The store trembled as violet charm-fire rippled off Sarythra's skin. She clawed at Zhang Rui's shoulders, her voice a husky snarl of pleasure and frustration. He drove her closer—closer—to the edge, but he refused to let her win control. Each motion of his body was deliberate dominance.
The curse timer pulsed above her in red.
00:01:18
Her breath hitched. "Damn you… you're actually—" She didn't finish, her voice breaking into a gasp as he crushed her resistance with brutal rhythm and ruthless focus.
Suddenly—
A jade-green light flashed between them.
A talisman materialized in front of Zhang Rui, fluttering gently in the air like falling paper.
He froze for half a heartbeat.
Then he saw the delicate brushstrokes.
The soft curves of the characters.
The faint floral scent still clinging to the talisman—her scent.
His lips curled.
"Bai Lian."
He snatched it from the air.
[TOWER NOTICE] You have received a support item from an outside party.
[Healing Talisman – Low Grade (Handcrafted)]
Type: Consumable Talisman
Rank: Low Grade
Effect: Restores minor wounds and stops light bleeding
Activation: Channel a thread of qi
Duration: Instant + lingering recovery (10 minutes)
Craft Quality: Improvised—Ingredient Substitutes (Mustard, Soy Sauce, Beef Broth, Tomato Paste)
Stability: 62% — May fail if qi is unstable
Description: Drawn with unorthodox mediums but executed with flawless precision. Emits a faint jade glow. Warm. Devoted.
Zhang Rui slapped the talisman against his own chest and exhaled as green light burned through him. He then activated his incomplete Booster Technique.
[Physique: 9 → Stabilized]
Condition: Refining Backlash → PARTIALLY SUPPRESSED
Time till Bodily Failure: 00:01:43 → 00:05:00
Black veins pulsed along his arms—then withdrew. His muscles swelled, reforged under surging qi, veins like coiled dark lightning beneath his skin.
He looked down at Sarythra.
And smiled.
Not with cruelty.
With promise.
Her eyes widened, genuine fear flickering for the first time.
"W—What did you just—"
He pinned her wrist above her head, driving her down into the stone. She arched, a guttural cry torn from her lips.
"No more talking," he said. "You wanted a monster?"
His grip tightened.
"You've got one."
00:00:13
The curse timer pulsed violently. Her tail whipped against him, wild, desperate, and hungry.
"Break me—if you can!!" she shrieked, half in challenge, half in surrender.
His voice was calm.
"Shatter."
He drove into her with vicious finality.
Sarythra's back bowed off the ground—eyes rolling, breath gone, voice lost. A scream tore from deep inside her—raw, primal, defeated.
[CURSE SHATTERED]
The timer froze at 1 second.
A shockwave of violet flame erupted—then died.
She collapsed beneath him, trembling violently. Her claws dug helplessly into his skin—not to resist—but to anchor herself against the overwhelming rush devouring her.
He didn't look away from her.
Didn't soften.
Didn't slow.
"I win," he said.
Outside the clothing store—
The command goblins waiting in ambush twitched—then spasmed violently as the Lesser Succubus's control shattered. Their teeth bared, they realized the two figures they were waiting on to die didn't and instead were freed.
Lin Qiao burst from the shadows like a golden hurricane—shields smashing through bones before they could even turn.
Zhao Ren followed, lightning crackling through the air—extending from his sword as it pierced multiple goblins' spines and paralyzed them for his blitz attack.
Bones snapped.
Green blood sprayed.
The ambush collapsed in less than six seconds.
Zhao Ren wiped his blade with a cold grin.
"Show-off," he muttered to Zhang Rui through the Dungeon Live window.
"No… I can't tease him for being inexperienced anymore," Lin Qiao cried, crouching low and clutching her head. I had already been planning how I could mess with him, but now… I would only end up flustering him after this.
[Congratulations!]
You have slain the named lesser succubus Sarythra, the Crimson Whisper.
