Why is it you?

The red light felt warm and caused Zhao Xun no discomfort at all.

Then a new pop-up appeared.

[Congratulations to player Zhao Xun for completing the main quest and obtaining the Sculpture's Heart.]

[Because the player completed the main quest using a more difficult method, a higher point reward has been awarded: 50 points.]

Zhao Xun's mood instantly brightened.

Everything had gone as he expected. Good thing he had not dodged that beam of red light.

Still, judging by the information in the pop-up, the points awarded for the main quest depended on how the player completed it.

If he understood correctly, finding a shortcut to complete the quest still counted as clearing the game.

But the points awarded would be considerably lower.

Choosing a more difficult and complicated method would earn more points.

Taking a shortcut made clearing the game easier and maximized one's chances of survival.

Taking the long way around was more dangerous and reduced one's chances of survival, but the points awarded were more substantial.

Neither choice was mandatory. It was entirely up to the player.

That was certainly one way to widen the gap in points.

Zhao Xun's smile grew even warmer. "You've already given me the thanks I wanted most. That's enough."

The sculpture was staring down at her chest in confusion, unsure what that beam of red light had been.

It had caused her no discomfort. Instead, it felt as though the hot, swelling sensation had been released, leaving her whole body feeling a little lighter.

Hearing Zhao Xun's words only made the sculpture more confused.

I don't think I gave him anything, did I?

Could the thanks he wanted most have been what I just said?

Zhao Xun offered no further explanation.

He cleaned the slime off his palms, then took off his jacket and handed it to Ruby. "Sorry for the trouble, but could you wash my jacket for me?"

There was a stream nearby, so washing clothes would be convenient.

The jacket was covered in dried slime. In the past, he would have simply thrown it away, but he no longer had enough jackets to waste like that. He could only settle for washing it and wearing it again.

"Of course, of course. I'll make sure it's perfectly clean." Ruby took the jacket and readily agreed.

It was a trivial task, but it would at least let her repay a little of his kindness in saving her life. She was more than willing to do it.

Zhao Xun chose a concealed spot and dragged the sculpture into the space between an earthen slope and a large tree. Then he told Ruby, "Stay safe. If you hear anything, don't go investigating. Hide beside the sculpture right away."

"Okay," Ruby agreed.

Only then did Zhao Xun leave.

Fortunately, he had already completed the main quest. Otherwise, he would not have felt comfortable leaving like this.

Although the sculpture could not move and Ruby certainly would not run away, no one could guarantee that nothing unexpected would happen while he was gone.

If he still had not obtained the Sculpture's Heart, he had planned to try digging her heart out directly.

That would have prevented him from completing the hidden quest, which would have been a shame, but failing the main quest might have left him unable to return to the Endless Train.

He could still tell which mattered more.

It was nearing evening.

Zhao Xun returned to the deserted Duke's Manor and made his way deep into the Bamboo Grove without encountering any obstacles.

As soon as he reached the sculpture's original location, he noticed something was wrong.

Just as the sculpture had said, an opening had appeared in the ground, with several steps beneath it leading into the basement.

Numerous overlapping shoeprints were clearly visible on the steps.

A closer inspection revealed three distinct sets of prints.

The smallest ones definitely belonged to Ruby, while the largest set went both in and out and presumably belonged to the sleazy man.

The remaining prints lay over the sleazy man's, but were clearly one size smaller.

Someone had probably entered not long ago.

And they had not come out yet.

Zhao Xun slipped one hand into his pocket, gripped the [Lively Long Rope] he had just obtained, and crept into the basement.

Many oil lamps burned along the basement walls, providing reasonably clear light.

As he descended the steps, the first thing that came into view was a long corridor.

Only after walking roughly ten meters farther in did he finally see a room.

Zhao Xun peeked inside and saw a man standing at the head of a bed.

The man's back alone was enough to identify him. It was undoubtedly Shen Yalong.

Shen Yalong was looking at something, though Zhao Xun could not tell what. He could faintly hear the rustle of turning pages.

Zhao Xun took out the rope and silently tossed it toward Shen Yalong.

The rope immediately slithered nimbly onto Shen Yalong's shoulders and quickly bound him tight.

By the time Shen Yalong reacted, the rope had already wrapped around him, leaving him unable to break free.

He turned his head in fury, but the moment he saw Zhao Xun, all the fight drained out of him.

"W-why is it you...?" he stammered.

Zhao Xun did not speak right away. He walked over to Shen Yalong and picked up the sheets of letter paper Shen Yalong had tossed aside during his struggle.

Shen Yalong's expression shifted slightly, and he immediately offered an explanation. "I stumbled across this basement and came in out of curiosity. Then I happened to find this letter. I do have a bit of a habit of snooping into other people's private affairs, and I opened someone else's letter without permission, but that's not such a big deal, is it?"

Zhao Xun still did not respond. He quickly scanned the contents of the letter.

It had been written by a witch more than three hundred years ago.

When she was young, the witch had fallen in love with an ordinary man from Nairui Town.

They loved each other dearly, but everyone in town believed witches were evil. They never dared to reveal their relationship and could only meet in secret.

For safety's sake, the man had even moved into the mountain woods on the outskirts of town.

He only occasionally came down the mountain to sell the animals he hunted and buy everyday necessities.

But the truth could not stay hidden forever.

Their relationship was eventually discovered.

When the man came down the mountain to sell game, people from the Public Security Office arrested him.

Because he refused to admit that the witch was evil, they declared him a human who had been corrupted by a witch.

Everyone in town believed that anything or anyone corrupted by a witch would bring misfortune.

And so the man met the same fate that befell witches in that era-burning at the stake.

The witch waited until dark, but the man never returned. She disguised herself and went down the mountain, only then learning of his death.

He had been burned alive.

The witch could endure suffering inflicted on herself, but she could not swallow her anger when the man she loved had died because of her.

Overwhelmed by grief and rage, she decided to take revenge.

Using an ancient forbidden art at the cost of her own lifespan, she built this basement beneath the entirety of Nairui Town and placed a magic circle in every passage.