13: Divine Poison Truffle

**[Regional Announcement: Player Ballerina has completed the Prologue of the Main Quest, receiving 30 free attribute points and 1000 prestige!]**

**[Regional Announcement: Player…]**

**DefyingHeaven2001:** "30 attribute points?! That's like six levels' worth of stats just handed to him! This is so unbalanced!"

**Don'tDropTheSoap:** "Is balance even a thing here? Those big guild players are way faster than us solo players!"

**BuriedInSnow:** "Haha, I hate to tell you guys, but I got 15 attribute points just for fishing with an NPC. They even gave me a crafting skill."

While players on the world chat complained about how overpowered the rewards were, Orson wasn't surprised. 

One of the biggest draws of *Infinite Dimensions* was the sheer number of side quests and hidden tasks, many of which rewarded attribute points, skills, or rare items. Leveling up and gearing up through combat alone wasn't the only way to become a top player; immersive exploration and hidden quest triggers were equally important.

Returning to the *Abandoned Riverbed*, Orson picked up a mushroom growing from a rotting tree trunk. It looked suspiciously poisonous—the kind that would knock you flat with one bite.

**[Divine Poison Truffle]** 

Quality: Common 

Effect: A rare mountain delicacy, it melts in your mouth with a delicious, sweet flavor. 

Divine Review: A must-have for any gods' party.

Orson hesitated, staring at the item description. 

He still couldn't fathom what had possessed those players in his past life to actually cook and eat this thing, nearly leading to a full party wipe.

In *Infinite Dimensions*, players didn't need a formal **Cooking** skill to prepare meals; ingredients could be thrown together freely, and the taste was almost indistinguishable from real food, though it didn't actually fill you up. However, adding rare spices or monster meat created buff effects, making things more interesting.

Some players, especially those who were chefs in real life, made a fortune in-game by selling dishes and recipes. Large guilds even employed dedicated chefs, with the best ones able to boost members' stats to the next level.

To unlock the *Abandoned Riverbed*'s elite dungeon, though, Orson needed to eat the poisonous mushroom and fall unconscious. Reluctantly, he grabbed the mushroom and bit into it raw.

As he bit through the stem, juice burst onto his tongue, filling his mouth with an odd fragrance. He grimaced as the bitter, waxy texture spread across his taste buds.

**"You have eaten the Divine Poison Truffle."** 

**"Your willpower is being eroded…"** 

**"Three."** 

**"Two."** 

**"One."** 

**"You are now in a hallucination…"**

The system messages appeared one after another, but Orson stayed calm, leaning back against a rock and letting sleep overtake him.

When he opened his eyes, everything was hazy. He squinted, struggling to focus.

His surroundings were painted in soft pinks, and a photo of him with a sweet-looking girl hung on the wall. Lying on a bed nearby was a familiar face, peacefully asleep with a gentle smile.

She was as beautiful and delicate as he remembered, her bare shoulder glowing healthily in the soft light.

Long black hair framed her angelic features, stirring something deep within him.

A feeling of relief washed over him, and he murmured, "So… it was all a dream. *Infinite Dimensions*, Sienna's illness… just a nightmare."

Unable to contain his excitement, Orson reached out to hold his sister's hand. But as he took a step forward, the image before him began to shake violently.

Suddenly, Sienna's eyes snapped open, and she grabbed Orson's arm tightly. "Brother… I don't want to die… I'm so scared, Brother…"

A chill shot through Orson. The girl's face twisted, filled with anger and bitterness, becoming something frighteningly unfamiliar.

He tried to pull his hand away, but her grip was unbreakable, her beautiful face now grotesque and hateful. In a flash, the room transformed into a hospital ward.

"This isn't real! It can't be!"

The smell of disinfectant filled the air, and Orson's heart raced as his worst fears resurfaced.

The scene shifted once more.

"Orson! Run, I'll cover you!" 

Standing on crumbling ruins, a silver-haired man clutched Orson's shoulder, his bloodshot eyes blazing with desperation. "Stop hesitating! Take my hopes with you and live…"

"Bradley?" 

