[Identity Hint: Tourist]

[Instance Task: Find the most precious thing in this ancient town, and state its material, which must be accurate to the source, and finally please return it to its original owner.]

[The task has been released. May all wishers find good fortune.]

In the seconds following the electronic female voice’s departure, an unsettling hush fell over the hall.

“A-level? What’s going on? How could it be A-level? I distinctly saw a green light when I opened the door.”

The middle-aged man who had entered last wailed loudly. “Someone! Someone come here! There must be some mistake. How could this be A-level?”

The others snapped out of their shock and began clamoring for assistance as well.

“It appears that A-level instances are exceptionally lethal.”

Ding Yi observed the near-apocalyptic atmosphere in the hall, and a knot of unease tightened in her stomach.

“The mortality rate for A-level is astronomically high. Completing the task and surviving is practically impossible. And the odds of drawing an A-level instance are usually so low. How did it become A-level?” Yan Ming’s expression was grim. “I swear I saw a green light when I opened the door.”

“It has to be a mistake,” Jiang Xianqing murmured, her arm supporting the frail Feng Baiqiu, who looked as though she might collapse at any moment. Her gaze remained fixed on the entrance. “Why hasn’t a supervisor appeared yet?”

Ding Yi inquired, “Supervisor?”

Yan Ming explained, “They are the staff of the New World. Supervisors monitor each instance from start to finish, primarily to maintain order. If wishers or NPCs within the instance engage in violations or excessive behavior, they will appear to quell the chaos. However, I’m unsure if a supervisor will intervene in a situation like this.”

The uproar persisted, and a man dressed as a tour guide materialized out of thin air just outside the doorway. He waved a small flag and offered a standard, unnerving smile to the wishers inside. “Dear tourists, welcome to Qingping Town.”

Even as a newbie, Ding Yi immediately sensed the strangeness emanating from the man outside.

While his appearance was no different from their own, an eerie feeling radiated from him, sending shivers down one’s spine with a single glance.

Someone shouted questions at him, demanding to know what was happening, but the man outside merely repeated the same phrase: “Dear tourists, welcome to Qingping Town.”

The stalemate continued, stretching taut inside and outside the inn. A prickle of anxiety began to bother Ding Yi. She could clearly perceive the intense fear and disquiet gripping everyone, except for the man who had occupied the master’s chair and closed his eyes the moment he entered.

He was unnervingly calm, as if completely oblivious to the sudden upheaval. However, the more Ding Yi considered it, the stranger his earlier words seemed.

Just then, the man with closed eyes abruptly opened them.

Their gazes met, but Ding Yi felt no embarrassment at being caught observing him. She maintained her frank gaze and stated naturally, “The instance has begun.”

Ding Yi watched him withdraw his gaze, stretch his shoulders and neck, and then, in an utterly relaxed manner, walk out of the inn first.

When the man outside the door saw someone emerge, his repeated greeting instantly shifted to: “Dear tourists, it’s getting late. Please don’t linger and hurry along.”

From the moment the tour guide appeared, the people in the hall understood the futility of resistance. Yet, none possessed the courage to overcome their fear of an A-level instance and take that initial step.

“Will there be any penalty for not starting?”

Yan Ming inhaled deeply at Ding Yi’s question. “If you fail to complete the task, you can’t leave the instance. And as time progresses, the death conditions will become more lenient, and when that time comes…”

“It depends on who is fortunate enough to survive the massacre.” Yan Ming’s face was ashen, but mindful of Ding Yi’s newbie status, he attempted to soften the grim reality. “Also, it will grow dark soon, and we don’t yet know the death conditions. If we don’t gather enough clues to avoid them, people will die when night falls.”

“So, this place isn’t entirely safe either.”

“There is no absolutely safe place once you enter an instance.”

Ding Yi nodded. “Then I’ll go. Anyway, I’m likely to die, and I’d rather know the reason why.”

With these words, Ding Yi lifted her foot and stepped outside.

“It seems the specialty of this town is oiled paper umbrellas.” Ding Yi gazed at the colorful oiled paper umbrellas that had suddenly appeared in the sky above the street, layered one upon another. She turned her head to the man beside her and asked, “My name is Ding Yi. What’s your name, handsome?”

Qin Yuan remained silent for a moment before finally lowering his gaze to meet hers under her persistent scrutiny. “Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid, but not excessively so.” Ding Yi shrugged, accurately conveying her current state of mind. “The present atmosphere and environment are indeed unfavorable, but there’s a significant lack of a sense of reality, making it difficult to definitively say whether I’m truly afraid or not.”

Qin Yuan nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer. “Qin Yuan.”

“Good name,” Ding Yi immediately seized the opportunity to move closer, noticing his willingness to speak. “You don’t seem afraid either. Have you experienced A-level instances before?”

However, the tour guide standing beside them didn’t afford Ding Yi much opportunity for further conversation. His previously pale cheeks abruptly turned a sickly green, and his dry, cracked lips tore open as his mouth widened grotesquely. Dark red blood gushed out instantly, dripping down his sharp, dense teeth.

“Didn’t you hear that the schedule is tight! What are you dawdling for! Why do you act like you didn’t hear me when I speak to you nicely! Get out here now!”

Ding Yi, standing right next to the tour guide, witnessed his entire transformation, the tearing of his lips in particular sending a wave of numbness through her.

“Do you possess a sense of reality now?” Qin Yuan’s irritable mood seemed to lighten slightly at Ding Yi’s reaction. His tall frame leaned in, bringing him close to her ear. “Friendly reminder: regardless of whether you’re afraid or not, pervasive death is the norm here.”

Ding Yi frowned and took half a step back, creating distance between them. This small retreat seemed to amuse Qin Yuan, and a beautiful, captivating smile bloomed on his face. “Welcome to the New World.”

The suddenly violent and mutated tour guide acted as the catalyst, stirring the hesitant group like a catfish among sardines. In the blink of an eye, all the wishers spilled out of the inn.

“The mortality rate isn’t one hundred percent. Maybe… maybe this A-level instance isn’t as difficult as we imagine. Let’s just complete the task and leave this damned place as quickly as possible.”

Everyone was desperately trying to engage in self-suggestion, attempting to suppress their rampant fear with positive affirmations.

The tour guide, having returned to his normal demeanor, professionally and enthusiastically began explaining the buildings, history, and characteristics of the town along their route.

“Sister Ding Yi, was that man bullying you?” Yan Ming trotted a few steps to catch up with Ding Yi, his brow furrowed with displeasure as he glanced at Qin Yuan.

“Men are not to be trusted, especially in the New World. Here, there are only the living and the dead, and gender makes no difference. Sister Ding Yi, you must be cautious. Don’t assume he’s a good person just because he looks appealing.”

“I know.” Ding Yi smiled and said sincerely, “Thank you.”

“Now that everyone has heard so much from me, you must already know that the specialty of our Qingping Town is oiled paper umbrellas.” The tour guide halted in front of an oiled paper umbrella shop and made a standard welcoming gesture with a smile. “This is the oldest oiled paper umbrella shop in town. As long as you step inside, you will see the finest and most beautiful oiled paper umbrellas in the world.”

The tour guide’s eyeballs exaggeratedly scanned everyone, and the scabs on his lips split open once more. “What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go in. The shopkeeper hasn’t seen outsiders in a long time and must be growing impatient.”