Horror Game: What to Do If You're Too Handsome

Please enter the Tower and investigate the cause of the Fairy Tale Mutation!

Note: Collect the [Poisoned Apple That Was Eaten], [Sleeping Beauty's Spindle], [Little Red Riding Hood's Hat], [The Little Mermaid's Scales], and [Cinderella's Glass Slipper] to open the Tower's gate!

Chapter 30: I Am the Protagonist!

When An Xinghe was teleported into the instance, he found himself in a Great Forest.

Beside him stood a Stubbly Man, around thirty years old, presumably his teammate for this instance.

The man glanced at the young An Xinghe:

"You're my teammate for this instance? You look a bit young. But damn, you're good-looking—almost better than me! I'm Lin Yan. What's your name?"

"An Xinghe."

Lin Yan scratched his head: "The name's not great! What level are you?"

"Level 8."

"What?!" Lin Yan shouted. "You're only level 8! How did I end up with a teammate like you! We're screwed, screwed! This instance is a lost cause!"

Seeing the man's flustered expression, An Xinghe asked:

"Lin Yan, what level are you?"

At that, Lin Yan puffed up with pride:

"I'm already level 17! And I've got a piece of Fine-grade Equipment on me! Fine-grade, you know!"

An Xinghe widened his eyes in feigned surprise:

"Fine-grade! That's amazing!"

Livestream Room.

[An Xinghe doesn't seem to have any equipment or skills below Fine-grade, does he...]

[After watching An Xinghe so much, I almost thought Fine-grade was common stuff.]

[Same here. For an ordinary person, having Fine Equipment at level 20 is already impressive.]

[I don't even get surprised by Fine-grade Equipment anymore... All thanks to An Xinghe spoiling us!]

[This Lin Yan really picked the wrong person to show off to.]

[Judging by An Xinghe's look, he's probably going to mess with Lin Yan.]

[Haha, this is going to be fun! I can't wait to see Lin Yan's face when he sees An Xinghe's equipment!]

A couple of compliments from An Xinghe, plus the favorability boost from An Xinghe's [Astonishingly Handsome] appearance, instantly changed Lin Yan's opinion of him.

"An Xinghe, just stick behind me for this instance! I'll make sure we clear it!"

An Xinghe was happy to coast along:

"Then I'll just follow you and slack off!"

Just then, the system's voice rang out again.

[Ding! This instance comes with a special passive skill, [Protagonist Halo], usable by only one player. Players can transfer it through specific means!]

As the system finished speaking, An Xinghe felt a lightness in his body as a halo descended upon him.

[Name: Protagonist Halo]

[Type: Passive Skill]

[Quality: Perfect]

[Effect: Increases the wearer's level by 1, boosts all skill effects by 20%, and certain actions in this instance can only be performed by the one with the Protagonist Halo.]

[Can be taken out of the instance: No]

[Note: Thirty Years East of the River, thirty years west—don't bully a youth for being poor!]

The stats of [Protagonist Halo] were also shared with Lin Yan. He stared at the skill description, almost drooling!

A Perfect-grade Skill!

This was the kind of high-tier item that even big shots in the Horror Game might not have!

Even if it only worked in the instance, he could still brag about it outside!

Lin Yan patted An Xinghe on the shoulder and cleared his throat:

"Hey, An Xinghe, how about I use this skill?"

"I'm level 17 now, and I've got several common-grade skills. If I use it, it'll definitely boost our chances of clearing the instance!"

An Xinghe had planned to slack off anyway, so why would he begrudge a temporary skill?

"You can use it, but do you know how to transfer the Protagonist Halo?"

"Well..."

Lin Yan thought it over. He really didn't know how to transfer it.

Just then, An Xinghe noticed the note on [Protagonist Halo], and an idea sparked in his mind.

"Lin Yan, shout 'Thirty Years East of the River'—make it sound imposing!"

"Huh?" Lin Yan scratched his head, baffled. "What's the point of shouting that?"

"Just do it when I tell you! I'm running an experiment."

Shouting a few words wouldn't cost him anything, so Lin Yan bellowed:

"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—don't bully a youth for being poor!"

[Ding! Protagonist Halo has transferred. Current owner: Lin Yan]

Lin Yan was ecstatic! He really was the chosen one!

His name had even been modeled after a certain novel back in the day! Being a protagonist was only fitting!

Before he could bask in it for long, An Xinghe said:

"Now say, 'Your life is like a candle flickering in the wind.'"

Lin Yan was confused. "The Protagonist Halo's already on me—why say that?"

"Just say it when I tell you, and make it sound sinister!"

"Fine." Lin Yan nodded and shouted:

"Your life is like a candle flickering in the wind!"

[Ding! Protagonist Halo has transferred. Current owner: An Xinghe]

Lin Yan's eyes went wide. How did the Protagonist Halo jump back? Just because he said one sentence?

An Xinghe burst into laughter:

"So that's it—I've fully figured out this transfer mechanism."

Chapter 31: This Face Can Also Be Used for Interrogation

An Xinghe burst into laughter:

"So that's it—I've fully figured out this transfer mechanism."

Lin Yan was baffled:

"You figured it out? What's the deal?"

An Xinghe explained:

"The mechanism for this Protagonist Halo is simple: if you say or do something a protagonist would say or do, it transfers to you."

"If you say something a side character or villain would say, the Protagonist Halo transfers to someone else."

"Let me give you an example."

With that, An Xinghe struck a strange pose, pointing one hand at the sky and the other at the ground, and shouted:

"Don't stop now!"

[Ding! Protagonist Halo has transferred. Current owner: Lin Yan]

Then An Xinghe said again:

"True resolve is carving a path forward through the pitch-black wilderness!"

[Ding! Protagonist Halo has transferred. Current owner: An Xinghe]

"Ma'am, your husband owes us a million—if you can't pay, how about settling it with your body?"

[Ding! Protagonist Halo has transferred. Current owner: Lin Yan]

"I'm the man who's going to become the Pirate King!"

[Ding! Protagonist Halo has transferred. Current owner: An Xinghe]

Livestream Room.

[It's over! An Xinghe has completely mastered this Protagonist Halo mess!]

[Please don't toy with a Perfect-grade Skill!]

[I feel like this dungeon has already gone off the rails and isn't coming back.]

[Does anyone still remember this dungeon's theme is fairy tales? I'm starting to pray for Snow White.]

[You think, since the Mermaid doesn't have legs, how would she...]

[Upstairs, hit the brakes!!]

Lin Yan watched An Xinghe toy with the [Protagonist Halo] in a dizzying display and couldn't help speaking up:

"An Xinghe, that's enough, enough! Stop messing around—we need to get back to the dungeon!"

"Fine." An Xinghe's tone carried a hint of reluctance, but he left the Protagonist Halo on Lin Yan.

Just then, footsteps approached.

The two exchanged a glance and, without a word, crouched down, hiding in the grass.

A middle-aged man dressed as a Hunter walked toward them, holding a bow and arrows in both hands, with a dagger tucked into his belt.