The City of the Labyrinth?!
Wasn't this the instance where his eldest brother, Yu Feng, had gone missing?! Yu Deng was both dizzy and astonished, unable to figure out how he had been transported here.
Could the instance system have encountered another bug?
Yu Deng shook his head, trying his best to calm himself down. Once the dizziness began to subside, his vision slowly came into focus, and he started observing his surroundings.
He was standing on a wide street paved with stone slabs. No, calling it a street wasn't quite accurate. He was actually standing in the middle of a ruin. The remains of collapsed buildings were piled up on both sides of the road, and there wasn't a single person in sight.
Judging by the few relatively intact buildings that remained, this instance seemed to have a Western-style setting as well. He just didn't know whether it included things like magic.
Yu Deng warily surveyed his surroundings and quickly discovered the strangest thing about this place—all the plants he could see were enormous, at least ten times their normal size.
The trees not far away towered into the clouds, and Yu Deng had to crane his neck just to see their tops. The bushes were a full two meters tall, with razor-sharp thorns measuring more than ten centimeters long. Thick green vines, as huge as pythons, also covered many of the ruins.
Yu Deng was already slender and delicate, and standing among these gigantic plants made him look even more fragile and pampered.
In this quiet yet eerie environment, Yu Deng instinctively straightened his back, a faint shimmer of tears appearing in his eyes.
"Tongtong, Tongtong, are you there…? What should I do now?" Yu Deng hugged himself and softly called out to his system. "This place feels so strange."
[Beep—Attention, Player Yu Deng. System connection unstable.]
It took several minutes before Yu Deng finally heard System 01's voice. However, the usually steady electronic voice had become intermittent, its volume fluctuating from loud to faint. It really did sound like the connection was extremely unstable.
[Host… I'm here.]
[But please be careful, Host… This is an S-rank instance. Previously, it was sealed away because it contained too many bugs that couldn't be fixed… The system will be unable to function properly in this instance, nor can I tell you its rules.]
Even if they knew the original rules, it would be useless, because this instance had completely collapsed. Even the system had been shut out and could no longer detect its specific rules.
Yu Deng's eyes widened in surprise, and he felt deeply uneasy. "Is that so?!"
[Yes. Your items and skills… may randomly become unusable. And… Host, my connection is very unstable, so I may lose contact with you.]
By the time Yu Deng heard this, he was completely panicked. Although he had become much more capable after going through several instances, hearing that his system might lose contact with him still left him unable to control his fear immediately.
"Tongtong… then what should I do? I-I don't even know what this instance is about."
Yu Deng stood there at a loss, his shoulders trembling ever so slightly. The tears in his round, dark eyes grew increasingly apparent, until he could no longer hold them back. A tear rolled down his cheek with a soft plop.
Yu Deng's pretty little face crumpled, making him look utterly aggrieved. "With Tongtong gone, I don't even have any teammates…"
[Don't cry, Host.] System 01 sighed softly. Despite its unstable electronic voice, it was filled with gentle affection and concern. [You are a really, really amazing player, more capable than anyone else… I believe you can clear this instance, and you can also… find your older brother.]
System 01 patiently comforted him for a long time. Yu Deng gradually calmed down, his eyes still red. "Okay… I'll do my best to stay alive, and I'll find my brother, too."
[Then, shall I first settle the items and skills you obtained from the previous instance? Would that be all right? These items might be able to help you in this instance.]
"Mhm, go ahead and settle them, Tongtong."
[Beep—Beep—Player detected still inside an instance. Settlement procedure rejected… Beep—Initiating emergency procedure.]
Yu Deng held his breath and waited for his system to settle his items.
[Item: Mermaid's Tears
Rank: S
Effect: Mermaid's Tears are rare treasures in this world, but mermaids, whose temperaments are cold and aloof, almost never shed tears. The tears of a mermaid chief contain immense power and the mermaids' intense emotions. When a player wears Mermaid's Tears, they can breathe underwater and command schools of fish. Duration: 15 minutes. Cooldown: 24 hours.]
