Chapter 117 Infinite World "Actually, it's nothing much, just doing some research..."
The stone coffin is not easy to move. It has a base that resembles a small house. The coffin lid is carved with tiles and has four upturned eaves, as if it was made here.
There was no body inside the coffin, only a thin layer of incense ash accumulated over the years.
Pu Fengchun: "Not all the dead will remain in the instance. Most of the dead will be sent back and eventually become a closed box. At the latest, the box will also disappear within seven days."
Is this a game that directly takes care of the player's funeral arrangements, even arranging the urn and the seven-day mourning period?
What's in the box?
"The relic is actually just an item left on the deceased's body. After the teacher's body was brought back, I did a quick check but found nothing. Until I couldn't hold on any longer and fainted for a while, when I woke up the body had turned into a box. I opened it and found a sheet music inside."
Xue Chao: "The sheet music is the secret."
Pu Fengchun nodded: "He taught me piano. We knew each other in the real world. He is a famous pianist. You may have heard of him. I was fortunate enough to become his student when I was very young. He said that each note is a letter, playing the piano is like speaking, and the music is like a story. When we were young, we used the sound of the piano as a code. I knew what the sheet music was saying without even playing it."
Xue Chao raised an eyebrow: "He specially left it for you."
Pu Fengchun: "Before this, he had already disbanded Wild Grass. As the vice president, I disagreed, and along with several other members who were unwilling to leave, we rebuilt the guild. Unfortunately, the application was not fully approved and was directly withdrawn. He didn't even know that I could still join Wild Grass."
Holder said that Requiem was "delusional." Her teacher didn't want her to get involved, but he also understood his student. If she really refused to leave, he would rather she know the secret because it was related to the "final victory."
Holder believes it's a smokescreen by a traitor, but Requiem thinks it's real. Is he being deceived by appearances, or does he know more?
"I was completely lost after being drawn into the game, but I was lucky enough to meet the teacher in the first dungeon, so I joined Wild Grass."
Pu Fengchun thought he still doubted his teacher's motives, and looked around with a calm and nostalgic gaze: "When I came, the weeds were like this, and now the weeds are almost gone, but they are still like this. Back then, there were a dozen or so people scattered around. It was called a guild, but it was more like a temporary relief station on the street. A group of homeless little animals huddled together for warmth. If there was a better place to go, they would leave; if not, they would stay here and live one day at a time, which gave this desolate place a bit of a living atmosphere."
She looked at Xue Chao one last time: "One person can't make a guild. Next week, this place won't belong to Wild Grass anymore, but you can still use the key. You can take half of the remaining items. I only have one request. Please take care of that scarecrow. I need to find a new guild and can't take him with me. I don't want him to be discovered either. Just leave him here and check on him occasionally... check if his soul is still there. If it's gone one day, burn it."
Xue Chao was inspecting the stone coffin and responded indifferently. Pu Fengchun breathed a sigh of relief, then hesitated, asking, "Are you really going to Xibei Mountain?"
"Go." Xue Chao groped around inside the hard stone wall. "I've already said it, can I take it back?"
Pu Fengchun was getting anxious: "Is face more important or life?"
Xue Chao paused, and then he actually touched something, like purple shards of glass. It rolled around on his fingertip and started to bleed. He withdrew his hand to observe: "Avenging your teacher, isn't that what we agreed on?"
It looked like a shattered crystal or gemstone, shimmering under the starlight. Xue Chao remembered something and said, "I've met Holder, the host who tried to kill you. The murderer might not be him."
Pu Fengchun's eyes widened: "You've seen him? When did he come to kill you? How do you know it wasn't him? He sent divine soldiers to kill and silence witnesses, he didn't even spare you! Who else could it be?"
"Whoever comes to me is whoever it is." Xue Chao wasn't so easily moved to tears by a few gentle words of advice from Hold, who spoke with the manner of an elder, that he would believe everything he said. So he said "maybe." "Your teacher's death is indeed questionable. If you want to find out, you must go to Xibei Mountain."
Pu Fengchun fell into a deep silence. Xue Chao wrapped up the crystal fragments and asked her if she recognized them. Receiving no response, he looked up and saw Pu Fengchun looking away. She said softly, "...I'm sorry."
These words had been stuck in her heart for a long time. Now that they were spoken, a bit of the despicable wind was released, which lightened her sinking conscience a little, so that it wouldn't suffocate her. But the next second, she felt even deeper shame for this relief.
Xue Chao discovered that she actually believed he was threatened by her and forced to get involved in the deeper part of the vortex. In the eyes of such a good person as her, even a fierce and selfish person like him could be a victim.
