Chapter 19 Dismemberment

After the teammates drank the raw sheep's blood, Feng Bujue picked up the cleaver and skillfully dismembered the mountain goat.

He removed the internal organs and bones, leaving large chunks of ribs and legs, and divided these pieces of meat into more than ten portions, distributing them among the three present. He took three portions for himself and put them into his knapsack.

"Okay, let's hit the road." After Feng Bujue finished, he put away the cleaver and urged his teammates to set off again.

"I say... aren't you tired, going non-stop like this?" Even Tianma Xingkong was surprised.

During the few minutes it took Jue-Ge to cut the meat, Xiao Ma-Ge and the others rested in place, recovering some stamina. But such a short time only allowed for a limited recovery.

In contrast, Jue-Ge had been active almost without stopping since entering the tunnel... leading the way in the tunnel, fighting the Knife Butterfly Queen, rescuing people from the webs, escaping, then returning, and then leading the way... and now, he had wrestled a huge mountain goat and acted as a butcher.

After doing so much, he didn't seem to want to rest at all... anyone would find this incredible.

"It's okay, I can keep going." Feng Bujue replied casually.

He didn't explain further, for the same reason as before, he didn't want to reveal the ability of the [Hate Bringer] title in detail.

The teammates didn't know... that while "fighting" the mountain goat, Jue-Ge had recovered some stamina again with the help of [Hate Furnace]. Of course, the damage caused by [Ling Shi Ju Shen Shu - Modified] was not converted, as it didn't count as effective "hostile damage." However, the portion of survival value lost due to the mountain goat had been converted into stamina at a proportional rate.

Therefore, Feng Bujue's stamina had returned to nearly twenty percent. As long as he gritted his teeth... he could even unleash the Nanto Flying Dragon Fist.

"You don't need to worry about this guy..." Honghu, who was walking at the rear, said at this time, "Don't forget, when the combat power rankings still existed, this guy's ranking was comparable to that of [Shiva]. Even top players like [Zui Wo Chang Ran], [Fei Chai Shu], and [Xiao Wen Cang Tian] were all ranked behind him." He paused. "You can't judge players of this level by common sense. Even if he said he had a passive skill that doubles his stamina limit, I wouldn't be surprised."

"Yeah... I almost forgot." Jibu muttered, "This guy's strength is genuine..."

"Ah~ speaking of this..." Tianma Xingkong weakly chimed in, "I disappeared from the new 'Player Comprehensive Strength Ranking' after the version update." He paused for half a second, then added, "And the new ranking can display a full thirty spots!"

"That's normal..." Honghu squinted. "I thought it was a miracle that you could rank twentieth before the update."

"Hmph! Yulong, you're jealous." Xiao Ma-Ge turned his thick-browed, big-eyed face to Honghu.

"Jealous of your seventh uncle?" Honghu retorted unhappily. "I'm stating a fact, okay? If you're talking about one-on-one combat, it's easy for others to come up with methods to target you. Just find a moderately skilled shooting specialist, devise a good strategy, and they can take you down."

"I agree with that." Feng Bujue also chimed in. "I can come up with forty-seven strategies to defeat Tianma Xingkong in a one-on-one fight just by thinking for a second."

"Don't you think that sentence is not only disgusting but also self-deprecating?" Jibu interjected.

Jue-Ge ignored him and continued, "By the way, Xiao Ma-Ge, there's something I'm quite confused about that I'd like to ask you. But you don't have to answer if it's inconvenient." He turned his head and looked at Tianma Xingkong with a subtle gaze, and asked, "After getting first place in the Peak Tournament and receiving the 'mysterious gift', shouldn't your strength have increased significantly?"

These words immediately made the atmosphere tense.

Without a doubt... this was a question that crossed the line.

Although the Peak Tournament had already concluded, people's speculation about the "mysterious gift" had never stopped. Including Honghu and Jibu, almost all players were incredibly curious about the contents of the prize...

But the problem was... there was no way to know the answer.

The only people who knew the truth were the higher-ups at Dream Inc., the higher-ups at Starlight Studio, and the person involved, that is, the beneficiary of the prize - Tianma Xingkong himself.

None of these parties would leak the information. It goes without saying for Dream Inc.... anyone who leaked the information might be silenced. The higher-ups at Starlight were also very tight-lipped. For them, the content of the "mysterious gift" was a kind of intangible bargaining chip. It was more valuable if it wasn't revealed.

So... the only channel left to find out about this matter seemed to be asking Xiao Ma-Ge himself.

But who would ask? This kind of thing was equivalent to a trade secret in the gaming circle. As long as the studio didn't agree, Tianma Xingkong certainly wouldn't have the right to disclose it. Asking him... wouldn't that be forcing his hand?

"Uh... let me think..." After hearing Jue-Ge's question, Tianma Xingkong pondered for a full minute before replying, "Doesn't your question seem redundant? Since I've already been squeezed out of the top thirty in the comprehensive strength ranking, then my strength certainly hasn't increased much, right? Is there even a need to ask?"

