Dungeon Encounters

There were at least dozens of service windows in the lobby of the affairs bureau, and Cheng Shi and Qin Chaoge didn't have to wait long before they got a number.

Looking at the beautiful and charming staff member in front of the window, he subtly expressed his request: he wanted to change the tour assistant.

The staff checked the reception records and suddenly realized what had happened.

Her eyes were full of understanding, and she smiled as she asked Cheng Shi to wait a little longer.

Looking at her meaningful smile, Cheng Shi had a feeling that things were about to take a strange turn.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, a charming and handsome young man was led excitedly towards him by a staff member.

The moment they met, he ran over to Cheng Shi and tried to take Cheng Shi arm.

Cheng Shi turned pale with fright; he couldn't help himself...

"Bang!"

"Thump—"

"..."

Cheng Shi was arrested.

Right in the lobby of the administration office.

The charge is intentional injury to a tour assistant.

The guards immediately arrested him and sentenced him on the spot: his request to replace his assistant was rejected, and he was imprisoned for three days.

Cheng Shi did not resist. He was thinking about something with his head down, and just let the two soldiers tie his hands behind his back and escort him to the prison cell located underground in the Bureau of Affairs.

You won't know until you come, and you'll be shocked when you do.

The enormous prison cell was filled with countless travelers, making it as bustling as a market.

Cheng Shi stared speechlessly at everything before him, then asked the soldiers escorting him:

"Why... are there so many people?"

The soldier seemed unfazed by all this; he sneered and said sarcastically:

"The High Priest has been too lenient with you travelers. Harming the inhabitants should be punished as blasphemy and you should be sentenced to death. Locking you up for a few days is too lenient for you scum!"

After saying that, the two soldiers spat heavily and threw Cheng Shi into a cell.

The other prisoners paid no attention to the new fellow inmate, chatting and sleeping as usual, creating a peaceful scene.

Listening to the noise around him, Cheng Shi felt that he had stumbled upon a good place by accident.

Everyone here is talented and speaks eloquently; even the few words they utter are invaluable pieces of information.

So he sat cross-legged, closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, but his Ear were perked up, receiving all the news he could hear.

"Where's the food? Why hasn't the food been brought yet?! I'm starving! Give me food! Otherwise, don't even think about me giving you children!"

"Newcomer, stop shouting. You only get one meal a day, at night. If you want a full meal, wait until you're released."

A veteran inmate leaned against the wall and waved him off.

"Wouldn't they starve to death? Damn it, these troublemakers! Brother, how long have you been in here? What did you do wrong?"

"Me? I was sentenced to a month for maliciously bestowing something."

Take my advice: don't use this ghost-granting ritual carelessly, or you'll end up like me, starving here for a month.

"What do you mean? Didn't they want us to bestow gifts upon them? Why are they doing so with malicious intent?"

"Just by hearing that, I can tell you haven't given them a child yet."

The law in Yuanmu Town states that, in the absence of special decrees, each traveler may be granted a right only once, and the right may only be granted to a tourism assistant.

A woman I know well... cough cough, a lady I'm very close to, begged me for days, and my damned compassion got the better of me, so I gave in.

As you've seen, sigh...

You're in a better position since you got here right after committing a crime, because they haven't been given children yet, so you'll still have a chance to enjoy yourself after you're released.

For those of us who have already been granted this privilege, there's basically no chance; even if we're released, we'll only be deported.

The tour guide was right; it was a wonderful trip, one I'll probably remember for the rest of my life.

"Brother, tell me more about this bestowal ceremony, please?"

Many of the newcomers were egging him on, and this fellow inmate was very generous, selflessly sharing his experiences.

"The bestowal ceremony is actually not very meaningful. Once you and your tour assistant develop a better relationship, she will tell you all about the ceremony."

All it takes is for two people to hold hands and recite a difficult prayer, and under the watchful eye of their so-called god, they will be granted a child.

The interesting part comes later; to express their gratitude, these beauties...

Tsk tsk..."

Cheng Shi didn't listen any further; his brows furrowed tightly.

