Chapter 135: God, it’s starting off this exciting?
Blond’s body tensed slightly as he stared at the familiar big door in front of him, his heart pounding loudly.
Usually, he rarely gets this nervous, but this time was different… The person he was accompanying was their last failed bounty target!
The soft and gentle voice of a young girl sounded beside him.
“What’s wrong?”
Blond instinctively turned to look at the person next to him.
He saw a girl standing by his side, her figure delicate, dressed in a white dress that fluttered gently. There was a small dimple on her left cheek, and she had a look of innocence and charm that could make people pity her.
She blinked her eyes and asked, “What are you waiting for?”
But Blond’s expression stiffened even more.
“…”
You have the nerve to ask!
He took a deep breath, wiped his face with his hand as if defeated, and said, “Let’s go, it’s here.”
Blond took a step forward and pushed open the big door.
Inside was a dimly lit bar, and the air was filled with the scent of alcohol, cigarettes, and cheap perfume. Scattered throughout the dark corners were various patrons, their gazes shifting between light and shadow, scrutinizing newcomers.
Blond felt that the girl next to him had subtly moved closer to him, timidly clutching his clothes with delicate fingers, just like a young girl afraid of strangers.
Blond: “…”
You’re really addicted to acting!
He nervously walked forward, took out his phone, and opened the anchor identification code on the front payment counter with a swipe.
Then, Blond and the girl named Wen Jianyan found their way to a dim corner of the bar and sat down.
“Now what?”
Wen Jianyan sat on a dirty leather couch, curious.
Blond ordered two beers and looked visibly nervous. He lowered his voice and replied, “Wait.”
They weren’t a guild officially recognized by the Nightmare, and they didn’t have a fixed meeting place or organizational structure. The anchors here mostly came from various guilds and were eager to earn more points, which was why they chose to engage in these high-risk, high-reward activities privately.
Blond had come here primarily to report on the situation from the previous instance; after all, he was the only one who survived from the entire team, and only through him could they understand the completion status of the bounty mission.
“What about you? Why did you join?” Wen Jianyan took a sip of her beer and asked.
Blond scratched his head. “I was recruited.”
His ability was very useful for this organization, but his strength and intelligence were not high enough to excel on his own or join a top guild. So he was naturally recruited.
“Speaking of which,” Blond sighed and said, “you should be prepared for failure as well…”
Although their work involved harvesting the lives of anchors, they still had some basic professional ethics. For example, they wouldn’t turn against their employers, and they wouldn’t remove a bounty just because someone offered a higher reward, and so on…
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have any clients coming to them.
Wen Jianyan’s face remained calm, but he exuded a sense of coldness and confidence. “Don’t worry, they won’t refuse me.”
While the two were conversing in hushed tones, a figure sat down opposite their table.
He was an unremarkable-looking man, the kind who would blend into a crowd and not catch a second glance, clearly someone who had exchanged their appearance using points.
He looked at Blond first and said, “Contacting you was quite a challenge.”
Blond involuntarily straightened his back and stammered, “N-no, it’s just…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the person across from him. He glanced at Wen Jianyan, who was sitting next to Blond and narrowed his eyes slightly.
“However, I didn’t expect you to bring a new friend along. I wonder who this is…”
“Hello.”
The girl greeted him softly.
She set her beer glass down on the table with a light “clink” and raised her clear black eyes. There was a hint of beer foam on her upper lip, and she looked charming and cute as she skillfully extended her hand.
“I’m the bounty target from your last instance.”
The air fell into silence.
The atmosphere became so heavy that it was almost suffocating.
Blond: “…”
He felt his vision blur.
Ah, you’re being way too direct!
“Also, the client for the next bounty,” Wen Jianyan added with a sly smile, squinting her eyes.
“…” The other person slowly narrowed his eyes, “You’ve got some nerve.”
To actually come directly when you know your life was the one being hunted… He had never seen a bounty target do something like this before.
“No, it’s not about nerves.”
Wen Jianyan blinked, his eyes flashing with a shrewd and cunning look that didn’t match his appearance. He smiled and said, “I just trust your judgment as a businessman.”
The entire process took only a few minutes, but Blond felt like it had been a century. He sat there like a pincushion, watching Wen Jianyan and his “colleague” engage in a back-and-forth, and in the end, they miraculously reached an agreement.
