章 3: Chapter 3: Starting with Mysterious Objects
Chen Lun was shocked!
A B-level Mysterious Object!
Even though it had the word "damaged," it wasn't comparable to ordinary low-end items! In his previous life, he only had one B-level Mysterious Object, which he obtained as a reward after spending several months diligently digging into a series of hidden quests.
At that time, major guilds backed by consortia even offered exorbitant prices to buy various Mysterious Objects, but there were few willing to sell, as Mysterious Objects were too precious, especially the ceiling-level B-level Mysterious Objects of that version.
And now, he started the game with one.
But Chen Lun, looking at the dirty, cramped cell before him, couldn't help but remain silent, wondering whether this was luck or misfortune.
He didn't think too much because what was urgent was to find a way to escape from here.
He took off the necklace and observed it carefully in his hand. The casually twisted hemp rope was unremarkable, probably found at random. The focus was on the seashell the size of a fingertip threaded on it, the shell surface bearing intricate spiral patterns.
[B-level Mysterious Object (Damaged) Mermaid's Song]
Item description: A seashell infused with Deep Sea magic power. Putting it to your ear, you might faintly hear the tranquil waves and the enchanting singing, possessing strong hypnosis abilities. Unfortunately, it suffered irreversible damage and retained only a fraction of its power...
It seemed to be left behind by a beautiful Sea Demon, retrieved by a boy from the deep sea and then strung into a necklace with poor craftsmanship. That night, the boy met the Sea Demon in his dreams, and he grew up...
Item effect: Upon targeting, a judgment will be made, and those with Willpower below 25 points will be affected by hypnosis. Wearing it increases Charm +2.
Item cost: Each use decreases Sanity -1.
After reading the description, Chen Lun silently put the necklace back around his neck.
He was powerless to comment on his original self's dark history.
The youthful yearning is always poetic. How could he scorn someone else? Besides, it was just the influence of the Mysterious Object that caused a spring dream.
This boy, who grew up in a small seaside fishing village, was also miserable. Probably, it was because he found this Mysterious Object that he ended up as an orphan... After all, ordinary people who are in long-term contact with Mysterious Objects are highly susceptible to corruption, and even if they do not turn into monsters, they could lose their sanity and die in madness.
His family members, perhaps, died that way.
And the lucky survivor who became an orphan was then targeted by the church and eventually became a sacrifice to the Mysterious Object. He hadn't even been fed before he was accidentally killed for resisting the guard...
Tragic, truly tragic!
Chen Lun shook his head inwardly.
This was the tone and theme in the Era of Mystery world, dark and oppressive, suffocating.
Luckily, the ability of this B-level Mysterious Object was still quite good. Although it didn't possess visibly great destructive power, in certain aspects, it held more value than those Mysterious Objects used in combat.
Because the effect of hypnosis was not simply to put someone to sleep as the literal sense suggests, but it leaned more towards affecting the mystical powers of one's mind.
In other words, it could manipulate hearts!
For Chen Lun, who was well-versed in the plot and future direction, this was a Great Weapon for levering opportunities!
But first, he needed to survive.
After understanding his situation, Chen Lun had a vague plan in mind.
Clang!
At that moment, a loud noise. The iron door of the cell was violently pushed open.
The crowd screamed in fright. Chen Lun looked up and saw two guards standing at the door.
"Shut up!"
The mustachioed guards fiercely ordered. The frightened young men and women immediately fell silent, only their unstoppable trembling revealing their panic.
"Sister Floey, trouble you."
The other guard took off his hat, slightly bowed with the grace of a noble, but paired with his bald head and fierce smile, it looked both absurd and terrifying.
As he stepped back, a petite, delicate figure stepped forward and walked into the cell.
Chen Lun gradually widened his eyes.
The nun appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, draped in a dark red habit with a wide headscarf hanging down like a bridal veil, concealing her hair. Her entire figure was hidden under the red robe, leaving only her pale, delicate face exposed.
Unfortunately, the beautiful and sanctimonious face had no expression, like a soulless marionette.
"Come and receive the Holy Communion..."
A ethereal voice emanated from the nun.
It was then that Chen Lun regained his senses and noticed that she was holding a plate in her hand, filled with many biscuits and apples.
Seeing the nun's harmless appearance and under the impatient urging of the guards, the crowd finally mustered the courage to move forward and take the food.
The long imprisonment had left them famished, and they gradually loosened up, picking up the biscuits and apples to eat voraciously.
Chen Lun took a biscuit and an apple and silently walked back to the corner. Although he was also very hungry, he did not eat immediately but glanced sideways at the young nun.
Floey...