[Active Skill: Treasure Plunderer
Rank: S
Effect: After activating this skill, the player can discover the most valuable item within a certain area and significantly increase their chances of successfully plundering it. The player may also define what counts as a "valuable item" and use the skill to locate it. Cooldown: 48 hours.]
Mermaid's Tears was obviously the item Eurisis had given him. As for Treasure Plunderer, it was clearly a skill related to the dragon, Oliel.
Hmm, Mermaid's Tears seemed incredibly useful. If he ever encountered an instance with an aquatic map, he wouldn't have to worry anymore. As for Treasure Plunderer… It could locate the most valuable items, so if he ever received a treasure-hunting mission in the future, wouldn't that basically be like cheating? And he could even pinpoint whatever valuable item he wanted…
Yu Deng spent a while examining his new skill in a daze, gradually forming a vague idea of how to use it. Besides Mermaid's Tears and the plundering skill, Yu Deng had also obtained the Magic Mirror, whose item description was the same as the one in the previous instance.
Yu Deng opened his personal inventory, only to discover, to his dismay, that all his items and skills were temporarily unusable.
They had all become unusable… Wuu, didn't that mean he was about to venture into an S-rank instance completely unarmed?!
[Dengdeng…]
For once, System 01 addressed Yu Deng by name.
[Be careful, no matter what. I'll crack this instance as quickly as possible… and get you out of here.]
After System 01 finished speaking, an unusually loud burst of static rang out in Yu Deng's mind. After that, he could no longer hear his system's voice.
Yu Deng lowered his head and gave a muffled little "Oh." He composed himself, then randomly chose a direction and started walking.
The road was quiet, with only the faint sound of the wind and his own footsteps breaking the silence. The surrounding plants were lush and green, yet somehow, they made Yu Deng feel a little afraid.
He followed the street for a while before suddenly noticing that his vision had grown somewhat blurry. A faint layer of white mist had appeared ahead.
Yu Deng stopped nervously in his tracks. Only after observing it for several seconds did he cautiously continue forward.
Gradually, he seemed to hear a strange, huffing and panting sound near his ears, yet he couldn't see anything at all.
Yu Deng was absolutely terrified. He silently repeated to himself, "Don't eat me, don't eat me…"
The unknown creature continued making those panting sounds, but Yu Deng never managed to catch sight of it. This unfamiliar, unpredictable environment was an enormous test of his courage. With his eyes red from fear, he continued forward, tightly gripping a dry twig he had picked up from the ground as a weapon.
After an unknown amount of time, Yu Deng grew tired of walking. He simply stopped by the roadside to rest for a moment and observe his surroundings. After looking around for a few seconds, he noticed something that seemed rather strange.
Wait a moment. These ruins looked familiar. Had he been here before…? But he had been walking in a straight line the entire time.
Could he be trapped in a ghostly loop? Wuu, please, let this not be an instance with ghosts.
Yu Deng grew even more frightened. He tried his best to reassure himself. The setting of this instance seemed to have a Western-style background, too, so perhaps there was some other explanation.
Huff, huff—
Rustle—
"Wuu…"
Two different sounds rang out simultaneously from different directions. Yu Deng shuddered violently and gripped his dead branch, turning toward the source of the nearer sound.
It was a vine as thick as a python, swaying gently in the breeze and making rustling noises. Its surface was covered in sharp thorns, and Yu Deng felt that it could whip him straight into the sky with a single strike.
Yu Deng took two steps backward. Through his tear-blurred vision, he stared at the vine for several seconds. "Y-You're going to hit me? Could you please not hit me? I'm really afraid of pain…"
His voice was soft and light, tinged with tears, making him sound utterly pitiful. The vine hung motionless in midair for several seconds before the tip of its branch swayed twice and slowly retreated. At the same time, the huffing and panting sounds in the distance also stopped.
Yu Deng breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you…"
He didn't dare linger any longer. Taking advantage of the fact that there seemed to be no danger, he continued forward.
The road was completely deserted. Not only was Yu Feng, the missing older brother he was searching for, nowhere to be seen, but he hadn't encountered even a single ordinary NPC. Yu Deng grew increasingly uncertain, with no idea how he was supposed to handle this instance.
