Jiang Chen wasted time until 11:30 am and then logged off to take a walk.
The two AI nurses followed him as usual, singing <Sailor> at his request. After this song was done, they sang <The Boundless Sea and Sky> and then finally sang <Let’s Row the Boat Together> on repeat.
“…….” The workers passing by silently looked at this internet-addicted youth, not understanding what’s going on here.
When Jiang ShiLan came to find him, she also saw this scene and couldn’t help but laugh out loud: “What’s wrong with you?”
Jiang Chen indicated for the two AIs to shut their mouths and said calmly: “Nothing.”
Jiang ShiLan understood her own little brother very well. She guessed that he had encountered something depressing in the game.
She didn’t ask too much and accompanied him on his stroll in the garden.
Even though the research institution occupied not a very large space, the yard was very well designed.
It was already Autumn. Fallen leaves covered the gravel path. While passing by, Jiang Chen pulled off a leaf that hung dangling and held it in his hand, playing with it.
His fingers were fair white and slender, very beautiful.
Held in his fingers, the half yellow and half green leaf seemed to be framed by the beautify lens, looking randomly more delicate and graceful.
Jiang ShiLan suddenly recalled Jiang Chen filming a keyboard commercial back then. The animated image of his left hand typing on the keyboard became a trending topic, attracting many advertisement companies that were unrelated to esports, one of which even offered a very high price. However, because they were a brand that sold wedding rings, and Jiang Chen needed to be photographed holding some girl’s hand, he refused.
She couldn’t help but laugh.
Jiang Chen looked at her: “What?”
Jiang ShiLan shook her head with a smile.
Her own little brother seemed cold and detached, but was actually a very affectionate person. Who knows what kind of expression he’ll have in the future when he holds someone’s hand voluntarily.
Jiang Chen said: “What exactly are you smiling about?”
Jiang ShiLan could only point at the leaf he was abusing and say: “I recalled that you had rejected a wedding ring commercial before.”
Jiang Chen didn’t understand how these two were related and continued to rip the leaf playfully: “What’s so funny about that?”
Jiang ShiLan shook her head again and didn’t answer. Instead, she brought up another topic: “It’s almost the Mid-Autumn Festival. Dad said he wants to take you home for a day.”
Jiang Chen said: “Is that okay?”
Jiang ShiLan: “Yes, leave it to us.”
She revealed some inside scoop: “Team leader Chen is already writing a report. He wants to temporarily halt this project.”
Currently, they have defrosted 5 people. Jiang Chen was the only survivor.
They couldn’t find the specific reason and felt it was too incidental; the technology was not advanced enough yet. As such, they don’t plan to open anymore. Because those were all human lives. If they continue to open them like this, the cryofreeze team will probably end up with PTSD.
Jiang Chen was startled.
Suspending the project most likely meant he will be able to leave the research institution. After all, continuing to drag on like this was pointless.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
He asked: “What about the issue with my identity?”
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Coafg atf iecmt ygfjx, tf gfaegcfv ab atf ujwf jcv kjr olcjiis lc atf wbbv ab obmer bc atja tbgglyis eciemxs tlvvfc vecufbc: “Valii tjrc’a yffc bqfcfv ys jcswbgf?”
Fang JingXing said: “No.”
The main reason was that most of the people from the 7 large guilds, who could enter the level 80 dungeon, have already played it once and needed to wait until tomorrow to try again.
Meanwhile the guild leaders were still concealing the data, not disclosing them outside. As such, the other players and the people from the rest of the 9 servers could only play and attempt blindly. Perhaps due to poor luck, none of them were able to discover it.
In the morning, after the Wardcaster had logged off, Fang JingXing actually instructed the members of Indulge to give it a try.
However, they only managed to match races, not classes. During the 3rd boss, their lowest roll was 9, but it still didn’t open the hidden dungeon. He wasn’t sure which condition failed to match here.
He said: “After midnight, the large guilds will definitely make another attempt. This time, there are areas of focus, so they should be able to figure it out.”
Jiang Chen got it and waited for his nephew to log in online. Then they cleared some dungeons as usual.
He passed the day in a stable mood. The next morning, while eating breakfast, he received a message from Fang JingXing, saying that someone finally managed to figure it out.
It was inconvenient for him to type so he replied with voice: “What’s the condition?”
Hearing this, Fang JingXing raised an eyebrow.
This was the first time the Wardcaster sent him a voice message. That calm tone carried a unique sense of indifference, the same feeling that this person gave him. For a moment, he couldn’t resist and dialed over on the phone.
Glancing at it, Jiang Chen answered.
The next second, he heard Fang JingXing’s warmth and smiling voice: “Morning, what are you doing?”
Jiang Chen said: “Eating breakfast, you?”
Fang JingXing said: “I just finished eating.”
Drinking his milk, Jiang Chen didn’t reply.
As such, Fang JingXing knew he was waiting for the answer and said: “So far, three squads managed to open it. Summarizing from what’s known, the conditions are at least 4 people in the squad must surpass 10k in damage, and a roll on Boss #3’s gear distribution must be less than 7.”
He paused to add clarification: “These three squads had different classes than ours, but the same races, containing humans, demons, and the Untamed. Perhaps this dungeon also has a prerequisite for races, but they didn’t test that specifically.”
Jiang Chen quietly listened to his voice, his gaze moving over to the phone. Swallowing the milk in his mouth, he asked: “Less than 7?”
Fang JingXing explained: “One squad rolled an eight and didn’t open it.”
