Vol. 4  Chapter 16: Where Did the Tiger Go?

 Chapter 16: Where Did the Tiger Go?

Early the next morning, Zhou Chu had people notify the entire city of his decision to eliminate the three scourges of Yangxian. His goal was to make this known to everyone. While anonymous heroes doing good deeds without recognition might seem noble, it was impractical and could create a moral trap like the story of Zigong ransoming a man.

After spreading the news, Zhou Chu, Lu Li, several household guards, and a few local hunters from Nanshan headed to the mountain to hunt the tiger. Zhou Chu was the main force, while the others were there to cheer him on and act as witnesses, proving that Zhou Chu was indeed removing the scourge.

However, Lu Li found the difficulty of this mission perplexing. It didn't seem too challenging if he simply followed the protagonist Zhou Chu. Whether it was the Nanshan tiger or the Yixing flood dragon, leveraging Zhou Chu's strength should make the mission straightforward. Eliminating Zhou Chu to remove the third scourge or reforming him seemed relatively easy.

The unexpectedly low difficulty of the mission made Lu Li suspicious. His initial missions had always been tougher than others', and considering the recent competitive mission where he disrupted the balance, he expected a higher difficulty as a hidden punishment from the game's administration. Yet, this mission seemed too easy.

Nanshan, located south of Yangxian, had a couple of villages at its foot. These villages existed because of the fertile land despite the frequent tiger attacks. The villagers had no choice but to live there due to the good farmland and the need to continue their lives, despite the dangers.

Upon reaching a small village at the foot of Nanshan, they decided to rest for the night. Arriving at noon, they didn't want to risk traveling in the forest after dark. In these chaotic times, the night was fraught with dangers. Ghosts and other creatures lurked in the darkness, making it perilous for ordinary people without the protection of their home.

The village head warmly welcomed them, trembling with fear, and offered some houses for them to stay in. The villagers brought out their best mountain produce and prepared a meal for them. The village head understood the importance of hosting Zhou Chu well, given his intention to rid the area of the tiger.

That night, the village head cautiously asked if they needed any company, which Zhou Chu dismissed. They were there to remove the scourge, not to indulge. Moreover, Zhou Chu was trying to temper his bad habits and didn't want to lash out despite feeling slighted.

The hunters accompanying them were locals who risked their lives hunting in the mountains. Every year, many went into the forest and never returned, lost to the numerous dangers within. These hunters had skills, and Lu Li ensured Zhou Chu paid them well. They were there more as witnesses to Zhou Chu's deeds.

As dawn broke, the group set off into the mountains. Upon entering the forest, Lu Li immediately sensed the difficulty of the mission.

The false dreamscape, or illusionary dreamscape, which Lu Li had encountered in his first mission, manifested again. In previous missions, he had often tested for such phenomena. In the Puppet Strings mission, it existed parallel to the world as a place filled with strange entities. In the Mermaid mission, the illusionary dreamscape had been sealed by an unknown force.

In the Masked Kingdom, time constraints had prevented a thorough test, but Lu Li suspected the dreamscape might be tied to the primal sins. Testing the current world hadn't revealed any dreamscape until now. Upon entering Nanshan, Lu Li felt the telltale signs of entering an illusionary dreamscape.

As Lu Li followed Zhou Chu and the others deeper into the forest, his presence seemed to diminish. Zhou Chu and the others forgot about him, and Lu Li's consciousness vanished, reappearing in a forest where the rising sun turned into a setting one. Malicious intent surged from all directions.

"Is this special treatment?" Lu Li wondered. The illusionary dreamscape centered on Nanshan created a unique field. Now, what might have been an easy mission turned into a hellish difficulty. The game interface updated the mission:

**Phase One Task: Remove the Nanshan Tiger.**

**Task Description: There is a tiger on Nanshan that frequently preys on people, forming packs of ghost followers. The legends about the tiger have intensified, transforming it into a mythical phenomenon...**

**Task Requirement: In this special world, you must dispel the myth itself for Zhou Chu to truly kill the Nanshan Tiger.**

**Task Hint: Perhaps absurdity is the reality?**

**Task Reward: You will either see more clearly or lose yourself further.**

As the distant light faded, Lu Li picked up some dry branches and used a special module. Injecting shadow magic into it, he created an opening from which three masks floated out. Reaching into the opening, he pulled out a lighter, which still worked.

The module was a special space module given as a reward from the previous mission. Although its activation was slow and the space was small, it held useful tools. Lu Li used these to make a torch. Even with night vision, having a fire was advantageous.

As he finished making the torch and darkness fell, a distant nursery rhyme echoed:

One, two, three, four, five,

Up the mountain to hunt tigers.

The tiger's not on the mountain,

It's all little squirrels.

How many squirrels are there?

One, two, three, four, five.

One, two, three, four, five,

The squirrels seek the tiger.

No tiger on the mountain,

No squirrels below the hill.

How many squirrels remain?

One, two, three, four, five.

[TL: I am not a poet guys]