Chapter 546: Chu Mo Island (Part 12)
Chapter 546: Chu Mo Island (Part 12)
"Tree's falling!" Ji Bu shouted at the top of his lungs as he leapt several meters high, planting a powerful kick on the upper trunk to ensure the massive tree toppled away from the players on this side of the ravine.
The vines crowning the tree had shriveled and retracted minutes earlier, allowing the ancient giant to crash down unimpeded. Seconds later came the sound of wood grinding against stone, the roaring wind whipped up by its descent, and finally a thunderous crash as it hit the ground.
"Ahh! Always wanted to do that!" Ji Bu landed with a flourish, wiping sweat from his brow as he struck what he thought was a heroic pose with his axe.
Feng Bu Jue stepped forward, completely ignoring his companion as he rushed toward the freshly exposed tree stump.
"Aha! Equipment!" Feng Bu Jue exclaimed upon discovering the "compensation" mentioned by the Tree Spirit.
However, he didn't immediately pick it up. Many in-game items became bound to the player who collected them, and he didn't want to accidentally hoard something useless to him but valuable to others. Fortunately, the 1.10 update to Terrifying Paradise had introduced a helpful feature: players could now examine unclaimed items simply by approaching, reading their descriptions without needing to touch them.
[Name: Pessimist's Skull]
[Type: Armor]
[Quality: Fine]
[Defense: Moderate]
[Attribute: None]
[Special Effect: Discern safe paths through ghost swamps]
[Equipment Condition: Choose Wokol as faith]
[Can Be Taken Out of Scenario]
[Background: All realities begin with dreams, but not all dreams become reality.]
The Pessimist's Skull resembled a gladiator's helmet from ancient Rome, embedded horizontally in the cut tree trunk. The Tree Spirit's instruction to "chop at my waist" had been a clear hint - only by cutting at the correct height could players obtain this item.
"This is for followers of Wokol", Feng Bu Jue said after reading the description, pulling the helmet from the stump before turning to Fei Chai Shu. "Hmm... We'll probably need this soon."
Fei Chai Shu stepped forward to examine the armor piece, nodding after several seconds. "Indeed, any faith choice will prove useful somewhere."
"Exactly", Hong Hu chimed in. "Think back - if none of us had chosen Wisden, we wouldn't know this shortcut existed. And without Edient, we couldn't have felled the tree to find this equipment."
"Actually, our faith choices merely reduced the difficulty", Feng Bu Jue countered. "Even without knowing the shortcut, there are alternatives - either discover our own path or simply take the long way around. If no one could wield the axe, we'd have taken the upper route and consumed more antidote potions."
He pointed ahead. "The ghostswamp ahead will be the same. Without this Pessimist's Skull, we'd face greater challenges, but not impossible ones."
His words highlighted an oversight in their thinking. Upon reflection, they realized that while faith choices provided significant advantages, none were truly essential to completing the game.
The faith selection mechanic was essentially a difficulty modifier. Curious or thoughtful teams might explore multiple paths, while conservative or single-minded groups would find themselves facing increased challenges.
Lie Sen De's earlier scenario had contained multiple branching paths, the most critical being the choice of Wisden as a deity. There were three primary variations:
1. No Wisden Faith - Lie Sen De would hint at the general direction of the Faith Shrine before departing, but say nothing of shortcuts.
2. Feng Bu Jue's Path - Choosing Wisden and asking main quest-related questions unlocked the shortcut.
3. Death Flag - Selecting Wisden but asking irrelevant questions would result in immediate departure without further guidance.
These were just a few of many possible variations - failing side quests, triggering combat, or making foolish faith choices could also lead to instant death flags.
After felling the tree, the five adventurers quickly crossed the ravine, continuing deeper into the forest. The Taunting Forest's curses surrounded them again after a hundred meters, but they had grown accustomed to the abuse, dismissing it as wind.
Ji Bu led the way, cutting through obstacles with his axe until he suddenly spoke. "The trees are getting thinner."
"A sign we're nearing the forest's edge", Feng Bu Jue replied.
As Ji Bu hacked through another vine wall, a wave of noxious stench struck them.
"Damn it!" Ji Bu shouted, covering his face as he stumbled backward.
The others initially thought he'd seen danger, but moments later, they too were overwhelmed by the fetid air.
"What's that smell?" Tian Ma Xing Kong asked, hands clamped over his nose.
"This game doesn't allow player flatulence", Hong Hu said, covering his face with his sleeve. "So we can rule that out."
"You're not helping!" Fei Chai Shu said through his sleeve, mirroring the gesture.
"It's definitely feces", Feng Bu Jue declared, gloves shielding his nose. "I can tell from the indole and skatole."
"I inhaled a huge amount unprepared!" Ji Bu had retreated to the rear, sitting dejectedly on the ground. "I feel like I've lost something precious..."
"It's just bad smell", Feng Bu Jue said lightly. "Must you act so devastated?"
"Why are you so sure?" Fei Chai Shu asked, suspicion in his tone.
"Back in school, my natural science project was about stench classification", Feng Bu Jue explained. "I categorized smells based on human tolerance - from acceptable like garlic, to mildly unpleasant like flatulence, to extreme cases like corpses and feces. The most dangerous are chemical agents like hydrogen sulfide or skunk spray."
"Stop!" Ji Bu interrupted, using his axe for support as he stood. "We get it! Why are we analyzing this?!"
Feng Bu Jue smiled. "I'm building mental resistance to prepare you for what's ahead."
"You mean we have to keep going through this?!" Tian Ma Xing Kong asked, eyes wide.
"Of course", Feng Bu Jue said. "Do you think we have a choice?"
"Unfortunately, no", Hong Hu agreed. "We can't turn back either. Just keep moving - your sense of smell will dull soon enough. At worst, you might vomit a few times."
"Can I quit? Seriously, I wanted to leave earlier!" Ji Bu hoarsely protested.
"No problem, Ji Bu", Fei Chai Shu said weakly. "Once we reach the... uh... ghostswamp, I'll take point."
"You almost said 'shit swamp' didn't you! You said it!"
(End of Chapter)
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