This achievement has been recorded by the system. Future encounters may adjust difficulty accordingly.
Zhang Rui breathed heavily, his shaft sending hot jets into the woman beneath him. He felt her walls clamping around him, using the last bit of strength she had—the final spark she carried in this world.
[Congratulations!]
You have exorcised the demonic spirit trapped in a civilian.
This achievement has been recorded by the system. Future encounters may adjust difficulty accordingly.
He looked at the girl, her eyes flickering. Even though he had killed Sarythra, the body she had been using still lived on.
"Sleep well," he said quietly, his hands moving to where her legs were pinned around him.
With ease, he lifted her off the ground and stood, briefly taking in the scene around him. "Hey, Lin Qiao, can you carry this girl for me?" he asked, carefully removing the arrows he had driven into her hand during her possession.
Then he adjusted his pants and hoisted her over his shoulder. "I would have carried her myself, but losing mobility as an archer doesn't go so well."
The woman moaned softly over him, his arm resting lightly across her rear.
Lin Qiao's lips quirked in amusement, though a hint of exasperation shone in her eyes.
"If saving her wasn't part of the quest… I think even you'd admit she's worth it," she teased. "You want to remember your first time as long as possible, right~?"
She didn't wait for an answer, leaning in with a playful smile.
"Then don't worry—Senior Sister will help you~" She purred. I guess I can still tease him this way~.
Without another word of confirmation, he looked at Lin Qiao with a blank look and lifted the girl he was carrying onto one of her large shields, balancing her carefully as they moved.
"We need to hurry," Zhang Rui said, glancing toward the shattered remnants of the mall. "I've seen where the other survivors are hiding. Let's clear this place before anything else happens."
Zhao Ren nodded, tightening his grip on his weapons as they advanced. The corridors were littered with debris and the occasional lingering goblin, but they pressed forward efficiently.
Bai Lian, still watching, continued to send talismans to Zhang Rui as she had found her rhythm. Each one glowed softly in his hands, reinforcing his body and pushing back the lingering refining backlash that threatened to destabilize him from having activated his Booster Technique. The green light of her charms flowed into him, steadying his corrupted essence and strengthening his muscles.
Together, they cleared through the mall, systematically rooting out goblins and rescuing trapped survivors. Every step forward felt like reclaiming lost ground—order slowly carved out of chaos.
Time Until Bodily Failure: 00:21:32 → 00:25:00
Zhang Rui slapped on an eighth talisman, forcing back the refining backlash a little longer. "Move—quickly! Don't look back!" he shouted, covering a group of survivors who had been hiding inside the bathroom stalls.
His arrows shrieked through the air—fshhhh—thunk, thunk, thunk!—piercing a cluster of goblins before they could get close.
"Ghrreeehk!"
"Skreeeek!"
The goblins shrieked and thrashed as arrows punched through flesh.
Two went down, speared through the chest—but the third didn't fall. Instead, it grinned, sharp teeth glistening. With a guttural hiss, it used one of the impaled goblins as a springboard.
Thud—CRASH!
It kicked off its dying comrade's back, leapt to the ceiling, shattered a light fixture, and launched straight at Zhang Rui like a beast.
Zhang Rui stepped back sharply. "Zhao Ren!"
Zzzzzt—CRACK!
"I've got you," Zhao Ren said, smirking as he blurred forward. His wooden training sword had been replaced with a heavy butcher's cleaver, lightning dancing along its edge. He passed the goblin in a flicker of motion.
SHUNK!
The goblin's skull split cleanly in half—top to bottom—before the body even hit the floor.
[Congratulations!]
You have slain a leaping goblin—an agility-class variant known for disorienting ambush tactics.
This achievement has been recorded by the system. Future encounters may adjust difficulty accordingly.
"These things are getting better as time goes," Zhao Ren muttered, wiping goblin ichor from his blade with his sleeve. "I wonder what'll show up next."
