Chapter Seventy: The Deceived NPC

Marcus’s words left everyone in silence.

Everyone stood quietly, waiting for Xiao Zhang to negotiate.

“If you want to save your companion, you have no choice but to work with me!” The White Dragon got straight to the point.

Xiao Zhang fixed his gaze on the White Dragon. “Why?”

The White Dragon was clearly thrown off by Xiao Zhang’s attitude. He had expected this to go much more smoothly...

“You know as well as I do that, with our strength alone, we’re no match for—”

“I don’t need you to defeat him. As long as you can injure him, I can awaken your companion’s consciousness!” The White Dragon was clearly growing anxious.

Xiao Zhang, torn between saving Qi Guanbei and worrying about his group’s safety, replied, “Once the scenario ends, he’ll naturally wake up.”

The White Dragon grew agitated. “Are you an idiot? If the scenario ends, that old bastard will have fully taken over! It’ll be too late!”

Xiao Zhang froze for a moment, skeptical. “Impossible.”

“Then what do you think is possible? Do you have to wait until that old bastard truly succeeds in taking over and kills you all before you believe me?” The White Dragon was getting angrier. “Have you ever really witnessed his power? Have you?”

Inside, Xiao Zhang’s mind raced, weighing just how much truth was in the White Dragon’s words. Judging by the White Dragon’s demeanor, it seemed he was telling the truth.

Seeing Xiao Zhang still wavering, the White Dragon threw out a final, heavy blow: “Aren’t you afraid he’ll come to your world?”

That line alone convinced Xiao Zhang.

“Let’s hear your plan.” Xiao Zhang went through all the important details.

Everyone else was clearly hesitant. Seeing this, Xiao Zhang muttered to himself, “There’s only one way.”

He turned around calmly to face them all. “Those willing to come with me, step forward.”

...

Marcus asked, “Are you really going to take on the boss?”

The others stayed silent.

Xiao Zhang nodded slightly. “If things are truly as that guy says, then the moment the scenario ends is the moment we all die.”

“So, who’s coming?”

Zhao Bai, Zhao Tai, Mo Xiaoxiao, and a few others stepped forward, even Tu Shanbai sidling closer to Xiao Zhang.

Marcus, the red-haired foreigner, looked at them and chuckled. “You lot, get out of here! Run as far as you can! As for me and this kid…”

Before anyone else could speak, Xiao Zhang cut them off. “It’s decided.”

Zhao Bai tried to protest but was silenced by Xiao Zhang’s glare.

“You know my strength. I won’t die.” Xiao Zhang smiled faintly. “Just make sure you protect Mo Mo and the others.”

Xiao Zhang dashed down the corridor, glanced back, and saw the White Dragon waiting for him.

His heart tightened, then relaxed.

“As a sign of good faith, I’ll give you something.” The White Dragon handed Xiao Zhang a white jade pendant shaped like a dragon. “This is the Dragon Talisman. If you fail, you can use it to escape.”

Xiao Zhang took it. “This?”

“It can instantly teleport you a thousand miles away, or take you out of this world and back to your original one.”

Marcus, standing nearby, looked a little envious. “Damn, some people just stumble into treasures.”

To be honest, this seemed even easier than stumbling across one.

...

Xiao Zhang entered the grand hall. He looked up, and his mind immediately conjured the image of an emperor on the dragon throne.

Truth be told, if Qi Guan were in ancient times, he’d indeed look like someone fit to be emperor.

Just then, a scream echoed from the square outside!

On the square stood an avatar of the White Dragon—judging by the dragon horns on its head, this must have been its true form.

The avatar wielded a translucent sword, pinning down the one-armed Longtongue Man, and stabbed the blade into his chest!

On the blade, a red gleam flashed, and a stream of crimson energy was drawn from the player’s chest, flowing along the sword into the White Dragon’s body. Scales began to appear on Qi Guanbei’s face.

Longtongue Man’s corpse withered rapidly!

Yorick was faring no better. He hadn’t expected this guy to break the rules and try to kill them all to replenish his own power. The Mistwalker Shovel in his hands twisted and was now half gone, as if sliced by some sharp weapon.

At first, Xiao Zhang hadn’t recognized Yorick, but the furious roar gave him away.

Yorick shouted, “Why? You bastard, aren’t you afraid of the system’s punishment?”

Bang!

The White Dragon avatar flashed to his side and swung the sword down. Yorick raised his shovel to block, but his body was sent flying! When he landed, his shovel was snapped in two.

A deep gash opened across Yorick’s chest, blood gushing out. At last, Yorick reverted to his human form.

He lay on the ground, face covered in blood, barely clinging to life, muttering, “You…”

Thud! The sword plunged into his chest, siphoning out the last of his life. Yorick shriveled into a dried corpse.

The White Dragon avatar stood, glanced at Xiao Zhang, then turned into a beam of white light and entered Qi Guanbei’s body.

Xiao Zhang saw the scales spreading across Qi Guanbei’s face and instinctively backed away, step by step, until he stood at the center of the hall.

Qi Guanbei rose from the dragon throne and walked slowly toward Xiao Zhang. On his once-smooth forehead, two small protuberances were emerging.

“What a good son you are,” Qi Guanbei said, pointing at Xiao Zhang. “This one’s life force is so rich! If I devour him, I can fully control this body.”

Xiao Zhang sensed the danger. Damn that White Dragon, he’d been tricked.

But the White Dragon attacked Qi Guanbei first. “Now! Attack!”

Xiao Zhang could tell the White Dragon was serious this time, so he drew Spider’s Edge and charged at Qi Guanbei.

Marcus, with a howl, transformed and swung a huge club at Qi Guanbei.

But Qi Guanbei only smiled faintly and vanished. Without any visible motion, he tapped Marcus lightly on the chest.

Marcus was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through the hall’s wall and disappearing into the distance.

Seeing this, the White Dragon reverted to its true form—a pure white dragon—and lunged at Qi Guanbei.

Qi Guanbei clenched his hands, and a dragon’s shadow surged out from his body.