"Tch... was I seen through?" Feng Bujue retorted, "I thought you would take the opportunity to tell us what the prize was."

"Oh~ so you just wanted to know that..." Xiao Ma-Ge laughed, "It's okay, I can tell you."

"What!" Honghu and Jibu were both shocked. "So it's not actually a secret?"

"Ah... how should I put it..." Xiao Ma-Ge said as he walked, with his hands behind his head, "I think... it wouldn't be a big deal even if I told you. Of course, the studio did ask me to keep it a secret."

"Then you'd better not say it..." Feng Bujue said, "I was just asking casually. I don't want you to lose your job or get sued because of this..."

"Hehe... you're overthinking it..." Tianma Xingkong smiled. "Back then, I was one of the rookies who wasn't very well-regarded, so I signed a 'blue-collar player' level contract. My contract basically doesn't have any content regarding 'game competition prizes'. There was just an additional clause that the player has full autonomy over the distribution rights of the prize." He spread his hands. "Actually... even the contracts prepared for celebrity players rarely mention keeping 'competition prizes' secret."

"That's true... Normally, game companies host competitions and use the prizes as a hype focus. It's rare to see Dream Inc. keeping it so hidden." Jibu interjected.

"In other words..." Honghu also chimed in, "This part isn't protected by the 'confidentiality agreement'."

"Yeah." Tianma Xingkong laughed. "It's kind of a loophole in the contract."

"But... that's not enough reason for you to be willing to reveal the contents of the prize." Feng Bujue continued thoughtfully, "I think I've already guessed it..." He glanced at Xiao Ma-Ge, "The true face of that 'mysterious gift' is probably the kind of thing that... 'even if we spread it everywhere, no one would believe it'."

"Haha! You're really amazing." Tianma Xingkong laughed loudly. "Let me tell you, the prize is a one-to-one scale 'Pegasus Cloth'!"

"Huh?" Honghu's glasses almost fell off.

Jibu also had a blank look on his face: "You know what... even I don't believe it."

"Hahaha..." Feng Bujue laughed, and muttered as if to himself, "Different for each person, custom-made... Hmph... just like that guy's style..."

"What did you say?" Tianma Xingkong thought Jue-Ge was talking to him and immediately asked.

"Oh, I said..." Jue-Ge raised his voice a little and said, "It really suits your style."

"Of course!" Tianma Xingkong pushed up the bridge of his nose and smiled, "I was so overjoyed when I heard it was this! I was so excited when I received the package, I tore open the cardboard box and styrofoam with my bare hands."

"Hmm... don't you think the value of this prize is a little low? It's just a figurine, right?" Jibu muttered, "Putting aside the skill point rewards, the second and third place winners, [Zui Wo Chang Ran] and [Yama], both received a legendary-grade equipment. Although they can't sell the bound items, according to the market price... a legendary-grade equipment is currently worth at least tens of thousands of RMB."

"How do you know it's not worth it?" Feng Bujue revealed a faint smile. "If I were Tianma Xingkong, I would prefer to receive the Saint Cloth rather than some legendary-grade equipment." He sighed and looked up at the sky with a melancholic expression. "You have to understand... something worthless to one person may be priceless to another."

"Yeah... after all, the treasures in the game are virtual. One day, Thriller Paradise will also shut down like other games, and everything here will come to an end..." Honghu chimed in. "But real-life souvenirs can be preserved."

"Hey... why are you making it sound like I got scammed?" Tianma Xingkong interjected, "The letter Dream Inc. sent me with the prize said that this set of Saint Cloth is worth ten large boxes of 'tetradrachmas' (a type of silver coin circulating in ancient Greece)!"

"Hehe... what kind of currency is that..." Honghu laughed. "They're even using 'boxes' as the unit of measurement. Is it like Vietnamese dong?"

Jibu also said, "The party giving the prize must be exaggerating the value."

"No, no, I think it's quite reliable." Tianma Xingkong defended, "I tried it on... the workmanship of the Saint Cloth is really exquisite. Although it's heavy, it's easy to move around in and doesn't chafe at all. The carvings on the outside of the Saint Cloth are also very delicate, with no scratches on the surface and a faint reflection." He paused. "Hmm... and... when I put it on, I felt power constantly surging inside me..."

The more Feng Bujue heard, the more something felt off. A very bad assumption had already formed in his mind. "Let me ask... when you were trying it on, did you try attacking the wall or unleashing the Pegasus Meteor Fist or anything like that...?"

"Huh? No." Xiao Ma-Ge replied, "It's not like we're in the game, who would do that kind of thing in real life? Are you a grade schooler?"

"You're the least qualified person to say that..." Feng Bujue curled his lips.

The four people continued to talk as they walked, but their pace was not slow at all. In fact, under Jue-Ge's conscious guidance, their walking speed had even increased.

Because they had replenished their water, the feeling of "thirst" had basically disappeared, and their stamina consumption had returned to normal. In this state, their stamina would slowly recover even while walking.