He turned to the survivors behind them—five in total—standing anxiously near Lin Qiao.
"You guys stay close," Zhao Ren said firmly. "The boundary has closed—you can't leave until this dungeon is cleared. We'll lead you to a secured section of the mall where the others are gathered. Just follow us and don't wander."
"Thank you—for saving us, Returners," a woman said shakily, clutching her young daughter to her chest. "We thought… we thought we were going to be found and torn apart by those things…"
"Yes," another survivor said, a middle-aged man with trembling hands. "Thank you for rescuing us." The group—two men, two women, and a child—bowed their heads deeply.
Lin Qiao stepped forward, crossing her arms dramatically before placing a fist to her chest.
"No need to thank me," she declared, eyes closed in divine self-righteousness. "This is the path I have chosen—to protect the helpless and walk the righteous road, unshaken in spirit, pure in heart."
Here we go… Zhao Ren sighed internally.
"In this world," Lin Qiao continued, raising a hand to the sky, "I am the wind of righteousness, the blade of justice, the salvation of the weak! So do not thank me—honor my kindness by living on and carrying my teachings within your hearts!"
The survivors stared at her.
There was a long pause.
"…Wow," one of the men whispered.
"She's… amazing," another said.
"Like a hero from a legend…" a woman breathed.
"What a beautiful speech…" the mother whispered, eyes softening.
Zhao Ren leaned over to Zhang Rui, expression flat. "Why are they buying this?"
Zhang Rui just shrugged and nocked another arrow. "Because she believes it."
His eyes sharpened as he activated Voyeur—his vision slipping beyond the walls. An orange silhouette appeared just around the corner ahead, stalking their path.
He drew his bowstring back, essence flowing down his arms. This time he breathed out, letting a thread of wind coil along the arrow.
Fwoom.
He released.
A heartbeat later—
CRUNCH!
A goblin stepped into view at the wrong time. The arrow tore through its skull and slammed it against the wall, snapping its neck before it could scream.
—
★ Safe Zone – North Mall Supermarket (Secured Area) ★
They regrouped at the secured zone—once a bustling supermarket near the center of the mall, now turned into a makeshift refuge. Metal shelves had been pushed into barricades around every entrance. Broken glass was swept aside, and blankets stolen from retail stores were laid across the floor. Handwritten signs marked supply zones—Water, Medicine, Food, Rest Area—scribbled in desperation.
The moment Zhang Rui and the others entered, the survivors guarding the doors quickly unbarricaded the path and let them through before sealing it again behind them.
They walked into a storm of emotions—fear, relief, despair, and hope clashing in the same breath.
Some survivors sat huddled together, crying softly—bodies shaking after barely escaping death, or worse, after being defiled by the goblins before rescue. Their eyes were empty, distant. Trauma still clung to them like chains.
Others stood and watched with trembling awe, grateful but unsure—people who survived untouched, but not unscarred.
Children cried. Someone whispered prayers. A group silently thanked them with bowed heads.
And among them—lying at the edge of a makeshift medical corner—was her.
The girl who had been possessed by Sarythra.
Her skin was pale, her hair matted, and her breathing shallow but steady. Clean cloth bandages were wrapped around her head and hand where the arrows had pierced her. A blanket covered her body, but faint traces of demonic curse patterns still flickered along her skin—like dying embers refusing to fade.
She stirred in unconsciousness, a weak breath leaving her lips.
Zhang Rui didn't look away.
She was human again—for now. But whether any hidden curse remained was still unclear.
Lin Qiao silently approached from behind, watching him. For a moment, her usual smirk was gone.
"You plan to keep her alive, right?" she asked. "We don't know if the succubus left anything behind."
Zhang Rui grunted. "She's still a civilian. We'll deal with any issues if they come."
Zhao Ren stepped forward before the topic could drag. "We should take inventory of survivors before we do anything else."
Zhang Rui nodded. "Yeah. Let's get a headcount."