Her threats meant nothing to him. He knew perfectly well that he was after the key and bad luck.
He unceremoniously picked out two items from the guild and patted her on the shoulder: "Try to find a better buyer when you have time. Don't think about such useless things."
Pu Fengchun had no clue, so Xue Chao wrapped up the crystal fragments and went back to study them. Just as he returned to the villa, another message from Holder arrived:
[Holder: I've been too busy lately, so I had my student mail you the key points for the Guild Tournament. Ask him if you have any questions.]
[Holder: Don't worry about asking. He'll be leading the band in the upcoming guild competition; he's experienced.]
Isn't Holder the orchestra's advisor?
[Xue Chao: Aren't you participating in the guild competition?]
[Holder: It's time to make way for the younger generation. I'll retire eventually.]
Why retire in your forties? Is that even possible?
Instead of receiving his student's express mail, Xue Chao received a visiting card.
Dear junior brother:
I heard from my teacher that it was my junior brother's first time participating in a guild competition. I had just come out of a dungeon, so I packed up and went to visit him!
—Marco Polo
He ranked fifteenth on the list of TV hosts.
Since they were all foreigners, was he forced to study abroad?
Later, Xue Chao met this Mr. Ham Sausage. His style was completely different from his teacher's, so flamboyant that he seemed like a character from an animated film.
His clothes resembled both a suit and a traditional clown costume, made of blue-purple gradient silk, like a flowing aurora. He wore a matching silk top hat, tall enough to fit another head inside, with a golden five-pointed star embroidered on the front. His neck, wrists, waist, and ankles were adorned with a multitude of gaudy ornaments, including a large collection of gold, pearls, agate, jade, and crystals on his bracelets alone.
He was also wearing full makeup, with eyeshadow in a challenging blue-green color, making it impossible to tell what he actually looked like.
Marco came forward, like a lavishly decorated jewelry stand, its glittering jewels overwhelming. Only then did Xue Chao realize what true maximalism was. He squinted before daring to look at him: "...Marco Polo?"
Holder is also of mixed race, while Marco has a standard foreign face, and an exaggerated one at that. Usually, when something unexpected happens on TV shows, there's this guy with exaggerated features to create laughs.
The Chinese also has a slight foreign accent.
"Oh, you must be my junior brother! Haha, the teacher was right, you definitely have personality! I like it!" Marco warmly shook his hand, pulled him down to sit, and said, "The teacher asked me to organize the rules of the guild competition, but I thought that the system would tell me all those things. It's more useful to learn from experience that isn't reflected in the rules. I'm the kind of person who forgets things when I'm busy. By the time I've thought of everything, you'll already be on the battlefield. It's better if I explain it to you personally. You can also ask me any questions you may have."
Xue Chao tried to pull his hand away, but the other person was too enthusiastic and he couldn't break free. Xue Chao glanced at his feigned ignorance and beaming smile and returned a lazy smile: "Senior, I'm gay."
Marco Polo froze, his grip loosening. Xue Chao leisurely withdrew his hand, picking up the colorful, rainbow-like necklace on Marco Polo's chest to admire it: "I thought you were a fellow traveler, senior."
The enthusiastic jewelry stand straightened up, subtly creating a little distance, and then regained its enthusiasm: "Haha, junior brother's hobby is quite unique. I know a lot of handsome guys. If you need anything, I can introduce you to them next time!" He winked ambiguously as he spoke.
Xue Chao couldn't help but sigh, "He's not embarrassed at all; he's truly a man destined for great things."
Xue Chao wanted to hear what he had to say, so he slowly poured him water. Marco was dressed in an exaggerated manner, and his movements were also exaggerated and unrestrained. When he took the cup, it dripped and rattled all over him: "Actually, it's nothing much. It's just running an investigation team. You roll dice for them. The only difference from traditional dungeons is that you have to enter the secret realm to explore for a period of time before the players, and find out a story introduction as an opening, so that the players can start their investigation smoothly."
"Don't push yourself too hard. The investigation is the players' task. There's no need to put in so much effort for nothing. The most important thing for the host during this scouting period is to ensure their own safety. Don't provoke ghosts or monsters, and don't start or advance the story prematurely. Just be an observer outside the story and gather materials."
Xue Chao: "Understood."
Marco continued, "During the exploration time, another important thing is to find the dice. This is a key item in the game. Without the dice, you can't form an investigation team. As long as you have enough players, it's all matched."
Where are dice usually placed?
