Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 373: A New Side Quest

Zhang Jingxu paused for a moment, then began, "You all should still remember those stone pillars in Panlong Lake, right? At the time, I noticed that those pillars were connected to something massive underwater. And Ling Ishikawa also pointed out that as we were about to leave Panlong Lake, those pillars seemed to have shifted positions."

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow and spoke earnestly, "Zhang Jingxu, are you suggesting that those stone pillars are actually spikes from some mythical creature?"

Zhang Jingxu nodded and replied with a solemn expression, "That’s what it seems like. Considering the time we spent in the illusion at Panlong Lake was the longest, and based on our experiences with other situations in the illusion, there must be a mythical creature lurking in Panlong Lake. Moreover, this mythical creature’s strength should not be underestimated. After all, Panlong Lake could very well be the lair of a mythical creature, and it’s a case of ’two tigers cannot share the same mountain.’ The Black Flood Dragon may have already been driven away or even killed by this mythical creature."

"The Black Flood Dragon killed?" Everyone was taken aback, exclaiming in unison.

Zhang Jingxu sighed and continued, "I understand that you may argue that at the beginning of Module One, we all witnessed the Black Flood Dragon causing damage to the bridge. But seeing isn’t always believing, because according to what Hu Cang and others have said, the Black Flood Dragon used to be the guardian deity of Panlong Town, often helping its residents in times of trouble. Based on our earlier speculations, the Black Flood Dragon might have been acting that way in order to ascend and become a true dragon, as only with perfect merits can one successfully ascend."

"So, the biggest reason I now doubt the survival of the Black Flood Dragon is that during the Black Internet Cafe fire, it did not appear to save lives. You see, if it had saved the more than ten lives lost in the Black Internet Cafe arson, it would have accumulated a significant amount of merits and received even more offerings and beliefs from the residents of Panlong Town."

"But as you’ve all witnessed, the Black Flood Dragon did not appear. As for the reason why it didn’t show up, it definitely couldn’t be because it was too ashamed to face people. After all, before this, the Black Flood Dragon had intervened many times. So, I believe it’s highly likely that the Black Flood Dragon is no longer alive. Of course, this is just my immature speculation."

Liu Xing frowned slightly, touching his chin as he spoke, "Zhang Jingxu, what you said does make some sense. It is possible that the Black Flood Dragon has already perished. However, the Black Flood Dragon should have died after destroying the bridge. Moreover, the Black Flood Dragon that perished within the illusion should be a reflection of that event. The situation with the black cat demon should be similar. But if that is indeed the case, then the mythical creature currently residing in Panlong Lake might possess an even greater level of power than we can imagine."

Ling Ishikawa, who was nearby, nodded in agreement and said with a smile, "Liu Xing, you both make valid points. However, we shouldn’t be too pessimistic. Let’s not forget what Hu Cang once said. Although Panlong Town is currently in a state of temporal distortion, we can still alter the course of events after a certain point in time. So, all we need to do is inform the Black Flood Dragon of the danger it faces in the future while it’s still alive. This should give it a chance to survive."

Just then, KP Snow Wind suddenly stepped forward and spoke, "Congratulations to player Yin En for successfully triggering a new Side Quest - ’Debt of Life.’ The mission objective is to help the Black Flood Dragon evade a fatal ambush, with a reward of 500 points and raising the Black Flood Dragon’s favorability towards you to 100."

Ling Ishikawa raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, and asked, "Wait, does this Side Quest mean that only I can undertake it? And it doesn’t offer any ’truth’ points as a reward?"

KP Snow Wind chuckled and replied, "That’s right. This Side Quest can only be completed by you, as other players cannot assist you in this particular task. As for the lack of ’truth’ points as a reward, do you not think that having the Black Flood Dragon’s favorability at 100 could bring you even greater benefits?"

Ling Ishikawa suddenly realized the potential. After all, aside from the unidentified mythical creature lurking in Panlong Lake, the Black Flood Dragon was currently the most powerful mythical creature in Panlong Town. If he could gain its favor, he could easily request its assistance in dealing with the other mythical creatures.

So, Liu Xing patted Ling Ishikawa on the shoulder and earnestly said, "The next steps are up to you, Yin En. I’m ready for a laid-back win now."

Zhang Jingxu and the others also looked at Ling Ishikawa with anticipation on their faces.

Ling Ishikawa, sensing the situation, couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. He spoke up, saying, "Please don’t look at me like this, and don’t have too many expectations for me. After all, with such generous Mission rewards, the difficulty of this Side Quest can be imagined. So, I’m afraid I may not be able to complete this Mission, but of course, I will still do my best."

Liu Xing nodded and smiled, saying, "We are all aware of the difficulty of this Side Quest, so Yin En, you don’t need to feel too much pressure. Just do your best. Time is running out. Let’s move on to the next topic. After I left the illusion, I had a long conversation with Hu Li. The most important thing I learned is that Hu Li is very fond of Hu Cang, but Hu Cang rejected her in the end."

Zhang Jingxu chuckled and said, "That was within our expectations. If Hu Cang had accepted Hu Li, then she wouldn’t have been able to marry Xiao Mochen. However, Xiao Mochen is quite unlucky in this situation. He thought he could marry a beautiful lady, but it turns out things took a different turn. That’s really unfortunate."

Liu Xing shook his head and said seriously, "I think Xiao Mochen’s situation is not just bad luck. Hu Li must have had a reason for it. After all, there are plenty of people in Panlong Town. If Hu Li wanted revenge against Hu Cang due to her feelings, she could have married anyone else. Why did she specifically choose to trouble Xiao Mochen? So, I believe it’s necessary for us to talk to Hu Cang and find out more. This is crucial for how we handle the troublesome situation caused by Hu Li."

"After all, Hu Li is quite powerful overall. She not only possesses the ability to use hypnosis but also has a natural charm. She can perceive everything happening in Panlong Town through her sense of smell. While her combat abilities might not be exceptional, she likely has a variety of powerful items. We know of a dagger that can cause lethal injuries and a slow-acting but highly effective poison. Moreover, Hu Li has identified us as allies of Hu Cang. Therefore, if we want to operate smoothly in Panlong Town, we must first deal with the problem of Hu Li."

At this moment, Ling Ishikawa crossed his hands under his chin and spoke in a low, solemn tone, "Since we are in this situation, let me perform a Prophecy Art to reveal the path ahead for everyone."

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow, recalling Ling Ishikawa’s previous prophecy from the last module. Although that prophecy was somewhat accurate to some extent, it ultimately didn’t serve much purpose.

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