Chapter 572: Phoenix's Decision

Forbidden for Players!

Nicole’s mind raced and the expression on her face quickly changed.

Naturally, she understood the implications of those words.

“A forbidden land designated by the system?”

“No,” Tian Lie shook his head.

“… not the system?” Cold sweat oozed out from Nicole’s forehead. “Not the system? Then who else could possess the authority to make this place a forbidden land?”

“Don’t ask me, I do not know.” There was a serious expression on Tian Lie’s face. He spoke each word clearly, “Back then, ‘he’ was the one who informed me about this secret. “This forbidden land is not designated by the system. Rather, it is the custom.”

“Custom? What do you mean?”

Tian Lie gave Nicole a glance and said coolly, “It means, no one knows when it began, but whenever Players come near this place, they will inexplicably disappear.”

“… … …”

…

Chen Xiaolian pushed open the window and the cold air outside blew in. The temperature inside the room quickly fell.

As Chen Xiaolian had genetically enhanced his body before, it was only natural that he would not be affected by this drop in temperature. Rather, inhaling the cool air gave him a refreshing feeling.

Chen Xiaolian walked back to the central area of the room. He picked up the pillow from the couch, where he had slept last night, and gave it a few light pats. Then, he tossed it over onto the bed.

There on the bed, Soo Soo was already up. She wrapped the blanket over her head as she sat there. The pillow that Chen Xiaolian tossed over fell onto her head and she threw a displeased glare at Chen Xiaolian.

“Wake up, brush your teeth, wash your face and go get breakfast,” said Chen Xiaolian with a very serious tone. “We have matters to do today.”

“… oh,” Soo Soo responded with a hushed tone and obediently got up from the bed before moving into the bathroom.

Chen Xiaolian turned around and moved to stand before the window again. Looking out the window, he then stuck out his wrist and checked the time.

“There is not much time left… … will they really appear here?”

…

Phoenix stood before the mirror. She had long since gotten ready.

She had a bright red overcoat on her and looked most striking. Underneath the overcoat were two guns holstered upon her waist. There was a belt on each of her thighs and a sharp dagger was placed on each of them.

Phoenix regarded her own reflection on the mirror. She abruptly shot one hand out and a dagger that was as slender as a chopstick flew out from the sleeve. A chilling light flashed within the room as a result.

Without revealing any emotions on her face, Phoenix regarded the reflection on the mirror for one whole minute. Only then did she turn around. She casually picked up a simple looking shoulder bag that was on the sofa and strode out the room.

The moment she stepped out of her room, she saw Chen Xiaolian stepping out from the next room. Soo Soo followed behind him.

“Let us go.” Chen Xiaolian went straight to the point. After giving Phoenix a nod, he turned to the stairs and was the first to move toward it.

“Your clothes are very flashy,” said Soo Soo coolly, who raised her head to regard Phoenix as she was walking past her.

“What about it?” replied Phoenix with a light smile.

“It is very eye-catching. If a fight breaks out, it will definitely attract a great deal of attacks, a magnificent target.” After saying that, Soo Soo quickly caught up to Chen Xiaolian, leaving a dumbstruck looking Phoenix.

…

At 10 in the morning, Bran Castle was finally open to visitors and a new day began for the exhibition.

Chen Xiaolian, Soo Soo and Phoenix sat in a car in the outer area of the castle.

Soo Soo held onto a bottle of yogurt. She had, in fact, already finished the contents of the bottle long ago. However, the little girl continued biting the straw and her dark pupils kept looking at the back of Chen Xiaolian’s head.

Her gaze kept alternating between Chen Xiaolian and Phoenix.

“What is your relationship with her?”

“Mm?”

“Do you like her? Or does she like you?”

“Stop messing around!”

“Humph!”

Although no words were actually exchanged, Soo Soo and Chen Xiaolian had an unpleasant conversation through their guild channel.

“How long until that time you mentioned?” Phoenix suddenly spoke up.

“Twenty more minutes,” replied Chen Xiaolian with a frown.

“Let’s go.” Phoenix opened the car door. However, before that, she had given Chen Xiaolian a deep stare and said, “Remember your promise. This time, I help you. Next time, you help me.”

“All right.” Chen Xiaolian did not spout any nonsensical words. He too, opened the car door and got off the car.

At this moment in the morning, Bran Castle had just opened its doors. Thus, they were not many tourists here. The three of them stepped forward, moving onto the walkway leading to Bran Castle.

It was as that moment that the three of them suddenly received a prompt from the system. Immediately, a jolt ran through all three of them and they halted their steps.

The expressions on their faces had turned peculiar.

…

[System prompt: Instance dungeon D5093 will begin in 25 minutes’ time. You have stepped into this instance dungeon’s area. To those not selected to be part of this instance dungeon, please leave this instance dungeon area before it begins. Those who remain in this instance dungeon area after the instance dungeon begins will, by default, become a participant of this instance dungeon.]

…

Phoenix’s face sank and she turned to stare at Chen Xiaolian. She spoke in a hushed tone, “Chen Xiaolian! What is going on? Why is there an instance dungeon?”

Chen Xiaolian stood still, a tangled look on his face. He raised his head to look at the fortress castle up on the hill.