"It won't be too hard to find. Since it's an 'investigation team,' there must be a strange thing for them to investigate first. For example, I have a guild account that's a waste food processing plant. The first strange thing is that fish cans are always being thrown away in the factory. There are also rumors of cat abuse in the town. I found the dice inside a dead cat's belly in a trash can by the river."
"Isn't this an abandoned factory? Why are there canned goods here?"
"It's abandoned because nobody's ever been there. It's like a wasteland in an infinite world. Once it's set up as a dungeon, it'll have a story. That's why I said it's the same as a traditional dungeon, with NPCs and bosses. Don't worry about that," Marco laughed. "And it's more free, at least it's more friendly to the host. We can gather information in advance and even set some rules. The entry of each guild at the start is determined by the story we initiate. There's nothing more wonderful than that. If you ask me, guild dungeons should be traditional dungeons. Those 'superpowered' people have gotten enough."
Xue Chao agreed: "Special abilities are indeed difficult to deal with."
Marco knew that no host was without longing or envy for the players' "superpowers." Those miracles that didn't exist in the host's body were the topics that resonated with the hosts the most: "Sometimes I really envy those ordinary hosts. They don't have to face such difficulties."
After all, some rooms will never reach 60 popularity points.
"However, the company does offer benefits. In the realm of the Infinite World, the host will not be harmed, just like in the studio. At least on the way to the secret realm, you will not encounter any accidents."
Xue Chao said calmly, "It seems the players are having a lot of fun on their way to the secret realm."
"Haha, it's hard to say how many of those people left the guild and how many are still in the dungeon. They usually just stay in the guild." Marco changed the subject. "But they are a very small minority. Everyone lives far apart. If there is any grudge, it is easier to settle it in the dungeon. Just avoid the monsters in other wastelands when you jump."
He crept closer like a dog, and the two whispered to each other: "Which guild did you agree to cooperate with? With your qualifications, even the big guilds would fight over you. Don't let personal relationships hold you back."
Xue Chao's eyes flashed: "I'm just a newcomer, what favors do I have?"
Marco laughed and straightened up: "I'm just reminding you, the more people there are, the more dangerous things can get. They'll use all sorts of sweet talk to snatch you up, so don't let your lack of experience fool you!"
"You flatter me. You're even forming a band now. You must have been recruited a lot before, right?"
"No, not at all. The teacher just saw that I was useless and gave me a chance to improve!" Marco said modestly, but he laughed heartily and patted Xue Chao as if he had met a kindred spirit. "That's all I can think of for now. Is there anything else you want to ask, junior brother?"
"You've told me enough," Xue Chao laughed. "Greed is bad, and you should always leave yourself some surprises."
"I knew you had personality!" Marco liked him even more, and racked his brains for a moment, "By the way, I heard your boss is tough to deal with, so let's avoid boss battles if possible, stay out of the way, and the host should guard the rear and control the situation."
He also warned Xue Chao to be careful of bad luck, but he was clearly different from Holder. He didn't have any real fear, as if the danger was just hearsay and there was a layer between them, so he was fearless.
He just felt that everyone was wary, even his respected teacher was wary, so it was indeed a danger that needed to be noted.
That's normal. For most hosts and players, that thing is just a strange legend because it's so incredible that people can't help but wonder, "Is it really true?"
Moreover, Marco Polo is a rising star among the hosts. After five or six games, he entered the top twenty of the host rankings. This week, the rankings were updated, and he is now twelfth. If nothing unexpected happens, it will be only a matter of time before he breaks into the top ten.
Therefore, Holder groomed him as his successor and even recommended him to his old partners.
The old fox is really shrewd. Xue Chao is starting to believe that he is really going to retire. He won't participate in the guild competition, he will use his old partner's resources to pave the way for the outstanding students who will take over. He has settled things with the guild and then handed over the task of tracking down the traitor to him. The company's tasks are also settled, and he is finally free.
Without a word, Marco shoved a blue crystal bracelet into Xue Chao's hand, pulling it off a long chain from his arm, saying it would bring good luck. Xue Chao gave a perfunctory reply, but Marco refused to accept it and hurried off, saying he was going to discuss the guild tournament with the guild.
Before leaving, he kept muttering to himself, afraid he might forget something. After taking a couple of steps, he suddenly remembered and turned back: "Oh right, remember to avoid the last day. The competition is too fierce. If you're not confident, choose Monday. Bye!"
Xue Chao was a rebel. After filtering all the friend requests from representatives of the guild, he chose neither Monday nor Sunday for the guild competition the following week, but instead chose the inappropriate Wednesday.
You have selected the secret realm "Joy and Sorrow Mountain"
Your room is now open.
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Please host a fantastic game for the audience!
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