[Players triggered the hidden mission “The True Culprits of Joyful Town.” Please go to the church and find the true culprits behind the fake smiles to save Joyful Town.]
Not only Mo Yang received this hidden mission, but the other five people soaking in the hot springs here also received it. Zhou Luoluo looked surprised, “There are hidden missions in the game? This is the first time I’ve encountered one!”
Mo Yang smiled and didn’t say anything, then he glanced sympathetically at Wan Mei, who always discovered hidden missions but got downgraded every time. Considering his name, “not in vain,” it’s like he completes the game in vain!
Wan Mei didn’t pay attention to the pitiful look suddenly directed at him and said, “Let me share my findings.”
Everyone immediately looked at him attentively, trying hard to keep their eyes fixed on Wan Mei without being distracted.
“I conducted a small experiment and found traces of a certain energy corroding the minds of those residents. This energy erosion can disrupt their thinking and emotional systems, making the townspeople more susceptible to obeying others and becoming increasingly anxious.”
“This energy is quite mysterious and not visible to the naked eye. I’m inclined to call it ‘magic’? It seems this is a world with magic.” Wan Mei seemed delighted, with a glint of research excitement in his eyes.
“But even invisible magical power needs a carrier and a source of strength. Based on what Golei just said, I think the black crystal ball they gather around is the carrier and the source of this magical influence that gradually affects people’s minds and emotions.”
“So, if we find the black crystal ball and destroy it, we can complete the mission.”
Everyone’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and Mo Yang praised his research enthusiast, “Wan Mei, having you is like having a human cheat code! Your logical deduction saved us a lot of trouble! We don’t need to say more, let’s go find those three outsiders directly.”
“Golei, do you know where their homes are?” Mo Yang asked, then shook his head.
“No, we don’t need to go to their homes directly. They should be at the church. Since the black crystal ball is the source of power, and the missing people in the town are probably related to them, they will likely take action again tonight. Let’s head to the church directly! We might catch them all in one go!”
Golei was also excited at this moment. God knows how long he had been waiting for this day, and these people gave him a different feeling. He had sought help from others before, but none of them succeeded.
However, this time was different, just the guy in the white coat who could open people’s heads made him feel terrified, and the person who held a knife to his neck before gave him a strong sense of trust. He believed that this time he would definitely be able to end the curse on the town and let his sister’s soul rest in peace!
“Alright! I’ll take you guys through a different route. Also, do we need some items to deal with evil spirits? I have the crosses that Uncle Tang gave me, and Linlin has one too.”
Mo Yang nodded, this was indeed something to consider. Seeing that there were spirits like Goris, who died but didn’t disappear, it meant that unnatural forces were at work.
The three outsiders with the black crystal ball might have some powerful unnatural means. Golei suddenly mentioned the crosses, making them important quest items indicated by the NPCs.
“Then, let’s first go to Linlin and borrow her cross. Also, is Goris’ cross still with you?” Mo Yang pondered for a moment, if there were three outsiders, and the doctor who first discovered them had also given crosses to Golei and his friends, he felt that these crosses were quite important and would be safer if they had all three.
Golei hesitated for a moment at the question and then showed a regretful expression, “After the big fire, I went back to look for it. Goris’ cross was burnt beyond recognition and couldn’t be used anymore. My cross is on me, would you like to see it?”
Mo Yang naturally nodded, and Golei took out two silver cross pendants from his pocket.
One of them was exquisite with intricate patterns, appearing pure and sacred under the moonlight. The other one was melted and solidified after high temperatures, all the patterns disappeared, leaving only the general shape of the cross and some indelible black marks around it, making it completely devoid of that holy power.
Mo Yang carefully examined Goris’ cross, certain that these crosses were key items, but how could they restore its power? With six people, their physical attack power should be more than enough to deal with three bad guys. However, in this world with “magic,” physical attacks might not be sufficient.
“Nevermind, let’s go find Linlin first.” Mo Yang said.
The group quickly packed their things, and Zhou Api carefully wrapped the bag of unfinished food in layers before burying it in the soil for later consumption. Finally, they left.
As they left, Song Kefeng looked a bit puzzled at the forest to the west of the hot springs. When Zhou Luoluo asked him, he shook his head, “Maybe I was mistaken.”
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.
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Cii atgff qfbqif kfgf ujrqlcu obg ygfjat yfobgf atf vfmjvfca tjcvrbwf ecmif mbeivc’a tfiq yea rlut, “Qf wbnfv rb ojg jkjs, jcv kf tfiv beg ygfjat atf ktbif alwf klatbea wbnlcu. Ktja olfgmf-ibbxlcu ues mbeiv ralii rfcrf er. Lf’r vfolclafis j qgb.”
The strategist pushed his glasses, “Eavesdropping is not an honorable act. However, what we heard just now is indeed very important.”
The cheerful young man playing the game console laughed, “More than important! We also received a hidden mission! A hidden mission from the heavens! I’ve played five games and only encountered a hidden mission for the first time! That’s why I couldn’t get an S rank before, always stuck between A and B ranks. The problem was here! What do we do now, Uncle? Should we go to the church?”
