After the dungeon ended with a beep, Yin Xiu returned to the town.
He let out a long sigh and took out the spider lily from his pocket. It was a vibrant red, as if it were formed from the blood of countless people. Indeed, as its name suggests, it was a flower of suffering that bloomed from the blood of dungeon players.
He put away the flowers, turned around, opened the door, and went out to find the others.
As soon as he opened the door, the usually deserted alleyway in front of his door was now crowded with people. Countless expectant faces crowded in front of Yin Xiu's door. The moment they saw Yin Xiu open the door, their faces lit up with warm smiles and genuine emotion.
"Brother Xiu! You're back, Brother Xiu!"
"That's great! When I saw Brother Xiu enter the beam of light, the live stream went black. I thought something had happened and was afraid that Brother Xiu wouldn't come back, so I waited at the door the whole time."
"As expected of my Xiu-ge! Although I don't know what happened after the screen went black, he's amazing!"
"Brother Xiu, I'm so glad you're back safe and sound."
Yin Xiu stared silently at the crowded faces in front of the door. He never imagined that so many people would visit his once deserted alleyway, when he used to be a strange player feared by everyone and no one would approach him.
"Let's go, pick a suitable place to put Ye Tianxuan's body." Yin Xiu instructed, took a step outside, and closed his door.
"We've prepared everything in advance, Brother Xiu! We've prepared a very suitable place for Boss Ye to rest his body."
"Yes, yes, our town is a resource-rich town after all, and we always give the best to Boss Ye."
"Brother Xiu, come over here, we'll show you around!"
The players crowded around, leading Yin Xiu toward Ye Tianxuan's room. The journey was bustling; almost all the players in the town had gathered there. After years of running dungeons, there had never been a moment more important than this.
Their joy and enthusiasm were almost impossible to conceal.
Surrounded by players, Yin Xiu arrived at Ye Tianxuan's door. As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw a crystal coffin placed in the center of his room, which was cluttered with elements. Green runes floated around the coffin.
Ye Tianxuan's body was cleaned up and he was dressed in a different outfit. The bloodstains on his face were wiped away, leaving a clean, serene face, as peaceful as if he were asleep. It was gentle and beautiful, making one reluctant to disturb it.
"This coffin was taken from a monster in the dungeon. It's a special coffin that can preserve the body intact and prevent it from decaying. The runes around it are a defensive mechanism. If anyone gets close, it will notify the people in our town to prevent any accidents."
The town players stepped forward and pushed open the lid of the crystal coffin. Inside, Ye Tianxuan was surrounded by all sorts of trinkets, almost all of them different kinds of decorations, adorning his side.
"Everyone put their favorite things in Boss Ye's coffin. When he wakes up, Boss Ye will wake up with everyone's love for him."
Everyone stared at Yin Xiu. "Brother Xiu, should we put something in too?"
Yin Xiu shook his head and placed the flower of suffering on Ye Tianxuan's chest. "It will be alright if he wakes up."
The bright red flowers fell on the cold, pale people, creating a scene that was both tragic and beautiful.
The players paused for a moment, their eyes slightly red, and pushed the coffin lid back in. "That's right, it's better for Boss Ye to wake up than anything else."
As everyone gazed at Ye Tianxuan's silhouette in the coffin, their restless hearts finally calmed down. The next step was to wait a month later, until Ye Tianxuan had survived his destined death, and then revive him, opening his eyes again amidst everyone's expectations.
"You all go out. I'll be alone with him for a while," Yin Xiu said calmly, turning to the other players.
"Okay, okay." The other players nodded immediately and hurriedly walked out of the house, afraid of disturbing Yin Xiu for even a second longer.
After the room had quieted down and fewer people had left, Yin Xiu dragged a chair over and sat down next to Ye Tianxuan's coffin.
He took out the recording pen from his pocket, and after a long period of contemplation, he slowly said, "I didn't expect that you already had some information about this instance three years ago, understood the world of monsters, and made a deal with them. So you really wanted to take everyone out of the instance."
That audacious act, which seemed like a madman's dream, was something most people wouldn't even dare to imagine. Even Yin Xiu had never thought of it before: to understand the dungeon, to analyze its existence, and to understand the true nature of the strange group and the dungeon's operation.
Once you have a complete grasp of your surroundings, you might truly be able to move freely within the instance and lead everyone away from this filthy place.
Yin Xiu used to be like someone whose heart was sealed with cement, completely ignoring everything outside. After failing to find his sister anywhere and clearing all the dungeons, he seemed to lose his vitality, retreating into his own little world, constantly losing his memories, and slowly becoming dull-witted.
However, during this period, Ye Tianxuan was active in the dungeon, constantly exploring the truth of the dungeon's existence. Also located in a small town, his strength was clearly far inferior to Yin Xiu's, yet he led a group of players very far.
Yin Xiu tried to recall more details of his first meeting with Ye Tianxuan, but he couldn't remember them at all.
He had lost so much of his memory and emotions that he had almost forgotten that he still had such a bright and resolute friend by his side.
"Although I don't have such lofty goals as you, I should still try my best." Yin Xiu didn't want to take anyone out of the dungeon, but he did want to take the monster with him. Perhaps he knew enough about the truth behind the dungeon and the reason for the monster's existence. Maybe when he left the dungeon, he wouldn't return to reality with nothing.
"In the meantime, you should get a good night's sleep. You've worked so hard for so long, you deserve a rest. I'll keep an eye on your town for now. Even without you and me, they can become independent, so don't worry too much." Yin Xiu put away the recorder and stood up.
Goodnight, my friend.
His soft murmur echoed in the quiet room. Yin Xiu turned around and left Ye Tianxuan's room.
When he came out, the players outside were still crowding around, looking on. As soon as Yin Xiu came out, they immediately went up to him and asked, "Brother Xiu, you helped get the items for Boss Ye's resurrection this time."
"Brother Ye is everything in this town. If Brother Xiu needs any help from the town in the future, or if he needs any props or information, just ask. The town is so peaceful now, and Brother Xiu deserves some credit for that."
"Yes, or... if Brother Xiu needs our help, just let us know! We'll do our best!"
"What are you talking about? Does Brother Xiu need the help of us good-for-nothings? We'll only be a hindrance!"
"Ugh... Stop talking..."
Last time, Yin Xiu casually said that if they went along, they would only be a hindrance, which was a fatal blow to several veteran players.
The big boss looked down on me!
"Hmm, we'll see." Yin Xiu remained as indifferent as ever, then turned to walk back. "I'm going back now."
"Brother Xiu, wait a minute! We've also prepared a gift for you!" Several players quickly called out to Yin Xiu.
They exchanged a glance, then cheerfully took something out from behind the crowd and placed it in front of Yin Xiu.
It is a high-end fishing kit.