No system, no teammates, no livestream audience…
Walking alone through such an environment, Yu Deng completely lost track of time.
With tears in his eyes, Yu Deng helplessly continued walking for roughly another five minutes. At last, the street he had been following disappeared from view, replaced by a tangled mass of weeds and bushes. Several intact wooden houses seemed to stand at the far end of his field of vision.
After hesitating for a moment, Yu Deng headed toward the wooden houses. He pushed through the overgrown weeds until he reached the edge of the grassy area, then cautiously poked his head out from behind a bush.
The moment he appeared, a series of furious shouts rang out.
"Who's there?! Don't come any closer!"
"Unknown creature spotted! Squad, stay alert!!"
Four or five people quickly appeared on the other side, including both men and women. They were dressed like villagers and hunters, carrying cold weapons such as short knives.
Yu Deng raised his hands and timidly explained, "I-I'm not a bad person…"
As he spoke, Yu Deng slowly emerged from behind the bushes. The moment he stepped out, everyone on the other side froze.
The young man who emerged from behind the mutated plants was wearing a gorgeous grayish-blue dress. His short, jet-black hair fell softly around his ears, and his skin was snow-white. His beautiful face looked like the most perfect masterpiece of a deity. Tears still glistened in his eyes, making him appear both aggrieved and completely harmless.
The young man at the head of the group waved his hand, signaling for his companions to quiet down. He then asked Yu Deng, "Did you come from another safe zone?"
Yu Deng: "?"
Wuu, what safe zone? He didn't understand!
He answered vaguely, "I-I guess so…"
"Then how did you get here?" the young man asked again.
The few people opposite him looked fierce and intimidating, but upon closer inspection, their legs were trembling slightly. They were clearly nervous—or, more accurately, afraid.
"How did I get here?"
What a strange question. Nevertheless, Yu Deng carefully described what had happened. "I just walked here. At first, I was on a really wide street. There was a collapsed church there, with a red tree beside it. Then I followed that street for a long time, and eventually I arrived here."
After hearing Yu Deng's explanation, the young man in charge looked utterly incredulous.
"So you're telling me you made it here completely unharmed? That was the Yala District, one of the most dangerous districts at present!"
"Ah, was I not supposed to?"
Seeing how shocked everyone looked, Yu Deng felt utterly bewildered. He hurriedly racked his brains and cautiously made up a backstory for himself.
"I-I was injured and unconscious for a while before. I was driven out, and I don't really remember those things…"
The people opposite him discussed their doubts among themselves for a moment. In the end, a kind-looking, brown-haired woman beckoned Yu Deng over.
Yu Deng hurriedly crossed the road and approached them. Only after getting closer did he realize that this area was surrounded by walls. Inside stood four or five intact wooden houses, with a patch of cultivated farmland in the middle. It looked like a small base.
"As you can see, a strange fog has appeared in our city, one that makes people lose their sense of direction. The plants here have also mutated." The young man in charge shrugged and explained the important details to Yu Deng. "This is a safe zone. Finding one at least means you won't get lost in the terrifying Maze."
Yu Deng quickly committed this information to memory. "Then what about the other areas?"
"Those are naturally the dangerous zones. They're full of dangers, and once you get lost inside, you'll never make it back. The fact that you managed to leave one safely all by yourself is practically a miracle."
"I see…" Yu Deng began piecing things together.
So the dangerous zones and safe zones were probably among the basic rules of this instance. However, the young man had been rather vague in his explanation and hadn't told him what dangers lurked in those areas.
There had been no instance announcements and no system alerts. Yu Deng could only clumsily investigate the instance rules and clues on his own, gradually piecing together the situation.
These villagers seemed to have temporarily let down their guard around him. Seeing Yu Deng all alone, the brown-haired woman couldn't help offering him a kind warning.
"Child, please be very careful around those plants. And… although we've completely lost our sense of direction, whatever you do, do not approach the northern ravine. There are the most terrifying monsters there."
