novelraw Chapter 66: Saint Rance Marketplace
Chapter 66: Saint Rance Marketplace
Lin Xun furrowed his brow. Since the merchant wasn’t in the moat, he was most likely in the cemetery.
[You gaze into the distance. Far along the weed-choked road, you can vaguely make out a desolate cemetery enclosed by a tall iron fence.]
[Do you want to go to the cemetery?]
He pressed the “Yes” option.
[You gallop ahead, continuing toward the distant cemetery…]
[The desolate and gloomy cemetery is surrounded by a tall, sturdy metal fence. Inside, shattered stones litter the ground, wild grass grows in abundance, and broken tombstones stand upright.]
[As you draw near, you discover countless black phantoms swirling in the sky above the cemetery. Their shrill wails and cries pierce into your mind, causing your head to throb in agony. You are unable to take even one step closer.]
[Do you want to attack the “Wandering Phantoms”?]
“Looks like I have to clear out the mobs before I can enter the cemetery.”
Lin Xun frowned slightly. The swarm of phantoms gave him a “noob” feeling.Not the kind of noob mobs you farm for loot, but the red “noob” insult this cursed game used to mock him.
He opened his inventory and examined his items one by one.
After rummaging for quite a while, he still didn’t find anything suitable for this situation.
“Let’s try attacking first. Maybe a single laser blast is all it takes.”
He opened the panel and clicked on “Corrupt Sunlight”!
[You raise the Thunder Dragon Staff-Spear and chant an incantation…]
[A flash of red light…]
[‘Corrupt Sunlight’ only managed to melt a small portion of the Wandering Phantoms.]
[Your attack alarmed them. With gut-wrenching cries and screams, more phantoms surged toward you like a tide…]
Lin Xun quickly opened the panel, intending to possess the Dancer and escape with stealth.
[You are engulfed by the endless phantoms.]
[You died!]
“I knew it.”
Lin Xun took a deep breath. The bad news was that he died. The good news was that the horse was fine.
Still, the death wasn’t entirely in vain, at least he now understood the phantoms’ attack mechanics.
It seemed that the phantoms only retaliated against those who actively attacked them, which explained why the warhorse survived.
Also, no experience was shown upon killing them, which suggested the phantoms weren’t regular monsters but some sort of trap or monster derivative.
It reminded him a bit of the vines he had encountered at the gates of Fox Castle.
[The feeble wandering soul is reborn at the familiar small church…]
[You possess the shell of the Corrupted Theater Dancer.]
He possessed the Dancer shell again, mounted the warhorse, and charged toward the cemetery.
After opening the panel and activating the stealth skill.
[Countless black phantoms swirl above the cemetery. Their mournful cries pierce into your mind, causing a searing headache. You are unable to approach the cemetery.]
The game text was identical to before. He still couldn’t get close to the cemetery.
It appeared that stealth could not bypass the phantoms’ psychic attack.
[Do you want to attack the “Wandering Phantoms”?]
The game kept popping up the same message.
Lin Xun ignored this cursed game.
“Maybe I haven’t acquired the key item required to enter the cemetery.”
There was still the marketplace in Saint Rance left to explore. Perhaps the key item was hidden there.
At the moment, the only remaining living shell in the shell slots was the Dancer.
Lin Xun set down his phone, planning to wait until nighttime when his soul strength recovered before continuing his exploration.
By then, he could alternate between the Yellow-Robed Bishop and the Dancer, giving him more flexibility than relying on the Dancer alone.
He opened his computer, launched the writer’s assistant, and began his writing session.
But his mind kept drifting back to the game, which made his writing choppy and uninspired.
After struggling all the way into the night and finally regaining his soul strength, he had only managed to produce two chapters.
After publishing the chapters, he notified his loyal female fan Ye Xiaoqi, letting her know the web novel had updated, so the short-haired beauty wouldn’t keep texting him to post more.
Lin Xun pulled out his phone and resumed the campaign.
He spent 1 point of soul strength to reshape the Yellow-Robed Bishop.
He possessed the Bishop, mounted the warhorse, and rode straight to the crossroads near the Exchange.
[To the left, as you raise your hand to peer down the road, you see what appears to be a marketplace at the far end. It is utterly silent, deserted, with filthy tarpaulins propped up by wooden stakes.]
[You ride down the left road. Before long, you enter the deserted marketplace.]
[You have entered the “Saint Rance Marketplace.”]
[This once bustling marketplace now holds only abandoned shops and scattered remnants of limbs strewn across the ground.]
[Do you want to compare with the portrait of the Blind Merchant to search among the remains on the ground?]
Lin Xun perked up and quickly clicked “Yes.”
[You search and compare one by one. Most of the remains are mangled and indistinguishable, covered in blood and gore.]
[After careful examination, you fail to find any remains resembling the “Blind Merchant.”]
[You shake your head in disappointment and press on…]
[Ahead on the marketplace road, three paths appear: left, center, and right.]
[Which path do you choose?]
There was no description distinguishing the three paths, so Lin Xun planned to pick one at random.
Following habit, he decided to try the left path first.
Just as he was about to click the option, the game text suddenly shifted.
[At the far corner of the marketplace, you spot a suspicious figure trying to sneak into the right path ahead.]
[What is your next action?]
[1. Raise your staff-spear, chant the incantation, and fire a “Corrupt Sunlight” to send them to the heavens.]
[2. Follow the figure secretly and see what they’re up to.]
[3. Pretend you didn’t see anything and continue searching for clues about the “Blind Merchant.”]
“Two longs and one short, pick the short” This was the go-to strategy for underachievers.
This sneaky figure was probably a randomly triggered event. If he missed it, it might not appear again.
Lin Xun was about to select option two when he narrowed his eyes.
His hands moved quickly.
[You possess the shell of the Corrupted Theater Dancer.]
[You use “Bloodshadow Step,” stepping forth in a graceful motion. The shell’s figure gradually fades and vanishes.]
[You are now in stealth.]
He clicked option two: follow in secret.
[You move silently, following the figure unnoticed.]
[As you draw near, you see the figure clearly…]
[It differs slightly from a Corrupted Blood Sun Cultist. Its eyes glow crimson, its figure is gaunt, and its garments are richly adorned. It seems to have held a distinguished identity in life.]
[It glances back repeatedly. Seeing nothing unusual, it darts quickly down the winding alleys into the depths of the marketplace.]
Good thing Lin Xun reacted quickly and used the Dancer shell’s stealth skill.
Otherwise, he surely would’ve been spotted and the pursuit would’ve failed.
He guessed that succeeding in the pursuit might trigger some kind of special event.
[You follow behind without drawing attention. The figure enters a fruit stall. The produce on the street display has long since rotted and is covered in flies.]
[You enter the shop but find the figure has vanished. Inside, there’s only rotten fruit and swarming insects.]
[Do you want to search the shop carefully?]
Lin Xun figured there was probably some sort of hidden passage or secret tunnel in the shop. That would explain why the figure vanished.
[You search the shop carefully…]
[You obtained Rotten Melon Rind (Junk).]
[You search the shop carefully…]
[You obtained Wilted Gourd (Junk).]
[You search the shop carefully…]
[In a corner cabinet inside the shop, you discover an old candlestick. There are wear marks around the base.]
[You try rotating the candlestick. The cabinet door opens automatically, revealing a stone staircase leading downward.]
[On the walls along the staircase, burning torches hang. At the bottom, you see a large door left ajar.]
[You have discovered a hidden location deep within the marketplace.]
[The shattered memories within the Dancer shell begin to stir…]