The decadent handsome uncle rubbed his chin, “Of course. Although it’s a bit unfair to them, we can’t miss this opportunity. We can give them the golden cross you found to help them. I think that handsome guy with phoenix eyes emphasized the crosses all the time. The crosses should be one of the crucial items to win the game.”
“Let’s go, sneakily follow them, oh, and let’s dig out a few of their hamburgers. I couldn’t help but drool when they were eating earlier!”
The cheerful young man burst into laughter as well. “And the chubby guy wrapped it in so many layers! It’s hilarious!”
At this moment, Mo Yang and the group had secretly arrived outside Linlin’s house. Golei, as if accustomed to it, lightly threw a small stone at the leftmost window on the second floor of the house. The window silently opened, like a scene from a fairytale, and Linlin, from inside, lowered a rope for them to climb down.
“Golei! And big brother? How come you’re together? Everyone is after you today, you better escape the town,” Linlin said worriedly.
Mo Yang thanked Linlin for her concern with a smile, and Golei quickly took her hand. “Linlin! We are now looking for a way to save the town and deal with those three bad people. Did you put the cross Uncle Tang gave you around your neck? Can you lend it to us?”
Blushing from being held by Golei, Linlin nodded and took off the cross pendant she had been wearing around her neck. “Please be careful. I’ll be waiting for your good news.”
Seeing the genuine concern and hope in Linlin’s eyes, Golei’s heart surged with determination. “Don’t worry! This time! This time we will definitely succeed!!”
Mo Yang, Zhou Api, Song Kefeng, Zhou Luoluo, and Rose: “… ” Single dogs geting abused at midnight, huh?
Mo Yang: “Let’s go.” Why do I still feel abused even though I have a boyfriend?
He turned to look at Wan Mei, and Wan Mei couldn’t help but stare at Linlin’s head, seemingly contemplating something.
Mo Yang: Troublesome, indeed.
As the group reached the outside of the church, a system message suddenly came into their ears.
[There are currently twenty-one players remaining. Players, please strive in the game and survive earnestly.]
In just one day, twelve players were eliminated.
“I wonder how many people will disappear tomorrow morning,” Rose couldn’t help but speak. “If I hadn’t followed you guys, I might have been eliminated midway. I really hope we can team up every time, so I can hitch a ride.”
Zhou Luoluo vigorously nodded beside her. This game that requires finding clues, deducing, evading, and killing is really challenging. She’d prefer to participate in straightforward combat games in the future. At least that way, she wouldn’t have to strain her brain and could ensure basic survival.
Mo Yang smiled and said, “Believe in your own potential. When people are pushed to the limit, they often erupt with astonishing power and… wisdom. Relying solely on others is unwise.”
As Mo Yang finished speaking, the church’s grand door suddenly opened silently, resembling a monstrous beast with an open mouth waiting for them to enter, eerie and terrifying.
Captain Song trembled slightly, chanting his core values in his mind.
Golei’s trembling was more pronounced. “Everyone, we…”
Before he could finish, Wan Mei strode forward enthusiastically and approached the church’s entrance with an eager demeanor.
Mo Yang rolled his eyes and followed. If this guy lived in medieval Western times, he would undoubtedly be an enthusiastic alchemist or wizard. In any case, he was grateful to the director and all the teachers who had taught Wan Mei, allowing him to survive until now without becoming a dark lord.
The group quickly entered the church.
The church in Joyful Town wasn’t big, with rows of prayer seats in front of the pulpit where the priest would usually be. It seemed like an ordinary church. However, when the few people stood inside the church, they saw nearly a hundred townspeople seated.
As they turned their expressionless heads to look at them, Zhou Luoluo couldn’t help but scream, and Captain Song also shouted: “What are you doing!!”
Mo Yang wasn’t frightened by the townspeople, but he was almost scared by Captain Song’s shout.
Meanwhile, the townspeople all stood up in unison, and a voice suddenly sounded: “Capture them! Use them to appease Goris’ curse, sacrifice them to the greatest god of joy. Capture them!!”
With this command, the people in the church rushed toward them frantically.
Mo Yang initially wanted to resist instinctively, but he quickly gave up struggling. After all, they would eventually have to find the three people responsible for the evil activities, and now being taken there would save them some trouble and possibly lower the vigilance of those three.
Mo Yang stopped resisting, so he received relatively better treatment. On the other hand, Captain Song, who had resisted fiercely, looked pitiful. Comparing him to Wan Mei, who hadn’t been violently captured by the townspeople at all, it was heartbreaking.
Wan Mei was carefully carried and sent to the sacrificial location. Along the way, he remained calm and serene, without a hint of anxiety about being sacrificed. Instead, he looked quite interested, observing the townspeople carrying him, causing them to feel uncomfortable and instinctively wanting to stay away from this guy.
Finally, when they reached the center of the church’s backyard, the townspeople quickly put Wan Mei down and hastily tied him up before slipping away quickly.
