Pitiful?

Indeed, quite pitiful. But none of the players could muster any sympathy.

Professor Huang, having finished his work, came out with his two assistants and saw this scene. Wu Feng’s face was a little pale, but he still wore a smile, speaking the same words as before like an NPC.

“This is an ancient custom you can’t see outside.”

“Professor Huang, they’re so pitiful, aren’t they?” Lu Lu turned to Professor Huang and suddenly spoke.

If the ghosts of Shangyang Village were born from years of customs, what about Professor Huang? From the beginning, Professor Huang had expressed understanding, so Lu Lu wanted to ask his opinion.

Even if Professor Huang’s opinion didn’t actually change anything.

“Yes, very pitiful. But this is the rule here. What can we do about pity? We can’t break the rules here.” Professor Huang stood in the courtyard, his gaze falling on the crying and pleading villagers, his face utterly calm.

Lu Lu: “…”

This was different from what they had expected.

Just then, Wen Renxi’s gaze suddenly pierced through the crowd, looking towards the entrance.

Mr. Hu had a grim face from beginning to end, wishing he could drive these outsiders out immediately. However, more than driving them away, Mr. Hu wanted to keep them all here to be buried with his son.

Seeing Wen Renxi look towards the entrance, he followed her gaze and saw Zaoya wearing a white wedding gown at the open doorway.

Zaoya, whom they had been searching for two days, was still wearing the ripped and tattered wedding dress. Many parts were damaged, and her neatly combed hair was braided into two braids hanging in front of her chest. She stood there, holding the door, looking into the courtyard.

She was looking at the coffin in the middle of the courtyard, which had turned an especially dark red from being filled with people. The red looked like dried blood.

Wen Renxi’s hand was still on the coffin lid, watching Zaoya.

Mr. Hu saw Zaoya, but most of the other villagers didn’t notice her behind the crowd. Their attention was on the crying families in front.

Zaoya first looked at the trembling coffin, then her eyes moved to the front of the crowd, to her parents, who were kneeling on the ground, begging Mr. Hu to spare their son and begging Wen Renxi and the others to open the coffin.

The coffin became completely silent.

As silent as death.

The people who had been crying realized this and let out a piercing wail.

When Mr. Hu saw Zaoya, his hatred instantly shifted. If it hadn’t been for Zaoya’s elopement, his son wouldn’t have suffered this. How could his son have ended up with six male wives?

But now that the coffin was sealed, it was too late. He just gave Zaoya a venomous look and turned away.

It was time for the burial.

Zaoya’s parents cried until they were weak, unable to stand. They were desperate and helpless. Perhaps sensing something, they suddenly turned and saw Zaoya standing at the doorway, their eyes filled with sudden hatred.

Wen Renxi tilted her head and suddenly started running, pulling out the butcher knife from her waist. Seeing her knife, the villagers at the door retreated in fear, clearing a path for Wen Renxi.

Behind her, the other players didn’t know why Wen Renxi suddenly moved, and with her drawing her knife, Han Jiao, who knew her best, changed her expression and quickly followed, pulling out a gun, looking aggressive.

With the two of them looking like they were about to attack, and Han Jiao having seen the golden clock’s records, and Wen Renxi being so unusual, the other four players didn’t dare to be careless and followed with their weapons.

Wen Renxi didn’t look back, but she heard the footsteps. She didn’t stop. As she passed Zaoya, she grabbed her arm and pulled her along, rushing out of the gate.

Behind them, Han Jiao followed, flustered.

Zaoya, who had been standing expressionless at the gate, was suddenly pulled away by Wen Renxi and was bewildered.

She didn’t know why Wen Renxi was pulling her away.

But despite her confusion, she looked more alive than before.

After running for a while, panting, Zaoya realized she had been pulled to her doorstep. Wen Renxi pushed her inside. “Zaoya, go change your shoes!”

Her shoes weren’t suitable.

Zaoya, though confused, nodded obediently and quickly went inside to change into shoes suitable for work. Afraid of making Wen Renxi wait, she didn’t change her clothes, but came out wearing the dirty wedding gown.

Wen Renxi had cut off the hem of the gown earlier, making it easier to move. It was just a complicated top and a skirt.

“I’m ready!”

After seeing her parents’ earlier appearance, Zaoya didn’t trust them, but she trusted Wen Renxi, who had been helping her since she arrived in the village.

And she had taught her to write her name.

She could write her name now.

Han Jiao and the others caught up, asking Wen Renxi what had happened. Wen Renxi was about to explain when Zaoya came out.

“Don’t rush, we’ll explain on the way. Let’s go.”

The other players: “…”

That made sense.

But where were they going? The mission was complete. Did Wen Renxi have something else to do?

They had stayed to see Zaoya’s brother’s fate, but they could only stay for an hour. Now, they only had twenty minutes left before they were forced to leave this world.

Zaoya hadn’t gone berserk, indicating that their method of clearing the dungeon was correct. What else did Wen Renxi have to do?

Wen Renxi knew time was short, which was why she urged Zaoya.