As they left the bar, Blond still felt somewhat dazed.
“He really didn’t refuse you…”
“Of course,” Wen Jianyan glanced at Blond, seemingly disdainful of his overreaction, “I’m not asking them to cancel the bounty. I just want them to provide assistance when I enter the next instance.”
Of course, more importantly, he had immense potential as a newcomer who had achieved four platinum achievements in a row. Although the guild on the other side was Dark Fire, they were not high-ranking, and compared to the aura surrounding Wen Jianyan right now, they were not formidable enough. Naturally, they would choose to avoid disadvantage and seek advantage.
Wen Jianyan tiptoed and patted Blond’s shoulder. “Well, I’m going now. See you next time.”
“Uh…”
Blond couldn’t help but stop him. “Why exactly did you want to pinpoint that anchor for the next instance?”
“To save someone.”
Wen Jianyan replied lightly, his voice calm and indifferent, as if whatshe said was the most normal thing in the world.
To save someone…
Just like… in the previous instance?
Blond was momentarily taken aback, his eyes narrowing subconsciously as if he had been dazzled by a bright light, causing him to lose his focus for a moment.
The girl’s eyes curved slightly, and a hint of malicious glint flickered in her eyes, but her face still wore that innocent look. She casually asked, “What about you? Do you want to join too?”
***
【The next live broadcast will begin in five minutes.】
A familiar voice, a familiar countdown.
Blond stood blankly in the small room with transparent walls, staring at the bright red countdown on the wall, still not fully recovered from the shock.
What’s going on?
What on earth is going on?
How did he agree to this out of nowhere?!
He had just completed a high-difficulty instance not long ago, and before he could rest properly, he somehow ended up in the next instance…
Moreover, as a precise human locator, he had always received commissions for completing bounties in instances before. But this time, it was given to him for free, without any conditions negotiated; he had inexplicably joined the team.
It felt like he was possessed by a ghost!
Blond slowly raised his hand to cover his face, filled with regret.
Ah, why did he agree to this?!
At this moment, Wen Jianyan, who had obtained a helping hand through his eloquence, was standing in another transparent compartment some distance away.
While the instance hadn’t started yet, he was quickly checking the items in his backpack.
Since Mr. Mirror’s fragments couldn’t be stored in his backpack, he had to keep them in his pocket. As for the other props…
Wen Jianyan’s gaze fell on the panel in front of her.
【Door Opening Card (A difficult-level item from the Fantasy Amusement Park Instance). Function: Opens the door in front of you. Usage Count: 1/1】
【Bloody Mary’s Diamond Necklace (A difficult-level item from the Fantasy Amusement Park Instance). Function: Provides a strong charm for three minutes. Usage Count: 1/1】
【Ouroboros (A legendary item from Fantasy Amusement Park Instance) Function: ?】
Wen Jianyan sighed.
Given his previous experience with Mr. Mirror, he had already anticipated this outcome.
It seemed that he would have to explore the use of this item slowly.
After completing the Fantasy Amusement Park, the apple seedlings above his backpack had grown significantly, appearing lush and full of vitality.
【Apple Seedling: lv2】
【Flower of Delusion Growth: In Progress】
【Fruit of Lies Growth: In Progress】
Beneath the Fruit of Lies, a narrow progress bar appeared, seeming to indicate the charge value, making it easy to see its growth progress.
Just at that moment, a line of small text appeared on the panel:
【Apple Seedling has reached the upgrade condition.】
【Would you like to upgrade?】
With little hesitation, Wen Jianyan chose “Yes.” He hadn’t entered the instance yet, and his point reserves were still substantial. Upgrading his ability before any crisis was the ideal situation.
In the next moment, a hundred thousand points were deducted from his account.
Although he had mentally prepared himself, seeing such a high point deduction from his account still made Wen Jianyan’s heart skipped a beat, feeling as if his heart was bleeding.
This is really… too expensive!
A formulaic voice came from his earpiece: “For level B anchors, the maximum points taken into an instance are 10,000. Please manage your expenses and strive for survival!”
Wen Jianyan’s spirits lifted.
The benefits of leveling up as an anchor were now evident!
