Story · Grand Library

The Grand Library.

All the bookshelves were neatly stacked with books, which were piled up straight to the ceiling. In the very center of the Grand Library was a Four-Sided Table with six chairs next to Four-Sided Table.

In the very center of the Four-Sided Table, an open book Levitation, with new words slowly appearing on the Blank Pages.

The entire Grand Library was completely empty.

At a certain moment, accompanied by several flashes of light, five figures reappeared in their positions.

"Phew, it's definitely safer here..."

As soon as he returned, the Chronicler leaned back against the armrest of the chair behind him.

Although they weren't seriously injured in this story, the constant harassment from various terrifying Hunting Monster that could appear from time to time in the Fantasy World kept them on edge, never daring to relax for a moment.

Now that she was finally back in the Library, her mind had just relaxed when a wave of sleepiness washed over her.

In this story, they stayed for nearly three days, and during those three days, the total time she spent sleeping and resting was less than four hours.

"That's why I said the fastest way to pass the game is to just turn around and commit suicide. Why did you all insist on choosing the first option?"

Bai Zhi glanced at the other person, his face full of disdain.

In that story, the Fantasy World was born from the Real World, and the characters were the Anchor Point of that Fantasy World. If the Anchor Point disappeared, the Fantasy World would naturally collapse.

Just like in that Matryoshka World before, this is the fastest way to complete the story... but no one dares to try it.

After all, given other options, how many people would be willing to risk their lives?

... So each of them became a spiritual mentor.

"One addresses the symptoms, the other the root cause; that way, the story's rating will be higher... Anyway, you ultimately agreed, didn't you?"

As he spoke, the Chronicler couldn't help but yawn.

"Hopefully, the intervals between stories will be longer this time; this constant cycle feels a bit too much..."

"Indeed, although the items obtained from opening the Destiny Card each round are quite good, if this continues, we will eventually reach our breaking point."

The Moonlit Snow, Dark Clouds Part dispersed, prompting the man to nod in agreement.

"Elite Level Item are great, but we also need to consider our... what's wrong?"

Seeing Bai Zhi suddenly wave his hand to stop her from speaking, Moonlit Snow, Dark Clouds Part couldn't help but look slightly puzzled.

"I have a question for you."

Bai Zhi narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the empty seat next to him.

"How many Player participated in this Dungeon at the very beginning?"

"Isn't it just the five of us?"

With one hand casually propping up his head on the table, the Chronicler reached up and put his hood back on.

"You're in a group with the Shrimp Meat, the twins are in a group over here, and I'm in a group by myself... Hmm? I came alone?"

In the end, the Chronicler himself was slightly taken aback.

There were five people at the beginning.

Xia Wen, sitting next to him, nodded firmly.

"The First Story involved you, me, and Moonlit Snow, Dark Clouds Part. The second story involved the Chronicler and Moonlit Snow, Dark Clouds Part. The third story involved all of us."

Is it because there's an extra empty seat?

Moonlit Snow, Dark Clouds Part glanced at the empty seat next to Bai Zhi, her brows furrowing slightly.

"But does that mean... your memories are different from ours?"

"No, my memories are the same as yours. From the beginning, we only had Five Players, but that's not the key point."

Shaking his head, Bai Zhi took out a sticky note from under the table and placed it on the table.

"Before we moved on to the third story, I deliberately put this sticky note under the table. Since we only have Five Players from the beginning, can any of you tell me... who is the Player named [Instant] that I wrote on this sticky note?"

"Instant... Is there such Player?"

The Moonlit Snow, Dark Clouds Part created a somewhat hazy atmosphere.

"Take a look for yourselves, I can still recognize my own handwriting."

Shaking his head slightly, Bai Zhi handed over the sticky note.

"According to my notes on the sticky note, [Instant] should have come with [The Chronicler]... Even you yourself have absolutely no recollection of it?"

As he spoke, Bai Zhi turned his gaze to the Chronicler.

"No... were the memories blocked or sealed?"

As if suddenly recalling some unpleasant memory, the Chronicler's expression turned slightly somber.

"If that's the case, then it means the Library itself isn't safe either, we..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a new blank page opened in the book Levitation in the center of the Four-Sided Table, and new words slowly appeared on it.

[Story 3: Lies]

[Overall Rating: 9.7]

[All surviving participants receive 10 Story Points, Story Point can be used to purchase specific items in the Story Shop.]

[The fourth story will begin in one hour. Participants, please be prepared.]

After these words appeared, just as before, a Destiny Card of a different color appeared in front of each of them.

"Let's put those things aside for now and talk about my guess."

Bai Zhi glanced at the red Destiny Card that had appeared in front of him and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"To be honest, I suspect that the very scene we are in right now, in this Grand Library, Story One we've experienced before—it is a story in itself."

"!!!"

After Bai Zhi uttered those words, everyone fell into silence.

After a long while, Moonlit Snow, Dark Clouds Part finally managed to ask the question.

"You mean, we're in a story, participating in a story within a story... like a Mobius Ring?"

"Otherwise what? Do you really think Elite Level Item are so easy to get? I've been playing this game for so long, and I don't even have many Elite- Level Item. But this Dungeon has dropped four or five Elite Level Item in one go. Do you think that's possible? Even S-rank Dungeon can't do that."

With a slight pursed lip, Bai Zhi continued speaking.

"Things from the story can be taken outside the story, but there will be a corresponding price to pay. This is written in the rules published by the system, and it's information that previous Player have discovered... before any changes occur in this Dungeon."

"Wait, so all those Item we got were fake!?"

Suddenly, I stood up from my chair, placed my hands on the table, and the Chronicler looked at me with disbelief, as did everyone else.

To be frank, Bai Zhi's later words were far more damaging than his earlier ones.

"It's not fake; after all, the system has detailed attribute descriptions."

With a slight shrug, Bai Zhi began to speak in a relaxed tone.

"But if you want to take those things out of this story, you'll probably have to pay a pretty high price... I guess?"

"..."