Chapter 149 Attack of the Protagonist 1

Chapter 149 Attack of the Protagonist 1

"Welcome to Thriller Paradise."

"Download complete. You are currently playing Team Survival Mode (Normal). A scenario introduction is provided in this mode, and there is a chance to trigger a side or hidden mission and special world-building.

"Reward for clearing the scenario: A random draw of a learnable Skill Card.

"Playing the scenario introduction soon. The game will start right after."

Feng Bujue entered the first-person view to observe the cinematic again. A picture floated before his eyes. It was that of a normal countryside village, near a mountain and next to a river. There were farmlands and forests surrounding the village. The village had modern amenities as well like a school, a whole street of shops, residential areas, and office buildings. This small town reminded Feng Bujue of Hirata’s hometown, and a bad feeling started to crawl up his heart.

"Sakura Town, a slice of peace away from the bustle of the city. In the small, quiet town, a strange story circulated.

"Around thirty years ago, as the town was about to welcome a new November, the police station of the town received many missing person reports. Quite a handful of young men and women had disappeared from the town, and the last day all those people were seen was the same, October 31st.

"No bodies were found. Initially, people assumed that the young people had eloped or run away from home to make a living outside the small town. But one year passed, and there was no news about them.

"Ever since then, on the same date every year, the same missing incidents would reoccur...

"Various signs pointed to the fact that the disappeared individuals had not left the small town. Therefore, the police launched a full investigation.

"Even though the police questioned and visited many citizens, and the written records were piling up like a mountain, there were no actual clues to push the investigation forward. The only thing that could even be called a clue was the superstitious talk among the elders...

"Either way, it was because of this investigation that the Curse of the Well started to spread.

"According to legend... at the abandoned shrine in the mountains, there was a cursed well. On the last day of each October, music of the underworld could be heard trailing out from inside the well. On that night, the people who heard that music would go to the shrine and throw themselves down into the well.

"’They will not return anymore because they have travelled to another world,’ the elders claimed with superstitious confidence.

"The investigation came to a halt. Without any leads, the police went into the mountains and started to inspect the shrine. To their surprise, they did come across the personal effects of some of the missing people.

"On the night of October 31st of the same year, a unit of officers guarded the well to get to the bottom of the ’mystery’, but the next day, the whole unit did not return to the town, and they were not seen again.

"The investigation was postponed endlessly until the local government ordered the villagers to enter the mountain at night and use cement to seal up the well at the shrine. However, at the end of each October, the disappearances continued..."

Following the monologue, the screen zoomed in. It faced the mountain, and a small path could be seen cutting through the forest, heading upward.

"Time flew by. Many years later, the size of Sakura Town grew, and the population number tripled. The disappearances were soon forgotten along with the legend of the well.

"On an autumnal night, six young people from the town arrived there, wishing to conduct a bravery contest at the shrine inside the mountain. That night just so happened to be October 31st."Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

How is that a test of courage? As Feng Bujue listened to the cinematic, he mocked the youths. That is an active search for death!

He had thought that the cinematic would end there, but to his surprise, like the set up for the Seven Mysteries of the Academy, the system explanation picked up where the cinematic left off.

"Your death was honestly beyond my expectations," Feng Bujue replied with a smile. "But to expand the scope of exploration at the start of the scenario is definitely the correct way to go, and reality has proven that..."

"Enough... There’s no need to explain. I have no idea what happened after I disconnected anyway," Invincible Champion said. "Last time, it was my fault for underestimating you. This time, please, brother, stop acting dumb and help chip in to clear this scenario."

"I’m so embarrassed that you’ve flattered me so," Feng Bujue said politely, but the pride on his face could not be mistaken.

"Invincible, is that your friend?" Zen Dream came over. He pulled out a small bottle of beer from his inventory and was already drinking.

"Er... More like an acquaintance. We met each other once in a previous scenario." Invincible Champion turned back to answer before turning back to address Feng Bujue. "Hmm, based on your title, you’re a player focused on puzzle-solving?"

This was the obvious assumption for Invincible Champion to make. After all, even in Regulation, there was no member like Feng Bujue who had acquainted himself with all the masteries, a player who could rely on both his brawn and brain.

"I am leaning more toward puzzle-solving, yes," Feng Bujue said. "But I wouldn’t say I’m a weak fighter either."

"Oh? From the sound of that, you are adept with both the pen and the sword?" Zen Dream said. Before Feng Bujue answered, he sighed. "Ah... How wonderful it is to be young. You might not know it from my current appearance... but once, I was young and conceited..."

"Er... Brother Zen, if I have to say, you look like you’re only in your twenties with all the vices of a youth," Feng Bujue uttered with his lips twitching.

Even Invincible Champion felt quite embarrassed. "Just ignore him. That’s his motto apparently."

The six stood there and chatted for a few minutes to share their expertise. During a lull, Feng Bujue activated A Strategic Victory and saw the Boss data.

———

Name: Well of Resentment

Race: ???

Level: 30

Width of the Mouth: 122 cm

Fighting Style: Illusion

Weakness: After the supply of energy is cut off, it will turn back into a normal well.

Skill: Soul Consumption

Danger Level: High

———

The messages provided by that info matched the description of this well during the cinematic quite well, but the detail of weakness was quite interesting. After the supply of energy was cut off, the well would lose its effect, but where did the power supply come from?

Assuming the source of power came from ’another world’, did this mean that they would have to be swallowed by the well first and then cut off the source in the other dimension? The issue of whether one would survive the consumption aside, even if one survived on the other end and successfully cut off the power source, the player would have no way of returning. The well would have turned back into a normal well, and the link between the two worlds would be lost.

The other speculation appeared to be more possible. The source supplying the well with its power likely came from this world and was hidden among the small town or in the mountains. The players were tasked with finding the truth, and the case would be solved.

Five minutes after the cinematic ended, the group prepared to depart, and the system announced, "Main quest triggered. Enter the mountains to find the abandoned shrine."