This ceremony sounds so much like Hu Xuan's stuff.

If the two rituals are the same thing, does that mean that the "Eternal Day" is not just related to "Birth"? Is it possible that He is "Birth"?

A True God hangs in... the sky above Yuanmu Town?

Hellish joke.

Completely baffled, Cheng Shi turned his attention back to the conversations of his fellow inmates. With one person taking the lead, the other inmates also began to share their happy moments.

Cheng Shi that the veteran inmate had stopped talking, Cheng Shi leaned over and shouted through the bars.

"Brother, you've got quite a lot of experience. Where are you from?"

The man laughed and replied, "Gasmella."

"Oh, the Tower of Reason, huh? Judging from your extensive knowledge, you must be a traveling Scholar?"

"No, no, no, how could I be Scholar? I'm just... uh, I am... what do I do again?"

Sigh, I haven't been eating or drinking well lately, and I can't remember things.

Can't remember things?

That can't be right. You described all the details perfectly just now, so why can't you remember them when it comes to your own profession?

Cheng Shi frowned, seeing him scratching his head in frustration, and didn't press further. Instead, he turned to the other new tourist next to him, who looked just like himself, and greeted him, asking:

"Brother, your flowing blond hair reminds me of a Law Giver I knew before. You have a lot of charisma. You're not a Law Giver too, are you?"

"Just kidding, bro. If I were Law Giver, my whole family would be laughing in their sleep. I am... wait, I think I am... what was it again?"

Cheng Shi's gaze sharpened, and he smiled as he interrupted the conversation.

Just then, with a clang, another person was locked in the cell next door on the other side.

Cheng Shi looked up when he heard the sound, and saw that the new cellmate was none other than Qin Chaoge.

The Believer of [War] smiled broadly, and their first words upon meeting were:

"You're going to keep this fun to yourself without inviting me?"

"?"

Cheng Shi shook his head and chuckled. How could being locked up with a bunch of dirty prisoners be fun?

He looked Qin Chaoge up and down and teased, "You got caught murdering someone?"

"How could that be? I did it very discreetly. He committed suicide."

Cheng Shi smiled helplessly:

"How did you get in?"

"He harassed a staff member and tried to have a baby with her. Well, he was brought in for malicious harassment and was sentenced to five days."

"Puff--"

Cheng Shi almost choked on his own saliva.

You are not wronged.

"After being here for so long, what have you discovered?"

Qin Chaoge didn't care about the so-called imprisonment at all. She only felt that Cheng Shi must have found out something and came to gather information.

Actually, Cheng Shi's arrival was quite unexpected, but it did allow him to discover some clues.

Putting aside the fact that these travelers seemed to have no recollection of what they used to do, their appearance and demeanor alone didn't suggest they were successful people from the Isle of Hope.

It reeks of social scum.

If he remembered correctly, every traveler who came to the town was brought in by the guide he had never met and paid a large sum of money.

Do these people in front of me really have the money to come here for entertainment?

Or rather, why would these homeless travelers, even if they have money, come here instead of using it to improve their lives?

Just to have a child?

Yuanmu Town will not allow them to take these children away; they are their population, the foundation of their Faith.

So, where did things go wrong?

Cheng Shi did not answer Qin Chaoge's question, but instead asked in return:

"Have you heard about that bestowal ceremony?"

Qin Chaoge's expectant gaze froze instantly, and a vein throbbed on her forehead, as if she were trying to confirm Cheng Shi was deliberately provoking her.

"Don't lay a hand on me, or your sentence will be extended. I'm serious. Have you heard of that bestowal ceremony?"

"I've heard about it."

The person who answered him was not Qin Chaoge, whose face was gloomy, but someone else.

Hearing the voice from beside them, the two turned around in surprise, only to find that the Hunter sister had also entered the dungeon at some point and was now looking at them with a smile on her lips.

Upon seeing her, Qin Chaoge immediately reverted to his previous carefree and irreverent demeanor.

"Oh, what a coincidence, you also got caught while looking for a gigolo?"