**Chapter 72: This Hole Stinks!**
Let’s just call this Daoist Hu “Xiao Hu.”
As Xiao Hu recounted his adventures, he was sizing up Yun Zhonghe and Mu Jixue.
Yun Zhonghe, dressed in an elegant red robe and white attire, radiated wealth and sophistication. He looked like a noble scion, handsomely tall, and was one of those rare pretty boys—especially with that striking golden hair!
Just moments ago, while hiding in the cupboard, Xiao Hu had observed Yun Zhonghe. Despite being young, Yun Zhonghe exuded an unusual maturity, caution, and meticulousness—all while keeping a sharp edge. Xiao Hu could sense that if he had been discovered, Yun Zhonghe would have swiftly unsheathed his sword and dispatched the searchers with no hesitation.
Then there was that white-haired girl beside him… it was hard to place her—she exuded an odd mix of cleanness and sheer stupidity.
“Hmm?”
Mu Jixue suddenly felt a prickling sensation, as if someone was bad-mouthing her behind her back. Instinctively, she shot a look over at Xiao Hu.
Xiao Hu jolted and quickly gathered his thoughts. Looks like it’s not just pure dumbness; she’s a very sensitive kind of dumb!
“To sum it up, this is my story. I woke up in a dungeon, and just when those guys were about to toss me to a monster, I managed to injure a few and escape, then I ended up hiding in this room and bumped into you two.”
Yun Zhonghe nodded, feeling sympathy for Xiao Hu.
He remembered that in the original game, after Mu Jixue defeated the task BOSS, she opened the dungeon only to find a team of dead players and some scattered bodies of rogue cultivators.
Perhaps this guy was one of those victims—just a passersby who should have met his end right there.
After all, Yun Zhonghe recalled that the only significant character with the surname Hu in the game’s storyline was Hu Shang, one of the other female protagonists. But there was still quite a bit of plot left before Hu Shang made her entrance, so she couldn’t possibly be here.
Besides, how could a femme fatale like her possibly match up with this pig-headed dude?
But that was fine. Yun Zhonghe figured he had some ties to Minotaurs; he wouldn’t scoff at a good brother’s company!
“Daoist Hu, I’m Yun, and this is Mu Girl.”
They were only exchanging surnames at this point.
Just then, Yun Zhonghe got a lead on Lin Zhongyu’s location, so he figured he wouldn’t dilly-dally anymore.
“Daoist Hu, there’s a secret passage under the bed that leads directly to an inn in the town. There, you’ll find our fellow companions. You can meet up with them first and if anything happens, you can team up.”
Yun Zhonghe kindly shared his teammates’ whereabouts with Xiao Hu, playing the Good Samaritan.
But to his surprise, after a moment’s thought, Xiao Hu rejected the escape suggestion.
“No way! That lady… Oh wait! I have never taken such a grand loss before, almost getting eaten! I absolutely must see that monster d*e!”
His voice brimmed with unwillingness, and coupled with his face plastered in colorful powders, it was instantly relatable.
If it were Yun Zhonghe or Mu Jixue suffering such a misfortune, they surely wouldn’t just swallow that defeat.
“I can lead you two; finding the way through that dungeon isn’t easy.”
“And… having an extra buddy is a benefit, right?”
Yun Zhonghe admired Xiao Hu’s spirit. Besides, since he insisted on tagging along, it would’ve been futile to try and dissuade him.
After exchanging glances with Mu Jixue, they agreed to let him join the team.
So, the three continued sneaking around, using their invisibility charms and that special little stone, gradually approaching the fake mountain Xiao Hu had mentioned.
By now, the moon had risen high, big and round, but was covered by a thin layer of bl**d-red clouds, making it look particularly eerie.
Only then did Yun Zhonghe and Mu Jixue realize they had arrived at the mayor’s mansion; it was especially exquisite and grand. While it couldn’t compare to the Yun Mansion or Lin Mansion, for mortals, it was already a mansion of luxury.
Clearly, Mayor Wu was rolling in riches!
The meticulously tended courtyard featured a well-arranged fake mountain.
This faux peak was fashioned from oddly-shaped stones, its surface shrouded in moss and signs of age.
Xiao Hu pointed to the side of the fake mountain, where a subtle bump was barely visible.
That must be the hidden mechanism!
Yun Zhonghe gingerly approached, ensuring the coast was clear before reaching out to feel the mechanism and pressing down.
With a muffled sound, the fake mountain slowly cracked open, revealing a dark, deep passage.
“I can feel it; Xiao Yu is inside!”
The instant the passage appeared, the telepathic link between Mu Jixue and Lin Zhongyu intensified.
Great! It looked like they had found the right spot.
Yun Zhonghe took in the passage.
The stone walls were damp and a warm, humid breath wafted through. The shape was—well, let’s just say it was quite “fascinating,” resembling a giant abalone.
Green, slippery moss covered the top, and the air was filled with an unpleasant odor.
“This hole stinks!”
Mu Jixue pinched her nose, instinctively repelled by it.
But for the sake of rescuing Xiao Yu, she’d endure it.
Yun Zhonghe poked his head in, inspecting the corridor; it was dark, lit only by swaying oil lamps that provided just enough light to barely see the path below.
“You could still back out now,” Yun Zhonghe kindly advised Xiao Hu. Given the brutal battles in the later storylines, he didn’t want any innocent bystanders to meet their doom.
“Not a chance! I’m going to show that monster what’s what!”
Unfazed, Xiao Hu stepped boldly into the passage.
He had been trapped here before, so he was somewhat familiar with the layout of this dark corridor.
The passage was winding and twisted, with walls that slumped and sagged, oily and slippery, with a faint whiff of bl**d in the air.
There must have been some casualties here!
After a while of crawling through twisting turns, the path finally opened up.
At last, they reached the end and found the dungeon.
As they heard footsteps, Yun Zhonghe immediately sensed the prisoners in the dungeon lift their heads faintly.
The sight inside the dungeon made Yun Zhonghe’s heart race.
Even though there had been descriptions in the game, seeing these people in person was something else entirely.
The dungeon’s occupants were shackled with chains, dressed in rags.
Many were missing limbs, their faces etched with despair.
The only good news was—they were still alive.
Moving closer to check, Yun Zhonghe found that most were on the brink of d*ath, only a few still clinging to consciousness.
“Xiao Yu!”
A panicked Mu Jixue scanned the crowd, and after searching high and low, she finally spotted Lin Zhongyu slumped in the corner!
When it came to maintaining her integrity, Lin Zhongyu—being the fresh arrival—was still quite intact and tidy.
Mu Jixue rushed over, hoisting her up, and only after confirming that Lin Zhongyu was safe and sound did she finally exhale in relief.
