"Poisoned?"
At that moment, Feng Rui felt a chill run down his spine and realized that he had lost his bet.
"Is that why your soul smells so delicious?"
With a sinister grin, the old man expanded in size before his eyes. His chaotic aura exploded like an uncontrollable storm, releasing a malevolent energy that seemed to consume everything. In the blink of an eye, Feng Rui saw how the ghostly energy contained in the house's matrix was mercilessly consumed.
The ground vibrated beneath his feet. Leaves and branches floated in the air, swept up by the force of the old man's aura. Feng Rui, unable to maintain his balance, was thrown into the air and landed violently on the other side of the garden.
He coughed up blood and barely managed to get up, but when he did, what he saw froze his blood: the old man was no longer human...
He was witnessing the birth of a demon!
'Sh*t.'
'Did my head fill with water when I died?? Or did my brain actually melt?!'
'How could I make such a stupid decision?!'
Very aware of his situation, he decided to undertake a strategic retreat. He had to get away and find help, plan his next move with strong backup. But as soon as he tried to find the guards, he realized something even more terrifying: there was no one around.
Is this because of the demon? Or am I in some kind of illusion?
Doubt crept into his mind for a moment, but there was no time for lengthy thoughts. Feng Rui quickly ducked, barely avoiding an attack that whizzed just inches above his head, slicing through the air with deadly speed.
"Why are you running, little descendant? Come here to your grandpa, who loves you so much!"
The demon's voice echoed in the darkness, a malicious laugh that chilled his bones.
"I just want to take a bite of your delicious soul, I promise I'll leave you an intact corpse!"
Feng Rui cried without tears in his heart. He preferred to fight corpses than demons, they were very scary when he was just a defenseless human, ah.
Physical attacks were useless unless it was at the instant he materialized to attack, he constantly directed debuffs, negative effects to any living being around him randomly depending on their level, he drained vital energy to heal himself and could have mental control when the target was weak, creating absolute terror, illusions and endless nightmares.
Wasting no time, he turned around and ran down the hallway, kicking all objects toward the ghost, pushing open doors, and knocking over everything in his way as he searched for something to defend himself with.
"You want to play with me? Fine, play with your grandpa!"
'If you want to eat me, just do it already! Stop with the creepy dialogue! D*mn it!'
Suddenly, the darkness of the ground seemed to come to life. A spectral hand emerged from the floor, coiling around his leg like a snake with supernatural strength.
Feng Rui couldn't help but curse his weak body again—if he were playing his actual character from the game, a ghost would be nothing in his eyes! He could defeat it with his pinky!
In the blink of an eye, he was sent flying into the air, crashing through everything in his way.
Obviously, the fall was brutal.
The impact against the artificial lake water in the garden felt like the blow of a sledgehammer. But it was far from an "artificial" lake, as Feng Rui sank like a rock, dragged deeper and deeper into the darkness and cold of the lake's depths.
His lungs burned, and the light seemed to fade further and further away.
Feng Rui, feeling the pressure in his chest, struggled to breathe, but it was as though the water itself squeezed his insides, refusing to let him go.
The darkness surrounded him, growing deeper and colder.
Is it over?? Would he die in such a pathetic way? Or had his time in the real world truly come to an end?
With one last effort, he fought to free himself, flailing his arms in a desperate attempt to reach the surface...
Until to make his situation even worse, a system notification resonated in his mind with an irritating "Ding!".
Feng Rui swore that, at this rate, that notification sound would become a trauma for him.
[110 seconds before his death]
If he hadn't been sure before, he now firmly believed that even if he died, he would have the worst possible end: he would become a vengeful ghost, and it wouldn't be surprising if he eventually turned into a demon like his grandfather.
With what little strength he had left, he forced his eyes to read the notification window floating before him, which seemed to mock his distress.
The information about the upcoming missions related to his death was written out…
'System, can't you be less sadistic?'
He deliberately ignored the possibility that he might actually die after the countdown and that the missions could just be mere alternatives to give his soul peace, as the world's last goodwill toward him.
[Main Mission: The Truth Behind the Murder of the Young Master Feng Rui.
Description: In the General's family, a chilling murder of their young master occurred. The circumstances surrounding his death are mysterious, and it is believed that a ghost was involved. Rumors point to the vengeful spirit of a family member as the possible culprit. The General is willing to offer a generous reward for anyone who uncovers the truth.
Objective: Investigate the murder, uncover the truth behind the incident, and confront the dark forces surrounding it.
Rewards:
Exp: +555
Karma Points: 55
Item: Spirit Protector Amulet x1 (Protects against ghostly attacks for 24 hours)
55.5% chance of gaining the "Soul Vision" ability (Allows you to see spiritual entities within a 10-meter radius)
A key clue to locate the rebels planning a coup.
Do you wish to accept this mission?
Attention: Mission blocked for players below level 15.
[Yes] [No]
Coup??!!
