Fire Kindling and the Night Watcher's Remains

Yang Qizhou chose to agree, though he had quite a few complaints about the text box.

Could you stop with the sarcasm, you jerk?

"You successfully masked your obsession with the young girl's beauty and generously expressed your willingness to provide help."

"Aliceina is very grateful for your kindness and reveals the method to return to Fire-Stealing Village. It turns out the village is under the protection of the Ancient Fire-Stealing God; without the guidance of a 'Fire-Kindling,' one cannot walk the correct path to enter the village. The method to craft a 'Fire-Kindling' is not complex; you only need to collect a 'Fire-Kindling Stone,' 'Dead Wood,' and 'Fire-Oil Cloth'."

"You ask where these materials can be found."

"Aliceina explains that these materials are not hard to find. The 'Fire-Kindling Stone' is on Fire-Stealing Mountain, the sacrificial grounds where the Ancient Fire-Stealing God is worshipped; stones stained with the aura of the Ancient Fire-Stealing God can be used as Fire-Kindling Stones. 'Dead Wood' can be found everywhere in the forest; you can just pick up any piece. The Fire-Oil Cloth is more troublesome, as it is something only found in Fire-Stealing Village. However, Aliceina mentions that when she was younger and mischievous, she once stole some 'Fire-Oil Cloth' from her father, and it is hidden in a cave three hundred meters from here."

"You feel troubled and subtly express the dangers lurking in the wilderness, believing that wandering around will cost you your life. You ask if there is any other way."

"Aliceina states there is no other way to enter the village."

"After hesitating for a long time, Aliceina takes out a palm-sized bone fragment and says that the 'Remains of the Night Watcher' will protect your safety."

"You have obtained the item 'Remains of the Night Watcher'."

Fire-Stealing Village must be the village behind the gray fog.

Yang Qizhou had been prepared to die one more time, but he hadn't expected the NPC he was rescuing to be of the Lawful Good alignment, nor that she would issue a quest to enter the village.

It's a pity this is a text-based game; he can't see just how beautiful Aliceina really is.

Remains of the Night Watcher (Quest Item): Contains powerful energy that makes the anomalies of the wilderness tremble. Cannot be brought back to reality.

"You take the 'Remains of the Night Watcher,' and an uncontrollable greed rises in your heart. Yet, to win the favor of the beautiful young girl Aliceina, you decide to be a good person for once."

"Before setting off, you recall the terrifying experience in your previous fate of being torn apart and eaten in the dead of night."

"You ask Aliceina why she seems so afraid of the dark."

"Aliceina looks at you with a strange expression, as if she cannot believe you don't know such basic facts, but the beautiful Aliceina still answers the question."

"The night is the domain of the Lord of the Dark Night, a great and noble ancient deity. His children live in the darkness, and any creature that intrudes into the night becomes food for the offspring of the Lord of the Dark Night. If one does not enter Fire-Stealing Village to receive protection before nightfall, they will be torn apart and eaten by the offspring of the Lord of the Dark Night."

"Seeing Aliceina trembling, you quickly step forward to comfort her and promise that you will definitely bring her back to the village safely."

This text... why is it so awkward?

Yang Qizhou frowns, feeling like something is wrong, but he can't put his finger on it, so he decides to set it aside for now and continue the game.

"You arrive at Fire-Stealing Mountain. You constantly feel countless malicious and terrifying gazes watching you in the twilight. The 'Remains of the Night Watcher' in your hand scares them away."

"You have obtained a Fire-Kindling Stone."

"You arrive at the forest. There is no sense of trembling here like on Fire-Stealing Mountain, but it is still very eerie. Night is falling, and your actions become increasingly urgent."

"You have obtained Dead Wood."

"You arrive at the cave containing the Fire-Oil Cloth. It seems some terrifying creatures are hidden inside, but they fear the 'Remains of the Night Watcher' in your hand and do not launch an attack."

"You have obtained Fire-Oil Cloth."

