Chapter 74: Weak, Pitiful, and Helpless |
Guan Shan first broke free from the chair that had bound him, carrying Shen Dinghua out of the cell. Along the way, he collected the loot dropped by the BOSS.
What he saw was still a long corridor, flanked by similar cells, the floor and walls covered in thick, dried bloodstains, and piles of congealed non-Newtonian fluids that needed censoring.
There were also "souls" killed by various torture devices, lying in the cells or the corridor, some even nailed to the walls.
—It seemed the theme of this scene was more like "Execution Records" rather than "Disembodied Souls."
Of course, only Guan Shan found these sights disgusting and terrifying.
Though he knew these were simulated, they felt very real to his senses, making it hard not to be afraid.
For instance, Guan Shan still remembered the corpse nailed to the wall. It looked horrifying, but its original form was actually strings of garlic and dried chili peppers.
But would he dare to touch it?
Definitely not.
Guan Shan, naturally timid, remained vigilant to avoid losing face in front of Xiao Shen.
Shen Dinghua, nestled in his arms, buried her head like a kitten, her soft cheeks pressing against his chest, making her look plump and adorable.
She pouted and whined, "Mmm, I didn't get enough to eat... Xiao Shan owes me a cake!"
Guan Shan raised an eyebrow. What a sly trick, counting a dream cake as real?
Shen Dinghua looked up at him, her eyes sleepy and moist, clearly not fully awake. She suddenly opened her mouth and bit Guan Shan's shirt, mumbling, "Starving."
Alright, alright... if Xiao Shen says so, then it counts. She's so cute; she's always right!
Guan Shan, lacking principles, changed his mind. He gently pulled his shirt out of Shen Dinghua's mouth and quickly ran downstairs.
Reaching downstairs, Guan Shan's heart sank.
He sniffed the air, his expression turning serious. There was a strong smell of gas.
"This can't be part of the cell scene, so... it must be in reality!"
Guan Shan's face grew more solemn. He had used incendiary rounds upstairs... the fire must be spreading, and the gas had been on for a while.
He kicked open the door, sent Shen Dinghua outside, and returned to the room where Han Liangjun and his wife slept, finding them in a deep sleep. He didn't wake them, but carried them both outside.
Han Liangjun woke up in confusion, startled. Guan Shan briefly explained the possible gas leak and that he was saving them.
The house behind them exploded into flames.
Han Liangjun stared blankly at the scene, fully waking up. He quickly woke his wife and shouted, "Fire! Fire! Call 119!"
The whole village woke up, chickens clucking and dogs barking, everyone busy and in chaos.
Guan Shan, reduced to a bystander, watched the house turn to rubble as the countdown ended, thinking, "The simulator is still the same, always loving explosions..."
He felt uneasy about involving the Han couple, considering giving them money to rebuild.
But Han Liangjun said, "It's okay. To be honest, this inn was going to be renovated anyway. We stopped advertising but still hosted travelers like you at a discount."
He pointed to the bamboo forest: "We moved to the farmhouse near the forest long ago and bought two houses for rent. We're not short on money... We should thank you for saving us, not the other way around."
Guan Shan: "..."
Turns out, they were richer than him.
Having said this, giving them money would seem suspicious.
From their perspective, the gas explosion had nothing to do with him. Insisting on giving money would be self-incriminating.
Guan Shan thought of the phone number Xia Lei left. If he could use official channels to compensate, he could use his own money under an official guise.
"Yes... this is a good idea."
Guan Shan's eyes lit up, feeling he found the right way to use that number.
But it was late at night, not the time to bother people. He would wait until morning.
He checked the rewards, finding something unexpected.
[Simulation Ended: Disembodied Souls]
[Final BOSS Defeated: 1/1 (Rating ↑↑)]
[Elite Monster Killed: 0/1 (Rating ——)]
Seeing this, Guan Shan was shocked.
"What?"
He couldn't believe it: "I missed an elite monster? Where did it come from... wait, could it be the cat outside the window?"
Guan Shan realized the oversight, pondering: "But where did it go afterward? Did the correct strategy involve leading the 'Reaper' into other scenes to kill that cat?"
"Damn! This was a trap!" Guan Shan couldn't help but raise a middle finger.
This lowered his rating and reduced the rewards.
But there was no choice... just dealing with the 'Reaper' was a narrow escape; adding an elite would have been fatal.
He wasn't sure if this was good or bad.
"Sigh..."
Guan Shan adjusted his mindset, telling himself missing monsters would be inevitable as difficulty increased. He would get used to it.
He continued checking the interface.
[Obtained: Soul Capture Bell x1, Folding Combat Knife x1, Reaper Finger Bone x1]
[Rating: Excellent (most items retained)]
[Your backpack, jostled on the journey, dropped [Folding Combat Knife x1], please mourn.]
[Reward: Game Coins x7000, Skill Point x1]
[Achievement Unlocked: Missing One (first time not killing all monsters in a scene)]
[Achievement Reward: Game Coins x233]
[All rewards have been sent to the backpack, please check]
[Settlement complete, please wait for the next simulation]
"Damn, 'jostled on the journey'... this simulator is really cruel, even mocking me with achievements..."
Guan Shan twitched.
If the simulator had a physical form, he would have beaten it three times over.
But fortunately... the lost item seemed the least valuable based on names.
"Xiao Shan, look!"
Shen Dinghua's voice called from the side. She had been crouching in the grass, now approaching Guan Shan.
Guan Shan froze, seeing her holding... a tabby cat?
Shen Dinghua smiled adorably, placing the cat on the ground: "It's the third time we've seen it. Must be fate, right? Xiao Shan, want to keep it?"
The tabby cat trembled, cautiously stepping forward, clinging to Guan Shan's leg, and let out a pitiful, helpless cry: "Meow~"
Whether an illusion or not, Guan Shan felt it was pleading for help.