Then, Mo Yang, Song Kefeng, Zhou Api, and Golei were all thrown into the same location. The townspeople tied up Song Kefeng and the others in restraints, but when they faced the smiling Mo Yang, they couldn’t bring themselves to harm him.
In the end, they only symbolically tied him up and warned him not to move or speak to avoid angering the gods. Then they left with some reluctance.
Zhou Api sighed, watching from the side: “We’re all players! How can the treatment be so different?”
The most frustrated was the beautiful woman, Rose. She earned her living with her looks and acting skills. Throughout her career, she had never lost to her appearance or acting skills!
But in the Dream World, she was dismayed to find that her beauty couldn’t serve as a weapon here. Those who relied on their looks for a living could only rely on their physical and mental strength. The beautiful Rose felt utterly aggrieved.
Just at that moment, three figures wearing black robes and holding a black crystal ball emerged from behind a tombstone. Though they all wore hoods, Mo Yang recognized two of them instantly as the town’s priest and the school principal.
He had seen the priest smiling with a book when Nina and Charles were burned, and he saw the principal’s photo in the school’s office. The remaining person must be the new town doctor, replacing Dr. Tang.
They seemed to be somewhat excited, especially the doctor. He approached them and carefully observed Mo Yang and the other five.
Finally, he turned to his companion and laughed heartily, “Oh, Luke! I knew the God of Joy would not abandon us! Remember how you complained that the locals in these towns were losing their energy? Look at these six individuals! Each of them carries a significant amount of vibrant energy! Especially this one, my goodness, his soul’s power must be so delectable. I feel like I’m becoming addicted to him! I really like him!!”
The doctor stood before Mo Yang, his face showing a hint of infatuation. He reached out and gently caressed Mo Yang’s face, as if he was touching his favorite antique treasure.
Mo Yang: You have three seconds to stop. Otherwise, I won’t wait for the plot to unfold before I take action.
The doctor continued to indulge in touching Mo Yang’s face.
Mo Yang: One, two…
The doctor suddenly exclaimed, “Huh?”
Mo Yang’s heart skipped a beat, but before he could break free from the loosely tied rope, the doctor angrily shouted, “Before the God of Joy, you must reveal your true face!!”
Then, with a sharp sound, Mo Yang’s human skin mask was directly torn off by the doctor. When his face appeared before everyone, they were momentarily stunned, feeling that this person was truly beautiful!
Only one person was shocked as if struck by lightning.
Seeing the face he had been “thinking about day and night” right in front of him, Captain Song was unresponsive for a full three minutes.
Mo Yang turned to see Captain Song’s devastated expression, as if he had been assaulted by ten thousand dogs, and sighed. He leaped forward while the NPCs were charmed by his looks, and he snatched the black crystal ball.
“Oh! Damn it, give the Magic Ball back to us!!” The doctor, priest, and principal shouted simultaneously, and the town’s residents swarmed toward them. However…
To the astonishment of Rose, Zhou Luoluo, and the discreetly following trio, every single townsperson who attacked Mo Yang was forcefully pushed back in an instant. The leading three were even struck with an invisible force and began to bleed.
Then, a very magnetic voice sounded in the air: “Ugly! Go away!”
Mo Yang: Ah! It’s the familiar voice of Feng Zhao.
Wan Mei rolled his eyes.
The other players: What kind of heaven-defying skill is this?!
Only Mo Yang smiled, as expected, this skill was just as he had imagined, overpowered at the critical moment.
Then, Mo Yang raised the black crystal ball, seemingly intending to shatter it.
The priest and his companions initially showed shock but quickly sneered. How could the crystal ball bestowed upon them by the demon be shattered?!
As they looked at Mo Yang with intense anger, he suddenly withdrew the black crystal ball and directly reached into his pocket, pulling out three silver cross pendants. In front of the priest and his companions, he smiled and firmly attached the pendants to the crystal ball.
“No—!!!”
The priest and his companions’ expressions changed dramatically, and their eyes seemed capable of killing Mo Yang.
Mo Yang, on the other hand, chuckled indifferently. Compared to tricks, I’ve truly never lost at this.
However, he still lacked a third cross. Did he have to use Fatty Zhou’s ancestral jade pendant?
Author’s note –
Fatty Zhou: Ancestral spirits, bless me, bless me! I wonder if Eastern soul spirits can defeat Western demons?!
The reveal!!!
I can definitely imagine an alternate universe where Wan Mei is an evil dark lord 😂
Thank you for the update ♥
LMAO I LAUGHED SO HARD AT THE PART WHERE CAPTAIN SONG FINALLY SAW MO YANG’S TRUE FACE. STRUCK BY LIGHTNING, IT IS!
Also, Mo Yang is such a king and a queen at the same time. Imagine being that powerful just because everyone can’t be as beautiful as you💋 Slay, sir!
Thank you so much for the updates! I missed Mo Yang and Wan Mei so much, I was about to cry rivers these past few days! ❤️
This joke about East and West was really funny
Thank you for your translation 💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟💟
I WANT TO SEE CAPTAIN SONG’S FACE