Moving and Refusal, A Strange Village

Xinyuan Residential Area.

This is a villa area.

Zhang Mingzhen quickly rented a villa from here.

Buying a house is a bit of a hassle, but if it's a small house, it's quick and can be done in a few days.

Transactions involving villas and tens of millions of dollars become much more complicated.

Renting is still more convenient.

I went to see the house in the morning and moved in by noon.

Security is excellent, 24 hours a day, and you can always see security guards patrolling the villa.

Security personnel are paid very high salaries, and of course, property management fees are also very high, reaching as much as 20,000 yuan per month.

Many villa communities end up abandoned because the property management fees are too high; many people can afford to buy a villa, but they can't afford to maintain it.

Or perhaps they were financially well-off when they bought the house, but after moving in, they couldn't withstand any economic fluctuations.

To live comfortably in a villa, you need at least a nanny, a cleaner, or a part-time worker.

Water, electricity, and maintenance costs are all very high.

Many villa areas have gradually fallen into disrepair and turned into overgrown weeds and vegetable gardens because these fees could not be collected and the property management did not take responsibility.

A villa worth tens of millions of dollars is just sitting there abandoned; it's ridiculous.

The villa area that Zhang Mingzhen chose has a relatively high occupancy rate, the property management fees are being collected, and the management is quite sound.

So he moved in quickly.

He had just gone in and was about to take a break during his three-hour rest period when the phone rang.

His phone number was leaked during the previous kidnapping incident.

"Hello, are you Mr. Zhang? We are from the Shen Family of the Capital, and we hope to reach a cooperation agreement with you."

Zhang Mingzhen tired and therefore in no mood to answer the phone, "What Shen family? I don't have time to listen. Don't call anymore, I'm hanging up."

He hung up immediately, switched to airplane mode, set his alarm, and then went to sleep.

On the other end of the phone.

A man who looked like a secretary, holding the disconnected phone, said to a young master next to him:

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shen, the other end of the phone has hung up."

"Heh, it seems our Shen family has been too low-key. There's nothing we can do about it; this isn't ancient times anymore," Young Master Shen sneered. "With the internet so readily available and information flowing freely, even powerful families must maintain a low profile."

"But a new era has arrived, and our family can rise again."

The secretary nodded.

Of course, he also knew that making such a sudden phone call was rather impolite.

You should send an email first, or ask a friend in the game to introduce Zhang Mingzhen.

It now seems that the other party is not easy to deal with.

"So what do we do next?"

"Do I need to teach you this? First, be polite, then use force; first, be soft, then hard. I'll have someone restrict his departure from the country under the guise of security, and prevent him from leaving here. The rest is up to you," Shen Shao said coldly.

They never fail to get what they set their sights on.

At this very moment.

God's Domain Game

Since there are no Cheater like Zhang Mingzhen who can conquer the Underground Labyrinth ahead of time, players in other beginner areas have only recently completed the maze's prerequisite quests.

Their district's average grade is far behind that of the third district.

Despite multiple large organizations working together with high-level players to advance the dungeon, progress remains difficult to catch up with.

After all, the attribute cap is fixed, and with a team of ten, it's difficult to fight monsters above their level.

The drop rate for equipment is still very low.

Many factions have begun proposing to find items for cross-regional travel, hoping to invite "Chongxing" to their region to assist in clearing dungeons.

Crossing regions is a long journey, and there are various Warcraft blocking the way.

Therefore, some teleportation items are needed.

Three hours later, a new chapter began in Zone 3.

After the event started, almost all players logged into the game, formed teams, and chose leveling areas in the wild.

The experience bonus only lasts for three days.

Teams with any plan won't go into dungeons; instead, they'll focus entirely on taking advantage of the double experience time.

The Wild Wolf Zone has become the most popular monster-farming spot, and is now controlled by several major guilds working together.

Secondly, there are the other low-level wilderness areas around Shuangyue Town, where monsters around level 15 roam, which also attract many teams.

As for the lowest-level yet easiest place to go, it has to be the Infinite Labyrinth dungeon.

Although the monsters are slightly weaker and offer less experience.

However, its advantage lies in its sheer quantity and the fact that it requires no searching, making it extremely convenient for most players with limited resources.

After Zhang Mingzhen rested, he logged back in and, as the top scorer, received a special reward.

Town Mayor Zhen Tianyin revealed to him the story of the Warcraft siege and told him something:

Countless villages and towns have been wiped out by monster attacks in the past.

"Thanks to the great help of all the warriors, Shuangyue Town is safe and sound."

