Ch. 39 - He Must Be Just Curious

Zheng Ren looked as though he might cry. "Exactly… If only I had resisted the temptation and not gone into that instance!"

His second dungeon run had been anything but smooth. Everything had gone fine while he played the role of a waiter—until the patrons suddenly went berserk and started biting people!

Even the chef, who had seemed friendly and probably on his side, turned out to be a menace.

Once the chef revealed his true nature, he tried to chop Zheng Ren up and toss him into a meat grinder to make dumpling filling!

If not for his unwavering will to survive—managing to counter-kill the chef at the last moment before losing consciousness and dragging his half-destroyed body to barely make it through—he wouldn't have lived to seek refuge with Li Yueqiu later.

Although he had survived, repairing half his body had cost him all his savings.

Now, apart from the spatula he had obtained from the last instance, Zheng Ren was penniless. Even the credit to buy a mat had been borrowed from Li Yueqiu.

This ordeal hammered home one thing: identifying hostile forces in a dungeon as early as possible was absolutely crucial.

The two trudged along for most of the day. Before they reached the dungeon hall, they spotted a man and a dog suddenly appear on the open ground in front of it.

The disparities of this world never ceased to amaze. Achieving the 1st Heavenly Ascension in just two days was one thing, but to also have a house and a dog? Unbelievable!

Li Yueqiu and Zheng Ren, still sleeping rough in the park, cried foul at the injustice of it all.

When the three gathered, Zuo Chengan briefly introduced the very curious Mo Dou.

"This is Mo Dou, my servant. It'll join us in the dungeon later."

"Woof!"

Mo Dou cautiously sat by Zuo Chengan's feet, scrutinizing Li Yueqiu and Zheng Ren with a discerning gaze, ultimately concluding: no threat.

Even without his master, Mo Dou could probably bring them both down on his own.

Indeed, Mo Dou's stats rivaled those of a newly minted 1st Heavenly Ascension player.

Its exceptional speed—unsurprising for a four-legged creature—made it lightning-fast.

Zuo Chengan patted Mo Dou's head, signaling it to relax.

As Mo Dou's master, he could view his servant's stat panel.

[Servant: Mo Dou]

[Constitution: 8]

[Strength: 11]

[Speed: 13]

[Item: Shepherd's Bell]

[Skill: Dog is Man's Best Friend (Active)]

Mo Dou's stats were more than enough to solo an unranked player, and his skill was especially useful. If deployed strategically, it could serve as an area-control ability. Even Zuo Chengan felt a pang of envy.

[Dog is Man's Best Friend]

[Type: Active Skill]

[Effect: Temporarily boosts target's affection by +999, inducing momentary paralysis. Duration varies.]

[Limitations: Only effective on humanoid creatures.]

[Description: Woof woof! Submit under the paws of the dog star!]

...

Next, Zuo Chengan inquired about his teammates' items and skills.

Having completed only the beginner dungeon, Li Yueqiu still had just one skill: Double Kick.

She owned no items but had improved her stats considerably. Her Constitution met the skill's minimum requirements, and her Strength had grown significantly.

If she could now land Double Kick on a Hunter, she'd likely deplete 50% of its health instead of just 20%.

Li Yueqiu proudly explained her skill but grew sheepish when discussing its cooldown.

"But after one full use, it takes ten minutes to cool down."

Zuo Chengan had anticipated this. A skill without a cooldown would disrupt the game's balance.

When it was Zheng Ren's turn—

Zheng Ren, with his thicker-than-foot-skin face, didn't hesitate at all. With a swish, he pulled a spatula from his back pocket!

He generously shared the item's attributes.

[House Specialty Spatula (White)]

[Type: Tool]

[Effect: Can slice heads in combat or stir-fry noodles with ease in the kitchen!]

[Limitation: Has a 98% chance to summon a fly into any dish cooked.]

[Description: Eat up! Protein content is six times that of beef. :D]

...

Openly revealing one's trump card was tantamount to exposing one's vulnerabilities.

Thus, an unspoken rule among players was that unless they were close allies or trusted comrades, one never shared their stat panels or let others touch their items.

Between the two, Li Yueqiu had skills but no items, while Zheng Ren had items but no skills.

Luckily, their Attribute Points had made up for it somewhat.

Both had contributed to defeating the Hunters in their beginner dungeon.

Although neither had landed the final blow, the system had rewarded their efforts with excellent ratings and five attribute points.

Li Yueqiu had added 2 points to Constitution and 3 to Strength, transforming herself from someone who couldn't unscrew a bottle cap into an amateur boxer.

Meanwhile, Zheng Ren had completed a solo Level 1 dungeon on top of the beginner one. Though it had been a bumpy ride, he managed to clear it and earn decent rewards.

His stats were promising, with Constitution maxed out at 10 and Speed just one point shy of full.

With a clearer understanding of his teammates' capabilities, Zuo Chengan felt more confident about their upcoming Level 2 dungeon.

Together, the trio and the dog entered the dungeon hall.

While selecting an instance, Li Yueqiu curiously asked Zheng Ren, "Most people prioritize Strength. Why did you add to Constitution first?"

Zheng Ren was at a loss for words.

The reason was rather obvious—he was scared of being wounded and wanted to be more resilient.

…

Entering the instance hall was like stepping into a bustling marketplace, chaotic voices assaulting their ears.

"We need 18 more players for Underground Castle! Bring your own lighting tools!" 

"Looking for a carry through a Level 2 dungeon! I just want to clear it. You can have all the items! Offering generous payment! Must have a Mind stat above 80! No bad records!"

"500 credits for someone to take me through the Heavenly Tower's Level 1 instance! No limit on the number of players! The more, the merrier!"

"One more needed for Deadly Highway! No dungeon guide required! As long as you have a driving license in the real world!"

…

The trio and the dog weaved through the screens, surrounded by players seeking teams and help.

Zuo Chengan even spotted Uncle Mu Zhou's Farm, an instance he had cleared before, now appearing as a fresh listing in the hall.

Although it had a clear record, there was no corresponding guide, as the tasks and nature of the instance had undergone drastic changes.

Thus, when someone from the Dawnmoon Guild added Zuo Chengan as a friend, offering to buy the instance guide, he refused.

Even though it was a Level 1 instance, if the players attempting it were inexperienced and overly reliant on guides, it could cost them their lives.

A mere 500 credits weren't enough to make Zuo Chengan greedy—it would take at least 5,000 to tempt him.

As they walked through the instance hall, Zheng Ren and Li Yueqiu noticed something odd.

Why did the screens corresponding to where Zuo Chengan stopped all display Level 2 instances?

He must just be curious, right?

That had to be it!

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