Chapter 67 dungeon completed.
When Gu Yunqing regained consciousness, she found herself lying on a simple bed in the stone house.
Gu Yunqing felt a dull pain in her left shoulder, and her mind felt like it was being pricked by needles, but it was much better than when she was exhausted last night.
He stirred slightly and immediately sensed someone by the bedside.
"Awake?" A slightly hoarse, languid voice rang out.
Gu Yunqing turned her head and saw Wu Jueji leaning against the wall by the bed, playing with a crumpled cigarette box in his hand. He still looked like he hadn't woken up yet, but his eyes were a little clearer than usual.
"Hmm," Gu Yunqing responded, his voice a little hoarse. He tried to mobilize his mental energy, and although it was still sluggish, it was slowly recovering.
"What's the situation outside?"
“It’s dawn, and all the ghosts have dispersed.” Wu Jueji said succinctly, “Jun Xiangbei guarded you for half the night and was just called out by the system to settle accounts.”
Gu Yunqing's eyes flickered slightly, but she didn't ask any further questions.
He tried to sit up, but the pain in his left shoulder made him gasp.
Wu Jueji glanced at him, but didn't offer any help. He simply said indifferently, "Showing off."
Gu Yunqing twitched the corner of his mouth, did not refute, and slowly sat up. He knew that last night's forced deduction and distracted reminders were indeed a bit risky, but the result was good.
Just then, a cold system notification sounded in the minds of all the surviving players:
[The time limit for the dungeon 'Three Little Pigs' has expired.]
[Final settlement will now commence...]
Gu Yunqing listened intently.
[Number of surviving players: 8.] (14 players entered, a decrease of nearly half)
[Main Quest (Earn Target Amount) Completion Rate: 100%] (Completed by all surviving players)
[Comprehensive evaluation begins... Evaluation criteria: final funding, building maintenance status, resource collection progress, total damage dealt to ghosts, contribution to special events...]
After a brief pause, individual rewards began to be distributed.
Gu Yunqing looked at the semi-transparent light screen that appeared in front of her:
[Player Gu Yunqing, Final Rating: S-Rank]
[Basic Reward: 5000 Achievement Points]
[Bonus Reward: For outstanding overall performance, especially for successfully defeating the Dream Core 'Nightmare Beast' (making a significant contribution to the special event), you will receive the special construction blueprint [Miniature Elemental Energy Tower], 1 x rare material [Nightmare Core Fragment], and 10 units of [Purified Moonlight Cedar]. 10,000 Achievement Points.]
[The team's contribution was the highest, and the rewards received by each team member can be seen.]
An S-rank rating, along with special blueprints and rare materials.
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Gu Yunqing's eyes.
This confirmed his initial hypothesis: high risk, high reward. Whether it was choosing a house or the final daring kill of the Nightmare Beast, the benefits far exceeded those of following the usual path.
He noted that the description of the [Miniature Element Energy Gathering Tower] blueprint was: It can gather free energy in the environment in a small area, accelerate energy recovery, and slightly enhance the area's defense.
When Gu Yunqing is able to establish a guild, this will undoubtedly be a strategic resource when building strongholds in the later stages. The Nightmare Core Fragment is a material containing pure spiritual power, and it is very valuable.
He quickly browsed the team channel.
Because of his high team contribution, he can see the ratings and basic rewards of all temporary teammates.
Jun Xiangbei also received an S-rank rating, with similar basic rewards. His additional rewards were a copy of a high-level ice-type sword technique and a piece of ten-thousand-year-old mystic ice. Clearly, the system rewards individuals based on their performance and needs.
Wu Jueji received an S-level rating, with rewards focusing on physical enhancement and general resources.
Wang Hu and Ji Changyu are still in a coma. Their settlement is handled by the system, and both have an A-level rating with average basic rewards.
Elena and her two followers are both rated C, with rewards leaning towards light-attribute and healing attributes.
Han Chunhua also received an A rating.
Although the Elena Alliance successfully defended the [Beautiful] house and avoided direct attacks from monsters, Ji Changyu was seriously injured and fell into a coma, and the house was almost destroyed on the last night. The system judged the maintenance level to be extremely low. In addition, the overall damage to the monsters and the resource collection rate were not as good as Gu Yunqing's Alliance, so the overall evaluation can only be considered average.
As for the Silent Monk, who is Jun Xiangbei's teammate, he is rated A and his reward is a fragment of the "Heart Sutra of Immovable King" and a string of "Bodhi seeds".
[System Announcement: Information on the dungeon 'The Three Little Pigs' has been recorded. This scene will be available as the limited-time resource dungeon 'Shadow of Fairy Tale Town' in the future. Players are welcome to challenge it again. (System Warning: This dungeon is extremely difficult at night; please choose carefully.)]
The announcement signaled the complete end of this instance.
"Limited-time resource instance..." Gu Yunqing noted down the name.
Soon after, the eight surviving players gathered in the town square.
Three gates, each with a distinct style, slowly coalesced and stood in the center of the square, representing the journey home.
The atmosphere was somewhat silent.
Elena's holy face also showed undisguised fatigue. She nodded slightly in the direction of Gu Yunqing and Jun Xiangbei, said nothing more, and then led her followers and Han Chunhua, supporting Ji Changyu, to walk towards the [Beautiful] gate. With a flash of light, her figure disappeared.
