Chapter 200: Chapter 200: I Promised Ning to Take Good Care of Myself
Just as everyone thought that his Dungeon wouldn’t spawn any strange things, they saw pots beginning to appear one after another across the black wasteland.
The black-brown earthen pots varied in size, embedded in the soil one after another.
The pots were of different sizes, but all of identical shape.
Seeing the continually appearing pots in the wasteland, Leng Feng couldn’t help but feel a wave of dread in his heart.
The human swine punishment had always been among the harshest penalties for humans.
History books have recounted the miseries of human swine again and again—those people could barely stay alive.
And to be sealed in a jar would be enough to erase the courage of any life.
In Ren Fengxiang’s Dungeon, the mouth of each spawning pot was dark and deep; those who looked at them would quickly avert their gaze, as if one extra glance would get them swallowed up.
Ren Fengxiang frowned, his face growing pale.
Jiang Che paused, staring briefly at the forming pots, but instantly understood.
These things must be just like the Red Pearl Mental Hospital he spawned himself; they were creations beyond the control of consciousness.
Jiang Che unconsciously clenched his fists. Brother Xiang only claimed not to care, but the endless appearance of these pots had already shown the way his heart was shackled by them.
The area where the pots spawned was vast. Other than the standalone building Ren Fengxiang had produced, every few steps in the land surrounding the house, another black-brown pot jutted from the ground.
Pots large and small were embedded in the earth; walking atop them felt as if one misstep would send you crashing in.
In the courtyard of Red Pearl Mental Hospital, many people had already started to whisper among themselves.
"Seems like this still had quite an impact on him."
"From the looks of it, the spawned objects in each Dungeon are somewhat connected to personal experience."
"I wonder what the stages in his Dungeon are like."
"Why not send someone to try it out?"
...
The moment someone mentioned trying it out, everyone immediately fell silent.
Testing it out usually wasn’t a big deal, nor some meaningless sacrifice.
Since Dungeons can devour each other to increase strength, knowing others could always provide an extra trump card.
But they weren’t willing; even the death-soldiers they’d trained didn’t want to go.
Most humans nowadays no longer feared death, and these high-level ones were the same.
Maybe they’d witnessed Ren Fengxiang’s years of suffering; they didn’t want, nor would they permit, their own men to die in such a cruel way.
What would be the result of entering the stage?
No one said a word, but a subtle calculation had already formed deep inside.
Death?
Or, like him, being sealed in a pot, unable to get free.
The few subordinates of Dragon Cloud Tower who wanted to rescue Long Yun were still breaking through the Dungeon in Jiang Che’s world. A map had appeared in front of Jiang Che.
Whenever anyone enters the stage, this map appears before Jiang Che.
Everyone at the scene could see the changes reflected on it, representing the red dots—players—moving rapidly. They hadn’t managed to collect all the crystals along the way: the white Spirit Bodies chasing them too closely, leaving them no choice but to hope they could circle back and retrieve those crystals later.
Long Yun watched as those few who’d come to save him were already exhausted under pursuit by the white Spirit Bodies.
His eyes were bloodshot. The companions he’d brought were not weak; they were the backbone of Dragon Cloud Tower.
If, before, those who’d died in Jiang Che’s Dungeon were just low-level members, then these trying to save him now were his closest brothers and subordinates.
"Boss, don’t worry. Once we break through this Dungeon, we’ll tear Jiang Che’s file folder to pieces and get you out."
Their voices still came through from the map.
Jiang Che looked at the map suspended in front of him, his expression utterly unchanged.
Long Yun supported himself on all fours, face twisted in pain.
Dragon Cloud Tower always spoke of loyalty and justice, and it was more than just an empty slogan.
He had come after Jiang Che over a few ordinary subordinates; now, his closest men were trapped in Jiang Che’s Dungeon, in mortal peril. The agony was far harder to endure.
These brothers of his were strong, but after repeated attacks by the white Spirit Bodies, their auras had grown progressively weaker.
This was his first time glimpsing the ferocity of Jiang Che’s Dungeon.
He knew well the strength of these subordinates—yet in Jiang Che’s Dungeon, they hadn’t even made it a third of the way through.
He stared at Jiang Che’s impassive face, teeth clenched and eyes red. Blood had already seeped out between his lips,
"Jiang Che, you don’t look human anymore."
"Are you really still human?"
He’d only just felt the blood well up between his gums when he sensed the wound begin to heal.
The Dungeon’s energy was rapidly closing the wounds in his mouth.
In that instant, he remembered what Jiang Che had said: Every life that died inside the Dungeon would be converted into energy for his regeneration.
If these brothers really died, no matter how severely he’d been wounded, he could only survive by feeding on the energy made from their lives.
Upon realizing this, Long Yun felt his entire body drained of strength.
He collapsed to his knees, motionless.
Hearing Long Yun’s words, Jiang Che’s face showed no change at all.
Feihu beside him was startled, keenly aware of Jiang Che’s relationship with that evil spirit.
Any words from a human could possibly push Jiang Che fully toward the other side.
She watched Jiang Che with fear, terrified that he would be angered and align himself once and for all against humanity.
Jiang Che lifted his head to look at Long Yun on the ground, his expression entirely serious. "Ning has said the same to me."
"If people don’t mess with me, I don’t mess with them. Whether it’s evil spirits or humans, if anyone comes looking for trouble, hit back twice as hard."
"I promised Ning I’d protect myself, so she doesn’t have to worry."
He didn’t stop the people breaking through his Dungeon, nor did he pause the stages.
Of course, he noticed the change in Feihu’s gaze, but wanted everyone to know they were overthinking it.
At the thought, the edge of his mouth quirked up. Before Feihu ever worried about his allegiance, Ding Ning had already told him long ago.
From the very beginning, Ning had told him, there was no need to be bound by anyone.
In this age of fractured loyalties, all he needed was to be himself.
The war between humans and evil spirits had nothing to do with him—never had, never would.
This time, these humans were forcing their way into his Dungeon; Long Yun had always come after him.
Jiang Che didn’t see himself as wrong in any of it.
Long Yun watched the red dots representing his team on the map, their pained cries echoing out.
One of the breakthroughers’ red dots had already vanished.
He didn’t know who the Ning in Jiang Che’s words was; at this point, he lacked even the will to stand back up.
Long Yun stared at the sign for the Red Pearl Mental Hospital, his voice filled with defeat and despair.
"Jiang Che, let them go. I’ll guard the gate from now on."
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