[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-player-beyond-dimensions":3,"chapter-a-player-beyond-dimensions-a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-8":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Player Beyond Dimensions",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2254974,4399,"Chapter 8: Chapter Seven: The Forest Nymph! The End of an Age","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-8",8,"\u003Cp>Night deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From within the dense forest came a rustling sound, then a burly figure emerged, draped in a gray cloak, clad in light gray leather-studded chainmail, brown leather forearm guards, black full-glove mittens, waist bound with straps, and gray leather trousers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath his hood were cold, merciless eyes; when he squinted slightly, his pupils shifted like a cat’s—narrow, vertical—but closer to the legendary dragon’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This formidable figure seemed to possess an uncanny sense of smell; at his waist hung a cloth sack, oozing dark red blood, its shape unmistakably that of a severed head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The scent of witchcraft.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fierce figure drew his longsword, crouched, and examined the corpse on the ground, his expression startled: “One strike to kill? Frankish throwing axe?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A seasoned hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rummaged through the scout’s corpse, found a sack of food—something like barley flour—pinched a strand, tasted it, then ate half with water from his canteen. Afterward, he left the forest and sprinted along the country path with agility far surpassing that of barbarian berserkers, instinctively avoiding every obstacle in his path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ran without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, the lithe figure halted where a flock of crows perched, hand resting on his sword hilt, scanning the surroundings warily before crouching as if searching for something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he found nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure refused to give up. He unslung the cloth sack, pulled out a grotesque head covered in black spiky hair, struck it open with his sword, and extracted a small lump of dark yellow, grease-like substance. After fiddling with several bottles and jars, he drank it down—his eyes instantly transformed into vertical, dragon-like pupils, tracking invisible traces until he reached the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Crow Queen—Triss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure whirled toward a cluster of crows perched on a nearby tree branch, his face grim, murmuring: “I never expected to track down one of the founders of the witch coven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground trembled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance came the thunder of galloping horses—hundreds of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The formidable figure hesitated, then chose to retreat. His personal strength was astonishing, but no match for an army. A few soldiers? He could handle them. A dozen? He’d struggle. A disciplined squad? He’d be surrounded and slaughtered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing hundreds of cavalry head-on? They’d trample him into pulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moon rose, pale red—an omen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The caravan abandoned their cargo and pressed on through the night, finally reaching a resting place just before total darkness made progress impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken remained vigilant, feigning sleep. After only three hours of rest, the group resumed their journey at first light. Several wounded had fallen unconscious, lying on the carts with faint breaths—no one knew how long they could hold on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, on the afternoon of the second day, the caravan spotted a small town in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After inquiries, they realized they had entered the northern province of Pan Nuoni.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Deng Ken, only three days had passed since his escape—but for the other refugees in the caravan, it had been five full days. Many broke into sobs of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guards carried their leader into town and urgently sought a physician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some wounds had been merely bandaged and now festered, oozing pus. The guard captain had lost too much blood—if not treated soon, he’d be dead within two days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After conquering the northern barbarians, the Empire absorbed some of their cultural traditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Northern herbalists were unmatched within the Empire’s borders, their medical skill far surpassing other regions, for they descended from the Celtic priests—the legendary druids. Though the Celtic tribes had weakened and most of Gaul had been fully assimilated by the Empire, their herbal knowledge endured through physicians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, the Empire’s term “barbarian” primarily refers to the Germanic peoples. The West Germanic tribes were “tamed barbarians,” conquered centuries ago and now organized into five ruling clans. The North Germanic tribes settled in cold lands—they were “wild barbarians,” frequently raiding the Empire’s borders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond these, countless other barbarian tribes existed. The Empire’s culture was supremely arrogant, viewing nearly all neighboring tribes as uncivilized savages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, the Empire’s most formidable barbarian mercenaries were the Franks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the Empire’s peak, it mobilized thirty-six legions—nearly three hundred thousand troops—to wage conquests against surrounding barbarians. Most “tamed barbarians” adopted Imperial culture during that era. Under Constantine I, vast numbers of barbarians were relocated within the Empire, gradually becoming the backbone of its military. Once assimilated, they formed the core of the Imperial army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, most of the Empire’s still-capable legions were led by barbarian commanders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empire’s true lineage lies among the barbarians!