"On behalf of all the townspeople, I thank all the adventurers! If it weren't for your selfless Protection, this place would probably be ruins by now."

Zhen Tianyin bowed deeply.

Zhang Mingzhen thought to himself: [Enough with the nonsense, give me some real reward, or a clue to a new map.]

Of course, on the surface, he responded politely, "Protection the town is our duty."

"We have the capability, so naturally we should do it."

"If you encounter any difficult situations, feel free to leave them to us in the future."

"There is indeed a favor I need," the mayor finally began to assign the new task. "I dared not mention it before, for fear that something might happen to you."

"Now that I have witnessed your abilities, I realize I was overthinking things."

"Please speak."

Zhen Tianyin paused for a moment, then continued:

"East of Shuangyue Town lies a Silent Valley, where precious medicinal herbs grow, attracting many herb gatherers who risk their lives to venture there."

"But the terrain was treacherous, wild beasts roamed freely, and there were even rumors of a giant dragon dwelling there—none who had seen its true form had ever returned."

"Could it be that I'm to go and slay a dragon?" Zhang Mingzhen immediately became excited.

"The dragon isn't the immediate concern. As long as no one ventures into the valley, it doesn't seem likely to reveal itself."

"The key point is that a few days ago, a whole herb-gathering team was wiped out, with only one person escaping back."

"According to him, he witnessed the dragon abduct all its companions and fly off in a certain direction with them in its arms."

"The survivor, emboldened by the prospect of retrieving the herbs, pursued the enemy for a while, but eventually stopped at a certain point, too afraid to go any further, and had no choice but to return and report."

Seeing Zhang Mingzhen's puzzled expression, Zhen Tianyin continued, "That direction leads to a village that has been abandoned for hundreds of years, formerly known as 'Little Creek Village'."

"Now the place is deserted, and the survivors hesitate to go there because of the terrible rumors that have always circulated there—"

"It is said that the villagers did not truly die, but continue to exist in the world in the form of demons, and all who step into the Desolate Village will become their sacrifices."

"That dragon abducts people to Desolate Village, perhaps to perform some kind of sacrifice, attempting to use the bodies of the living to bring demons into the world."

"Brave warrior, can you go to the Desolate Village to investigate this matter and find out the dragon's true intentions?"

System prompt: "Accept the quest 'Desolate Village Mystery'?"

"I accept." Zhang Mingzhen was a little dispirited.

But I still need to work on my liver.

After all, his real-life experiences still left him feeling somewhat distressed.

No matter how good you are at games, you still got scammed by two petty thieves in real life.

Fortunately, his skin is tough.

With two and a half days left until the double experience event ends, he needs to hurry back.

The mayor then summoned the survivor and took him there.

The two left the town, one after the other.

After entering the wilderness, it took us almost half a day to walk.

If Zhang Mingzhen weren't so inexperienced, he would definitely be very anxious right now.

Thankfully, we've finally arrived.

"Beyond that mountain lies the territory of the Desolate Village. I can only escort you this far... Farewell!" Before the herb gatherer who had discovered the Desolate Village could finish speaking, he had already turned and disappeared into the mountain path.

About a kilometer into the Desolate Village, a thick fog of gray and white suddenly filled the surroundings, obscuring the road ahead.

Just as I was concentrating, a hoarse "ho... ho..." sound came from my right rear, and something was quietly approaching.

Zhang Mingzhen swiftly dodged to the side, and where he had just stood, a twisted figure, resembling both a human and a ghost, suddenly appeared.

Its hands gleamed with a bluish-gray light, and its fingertips were as sharp as blades.

The zombie-like monster had its eyes rolled back, blood and rotting flesh hanging between its teeth, its face contorted in a grotesque grimace, its bluish-gray legs shuffling as it lunged at Zhang Mingzhen once more.

Regardless of the monster's level, its appearance, so unlike Shen He's, was already the most chilling thing Zhang Mingzhen had ever seen in all the games.

After all, other games tend to be more or less embellished, but they can't be this realistic.

Game companies can't afford to scare players into illness.

The immersive experience at this moment sent a chill creeping into my heart.

Before the fear and panic could dissipate, Zhang Mingzhen's Spirit Strike had already been released and pierced fiercely into the twisted monster's body.

Thanks to the terrifying amplification of "Level 10 Spirit Strike", the thing dissipated without even letting out a scream, leaving only a string of cold attribute information in the field of vision.

