Chen Nian sent a private message.
"High-level mage here, looking for a dungeon party."
The other player replied instantly.
"What level? What's your attack power?"
Chen Nian considered the current average stats for top-tier players and replied.
"Level 50, 100 attack."
"Sending location. Hurry up!"
Chen Nian accepted the invite and rushed straight to the coordinates.
Dungeons were rare and hard to come by.
They were usually hidden somewhere, waiting for lucky players to discover them. The rewards for clearing a dungeon were incredibly generous, making them highly sought after.
Chen Nian was no exception. How satisfying it was to piggyback on others' dungeon runs to level up, without expending too much energy!
In short, just coast along.
.....
In a corner of the Dark Forest, a six-person squad stood ready.
"Haha, a mage's coming our way."
"Awesome, bro! Hooked another big fish!"
"You're a genius, man! Who'd think of this? I'll call you the 'Ultimate Brain' player!"
"Hahahaha!"
The group laughed wildly, patiently waiting for their prey to walk into the trap.
Qiuya was the first fish they'd lured in.
Her talent was Spirit Summoning, granting her healing abilities. She'd come after seeing a recruitment notice for dungeon raiders.
Little did she know she'd underestimated the world's cruelty!
There was indeed a dungeon here, but this group wasn't genuinely recruiting teammates—they used force to coerce people.
Anyone who came became their "fish."
Now, with an "explosive talisman" strapped to her back, Qiuya dared not make a single move.
"You bitch, keep your mouth shut later, or you'll be the first to die!" the bald man threatened viciously.
Qiuya: .....
These guys were just a bunch of internet cafe thugs who spent their days smoking, drinking, and gaming. Now that the game had merged with the real world, it gave them a chance to make a name for themselves.
First exploit, then kill and loot.
Was there a faster way to get rich? Stealing ready-made gear and materials from others? It was just too damn satisfying!
"People are coming. Get ready!"
Spotting a figure approaching, the group immediately prepared, smiling broadly as they stepped forward to greet them.
Yep, Chen Nian had arrived.
"Bro, you're the mage we've been waiting for? Finally! Come on over!"
"Whoa, this guy's got a face you can trust—must be seriously skilled!"
"The dungeon's inside. Everyone's ready. Let's tackle it together—guaranteed loot!"
Chen Nian noticed everyone's overwhelming enthusiasm.
Only one girl was frantically signaling at him, her eyes blinking so rapidly they seemed to twitch.
Qiuya refused to fall into their trap. With no chance of escape left, her only hope now rested on the newcomer—hence the desperate signals.
[They're trouble. Not good people!]
[Don't fall for their tricks, or we're done for!]
[You must understand me, ahhhhh!]
Her gaze conveyed all this.
Yet the response she got was:
"Is something wrong with your eyes, young lady?"
Qiuya froze, nearly dying of rage on the spot!
How could this guy completely miss my signals? Calling my eyes the problem? Your whole family has problems! Infuriating! Fine, fine, let's all go down together now.
"Ahem!"
The bald man noticed the tension and shot Qiuya a vicious glare.
Then he roared with laughter: "Bro, this is the dungeon! Look, the entrance."
Chen Nian glanced over—it was indeed a dungeon entrance, the Chaos Space.
"Bro, this dungeon's level must be high. We should buff our abilities first. I'm a talisman caster."
"A spellcaster?"
Chen Nian raised an eyebrow.
This was a rare talent—quite formidable, with versatile utility. Not only could it support allies, but it could also deal damage.
"Yes. Come on, buddy. Stand still."
"Alright."
Qiu Ya watched helplessly, sighing in resignation.
The bald man pressed his palm against Chen Nian's back, channeling supernatural energy as he scribbled symbols.
"Done!"
The bald man clapped his hands in satisfaction, and the others shared knowing smiles.
"Bro, I've imprinted an explosive talisman on your back. From now on, you obey every command I give. Otherwise..." heh, a single snap of my fingers will reduce you to a bloody mess."
"Sorry, bro. We're doing this to grow stronger and save the world. Your sacrifice is necessary."
Chen Nian nearly lost his composure.
An explosive talisman?
Even if its power were tenfold, it probably couldn't breach my defenses...
"Ah!"
Qiuya shook her head and sighed deeply, knowing it was all over.
No matter how much we beg now, these people won't let us go. They're desperate criminals.
But she didn't expect the newcomer to have such a good attitude. He raised his hands helplessly and said:
"Alright, what do you want me to do?"
"Follow us into the dungeon first. Go! You go in first!"
Chen Nian was shoved forward.
Pushed forward alongside him was the girl who'd been frantically signaling to him.
Seemed they were in the same boat.
"Fine, fine, fine. Into the dungeon. You want us to clear it, right?" Chen Nian didn't hesitate, stepping straight into the entrance.
"And you! Get in!"
Qiu Ya was forced inside too. She stumbled upon entering, rolling her eyes at Chen Nian.
She muttered, "We're screwed now..."
The moment he entered, Chen Nian understood why he'd been dragged here. This was a trap-filled dungeon—without scouts, they'd be easy prey.
And he and this girl were the sacrificial lambs.
Fine. Might as well play along until we see the boss.
The bald man held the dungeon map and commanded:
"Up ahead is an arrow trap. Step on any tile, and poison arrows will shoot from the stone lion's mouth. You two, find a safe path!"
Qiuya hesitated, but the man strode forward without a second thought.
Crazy, right?
"Watch out for arrows!" she shouted instinctively.
Chen Nian's agility was exceptionally high. He dodged effortlessly and pressed forward, quickly mapping out a safe passage.
At the end of the trap lay a treasure chest.
"Hahahaha! Are you really a mage? You're so agile! Let me see what's in this chest."
"Holy crap! High-level rare gear! We're rolling in it!"
"Nice work. Keep going."
The bald man urged Chen Nian to keep moving forward, clearly delighted, while the others were also in high spirits.
The dungeon was riddled with traps. Without a sacrificial pawn scouting ahead, how could they possibly navigate it without pressure?
All along the way, Chen Nian voluntarily took the lead.
The various traps before him seemed like children's toys, all easily dodged.
Qiu Ya was completely stunned.
She never imagined this man's skill at avoiding traps was so formidable...
But what good was it?
Once we clear this dungeon, we still won't be able to escape!