Feng Rui almost choked, worse than he already was. He didn't know the political situation of this kingdom, but a failed betrayal would mean the execution of the entire family and the next three generations or something like that. The shock nearly ripped the last breath from his lungs. No, fifteen seconds were directly deducted.
[70 seconds before his death]
With a mix of curiosity and oxygen-starved madness, he continued reading the rest of the missions in case they contained more spoilers.
What does it matter?
He was already with one foot in the grave, and the other... well, the other was suspended between life and death, convulsing from the effort to breathe, struggling not to lose consciousness. Each inhale was agony, and each exhale felt like a final sigh of farewell and...
Meh.
The situation couldn't get any worse.
He couldn't do anything else either.
[Side Mission: The Dark Legacy of the General.
Description: The General's family hides many dark secrets. After the death of their young master, who had a special physique that attracted ghosts, some pieces of the puzzle started to come to light. A traitor within the family may be involved in the murder, and there is more than one secret involving dark forces that the General's family has sealed away for generations.
Objective: Investigate what the General's family is hiding.
Discover the ancient dealings with dark entities and search for clues about the potential betrayal of the royal family.
Rewards:
Exp: +77
Item: Secret Chamber Key x1 (Opens doors sealed or protected by dark magic)
Karma Points: -7
77.7% chance of obtaining the "Traitor Detection" ability (Allows the user to detect treacherous intentions nearby)
Do you wish to accept this mission?
Attention: Mission blocked for players under level 7.
[Yes] [No]
As far as he knew, the Wind Eternal Body granted improvements in speed, agility, and a higher affinity with the wind element. But... attracting ghosts? Since when? Did he have another physique? Or had all of this been a complete lie from the start?
Incredulity and betrayal gripped him as a wild theory began to form in his mind…
What if Feng Rui was something like an experiment? A living bait? A sacrifice?
Moreover, although he didn't want to admit it, was his family preparing a coup? Had they allied with "the dark forces" and whatever that meant?
Necromancy? Dark magic? Mind control?
Feng Rui's mind was on the verge of enlightenment, but the situation gave him no respite.
The demon was getting closer, eager to end his life once and for all, that chilling grin still plastered on his face.
Was everyone in the family so weak that they couldn't even kill a ghost? Or were they cultivating him, making Feng Rui their celebratory snack?
Ugh.
He turned his head in frustration as much as he could, and a bloody line formed across his cheek. He had barely saved his neck from the demon's attack, which had been aimed at decapitating him.
The thing that had been dragging him to the depths moved uncontrollably and released him, to Feng Rui's astonishment.
Did the attack land? What kind of a blessing in disguise was this?
Without hesitation, he began swimming away from the paranormal beings, but the monster's shadow was approaching fast.
Feng Rui cursed silently.
'Is anyone trying to think here, ok?'
From what he had read about the missions, it was most likely all part of a conspiracy! From what he could infer, the General knew nothing. He too wanted to uncover the truth!
Now, whether the General would do something about it or cover it up after learning the truth, was up to him...
Or maybe the traitors wanted to kill the General as well? Use him as a scapegoat?
So many possibilities and the damn demon wouldn't stop chasing him long enough for him to think clearly!
'Wasn't the other ghost in the lake supposed to do its job and defeat it? Hey! Did it hit you? What are you waiting for to take revenge?!'
He dodged another attack, sinking deeper into the water when his instincts warned him of the murderous intent.
Then, he gathered all his strength to propel himself toward the surface.
He also had another matter to think about. For example, what would happen if he rejected a mission? Would he disappear? Also, if the option to accept the mission was unlocked, did that mean there were players nearby? Or would it apply to anyone who met certain conditions?
To test, Feng Rui clicked "No" on the secondary mission, and immediately another one popped up with an even more scandalous title.
[Side Mission: Feng Rui's Last Oath.
Description: The young master Feng Rui, before his death, made a vow on his deathbed: to avenge the death of his mother, who was despised and betrayed by the family. Those around him, including his brothers and the General, kept important secrets and influenced her death. Will it be possible to fulfill Feng Rui's vow and expose those responsible?
Objective: Investigate Feng Rui's memories, reveal the betrayal, and uncover who is responsible for his mother's death.
Rewards:
Exp: +100
Item: Vengeance Medallion (Increases damage against traitors by 20%)
Unlocked Ability: Vengeance Oath (Grants a temporary power boost when facing enemies responsible for betrayals)
Do you wish to accept this mission?
Attention: Mission blocked for players under level 10.
[Yes] [No]
Ugh, now he felt bad for the original Feng Rui. If, by some miracle, he didn't die this time, he'd complete the mission himself.
[Error: NPCs cannot accept missions.]
"..."
I don't need to accept the mission to do it, okay?!
[Error: NPCs cannot interfere with a player's mission.]
"..."
[Penalty will be applied for interference once the mission is issued, even if it's not accepted.]