Chapter 15: The Level-Zero Dungeon

Liang Dan collapsed to the ground, her body racked with sharp, relentless pain. She suspected her waist, her legs, or perhaps every bone in her body was broken. She struggled to rise, but found herself utterly incapable of movement. With wide, disbelieving eyes, she stared at the young man standing by the doorway, grinning.

Was he even human? Could a single kick possess such force? Was he some sort of ostrich-spirit in disguise?

Beside her, Yang Liuqing charged back in, wielding an axe. Stepping over the fallen Liang Dan, she swung the weapon at the young man. "Surrender this, you bastard!"

The young man offered a faint smile and raised his hand to catch the axe. "How truly—arghhhhh!"

His right arm was severed by the blade, falling to the floor as blood sprayed across the room. Yang Liuqing followed up with a kick to his chest, sending the young man flying like a football until he slammed into the doorframe of the living room, screaming. The young boy tied up by the entrance shrieked in terror at the sight.

Yang Liuqing paced forward with her axe. "Shut up, or I’ll kill you too."

The young man scrambled away on his hands and feet, but Yang Liuqing lunged forward and blocked his path. His face was a mask of horror. "Impossible. This is only a Level Zero instance—how could this be?"

Yang Liuqing raised her axe with a smirk. "Your experience is far too shallow."

The young man clutched his head. "Spare me! If you let me go, I’ll give you everything I’ve obtained!"

"I don't need it." Yang Liuqing brought the axe down, and a head rolled across the floor.

Liang Dan covered her mouth, stifling both a scream and the urge to vomit. Yang Liuqing turned to look at the middle-aged man and the young boy tied nearby; they were trembling, unable to meet her gaze. With a single swing, the middle-aged man’s head joined the first, blood splattering the scene. The boy let out a wretched cry and fainted.

Frowning, Yang Liuqing hoisted the unconscious boy and headed back into the bedroom. She cast a glance at Liang Dan and Shen Si. "Either follow me out of here now, or stay here and wait for death."

Liang Dan felt a sudden surge of strength at these words. She scrambled up, hauled Shen Si to her feet, and the two followed Yang Liuqing through the hole in the wall.

Yang Liuqing led them toward the village entrance. The platform was still standing, but both it and the surrounding area were completely deserted. As they paused before it, breathless, Liang Dan looked at Yang Liuqing’s furrowed brow. "I thought the sacrifice was supposed to last seven days. Why did it stop on the second?"

"The newcomers who arrived today must have done something," Yang Liuqing replied. "I don't know how they managed to halt today's ritual."

Shen Si added, "In that case, we need to hurry. We can't let them beat us to it."

Yang Liuqing raised an eyebrow. "Hurry to do what? To our deaths?"

"To stop the sacrifice!"

Yang Liuqing said, "Don't forget, our mission is to survive seven days in this village, not to stop the ritual."

Liang Dan had an epiphany. "So, the missions for each group of players might be different."

"Exactly. The objectives, the timing of entry, the number of participants—everything can be different."

Yang Liuqing strode forward, and Shen Si jogged to keep pace. "That man who kicked the door in—why did he attack us?"

"He was looking for easy pickings," Yang Liuqing explained. "Since this became a Level Zero instance, many low-level players come here to grind for experience. He wanted to prey on those weaker than himself."

Liang Dan pointed ahead. "Look!"

Not far away, near the temple, lay a massive pile of rubble—the very building they had arrived at. Yang Liuqing tilted her head. "Damn it."

Liang Dan felt as though she had endured more heart-stopping terror in these few days than in all her twenty-plus years of life. Trembling, she asked, "What is it?"

Yang Liuqing pointed at the ruins. "If I’m not mistaken, this scenario only triggers after learning specific plot details. Since those people have already uncovered it, they must know that the villagers' houses are unsafe. Which means..."

Shen Si clutched her chest. "The temple we were supposed to stay in tonight has been occupied!" She looked at Yang Liuqing, her eyes bright. "But you're so powerful—you can take it back, right?"

Yang Liuqing chuckled. "I’m not as naive as that player, thinking everyone who enters a Level Zero instance is a novice. He died because he was too arrogant."

After Shen Si finished speaking, Liang Dan braced herself, expecting the System to flag Shen Si for being out-of-character, but after a moment, she remained standing there perfectly fine. Was the System so lenient toward "simple, kind-hearted people," or was Shen Si not a "simple, kind-hearted person" at all? Liang Dan couldn't fathom it and eventually gave up trying.

Liang Dan raised her hand. "I have another question. How were you able to hack through such a thick wall with an axe, and how could that man kick through that door?"

Yang Liuqing replied, "The System mentioned that completing instances grants rewards. Both of us likely obtained abilities to enhance our physiques. As for why he attacked us—every player's ability can be looted."

As Yang Liuqing turned back toward the village, Liang Dan and Shen Si hurried after her. Liang Dan asked, "So, are people without abilities actually safer?"

"Those without abilities are relatively safer among other players, but they are in grave danger within the instance itself," Yang Liuqing said with a smile. "You two are lucky newcomers. Most players don't encounter so many others in their first instance; usually, only one group enters at a time."

Liang Dan followed her, noticing they were heading back toward the residential area. She gripped the scissors in her hand tighter.

"Why are we going back?" Shen Si whispered.

"Idiot," Yang Liuqing retorted. "The outside is occupied, so naturally, we have to find somewhere else to stay. Unless you want to sleep on the street? If you want to, I won't stop you."

Shen Si waved her hands frantically. "No, no, never mind."

Looking at Yang Liuqing’s broad, sturdy back, Liang Dan felt an inexplicable sense of security. Though Yang Liuqing killed without blinking, she was decent to them—she hadn't abandoned them. Liang Dan wanted to ask why, but she feared that by asking, she might plant the idea in Yang Liuqing’s mind. Then again, Yang Liuqing had no obligation to lead them; it would be perfectly reasonable for them to part ways.

So, Liang Dan asked anyway: "You’re so strong—why are you still taking us along with you?"