The shop was expansive, its ceiling a complete canopy of open oiled paper umbrellas, and the two largest walls showcased a diverse array of these colorful canopies. Had it not been for the oppressive and eerie ambiance, Ding Yi might have lauded its quaint elegance.

The shopkeeper was an old man, thin and frail, clad in a thick gray Zhongshan suit that concealed all but his hands and head.

Upon seeing newcomers, a faint light flickered in his cloudy eyes.

“Have you come to purchase umbrellas?” The old man’s voice rasped like a broken bellows, grating and unpleasant. “Choose any you fancy. You won’t find umbrellas like mine anywhere else.”

Someone, finally shaking off the fear induced by the guide and recalling the task mentioned in the initial announcement, blurted out, forgetting their apprehension, “Old man, do you know what the most precious thing in town is?”

The old man ignored the question, continuing his slow extolment of his oiled paper umbrellas’ virtues.

Seeing this, Yan Ming addressed him sweetly as “Grandpa” and moved closer, attempting to engage him, but the old man remained unresponsive.

“Speaking of which, you are all visiting Qingping Town for the first time,” the old man finally concluded his praise of the umbrellas and then said slowly, “Besides oiled paper umbrellas, our Qingping Town is most renowned for its lotus flowers. As a symbol of our town, we not only print lotus flowers on our umbrellas but also stamp them on our bodies.”

With these words, the old man retrieved a box of inkpad and a seal from the counter, beckoning to Yan Ming, who was nearest. “Come, let me stamp one on you.”

Yan Ming hesitated for a moment, his hand poised to reach out, but Ding Yi, standing beside him, intercepted. “Is there any significance to receiving this stamp?”

The old man’s expression soured at being thwarted, and he impatiently squeezed out a few words: “Blessings, good fortune, safety.”

Ding Yi acted as if she hadn’t noticed the old man’s displeasure and continued with a smile, “Such auspicious words. Allow me to be the first to receive one.”

The moment she finished speaking, the old man’s face darkened considerably. “Stamp it or not, be gone if you don’t want it. What about you? Are you getting it stamped?”

The others exchanged uneasy glances, those who knew each other and those who didn’t huddling together and whispering, their caution regarding the A-level instance palpable.

Ding Yi glanced at the old man’s gloomy countenance and turned to Yan Ming, asking in a low voice, “Do NPCs lie?”

Yan Ming, surprised by her newcomer’s vigilance, pondered seriously. “The words of key figures are generally truthful. There might be hidden traps, but… what they state is accurate.”

“How do you define a key figure?”

Yan Ming hesitated, unable to give a definitive answer immediately. Jiang Xianqing, who had overheard the entire exchange, interjected, “Someone who drives the task forward, provides clues? Now that I think about it, it’s quite similar to the key NPCs you encounter in games.”

Feng Baiqiu, who appeared on the verge of fainting, also nodded weakly and murmured, “Like the village chief in the novice village, or the enthusiastic villager A.”

“But I’ve only experienced two C-level instances,” Jiang Xianqing added, “I haven’t encountered an NPC who lied in either of those.”

“That’s not entirely correct. There are indeed instances where NPCs lie in B-level instances,” Yan Ming said, fidgeting with the yellow stars on his arm. Despite his fear, he forced himself to recall every detail from his previous instance. “There, some NPCs weave the death conditions into the clues themselves.”

“In other words, NPCs are permitted to lie.”

Yan Ming replied firmly, “Yes, they can.”

“What is wrong with all of you!” The ignored old man finally erupted, his gnarled, withered hands slamming angrily on the counter. “Dawdling about, so troublesome! I’m kindly offering you lotus flower stamps, and you’re all acting so suspicious!”

The old man seemed genuinely enraged, his breathing heavier than before, as if he might suddenly collapse before them. His voice grew even more hoarse and unpleasant. “Our umbrellas here are crafted well, exceptionally well, so well that it incites jealousy.”