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over centuries, corruption from top to bottom had weakened the Empire; they had long lost the ambition and valor that once conquered the continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems this might be a parallel-universe Earth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering the town, Deng Ken saw the cross of a church. Polytheism had vanished from history; the Empire’s state religion was now Catholicism. The witch hunts began as a Church campaign—not against witches, but against all pagans, including the Empire’s former orthodox polytheism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Edict of Milan, over a hundred years had passed; monotheism now held absolute dominance. Polytheism faded into obscurity until the last altar was torn down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many surviving priestly lineages from the polytheistic era were branded as male and female sorcerers practicing witchcraft—this was the origin of the early “witch hunts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, it was a campaign to unify faith, destroy temples, and eradicate all traces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that time onward, tales of supernatural powers grew increasingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group found lodging at an inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything here differed greatly from Deng Ken’s memories of Earth, but he needed more information to understand it fully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almargun bustled about, fawningly serving him. Deng Ken couldn’t bear it—he tossed him two silver coins and ordered him to find a physician for his arrow wound. The man’s wound had split open, still oozing blood from his buttocks, yet he gritted his teeth and continued acting like a loyal hound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After retiring to his room, Deng Ken began sorting his loot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could carry little—mostly coinage. During the Augustan era, the Empire had established a clear gold-silver-copper currency system; the most common was the denarius silver coin, later supplemented by smaller silver denominations. Early denarii bore varied designs, but later ones standardized to Augustus’s portrait on the obverse and the Arch of Triumph on the reverse—the most common silver coin today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six gold, fifty-six silver, several copper coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One gold coin came from the gloomy knight, three from the fleeing barbarians, two from the scout—but one bore the face of a bearded man wearing a crown, unknown origin, possibly from Mesopotamia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most silver coins were denarii; the scout carried a few foreign coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken tucked the coins away—this was his entire fortune now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since entering town, meals had improved: staple bread, like a baguette, originating from Frankish lands, served with smoked meat and vegetable stew, plus a short sausage. Three meals and lodging cost two silver coins daily—silver’s purchasing power seemed low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a legionary’s annual pay was only about 225 denarii.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years of constant war meant many soldiers never received their pay; few were willing to fight for the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The silver content must be low—this Empire is screwed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken picked up a silver coin, inspected it, then tossed it back into his pouch. He wasn’t a Roman fan in his past life—if the Empire collapsed, so be it. He wouldn’t mind pushing it over. The Empire now relied entirely on barbarian troops; the moment they refused to serve, the Empire would crumble instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken sat cross-legged in meditation, entering the God’s-eye view, pondering what other functions his “cheat” might still hold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood that upon crossing over, his soul had bonded with a void dimension; his mortal body was the key to entering the real world. If this body died, he’d be trapped in that void, sleeping for who-knew-how-long—possibly forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken felt his soul remained ordinary; his mortal body was an essential tool for him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His consciousness entered the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the God’s-eye view, every soul in the town was marked. Most prominent was the witch in the room next door—her skull icon blazed like a mobile world boss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other units were scattered across the map: many one-star markers, and one two-star unit labeled “Retired Centurion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken was curiously observing the town’s intelligence through the God’s-eye view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the map’s edge, a striking golden three-star unit appeared: dressed in a hooded cloak, chainmail, carrying a longsword, silently leaping over a wooden fence into town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Hunter of Demons (Dragonblood) [Neutral Unit]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That guy’s three golden stars were blinding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the perspective of a former Total War player, he was at least an elite unit—capable of taking on a small squad alone. As for the witch in the caravan, she was unquestionably a hero unit—her power was incalculable, the strongest supernatural entity Deng Ken had ever encountered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These supernatural units all seem neutral.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do they keep distance from the mundane world?