Chapter 364: The Shadow of the Great Old One

Chapter 364: The Shadow of the Great Old One

If time were to rewind, our group would certainly be able to determine the upcoming time point to visit. After all, this is the Cthulhu RPG Game, and it wouldn’t make sense for us to be sent to a time unrelated to the Side Quest. So, as long as we identify the potential time points for the Side Quest, sorting them in order, we can be prepared in advance to complete the next Side Quest at the chosen time.

However, the current time distortion complicates things because we don’t know when we’ll appear next in this distorted timeline. Liu Xing believes that KP Snow Wind will probably decide it by rolling dice. Still, considering KP Snow Wind’s luck, Liu Xing can’t help but feel a bit uneasy. He is concerned that the Side Quest at this world point might be the most dangerous and challenging in this module.

At this moment, Zhang Jingxu continues, "However, what’s strange is that the other residents of Panlong Town don’t seem to be aware of the temporal distortion like Hu Cang. Only Hu Cang retains self-awareness within this temporal chaos, though it’s only consciousness. Hu Cang’s physical state changes with the passage of time, so judging by his current condition, we are not far from the previous time point. From Hu Cang’s appearance now, the difference isn’t significant."

"So," Zhang Jingxu adds, "Right after the temporal distortion occurred, Hu Cang thought we would die due to it since we are outsiders. Previous outsiders who entered Panlong Town would perish directly when temporal distortion happened. Therefore, Hu Cang came up here initially to collect our bodies. But he didn’t expect us to be alive and well. Now, Hu Cang believes that we might be the chosen ones to stop Panlong Town from continuing to suffer temporal distortions because we’ve become the biggest variable in Panlong Town."

Liu Xing nods in agreement. As players, his group is undoubtedly the biggest variable in this module. However, he doesn’t think that they can free Panlong Town from the temporal distortion since the main quest of this module is simply to leave Panlong Town, not to restore it to normal.

Of course, these things cannot be disclosed to Hu Cang. So, Liu Xing tells Zhang Jingxu, "Zhang Jingxu, on behalf of me and Ling Ishikawa, please inform Hu Cang that we will do our best to help him save Panlong Town. However, we hope that Hu Cang can be open and honest with us and provide us with useful information. After all, we are newcomers and still quite clueless."

Zhang Jingxu nods and says, "Li Dian and Wan Chongshan are currently questioning Hu Cang, and he has assured us that he will tell us everything. Before this, Hu Cang withheld some information from us because he believed we were doomed, so revealing those details would have been pointless. But now, Hu Cang sees us as his lifeline because anyone spending a few years in temporal distortion is likely on the verge of mental breakdown."

Liu Xing reflects on this. If he were thrown into a town suffering from temporal distortion and experienced it hundreds of times, he would probably lose his sanity.

So, Liu Xing has some admiration for Hu Cang.

After a while, it appears that Zhang Jingxu and the others have finished their conversation with Hu Cang. He nods to Liu Xing and Ling Ishikawa before leaving the room and heading downstairs.

Then, Zhang Jingxu informs Liu Xing and Ling Ishikawa of the outcome of their discussion. "First, I have some bad news. Although Panlong Town is experiencing temporal distortion, if we do something significant in the earlier time points, such as causing severe damage to a building, injuring or even killing a resident of Panlong Town, or forming a certain kind of relationship with a resident, those changes will carry forward in subsequent time points, altering the situation in Panlong Town. Therefore, Hu Cang hopes that we will exercise caution and avoid making hasty changes to Panlong Town."

Liu Xing raises an eyebrow. This is yet another complication. Completing the Side Quests is bound to change history, so if their group completes one Side Quest and then, in the next time point preceding that completed Side Quest, accidentally affects important NPCs related to that completed Side Quest, will it be considered incomplete or even a failure?

If that’s the case, Liu Xing believes that the difficulty of the Side Quests in this module will increase significantly, as completing one Side Quest could potentially disrupt others that have already been completed.

At this point, KP Snow Wind speaks up, "I believe that all the players have a clear understanding of the current situation and a new perspective on the Side Quests. You’re correct; the Side Quests in this module won’t be completed immediately. They are in a pending state. When the ’truth’ points of all the pending Side Quests add up to over 100, those Side Quests will become completed, and the players can then complete the Main quest."

"However," KP Snow Wind continues, "if players, in the process of completing other Side Quests, inadvertently impact the pending Side Quests in a significant way, they may end up in a failed state, or, in some cases, remain incomplete. In any case, I hope all the players will plan their actions carefully to avoid unexpected consequences."

Indeed, it seems so.

Liu Xing and the others exchanged glances, and on each other’s faces, they could see the word "helpless."

Zhang Jingxu shook his head, expressing some doubt. He said, "No, according to Hu Cang, in these four hundred and fifty instances of temporal chaos, he has never encountered that fanatic even once. Only once did Hu Cang arrive in Panlong Town after the departure of that fanatic. At that time, Panlong Town was just as we saw it last night, in complete disarray with bloodstains all over the ground. However, Hu Cang did not find any bodies. He searched Panlong Town for three days and nights and still found nothing. Then, he was transported to other time points."

At this moment, KP Snow Wind stepped forward again with a smile and said, "Congratulations to all players for triggering the Side Quest in this module that most resembles a Main quest, ’Great Old One.’ This Side Quest is quite unique. The more clues you find related to the Great Old One, the greater your rewards will be. And the ultimate prize is an invaluable item."

KP Snow Wind’s words confirmed it all, and it turned out that the term "Old One" in the module’s name indeed referred to the Great Old One.

And now, the shadow of the Great Old One loomed over Panlong Town.

"By the way, it’s worth mentioning that Hu Cang is actually an orphan. Shortly after his birth, both his parents passed away due to illness. As for our identities in Panlong Town, we are considered Hu Cang’s out-of-town friends. Well, let’s each go back to our rooms and rest now. There’s nothing more to discuss for the time being, and tomorrow we need to confirm the current time period we’re in," Zhang Jingxu said as he stood up.

Liu Xing nodded and took Ling Ishikawa back to their room.

After chatting with Ling Ishikawa for a while, Liu Xing prepared to go to sleep.

Fortunately, there was no Inspiration Judgment tonight.

He slept until dawn.

Liu Xing got up, took a sip of water, and heard firecrackers in the distance.

By this time, Zhang Jingxu was also up, standing by the window in the main hall, looking at something.

Liu Xing walked over and asked with a smile, "Good morning, Zhang Jingxu. What are you looking at?"

Zhang Jingxu turned back and smiled, pointing in the direction of the Xiao Mochen Tea House, "If everything goes as planned, today should be the big day for Xiao Mochen and Hu Li’s wedding."

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow and quickly moved to the window.

Sure enough, at the entrance of the tea house, Liu Xing immediately spotted Xiao Mochen in a white suit, happily conversing with others.

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