Chapter 100: Did You Learn?

The Negotiation Master looked at Xiang Jianxing, hoping for a sign, some hint.

Jian Xin whispered: "Try it."

The Negotiation Master nodded and said to Wu Chang: "I lost that special necklace."

Wu Chang extended his hand holding the necklace, but just as the Negotiation Master was about to grasp it, he pulled it back.

"Service fee: 20,000 Rot Silver Coins."

The Negotiation Master:?

"Didn't you say this was ours?"

Wu Chang smiled: "I'm charging for the service."

The Negotiation Master fell silent for a moment, then asked softly: "Can you issue a receipt?"

"Sorry, the relevant service isn't available yet."

The Negotiation Master glared at Xiang Jianxing. "You witness this. When we get out, you two will reimburse me for this money."

After receiving the Negotiation Master's face-to-face transfer, Wu Chang handed her "The Blessed Blessing of the Great Holy Mother."

That stranger woman seemed to have a hidden card, but her fighting was hesitant and reluctant—clearly holding back.

You ask how Wu Chang knew?

He's used to hiding his moves; he could tell at a glance whether the opponent was holding back.

Twenty thousand Rot Silver Coins as confidentiality fees, plus a free boss kill—definitely a friend's price.

Besides, someone else is paying for it; why not take the free wool?

Holding "The Blessed Blessing of the Great Holy Mother," the Negotiation Master felt as if she'd received the command: "You've been buffed—go and die," and charged at the sea monster.

After leaving the water, the sea monster revealed its full form.

The sea monster's body resembled a centaur, except its "human" portion was a towering black goat standing upright.

Each pupil of the black goat's eyes held a black cross-star; atop its head grew demonic spiral horns; below its waist were standard goat hooves, but instead of human hands or goat hooves at the shoulders, there were two thick fins.

The "horse" portion of its body had been replaced by a massive fish body, covered in dorsal fins like a giant shark.

In short, the sea monster was a stitched-together abomination of a black goat and a giant shark, brimming with artificiality.

The thick fins and fish body allowed it to swim swiftly through water; its front goat hooves enabled it to leave the water and run on land.

Though its appearance was haphazard, its strength was not weak.

Its enormous body granted it thick health and immense power; the inclusion of Ailin's body in its stitching gave it extremely high energy resistance.

As a divine emissary, it was nearly immune to judgement-based skill damage within its inner world.

If Xiang Jianxing had acted, he could have used his powerful sword art to damage the sea monster and insert "The Blessed Blessing of the Great Holy Mother" into its body.

But against the Negotiation Master, the sea monster was practically its natural counter.

Without using her trump cards, the Negotiation Master could hardly inflict meaningful damage on the sea monster.

While the Negotiation Master struggled with the sea monster, Xiang Jianxing—who could not join the battle—approached Wu Chang.

"She's a friend of mine from the Bureau. She sensed danger for me and the new assistants, so the Bureau sent her to rescue us."

Under his black robe, Wu Chang sneered—that was sent specifically to save you; don't drag us new assistants into it. We don't have that kind of clout.

Seeing Wu Chang didn't respond, Xiang Jianxing continued: "I just heard her say the pollution level in the Silent Town has plummeted—almost cleared. Did you do that?"

Wu Chang remained silent, offering no reply.

Xiang Jianxing probed: "If I'm not mistaken, you're the one who broke the Moonlight Sanatorium."

Wu Chang watched Xiang Jianxing mutter to himself, waiting to see when he'd tire of talking and give up.

"Previously, some speculated you were just lucky—that you'd awakened before entering the Abyss Game and mastered a powerful skill that just happened to counter the Moonlight Sanatorium's mechanics. But after you broke the C-rank dungeon clearance record, those voices faded."

"Judging by your record alone, I couldn't feel it clearly—but being in the same dungeon as you, I sense the chasm between us."

"Honestly, killing a boss depends on strength, but discovering clues and solving a dungeon? Strength alone won't cut it. I believe my strength is sufficient here, yet so far, I haven't even figured out what happened in the town. Mind telling me how you found the clues and began solving the dungeon?"

Wu Chang maintained his cold aloofness, still silent.

"You received a face-to-face transfer of 5,000 Rot Silver Coins from player Xiang Jianxing. Accept?"

Wu Chang:?

