HBWnovel Chapter 235 The Rise of a Favored Concubine
Chapter 235 The Rise of a Favored Concubine
Yan Xun's words, "You may die," made his follower and Wen Yuanzheng hesitate again.
"Are you serious?" the follower asked uncertainly, worried that Yan Xun was just bluffing him.
“It’s true,” Yan Xun said. “We will all die.”
"If you're lucky, you might be half-dead."
He spoke so casually that his followers thought he was just bluffing, but little did they know that Yan Xun was serious.
Putting aside the consequences of consuming the blue gold, just imagine if the Nightmare really wakes up. If they can't leave the instance in time and can't immediately drive away the Nightmare, they'll all be doomed.
“If you want to leave, you can do so now,” Yan Xun said.
Just as his follower was about to say, "Are you kidding?", he remembered that they had all completed quest 2. If he hadn't been so obsessed with getting nothing, he could have left the instance directly.
"...Is it still effective now?" the henchman asked uncertainly.
With Quest 2 completed, the main questline of the Sea of Evil also ended. He checked the quest log, which only showed "Completed," while the Blue Gold Quest was displayed as "In Progress."
"Why don't you give it a try?" Yan Xun said.
This instance doesn't require everyone to complete the blue-gold quest. As long as players can complete quest 2 before their ship capsizes and they fall into the sea, or take a hidden quest first to ensure they don't die, they can leave once quest 2 is completed.
The follower was already regretting it. He had been blinded by greed and felt that he had worked hard to advance in the dungeon but hadn't gained any benefits, which made him feel like he had lost out. That's why he followed Wen Yuanzheng and the others toward the ice wall.
Hearing Yan Xun say that, he immediately summoned the system.
System: [OK.]
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" the henchman snapped. What was the point of running around in the dream all this time?
"You didn't ask," the system said. "I thought you really wanted to participate in the hidden dungeon."
Besides, the rewards from hidden dungeons are quite generous; are you really not going to reconsider?
"Do I even have the chance to get it?" the follower wondered. He finally understood that this hidden dungeon was very problematic. Putting aside whether the monsters inside the ice wall would awaken, he couldn't even defeat the remaining players.
Don't end up with nothing and even lose your life.
Once he understood this, he immediately asked the system to help him leave the instance.
Seeing that his follower was about to run away after saying goodbye, Wen Yuanzheng felt uneasy—he was the kind of person who was indecisive.
"Are you sure it's okay?" Wen Yuanzheng asked the old man. "Yan Xun made it sound like it was very dangerous."
'If he doesn't threaten you, how will he get the reward?' the old man asked.
'Besides, you've come this far, are you really willing to give up like that good-for-nothing?' The good-for-nothing he was referring to was, of course, the lackey who had decided to abandon the hidden mission.
Wen Yuanzheng agreed, thinking that he couldn't be like that good-for-nothing who deserted his post.
Besides, he didn't really believe Yan Xun's words.
If it's really that dangerous, with a near-death experience, why isn't Yan Xun afraid at all?
If Yan Xun could perceive Wen Yuanzheng's thoughts, he would most likely only reply with a single sentence after remaining silent—
You have already chosen a path to death.
Wen Yuanzheng felt that Yan Xun was bluffing him, and with the old man saying that Blue Gold might help people become gods, he was even less likely to give up.
Shortly after the follower left, Gao Wen and Gu Jia also arrived at this space one after the other.
Their reactions were similar to those of the others before them. They were initially wary of Yan Xun and the other two, but perhaps because Gao Wen and Gu Jia also knew the true nature of the first layer of the dream, they quickly lowered their guard.
"When did you come out?" Gao Wen asked.
He pointed to his tattered clothes and said, "I just have a very vivid imagination."
Gu Jia didn't say much. Seeing that his clothes weren't badly damaged, Yan Xun looked him over and asked, "Why did you take so long too?"
Upon hearing his words, Gu Jia first trembled, then turned away, saying, "Something's happened."
Yan Xun: "...?"
What circumstances could have kept Gu Jia trapped for so long?
Putting aside everything else, his angel investors have quite a few tools at their disposal.
“Since he doesn’t want to talk about it, you shouldn’t ask,” Qin Ke said at this moment. “Maybe he has some unspeakable reasons.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Jia turned his head slightly. He first glanced at Qin Ke, then at Yan Xun's reaction. Seeing Yan Xun's expression of "Sorry, brother, I didn't mean to pry into your privacy," he remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, "It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"You two were together the whole time?" he asked Yan Xun.
“Yes.” Yan Xun pointed to himself, “At first, it was just him and me here.”
Although Gu Jia is not talkative, she is very perceptive to changes in people's emotions.
He noticed that the relationship between Yan Xun and Qin Ke had improved significantly.