Before leaving, Han Chunhua couldn't help but look back at Wu Jueji one last time. Her eyes were filled with mixed emotions, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she didn't speak.
The silent monk smiled innocently at Gu Yunqing and Wu Jueji, clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect, and followed Jun Xiangbei toward the [Solid] gate.
Only Gu Yunqing, Wu Jueji, and Wang Hu remained in the square.
Wang Hu looked at Gu Yunqing with gratitude on his face: "Mr. Gu, I was able to survive this time thanks to you and Mr. Wu... If there is anything I can do to help you in the future, please don't hesitate to ask!"
He knew perfectly well that he was able to survive and get an A rating entirely because he had latched onto the right powerful figure.
Gu Yunqing smiled gently at him: "Mr. Wang, you're too kind. It's been a pleasure doing business with you."
He doesn't mind helping out people he likes within his ability and forming a good relationship.
Wang Hu nodded repeatedly and walked towards the [Economy] gate to leave.
Just as Gu Yunqing was about to leave with Wu Jueji, Jun Xiangbei, who had already reached the gate of the [Solid] stronghold, stopped in his tracks.
He turned around, his gaze sweeping across the short distance to land on Gu Yunqing.
The light of dawn outlined his aloof and upright figure. In his icy eyes, emotions were complex and difficult to discern: scrutiny, inquiry, concern, and a barely perceptible trace of lingering resentment stemming from the night before when he had not been caught.
He walked towards Gu Yunqing.
Wu Jueji opened his droopy eyelids a crack, a cold glint flashing in his scarlet eyes, but seeing that Gu Yunqing made no move, he closed his eyes again, crossed his arms, and leaned to one side, as if it were none of his business.
Jun Xiangbei stood in front of Gu Yunqing.
He paused for two seconds, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before finally speaking in a steady tone, extending an olive branch:
"Yun Qing," he called her by name directly, "If there are similar instances in the future, we may cooperate again."
"Of course, I also greatly admire Brother Bei's abilities and character. I look forward to our next collaboration," Gu Yunqing said frankly.
Seeing Gu Yunqing readily agree and utter the word "admiration," Jun Xiangbei's lips softened almost imperceptibly for a moment. Although he quickly recovered, that fleeting change did not escape Gu Yunqing's notice.
"Hmm." Jun Xiangbei nodded, seemingly wanting to say something more, but in the end he only gave Gu Yunqing a deep look, then glanced at Wu Jueji who seemed to be asleep beside him, turned around, and strode towards the [Sturdy] gate, his figure disappearing into the light.
As Gu Yunqing watched his figure disappear, a hint of calculation and a faint interest, which even he himself could not discern, flashed in his eyes.
This Jun Xiangbei is actually more interesting than he expected...
"I'm leaving." Wu Jueji's lazy voice interrupted his thoughts.
Gu Yunqing withdrew her gaze and took one last look at the small town that had experienced seven days of life and death.
Just then, his gaze inadvertently swept across the window of the town mayor's house in the distance.
The portly town mayor, who always wore a formulaic smile, was standing by the window, gazing into the distance in his direction.
Unlike the empty, numb smile he had given before, the mayor now wore a clear, eerie smile that was both meaningful and even hinted at...approval and expectation.
The smile vanished in an instant, and the mayor quickly retreated into the shadows behind the window, as if he had never been there.
Gu Yunqing's pupils contracted slightly.
This NPC...
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but he remained expressionless.
"Okay, I'm leaving."
He didn't linger any longer and, together with Wu Jueji, stepped through the simple wooden door that represented "economy".
The light swallowed their figures.
The fairytale town has returned to its "tranquility," awaiting the arrival of the next batch of "townspeople," or... awaiting the reopening of the limited-time dungeon.
Gu Yunqing's adventure, his increasingly complex relationship with Jun Xiangbei, and the unknown foreshadowed by the town mayor's meaningful smile are all just beginning.
The chat in Gu Yunqing's live stream was still filled with surprise:
"Settlement completed, settlement completed. S-level rating, such a high rating!"
"It's alright, after all, there are still 2S and 3S above."
"The key point is, have you ever actually seen anyone win that?"
Looking forward to our next collaboration (date)!
As the light faded, Gu Yunqing and Wu Jueji left the player lobby and returned to their personal space in the Pure White World.
Looking at the familiar pure white environment, Gu Yunqing let out a soft breath.
Although this dungeon was fraught with danger, the rewards far exceeded expectations.
He glanced at Wu Jueji beside him, who was keeping his aura under control, and was quite satisfied with the performance of the third alias.
The "50/50" rule-based ability can indeed be surprisingly effective in teamwork and when facing strong opponents.
"Take a rest. You've worked hard this time," Gu Yunqing said to Wu Jueji.
Wu Jueji waved his hand without saying anything, his figure gradually fading away until it turned into a gray card that fell into Gu Yunqing's hand.
The vest was retracted, the divided soul consciousness returned to the main body, and the resulting fatigue surged like a tide.
Gu Yunqing put away the cards, rubbed her still-stingling brow, and began to take stock of all the spoils from this dungeon, while also thinking about her next plan.
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