“We’re going down the mountain!”

Hurriedly saying this, Wen Renxi grabbed Zaoya’s hand again and headed straight for the village entrance. Zaoya’s hand was in Wen Renxi’s, passively being pulled along, but she didn’t shake Wen Renxi off or ask why she was being pulled away.

The others didn’t understand Wen Renxi’s intentions, but Han Jiao did. She paused, left a sentence, and followed.

“We promised Zaoya we would take her out.”

The mountain path was difficult, but both Wen Renxi and Zaoya moved smoothly.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Down the mountain. We agreed to go outside, to school, to see the outside world. Zaoya will be a very smart student.” Wen Renxi didn’t look back, holding Zaoya with one hand and her knife with the other, cutting down any obstructing weeds and branches, clearing a path for them.

This was the nightmare world.

Not the real world, so Wen Renxi didn’t know what would happen to this world after they left. The original owner had never entered the nightmare world, only heard about it.

And no one had ever left their mission location to explore the wider nightmare world.

She didn’t have enough time to send Zaoya out.

“When we get outside, keep going. If you see people, ask them for help, find the police, and then you can live in the outside world, go to school, see many things you’ve never seen before.”

Zaoya was silent.

With Wen Renxi clearing the way, the other players quickly caught up, hearing Wen Renxi and Zaoya’s conversation. Then Qin Guoan took the lead, and gradually, everyone moved ahead, removing obstacles and clearing the way, making the path to the outside world easy for Wen Renxi and Zaoya.

Three minutes left.

Qin Guoan moved quickly, even using items. He was far ahead of Wen Renxi and Zaoya.

Two minutes left.

They were about to leave and wanted to clear as much of the road as possible, making it easy and smooth for Zaoya to travel alone.

One minute left.

Wen Renxi, pulling Zaoya along and quickly explaining things, suddenly felt her hand go empty. She stopped and turned back.

Zaoya’s clean hands were covered in blood, and her fingernails seemed to be severely turned outward from too much force, looking painful.

“Zaoya?”

“It’s so good.”

Han Jiao, not far ahead of Wen Renxi, also stopped.

“The outside world is so good.” Zaoya seemed to sigh, her face clouded. “You guys go. I’m not going.”

Her figure seemed to be fading away, and her voice became ethereal, like mist that would dissipate at any moment.

“You can go out.”

“I can’t go anymore.” Zaoya smiled helplessly, looking at Wen Renxi with envy. “In the outside world, girls can read and write, can live freely like you, not like livestock. It’s so, so good.”

“But I’m already rotten in the past.”

“I won’t see that world, but I’m happy to see you.”

Twenty seconds left.

In the forest, countless beasts emerged, resembling wolves, but with crimson eyes. They surrounded Zaoya like puppets.

Wen Renxi noticed the traces of Huang Pingyu and Qiu Ping on several of the beast puppets.

She immediately realized those were the players who had died in this dungeon.

Although it was daytime, the sky suddenly darkened, as if something had enveloped the entire world. The darkness was quickly devouring everything around them, slowly approaching, swallowing the entire forest bit by bit.

Qin Guoan, ahead, was forced to retreat.

The darkness was closing in.

It seemed that only the area around them still had light, and the darkness was slowly creeping towards Zaoya.

“It’s so dark, so dark in there. I’m scared. Someone, please save me.”

Zaoya’s voice suddenly became a cacophony, no longer a single voice, but as if countless girls were speaking at the same time.

The repeated voices made their ears hurt, like whispers close by.

Ten seconds left.

“Thank you for choosing to save me…”

“But I’m sorry, I’ve already rotted in the past. You guys go.”

Time’s up.

As they left the nightmare world, Wen Renxi finally saw what was truly happening in Shangyang Village.

Professor Huang and his two assistants came to Shangyang Village to investigate ancient customs. They didn’t expect the snow bride custom to still be preserved. When they saw Zaoya about to be locked in the coffin for her wedding night, the three outsiders couldn’t accept it and tried to stop it, ultimately dying at the hands of the villagers.

Professor Huang watched as his two assistants were beaten to death by the villagers for “breaking the rules” and “destroying the traditions.” Then he died too.

After the three died, Zaoya, who failed to escape, was captured again and died tragically in the coffin.

Later, the nightmare world descended, and Shangyang Village became a nightmare dungeon called [Snow Wedding Gown].

[Wen Renxi

Level: 3

Mental Strength: ???/???

Physical Strength: 72/???

Current Dungeon: Snow Wedding Gown

Mission: Accept the commission from Hu Yuanwai of Shangyang Village to find his missing daughter-in-law within three days, ensure the marriage, and survive for three days.

Completion Status: Perfect Clear

Rewards:

1. Safe exit from the dungeon;

2. 1000 survival points;

3. Item rewarded by Hu Yuanwai;

4. Perfect clear reward item [Snow Bride’s Gratitude];

5. Special gift from the hidden boss Zaoya [Snow Bride’s Blessing], this item is special, non-transferable and non-tradable.]