The information on the notice board clearly indicates that it was placed by someone from the Lost City... Why doesn't this uncle know?
Placed by another team? A teammate the uncle got separated from?
Right, that sign itself is strange. It's already in the outer region of the primeval forest, which means whoever put up the notice is about to leave the mountains.
Doesn't fit the dungeon setting.
The introduction to The Way of the Extraordinary clearly states that the people in the city are trapped, and those who entered the mountains to explore are facing a major crisis. In theory, they shouldn't be leaving the mountains so quickly, or this setting would seem pointless.
Zhang Yuanqing thought, not pausing his words, and said:
"You just said that a human face grew on the tree, and that it was your missing teammate. What happened next?"
The middle-aged man replied:
"We were all terrified at the time. We had never encountered anything like that before. In the end, the captain suggested we chop down the tree to see what was going on."
Aren't you courting death?... Zhang Yuanqing grumbled inwardly. Sure enough, he heard the middle-aged man say, with a look of fear:
"The result was a disaster. As soon as the captain chopped it with an axe, the tree trunk started bleeding, bleeding like a person. That human face suddenly opened its eyes and cried out in pain. That sound was so miserable and terrifying, I can't forget it even now.
"The captain was also frightened and didn't dare to chop anymore. Just as we were at a loss, the teammate inside the tree suddenly looked at us with resentment, shouting: Eat you all, eat you all..."
"Then, the surrounding trees suddenly seemed to come alive. Even though there was no wind, the branches moved like hands, scaring us so much that we ran away."
Zhang Yuanqing said, "So, you scattered?" The middle-aged man shook his head:
"That was later. That night, we didn't even dare to camp. We traveled all night. When it dawned, we ran into a group of monkeys."
"Monkeys?"
"Yes, man-eating monkeys." The middle-aged man's voice was low, with fear mixed with hatred:
"One member of the team was too slow to escape and was eaten by the monkeys. I saw with my own eyes those beasts swarming up like jackals gnawing on prey. My companion and I got separated during the escape."
Zhang Yuanqing stared at the dead branches under the uncle's feet, trying to extract as much information as possible:
"Uncle, what do you know about this mountain forest?" The middle-aged uncle shook his head:
"This mountain forest appeared out of nowhere. I only know it's very dangerous. Before us, others have tried to cross this forest to escape the cage."
"But none of them have returned. I hope they have found a way to leave."
Saying this, the middle-aged man said:
"Young man, I have to go. Find my companions and look for a way out of the mountains. I hope you can leave here as soon as possible too. Remember, the trees here eat people, so be careful. They are afraid of knives and fire. Remember to protect yourself when you encounter danger.
"Also, watch out for the monkeys!"
Watching the middle-aged man leave, his figure disappearing into the depths of the forest, Zhang Yuanqing retracted his gaze and summarized the conversation.
"Outer region, known dangers: trees and monkeys. According to the uncle, that member was lured by the call, that's why he disappeared and ended up in the tree. Does that mean the call is actually coming from the trees?"
"Summary: Ignoring the calls can avoid danger. Trees are afraid of fire and knives. If you encounter monkeys, you can only fight them head-on."
Zhang Yuanqing's eyes suddenly lit up.
Can chopping down or burning trees earn points?
If so, with the vast area of this primeval forest, he could make a fortune.
"Obviously not, it's too simple. Maybe not all trees are dangerous. The man-eating trees are hidden in the forest, and killing them will earn points..."
Zhang Yuanqing thought, then suddenly frowned:
"The notice board was put up by someone from the Lost City, telling me not to use knives and fire in the forest, but the uncle from the Lost City told me that trees are afraid of knives and fire, implying that I can use them for self-defense if necessary. They contradict each other."
In his experience, contradictions mean there is a hidden story to explore.
There are too few clues, and it's useless to overthink it. Zhang Yuanqing continued to walk into the depths of the forest, with Blood Rose clearing the way ahead. Although clearing the way has lost its meaning since he can't use knives.
But when danger comes, Blood Rose in the front can take the hit for him.
After walking like this for half an hour, Zhang Yuanqing heard a dense "squeak" coming from his left, accompanied by the "rustling" of the wind blowing through the treetops.