The situation has eased to the point where Yan Xun is no longer afraid of Qin Ke's identity as a member of the Angel Guild.
He couldn't understand what had happened between Yan Xun and Qin Ke while he was lost in his dream, that could cause Yan Xun's attitude to change so drastically.
“You two seem to have a good relationship now,” Gu Jia said.
"It's alright," Yan Xun said. "Just average, at least we won't kill each other on the spot."
Gu Jia: "..."
He was speechless for a moment, and found it hard to believe that Yan Xun was such a blockhead.
Qin Ke added fuel to the fire, saying, "We realized that we had some deep misunderstandings about each other before, but we cleared up the grudges after going through hardships together."
Gao Wen looked left and right, not daring to speak.
He really didn't understand what was going on with Qin Ke's arrogant attitude of being a favored concubine who had risen to power.
And how did Gu Jia suddenly become a frustrated empress? As for Yan Xun, he seemed like a foolish emperor from a palace drama, completely unaware that the empress was about to be driven to her death by the favored concubine.
"Who will share your hardships?" Yan Xun was displeased upon hearing Qin Ke's words. "Didn't you insist on dragging me down with you?"
Seeing this, Qin Ke nodded, "Yes, it's all my fault."
"You're such a good person. When you heard I was in trouble, you were willing to lend a hand." Qin Ke looked at Yan Xun. "You're a really reliable brother."
Gao Wen nodded subconsciously as he listened, thinking to himself that his brother Yan was a loyal friend.
But why does Qin Ke's tone sound so strange?
"He dragged you into this?" Gu Jia seized on this key point. "He threatened you?"
Yan Xun stammered and didn't say anything.
He knew that if he told Gu Jia about the Blue Gold Plan and confessed his desire to absorb Blue Gold, Gu Jia would definitely be the first to object.
"There's no threat," Yan Xun said vaguely. "It's just helping out."
Qin Ke nodded hesitantly, "Yes, I just need Brother Yan's help." He then looked at Gu Jia cautiously, "Don't overthink it."
Gao Wen looked left and right, and four words suddenly popped into his head—
The aroma of tea fills the air.
Wen Yuan, standing to the side, couldn't understand what they were talking about, but he could tell that Qin Ke seemed to be working together with Yan Xun.
"Are we leaving or not?" Wen Yuanzheng was unusually impatient.
This was the first time he had ever felt somewhat unable to get a word in edgewise during a mission.
“If you had wasted your time on this nonsense, we would have found Blue Gold long ago,” Wen Yuanzheng said.
He glanced sourly at Qin Ke and Gu Jia beside Yan Xun, then at the dumbfounded Gao Wen, thinking, "So what if he's just a little taller? Why is it so obvious that he's forming a clique?"
"Did you see that bearded man?" Wen Yuanzheng asked Gu Jia and Gao Wen again.
"No," Gao Wen said, adding that he had checked yesterday. "That lackey didn't come either?"
“He just left,” Yan Xun said. “He decided not to complete the hidden mission and left directly.”
Gao Wen was still a little puzzled, "Your thoughts changed so quickly?"
“That’s because he knows his own limitations.” Wen Yuanzheng snorted. “Knowing he can’t complete the hidden mission, of course he knows when to quit while he’s ahead.”
Gawain glanced at him. "You talk as if you can actually do it."
Wen Yuanzheng had disliked Gao Wen ever since he boarded the ship. Not only had this guy sabotaged him several times, but just now on the ice cap, if he hadn't drunk the enlargement potion and gotten there first, he would have already entered the ice crevice and wouldn't be wasting his breath talking to them here now.
Wen Yuan was even more annoyed at this thought, completely forgetting that if he hadn't met Yan Xun and Qin Ke, he would probably have been tormented to death by the dream.
Gu Jia knew he couldn't win an argument with Qin Ke, so when he saw Yan Xun looking thoughtfully at the pillars in the underground space, he asked Yan Xun for his idea.
Yan Xun kept it brief, explaining his thoughts on nightmares and the things he wanted to do.
Finally, Yan Xun added, "It's extremely dangerous; Gu Jia and Gao Wen can choose to leave at any time."
Gu Jia and Gao Wen naturally wouldn't choose to leave. Gao Wen quietly pulled Yan Xun aside, "Are we really going to go with him?" He glanced at Wen Yuanzheng and felt that this person was not trustworthy at all.
"Bring it along," Yan Xun said casually, as if he were talking about bringing some dry rations rather than a living person.
At this moment, a slide has appeared next to the pillar, just as Yan Xun had envisioned—a cylindrical metal slide, the kind commonly seen in large shopping malls, that can slide from the 5th floor to the 1st floor.
"No matter what happens, I just hope you won't overthink things," Yan Xun said, looking at the entrance to the slide.
