Chapter 22 – First Exploration of the Ghost City
by Salted FishPolly’s recruitment message flooded the entire [Huaxia] channel, and the first to join the party was Fighter Jet.
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Parrot, I was in the middle of having fun, why’d you drag me into the party again!
[Party] Milk is Mom: Where were you having fun?
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Oh, healer! I was in Audition Online, wanna come over? There are tons of girls there!1a dance and rhythm game
[Party] Milk is Mom: You saw Birdy’s recruitment message while you were in Audition Online???
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: =_=
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: He spammed me on QQ.
[Party] Polly: Bringing you along for a dungeon run.
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Just the three of us? A Landlord2Fight the Landlord is a card game played by 3 players (sometimes 4, but that’s less common.) dungeon?
[Huaxia] Polly: Recruiting for dungeon run—no class restrictions, any dungeon~~~~~
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Couldn’t you have filled the party first before calling me!!!!!!!
Fang Zheng was just enjoying the show when another name suddenly appeared in the party list—clearly, the party leader, Birdy, had accepted a new application.
[Party] Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: You guys are early today.
[Party] Polly: Free on weekends. Can you find anyone else?
[Party] Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: No can do, my old friends all quit.
Fang Zheng’s gossip radar perked up—
[Party] Milk is Mom: Then why haven’t you quit? Nostalgia? Can’t bear to leave? Too many memories?
[Party] Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: I’ve been working on my thesis since the start of the year and haven’t logged in. When I came back, things were like this.
[Party] Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: Healer, are you a guy with a girl’s heart or something? So melodramatic.
Fang Zheng silently turned his head away, tears streaming down his face without a word.
Not long after, another familiar face joined the party. Fang Zheng was just thinking how smooth things were going today when the familiar face sent out a discordant note—
[Party] Refined Into a Demon 438: Zombie, why’d you drag me in? I already said I’m not running dungeons!
Fang Zheng frowned—
[Party] Milk is Mom: 438, not to be harsh, but with only two people left in Mirage Server, how can you have the nerve to abandon the group?
[Party] Refined Into a Demon 438: C’mon, I have a guild, okay?
[Party] Milk is Mom: Yeah, one with no members.
[Party] Refined Into a Demon 438: …That’s just temporary!
[Party] Milk is Mom: Don’t kid yourself. Think about it—how many of those so-called brothers of yours know about the bitterness and exhaustion you’ve endured in Mirage Server? How many know about the lengths you’ve gone to for Demon Refining, wearing out your legs and wearing down your lips…
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: *raises hand* Why would Demon Refining wear down your lips?
[Party] Milk is Mom: Because you have to persuade us sincere lovers of Huaxia to abandon it and let it gallop down the wrong path to ruin!
[Party] Refined Into a Demon 438: Zombie, I’m leaving the party =_=
[Party] Polly: Wait, do you have a Gale Pet?
[Party] Refined Into a Demon 438: No, why? Hardly anyone knows how to refine that pet—it’s too tough.
[Party] Polly: I know the synthesis recipe.
[Party] Refined Into a Demon 438: Commander, hurry up and recruit! What dungeon are we running this time?!
Dammit…
This guy’s shameless!!
A thousand alpacas stampeded across the Gobi Desert in Fang Zheng’s heart, kicking up dust!!!
But no matter what, gathering five people in one go was a rare success lately. As the saying goes, getting the first five is the hard part—waiting for the last one is a piece of cake.
[Party] Mad Lad: Hey, everyone.
Fang Zheng’s eyes widened as if he’d seen a time traveler.
[Party] Milk is Mom: Why are you here?
[Party] Mad Lad: Zombie called me, so I came.
[Party] Milk is Mom: No, I mean, weren’t you supposed to be busy killing people over there?!
[Party] Mad Lad: You don’t get it. When dealing with opponents, you can’t wipe them out completely. You have to give them room to breathe and grow—otherwise, what if they quit playing?
[Party] Mad Lad: Ever heard of the Chinese table tennis team’s “wolf-rearing” strategy? Same logic!