He looked towards the sound and saw that the forest was constantly shaking. He could vaguely see agile monkeys leaping and climbing among the treetops, chasing prey below.
The prey was running in the primeval forest full of bushes and hanging vines, moving with surprisingly high speed, unaffected by the complex terrain.
The monkeys were already extremely agile, leaping on the treetops, but they couldn't catch up with the prey for a while.
So fast and agile, is it a Wood Manipulator? Zhang Yuanqing hadn't seen anyone yet, but he had already made a judgment.
Finally, as the rustling sound got closer and closer, he saw a tall, good-looking woman emerge from the bushes on the left.
About thirty years old, wearing loose black trousers, a cyan windbreaker, a bun hairstyle, and running shoes.
A beautiful and charming oval face, long legs, a full chest filling out the windbreaker, but a slender waist.
After the woman emerged from the bushes, they met each other face to face. Her expression changed abruptly, and she stopped in a hurry, staring at Blood Rose and Zhang Yuanqing, assuming a defensive posture.
"Whirr"
At this time, the monkeys on the treetops took the opportunity to chase after them. Some pounced directly at the oval-faced woman, while others continued to leap on the treetops, arriving above Zhang Yuanqing and Blood Rose, pouncing down menacingly.
They were one meter long, covered in thick, hard black hair, with stocky bodies and long, muscular arms.
Damn, collateral damage... Zhang Yuanqing half-sided his body, bent his upper body, and kicked upwards with his right foot.
"Bang!"
His sole made solid contact with the black-haired monkey's chest. He only felt that the opponent's chest was as tough as leather and heavy as a boulder, without that satisfying feeling of hitting hard.
He knew that this kick hadn't done much damage to the monkey.
Sure enough, the monkey fell headfirst, but immediately got up, propped itself up on its arms, and pounced over, half-jumping and half-running.
Zhang Yuanqing calmly took out the Bloodthirsty Blade, pinched the tip of the blade, and threw it with all his strength.
"Puff!"
The Bloodthirsty Blade turned into a silver light and was nailed into the black-haired monkey's chest.
Deng deng deng... Zhang Yuanqing ran forward quickly, jumped up, and kicked the hilt of the knife, sending the forty-centimeter Bloodthirsty Blade completely into the monkey's chest.
The black-haired monkey crashed to the ground, its legs twitching a few times, and soon there was no sign of life.
Although the notice board said that you can't use items, Zhang Yuanqing believes that as long as you don't use knives to chop down trees and vines, nothing will happen.
[Ding! You killed a mountain monkey and gained 1 point.]
On the other side, Blood Rose grabbed the throat of the monkey that pounced at her with one hand, slammed it hard on the ground, then knelt on its chest with one knee, and raised her right fist high.
A straight punch downward.
Crack... The black-haired monkey's head exploded instantly, and brain tissue and blood-stained bone fragments splattered everywhere.
[Ding! You killed a mountain monkey and gained 1 point.]
The Yin Servant's battle record is counted on the master.
Blood Rose's pupils turned scarlet, and after taking a light sniff, a blood mist rose from the black-haired monkey's body and poured into her nostrils.
The Yin Servant's aura surged violently, and it seemed to become stronger.
"Squeak~"
The monkeys on the trees seemed to be frightened, screaming constantly. A few monkeys who originally wanted to pounce on their prey grabbed the branches in panic, barely preventing themselves from falling.
Then, they reached an agreement in "squeaks" and retreated in the direction they came from, and soon disappeared.
More than a dozen points just ran away. I haven't figured out this dungeon yet, so I'm not in a hurry to start killing wildly... Zhang Yuanqing watched the shaking treetops move away, confirming that the monkeys wouldn't come back, and then looked at the tall, full-bodied Wood Manipulator woman.
She looked a little embarrassed, but was not actually hurt. With a Wood Manipulator’s agility, as long as she isn't surrounded by monkeys, she will not be in danger.
"I'm sorry, you got caught up in this."
The Wood Manipulator woman patted the dirt off her body and smiled. "It's nothing!"
Wearing Wang Tai's face, Zhang Yuanqing pretended to be Fu Qingyang, replying coldly.
