The live stream chat was scrolling wildly:
Finally, we've got the main point! The previous parts were so boring.
This dungeon has so many hidden storylines.
[Yeah, these guys really got incredibly lucky; they even managed to dig up a crucial item like a notebook!]
Haha, we're lucky this time, but maybe there won't be any more luck later. Just wait and see, the exciting part is coming soon.
Sui Ying and the other person who had recovered from their injuries also came over. After seeing the inhumane 'dissection and production' methods in the notebook, they both showed expressions of disgust.
"As expected, let's blow up the village before we leave!"
Upon hearing Sui Ying's words, Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow slightly.
This idea is exactly the same as what she did at the horror park!
"Hmm, I think it's a good idea." Feng Hao nodded as well.
"By the way, Yunye and I found some clues that match up with this notebook." Xiao Jin told the three of them what had just happened in the mass grave.
Yunye also showed them the pictures he had taken: "It was mainly Xiao Jin who found the key prop first."
"Great, great, you two are awesome, incredibly awesome!" Sui Feng gave a thumbs up as he looked at the photos.
"Hiss~"
After seeing it clearly, Sui Ying gasped.
"That bastard village chief... When the explosives are set off, I'll have to keep a close eye on his house. We can't let him take care of us for nothing after all these days!"
He said those few words with such venomous grit.
Shao Siyuan's expression was not good, clearly because he thought the same thing as Xiao Jin.
Given this situation, the seven substitute human skin lamps must be gathered no matter what. Even if they didn't make them themselves, they will eventually reach them in another way.
"boom!"
As the group was pondering this, a sudden explosion shook the entire mountain.
Everyone looked up toward the source of the sound and saw a blood-red column of smoke rising from the direction of the forest, with countless black wisps of smoke faintly visible dancing in the air.
At the same time, a system notification sound will be heard:
[Ding—Main Quest Progress Update: Player Uncovers Substitute Ritual]
[Warning, warning: The mountain god has awakened]
The crowd looked on in horror.
The mountain god has awakened, which means they are about to formally confront this indescribable being.
Will they win?
“I plan to go to the mass grave again,” Xiao Jin said after a moment.
No one objected: "Then let's go together."
Having learned from the first experience, I was much more skilled at going to Xiao Jin this time.
Feng Hao and his two companions, who were visiting for the first time, were startled by the skeletons scattered all over the ground, fearing that they might stand up again at any moment.
Xiao Jin stood under the big locust tree, coldly watching Yun Ye and the others pry open the last coffin.
The coffin was rotten and crumbled at the slightest touch, revealing the stark white skeleton inside.
The corpse's ribs were flared outwards, as if they had been violently pried open by something, while the place where the heart should have been was empty.
"As expected." Shao Siyuan squatted down, his fingertips lightly touching the broken sternum, his voice low: "The hearts of these people have been ripped out."
Sui Ying pressed her long-handled hammer against the edge of the coffin, frowning as she asked, "So... when the lantern goes out, the person becomes a substitute?"
“Not entirely.” Xiao Jin shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the seven coffins around the locust tree: “These people are not players, but NPCs.”
Shao Siyuan's eyes reflected a cold light: "Moreover, they are not substitutes, but merely part of the substitute ritual, like some kind of indispensable material."
Meanwhile, the live stream chat was filled with comments:
[Yes, yes, go on, so how do you avoid becoming raw material yourself?]
[Hey, that's enough! This is Xiao Jin's live stream, why are you all meddling? If you have anything to say, say it to him.]
[Ha~ What's with all this talk about here and there? In the end, they'll all still die...]
Here, Xiao Jin squatted down, her fingertips tracing the broken surface of the skeleton's ribs. Fine engravings remained on the bone, as if it had been painstakingly carved open by something sharp.
“It wasn’t dug out immediately after death,” she whispered. “It was taken while the person was alive.”
Everyone fell silent.
That's cruel.
……………………
The next morning, inside the guesthouse.
Xiao Jin stood by the window, observing the outside activity through the crack.
It's cloudy today, and foggy outside.
On the village road, several villagers walked slowly, stopping from time to time, as if they were on patrol.
Their movements were stiff, their eyes were vacant, and when they occasionally glanced at the guesthouse, their faces were full of coldness, making them completely different from the people they had been a few days ago.
After inspecting the body inside the coffin yesterday, Xiao Jin and the others left the mountains.
Don't ask them why they didn't go explore the mountain god's temple; the answer is they didn't want to die. It's not the system's designated deadline yet; adding unnecessary complications will only lead to their premature demise.
So everyone went back to sleep.
When I woke up in the morning, I found that something was wrong outside the guesthouse.
“They’ve started monitoring us,” Xiao Jin said calmly.
Yunye leaned against the wall and sneered, "It seems we investigated too deeply, and they're getting anxious."
“We can’t just sit here and wait to die.” Shao Siyuan tapped the table: “Perhaps… the village chief’s house might have some clues. Although it’s unlikely, if we can stop the substitution ritual, we might be able to escape the instance ahead of time.”
Of course, this possibility is somewhat small, but it does not prevent Xiao Jin and the others from going to the village chief's house to investigate.
Just then, a series of footsteps approached.
Xiao Jin looked up and saw Wang Zixuan walking gracefully towards her.
However, she didn't seem to have rested well, as there was a very obvious bruise around her eyes.
"Did you do something?" she asked directly.
Yesterday, the three of us were resting in the guesthouse when the main quest progress suddenly changed, and the big boss was released ahead of schedule!
If they hadn't done this, Wang Zixuan would have eaten the window!
"Isn't it obvious?" Xiao Jin answered frankly.
"Phew~" Wang Zixuan took a deep breath: "Although we are not teammates, we still have a common mission. Did you consider us when you did this?"
"Oh ho!" Sui Ying retorted, displeased. "You should save your breath for that!"
"Players always keep to themselves when doing quests. I won't ask what you have, so don't try to tell me what to do. Isn't that right?"
Sui Ying raised an eyebrow, her disdain almost overflowing.
Wang Zixuan looked at Sui Ying with icy eyes, but then she felt a terrifying sense of intimidation.
Turning her head, Wang Zixuan met Xiao Jin's threatening gaze directly. Her body stiffened, and then she pursed her lips.
"Are you satisfied with this explanation?" Xiao Jin asked after a moment.
"Let me tell you, I'm going to the village chief's house tonight. As for whether you have the courage to go a second time, that's none of my business!"
The implication was clear: Don't think I don't know you've already turned the village chief's house upside down.
You found something, but you didn't tell me beforehand!
Wang Zixuan remained silent and turned to leave.
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