[Party] Milk is Mom: Then how did you know we were planning to run a dungeon?
[Party] Mad Lad: Zombie called me.
[Party] Milk is Mom: How did he call you?!
[Party] Mad Lad: He has my QQ.
Fang Zheng felt like he’d absorbed too much information in too short a time, and now his brain was gridlocked…
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: W…wife?!
Great, now it wasn’t just gridlock—it was a full-on pileup!!!
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Do you know how miserable I’ve been getting ganked by them alone? I haven’t dared to log into that account lately, and you didn’t even come to help!
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Even if we’re not husband and wife anymore, at least we’re brothers in misery!
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: You heartless little—! Meanie! Awooo~~~~~
Fang Zheng covered half his face, unable to bear looking at the screen.
[Party] Mad Lad: This guy… who’s he talking to? =_=
Jiang Yang hadn’t planned to engage, but looking around, no one else was responding, and this guy had only started acting up after he joined, so he had no choice but to step up.
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: He’s talking to you! Finally acknowledging me! ~\(≧▽≦)/~
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: I knew it! With the same ID, did you think I was blind?!
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: But seriously, why are you power-leveling the same account in this server? Which one does that guy even plan to play? Having two accounts is just nuts!
Jiang Yang narrowed his eyes, thought for a second, and roughly figured out who had saddled him with this “nuts” label.
Fang Zheng knew there was no escaping this, so he decided to confess first.
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Brother, let me explain…
[Whisper] Mad Lad: Yeah, I’m listening, w i f e.
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Don’t be like this T_T
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Actually, it’s pretty simple. Due to some unimportant, negligible reasons, you two are both being hunted by Huaxia Dominion now, so in a way, you’re allies. There’s absolutely no personal grudge between you two!
[Whisper] Mad Lad: A marital alliance?
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: That’s slander T_T
[Whisper] Mad Lad: Fine, I’ll go tell him he got the wrong person—you’re the real deal.
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Brother, no!
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Look, we’re all in the same party for a dungeon run—it’d be awkward to explain now…
[Whisper] Mad Lad: I don’t feel awkward.
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: You’re my big bro!
[Whisper] Mad Lad: This isn’t your first dungeon with him, is it? You’ve been lying to him all this time.
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: You’re my uncle T_T
[Whisper] Mad Lad: Calling me ‘daddy’ won’t help.
Who the hell was calling you that? =_=
[Party] Mad Lad: Fighter Jet, you got the wrong person. I’m not the power-leveler—I’m the real owner.
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Huh?
[Party] Mad Lad: The one with two accounts in different servers—the “nuts” guy.
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: …
[Party] Mad Lad: I don’t know what your relationship is with my power-leveler, but right now, this account is mine. Let’s start over—hi, I’m Mad Lad.
[Party] 2B Fighter Jet: Uh, hi, just call me 2B…
Meanwhile, in whispers—
[Whisper] Mad Lad: This guy’s really humble.
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Heh, heh.
[Whisper] Mad Lad: Remember, you owe me one.
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Heh, heh.
[Whisper] Mad Lad: Are you on auto-reply or something…
[Whisper] Polly: You’re chatting with the Assassin?
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: No!
[Whisper] Polly: The exclamation mark betrays you. What dungeon do you want to run?
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: Huh? Anything’s fine, whatever everyone wants.
[Whisper] Polly: No gear you’re after?
[Whisper] Milk is Mom: I’ve got pretty much everything I need. You should focus on gearing yourself up—you’re practically naked.
[Whisper] Polly: [covers mouth and laughs].
Dammit, you’re supposed to be the pro! Don’t act so cutesy! TAT
……
With the party assembled, running any dungeon wasn’t an issue. Since most of the group were familiar faces, Corpse King Necropolis had lost its appeal, while Potala Palace and Heavenly Lake were too easy. In the end, everyone agreed on the City of the Dead. This dungeon had another feature—it was full of rare gathering materials. Sometimes, players would run it just to gather, not even bothering with the bosses.
