Chapter 129: Wu Chang's Charisma!

Leaving aside whether Han Er would provide information on the Recycler, the very existence of the Recycler clearly concerned the dungeon's plot and affected the dungeon's completion rate.

Even for the sake of the hidden side quest, Wu Chang could not possibly refuse this job.

He rubbed his hands together, putting on an appearance of someone desperately in need of money.

"No problem, Brother Han Er; I was just worrying about where to pick up some private work. If you're willing to tell me your connections, I'd be overjoyed."

Han Er's face lit up with joy, and he said, "As long as you agree to help me, whatever connections you want to know about, I can arrange for you. It's not boasting, but there aren't many who can last five years in the Kingdom Great Graveyard; I can guarantee that in the City of Serenity, Serina, no one knows the Kingdom Great Graveyard better than I do."

Hearing Han Er's words, Wu Chang smiled even more kindly and flattered him, "Then if I have questions in the future, I must definitely consult Brother Han Er more often."

"Then you'd better be quick; I'll be leaving this damn city soon." Han Er cursed once, then asked, "Where were we just now?"

Wu Chang reminded him, "You were saying you have a commission that needs me to take over."

"Right, right, right." Han Er nodded hurriedly and continued, "Brother Xiao En, do you know the Hunguang Sect Sect?"

Wu Chang shook his head. "I don't."

Han Er said, "If you don't even know the Hunguang Sect Sect, you're clearly not a local from Serina."

Wu Chang offered a shy smile. "I came here attracted by its reputation."

"It's no big deal; ninety-nine percent of those working here as grave keepers came attracted by its reputation, myself included." Seeing that Wu Chang was catching on, Han Er began to strike up a familiarity.

"Let me tell you, this Hunguang Sect Sect is formidable. Don't look at the fact that it only took three years from its establishment to its rise; they have real capabilities. In those three years, they triggered a divine miracle every single year."

"Serina is the Kingdom's Holy City; the number of sect forces here is greater than the number of women posing and preening on Fengqing Street. Yet, with all those churches united, they were still beaten into disarray by the Hunguang Sect Sect in less than a year, with believers switching allegiance one after another. If the Hunguang Sect Sect hadn't chosen not to expand its power beyond Serina, it would have long been the number one sect in the Kingdom."

Wu Chang listened very attentively, marking the Hunguang Sect Sect as a red name in his mind.

Ever since he entered the Abyss Game, anything bearing the words 'church' or 'sect' had never been anything good.

Of course, conflicts with local factions were related to his identity as a player, but did those churches bear no responsibility whatsoever?

"The commissions I receive basically all come from the Hunguang Sect." Han Er continued speaking, pulling a black iron key from his pocket; the key was about fifteen centimeters long, simple in style, with teeth shaped like a capital letter 'F'.

"In three days, someone from the Hunguang Sect Sect will come to find you; you just follow them into Graveyard No. 44 and locate the specific tomb chamber they designate. Once you find the chamber and open the door, the commission is complete. Isn't that very simple?"

"Afterward, the Hunguang Sect Sect will give you a generous reward, a figure absolutely beyond your imagination."

Wu Chang took the key, and a line of prompts popped up before his eyes.

"Hidden Side Quest: Open the True Immortality Tomb Chamber in Graveyard No. 44 for Duke Lutz. Failure carries no penalty. Accept quest?"

True Immortality Tomb Chamber? So that implies there are also fake Immortality Tomb Chambers.

Accept!

Wu Chang looked at Han Er, his tone as relaxed as if he were just casually picking up an extra meal from the cafeteria, "No problem, leave it to me."

Hearing this, Han Er let out a long breath, as if a huge rock had been lifted from his heart; his entire appearance instantly seemed seven or eight years younger.

Just based on this spiritual state comparable to a final flare of life before death, Han Er rejecting this commission was definitely not just because he was unwilling to stay two more days in the Great Graveyard.

Wu Chang saw through it but didn't say it aloud; taking advantage of the current friendly atmosphere, he asked, "Brother Han Er, you mentioned earlier the method to contact the Recycler..."

Han Er walked quickly two steps into the inner room of the wooden house and retrieved a birdcage; inside the cage was a crow, with an iron ring marked '44' hanging from its leg.

"Whenever you need to contact the Recycler, just release this crow, and he will actively come to find you."

Wu Chang took the birdcage and asked casually, "Brother Han Er, do you have any other experience? As a newcomer, I really need advice from a reliable senior like you."

Regarding Wu Chang's evaluation, Han Er looked very pleased on his face, yet his body made no response.