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken scrutinized through the God’s-eye view, confirmed the hunter carried only one sword—not a silver blade and a steel blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extremely powerful!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved through town like an assassin—sprinting, leaping, grabbing the eaves, spinning 180 degrees, using core strength to flip onto the roof—all in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a feat was impossible for an ordinary man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hunter gradually neared the inn but paused in the alley. Deng Ken zoomed in, adjusted brightness, and saw him weigh a coin pouch, then turn and slip into a nearby shed, lying down on the hay in the animal stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was nearly midnight. Staying at an inn was expensive. Deng Ken guessed the hunter was saving money—or perhaps monitoring the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With denarii devalued, even hunters are broke?” Deng Ken almost laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder the Empire was crumbling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint sound came from the next room—the witch’s marker moved. She stepped out of her room, stood in the hallway, paused for several seconds, then stood silently before Deng Ken’s door before slipping out of the inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should I follow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch had left the inn. Deng Ken hesitated, then followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the God’s-eye view, he didn’t need to get close—just stay within the map’s visual range. The witch couldn’t detect him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken mentally guided his perspective, silently trailing at a distance of roughly one hundred fifty meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the animal shed, on the hay, the golden three-star hunter rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So sensitive?” Deng Ken instantly went on high alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But through the God’s-eye view, the hunter also crouched low, silently following—maintaining about fifty meters distance, moving with extreme caution, as if afraid Deng Ken would notice him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now it was one following one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch moved without a sound, gliding like a ghost. Had Deng Ken not had his cheat, he’d have lost her instantly. The hunter hadn’t tracked the witch—but he’d sensed Deng Ken’s footsteps, so he indirectly picked up the witch’s trail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is she going to do?” Deng Ken wondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch left the town and entered the dense forest. Without the God’s-eye view, Deng Ken would have lost her immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking far, moonlight spilled across the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead stood a towering oak tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Deng Ken’s god’s-eye view, the witch had removed her mask, revealing a stunningly beautiful yet eerie face—more like a legendary succubus than a human. Her exposed neck and collarbone skin was so pale it glowed, a porcelain-like cold white—skin no noblewoman of this era, no matter how pampered, could match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Priestess, save me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a hazy silhouette appeared in the open forest ahead—a beautiful female form. Her features sharpened as she stepped from the oak’s reflection, kneeling before the witch, pleading: “Save me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Ken’s pupils widened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Forest Nymph (Tree Spirit) [Neutral]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Greek mythology, the forest nymphs, also known as tree spirits, are called forest goddesses—natural spirits of lower status, young and beautiful. They dwell on mountaintops (Oreades), beside springs and rivers (Naiads), or within forest trees (Dryads; they symbolize the irrational, animalistic side of human nature. Legend holds that every oak tree harbors a spirit, and these spirits convey divine oracles through the forest nymphs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another supernatural entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she bears only a one-star mark; her combat power is probably negligible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The witch frowned slightly and shook her head. “I am not a priestess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The age of priestesses is over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the forest nymph showed a flicker of sorrowful despair, the witch whispered softly, “What danger have you encountered?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the witch’s words, the forest nymph seized it like a final lifeline, her voice trembling with grief: “Witch hunters!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Church’s witch hunters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re trying to exterminate us completely!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A very powerful witch hunter has come here—he will not spare me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, save me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the forest nymph’s words, Deng Ken instinctively turned to glance at the demon hunter trailing behind him. After entering the forest, he had lost track of him, falling behind by two or three hundred meters, but he seemed skilled at tracking and had slowly caught up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he appeared to have misjudged his target, circling past Deng Ken and heading straight toward the witch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>………………\u003C\u002Fp>",2196,"2026-06-19T13:13:01.402Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b0bf9c48e3efff10e94de23b140e3894b9ba5b44fb837148f6b4f3d3bd618481","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-9","a-player-beyond-dimensions-chapter-7",195,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-player-beyond-dimensions-cover.jpg"]