Chapter 475: Chen Huan

The four stepped into the circle of black wooden chairs under Cheng Shuili's and the other's gaze, and Beichen finally cleared his throat, ready to speak.

"Welcome to Chen Huan." A woman in a professional uniform spoke first; she suddenly raised her hand, and a book as thick as a dictionary materialized in her palm. Her other hand brushed the cover lightly, then she added, "You may call me… Beichen."

"Beichen?" Qin Wen glanced at Cheng Shuili, who gave no reaction, his eyes fixed on the four, quietly waiting for them to continue.

"Correct." Beichen nodded, pointing to the other woman standing beside him, "This is the Weaver Girl."

Weaver Girl?

Qin Wen's eyes immediately widened to circles.

Isn't that the one who reads the server‑wide announcement… no! The system?

This guy actually looks so much like a human???

Qin Wen knew her focus was misplaced, but accustomed to the stereotyped image of a system conjured in her mind, suddenly seeing a system that looked so human, she was, of course, utterly shocked.

Moreover… these four people… no, four systems arrived together, meaning the four of them are all systems?!

Qin Wen only realized how chaotic that sentence was when, long afterward, she recalled today.

"Weaver Girl?" Qin Wen's startled exclamation burst out; she snapped her head toward Cheng Shuili, eyes wide, and in a breathy voice shouted, "Lao Da! That's her! The announcement! The server‑wide announcement!"

Cheng Shuili gave her a glance, said nothing, but the contempt in her eyes overflowed.

She has long ears; she can hear herself.

The named Weaver Girl gave a slight nod, tacitly agreeing.

Her expression was calm and gentle, a stark contrast to Cheng Shuili's imagined fierce, demonic visage toward her and Black Feather.

Moreover… why did this person's gaze hold nothing special, while the shabby‑dressed, scruffy‑bearded young man standing beside her looked at her with unmistakable resentment?

Beichen took the two expressions into his eyes, then acted as if he saw nothing, and nonchalantly continued, "This is the Heavenly Wolf."

The Heavenly Wolf was the youth clad in ancient armor; upon hearing his name, he immediately shifted his gaze to Cheng Shuili and the other, gave a slight nod, indicating Beichen was correct.

Qin Wen also nodded, leaving Cheng Shuili beside her with a baffled expression.

"This is Changbai," Beichen finally said, pointing at the disheveled, evasive‑gazing yet resentful young man.

Changbai neither nodded nor gave any sign; he merely turned his face aside, avoiding Cheng Shuili's stare, his leather notebook clenched tighter until his knuckles whitened.

The atmosphere stalled for a moment.

Qin Wen looked at this, then that, finally her gaze landed on the heavy book in Beichen's hand; her curiosity was about to explode, but restrained by Cheng Shuili's earlier contemptuous look, she held back, merely nudging Cheng Shuili with her elbow.

Cheng Shuili's eyes swept from the Heavenly Wolf's incongruous ancient armor to Changbai's outfit that looked as if it had fled from an office, then returned to Beichen's face, and in a flat tone said, "So, Chen Huan, is this your territory? You brought us here, there must be a reason."

"It's not our territory," Beichen corrected, his finger gently stroking the book cover, "Chen Huan is a special relay point, a… observation chamber. It only manifests when certain specific conditions are triggered, and then invites the relevant parties here."

"Invitation?" Cheng Shuili raised an eyebrow, "You didn't even give a selection page. If this counts as an invitation, your so‑called invitation is terribly insincere, isn't it?"

Facing Cheng Shuili's doubt, Beichen's voice remained unruffled, his fingertip lightly tapping the heavy cover, "Programmatically, you've already made a choice. Stepping through that door, sitting on this ebony chair, constitutes acceptance of the invitation."

She lifted her gaze, scanning Cheng Shuili then Qin Wen, "The right to question is limited to before taking a seat. At this moment, you are official participants of Chen Huan."

That statement made absolutely no sense.

If they truly had the right to refuse, they'd at least leave the entrance door open.

Even reluctantly, Cheng Shuili knew she couldn't let the scene stay silent, "Tell us the specific conditions?"

"Sure."

This time the one responding was the Weaver Girl, her voice indeed identical to the announcement, "This Instance has several common endings. For example, completing the Instance through the normal process, all parties agreeing to sign an abnormal termination agreement, or all players dying."

All players die?

Qin Wen lifted her lips as if to say something, then, for some reason, swallowed the words.

Cheng Shuili considered, the Weaver Girl spoke of ending the Instance; all players dying would indeed end it.

Hmm… no problem.

She signaled the Weaver Girl with her eyes to continue, and the other didn't hold back, clearing her throat and continuing, "When a player clears the Instance in a special way, or…"

The Weaver Girl glanced at Beichen, saw his expression unchanged, then continued, "Or when a player ends the Instance, Chen Huan will appear."

End the Instance?

Qin Wen, startled, couldn't help interjecting, "Wait… so because we demolished that broken theater, demolished it completely, you… invited us here?"

"It's an ending."

Beichen's voice followed, cold and clear, "In the regular flow, players win the performance by role‑playing, confronting, or seeing through the plot‑weaver's drama logic, earning evaluation and rewards."

She paused, her gaze landing on Cheng Shuili; the look was calm and still, yet Cheng Shuili felt a chill.

"And you… chose to destroy the stage outright. That's an ending, also a clearance, and the highest‑rated clearance. You, and your companion, completely ended the Mist Corridor and Silent Theater Instance."

"That means… from now on, no player will ever enter this Instance again, or rather, this Instance truly no longer exists."

The previously silent Changbai suddenly jerked his head up, the resentment in his eyes nearly turning into tangible fury; his voice hoarse, he added, "I designed seven different plot routes, seventeen pivotal turning points, forty‑three hidden clues… you! You just tore it apart! Like dismantling a pile of broken wood!"

He waved the leather notebook, the pages rustling loudly.

Qin Wen was startled by his agitation, then, after recovering, furrowed her brows and retorted, "Is tearing it down not allowed? Leaving that broken place intact is still a menace."

The Weaver Girl felt embarrassed, nudging the Heavenly Wolf standing beside her.

He remained expressionless, raised his hand to cover Changbai's mouth, and no matter how he struggled, no sound escaped.