"I never expected to meet you in this instance."
Yu Xiangnan calmly examined the wooden box in Zhu Xiaoxiao's hand, but smiled slightly and said casually, "This box has a unique design. Where did you get it?"
Zhu Xiaoxiao cautiously pulled the box behind her back and laughed, "Of course it was found during a search. What, are you interested?"
"It was just a casual question."
"I see..." Zhu Xiaoxiao's eyes flickered, and she asked in return, "Have you already obtained some crucial clues? Otherwise, how did you manage to find this place?"
Yu Xiangnan's expression remained unchanged. He shrugged and said, "Perhaps it was just a lucky accident? But since you've said that, you must know something, right?"
Zhu Xiaoxiao was taken aback.
Okay, I do know.
She said calmly, "Have you noticed that this instance seems a bit different from the ones before? To be honest, the instance I experienced before was of the same type as this one, so I'm quite confident this time."
"This instance is neither a simple solo activity nor a traditional team-up, because everyone's actions will affect the final outcome. Time is of the essence, and I would like to invite you to join me temporarily. After all, we don't have much time left for this instance, and we must make a decision as soon as possible to avoid the worst possible outcome."
Yu Xiangnan couldn't help but ask, "The worst possible outcome?"
Zhu Xiaoxiao's expression was solemn as she slowly said, "Well, the situation in the town has become increasingly out of control recently. The number of mutated NPCs has increased exponentially, and some players have also been affected, mutating one after another and even joining the NPCs' parade. The situation has reached a critical point."
Yu Xiang never expected that Zhu Xiaoxiao would be like a cunning fox, extremely shrewd, completely different from what she had imagined.
However, it was no accident that Zhu Xiaoxiao was able to establish [Longcheng], become its guild leader, and lead it to successfully enter the top ten of the guild rankings.
Even though dealing with someone like her requires caution, she is still a powerful ally. For now, dealing with Zhu Xiaoxiao temporarily is indeed beneficial; it will speed things up and save us some effort.
After a moment's thought, Yu Xiangnan replied, "I've always been a loner and not used to working with others. However, if it's just a short-term transaction, it's not impossible, since it would be beneficial for both of us in the current situation."
"Tell me about your transaction."
Yu Xiangnan looked up and stared directly at Zhu Xiaoxiao, his eyes revealing a hint of shrewdness and caution.
Zhu smiled and said, "That's straightforward! This collaboration isn't that complicated. I've already explored half of this cave, and I've found quite a few clues. There's an altar at the deepest part of the cave, and it looks like something needs to be placed on it. I tried putting this wooden box on it, but there was no reaction. I guess we'll need some other specific props."
Yu Xiangnan understood the meaning behind Zhu Xiaoxiao's words.
She didn't answer immediately, but instead asked Zhu Xiaoxiao, "No reaction... then what's the purpose of this wooden box? Is it just to guide the player to this cave? Is there nothing inside?"
Zhu Xiaoxiao shook her head.
"No, it contains a bottle of liquid."
As Zhu Xiaoxiao spoke, she opened the wooden box in her hand.
Inside the box lay a bottle of clear liquid. The liquid looked almost like water, but it had an inexplicable strange quality.
Nobody knows what this thing is.
Yu Xiangnan hissed and suggested, "Oh, is that so? Then you lead the way, I'll go take a look."
Zhu Xiaoxiao nodded, then skillfully pulled out a flashlight from the card album, turned it on, and led the way. Yu Xiangnan followed behind her, holding a small broken shovel in one hand and taking out a powerful flashlight in the other.
The dazzling white light illuminated the surrounding environment.
Throughout the journey, Yu Xiangnan remained vigilant.
A putrid stench permeated the cave. In the beam of her flashlight, she saw that the cave walls were covered with unsettling symbols and murals that appeared to depict ritual scenes, suggesting some ancient and malevolent summoning ceremony.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, the two reached the end of the road.
Just as Zhu Xiaoxiao said, at the end of the cave was a stone altar.
It is made of piled stones, and some strange and mysterious patterns are carved around it. The tabletop is wide and flat, with a noticeable depression in the center. It is not large, only about half the size of an apple, and the four walls are regular and smooth, as if they have been polished.
Yu Xiangnan's eyes were wary as he paced around the altar, scanning every corner. But the surroundings remained quiet and unchanging; he found no valuable clues or signs of anything unusual.
After a moment's thought, she bent down and picked up a pebble that fit perfectly into the groove, then placed it into the groove.
Buzz, buzz—
Originally, they just wanted to test the waters, but unexpectedly, in an instant, the altar suddenly burst out with an extremely dazzling light. The intense light instantly broke through the original darkness of the cave, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.
Yu Xiangnan subconsciously raised his hand to shield his eyes from the bright light, squinted, and his body tensed like a fully drawn bowstring. He quickly took a few steps back to create a safe distance from the altar.
A moment later, the light disappeared with a "pop," and darkness returned.
Yu Xiangnan stood still, keeping a distance from the altar, and waited quietly.
I don't know what will happen next, so let's wait and see.
Ten seconds...
Twenty seconds...
One minute...
Yu Xiangnan felt like a wooden doll, standing there motionless for several minutes.
"......"
Hmm? And then?
They put together such amazing special effects, but there was nothing to show for it.
What's the difference between this and farting in public?
"Is this considered a reaction? Did you have this kind of reaction when you put the box down?" Yu Xiangnan quickly turned his head and looked at Zhu Xiaoxiao.
Zhu Xiaoxiao's face showed a hint of embarrassment as she said, "Does it count as...? When I first put it up, the light was so strong it almost blinded me. To be honest, I got here an hour ago. After the light stopped flashing, I stood here like a wooden stake for forty or fifty minutes. I had no choice but to go out and try my luck, and that's when I ran into you."
As if to completely convince Yu Xiangnan, she stepped forward and placed the wooden box on the altar again.
Sure enough, the next second, a blinding light burst forth from the groove, so bright that people couldn't open their eyes. Just a second or two later, it disappeared without a trace.
And so, Yu Xiangnan and Zhu Xiaoxiao stared at the altar for another minute.
Yu Xiangnan: "......"
Zhu Xiaoxiao: "......"
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