novelraw Chapter 247: The Bountiful Rewards of the Mist Instance
Chapter 247: The Bountiful Rewards of the Mist Instance
Lexi and the ticket seller exchanged glances and smiled at Alexander, as if expressing their gratitude.
In an instant, the atmosphere on the bus seemed to freeze. Starting with Lexi and the ticket seller, torrents of ghost energy erupted from the locals on the bus, funneling rapidly towards two lanterns.
The cycle had been broken. What followed was likely to be scenes related to breaking this deadlock.
Sure enough, before Edward and Alexander, a tapestry of moments unfurled like a kaleidoscope of haunting lights, each one sketching out a harrowing tale.
It was an ordinary morning, and the ticket seller had arrived at the bus station early. The bus followed its usual route, and due to the early hour, the regulars aboard were mostly funeral home workers.
However, this time, they were joined by a grieving family member and three drunken thugs. Lexi, donning a white dress that accentuated her innocent allure, caught the lustful attention of the ruffians.
As they harassed her, she looked to the other passengers for help, only to be met with callous indifference; nobody wanted to invite trouble.
In the face of such apathy, the three emboldened thugs grew more audacious. When the bus reached a secluded park, they audaciously attempted to drag Lexi off the bus. Not a single soul among the passengers dared to intervene, not even the ticket seller.
The result was as inevitable as it was grim. Lexi was pulled off the bus and tossed into a lake, lifeless.
Alexander could see that from that day forward, whenever the bus passed that park, a dark aura clung to it, growing thicker with each passing day.
Finally, a month later, the three miscreants boarded the bus again. This time they were sober and set their sights on the ticket seller, who struggled and pleaded for help. Again, the bus remained a theater of indifference.
Regret consumed her—regret for not intervening before, for not reporting the crime, for her choices that had kept the thugs out of jail.
Seizing a momentary opportunity to break free, she rushed toward the driver, causing the bus to veer off the road, taking everyone onboard to their watery graves.
The reality was even crueller than the cycle. After her death, the ticket seller, too, became a lingering presence, a haunting ghost enveloping the bus.
She wanted to go back, to change everything, but Lexi had other plans. Lexi sought to torment the three thugs and all those aboard the bus.
Each cycle had been a collaborative effort between the two ghosts. Lexi, sensing the ticket seller’s remorse, had sought to free her, leading to scenarios where only the ticket seller was saved.
But the ticket seller had her own unresolved issues; she was determined to change the course of events.
What the ticket seller could not achieve, Alexander did, altering the indifference of others in the process.
Adults aren’t always purely indifferent; sometimes, they’re burdened by too many concerns.
Who would hesitate to help a fallen elderly person, if given the chance? On a bus full of tired souls after a long day, who genuinely wouldn’t offer their seat to an older person?
As the first to step forward, Alexander, with Edward’s assistance, successfully dispelled the last of everyone’s reservations, thereby transforming their indifference. The obsessions dispersed, and the haunting visions vanished.
"Congratulations to the participant for successfully breaking deadlock number 12138. Rewards: Soul-Crushing Bell, Ghost Skill: Hell Curse, Fog Tools: Perfect Identity Card, Identity Destruction Card," announced the system.
Retrieve the two abyssal ghost crystals from the paper lanterns. Without exception, all were of prince quality.
Immediately, Alexander turned his attention to the rewards bestowed by the misty system.
Soul-Crushing Bell
A glass of whiskey, a tolling bell, and a graveyard—on the road to the netherworld, every face is familiar.
Holding the Soul-Crushing Bell, he traversed through European lands, leading countless lost souls to their final resting places. He sought neither money nor fame; he was simply a soul guide, a wanderer among realms.
This was a vocation that took him around the world, performing the last rites for restless spirits. In deserted graveyards near rural churches, the ringing of the Soul-Crushing Bell allowed grievances and obsessions to dissipate, granting peace at last.
However, everything changed when he encountered a young woman, abandoned and humiliated. Her resentment refused to fade and instead clung to the Soul-Crushing Bell. From then on, the wandering soul guide became an emissary of Death.
Function: Each time the Soul-Crushing Bell tolls, the morale of all ghosts soars. Ghosts below the rank of King will briefly enter a frenzied state, their strength enhanced by 50%.
This effect lasts 15 seconds and comes without any side effects. After use, the Soul-Crushing Bell requires a half-hour to recharge before it can be used again.
This thing is nearly as formidable as the Black Iron Coffin! It’s absolutely a strategic-level treasure!
Once used on the battlefield, considering the scale of the Thrilling World, it could boost the strength of tens of millions of soldiers by 50%!
Even if it’s just for 15 seconds, that’s more than powerful enough, Alexander grew even more expectant for the remaining rewards.
The next item did not disappoint him either:
Ghost Skill: Hell Curse!
Grade: Special, one-time ability
...
Description: Originating from the strongest technique of a ghost emperor, he ultimately died on the 38th bus after failing to break the deadlock. Yet, this innate ability transformed into a unique energy, quietly waiting for its destined owner here.
