Free Web NovelChapter 161: Chapter 161: The Pain Is Real!
Jiang Che kept silent, saying nothing more.
Because family never needs to say thank you.
He just needs to do better for them in the future.
"What happens if I touch it?" Flying Tiger stared at the blood-red crystal beside her.
The atmosphere in this dungeon was eerie; the moment Jiang Che announced its formation, the labyrinthine corridors connected in a strange way.
The dim wall lamps in the passage flickered, again and again.
The ’spirits’ who had previously wandered aimlessly, all found their proper places once the dungeon formed.
At every blood-colored crystal was a ’spirit’ dressed in a white uniform. In their hollow eyes, only the blood-red crystal’s image was reflected.
Jiang Che gazed at the blood-colored crystal, slightly lost in thought. When creating the dungeon, what occupied his mind most was escaping from here.
The blood-colored crystal, born from the blood pouring out of his own body, in some sense was a representation of himself.
If you take the blood-colored crystal from the dungeon, you must collect all of them and then find the location of the exit.
Before finding it, you’ll face the relentless pursuit from the hospital’s staff.
A single spirit will often watch over multiple blood-colored crystals; the more you gather, the more spirits hunt you.
"If you touch it, there’s only one option: find every blood-colored crystal and leave this place." Jiang Che felt these crystals represented himself, as well as the others in the mental hospital.
If you don’t touch the crystals, nothing happens; if you do, it means you’ve chosen to bear this responsibility—to lead all the crystals out.
"Where’s the exit?" Flying Tiger was stunned. She currently stood in a world projected from Jiang Che’s consciousness, with no sense of direction at all.
"The exit is at the main entrance of Red Pearl Mental Hospital." Jiang Che didn’t hide the location of the exit.
He’d always known where the exit was, but never left through it.
Xiong Jie was surprised. From all the intel he’d gathered about dungeons, he knew finding the exit was always extremely hard.
The location of the exit in each dungeon is humanity’s most precious information.
"Can we give it a try?" Xiong Jie asked.
He figured Jiang Che was the dungeon’s owner—if he failed, Jiang Che surely wouldn’t kill him, right?
And since Jiang Che had told them exactly where the exit was, as long as they knew the rough location, they could memorize the map and eventually escape.
He thought Jiang Che’s dungeon setup was actually quite flawed.
Humans had already endured high stress in prior haunted dungeons; as long as it came down to memorization, almost nobody would fail.
"I have a small question." Zhou Ang raised his hand.
"Haunted dungeons happen in the world of spirits; if humans fail there, they die within three days."
"But now, in the Human Realm—if humans break in, there’s no place to send them back? So they can enter at any time?" Zhou Ang gestured animatedly.
Everyone understood his meaning: if Jiang Che’s dungeon is in the Human Realm, could humans enter it whenever they wished?
Clearing a dungeon earns rewards, boosting your own level.
"What’s your dungeon level now?" Zhou Ang looked at Jiang Che; the area covered by this dungeon wasn’t small.
"I suppose it’s SS-class." Jiang Che estimated roughly.
He guessed a dungeon’s level is set based on the level of its creator.
"If you just memorize the map, won’t this become the easiest SS-class dungeon ever?" Xiong Jie frowned, "No, see if you can tweak the rules. If it’s only about reaching a known exit, that’s way too simple."
"Spirits don’t want humans escaping their dungeons—there must be some downside for them," Flying Tiger joined in. She hadn’t heard Ding Ning’s explanation, but she could analyze the situation fairly well.
"Easy?" Jiang Che stared into the boundless mental hospital.
This was a world evolved from his own mind; just looking at its vastness, at the number of staff, made him feel hopeless.
He’d spent over ten years of his life unable to walk out of that first half.
And now, everyone was saying it was easy.
"No, let me try." Xiong Jie waved his hand. He knew exactly his own limits, and more than anyone else, he hoped Jiang Che would grow stronger.
Only if Jiang Che is strong enough can he protect him.
Though the idea was selfish, he believed self-interest was human nature. It was that desire to survive that made him agree to become Ding Ning’s servant, and that’s why he followed Jiang Che so loyally.
He hadn’t truly liked Zhou Ang—feeling Zhou had claimed some of his own place—but that didn’t mean he hadn’t thought of Jiang Che’s wellbeing.
"Go register some information over there." Jiang Che nodded toward the archives room.
Xiong Jie looked at the familiar archive room; it was identical to the one he’d entered with Jiang Che before.
Once inside, he saw a file folder floating before him. As he reached for it, sharp pain shot through his fingertips—a drop of blood was drawn into the folder.
In the next second, his name appeared on it.
[Xiong Jie]
"Once your name’s registered, even if you fail, you can try again here." Jiang Che watched the archive room; this had once stored the mental hospital’s patient records. Registering your name here meant you were one of the hospital’s own.
"So if others register here, does that mean they won’t suffer dungeon harm?"
"Yes, they’re safe, but won’t earn rewards for clearing it."
"Across the area, there are probably around ten archive rooms like this."
Archive rooms weren’t many; finding them was hard.
Xiong Jie let out a breath of relief. Seeing his name on the file, unable to earn rewards, actually reassured him.
Because now, once again, he stood with Jiang Che on the same side.
"Alright, I’ll begin." He mentally gauged his direction—Jiang Che had just explained, everyone who came here has projected blood-colored crystals belonging to them.
Taking this crystal wouldn’t affect anyone else trying to clear it.
Each person’s actions here were completely individual.
Xiong Jie only felt, in the instant he touched the blood-colored crystal, the nurse guarding it locked her gaze on him.
A flood of murderous intent crashing toward him; if he wasn’t careful, a bloody gash appeared on his back.
The pain shot into his brain, instantly sharpening his senses.
This pain was real!