"I'm from the Five Elements Alliance, my dungeon ID is Peony Fairy. What about you?" she introduced herself.
Peony Fairy? The ID sounds familiar... Oh, that's the female colleague who kept licking me during the online meeting... Zhang Yuanqing was stunned at first, and then a little surprised.
He didn't expect that the first dungeon walker he encountered in the killing dungeon would be a colleague.
However, revealing your background directly will make you seem too unvigilant. Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, still coldly on the surface:
"Wang Tai!"
"Wang Tai..." Peony Fairy chewed on the name and smiled sweetly:
"You are a Night Wanderer from the Taiyi Sect, right? Wood Manipulators are very sensitive to the aura of life. I know that is a Yin Servant."
As an official member and a Saint candidate, she has enough knowledge and experience.
She thinks I am from the Taiyi Sect, that’s why she announced her identity? Okay, I take back what I just said... Zhang Yuanqing shook his head: "I am a rogue cultivator."
There are a total of thirty-eight official members participating in this killing dungeon. The number is not large. If you take the time to memorize their IDs, you will know that Wang Tai is not among them.
If he admits that he is from the Taiyi Sect, it is equivalent to exposing himself. Of course, exposure doesn't matter.
Peony Fairy said "Oh," not knowing whether she believed it or not. She hesitated slightly and invited:
"There are many crises in the dungeon. The Order faction should help each other. If you don't mind, would you like to come along?"
Before Zhang Yuanqing could answer, she threw out another condition:
"I plan to go find Yuanshi Tianzun and other colleagues. If you follow me, you will be our companion."
If you knew I was Yuanshi Tianzun, I wonder what your expression would be! Zhang Yuanqing had this intention and said:
"Sure!"
Gathering colleagues is one of his goals, and gathering colleagues as Wang Tai can avoid the calculations of the traitors to a certain extent.
After reaching an agreement, Peony Fairy said quickly:
"We had better leave quickly, it will be troublesome if those monkeys bring in reinforcements."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded, kept a relatively safe distance from Peony Fairy, walked together, and said:
"Those monkeys don't have high combat power."
Peony Fairy's expression was serious: "No, that's because you haven't seen the Monkey King."
"Monkey King?" Zhang Yuanqing resisted turning his head to look at the woman who was almost ten years older than him.
"Yes, it is a white monkey, no, more like an orangutan. It is about three meters tall and very scary. I suspect it has the strength of a weak Level 4," Peony Fairy said with a look of fear.
Weak Level 4 is stronger than Extraordinary and slightly weaker than Saint.
This kind of vague combat power only appears on items and dungeon bosses
The Ghost Bride Bai Lan is a weak Level 4.
The first mini-boss appeared... Zhang Yuanqing waved to sweep away a few thick vines and said:
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading!
"This dungeon is a bit strange. I haven't figured out the clues yet. Why don't we share information and see what we find."
Peony Fairy nodded slightly and said:
"After I entered the dungeon, the mission prompt told me to start from the outer layer and move towards the middle with the notice board as the standard."
Zhang Yuanqing echoed:
"It seems that everyone's side missions are the same. Well, what did the notice board say?"
Peony Fairy recalled while talking about the precautions on the notice board.
The first three were exactly the same as what Zhang Yuanqing saw, but the fourth had a problem.
"Four: Be careful of animals, especially monkeys." Zhang Yuanqing raised his eyebrows and said: "Are you sure?"
Peony Fairy asked in surprise: "Isn't yours the same?"
"My fourth one is: If you see other people in the forest, please do not make eye contact with him (her)." Zhang Yuanqing told his precautions without concealment.
He couldn't see any traces of lies from Peony Fairy's micro-expressions, so she shouldn't be lying, or this woman is an actor.
Peony Fairy frowned: "Why is this?" Zhang Yuanqing walked forward while being vigilant around him and said:
"Two possibilities, one, the dangers encountered in different areas are different. Your notice board warns you to be careful of monkeys, so you encountered monkeys. And my notice board warns me not to make eye contact with people, so I encountered people in the dungeon."