“Especially you.” Yan Xun looked at Gao Wen, then at Wen Yuanzheng, “and you too.”
Gao Wen nodded, "I promise I won't overthink it."
But as his gaze fell upon the metal slide that led underground to an unknown place, a horror movie he had once watched suddenly popped into his head.
That slide in the horror movie—
"Snapped."
Yan Xun slapped Gao Wen unconscious.
“Take him with you.” He said to Gu Jia, lifting Gao Wen who had collapsed on top of him.
Gu Jia walked over and pulled Gao Wen up.
Wen Yuanzheng was also thinking, but when he saw Gao Wen being knocked unconscious, he immediately stopped thinking nonsense.
"Why don't you come too?" Yan Xun turned around and glanced at Wen Yuanzheng.
Wen Yuanzheng immediately shook his head.
"I'll memorize pi right now and promise not to let my mind wander," Wen Yuanzheng vowed.
He was terrified that if he were to fall unconscious and get stuck halfway down the slide, and Yan Xun and the others hadn't noticed, he would be completely helpless.
While they were talking, Qin Ke had already sat down at the entrance of the slide. "I'll go down first."
See you later.
He said that as he slid down the slide... and disappeared in a second.
Then Gu Jia pulled Gao Wen into a position where he could slide down. Gu Jia glanced back at Yan Xun, "Do you know that Qin Ke is..."
He confirmed with Yan Xun again, worried that Yan Xun might have forgotten that Qin Ke was a member of the Angel Guild.
“I know,” Yan Xun said.
He braced himself against the entrance of the slide with one hand, and said to Gu Jia while looking down, "I know what I'm doing."
Gu Jia thought to himself, "That's what he's been saying again. He's really afraid Yan Xun will say that."
Ultimately, once Yan Xun has made up his mind, no one can change it... He could only look up at Yan Xun and say, "Be careful."
"Don't make me...we worry."
"You two?" Yan Xun leaned over the edge, bending down to get closer to Gu Jia. "You and Sun Zhao?"
"And Li Wu?"
He only had a decent relationship with these few people; his relationship with Lou Yanchuan was purely cooperative, and they weren't really close.
Gu Jia nodded.
“I know,” Yan Xun said, patting Gu Jia on the shoulder. “You guys go down first, figure out a way to grab the Blue Gold and then leave.”
As Yan Xun spoke, he gave Gu Jia a push from behind, "Go ahead."
Gu Jia's body slumped down instantly, and in his haste, he suddenly wanted to ask, "And what about you?"
Would you take the blue gold and then leave?
As soon as Gu Jia and Gao Wen disappeared, Yan Xun turned back to look at Wen Yuanzheng and said, "You too, please."
Wen Yuanzheng was surprised that Yan Xun would choose to be the last one to fall behind. He hesitated and walked to the edge of the slide. "Do you think your plan is reliable?"
He had just finished analyzing the situation with the old man, and the old man concluded that it was worth a try.
"I don't know." Yan Xun pointed to the edge of the topic.
"What if we die?" Wen Yuanzheng asked.
“You’re out of luck,” Yan Xun said. “If you don’t leave now, the nightmare will end once Qin Ke finds Lan Jin first.”
Upon hearing this, Wen Yuanzheng panicked and, disregarding the danger, immediately crawled into the slide. "Yan Xun, I have something to tell you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yan Xun kicked him down.
"...Say it, say it—you kicked me, Cao Yanxun!"
After waiting a while to make sure there wouldn't be any traffic jam ahead, Yan Xun grabbed the top edge of the slide and jumped straight into it.
After Yan Xun's figure disappeared, the once majestic underground building also vanished instantly.
Only the huge pillars remained, and then the pillars and the slide disappeared together... The bearded man's figure reappeared in the original place.
He seems to have been dead for a long time.
His clothes had disappeared.
On the ground were words written in blood after he bit his finger—
We've all been fooled.
We've all been tricked.
'This is not something we should be dealing with...'
His stomach swelled unnaturally, like a balloon about to burst.
Moments later, his body exploded completely.
Blue metal was scattered all over the ground.
……
Wen Yuanzheng had gone down a short while earlier than him, but Yan Xun hadn't seen a single person along the way.
Five minutes may have passed, or even longer, before Yan Xun finally saw the exit at the end of the slide.
As soon as he left the slide, he saw an extremely strange sight.
A staircase appeared in the sky, and the house hung upside down in the air.
The place where he was standing was made up of pieces... Wen Yuan was clinging to a tree, afraid of falling.
The whole scene was like a tornado lifting the city into the sky and then suddenly pressing the pause button.
Qin Ke was sitting on a giant hamburger when he saw Yan Xun arrive, and he waved.
"What's this?" Yan Xun stepped over to the group of people.