleep.”
She shrunk out of the room, but halfway through, she turned back to Xiao Muyu: “Without the door, you might not feel secure. Want to sleep in my room?”
Xiao Muyu didn’t respond, and Shen Qingqiu didn’t force her. She pointed outside: “I’ll sleep on the sofa then, so you can sleep in peace.”
Watching her slender, tall figure disappear into the dark, then the living room light turned on, Shen Qingqiu brought a quilt over, placing it on Xiao Muyu’s bed.
“The ghost made your quilt wet. Change to a new one.”
“What about you?” Xiao Muyu couldn’t help but ask.
“I have a blanket; it’s not cold.” She went to the living room, Xiao Muyu saw her lie on the sofa, then a white arm waved towards her.
“Good night.”
Xiao Muyu opened her mouth, but the words didn’t come out. Lying back in bed, she couldn’t see the sofa in the living room, but unexpectedly, she felt very secure and quickly fell asleep.
Early the next morning, Su Jin and the others came to check on them, afraid they had encountered something unclean.
Shen Qingqiu had just finished brushing her teeth, wearing a fitted black dress with a white knitted cardigan, looking tall and elegant, exuding a striking presence.
Everyone couldn’t help but look at her a few more times. Shen Qingqiu glanced at them and said, “There was indeed something dirty, but I beat it so badly it was crying for its mother. It probably won’t dare show up again.”
Everyone believed her without a doubt. If Shen Qingqiu caught it, even ghosts would cry.
Moreover, Chen Kaijie noticed the door that had been kicked out of shape. Imagining the scene, he admired Shen Qingqiu even more.
“When does Su Jin’s dungeon open?” Xiao Muyu asked. As for the ghost in the room, Xiao Muyu had no plans to tell Su Jin and the others yet. The fewer people who knew, the better.
“Three more hours,” Su Jin answered calmly.
Xiao Muyu nodded.
Generally speaking, B-level players rarely team up because it’s hard to find suitable teammates, and there’s not enough time.
Su Jin’s dungeon this time was also a survival one, set in a ghost-infested town.
Overall, the difficulty couldn’t compare to the 002 dungeon. With Xiao Muyu the academic and Shen Qingqiu the school tyrant, this dungeon was thrilling but safe.
They also took the opportunity to train the new team members, with results better than expected.
The outcome was no surprise; Su Jin received an S rating, while the others, equivalent to replaying the dungeon, only got points and a chance to draw, with no rating.
Su Jin drew a B-level card, Torch, and an S-level card, Magnifying Glass.
Magnifying Glass, rarity: S, very low probability in B-level dungeons.
Item Description: A magnifying glass, of course, can magnify objects. Through the magnifying glass, you can enlarge a specified object ten times for one minute. How to use it is up to you.
Cooldown Time: 72 hours.
“Magnifying glass, sounds powerful. If we enlarge Miss Shen ten times, wouldn’t she be able to tear apart evil spirits with her bare hands?” Chen Kaijie said excitedly.
Shen Qingqiu gave him a cold look, “I could tear you apart instead.”
Chen Kaijie immediately shut up obediently.
After finishing this dungeon, the group awaited the start of the A-level dungeon. The five of them lived in the same neighborhood and had gone through two dungeons together, quickly becoming familiar with each other.
If it weren’t for the looming dungeon, Xiao Muyu might have thought they were living normal lives, buying groceries, cooking, finding part-time jobs to make money, and enjoying a peaceful, leisurely life.
But they all knew this was just an illusion, with new dangers approaching day by day.
Author’s Note:
Little Shen: I’m so upset; I haven’t even had sleep paralysis with my wife yet.
Little Xiao: Is your pretty head empty? In the 002 dungeon, who was the one lying on top of me saying they couldn’t get up because I was holding them too tightly?
Little Shen: Oh, right. How do you remember that so clearly?
Little Xiao: Hmph, I remember everything you say and do. Cos0 = 1, aren’t you afraid your bad math will trip you up, and you’ll end up calculating it as 0?
Little Shen: Doing it for love, why not?
See you in the next dungeon. I’ll take a break from writing for about two weeks. Thank you for your support, and I hope you’ll continue to support me.
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