This petite girl would become one of the future bosses of the Red Apple Church, known as the Deathly Silent Nun, a super villain from the "Moon Faction" Sequence, a ruthless character who could decimate a city on her own...
But currently, she was still just a mortal.
Even so, her presence here meant that the chances of the "Sun-avoiding Potted Plant" also being here were greatly increased.
The slight luck in Chen Lun's heart was shattered, and the sense of crisis in his mind surged.
"What to do? The beheading meal has already been delivered, next will be the sacrifice..."
Chen Lun secretly panicked.
Suddenly, he recalled the description of Floey in the post about the Red Apple Church, along with her complete background and life story.
Chen Lun's mind raced, piecing together the previous vague plan until it slowly became clear.
Suddenly, his restless heart calmed down, and after taking a deep breath, he touched the necklace on his chest and decided to wait for an opportunity.
Perhaps because the beheading meal was somewhat boring, two guards glanced at the nun's silhouette and, licking their lips, left first.
Nun Floey still stood quietly in place, like a serene saintess statue. In the filthy, dim prison surroundings, she seemed to emit a holy light.
The sounds of chewing and munching were incessant around her, but they didn't affect her in the slightest.
She just silently fixed her gaze ahead, her eyes seemingly piercing through the hungry crowd, through the cold prison walls, looking at the night and gazing at the moonlight.
"Wuu wuu..."
Suddenly, the prison echoed with the soft sobs, which, though not loud, were quite piercing.
Of course, this successfully caught Floey's attention.
She gently shifted her eyes, bringing her gaze back and turning it towards the corner, looking at the dark-haired young man leaning against the wall.
The man was of a similar age to her, and though emaciated, he was also handsome; however, due to malnutrition and fatigue from injuries, his complexion was sickly pale.
At this moment, his apple and biscuit lay untouched as he sat with his head lowered, shoulders trembling, and cried silently.
Floey suddenly furrowed her brows, a slight fluctuation appeared in her eyes.
For she faintly heard the young man calling out two words, two words that touched her icy heart.
"Little sister..."
Chen Lun raised his arm to wipe away his tears, his voice slightly louder.
"Little sister, where are you? I miss you so much..."
Floey's breathing became a bit hurried, and she pursed her lips, seemingly hesitant.
But in the end, she couldn't resist and took steps toward Chen Lun.
What she didn't notice, however, was the smile that appeared at the corner of the young man's mouth.
章 4: Chapter 4 Hidden Task
The background of Floey mentioned in the post from the previous life was not extensive. Perhaps it was because the player who wrote the post did not have deep knowledge, but the information was adequate for Chen Lun to come up with a temporary plan of action.
Floey was born in a slum.
Her father was a gambler, her mother a dancer, and she had a brother who loved her dearly.
She was naturally pure and also exceptionally beautiful.
The local ruffians and drunkards all wanted to take advantage of her, but fortunately, her brother always stepped up to protect and shield her.
Although her brother was beaten and injured each time, he always managed to turn back to her with a bruised and swollen face, smiling broadly, comforting and encouraging her not to be afraid.
It seemed that as long as her brother was by her side, she could feel safe and happy.
But the good times did not last, as famine and plague enveloped the town.
Many civilians died in this natural disaster.
Food became increasingly scarce, and prices soared. Floey's already impoverished family could no longer make ends meet.
Her lazy father and harsh mother plotted to sell Floey to the family of Baron Nate in town.
Although Floey was only fourteen and her long-term malnutrition had left her somewhat thin, her features and body had developed, and a future beauty was hidden under her delicate appearance.
She would definitely fetch a good price.
That's what her parents thought.
Of course, even though the family of Baron Nate had a not-so-good reputation.
For instance, all the men in the Baron's family had strange or even perverse predilections, and there were frequent rumors of maids dying suddenly.
But Floey's greedy parents did not care about these things.
Fortunately, Floey's brother prevented their parents from going through with this insane action.
To protect his sister, he volunteered to work for the Red Apple Church in exchange for a substantial amount of money.
At that time, the Red Apple Church was actively recruiting young adults, claiming it was to build a statue for the Deity Rose.
But many of the young adults who signed up never returned. The church explained that they were unfortunately involved in accidents at the quarry.
Because of the generous compensation, coupled with the church's influence, the incident did not cause much of an uproar.
Floey's brother became one of the unfortunate and never returned.
Before she could even grieve, she was sold to the church by her cold-hearted parents.
It was only because the church was generous, the priest, Carter, who brought the compensation for her brother's death, took a fancy to her, openly stating she was the perfect candidate to serve the Deity Rose...