As usual, the group joined the YY channel. Though he’d been here many times, Fang Zheng still wanted to cry when he saw the channel name, “Dungeon Run.” Could it be any more straightforward?! So dry and devoid of aesthetics or passion! Even something like “Little Pig Club” would’ve had more energy!
“By the way, where’s Crossplayer and Your Uncle?” 438 suddenly asked about old friends.
Fang Zheng lectured the youngster: “Sweetie, some glorious names shouldn’t be spoken so casually.”
This time, Polly was calm: “It’s fine. Even if they came now, there’s no room.”
Mad Lad was merciless: “If he comes, I’m out!”
“Was that the Mad Lad just now? Ugh, my illusions are shattered…” 2B’s focus was always in another dimension.
Blood Bull still hadn’t spoken, only typing in the party chat.
Amid the nonsense, the group had gathered from all corners of the map at the entrance to the City of the Dead. The dungeon’s entrance was an authentic city gate, looking just like any other main city. But by activating the mechanism beside the gate, the party would be teleported inside.
And then, everything turned desolate…
No one was in sight—only empty streets and eerie houses lining them. Vendor stalls stood abandoned, their owners gone. Tavern banners fluttered in the wind, but peering through the open doors revealed only emptiness.
City of the Dead—the Ghost City.
Usually, dungeons followed a progression from easy to hard—small bosses first, then the big one. But the City of the Dead was an exception because its first boss wasn’t an NPC—it was a player.
To delve deeper into the City of the Dead, the Yamen was a mandatory checkpoint. Located at the end of the residential street, if you couldn’t get past the Yamen’s gates, you wouldn’t see any of the subsequent bosses, making the run pointless. So how do you get past the Yamen? Simple—while all the houses were empty, one courtyard held an NPC, Squire Chen. When they spoke with him, he would reveal that one party member was a ghost in disguise, triggering an event where a randomly selected player would be forcibly transformed. Their stats and gear would be massively buffed, and they’d become a temporary boss under system control. The remaining five players had to defeat this teammate to obtain a drumstick used to strike the Yamen’s grievance drum, and then everything would proceed.
Sounds simple, but the buffed teammate wasn’t easy to take down. According to player experience, their HP would be boss-level, and their DPS would be 3-4 times their normal output. If a magic class was unlucky enough to be chosen, casualties were almost guaranteed. Because of this, most dungeon runners would swap to low-tier gear—basically naked—before talking to Squire Chen. That way, no matter who transformed, the rest could quickly re-equip and take them down easily.
Squire Chen’s courtyard wasn’t fixed, so the team had to search house by house.
First house on the left—empty.
Second house on the left—empty.
Third house on the left…
Polly led the search while Jiang Yang reminded everyone—
“Everyone, swap your gear. It’ll be easier to fight when someone transforms.”
The Demon Refiner hesitated: “I don’t have spare gear in my bag…”
2B chimed in pitifully: “Same, this is all I’ve got—no changes…”
Uh… Fang Zheng realized belatedly that he didn’t either. =_=
[Party] Blood Bulls Don’t Graze: Same +1.
Polly remained unfazed: “No problem. I don’t have low-tier gear either. Let’s just go naked.”
As they spoke, the group entered the last house on the left—and there stood Squire Chen in the main hall!
Fang Zheng instantly perked up: “Brothers—”
Polly: “Strip.”
In under two seconds, aside from the still fully-dressed Squire Chen, the other gentlemen in the hall were stark naked. ╮(╯_╰)╭
Mad Lad originally had gear on, but seeing his teammates so… liberated, he’d seem uptight if he didn’t join. After some thought, he silently stripped too. =_=
In-game nudity wasn’t complete exposure—as an all-male party, they still had their underwear.
A chilly wind blew past as the male avatars eyed each other—
2B: “What’s with this? Kinda embarrassing, heh…”
Fang Zheng: “Just pretend it’s a Paris Fashion Week runway.”
Jiang Yang: “Then where are the outfits?!”
Polly: “Underwear Week.”
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