The Stone of Truth

Decapitation, beheading, hanging—good grief, those were all medieval punishments.

At least this was only a text-based game, with no CG images. Otherwise, if Yang Qizhou had seen the characters' gruesome fates, he definitely wouldn't have been able to stomach it.

Oh, right.

Yang Qizhou suddenly noticed the text and hurriedly scrolled back up. Overcome with excitement, he subconsciously leaped off the sofa.

"Nice."

"I thought I'd lost completely, but things took a turn at the last minute. Even when he was about to die, he didn't forget to squeeze one more advantage out of the situation. I love how greedy, shameless, and reckless this character is."

The Stone of Truth (Quasi-Excellent): From the Truth Sect of the Golden Kingdom. Do what is right and pursue the ultimate truth of the world. A gift from the Truth Sect's followers to the Truth Enforcer. Effect: You can designate a target, who must answer any questions you ask truthfully for the next five minutes. After use, it enters a 24-hour cooldown.

Its attributes were decent, but compared to the "Law Book of Windbell Town," it was far inferior. The two items were worlds apart.

The key, though, was that the "Quasi-Legendary" item was currently unusable. Only by completely destroying Windbell Town could he unleash its full power. For now, it was useless dead weight.

The [Stone of Truth], on the other hand, could be used as soon as he got it. It was an immediate, tangible benefit.

Just how difficult it was to obtain items in the [World of Weirdness] was clear from the members of the Bureau of Occult Investigation. Even if this was only a Quasi-Excellent item, Yang Qizhou was already satisfied.

"Hopefully, today's story can advance to 'Dark Fog Town.'" Yang Qizhou murmured, turning his attention back to the game.

"Ever the adventurer, forever walking the path of self-destruction, your soul returns to the River of Death. The unknown presence turns its attention to you once more, but still has no intention of showing itself."

"The light of protection has grown very faint. You have only one chance left to change your fate of death."

"Or you could use the ability of the 'Doom-Bringing Raven' to return to the moment you last made a choice."

"So, adventurer, what will you do?"

What else? Of course he'd use the Doom-Bringing Raven's ability to return to the moment before he entered Windbell Town.

If he simply revived the character normally, he'd still be in Windbell Town, and stealing the Book of Law would still count as an established fact. By then, neither the indescribable god's envoy nor the residents who had turned into monsters would let this thief off easily.

"You chose to use the ability of the 'Doom-Bringing Raven' to return to the moment you last made a choice."

"Drenched in sweat, you open your eyes once more in the Wilderness. You can't help feeling terrified. Being executed by the very laws of order was hardly a pleasant experience."

"So, adventurer,"

"Having returned to the crossroads of fate, will you visit the strange and terrifying Windbell Town once more, or continue onward to Dark Fog Town and complete Lena's request?"

Did he even have to think about it? Of course he'd choose the latter.

Yang Qizhou chose "2."

The text continued to refresh...

"You choose to continue onward to Dark Fog Town, your heart filled with regret. After all, if you went back to Windbell Town, you could get another Law Book. Wouldn't that mean twice the fun?"

"'Garment of the Hidden World' takes effect. You enter a concealed state."

"You continue toward Dark Fog Town."

"You are traveling."

"You continue traveling."

"You encounter an Ancient Dominator devouring a god. It doesn't notice you, but seems to sense something and looks up."

"You hurriedly flee from the Ancient Dominator, breaking out in a cold sweat."

"You continue traveling."

"You are very close to 'Dark Fog Town.'"

Yang Qizhou felt a little nervous, hoping nothing else would go wrong.

He had already used the Doom-Bringing Raven's ability four times today: once in Fire-Stealing Village when he fell from reality into illusion, once when the Lord of the Dreamy Hidden World fell, once at the end of the broken Divine Path, and once just now in Windbell Town.

He had also died and revived normally twice: once when the Dream Offspring killed him, and once when the Giant trampled him into a pulp.

On top of that, he had already used up the chance to rewind his earlier choice, so he couldn't use the Doom-Bringing Raven's ability again.

In other words,

if the character died again, Yang Qizhou would have no choice but to revive normally. That would use up all his chances to come back, and he'd have to wait until tomorrow to continue the story.

If he died more than three times without the protection of fate's power, not only would the character sink into the River of Death, but Yang Qizhou himself would die in the real world.

"You enter the area of 'Dark Fog Town.'"

Nice...

Yang Qizhou was thrilled by the game's notification. At last, he was about to unlock a new map.

Keep going, keep going.

He'd try to finish the Fire-Stealing Village's mission for help today.

"You are stunned, unable to believe your eyes. Before you lies neither a towering city wall nor a lively town, but a vast, desolate swamp inhabited by countless loathsome monsters. Yakshas with fish heads and octopuses with writhing tentacles fill the swamp. Despair fills their eyes as they roar and slaughter one another in a frenzy."

"You suspect you've taken a wrong turn. How could this be the Dark Fog Town Lena told you about, home to numerous sects, including the 'Fire-Stealing Cult'?"

"You take out the signpost and compare it again."

"You are certain you haven't taken a wrong turn."

"You feel cold all over. Terror rises in the depths of your heart, and you don't dare imagine what could have happened to 'Dark Fog Town' to turn it into this desolate hellscape."

"You feel a faint breeze brush past."

"Your eyes itch a little. You scratch them, and pull out your eyes along with their bones. A pleasant sensation rises from beneath your feet. You look down and see that your lower body has turned into a fish's tail. You find yourself inexplicably worshipping the wind, wanting to offer it your life."

"You go mad and charge straight ahead."

"You are devoured by the monsters in the swamp."

"You are dead."

???

A little kid had a lot of questions.

Wasn't Dark Fog Town supposed to be the next map after leaving the beginner village? Shouldn't it have stronger NPCs, greater opportunities, and higher-level quests?

How could it just go and die like that?

Where was the leader of the Fire-Stealing Cult? Where were the powerful figures of the other sects? Where were the ancient gods who had protected humanity through the turning of the ages?

Not even a ripple.

"So that's why the Divine Path broke for no reason. Dark Fog Town had already been razed, so naturally the ancient gods' protection would disappear, too."

"As expected of the Ancient Earth. Not only can people die just like that, but entire cities can vanish without a trace."

The new map was a bust, but the game was still playable. He had no choice but to keep going.

"Your soul arrives at the River of Death."

"You see gray-black water surging and churning, with countless dead slumbering on the riverbed. On the riverbank stands a skeleton wearing a grass cloak, gray flames flickering in its eye sockets, as if waiting for someone."

"The Mysterious Skeleton turns its gaze toward you."