The whispering crowd fell silent, straining to hear every word, lest they miss any crucial information.

“So, our Qingping Town was cursed by villains, and strange occurrences are more frequent than usual,” the old man paused, his eyes growing colder as he surveyed the group. “People die often too. We rely on the lotus flower stamp to ward off evil and ensure safety for generations.”

“Since you choose to believe this woman,” the old man finally fixed his gaze on Ding Yi, “and suspect my intentions, then you are free to leave.”

With these words, the old man made a show of putting things away.

The others stirred again at the old man’s words, and numerous scrutinizing gazes turned back to Ding Yi.

Ding Yi raised her eyebrows, the old man’s attempt to sow discord was blatant.

It was precisely because it was so obvious that she was surprised, indicating that the NPCs within the instance were not simple automatons. They could adapt and react to the current situation. Their capacity for independent thought was sufficient reason to believe they could also construct believable lies.

“She’s just a newbie, probably hasn’t grasped the situation yet and thinks this is some game where she can show off,” a young man in a plaid shirt suddenly interjected, his voice carefully neutral. “A fledgling who only knows how to curry favor with women, and those three good-for-nothings are spouting nonsense with straight faces, and they’ve actually managed to fool some people.”

The others remained silent, but their facial expressions clearly mirrored his sentiments.

“If you have the guts, say that again to my face!” Jiang Xianqing suddenly stood up, pointing an accusing finger at the man, and unleashed a torrent of curses. “Hiding in the corner and whispering! Come on, say it again to my face! Let me see how many daddies you have who taught you to speak such filth!”

Jiang Xianqing’s aura was formidable, and her cursing voice resonated loudly and clearly.

The young man, likely not expecting such a direct confrontation, flushed crimson but could only stammer out the word “incomprehensible.”

“Alright, what’s all the commotion about? If you want to get stamped, get stamped. If you don’t, then don’t.”

A middle-aged man standing near the young man cast a disdainful glance at Ding Yi and the other three before taking the lead and walking up to the old man, extending his hand, palm down. “Old man, they say when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Please stamp one on me.”

“You truly wish to be stamped?” The old man snorted unhappily, but his hands moved with practiced ease, picking up the seal and dipping it in the inkpad. “Don’t blame me later.”

“Of course not. Thank you.”

The bright red lotus flower stamp on the man’s dark hand looked somewhat incongruous.

The others had been closely observing the entire process, and seeing that nothing untoward occurred after the application of the stamp, several people eagerly jostled forward, extending their hands to the old man. Those particularly fearful of death not only wanted their hands stamped but even requested the lotus flower be stamped on both arms.

However, some individuals, whose reason hadn’t been entirely consumed by fear, remained on the sidelines, continuing their observation.

The old man happily stamped the lotus flowers, and overwhelmed by the demand, he specifically called for the guide waiting outside to come in and assist. With an extra pair of hands, the old man took a moment to address Qin Yuan, who had been standing by the door, watching. “Young man over there, do you wish to receive a stamp?”

“Get one stamped.”

Without waiting for Qin Yuan’s response, the old man dismissed the others still waiting eagerly, picked up the seal, and walked towards him with faltering steps. “Wards off evil, it’s a good thing. Don’t be misled by those who fail to recognize its value.”

Those who hadn’t yet received the lotus flower stamp remained wary of the guide, who had demonstrated the capacity to mutate. Although he wore a normal smile now, no one could be certain he wouldn’t suddenly turn violent and bite off their heads while stamping.

That damn man, why is he acting so aloof? If he wants to be stamped, then get stamped. If he doesn’t, then leave. Why does he have to pose there?

If he didn’t look so intimidating…

Just as the resentful gazes were about to solidify into tangible daggers and pierce through Qin Yuan, Ding Yi suddenly walked towards the guide, whom no one else dared to approach.

“Mr. Guide, could you stamp one on me?”