Together, they moved through the supermarket, speaking briefly with those huddled behind shelves or resting against walls. Fear lingered in every pair of eyes they met—men and women who had tasted terror and still carried it in their bones.
They regrouped by the front barricade a few minutes later.
"Forty-three survivors," Zhao Ren reported. "Five children, thirty-one adults, and seven elderly. No fatalities inside the safe zone."
"Anyone injured?" Zhang Rui asked.
"Thirteen," Zhao Ren said. "Minor injuries—fractures, cuts, bruises. Two serious cases—blood loss, possible infection."
Lin Qiao exhaled. "We'll need a proper medical area. Supplies too."
Zhang Rui glanced around. "Then let's hand out water and food. Stabilize everyone first."
He turned to the survivors, speaking clearly without raising his voice.
"Everyone, form a line," Zhang Rui called out, voice steady but firm. "Water first—then hot meals."
Dozens of weary eyes lifted with surprise. Not ration bags. Hot meals.
Lin Qiao stepped beside him and raised her voice. "We found portable electric stoves and pan sets in the camping section. There's still power in this part of the mall, so we're cooking now. If anyone knows how to handle food safely, step forward—we need volunteers."
There was hesitation—then six people stepped out from the crowd. Two restaurant workers, one mother and her teenage daughter, a young guy who worked in a deli, and another woman.
"That's enough," Zhang Rui said with a nod. "You'll be in charge of preparing meals. We'll handle security while you work."
They set up quickly—three folding tables were dragged together to make a makeshift kitchen near the employee break room. Zhao Ren hauled over boxes of vegetables, canned goods, and vacuum-sealed meat from the storage shelves. Lin Qiao plugged in three portable stoves, and the volunteers got to work.
Oil hissed in pans.
Steam rose from a pot of broth.
Frozen meals from the supermarket freezers were microwaved inside the employee break room—then bulked up with real food. Stir-fried vegetables were mixed into instant noodles. Rice bowls were finished with slices of pan-seared meat and canned corn. Soup pots simmered with carrots, potatoes, and dried mushrooms. The air slowly filled with a warm scent—that couldn't be distinguished if it was real food or a holographic scent—but to the people here it meant hope.
Before long, people were lined up in an orderly queue stretching past the barricade.
Zhang Rui stood by the head of the line, passing bottles of water while volunteer cooks ladled food into plastic bowls and foil trays. Nobody complained. Nobody begged for more. They accepted with silent gratitude—and a faint, dazed disbelief. Some looked like they might cry after taking the first bite.
He noticed how some hands still trembled so hard they could barely hold their utensils. Others clutched their children too tightly, afraid they might disappear if they let go. But a little warmth started to return to the room—fragile, flickering, but real.
For the first time since entering this dungeon, it felt like they had carved out a piece of humanity inside the chaos.
"We're going to sweep the rest of the mall," Zhang Rui told the closest group. "There might still be survivors trapped in other sections. I feel like they'll be a bonus if we have more of them around. For now, rest while you can—but don't relax too much. This dungeon isn't over yet."
A few nodded. Most just stared, hollow-eyed—but at least there was understanding.
Lin Qiao joined him, arms crossed. "When do we move?"
"As soon as everyone's fed," Zhang Rui said. "Ten minutes of rest. Then we clear the west side."
Zhao Ren cracked his neck. Lightning flickered across his shoulders like lazy sparks. "Good. I was getting bored."
Zhang Rui reached into his coat. Another talisman pulsed against his palm—Bai Lian had sent another.
Time Until Bodily Failure: 00:25:00 → 00:27:10
He pressed it against his chest, exhaling as the light sank into his bones. The backlash faded further.
Not much time left. But enough.
He scanned the barricaded supermarket one last time. Survivors rested. Children finally stopped crying. No ambush yet.
For a brief moment—just one—the dungeon fell quiet.
But somewhere deeper inside the mall… something roared.
And it was getting closer.