Yu Deng nodded. "I understand. Thank you."
After a brief pause, he asked, "By the way, I wanted to ask you something. Have you ever seen a man who looks a little like me? He's much taller than I am, and he doesn't usually smile."
The villagers studied Yu Deng before shaking their heads.
"Sorry, we haven't seen anyone more beautiful than you."
Yu Deng couldn't hide his disappointment. "All right…"
Oh, well. He would find his older brother eventually, wouldn't he?
…
The sky gradually darkened outside, and the villagers arranged for Yu Deng to rest in a small room inside one of the wooden houses.
The room was probably only about three square meters, but Yu Deng didn't complain about the conditions at a time like this. After all, he had been walking for so long, and he finally had somewhere to rest.
Still somewhat wary of those NPCs, he wedged the dead branch into the door lock before leaning against the hard wooden bed to rest for a while. Then, with little expectation, he opened his system inventory once again.
As expected, the icons for all the items and skills he had obtained were still grayed out, indicating that they couldn't be used…
Eh? Wait! One of the items was usable now!
Let him see what it was. Oh, it was the Magic Mirror!
Yu Deng's eyes lit up. He hurriedly tapped his system inventory and took out the Magic Mirror.
"Oh! My beloved little sovereign! How incredibly fortunate I am to be reunited with you after being apart for such a brief moment!"
The Magic Mirror spun in midair, quite pleased to discover that there were no other bothersome males around. It began secretly putting down the other men who might compete for Yu Deng's attention.
"It seems they're all rather useless, little sovereign. Only I can keep you company at a time like this."
Yu Deng caught the spinning mirror and gently tapped its surface with his fingertip.
"That's true. You're the only one I have with me now… Magic Mirror, we're no longer on the continent of Erazia. Can you still answer my questions?"
The Magic Mirror pondered for a few seconds.
"Hmm… Let me see. Of course I can! I am the omniscient and omnipotent Magic Mirror, after all. However, this isn't a domain I'm familiar with, so I may need to expend more energy, and… my little sovereign may have to fulfill more difficult requirements."
Yu Deng hesitated for a few seconds. "All right… Magic Mirror, I want to know what's going on with this instance. And also, where is my older brother?"
The Magic Mirror paused. "My little sovereign, I regret to inform you that my current energy is only sufficient to answer one question."
Yu Deng blinked and struggled to make a decision. "Th-Then just tell me what's going on with this instance."
"Very well. The Magic Mirror is now searching for the answer." Ripples resembling waves spread across the mirror's surface. "My little sovereign, could you come a little closer? That would help me find the answer more quickly."
Yu Deng looked at the Magic Mirror, which had transformed into a full-length mirror. "Is this one of the requirements I have to fulfill?"
"Oh, yes. This is the first step."
Yu Deng pursed his lips, then skillfully turned toward the Magic Mirror and pressed himself against its surface. The cool mirror touched the side of his face, while the ripples on its surface gently brushed against the corner of his lips.
The next second, the mirror's surface wavered, and the faint silhouette of a young man appeared behind Yu Deng.
The silhouette quickly solidified and wrapped his arms around Yu Deng from behind. Yu Deng's eyes widened abruptly. "Eh? Who are you?"
The young man who had materialized from the Magic Mirror hugged Yu Deng from behind. The exact same voice came simultaneously from both the mirror itself and the young man.
"My little sovereign, there's no need to be afraid. I am the Magic Mirror."
Yu Deng turned his head in a daze and looked at the young man behind him. The young man had dark golden hair and pupils with a reflective, mirror-like quality.
"You're… the Magic Mirror?"
The mirror's surface was cold, but the young man's body was warm. Trapped between the two, Yu Deng couldn't move and could only passively experience the two contrasting temperatures. Under this subtle stimulation, a faint pink hue appeared at the corners of his eyes.
"Yes, my little sovereign." The young Magic Mirror's earlobes were bright red, and his gaze darted around as he nervously avoided looking at Yu Deng. "You need to fulfill my requirements… Could you touch me with your lips one more time? Just like you did last time."