Vol. 1 Chapter 14: Instance Completed

Chapter 14: Instance Completed

The outside darkness gradually faded away. The world wouldn't stop turning for just one person. In a few minutes, the sun would rise from the eastern horizon. The fire in the ruined temple slowly dimmed and was about to extinguish. This long night was ending, and a new day was about to begin.

The old man still sat slumped by the fire, staring blankly at the remaining ashes. Ignoring the smoldering embers, he suddenly reached out, scooping a handful of ash and tightly gripping it, feeling its warmth.

"Dawn is breaking!" Lu Li sighed. The emotions of the night slowly dissipated, leaving him feeling a bit bored. However, his long experience with boredom had honed his patience. Besides, there were many things ahead that could reignite his excitement.

Lu Li looked at the old man before him, and thoughts began to spread in his mind. This was a pitiful person, Lu Li thought. The old man had persevered his entire life but was ultimately forced to let go of his persistence. A deep sense of pity arose within Lu Li, reminding him of the moments the old man had given him clothes and food. The old man was a kind person.

"Maybe I should stay and take care of him. He's so old and needs someone to keep him company." This thought surfaced in Lu Li's mind, and the impulse to act on it grew stronger.

But in the next moment, Lu Li swept all such thoughts away. His soul-derived, almost bug-like control allowed him to maintain strong command over his own mind. These externally implanted suggestions couldn't truly affect him.

"So, this was the marionette's final trick?" Lu Li pondered how to evaluate the marionette. Everything she planned and did was for the old man. Yet, from another perspective, she had been using him all along. In the end, she even implanted a suggestion in his mind, wanting him to take care of the old man for life and use the cinnabar talisman to revive him upon his death.

"Oh well, my mission is almost complete! I wonder where I'll be sent next? How can I fulfill the marionette's request in such a state?" Lu Li never turned down something interesting, but it had to intrigue him personally. Right now, he was curious about the effects of the cinnabar talisman.

He turned his gaze to the old man, waiting silently for time to pass.

[Mission time expired. Congratulations, temporary ID: Z0001, for completing the instance!]

[Instance type: Single-player; Test]

[Completion reward: Basic ability enhancement, 200 game points.]

[Side mission reward: Completed "Source of the Ghoul," earning 500 game points.]

[Additional gains: Rule Module: Fixation; Rule Module: Fear; Rule Module: Will; Xuanyuan Seven Chapter Secret Scripture: Cinnabar Reanimation Talisman (Fragmented)]

[Detected Xuanyuan Seven Chapter Secret Scripture: Cinnabar Reanimation Talisman (Fragmented), a relic of the Outer Gods, extremely dangerous. If temporary ID: Z0001 wishes to bring it out, GM will automatically decompose it into an unspecified number of modules.]

[Bonus points: Killed Mutant Ghoul, earning 200 game points and Life Energy Module.]

[Instance completed. You have one in-instance draw available. Use it? Yes/No]

[You have five minutes to organize your gains. After five minutes, participants will be transported out. You may also choose to leave early.]

"Perfect timing!" Lu Li glanced at the five-minute countdown, then approached the old man from behind, twisting his head to the side. With a crisp crack, a life ended. Lu Li, full of interest, took out the cinnabar talisman.

An ominous aura surrounded and then entered the old man's body. A disgusting smell of decay quickly emerged and dispersed. Blood, controlled by an unseen force, seeped from his pores and floated away as red light, absorbed into the cinnabar talisman. Simultaneously, another force erupted from the old man's body, causing his heart to beat again. His skin regained its luster, muscles tightened, and his once-clouded mind became clear. Blood regenerated from the bone marrow, and the unknown force filled all the necessary gaps.

Finally, the old man—no, the young man—opened his eyes. They were eyes devoid of any emotion, like those of a newborn seeing the world for the first time. He stared blankly at the extinguished fire, tears inexplicably rolling down his cheeks, though his expression remained naive and confused.

Dormant memories in his mind slowly revived. He "remembered" who he was, "remembered" where he lived, "remembered" his parents, "remembered" everyday knowledge, and even "remembered" Lu Li. Yet, he felt he had forgotten something, something missing. As he stood, his hands instinctively moved to hold something, but then he questioned why he did this. He didn't notice the tears still flowing from his eyes.

"The revival is merely of the body. A new soul, derived from the body, takes over the incomplete memories. Such revival is pointless." Lu Li commented, having witnessed the outcome of the so-called revival by the cinnabar talisman. He lost interest in it almost immediately, deeming it useless. "Well, it's done. I've fulfilled the marionette's request."

Lu Li mentally triggered the draw, and five cards appeared before him, each etched with illustrations. The first card depicted a regular ghoul, labeled with "Ghoul Summon Uses: 3/3." The second card showed a solitary Buddha head, noting it would decompose into modules upon acquisition. The third card displayed concentric golden Sanskrit characters, described as "Vajra Protection 3/3." The fourth card featured a delicate marionette, indicating it would grant her remaining modules. The fifth card was blank, with no description.

After examining the cards, they flipped to reveal white backs, shuffled, and then floated silently before Lu Li.

"Time to test my luck," Lu Li muttered seriously, tapping a card. The others faded, revealing his choice: the marionette. Lu Li would receive her final gift.

The card shattered, revealing two crystals: the Control Module: Spirit and the Special Module: Basic Intelligence. This brought Lu Li's collection to six modules, not including those to be gained from the cinnabar talisman's decomposition.

[Time's up. Temporary ID: Z0001 returning to main space.]

In an instant, Lu Li vanished, leaving behind a reborn young man in the ruined temple, grieving for reasons unknown.

[TL: Pitiful old man, can't even die in peace]

End of the chapter.