They'd taken care of it that easily?
Kong Yubo and the others lay sprawled on the ground. The battle was over, and Bai Zuo had released his control over them.
Kong Yubo could feel the pain in his body. They couldn't move so much as a finger.
Pain!
It felt as if a truck had run over their entire bodies. Had all their bones been broken?
Xu Zhou, however, gazed at Flying Bird A with sparkling, starry eyes, brimming with enthusiasm. He didn't hold back his admiration. "That was amazing! Senior Flying Bird A! That terrifying monster was so powerful, but you took it down in a flash!"
"When will I be able to get as strong as you?" Xu Zhou scratched the back of his head, asking and answering himself with a mix of dejection and self-mockery. "No, someone like me probably can't do that!"
Flying Bird A stepped over and bent down, his handsome, radiant face drawing very close. "Well! So this is what the newbie's like? As a Contract Anomalist, you should be a little more carefree! Don't suppress your feelings so much."
"After all, we don't know when we might die. While we're alive, we should enjoy ourselves and let loose!"
Xu Zhou was flustered and at a loss. This was the first time anyone had ever spoken to him like that.
Growing up, everyone around him had always said, "Xu Zhou, you need to behave."
"I've been putting up with all this for you, for this family. I just wish you'd grow up sooner."
"Don't be so selfish! I work myself to the bone for this little bit of money, and you and your mother spend every last cent! If it weren't for you two, I'd be living it up!"
No matter how hard he tried, perhaps because he simply didn't have enough talent, he could never do as well as other people. His grades hovered around the top ten, but he'd never made it into the top three.
Gradually, even he began to think he was a good-for-nothing, someone useless.
Can I? Can I really let myself be selfish?
"Of course! Become a bird and fly wherever you want!" Flying Bird A struck a dashing pose, conjured a feather, and placed it in Xu Zhou's hand.
"After all, a bird can never be bound."
Flying Bird A hopped backward, using the momentum to leap into the air. The wind gently lifted him, making him look like a white bird spreading its wings and soaring toward the sky—so dazzling, so beautiful.
"Until we meet again. I hope you'll be a little more confident next time, newbie."
The proud and confident white bird rode the wind, soaring through the sky until he quickly vanished from sight.
Everyone stared up at the sky, only letting out a sigh after a long while.
That free and powerful bird was truly someone to admire!
After the anomaly was contained and Flying Bird A left Anyang Island, the Horror Game detected that Yan Luo was no longer in the Dungeon and soon determined that the Dungeon Boss had been killed.
"B-rank Multiplayer Dungeon—Lamp Mansion Festival has been completely conquered. This Dungeon will be permanently closed. Completion time: 2025.1.2. Conquerors: Flying Bird A, Bai Zuo, Xu Zhou, Ji Wu, Kong Yubo, Tian Hua..."
"Individual contribution rewards have been calculated. Nightmare-level completion reward: ***(visible only to the recipient)."
"Team contribution rewards have been calculated. Nightmare-level completion rewards: 600,000 yuan per person (awarded to contributors), Healing Cards +10 (distributed by the highest contributors), Achievement Points +10 (can be used to purchase survival items in the game)."
"Global announcement: First clear of the B-rank Multiplayer Dungeon—Lamp Mansion Festival in the Xia Kingdom. Awarded a B-rank Buff: Eight hours of safe time during the day, lasting for one week."
The first three announcements were visible only to people in the Xia Kingdom.
The final global announcement was visible to everyone in the world!
Everyone on Blue Star was overcome with panic and unease.
Only a small number of people who already knew about the Horror Game weren't as frightened.
The Xia Kingdom's senior officials.
When the White Mist appeared, Kong Yubo and the others lost contact with the outside world. The officials had kept sending people to try to reach them.
Unfortunately, the White Mist shrouded Anyang Island, and they couldn't get in. Even if they ventured into the White Mist, they'd lose their bearings and somehow find themselves back outside the island.
That was, until the game announcement appeared.
The officials reacted quickly. "What's happening on Anyang Island?"
"The White Mist has cleared! We've reached Captain Kong and the others! More than a hundred people are injured and need rescue!"
The officials immediately contacted every hospital in Anyang City and sent ambulances to Anyang Island.
"It seems this Dungeon is how the game is really meant to be played."
Based on the information revealed in the announcements, the Xia Kingdom analyzed a great deal of intelligence.
"The Horror Game, huh? Looks like life won't be peaceful from now on."
This global announcement truly sent shockwaves around the world.
The memories people had forgotten came rushing back.
"The Horror Game really exists!"
"What does safe time mean? Are we not safe right now?"
"The end of the world is really here!"
"The news has been reporting all kinds of murders lately. The victims' horrific conditions couldn't possibly have been caused by people, but the authorities keep covering it up and refusing to admit the truth."
"My neighbor turned into a dried-up corpse in a single day. I'd even greeted him the day before."
"Oh my God, a woman upstairs from me died in her own home for no reason, too."
"Those monsters are going to kill every last one of us!"
With anomalies appearing right beside them, everyone grew afraid, terrified that they might be the next victim.
Many people started looting and smashing things in the streets, venting their feelings without restraint. Others tried everything they could to get to the Xia Kingdom, simply because it had eight hours of safe time.
Compared with foreign countries, where order was beginning to collapse, the people of the Xia Kingdom had received more information in the announcement. After a moment of stunned silence, they erupted.
"Damn, these people are incredible!"
"While we had no idea what was going on, someone had already started conquering a Dungeon—and even cleared it!"
"I have to say, when it comes to gaming, you've got to hand it to players from the Xia Kingdom."
"Did you see the reward? Six hundred thousand! How long would it take me to earn that much? Where's the conscience? The morals? The bottom line? The address?"
"And that's the team reward. The individual reward must be even bigger!"
"Where are the Dungeons? I want to conquer one, too!"
"Let's go! One job like this and we're set!"
"We might die, but we'll die with our heads held high!"
"Honestly, the odds might be better than winning the lottery."
"Conquering a Dungeon can't be easy. Maybe they risked their lives, and even lost people, to clear it."
"You all talk a big game. Let's see if you can even run when you actually see an anomaly!"
"If it's a game, there's always a way to beat it. Find the right strategy, and the game is my personal ATM!"
Before you continue