"You return to Aliceina's side. This beautiful girl from Fire-Stealing Village is very grateful for your kindness. After offering a fragrant kiss, she takes back the 'Remains of the Night Watcher' and begins to craft the Fire-Kindling."

"You have lost the 'Remains of the Night Watcher'."

"You have obtained Fire-Kindling..."

Fire-Kindling (Common): A torch that illuminates the night. Contains a faint divine power of the Ancient Fire-Stealing God. Can dispel the illusions in the fog and walk the true path into Fire-Stealing Village.

Without death as a companion, the entire quest process went smoothly, which actually made Yang Qizhou, who was used to dying, feel uneasy.

The text continues to scroll.

"You support Aliceina and walk toward Fire-Stealing Village. During the journey, you feel the girl's heartbeat accelerating."

"Just at this moment, a twisted monster that had been wandering this barren land for a long time attacks you. At the critical moment, Aliceina blocks the attack for you and is severely injured. Weakly, she takes out the 'Remains of the Night Watcher' and shouts for you to run, while she stays behind to hold off the twisted monster."

"You choose to run."

"Guided by the Fire-Kindling, you pass through the protection of the Ancient Fire-Stealing God and arrive at Fire-Stealing Village, where you happen to run into a Night Watcher."

"You beg the Night Watcher for help and tell him about Aliceina's predicament. The Night Watcher's expression turns to shock, saying that while there was indeed a member named Porter in the Night Watcher squad who was once deeply favored by the Ancient Fire-Stealing God and had slain many twisted monsters—a powerful divine-favored one—he had already died three years ago."

"You suddenly feel your scalp tingle and a chill run down your spine. You vaguely sense that a terrifying monster has followed you into Fire-Stealing Village."

"The horrific event occurs: the buildings of Fire-Stealing Village decay and weather at a speed visible to the naked eye. The Night Watcher before you looks terrified as he rapidly ages and dies. You feel your whole body go weak, your mind dull, your skin wrinkle, your vision blur, and several teeth fall out."

"You vaguely hear Aliceina's voice; she is thanking you for leading the way."

"You have died."

My intuition was right; this Aliceina definitely has issues.

Yang Qizhou punches the sofa. He had felt it was strange before: if Aliceina was so afraid of the arrival of night, why did she use respectful words like "noble," "great," and "ancient" when describing the "Lord of the Dark Night"? And when the twisted monster attacked, why didn't the "Remains of the Night Watcher" work?

Now he understands.

She is most likely a follower of the "Lord of the Dark Night," and the twisted monster was summoned by her.

"If I'm not mistaken, the Fire-Oil Cloth was obtained by Aliceina after killing a 'Night Watcher,' and the monsters on Fire-Stealing Mountain and in the cave were also kept by her. Even the power in the 'Remains of the Night Watcher' that made the twisted monster fear it didn't come from the Night Watcher himself, but was left behind when she killed him."

"Wait,"

"That follower of the Old God who hated the aura of wizards—could it also be her?"

Deeply aware of how the World of Weirdness influenced reality, Yang Qizhou no longer treated it as an ordinary game; his attitude was incredibly serious, analyzing every line of text.

The game continued.

"How many times have you returned to the River of Death now? Although the light of the Fire Kindling protected by fate still flickers, and the Doom-Bringing Raven still cries, please cherish your life."

"Make your choice now, explorer who dies repeatedly."

"Will you choose to use the power of fate to rewrite the ending of your death?"

"Or will you use the power of the Doom-Bringing Raven to return to the moment you made your last choice?"

There were two chances left for a normal resurrection, and the Doom-Bringing Raven could still be used once. Yang Qizhou had already made his choice in his heart; although he hadn't immediately seen through that Aliceina was a follower of the Lord of the Dark Night, he had long anticipated the death that could descend at any moment.

He chose the Doom-Bringing Raven to return to the moment of his previous choice.

Do not forget, The Fire Kindling is still here.