Effect: You can store energy by channeling your own ghost energy. The stronger the stored energy, the more potent the effect. Once released, it forms a killing array based on the amount of ghost energy infused.
Within the array, you can create battle ghosts by consuming one-tenth of your ghost energy. The battle ghosts will not vanish as long as the ghost energy remains.
Note: This ability is too powerful, thus can only be used once. After which, the ability disappears.
It’s a skill that stores energy, and what’s terrifying is that there’s no limit to the energy it can store. And with just one-tenth of your ghost energy, you can summon battle ghosts of corresponding levels.
What’s even more terrifying is that there are no restrictions. The most horrifying things in the world often come without limitations.
Indeed, this ghost skill was just like that—no limits on the scope, number, or duration of battle ghosts. The only factor affecting its potency was the amount of ghost energy.
What’s even more unnerving was that the energy didn’t have to come from the user’s own reserves; it could be replenished endlessly, just like the ghost energy in the Thrilling World.
Even if a lowly evil spirit acquires this technique, given ten years, a hundred years, or even longer, once they’ve accumulated ten million units of ghostly aura, they could summon a battle ghost with a hundred million units of ghost energy.
If they can store up to a billion units of ghost energy, they could even summon a ghost of emperor level.
"If even an ordinary evil spirit could achieve this given enough time, there’s no question about what I could do," thought Alexander.
After all, he had a way to rapidly accumulate ghostly aura by eating ghost food. In this iteration of the bus cycle, Alexander had completed more than ninety rounds.
Each round provided him two ghosts of prince-level, equivalent to acquiring tens of millions of units of ghost energy.
After over ninety cycles, just from devouring prince-level ghosts alone, he had amassed twenty billion units of ghost energy, enough to summon twenty Imperial ghosts or two ghost emperors.
"A limitless ghost technique, even if it’s a one-off, the potential is terrifying," Alexander marveled as he eagerly committed to learning this rewarded skill. He then turned his attention to the remaining items with increased enthusiasm.
Perhaps it was because he had only soldier-level strength yet participated in the Mist Instance. What was a simple cycle for other ghost kings was undeniably challenging for him—especially since the Mist Instance system lacked intelligent judgment.
Consequently, his rewards were suitably magnified. Otherwise, a cycle involving only two ghost princes wouldn’t yield such generous rewards.
Full of anticipation, Alexander looked at the remaining rewards:
Perfect Identity Card
Description: Mist Instance item.
Attributes: Assume the identity, appearance, abilities, and demeanor of a specified role and automatically gain that role’s information. Lasts until the instance ends or is deactivated. Usage: 3/3.
Identity Destruction Card
Description: Mist Instance item.
Attributes: Use on a designated target, revealing their identity in front of the Mist Instance’s natives.
Two items. The first is a masquerading artifact. It allows to impersonate anyone within the Thrilling World and even gain their abilities and information while disguised. If used wisely, it could be a massive asset.
Taking the recent 38th bus example, if he used the Perfect Identity Card to impersonate the ticket seller, wouldn’t he gain the local’s abilities, including... forbidden powers?
Or, by impersonating the ticket seller and acquiring their information, could he break the cycle?
After all, the cycle on the 38th bus was perpetuated by the obsessions of both the ticket seller and Lexi. By replacing either of them, he could potentially discover the key to breaking the deadlock.
"The second item is equally formidable," Alexander pondered. "If I run into the same provocative Ghost King that I encountered near the apartment building, I won’t have to take any risks. I can simply use this item to expose them instantaneously, without arousing any suspicion."
"What a haul!" Shifting his gaze from the rewards, Alexander saw Edward looking equally elated.
"What kind of haul? Got something good?" Alexander asked, brimming with curiosity.
"Something good? Absolutely!" Edward nodded vigorously, handing Alexander a card with evident pride.
"Apart from being an invincible Ghost Prince, I’m most famous for my extreme luck! In the past, if there was a random lottery in a horror mall, I could win a sports car just like that. Now, in this minor cycle, I got this magical item. You’ll be blown away!"
Alexander, tickled by Edward’s buoyant enthusiasm, glanced at the card in his hands.
Dimensional Imprisonment Card
Description: Mist Instance item.
Attributes: Use on a target to create an alternate dimension that imprisons the target for a duration of one month!
It’s an imprisonment card, and there are no restrictions on its use. This could be valuable even against Hell Warriors.
In scenarios where suspicion is aroused and there’s no way to cover it up, this card can be directly used to imprison the suspicious party. A month’s time is enough to accomplish a lot. Even participating in another instance of the Mist instance would be feasible.
This item is literally a life-saver! And not just for Edward and Alexander. It’s a treasure even for a Heritage Ghost Emperor.
Imagine if it were up for trade; would Kassadin Imperial, or any Ghost Emperor for that matter, Would they be reluctant to spend a hundred billion units of ghostly aura to buy it?