Vol. 3 Chapter 19: Uneasy Morgue

 Chapter 19: Uneasy Morgue

As they walked deeper into the morgue, the cold air enveloped them, obscuring the light from the door behind them. Looking up, there was no ceiling in sight, or perhaps the ceiling had vanished entirely.

"Why is there so much cold air?" the nurse complained. The morgue used numerous cold storage units to preserve bodies, but these were well-sealed. Even though the morgue was typically cold, it shouldn't be so filled with cold air that it permeated the entire space.

They soon discovered the reason. Not far ahead, they encountered a strange creature resembling a tree. It had a flesh-colored trunk with writhing, tentacle-like roots, and a coffin-shaped canopy from which the cold air emanated.

"So, the cold storage units have been activated by the floating algae and inherited their cold-discharging property," Lu Li thought, recalling the booklet's description of the activated floating algae. This creature's property inheritance was almost like a conceptual ability.

"Test that creature's combat capabilities," Lu Li commanded the nurse.

The nurse, thrilled to carry out her master's order and make up for her previous capture, unleashed her full strength, determined to flawlessly complete the task. A layer of shadow enveloped her, rapidly solidifying into a giant figure, five to six meters tall. This giant, human-shaped with tough, black scales, had a large snake head with a red tongue flicking out.

Lu Li frowned. From the information relayed by the Shadow Assassin, the giant that the special forces member transformed into on the overpass looked like an ordinary mask wearer, with an illusory layer of clothing and a large mask on its face. However, the nurse's transformation was more snake-like, but her towering body indicated she was a giant type.

Lu Li used the connection with the shadow mask to sense the snake giant's situation. He discovered that the originally two entwined forces had become three. The two original forces were the mask's shadow magic and the giant type's source—greed. The new force seemed to be another cardinal sin: lust.

Summarizing his knowledge of mask powers, Lu Li thought, "Mask powers are related to the Seven Deadly Sins. Greed corresponds to the giant type; the glowing points of the floating type should be sloth; the fire-releasing flame type is wrath. So, lust corresponds to a snake? No, it should be a beast. The insect and flying types relayed by the Shadow Assassin are unclear in terms of their cardinal sins."

"Greed and lust, no wonder she became a pervert." Lu Li watched as the snake giant charged at the ice coffin creature, pondering this.

"Ah?" Lu Li turned to see the suited player brushing aside the cold air and walking over. He lifted his mask slightly, revealing a handsome face, not the current popular internet pretty boy, but one exuding mature and charming male attractiveness.

"Let's get acquainted. I'm Min Zidong," the suited man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, radiated a mature and steady aura. His eyes showed no hostility, and he continued after a pause, "You must realize that the local forces in this instance are hostile towards us. They hold the upper hand in terms of information, power, and other factors. I think we need to cooperate."

"But our mission doesn't seem to require opposing the hospital's forces," Lu Li did not agree immediately. In this instance, players were competitors. Even in cooperative instances, players often backstabbed each other. In a competitive instance, this was even more the case.

"You're wrong. My goal has never been just to complete the instance mission," Min Zidong shook his head with a smile. "Don't you think the different cultural knowledge and power systems in this instance are the greatest treasures?"

"For example, this instance's mask and cardinal sin powers," he said, touching the mask on his face. "Even though the mask's original owner is dead, I can feel residual power inside. If we find the right method, we can utilize it. For instance, the activated floating algae. Use your imagination, and you'll find opportunities everywhere in this instance."

"If we can harness these things to enhance our power, who cares if we fail the instance mission or miss out on modules? As long as we survive the instance backlash, we'll return with greater gains."

"Join me! This hospital surely hides more secrets. Together, we can gain significant benefits. We can even establish a stable partnership. In my last instance, I learned a way for players to enter the same instance. We can continue to cooperate in future instances," Min Zidong extended his hand, inviting Lu Li with an air of strong personal charm. "We both arrived at the hospital early, proving our excellence. Together, we can accomplish great things!"

"Um... could you turn off your ability? Your excess pheromones don't affect me, but they might attract some unfriendly things," Lu Li said. As he finished, beastly roars echoed from afar.

Min Zidong's expression froze, but he quickly regained his smile, albeit with a hint of embarrassment. "You've got skills, brother. Still, consider my proposal seriously. I'm not fooling you. I really do have a way for players to enter the same instance. Teaming up will ensure our gains."

"No problem. I never refuse interesting things," Lu Li smiled, pointing behind Min Zidong. "But please handle the trouble you attracted first."

Not far behind Min Zidong, several beasts charged towards them. There were bulls, tigers, and even a brown bear, all larger than usual and with masks embedded in their chests, glowing faintly.

"Lust indeed corresponds to beast types. I wonder what special abilities they have beyond their animal forms; otherwise, they'd be too different from other categories," Lu Li thought, turning back to observe the snake giant's battle.

Min Zidong's face darkened momentarily. This guy was hard to deal with, but he understood that he needed to show some real skills to foster cooperation. He glanced at the snake giant in the distance, his eyes burning with interest.