Orson's heart pounded as he watched a terrifying dragon-scale python clear a path in the distance, a horde of powerful warriors following close behind.

Sitting upon the twin-headed chimera, on a golden throne, was a majestic figure whose eyes shone with godlike authority—the leader of Dragon's Kiss Guild, Usher.

"Oh, and Orson," Bradley's voice wavered with emotion as he pushed Orson forward, holy light glowing around him. "If you see my wife… tell her I'm sorry."

Orson watched in horror as Bradley charged at Usher, his body radiating holy magic. Usher, with a cold expression, pointed a finger. "Kill."

Fiery dragon's breath and blinding spells lit up the apocalyptic wasteland, and Orson could only stare as Bradley's form disintegrated, utterly annihilated.

"No…"

Orson jerked awake, back in *Infinite Dimensions*.

The night sky twinkled above him, the trees casting shifting shadows, and he realized it was now nighttime.

"Damn…" he gasped, drenched in sweat, feeling worse than ever.

He tried to wipe the sweat from his forehead, but his arms wouldn't move. When he managed to turn his head, he was stunned.

He was bound and slung over the back of a centaur warrior, which was carrying him deeper into the riverbed.

The stench from the monster was overwhelming. Even knowing *Infinite Dimensions* wasn't a hardcore mode game, Orson couldn't help but mutter, "It's not even survival mode, why go this hard on the realism?"

**"You have entered the Beast Tribe Encampment."** 

**"You have unlocked Level 10 Elite Dungeon: Night of Terror."**

Everything was going according to plan. In his previous life, a team of players had eaten the poison mushroom and been kidnapped, only to wake up in the *Desolate Riverbed* dungeon.

After a few minutes, Orson was dropped as a food supply in a rough beast tribe camp and tossed into a cellar.

**Night of Terror Dungeon** 

**Objective 1: Escape the Cellar.** 

**Objective 2: Defeat all Elite Centaur and Minotaur Warriors.** 

**Objective 3: Defeat the Beastman Chieftain.**

Seeing his objectives, Orson nodded. Completing the dungeon first would yield additional rewards.

However, the real prize awaited after defeating the dungeon boss.

**MP -1** 

**MP -2** 

…

A fireball lit up in Orson's hand, illuminating the cellar around him. He grimaced. Bones and chunks of rotting flesh littered the floor, mostly human remains.

No wonder this place was called *Abandoned Riverbed*. The remains here were from kidnapped villagers, now just discarded remnants.

The cellar walls were rough, marked with climbable indentations. But just as he began to move, something heavy dropped from above, landing with a thud.

Orson instinctively pressed against the wall, listening to a pained groan.

Shining his fireball closer, he found a woman lying on the floor.

"Wait… what?" Orson was bewildered. "This dungeon's been run hundreds of times—no one's ever mentioned a woman here!"

He was alone, without a party, so there shouldn't be another player with him.

The woman had a graceful figure and porcelain skin. Her beauty struck Orson as familiar, stirring an unexpected sense of recognition.

"Hazel?" he whispered hesitantly.

"Hmm?"

Hearing her name, the woman drowsily opened her large, doe-like eyes.

"Have you seen my Silverlight Holy Chaos Robe?" she asked, groggily. "And my Apprentice Hat, Holy Life Staff, Silver Dragon Rhinoceros Shoulder Guards, boots, and gloves?"

She sighed dramatically, "If I've lost them, my teacher will scold me to death…"

Her voice trembled as she began to sniffle, nearly on the verge of tears. Orson bit his lip, struggling to suppress his laughter.

Last time, she'd only lost her hat. Now, she'd managed to lose an entire set of gear. In a world full of intelligent NPCs, her absent-mindedness was truly a unique trait.

**"Hidden Quest Activated: Anxious Hazel, Part II – Hungry Hazel."** 

Divine Review: Hazel's become even smarter after tasting the Divine Poison Truffle with an adventurer!