"Two, the precautions given by each notice board are different. This is implying to us that we can use the rules to trick enemies. People who enter the dungeon have mastered two rules for living in the jungle. This is a weapon we can use.
"Of course, judging by the number of people, there shouldn't be so many rules. Many people's rules are repeated. Based on this idea, perhaps gathering all the rules is one of the main lines of this dungeon."
Peony Fairy's eyes were full of surprise. She looked up and down at the young man named Wang Tai and realized one thing. I found a treasure.
Being able to analyze so many things based on such crude and simple information, not to mention whether it is right or wrong, she doesn't have this kind of agile thinking ability anyway.
It can be seen that this young man named Wang Tai is good at dungeon strategies.
What a talent.
In addition to being pleasantly surprised, Peony Fairy was also a little disappointed. She admitted that she could not reach top geniuses like Yuanshi Tianzun and Zhao Chenghuang, but she didn't expect that a chance encounter with a Night Wanderer would also have such outstanding abilities.
There may be many more such people in the dungeon.
Peony Fairy has a feeling that a small town student has come to the examination hall in a big city, only to find that everyone here is a high-IQ academic master.
"Sword Come"
"By the way, the reason I was chased by the monkeys was because I overheard them talking. I have an item that can understand animal language. The monkeys said that another human had entered the forest, and they couldn't let them get close..."
"Get close to what?"
"I didn't hear clearly, I was quickly discovered by the monkeys."
I didn't hear clearly or didn't want to say, can't get close to the middle of the forest... Zhang Yuanqing didn't ask any more questions, but instead took the initiative to change the subject:
"There should be a fifth precaution."
His notice board had five rules.
Peony Fairy said "Um", "Fifth, if you see mountaineers claiming to be from the Lost City, do not talk to them and leave immediately."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Wang Tai five meters away, suddenly stopped, and his face was stiff.
Can't talk to mountaineers from the Lost City, leave immediately? Zhang Yuanqing's mind was filled with the word "damn"!
At this moment, he had a feeling of coldness down his spine and a strange sense of horror in his heart.
Not long ago, he had just had a conversation with an uncle from the "Lost City."
Peony Fairy was obviously a smart woman. Seeing this, she frowned and said, "You, have you met a mountaineer?"
And chatted for more than ten minutes... Zhang Yuanqing nodded with a heavy face and told her the conversation he had with the middle-aged uncle.
Peony Fairy's face changed slightly and she moved a few meters away from him silently.
This woman! Zhang Yuanqing twitched the corner of his mouth and said lightly: "At least I am fine now, nothing has happened."
He didn't think that violating the precautions would make him fall into the gutter. With unequal information, he would make mistakes, and others would make mistakes.
Based on his understanding of the dungeon, this kind of trap with a high pitfall rate often does not bring direct, fatal damage.
Either it will accumulate and stack, or it will only explode under specific conditions.
If this brings about a fatal crisis, then half of the people in the dungeon would be dead by now.
Thinking this way, Zhang Yuanqing stopped and opened the leaderboard.
He first looked at the total number of people and found that there were only 174 dungeon walkers left in the dungeon. Six more people had died since last time.
Only an hour has passed since entering the dungeon, and the number of deaths is already close to 10. The mortality rate is a bit high... Zhang Yuanqing did not become complacent because of his smooth journey.
One hundred and seventy-four dungeon walkers are wandering around in the primeval forest, maybe they will meet each other someday, or maybe they will encounter a boss someday.
Peony Fairy suddenly stopped, listened carefully, and after a few seconds, looked over and said in a deep voice:
"In our left direction, about fifty meters away, there are dungeon walkers fighting."
In the forest, the Wood Manipulator's perception can be maximized, comparable to the insight of a scout.
Fifty meters? Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a moment and said:
"I'll go invisible and take a look, you and my Yin Servant will stay here."
After Peony Fairy nodded, he entered Night Wandering, carefully avoiding the bushes, dead branches, and vines hanging above his head, and quickly approached the left.
Half a minute later, Zhang Yuanqing silently arrived at the battle location.
Before he had time to take a closer look at the two sides fighting, he first heard a gloomy laugh:
"A Japanese high school girl, let's kill her."
ps: Fix the typos first and then change them.