Level B anchors could convert points to survival time, giving them a full hundred minutes if they exchanged all their points. Even without converting them to survival time, they could buy more props from the shop, significantly increasing the margin of error in an instance.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
The blood-red countdown on the wall reached zero.
【Welcome to the Nightmare Live Room, the next broadcast is about to begin.】
The emotionally charged female voice reverberated through the bizarre space, generating heavy echoes.
【Our motto is — Entertain to Death!】
***
“Ping An Asylum” instance hall was opened.
Instance difficulty level: A–
Highest unlocking degree in history: 57%
Viewing value: D
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Is it starting?]
[Wait, it’s actually starting?!]
[This is too fast! I’m shocked. Didn’t the anchor just finish an A-level instance that was upgraded to an S-level instance? I thought he’d take at least seven or eight days off, but he’s already starting another broadcast?]
[Aaaaaaahhh, I’m so excited. I didn’t expect the dog liar to start the broadcast so soon. I’ve been coming here to watch his broadcasts every time!]
[I call it a model worker!]
The popularity of the “Integrity First” live broadcast room quickly soared as fans who had accumulated from the previous instances flooded into the broadcast.
The first thing to be assaulted was his sense of smell.
There was a strong, nauseating odor in the air, like a mixture of feces and blood, icy and damp, carrying a strange and ominous feeling.
The seat beneath his body was shaking.
Based on his experience, he should be on a bus.
Wen Jianyan’s eyelashes quivered slightly as he slowly opened his eyes.
In front of his eyes was the interior of a bus—calling it a bus wasn’t entirely accurate. The walls on both sides were made of thick, reinforced metal, and the windows on both sides were sealed with iron bars.
Inside the bus, it wasn’t quiet. Laughter, murmurs, whispers, and furious curses were all mixed together, echoing in the vast cabin.
Although the sounds were deafening, everyone sat still in their seats, not moving an inch.
Wen Jianyan quickly understood the reason.
He lowered his head and soon saw his attire.
His hands were firmly secured in front of him with brown leather and metal rings. His entire body was trapped in a white restraining suit, and he was tightly bound to the seat, unable to move.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…BDSM play?]
[God, it’s starting off this exciting?]
Chapter 135: God, it’s starting off this exciting?
Blond’s body tensed slightly as he stared at the familiar big door in front of him, his heart pounding loudly.
Usually, he rarely gets this nervous, but this time was different… The person he was accompanying was their last failed bounty target!
The soft and gentle voice of a young girl sounded beside him.
“What’s wrong?”
Blond instinctively turned to look at the person next to him.
He saw a girl standing by his side, her figure delicate, dressed in a white dress that fluttered gently. There was a small dimple on her left cheek, and she had a look of innocence and charm that could make people pity her.
She blinked her eyes and asked, “What are you waiting for?”
But Blond’s expression stiffened even more.
“…”
You have the nerve to ask!
He took a deep breath, wiped his face with his hand as if defeated, and said, “Let’s go, it’s here.”
Blond took a step forward and pushed open the big door.
Inside was a dimly lit bar, and the air was filled with the scent of alcohol, cigarettes, and cheap perfume. Scattered throughout the dark corners were various patrons, their gazes shifting between light and shadow, scrutinizing newcomers.
Blond felt that the girl next to him had subtly moved closer to him, timidly clutching his clothes with delicate fingers, just like a young girl afraid of strangers.
Blond: “…”
You’re really addicted to acting!
He nervously walked forward, took out his phone, and opened the anchor identification code on the front payment counter with a swipe.
Then, Blond and the girl named Wen Jianyan found their way to a dim corner of the bar and sat down.
“Now what?”
Wen Jianyan sat on a dirty leather couch, curious.
Blond ordered two beers and looked visibly nervous. He lowered his voice and replied, “Wait.”
They weren’t a guild officially recognized by the Nightmare, and they didn’t have a fixed meeting place or organizational structure. The anchors here mostly came from various guilds and were eager to earn more points, which was why they chose to engage in these high-risk, high-reward activities privately.
Blond had come here primarily to report on the situation from the previous instance; after all, he was the only one who survived from the entire team, and only through him could they understand the completion status of the bounty mission.
“What about you? Why did you join?” Wen Jianyan took a sip of her beer and asked.
Blond scratched his head. “I was recruited.”