...
"What's wrong?"
Floey asked softly.
The young man was momentarily stunned by the question and looked up at the nun in the red robe.
But he quickly lowered his gaze and turned his head slightly, seemingly not wanting the holy girl to see his tearful, weak display.
"I... I miss my sister."
"You have a sister?"
"Yes."
Chen Lun hugged his knees, curled up in the corner of the cell.
His mind began to frantically recall scenes from his previous life. He was not lying; he really had a sister.
Chen Lun once had a happy family, not wealthy, but without worries for food and clothing.
But later, his father passed away young due to a hereditary family disease, and both his sister and he suffered from the same affliction.
Unable to cope with the pressures of life, their mother abandoned them and left home.
The siblings, who depended only on each other for survival, had to rely on social welfare, but there was no extra money for treatment.
Their family's hereditary disease was very complicated.
Even with the medical technology available at the time, it required a lot of money to control the disease, which was incurable.
Later, his sister also passed away.
Chen Lun was devastated.
He really had no grand ambitions; he simply wished to see more and broader landscapes in the short time he had left.
Fortunately, there was "Era of Mystery," a holographic game that allowed him to lie in an old second-hand sleeping pod and experience an exciting life...
"We were orphans, our parents left us at a very young age...
Although the days I depended on my sister were tough, they were also very happy, sadly, I can never see her again."
Chen Lun spoke slowly and calmly with his head bowed.
He reminisced about the bits and pieces with his sister, moved by genuine emotions.
There might have been a hint of deliberate sentimentality in the tears, but the sadness was real.
Floey could clearly feel the melancholy coming from the young man.
That emotion amplified further, involuntarily reminding her of her own brother, and she also overlooked the fleeting glimmer on the necklace around Chen Lun's neck.
"Brother..."
Floey tightened her fingers, appearing to have made a decision.
She bent slightly, leaning closer to Chen Lun.
"Eat the biscuit, but do not eat the apple, remember..."
After whispering these words, Floey restored her expressionless demeanor and turned to leave.
[Gained Floey's affection, Bond with Floey established]
[Initiated A-Rank Hidden Chain Mission: Serene Nun]
Chen Lun was slightly stunned, then filled with great joy.
It was just an act, yet he unexpectedly triggered a very rare hidden mission, and an A-Rank one at that!
He fought off the headache after using "Mermaid's Song" which again reduced his Sanity Value by 1, took a deep breath, and hastily perked up to check the mission description.
[First Phase: Ensure Floey's survival and rescue her from the Red Apple Church's branch in Emerald Town. Mission considered a failure if Floey dies]
[Mission Reward: 2000 Experience Points, 40 Silver Ducats, Floey's affection, and 1 "Low Sequence Flesh Faction Mysterious Substance"]
[Note: This mission will draw the animosity and attention of the Red Apple Church, please decide cautiously]
"Accept!"
Without any hesitation, Chen Lun decisively accepted the mission.
Ignoring what the ultimate reward for the hidden mission was, the reward offered for the first phase was exactly the resource he urgently needed.
Moreover, how could he just stand by and watch this poor girl suffer in torment...
"My biggest flaw is that I like to meddle too much... alas, being too upright isn't good either, attracting the attention of the Red Apple Church definitely won't end well."
He wiped away the remaining tears from his face, almost moved to tears again by his own sense of justice.
Although he played the role of the pitiable to gain sympathy, even resorting to using his necklace's hypnosis ability, it was merely to foster a closer relationship with Floey and hopefully increase the chances of escaping this place.
Receiving the hidden mission was a pleasant surprise; he had already planned to rescue Floey.
In his past life, upon learning about this arch-villain boss's tragic past, he had often felt pity for her.
With such an opportunity now, he wasn't about to let it slip away.
Chen Lun contemplated his next moves, tearing at the unleavened biscuit in his hand.
The biscuit did not taste good, but Chen Lun was so hungry that he quickly devoured it.
He heeded Floey's warning, opting not to eat the apple but secretly stuffed it into a mouse hole in the corner of the wall.
Soon, Chen Lun noticed something was amiss.
The young men and women who had finished their "Holy Communion" stood up one after another.
They had vacant looks and wide-open mouths, smiling foolishly like idiots.
Stunned by this scene, Chen Lun realized sitting still would make him stand out, so he quickly stood up.
Just then, footsteps were heard in the corridor outside the prison, and the shadows on the opposite wall grew closer.
Chen Lun cursed under his breath and immediately mimicked the vacant-eyed, wide-mouthed, drooling smile of those around him.
He blended perfectly into the group.
ギフト
-- 贈り物
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