Chapter 55: I Really Do Have a Sword Named Xiaochuan Now

"Director, all civilians around Yin Yuan Mountain have been evacuated."

"The source of the malice energy has also been confirmed to be related to the Huangcunzhi incident from back then."

"The cause of the outbreak has also been found."

The investigators of the Ancheng Bureau of Abnormal Affairs were continuously reporting information upwards.

According to calculations, if the source of that malice energy were allowed to erupt unchecked, the direct impact range would reach several surrounding county towns, and the indirect impact range would cover nearly half the province.

This level of malice.

Everyone was extremely cautious to the utmost.

The director of the provincial branch of the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs, where Ancheng is located, even came out in person.

Using a certain powerful artifact, he sealed off the entire Yin Yuan Mountain.

If a real accident occurred, the impact range would be confined to the vicinity of Yin Yuan Mountain.

At least there would be time to wait for other high-level players from the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs to arrive as reinforcements.

"The cause of the accident is five level-25 players who, through some channel, learned of the Huangcunzhi case from back then, believed there were still hidden resources here that had not been discovered, so they formed a team to come explore."

"As it turns out, they really did discover an anomaly point that we failed to find despite months of screening back then; they tried to excavate the anomaly point, and their luck was good—this bunch of idiots happened to have an Epic-level piece of equipment capable of breaking seals." The investigator nearly fainted from anger as he spoke these words.

Now look at this.

No resources were found.

A huge treasure was dug up.

The investigators of the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs extremely detest civilian exploration players.

Because occasionally, dungeons of difficulty level Hard or higher become entangled with the real world.

Although not many, they do exist.

Causing the real world to indeed possess something similar to the "Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands" in novels.

That is, the original locations in reality corresponding to those high-difficulty dungeons after they end.

Such existences are named by the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs as—Disaster Holes.

Most Disaster Holes indeed have high-tier artifacts left behind, either equipment dropped by players who experienced the dungeon or artifacts that existed within the dungeon itself but had not been discovered.

But it is not just artifacts; disasters left behind by the dungeon itself may also be present.

The Bureau of Abnormal Affairs will carefully judge and integrate information when exploring Disaster Holes.

First, determine the degree of harm within them.

If the degree of harm is too high, they would rather give up acquiring the artifact resources than open the Disaster Hole.

Instead, they try to find ways to seal it to prevent accidental casualties.

But those civilian exploration players who value money over life are different.

This group pursues wealth found through danger!

Moreover, those who know of the existence of Disaster Holes are basically players above level 20.

Keep in mind that the known level cap of the Lingzai game is only level 30.

Although there are reports that the level cap will be unlocked after the public beta.

But that is something that will happen 47 days later.

At this stage, a level-25 person already possesses strength exceeding 95% of players.

And they completely ignore whether the Disaster Hole currently being explored will cause harm to surrounding towns.

All they want is to plunder the artifacts within!

To put it bluntly, they are powerful tumors!

"Not to be rude, but who could have thought such a powerful seal was just to lock up a pig-headed demon?" Beside the on-site investigator, a man with a dirty face, dark skin, and a strange golden rope tied around his hand said helplessly.

He was one of the idiots who dug up Yin Yuan Village, as the other party had said.

The information just given was also revealed by him.

As for lying, there was no need to worry; the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs had methods to detect lies.

"I have used that 【Tianyuan Drill】 to drill through so many Disaster Holes; basically, any seal or restriction is opened with a single drill," the man explained. "As a result, the seal at Yin Yuan Village nearly blew up the drill upon first contact. I thought there was a 【Legendary】-level artifact down there, got excited, and then..."

Seeing the investigator's face grow darker and darker.

He did not dare to continue speaking.

His own heart was also bleeding deep inside.

To break that seal, his 【Tianyuan Drill】 was completely destroyed, along with an 【Epic】-level consumable item and ten 【Fine】-grade items.

This was his retirement fund accumulated over years of exploration!

And all he dug up was a pig-headed demon.

Moreover, upon meeting them, it ate the other four teammates of the same level clean.

If the people from the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs had not arrived quickly.

He would probably have become pig feed by now.

"Very well, take this person back to the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs for detention; his charges will be discussed after this incident concludes," the Ancheng Director calmly issued the order.

Having spoken, his gaze drifted first toward the depths of Yin Yuan Mountain.

Then he looked toward the distant highway.

As if waiting for someone to arrive.

"Director, can you not handle this thing yourself? Must we wait for reinforcements from Mingyang City?" a colleague beside him asked, somewhat confused.