His ability was very useful for this organization, but his strength and intelligence were not high enough to excel on his own or join a top guild. So he was naturally recruited.
“Speaking of which,” Blond sighed and said, “you should be prepared for failure as well…”
Although their work involved harvesting the lives of anchors, they still had some basic professional ethics. For example, they wouldn’t turn against their employers, and they wouldn’t remove a bounty just because someone offered a higher reward, and so on…
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have any clients coming to them.
Wen Jianyan’s face remained calm, but he exuded a sense of coldness and confidence. “Don’t worry, they won’t refuse me.”
While the two were conversing in hushed tones, a figure sat down opposite their table.
He was an unremarkable-looking man, the kind who would blend into a crowd and not catch a second glance, clearly someone who had exchanged their appearance using points.
He looked at Blond first and said, “Contacting you was quite a challenge.”
Blond involuntarily straightened his back and stammered, “N-no, it’s just…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by the person across from him. He glanced at Wen Jianyan, who was sitting next to Blond and narrowed his eyes slightly.
“However, I didn’t expect you to bring a new friend along. I wonder who this is…”
“Hello.”
The girl greeted him softly.
She set her beer glass down on the table with a light “clink” and raised her clear black eyes. There was a hint of beer foam on her upper lip, and she looked charming and cute as she skillfully extended her hand.
“I’m the bounty target from your last instance.”
The air fell into silence.
The atmosphere became so heavy that it was almost suffocating.
Blond: “…”
He felt his vision blur.
Ah, you’re being way too direct!
“Also, the client for the next bounty,” Wen Jianyan added with a sly smile, squinting her eyes.
“…” The other person slowly narrowed his eyes, “You’ve got some nerve.”
To actually come directly when you know your life was the one being hunted… He had never seen a bounty target do something like this before.
“No, it’s not about nerves.”
Wen Jianyan blinked, his eyes flashing with a shrewd and cunning look that didn’t match his appearance. He smiled and said, “I just trust your judgment as a businessman.”
The entire process took only a few minutes, but Blond felt like it had been a century. He sat there like a pincushion, watching Wen Jianyan and his “colleague” engage in a back-and-forth, and in the end, they miraculously reached an agreement.
As they left the bar, Blond still felt somewhat dazed.
“He really didn’t refuse you…”
“Of course,” Wen Jianyan glanced at Blond, seemingly disdainful of his overreaction, “I’m not asking them to cancel the bounty. I just want them to provide assistance when I enter the next instance.”
Of course, more importantly, he had immense potential as a newcomer who had achieved four platinum achievements in a row. Although the guild on the other side was Dark Fire, they were not high-ranking, and compared to the aura surrounding Wen Jianyan right now, they were not formidable enough. Naturally, they would choose to avoid disadvantage and seek advantage.
Wen Jianyan tiptoed and patted Blond’s shoulder. “Well, I’m going now. See you next time.”
“Uh…”
Blond couldn’t help but stop him. “Why exactly did you want to pinpoint that anchor for the next instance?”
“To save someone.”
Wen Jianyan replied lightly, his voice calm and indifferent, as if whatshe said was the most normal thing in the world.
To save someone…
Just like… in the previous instance?
Blond was momentarily taken aback, his eyes narrowing subconsciously as if he had been dazzled by a bright light, causing him to lose his focus for a moment.
The girl’s eyes curved slightly, and a hint of malicious glint flickered in her eyes, but her face still wore that innocent look. She casually asked, “What about you? Do you want to join too?”
***
【The next live broadcast will begin in five minutes.】
A familiar voice, a familiar countdown.
Blond stood blankly in the small room with transparent walls, staring at the bright red countdown on the wall, still not fully recovered from the shock.
What’s going on?
What on earth is going on?
How did he agree to this out of nowhere?!
He had just completed a high-difficulty instance not long ago, and before he could rest properly, he somehow ended up in the next instance…
Moreover, as a precise human locator, he had always received commissions for completing bounties in instances before. But this time, it was given to him for free, without any conditions negotiated; he had inexplicably joined the team.
It felt like he was possessed by a ghost!
Blond slowly raised his hand to cover his face, filled with regret.
Ah, why did he agree to this?!
At this moment, Wen Jianyan, who had obtained a helping hand through his eloquence, was standing in another transparent compartment some distance away.
