Cheng Xiu could not help thinking that the Devs of this game were a bit too cruel to their NPCs. To give them the hope of success through the rings on the walls, and then throwing them to the Chasm…what kind of cruel mind could work on such things?
She looked towards the three animated things that were huddled together near the Chasm.
"If you guys are scared of the Chasm so much, why are the three of you so near it?" Cheng Xiu asked them.
The Fork gasped. "That is right. Brother Spoon, come on! We should move away from it!"
The Fork ran towards where Cheng Xiu stood, avoiding the place that the floating red torches were.
Cheng Xiu cast the little Fork a curious look as it hid behind her calf.
"This is your fault," the Fork said to the Spon. "It was your idea to hide in the Nest! You said that the Humans will not be able to say which one is those that belong to the Nest and which one doesn't, Now look! Stuck in a Dimensional Rift! What will we do! How will we escape! We would have to rely on this Human Cultivator's capabilities!"
Cheng Xiu blinked. She realised what the Fork's words meant.
"We are now in different dungeons," Cheng Xiu whispered. "And you guys are stuck here unless I solve this dungeon on my own."
"Well done, Piggy Fork," the wooden torch said with a sneer in its voice, "You just gave the human a clue!"
The Fork bent its spokes as though bending its head in shame.
"Now now, there is no need to be so rude about it," Cheng Xiu said, "We can all work together. Don't you guys want to get out of here too? And you said you would have to rely on me for that so be a bit more co-operative would you?"
The Fork nodded its head. It did want to get out.
Cheng Xiu gave them an amused look. This must be the next part of the game. These were the NPCs who had to help her in this Nest. She wondered if it was always like this, or if this time it was different because of Yaksha's presence, and the S ranking of the Country they were staying in.
"So tell me, what is the goal or objective of this dungeon?" Cheng Xiu asked them, her eyes mostly rested on the Fork who would have the loose tongue.
"Kill the Rat climbing that wall," the torch said, its silvery flames pointing towards the wall behind her.
Cheng Xiu blinked. She was surprised that the one that gave her the information was the Torch. It had seemed unwilling to talk before to even its two companions. She kept this in mind as she turned around.
She was met with a black wall.
Cheng Xiu's face became dull.
She glared at the Wooden Torch.
The flames of the torch shivered. "Why are you looking at me like that for?"
Cheng Xiu blinked. "Are you not trying to pull one over me?"
"Do you think we would play jokes on you when our lives are at risk?" the Spoon asked, disdain in its voice.
"I am really curious," Cheng Xiu whispered. "How are you able to modulate your voice like that? Were you humans before?"
The Fork scoffed, the Spoon shook its 'head' and the flames turned into a word that said "Wrong" in English.
"I would really like to know," Cheng Xiu implored as she stared up at the ceiling. There was nothing there either.
She wondered if she had to enter a separate room here like the one that the other two rat counsellors were in.
But how to access the room?
"We don't want to talk to you about it," the Spoon said.
"Fine then."
"You are really going to leave it at that?" the Spoon asked her in anger, indignant.
Cheng Xiu walked towards the wall. "Or else? What should I do? Torture the three of you to answer me?"
"Like you have the capability," the Spoon said in a disdained voice.
Cheng Xiu placed her palm on the wall. It was warm under her hand. A small smile appeared on her lips under the mask at that. She was sure that the way to enter the room was the way that the Iron door became visible in the Rat Counsellor's room.
"I do have one question though," Cheng Xiu said. "If you don't answer me correctly then I wont help you."
"What is it!" the Fork asked eagerly.
Cheng Xiu chuckled. "Nothing too complicated. Just that."
She pointed towards the floating Red Torches.
"That is not a question," the Spoon said in a way that sounded like through gritted teeth.
"My bad then," she said with a shrug. "What are those? What is their purpoe?"
"Those are two Questions," the Spoon said to her.
"Yes. I know. Tell me."
The three kept quiet.
Cheng Xiu stared at them for a few moments, taking her hand away from the wall.
"You!" the Fork screamed. "What are you doing!"
"Nothing. I am doing nothing. And I will continue to do nothing if you don't answer me."
The Fork turned its spokes towards the Spoon and then her, at the Spoon and then her. It kept repeating the action.
"That…they are our life sources," the Torch said.
Cheng Xiu frowned. "Were you players?"
"What do you mean?" the Torch asked.
Cheng Xiu sighed in relief. "Nothing. Just had a very dark thought. So you guys were rats too right?"
"Mice," the Spoon spoke. "There is a difference."
Cheng Xiu bowed her head in apology. "Of course. My mistake. How did you guys become like this then?"
The three did not speak.
"Did the King or the Queens do this to you?"
The three did not move.
Cheng Xiu sighed. "You guys are so pitiful. Fine. I will help you."
"Thank you so much!" the Fork screamed at her.
The Spoon scoffed. "She would have helped us, regardless. She has to complete her mission."
The Fork gasped. Its spokes turned to Cheng Xiu. "You tricked me!"
Cheng Xiu quickly placed her palm back onto the wall and sent a bout of Qi into the wall.
"I did no such thing," Cheng Xiu said as she stared at the place that she sent the Qi into.
The place glowed white and a handle appeared in its place.
Cheng Xiu took hoild of it and pulled.