Feng Bujue had naturally noticed this long ago, and he quickly came to the conclusion that... in this script, as long as one was "not hungry or thirsty," the loss of stamina would be at a normal rate. As for "fatigue," it was just a sensation that appeared when stamina was low, and could be relieved with a short rest.

Of course, there was another factor to consider, which was "temperature."

It wasn't necessary to worry about this for now. The temperature in the Crystal Labyrinth was on the cold side, about ten degrees Celsius. This temperature wouldn't bring any negative effects; it was definitely more comfortable than below zero or above thirty degrees.

............

After walking for a while, everyone's stamina had returned to more than twenty percent. And at this moment, they were not far from the "Fear Leaf."

"Honghu." Feng Bujue seemed to have noticed something. He suddenly stopped, looked vigilantly ahead, and said, "Is your infrared light still working?"

Hearing this, Honghu didn't waste any words and directly took out the egg-shaped metal lamp from his knapsack and stepped forward. "There's about half the battery left." As he spoke, he had already turned on the infrared light.

In an instant, a large circular area was illuminated by red rays. All the silk webs within this range were also revealed...

Everyone looked up and saw a "silk wall" just five or six meters ahead.

"Ha... guessed it." Feng Bujue said, "Like the leeches before, these silk threads can also be illuminated by infrared light."

"I say... how did you know there were silk webs ahead?" Honghu looked at Jue-Ge and asked doubtfully, "You've been walking pretty fast all the way, but as soon as you got here you asked me to turn on the infrared light?"

"By observing carefully, you can find some patterns..." Feng Bujue pointed upward. "In the labyrinth, 90% of the crystal pillars are more than twelve meters high, but few exceed fifteen meters. And the average height at which the Silkworm Mother lays its silk webs is above ten meters." He pointed to a nearby one at random. "Using ten meters as the boundary... turn off the infrared light and look at the part where the silk and crystal are connected."

Hearing this, Honghu turned off the infrared light and stared intently for a while, then replied, "The surface of the crystal is a bit blurry?"

"That's right." Feng Bujue continued, "The principle is like drawing a line on the surface of a light bulb with transparent glue."

"Hmm... if these crystal pillars didn't emit light themselves, we probably wouldn't be able to see it at all." Jibu chimed in from the side.

"Okay, turn on the light." Feng Bujue said to Honghu, then turned to look at Jibu. "Jibu, use the fan to clear the way."

In less than ten seconds, the two had made preparations. One held up the light, and the other picked up the large fan and began to clear the obstacles ahead.

"I hate being bossed around..." Honghu muttered unhappily.

"Alas... without realizing it, we're back to being commanded by that guy..." Jibu interjected.

"What are you two whispering about!" Feng Bujue shouted from behind them. "It's not good for teammates to complain about each other! Have you forgotten what Volkell, who died before achieving victory, said before he died?"

"He was chopped into pieces by you before he could say anything!" Jibu shouted.

"If we had to add lines, it would be nothing more than..." Honghu muttered, "I really don't taste good... yamete..."

While speaking, Jibu had already swept away several pieces of silk web. Those webs lost their threat after falling to the ground, and the path became passable.

The four continued forward in this way, entering an area covered by a thick, pinkish-white substance. The crystal pillars here were taller and denser than elsewhere, the paths on the ground became very narrow, and there were extremely many forks in the road, giving the feeling of entering an insect's nest.

"We should be almost there..." Honghu vigilantly scanned the surroundings and said, "I think... we'd better come up with a battle plan first. Although our physical condition is better than when we just left the tunnel, I still feel like it's not enough to win against that boss."

"Yeah, that caterpillar is really powerful." Tianma Xingkong chimed in, "It took my Meteor Fist and was almost completely unharmed."

"I say, Emperor of Natural Science." Jibu said to Jue-Ge while fanning to clear the way, "You should know what silkworms are afraid of, right?"

"Direct cold air, intense sun exposure, water, fire, spices..." Feng Bujue immediately summarized twelve words, then poured cold water on his teammates, "Actually, silkworms are quite fragile animals. Unfortunately... even if the Silkworm Mother does have such weaknesses, we can't find a breakthrough from them. Because her size is too large. Proportionally speaking... unless one of us can use a technique like Great Crimson Ice Ring, she won't even feel it."

Unexpectedly... before he finished speaking, Jibu immediately said, "You should have said so earlier, I can."

"Huh?" Feng Bujue was stunned again. This was the second time Jibu had made such a surprising statement since the time in the tunnel.

Honghu and Tianma Xingkong seemed quite calm. Their attitude was still: "As expected of you, Jibu, you really are amazing, as expected of the leader of Ice Emperor."

"Um... do you really have a big move of that level?" Feng Bujue still couldn't quite believe it, and he confirmed it again.

"Don't worry, it's definitely a big move." Jibu didn't mind saying the name of the skill, because it was a one-time use skill. "The legendary [Ice Ring Skewering Heaven's Length], just the name makes you feel like it's very powerful, right!"