Once you've decided on the instance and who will be entering, the next step is to prepare and then enter the instance.
Zhong Mu went back first to retrieve the dungeon items he had obtained from the players in the town. He then carefully copied the dungeon guide and carried it with him. Afterward, he took the storage items containing food and water that everyone had prepared for him, waved goodbye, and headed to Yin Xiu's house amidst the expectant gazes of the town's players.
This time, entering the dungeon carries the hopes of the entire town's players. Ye Tianxuan's life or death will be decided in this dungeon. Almost the entire town is closely watching the information about this dungeon, and they have made a lot of efforts for it, not only gathering information but also collecting the items needed to enter the dungeon.
Finally, after Zhong Mu went to Yin Xiu's house, a notification for the dungeon resounded throughout the entire town.
[Congratulations, player, on entering the dungeon: Hunting Grounds]
Player names in this instance: Yin Xiu, Zhong Mu
Gender: Male
Residence: 401 & 1337, Alley A, 35th Dimension Town
Assets held in duplicate: 500030, 980
Dungeon progress: All dungeons completed, 5% complete.
This time, almost the entire town tuned in to the live stream of the dungeon, with everyone sitting in front of their screens eagerly waiting for it to begin.
Their unusual excitement and tense atmosphere even made the town's ghosts unconsciously start paying attention to the live broadcast.
Under the projection screen in the square at night, the monsters sat densely packed together, watching the pitch-black scene that had not yet begun. They couldn't help but turn to ask the Night Goddess, "Why are they so excited? The muttering is coming from every alley. It's so annoying. This isn't Yin Xiu's first time entering a dungeon."
"I'm not quite sure, but perhaps this time he has become a rare source of hope for many people." Lady Ye narrowed her eyes, wanting to see if that extinguished lamp would be rekindled by the others he had once ignited.
With a hiss, Yin Xiu opened his eyes and found himself standing in a desolate forest, while the instance notification sounded softly.
"The theme of this instance is: Hunting Grounds."
"The hunters on the island always enjoy killing their prey and watching them flee helplessly in the confined space. You are an unfortunate prey that has been thrown into the island's hunting grounds. In the face of extremely ferocious hunters, please try your best to survive for seven days."
"Survival is the only way for you to leave, but... no one can define who the prey is."
"Please remember the rules for your passage this time."
"First, players in the hunting grounds will experience a rapid increase in fatigue, requiring them to replenish their stamina in a timely manner. Please plan your food and water carefully at all times."
"Second, supplies will be dropped occasionally in the hunting grounds. A small number of lucky drops will fall to any player, but please be careful, what is free may be the most expensive."
"Third, they will not appear during the day, and players can walk freely in the hunting grounds. However, at night, only underground is safe. Please be sure to find a place to stay before dark."
"Fourth, the hunting grounds are unrestrained, allowing selfishness and desires to run rampant, so players can kill each other."
"Fifth, of course, if your strength allows, you can also kill the hunter."
"Sixth, whether it is day or night, if you see a cruise ship floating on the sea, please do not approach it, and be careful not to invite trouble."
"Seven, if you survive for seven days, you will be the most qualified prey in the hunting grounds, and no one will be able to hunt you again."
"Pass condition: Survive to the seventh day."
After the notification ended, Yin Xiu slowly turned his attention to his surroundings. It seemed that he was already on the isolated island of this so-called hunting ground.
After hearing the entire announcement, the chat was filled with questions: "I remember this instance used to only have six rules, how come there's a seventh one this time?"
"Yeah, our town only has six rules recorded. And the dungeon update is for such a low-level dungeon?"
"No, brothers, I have a feeling that Brother Xiu triggered something incredible when he went in."
"It's a hidden route! It must be a hidden route! The one with the item!"
"As expected, only a big shot can handle this. This new rule looks a bit strange, but it's perfect for Brother Xiu."
"Please, it must be a hidden route! It must be that item!"
The comments section was buzzing with prayers as Yin Xiu began to wander around, surveying the surroundings.
According to the rules, the island is safe during the day, but it becomes dangerous after dark, and you must find an underground hiding place before nightfall.
But Yin Xiu's immediate priority was to find Zhong Mu, and the dungeon refreshed and respawned him in a separate location.
This instance allows players to kill each other. On the surface, nighttime seems to be the most dangerous time, but with the rapid increase in fatigue value and resource consumption during the first day, the most dangerous time is actually during the day for other players in this instance.
Zhong Mu was still a newbie after all. He cleared five dungeons with the help of veteran players in the town. Even though he had some experience, the biggest challenge for a newbie entering a dungeon was attacking his own kind.
Previously, other experienced players had been guiding him, but if Yin Xiu hadn't arrived in time this time, who knows what might have happened.
The viewers on the live stream could see Zhong Mu's situation and Yin Xiu's location, and tried to report their positions to both sides so that they could meet.
However, the island is surrounded by tall trees, and there are no clear road signs, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact location.
As they were studying it, the comments section suddenly erupted in alarm: "Oh no, Zhong Mu has already encountered other players. That kid's luck is really bad. The island is so big, how come he ran into people right away?"
"What a mess. The other party doesn't seem like a nice guy. They're trying to steal my things. I'm really unlucky."
"With the rapid depletion of stamina, players who are short of resources will definitely think of stealing other people's resources first. That's perfectly normal. In survival games, once infighting occurs among players, they'll cause all sorts of trouble."
"Tsk tsk tsk."
While watching the excitement, the viewers in the live chat continued to remind Yin Xiu of Zhong Mu's location.
Looking at their nonchalant attitude, Yin Xiu was a little puzzled. Why weren't these people worried about the newcomers at all? Are all the people Ye Tianxuan brought out like this?
He hurriedly followed the reminder and rushed to Zhong Mu's location.
Before he even got close enough, he could hear the sounds of fighting coming from afar. He rushed over, and almost the instant he got close, the fighting stopped, as if the two men had finished fighting.
Yin Xiu's eyes darkened, and he quickly stepped forward, gripping the hilt of his knife, ready to defend himself.
But the one lying under the tree wasn't Zhong Mu, it was a stranger. Zhong Mu didn't kill him, but instead tied him to the tree with a rope while kindly saying, "Even though you lost, I won't kill you, don't be afraid."
"Our town follows the principle of leaving a way out for people, so I will leave you some supplies to ensure that you can survive for the time being."
The person tied to the tree was covered in blood, but couldn't hide the emotion on their face. Those who could enter this instance were all newbies. The previous instances were cruel and merciless. This was the first time someone had spared their life. They felt like they had met a kind person!
But the next second, Mu pulled a bunch of supplies out of his backpack and stuffed them into her own storage, then said amicably, "I'll take eight points of your supplies, you shouldn't mind, right? Anyway, you're all alone, you can work harder later."
With tears and blood streaming down his face, the player choked out, "I...I don't mind..."
He could naturally tell which was more important, resources or life.
I just want to take back the emotion I felt just now...