While the instance hadn’t started yet, he was quickly checking the items in his backpack.
Since Mr. Mirror’s fragments couldn’t be stored in his backpack, he had to keep them in his pocket. As for the other props…
Wen Jianyan’s gaze fell on the panel in front of her.
【Door Opening Card (A difficult-level item from the Fantasy Amusement Park Instance). Function: Opens the door in front of you. Usage Count: 1/1】
【Bloody Mary’s Diamond Necklace (A difficult-level item from the Fantasy Amusement Park Instance). Function: Provides a strong charm for three minutes. Usage Count: 1/1】
【Ouroboros (A legendary item from Fantasy Amusement Park Instance) Function: ?】
Wen Jianyan sighed.
Given his previous experience with Mr. Mirror, he had already anticipated this outcome.
It seemed that he would have to explore the use of this item slowly.
After completing the Fantasy Amusement Park, the apple seedlings above his backpack had grown significantly, appearing lush and full of vitality.
【Apple Seedling: lv2】
【Flower of Delusion Growth: In Progress】
【Fruit of Lies Growth: In Progress】
Beneath the Fruit of Lies, a narrow progress bar appeared, seeming to indicate the charge value, making it easy to see its growth progress.
Just at that moment, a line of small text appeared on the panel:
【Apple Seedling has reached the upgrade condition.】
【Would you like to upgrade?】
With little hesitation, Wen Jianyan chose “Yes.” He hadn’t entered the instance yet, and his point reserves were still substantial. Upgrading his ability before any crisis was the ideal situation.
In the next moment, a hundred thousand points were deducted from his account.
Although he had mentally prepared himself, seeing such a high point deduction from his account still made Wen Jianyan’s heart skipped a beat, feeling as if his heart was bleeding.
This is really… too expensive!
A formulaic voice came from his earpiece: “For level B anchors, the maximum points taken into an instance are 10,000. Please manage your expenses and strive for survival!”
Wen Jianyan’s spirits lifted.
The benefits of leveling up as an anchor were now evident!
Level B anchors could convert points to survival time, giving them a full hundred minutes if they exchanged all their points. Even without converting them to survival time, they could buy more props from the shop, significantly increasing the margin of error in an instance.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
The blood-red countdown on the wall reached zero.
【Welcome to the Nightmare Live Room, the next broadcast is about to begin.】
The emotionally charged female voice reverberated through the bizarre space, generating heavy echoes.
【Our motto is — Entertain to Death!】
***
“Ping An Asylum” instance hall was opened.
Instance difficulty level: A–
Highest unlocking degree in history: 57%
Viewing value: D
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[Is it starting?]
[Wait, it’s actually starting?!]
[This is too fast! I’m shocked. Didn’t the anchor just finish an A-level instance that was upgraded to an S-level instance? I thought he’d take at least seven or eight days off, but he’s already starting another broadcast?]
[Aaaaaaahhh, I’m so excited. I didn’t expect the dog liar to start the broadcast so soon. I’ve been coming here to watch his broadcasts every time!]
[I call it a model worker!]
The popularity of the “Integrity First” live broadcast room quickly soared as fans who had accumulated from the previous instances flooded into the broadcast.
The first thing to be assaulted was his sense of smell.
There was a strong, nauseating odor in the air, like a mixture of feces and blood, icy and damp, carrying a strange and ominous feeling.
The seat beneath his body was shaking.
Based on his experience, he should be on a bus.
Wen Jianyan’s eyelashes quivered slightly as he slowly opened his eyes.
In front of his eyes was the interior of a bus—calling it a bus wasn’t entirely accurate. The walls on both sides were made of thick, reinforced metal, and the windows on both sides were sealed with iron bars.
Inside the bus, it wasn’t quiet. Laughter, murmurs, whispers, and furious curses were all mixed together, echoing in the vast cabin.
Although the sounds were deafening, everyone sat still in their seats, not moving an inch.
Wen Jianyan quickly understood the reason.
He lowered his head and soon saw his attire.
His hands were firmly secured in front of him with brown leather and metal rings. His entire body was trapped in a white restraining suit, and he was tightly bound to the seat, unable to move.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…BDSM play?]
[God, it’s starting off this exciting?]