What's this? Looking down on me? Thinking this little money can buy me off?

Accept!

Wu Chang couldn't help saying: "You casually hand out 5,000 Rot Silver Coins—your Bureau must be rich." Xiang Jianxing smiled, no longer hiding it: "The Bureau reimburses any information about you."

Hmph. That's the confidence of a big organization.

Seeing Wu Chang break character and no longer pretend to be aloof, Xiang Jianxing asked again: "Can you tell me how you found the clues and found the entry point to solve the dungeon?"

Wu Chang shrugged. "Can't teach it. It's innate."

"So you mean you have some kind of awakened skill for solving dungeons?" Xiang Jianxing asked.

Wu Chang's eyebrows knitted together; his gaze at Xiang Jianxing turned strange.

Dude, your progress in uncovering dungeon info is garbage, yet you're so eager to dig into my secrets?

You're so good at guessing—why not guess the dungeon's plot?

He spoke calmly: "Have you heard of the 'Innate Breakthrough Holy Body'?"

"No."

"Good. Neither have I."

Xiang Jianxing grinned, clearly thinking Wu Chang was messing with him.

!

Wu Chang: "If you've never heard of it, why do you assume I was born with a skill to solve dungeons?"

Xiang Jianxing suddenly realized—it made sense.

At that moment, the Negotiation Master, locked in combat with the sea monster, was slapped away like a badminton shuttlecock, crashing heavily before the two of them.

Fortunately, the sand was soft enough to absorb most of the impact; otherwise, that blow would have left her seriously injured.

The Negotiation Master crawled out of the crater, spat out the sand from her mouth, and looked up at them with annoyance.

"You two, I'm out here fighting for my life while you, two men with penises, stand back and watch like it's entertainment? Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Xiang Jianxing turned around, joining the Negotiation Master in staring at Wu Chang.

Wu Chang:?

Where's your face? You're just standing there watching too—didn't she just call you out?

He suppressed the urge to retort; as a professional freelance Hebo, he had been paid, and he wouldn't let their money go to waste.

He took the "Blessing of the Great Holy Mother" from the Negotiation Master's hand, turned to Xiang Jianxing, and said:

"You said something wrong just now."

"Which part?" Xiang Jianxing asked, puzzled.

"You said beating a dungeon isn't just about strength—it's not that strength alone doesn't work; it's that your strength isn't strong enough. With sufficient power, you ignore all dungeon rules and just crush through them."

"Watch closely—I'll only show you once."

Wu Chang walked toward the sea monster, holding the necklace.

The fused sea monster embodied the primordial sin of rage; it possessed slight intelligence. Two of the three had already been shattered by it, and now, seeing a third fool dare approach, its cross-shaped pupils gleamed with mockery, steam hissing from its goat-like nostrils as it charged Wu Chang just as it had the Negotiation Master.

Wu Chang shed his long robe, hurling it high into the air, revealing the full-body whale swimsuit beneath his black robe.

His body then surged violently, instantly transforming into a 15-meter-tall whale-giant.

His massive frame was already awe-inspiring, but enhanced by the superhero-suit's aesthetic, he radiated unmatched majesty.

Even Xiang Jianxing and the Negotiation Master, accustomed to grand spectacles, couldn't help gaping.

He twisted his hips sideways, left arm held horizontally across his chest, right arm raised high—like a wrathful Buddha statue.

The sudden transformation shifted the sea monster's gaze from looking down on ants to looking up at the colossal palm looming above.

Facing a being half a head taller than itself, its mockery vanished; its rage-filled eyes grew clear.

Too late.

The next instant, Wu Chang swung his right arm like a professional in a slap contest, delivering a thunderous slap across the sea monster's goat face.

Boom!

The slap echoed like a drum exploding, like thunder cracking from a clear sky.

No technique needed—under 140 points of strength, the slap spun the goat's head 360 degrees, crushing half its face, sending its eyes rolling back into infantile unconsciousness.

While the sea monster remained stunned from the divine power's impact, Wu Chang pried open its goat jaws and shoved the "Blessing of the Great Holy Mother" inside.

He ended the whale transformation, reached upward, and caught the falling black robe just before it touched the ground.

He turned to Xiang Jianxing and asked: "That's all there is to it. Did you learn?"

Sudden third act—surprised? Shocked?

(End of Chapter)