Generating an Instance (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

"Ah!"

As the Skeleton plucked the pink flower, a scream rang out beside Gu Xi's ear.

The scream was even shriller than Luna's Banshee's Wail. Under that cry, Gu Xi spat out a mouthful of blood, and his Life plummeted straight down to half.

Then Gu Xi felt the ground begin to shake, as though something was trying to burrow out from underground.

Gu Xi had no time to worry about anything else. He caught the flower the Skeleton tossed over and decisively roared.

"Run!"

At the same time, he sprinted toward the 19th Steam Bus stop.

When Gu Xi shouted those words, the people who had fallen because of the threads sprayed from the flower seemed to come to their senses as well.

They got to their feet in twos and threes. Some fled into nearby rooms, while others ran after Gu Xi.

Some paladins, upon rising from the ground, gripped their Sword and Shield tightly and faced the root-like Vines still writhing across the ground.

Their eyes were filled with resolve. As paladins, their faith compelled them to fight to the end.

But Gu Xi paid them no mind. At that moment, he could clearly sense the danger behind him.

The moment he turned around, he would be left here forever.

So Gu Xi did not have the time to glance back. He kept running outward, passing the 19th Steam Bus stop without slowing down.

After running roughly two thousand meters, Gu Xi finally felt the sense of danger behind him weaken.

Before he could turn around to see what had happened, someone grabbed him.

"Bone..."

Gu Xi was about to unleash Bone Spike and strike the person who had grabbed him, but before he could make a move, a surge of positive energy flowed into his body and dispersed all his preparations.

Gu Xi looked up and found a black-haired woman with short hair standing before him, her icy hand pressed against his shoulder.

She wore a white robe trimmed in gold, with a golden Griffin embroidered near its hem.

"Did you escape from Westminster?"

"Ah, yes, yes!"

"Anna Anastasia. You should have heard my name. Can you tell me what happened in Westminster?"

Only after being questioned did Gu Xi realize that although he had never heard Anna's name, it was obvious at a glance that she was a high-ranking figure from Britain, sent to deal with the situation at hand.

He quickly began recounting what had happened at Westminster Abbey.

Anna did not pay much attention to Hart's help or to what Gu Xi had encountered in the alley.

It was only when she heard that Gu Xi had plucked a pink flower that Anna asked with a grave expression.

"Where is the flower?"

Gu Xi hurriedly handed over the flower in his hand.

As he passed it over, Gu Xi was shocked to discover that the flower, which had originally been pink, had turned completely black.

"How is that possible?"

Gu Xi spoke in astonishment, but Anna showed no surprise at all.

Instead, she nodded as if it were only natural. "So that's how it is. It's a Mirror Aberration. Everyone, prepare yourselves. We're going to aid Westminster Abbey."

The moment Anna finished speaking, Gu Xi suddenly felt the space around him jolt. Then his view shifted from near the 19th Steam Bus stop to the sky.

From his vantage point in the sky, Gu Xi saw the changes around Westminster Abbey. Root-like Vines had emerged in every district surrounding the abbey and throughout the alleys, each one bearing a pink flower.

Under the flowers' influence, nearby people had been controlled by the Red Silk Thread they sprayed out. They struggled to resist, but in the end, they could only walk toward Westminster Abbey under the Red Silk Thread's control.

Meanwhile, in the very center of Westminster Abbey, a massive Apple Tree had burst through the church ceiling and grown upward.

The enormous Apple Tree stood over three hundred meters tall, its shade covering half of Westminster Abbey's grand plaza.

Gu Xi could even see many people still fighting inside Westminster Abbey.

But their efforts could not affect what was unfolding before them.

More and more people, controlled by the Red Silk Thread, walked to the front of Westminster Abbey's plaza. Then things descended from the Apple Tree and hoisted them up.

In the end, those people hung all over the Apple Tree like apples on its branches.

Once Gu Xi had seen the full situation at Westminster Abbey, a sudden pain stabbed through his head. The jolt finally brought him back to his senses.

By then, Anna had handed the black flower she had just received to an elderly man beside her.

"Grand Duke, take this flower. We can hold on for three days. I hope you can find a way to deal with the Mirror Aberration within that time."

"Grand Princess, you cannot..."

"This is where the royal family is crowned. I cannot allow the Mirror Aberration to occupy this place. It is my responsibility as a member of the royal family.

Grand Duke, I'll leave what comes next to you.

Let's go!"

After giving a few final instructions, Anna led the rest of her subordinates toward Westminster Abbey without hesitation.

Behind her stood a large number of paladins clad in heavy white armor. After entering Westminster Abbey, they swiftly formed a defensive line, preventing the aberration from spreading further.

Only then did Gu Xi hear a ding by his ear.

You have come into contact with the Westminster Abbey Incident. As a major event affecting Victoria City, this incident has automatically generated a dungeon. As the first player to come into contact with this event, you have obtained a Dungeon Crystal, which can activate the dungeon Five Times.

Dungeon Crystal (Blue Equipment)

Dungeon: Westminster Abbey Incident (Level Requirement: Level 5–10)

Dungeon Tasks: External Tasks 3 (0/3), Internal Tasks 5 (0/5), Exclusive Tasks 2 (0/2)

Dungeon Bosses: Five (0/5)

Dungeon Rewards: Purple Equipment (1 guaranteed), Blue Equipment (5 guaranteed), random Green Equipment

Along with the notification, a blue crystal appeared in Gu Xi's hand.

Holding the crystal, Gu Xi could clearly see what was happening inside Westminster Abbey.

It was exactly the same as the scene Gu Xi had just witnessed.

It was as though everything within the crystal was endlessly repeating.

Gu Xi understood. This was the opportunity he had been given.

The Westminster Abbey before him had already become a dungeon. He could either take this crystal away with him or use it now.

Glancing back at Westminster Abbey, already shrouded in mist, Gu Xi did not hesitate. He casually put the crystal away.

Gu Xi was not an idiot. One look at the situation told him he could not defeat any of the monsters inside. Why would he rush in? To throw his life away? He would be better off finding a place to level up properly, then coming back to deal with this dungeon once he was strong enough.

Seeing that no one nearby paid him any attention, Gu Xi decisively headed out.

He took a wide route around Westminster Abbey, found a station, casually boarded a Steam Bus, and left that troublesome place behind.

Although he had no idea where the Steam Bus was headed, Gu Xi could not worry about that now.

He had only one thought: the farther away he got from that dangerous place, the better. Once he was strong enough, he would return to deal with this dungeon and rescue Anna, who had voluntarily entered it!