"Brother Xiao En, it's not that I don't want to help you, but there is only this much to know about the Great Graveyard; I have already taught you everything I've learned over these years. The problems you encounter can basically all find answers in my notes."

Wu Chang: "Not even a single piece of advice left?"

Han Er confirmed, "I have held nothing back."

Wu Chang: "Really?" "Absolutely certain!" Han Er guaranteed, patting his chest.

The current Han Er was like an NPC whose dialogue options had all been tried, even the easter egg dialogues triggered; no matter how much one probed, he would only say, "I have nothing else to give you."

Wu Chang sighed; since the conventional process was a dead end, he could only switch to another method.

"Brother Han Er, you said earlier that in Serina, no one knows the Kingdom Great Graveyard better than you."

Extremely confident in his professional skills, Han Er immediately said, "Of course!"

Wu Chang nodded, took a chess piece from his inventory space; carved on the piece was a small figure pinned down by a giant rock.

"Item Name: Proof of Arrogance"

"Item Type: C"

"Item Skill: Arrogance."

"Skill Description: While holding the Proof of Arrogance, the requirement for passing mental control-type judgment skills is reduced by 25%. When communicating with others, there is a probability of causing the target to feel fear and voluntarily submit or reveal information; the probability depends on the user's Will attribute."

Wu Chang and Han Er locked eyes; he said in a deep voice, "Han Er, I need you to stay behind and complete the Hunguang Sect's commission together with me."

!

That Han Er could work in the Kingdom Great Graveyard for five years, outlasting batch after batch of newcomers, meant he naturally had some tricks up his sleeve.

He showed signs of resistance and shouted, "Wait, what are you doing to me! I am no longer a grave keeper; you cannot stop me from leaving here!"

Wu Chang shrugged. "I didn't do anything; I was just sincerely inviting you. It's just that my personal charm is relatively strong, and I'm usually not rejected."

Han Er had some substance, but not much; limited by his physical weakness, he gradually became unable to resist Wu Chang's intimidation.

The anger in his voice faded, replaced by a pleading tone as he said, "I have already told you everything I know; you cannot treat me this way."

Han Er couldn't figure it out; one second the two of them were getting along like old friends, chatting happily, and the next, how had Wu Chang turned hostile?

Seeing that his will was about to collapse, Han Er's eyes turned bloodshot; beneath his emaciated body, a bloody light suddenly erupted, and as his blood flowed, it was as if hundreds of snakes were wriggling beneath his skin.

"Damn bastard, you forced me to this!"

Daring to claim he knew the Great Graveyard best and able to connect with the Hunguang Sect, Han Er possessed not only strong will but also formidable combat skills. The momentum he displayed now was not much inferior to the combat power Lei Hu had shown when instantly killing the cannon with a single move.

Ordinary players who dared to harbor ill intentions toward a former grave keeper would easily end up being counter-killed.

Unfortunately, Wu Chang was not an ordinary player.

Looking at Han Er, who was preparing to fight to the death, Wu Chang merely snapped his fingers; the momentum Han Er had gathered instantly dissipated, the blood flow within his body involuntarily calmed down, and he reverted to his state as a shriveled old man.

It was poison—Wu Chang used snake venom.

From the moment he entered the cabin, he had been releasing snake-venom miasma; Han Er had simply been too caught up in the joy of shedding his tomb-keeper identity to notice.

The domineering nature of soul poison was such that even the B-rank dungeon's big boss, the Tree of Miracles, couldn't withstand it, let alone Han Er.

The snake venom had long since invaded Han Er's body; the moment Wu Chang activated it, he could strip Han Er of control over his body at will.

The soul poison's erosion of his will, combined with the reality of being powerless to resist, made Han Er resign himself to his fate quickly.

His gaze softened, and his voice carried a note of submission: "As you wish. I will stay and help complete the Hunguang Sect commission."

Wu Chang nodded in satisfaction and said, "Don't worry—after all, I'm no devil either. I swear that once the Hunguang Sect commission is done, I'll let you go."

This was the truth—only which commission of the Hunguang Sect, and how long after, still required further negotiation.

Sensing Han Er's resistance weakening, Wu Chang ordered the snake venom inside him to fall temporarily silent, and said:

"For the sake of completing our commission more smoothly in the future, Brother Han Er, I'd like to familiarize myself with the work area first. There's a place I want you to take me to see."

Han Er asked, "What place?"

"The Eternal Life Crypt of Cemetery No. 44."

(End of chapter)