“Answer me!” Phoenix moved to stand before Chen Xiaolian. She forced Chen Xiaolian to look at her and spoke heavily, “I promised to help you and accompany you for this trip. I even made preparations for a possible fight… … however, I did not promise to accompany you through an instance dungeon!”

Chen Xiaolian pursed his lips. He did not say anything.

Naturally, he understood what Phoenix meant.

In this outside world, helping out a friend may not amount to anything extreme.

However… … an instance dungeon was different.

Entering an instance dungeon meant entering an unfamiliar world, becoming constrained by special conditions and facing off against unknown enemies.

In many cases, there would be no way to escape when they encounter perilous situations.

Once they fail to complete the instance dungeon, they would either die or be tossed into a punishment instance dungeon.

That was the equivalent of gambling with their lives.

Truth be told, the shock bombarding Chen Xiaolian’s mind at that moment was in no way lesser compared to Phoenix’s.

Instance dungeon…

It is actually an instance dungeon!

In the list given by Mr San, the time and place where the people on the list would appear… …

That time and place was actually for… … an instance dungeon.

Chen Xiaolian clenched his teeth. “I did not know about this.”

“… … …” Phoenix took a deep breath and stared at Chen Xiaolian for a few seconds. “Our friendship is not yet at the level where we can go risk our lives for each other.”

The expression on Chen Xiaolian’s face flickered. However, a look of understanding quickly flashed through his eyes and he said in a hushed tone, “You are right. I had not known that something like this would happen… … you should leave. Entering an instance dungeon is too dangerous. There is indeed no need for you to take this risk.”

Phoenix nodded in response. “All right, Chen Xiaolian. There is no need for me to hide anything from you. Having to walk this path we do, I, Phoenix, am not afraid of death. However, I also have no obligation to casually risk my life for the sake of others – the friendship between us has yet to reach that level. Besides, I still need to preserve my life for the sake of revenge!”

“I understand,” said Chen Xiaolian with a sigh.

Phoenix nodded. Next, she turned, moved back to the car parked beside the street, pulled open the car door and sat inside.

“As your friend, I won’t leave. I will wait here for you to finish the instance dungeon. I cannot accompany you through the instance dungeon! However, I can be your ride. I can help you this once – this is the limit of what I can do.”

Chen Xiaolian moved to the car’s side. He looked through the window at Phoenix, who sat in the driver’s seat.

He had a very calm expression on his face. “Thanks! You are right. I have no other thoughts except to thank you. You could have turned around and leave. The fact that you are willing to stay to pick us up shows enough about our friendship.”

After a pause, Chen Xiaolian quickly said, “I will go in alone. Help me take care of my little… …”

“I will enter with you.” Soo Soo’s voice came from behind Chen Xiaolian. The little girl had a calm air about her as spoke with a firm tone. “Don’t even think about throwing me outside.”

“Soo Soo!” Chen Xiaolian turned around and shouted gravely.

“Shouting at me is useless.” Soo Soo narrowed her eyes. “You can either knock me out right now or… … however, I will resist you. Xiaolian oppa, if we are to fight for real, do you think you can easily subdue me?”

Chen Xiaolian took several deep breaths and gritted his teeth. “Fine!”

He cast another glance at Phoenix and hesitated for a moment. Suddenly, he pulled out a piece of paper from his Storage Watch and placed it inside the car. He had placed it on the steering wheel before Phoenix.

“These are all the clues I obtained. There is a list on it. In there are the names, times and locations of the people who will be appearing. This place, Bran Castle, time, sometime later, is the last detail on those people who will be appearing here. I had no idea that an instance dungeon will be appearing here.”

Pausing, Chen Xiaolian quickly continued, “I do not even know why the need to find those people on the list. I do not know what would happen after I find everyone… … I do not know everything. However, the one who gave me this clue is someone important to me. I believe he would not harm me. I just do not understand why he did not clarify everything to me. I can only follow these clues to complete this matter.

“Phoenix, these are all the information I know of. The reason I am telling you these is so you would understand. I did not lie to you. I had no intentions of harming you or deceive you to help me complete an instance dungeon.

“Also… … if I fail to make it out from this instance dungeon, or if something happens to me… … please do me a favour. Find my guild members and hand over this clue to them.”

“… … …”

Phoenix clutched the piece of paper and looked at Chen Xiaolian.

Chen Xiaolian gave Phoenix a light smile. Then, he turned around and pulled Soo Soo with him as he strode toward the slope and made his way toward Bran Castle. Soon, he made a turn and disappeared from her sight.

A trace of anxiousness flashed across Phoenix’s face. Phoenix, who remained seated in the car, pulled out a packet of Sobranie cigarettes. Her hands trembled as she pulled out a cigarette and lit it up.

After taking a few puffs from it, Phoenix calmed down. Then, she lowered her head and observed the details written on the piece of paper.

After giving it a glance, Phoenix’s body flinched.

Her eyes stared intently at one of the names on the piece of paper.

Next, she fiercely threw the cigarette that was in her mouth out through the window.

“Ha! Ha ha! Ha ha ha!!!”

Phoenix laughed out maniacally a few times before folding the piece of paper into a ball. After that, she stepped down from the car, slammed the car door and strode forward.

Shockingly, she was walking toward the castle above the hill.

…