Thriller Paradise Chapter 163: The Protagonist's Onslaught (8) - Novel Cool

Chapter 163: The Protagonist's Onslaught (8)

Chapter 163: The Protagonist's Onslaught (8)

"Huh? So this works too?" Yongzhe Wudi exclaimed in surprise.

"Good, we've discovered another Flag for changing aura ownership", Feng Bu Jue mused. "Though this method doesn't seem very practical."

"That's only true for you", Ye Zhi shot Feng Bu Jue a scornful look. "I think this approach is far better than your middle school syndrome declaration-style method."

Feng Bu Jue merely shrugged, spreading his hands without comment.

Copernicus and Galileo promptly stepped forward to lead the group. Earlier, they'd been distracted by the anomaly's intermittent blips on their radar caused by the derivative being. Feng Bu Jue's remark had given them the perfect excuse to take point.

The Gms knew the exact methods and Flag locations for clearing the scenario. In this regard, Feng Bu Jue's skills like 【Know Your Enemy】 paled in comparison. For instance, his title technique revealed the boss as the Resentment Well because Wayiru had been in the parallel world on the well's other side during his observation.

If no derivative being existed in this scenario, players would need specific conditions to reach the true boss ending. However, the basic route didn't require confronting Wayiru.

The GM menu clearly displayed that this mountain contained four "Soul-Grasping Arrays"—three standard ritual arrays scattered across the mountain and one Grand Formation at the Resentment Well's bottom. Normally, players entering the mountain would first encounter a standard Soul-Grasping Array. Surviving its hallucination and defeating it triggered the main quest, prompting the system to inform players they needed to destroy four ritual arrays to seal the Resentment Well.

Once players dismantled the three standard arrays and the Grand Formation, they'd clear the scenario. Naturally, the array at the Resentment Well's base posed greater challenges. Regardless, following this game path meant Wayiru never appeared.

However, Feng Bu Jue's group had walked in the opposite direction upon entering the scenario, effectively uncovering a hidden bonus. Following that route allowed them to find another Soul-Grasping Array on a broken wall outside the mountain. Though defeating this array didn't trigger any Flag, it technically counted toward the main quest. This meant players who cleared this ritual array could progress further—after destroying any standard array in the mountain and updating their main quest, their progress would jump to 2/4. Consequently, players who'd completed the western mansion trial only needed to handle four standard Soul-Grasping Arrays to finish the scenario, bypassing the Resentment Well's Grand Formation entirely.

These two paths represented the standard, straightforward route and an alternative puzzle-solving solution requiring less combat. The latter was objectively easier, while the former demanded greater combat prowess.

Of course, a third route existed—a GM-avoided method that was brutally simple: ignoring all hallucinations and scenario Flags, charging straight to the mountain shrine, diving into the well, and confronting Wayiru in "the other world."

This brute-force strategy might work for a studio-level six-man elite squad or the two Gms if the derivative being wasn't interfering. But for common players, completing this violence-centric route was practically impossible.

Now that they'd chosen the simplest path and faced the derivative being's unpredictable interference, Copernicus and Galileo naturally adjusted their plans. Initially underestimating the players' strength, they'd intended to expedite the standard route—clearing the four ritual arrays before sending the players away. Now, having found a way to complete the main quest without reaching the summit, they needed to seize this opportunity.

After walking a while, Galileo led the group off the original mountain trail into the adjacent forest.

Feng Bu Jue observed their actions with detached curiosity, offering no objections. Ye Zhi asked a few questions, but the two "Reconnaissance Proficiency" experts deflected with choreographed explanations.

Approximately twenty minutes after entering the mountain, the thickening forest and relentless slope gradually wore on their mental stamina.

"This forest has no true boundary", Galileo explained. "I believe the entire mountain entered a spatial anomaly state on the night of October 31st."

Feng Bu Jue interpreted his words bluntly: Please remain patient.

"Why not stop zigzagging and just follow the slope straight up?" Yongzhe Wudi suggested. "Eventually, we'll reach the summit anyway."

"Too naive", Feng Bu Jue replied. "They said 'no boundary'—direction becomes meaningless. You think we're 'detouring' based solely on the slope's incline?" He tilted his head. "Imagine we're walking on flat ground where all trees grow diagonally, and gravity itself tilts. That's what makes this feel like a slope."

"Hmm..." Yongzhe Wudi struggled to visualize it.

"Additionally, spatial anomalies mean this mountain's actual territory could be infinite", Feng Bu Jue continued. "In such a place, believing you'll escape by walking straight in one direction will likely trap you forever." He traced an infinity symbol in the air. "If this is an exit-less cycle space looping back on itself, there's no 'way out' once we stepped in—only breaking the spatial anomaly can reveal an exit. Fortunately, the current situation suggests otherwise."

The two Gms exchanged glances, their expressions confirming Feng Bu Jue's accuracy.

"Current situation?" Ye Zhi frowned. "What do you mean?"

"No retracing marks", Meng Jing Chan suddenly interjected, delivering a concise and piercing observation.

"Haha! Impressive—there are still sensible people around", Feng Bu Jue grinned.

"Overpraise. We're even", Meng Jing Chan replied, taking another sip from his wine bottle. Beneath his unassuming exterior, this man proved far more reliable than he appeared.

Feng Bu Jue added, "So far, have you encountered any familiar scenery or seen your own footprints reappear?"

"Actually, no", Yongzhe Wudi admitted. "But the mountain looks huge from the outside—doesn't that explain it?"

Galileo turned to explain for Feng Bu Jue: "The space we see from outside and where we stand now are entirely different realms..."

Before he could finish, Copernicus at the vanguard abruptly raised his arm with a sharp gesture, then hissed a short "Shh!" Lowering his voice, he warned, "There's something ahead..."

(End of Chapter)

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