He then added more for clarification: “The Person in the Mirror and the others speculate that perhaps this is related to the fact that the hidden dungeon can only be played once a week. One week just happens to have 7 days, see.”
Jiang Chen couldn’t refute such strong justifications and commented: “Very ingenious.”
Fang JingXing laughed.
Jiang Chen turned his head awkwardly, then stabbed the fried egg on the plate with his fork and continued to eat.
Fang JingXing said: “How much longer until you finish eating?”
Jiang Chen said: “Soon.”
Fang JingXing said: “Then can you get online earlier today?”
Jiang Chen said: “Nope. After eating, I have to take a stroll to digest.”
Hearing this, Fang JingXing glanced out the window. Pushing open the door, he also went out and took a deep breath of the morning fresh air.
Chatting like this, they were no longer separated by the game characters and system voices. He felt that the distance between them instantly closed, as if changing from online friends to real life friends.
In a happy mood, he asked: “Did the doctor order that?”
Jiang Chen said: “En, and sent two AIs to watch me.”
Fang JingXing instantly laughed again.
He just knew this kid was not a stickler for rules. Sure enough.
He asked curiously: “What happens if you don’t listen?”
Jiang Chen said: “They’ll cry in front of me.”
Just thinking about that image made Fang JingXing laugh hilariously. He was even more curious: “How many times have they cried because of you?”
Jiang Chen said: “Not that many.”
He drained the milk and put the cup down: “I’m hanging up, going to walk.”
Fang JingXing said: “Leave it on, we can still chat.”
Jiang Chen pondered for a second.
If he encountered a worker halfway and someone called him by his name, then it’d be all over. As such, he refused.
Fang JingXing was used to his temper and didn’t insist. He said “See you in game”, and watched as the other hung up the call.
8:30am, Jiang Chen got online promptly.
The guild leaders of the 7 large guilds have already figured out when the Ace logged in and were all waiting for him. This sight made Jiang Chen feel somewhat surprised: “Don’t you guys have work?”
Fang JingXing, he could understand.
He has already retired and did not need to train everyday. The gaming organization that he received from his family has a dedicated director to manage it. There was no need for him to worry so naturally he could play anytime he wanted.
As for these people, Jiang Chen could understand yesterday.
After all, they had just discovered the first hidden dungeon of the server. In their overflowing excitement, they might have asked for a day off or something. However, to ask for two days off in a row, the boss might not be too happy.
The Person in the Mirror said: “I’m a college student with plenty of time. My guild leader just happens to be on vacation lately, so he also has time.”
He pointed at Gu Wen and Wooden Shackles: “I heard these two are their own bosses, so they probably don’t care. The others, I don’t know.”
The others said: “We’re all free, all free.”
It’s hard to discern whether that was true or false. In any case, one can only swallow the bitterness of their own suffering.
Jiang Chen wasn’t so bored to be concerned with this either, so he quickly dropped the topic and asked: “We all know the conditions by now, but you guys still want to squad up together?”
The guild leaders said: “Of course!”
Naturally, they understood what the Ace meant.
The first clear reward for the hidden dungeon was a lot. If they played with their own guild, the items that drop would belong purely to the members of their own guild. On the other hand, if they teamed up with others, they’d have to distribute the items in the end. If they have terrible luck, they might even end up with no items at all.
But also consider, there’s still a hidden story quest waiting for them.
Because the hidden story quest is a mission that can only be played once, it has even more generous rewards than the hidden dungeon.
As such, looking at it from the perspective of a joint alliance, they wanted to squad up this time and see how it goes. They could also take this opportunity to scout out the Aces’ strength and abilities. If Aces were only average in skills, they’d no longer have to chase after the two and beg them to join their squad.
“Exploring a new area, you know, needs people who are a bit stronger.”
“Look around, who can surpass us?”
“Our guild’s top-tier squads have already played it. I don’t have anyone to squad with.”
“Me too.”
Jiang Chen stopped asking, joined their squad, and started to question the progress of the dungeon: “How far did they reach?”
Wooden Shackles said: “Only slightly further than us. There are no new major discoveries.”
The Person in the Mirror said: “Let’s list the traps we encountered that day and talk about them, prepare some tools ahead of time or something, just in case.”
Xing TianCheng: “Fell into a pool of poison.”
White Dragonbone: “Same as above.”
Willow & Swamp: “Same as above.”
Morning Departure: “I was hit twice by the rain of arrows. They were covered in poison so I lost all my HP. My guild’s Life and Death Together was the same.”
Meteor Ironwood: “Same as above.”
The Person in the Mirror: “I died after getting bitten by mobs.”
Wooden Shackles: “Me too.”
The crowd waited and looked towards the two remaining people in unison.
Jiang Chen didn’t want to speak.
Gu Wen said dully: “Crushed by an iron ball.”
The crowd: “……”
He’s so lucky! His in-game death is different to everyone elses’s!
I know right? What good luck!! *laugh in sarcasm *, Xiao Ji you’re making improvements keep going! ✺◟(˃͈ਊ˂͈)◞✺
😭😭
Was being crushed by an iron ball that bad?
What’s so bad with an iron ball? I think…
Fell into poison pool > Avoid by carefully looking at where you’re going
Hit by rain arrow of poison > Avoid by using shields or using antidotes promptly
Bitten by mobs > Avoid by killing or hiding from mobs
Crushed by iron ball > No escape in the maze, you’re f*cked. 😭🤣
P.S. could also be that he’s the only one without poison-related deaths.
Thanks for the update 🤣❤️