[Desolate Village Walking Corpse (Level 20)]

[Strength: 175]

[Physical Defense: 548]

[Magic Defense: 567]

[Additional Effect: Corpse Poison: When attacked by zombies, there is a 10% chance of becoming confused.]

[If this state persists for thirty seconds without being lifted, the character will die.]

The monster's base stats are within an acceptable range, but its accompanying corpse poison effect is insidious and incredibly dangerous...

Once triggered, it's like a persistent, insidious infection; once the thirty-second countdown ends, it's a dead end.

What's even more troublesome is that we currently have absolutely no idea how to resolve this.

This aligns with reality; for example, zombies often don't kill people directly, but rather infect them to death.

The only consolation was the substantial experience reward; even for Zhang Mingzhen, who had already reached level 27, the gains from the kills were still considerable.

If these walking corpses continue to appear here, it would be an excellent hunting ground for level 20 players to hone their skills, provided they can ensure their own survival.

There must be a way to detoxify.

After all, dying here means all the hard work of the day has gone to waste.

Then, a series of hoarse, low growls came from the depths of the thick fog that surrounded them.

The footsteps were chaotic and overlapping, coming from all directions, making it impossible to discern their exact location.

It seems my earlier prediction has come true; this place truly is a land teeming with walking corpses.

Zhang Mingzhen acted decisively, setting up a Ling Yue Leap Formation beneath his feet and simultaneously unleashing a series of ranged attacks in all directions.

However, the thick fog obscured visibility, making it difficult to estimate just how many monsters were lurking.

If one were to accidentally fall victim to such an attack and die in this environment, it would be far too shameful to let the news get out.

To be on the safe side, he decided to venture into the Desolate Village first.

Every five seconds, it unleashes an Eagle Strike forward, where birds formed from condensed spiritual light cry out and briefly clear a path through the thick fog.

He maintained this rhythm, clearing his path as he moved, while continuously replenishing his "Ling Yue" to protect the small area around him.

After advancing slowly for about half an hour, the outline of a village finally appeared in the fog.

At the entrance of the village stands a stone tablet, on which the inscription is clearly displayed in the system interface: "Little Creek Village".

"It seems this is the Little Creek Village that Zhen Tianyin mentioned, which is also the Desolate Village mentioned in the mission," Zhang Mingzhen muttered to himself.

As he approached the village entrance, he noticed that the thick fog that had been lingering there was strangely stopped at the edge of the village, without penetrating even a little.

The zombies that had been following behind did not follow, as if they were blocked by an invisible barrier.

"These zombies seem unable to escape the fog and move independently."

To uncover the secrets hidden in the Desolate Village, he had no choice but to step inside.

The moment their feet crossed the village boundary line, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed.

The previous dilapidated and desolate scene had vanished, replaced by a vibrant atmosphere of life.

You can even see three or four children playing and frolicking under the ancient tree in the distance.

Upon noticing Zhang Mingzhen's arrival, the children all stopped what they were doing and stared directly at him, their gazes so direct that they were somewhat unsettling.

"Who are you? My name is Xiao Qing." A little girl wearing a red cotton-padded jacket stepped out from the group of children and asked.

The child seems perfectly normal, but the problem is the current ambient temperature feels like summer...

"I came into the mountains to collect medicinal herbs. I was just passing by and wanted to stop by for a rest."

"Are any of your family members nearby?" Zhang Mingzhen replied, following up on the question.

Before the little girl could answer, an elderly woman with gray hair came out from a low house in the distance and called the children home for lunch.

"We're going back for dinner."

"Are you hungry? Would you like to come to my house and eat together?" the girl named "Xiao Qing" invited warmly.

Zhang Mingzhen thought to himself that he didn't know how to leave in the current situation, so he might as well go with the flow and take it one step at a time.

"Then I'll have to bother you, Xiao Qing."

"Then come with me."

Following Xiao Qing to the low house in the distance, after a brief introduction, the old lady agreed to let Zhang Mingzhen come in and have a meal together.

During the conversation, it was learned that only a grandmother and her grandson lived together in this family.

Xiao Qing's parents had passed away long ago, and she was raised by her grandmother.

Thinking about how he had freeloaded on the meal, Zhang Mingzhen couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Although he knew in his heart that the old man and the young boy in front of him were probably not alive.

After dinner, Xiao Qing ran out to play again.

Zhang Mingzhen stayed to chat with the old lady and learned that the Little Creek Village had about 700 people, mostly the elderly, children, and women, while most of the able-bodied men had gone out to make a living.

On ordinary days, the grandmother and grandson mainly make a living by picking wild vegetables and tending a small vegetable garden behind their house.