In his opinion, his boss was fully capable of handling this matter alone!

But the Ancheng Director shook his head and said, "I am not very good at handling this."

"Earlier, I went in and made contact, discovering that this pig-headed demon is essentially a certain type of non-substantial spiritual entity; I am somewhat helpless regarding this aspect," he said with a slightly relieved smile. "But the Director of Mingyang City is skilled at dealing with spiritual entities; it is more suitable for him to handle it."

He and the other party were old acquaintances.

Perhaps he could even learn from the spirit which player had cleared 【The Desolate Village Chronicles】.

If not for the previous server-wide announcement.

He would never have thought of it until now.

The Yin Yuan Village incident back then was actually a Nightmare-level dungeon!

If he could follow the trail to find out which big shot had cleared a single-player Nightmare-level dungeon.

He must find a way to build a good relationship with that person.

With the public beta imminent.

Various nations and organizations were stirring with undercurrents.

A sense of impending storm had been pressing down on him.

At this stage, befriending such a big shot would be a great boon for both the Supernatural Affairs Bureau and for himself personally!

He truly looked forward to making friends with a big shot!

————

"The train is approaching the station—Ancheng."

"Passengers getting off, please take your luggage and prepare to disembark."

Wu Wang stretched and stepped out.

His left hand clutched a black fountain pen, while his right hand was wrapped in a thick coil of bandages.

He looked as miserable as someone with a cast.

Giggles—

Feeling the tremor in his left hand, he impatiently waved the pen in front of a trash can.

Threateningly, he said, "If you move around again, I'll throw you in there to be washed by garbage, then find some perverted gay guy with strange kinks to use you as an anal plug for a few days."

The moment his words fell, the pen went silent.

Wu Wang had figured out on the train why the Pen Spirit had to use physical means to manifest and stab him instead of using curses.

Because of the Abyss God Mark!

With it on his body, curses had absolutely no effect.

In a fit of rage, the Pen Spirit had directly started stabbing him hard with the pen itself.

But manifesting physically also gave Wu Wang the chance to grab it.

After seven hours of harmonious coexistence.

The human and the ghost had now reached some kind of bizarre balance.

But that was beside the point.

The trouble now was the thing on his right hand.

Wu Wang certainly could not be injured and wearing a cast.

He was using the bandages to conceal a broken sword beneath his hand.

It was the equipment used to deal with the Great God of Yin Yuan.

【Laughing River Broken Sword (Current Level—Epic, Repairable): Equipping this sword allows one to sense the presence of spirits. For spirits that have lost the ability to resist, it can devour them to form a Sword Spirit, increasing damage, and granting the sword additional attack effects.】

【The stronger the devoured Sword Spirit, the greater the damage increase; attack effects change based on the nature of the Sword Spirit.】

【Equipment Requirement: The user must possess a hand structure biologically and know some swordsmanship.】

【Note: A single laugh from the sword crosses the River of Forgetfulness.】

When the Abyss God pulled this item from the warehouse, Wu Wang's mouth nearly twisted into a grin.

Spirits that have lost the ability to resist.

Wasn't there one ready-made right here?

The sealed Great God of Yin Yuan!

Their immense strength went without saying; once they became a Sword Spirit, they would likely completely compensate for his damage shortcomings.

Wu Wang had Skate Shoes and the Soaring Cloud Step for mobility; Undying for defense and survival; and the Abyss God Mark for resisting corruption.

The only thing lacking was direct confrontation capability.

As long as he dealt with the Great God of Yin Yuan on this trip.

He would be a hexagonal warrior!

"What the hell, why is there equipment that can't be put into the backpack? Are you also a Pikachu who doesn't like living in a Poké Ball?" Wu Wang felt somewhat helpless.

He had originally been grateful for the existence of the player backpack.

It allowed him to go out without carrying luggage and conveniently infiltrate various places empty-handed using the 【Fake Smile Mask】.

Who knew that as soon as he reached the area of Ancheng.

The 【Laughing River Broken Sword】 inside the backpack suddenly popped out on its own.

It kept guiding him toward a place where a powerful spirit resided.

It was already starving and eager!

Moreover, once it came out, it couldn't be put back in.

That was why Wu Wang used the bandage method to disguise the existence of the broken sword.

But wasn't this far too conspicuous!

Bad news—carrying it made stealth difficult.

Good news—he really did have a sword named Laughing River.

Now he planned to use it to do bad things...