Chapter 39

“You are cordially invited to our world: Knowledge Contest. In three days, be there or be square.”

Seeing the invitation’s contents, Yun Zouchuan breathed a sigh of relief. Good, good, it wouldn’t interfere with her monthly exams.

But why did they have to take a test inside a dungeon? Was this a personal jab, or just a coincidence?

Zhu Ming glanced at Yun Zouchuan’s invitation; it was identical to hers. She curled her lip. “How thoughtful. Making participants do tasks during the holiday so it doesn’t cut into work or school. Tsk.”

Afterward, Yun Zouchuan returned to school for her exams. Zhu Ming contacted Wenren Tu and learned that the “Knowledge Contest” dungeon was newly appeared and hadn’t been registered by the Management Bureau yet.

Wenren Tu told Zhu Ming to wait for her and rushed over that afternoon. “Perfect timing, I’ve been idle lately. Once I’m rested, I was going back into a dungeon anyway. Might as well join you in a new one instead of a recorded one.”

She finished with a sigh and flopped unhappily onto the sofa. “Office politics are impossible to deal with. I really don’t like hanging out with them.”

“Oh? Already clashing with colleagues before even getting your formal appointment?” Zhu Ming pricked up her ears, ready for gossip.

Wenren Tu’s face darkened. “They’re all saying I got into the Management Bureau through the back door, that’s why I’m so cocky. Pfft, I’ve already toned it down a ton, okay!”

They couldn’t stand Wenren Tu’s carefree attitude and disrespect for seniors, her hair and style, or how she worked on her own whims, refusing overtime when she didn’t want to and picking dungeons as she pleased.

Recalling all she’d overheard infuriated Wenren Tu. “Especially that greasy bunch of old men. Even the leaders aren’t micromanaging me, but they yap all day long, only knowing how to brown-nose and force their sleazy office politics onto the Bureau. On the surface, they pretend to offer me pointers, but behind my back, that coven of wretches says I look down on everyone because I have a relative in leadership, that I dress like a slut and am not here for serious work.”

There were even more disgusting speculations. Wenren Tu felt like puking just thinking about them, let alone repeating them to Zhu Ming. Since childhood, Wenren Tu only liked hanging out with girls. The most contact she’d had with men was within her own family. She never imagined that greasy, gossipy men gathered together in society could be so filthy and vile, like maggots in a toilet.

What the Management Bureau truly needed were capable people, those who could solve problems with maximum efficiency. Those old men had merely entered the Bureau a few years earlier. Being useless themselves, they could only stay in marginal positions doing trivial tasks, which left them plenty of idle time for their disgusting antics.

After hearing it all, Zhu Ming rolled up her sleeves. “Delusional man-babies are all the same breed of dog. Trash at heart with tiny little egos. The only thing they know is making up stupid rules to suppress others and feel relevant. Reasoning with men is useless; they’ll just spout nonsense and treat their self-fabricated fake principles as gospel. A man-baby horde just doubles the disgust. Let’s go. Don’t you guys get off at 5:30? We’ll ambush them with a sack over their heads tonight!”

Wenren Tu let out a long breath and coughed dryly. “I already did.” She punched a throw pillow furiously. “I swung the moment I heard that pack of public maggots spewing crap. But then the leaders suspended all of us.”

Zhu Ming frowned. “For how long?”

Wenren Tu said, “A week.”

Zhu Ming understood. “You went that easy on them?” A mere one-week suspension meant they couldn’t have been injured badly.

Wenren Tu continued hammering the pillow. “After all, we were at the Bureau at the time. Had to hold back a bit. Let’s just treat it as a National Day break. Perfect timing to accompany you into a dungeon.”

Zhu Ming got up to change her shoes, stuffing her keys into her pocket. “Know which hospital they’re in? Or their home addresses?”

Wenren Tu raised an eyebrow. “What are you planning?”

Zhu Ming cracked her knuckles. “You dealt out your share of the beating. I haven’t vented for my bestie yet.” She didn’t have as many scruples as Wenren Tu, nor was she as soft-hearted.

Wenren Tu giggled and scrambled up, tossing the pillow aside to tackle Zhu Ming. Hanging off her, she laughed, “I knew you’re the best to me.”

……

At 1:30 AM, the two returned home lugging bags of snacks, fruit platters, and drinks.

Wenren Tu was already a familiar fixture at Little Fire God Studio. She had her own den here, though she rarely came to stay. It was also on the second floor, right across from Zhu Ming.

But tonight she wanted to watch a comedy movie with Zhu Ming. The moment she entered the bedroom, Wenren Tu beelined for the icebox in Zhu Ming’s room, scooped out two cups of ice, and casually grabbed a bottle of red wine from her cold storage.

Red wine mixed with Sprite—absolute bliss.

At 3:30 AM, as the projected movie ended, Wenren Tu was half-drunk, while Zhu Ming remained perfectly sober.

“I want to quit.” The movie’s ending music faded. Wenren Tu lay in the shadows, eyes closed. “Why does everyone have a problem with me?”

Zhu Ming replied, “Then quit. Even if you leave this line of work, you’ve got money to spare. You can do anything you want, right?”

Unlike common societal norms, the Wenren and Zhu families had always maintained their traditional, ancient matriarchal system, where women were in charge and children took the mother’s surname. This might well be why these two great families had stood unwaveringly through the ages.

However, if men from these two families married outside and fathered a gifted daughter, the child could also inherit the family surname and receive the family’s support.

Wenren Tu’s situation was unique. Her standing in the family was a bit awkward, similar to Zhu Ming’s. But her parents had always managed the family’s secular businesses and had long ago amassed a vast fortune for their daughter. The annual fund dividends Wenren Tu received alone were enough to coast through life, not to mention the assets her parents held in reserve.

Beyond financial security, Wenren Tu’s parents also had no demands of her. Their only wish was for their daughter to keep a low profile and avoid trouble. They never pushed her to achieve, and even regarding Wenren Tu’s preference for the same sex, their attitude was simply “as long as you’re happy.”

With such backing, Wenren Tu could do whatever she pleased. She’d idled around until she was twenty-five before deciding to join the Management Bureau to experience life, only to end up taking so much grief for nothing.

Given her temper, she should just quit and walk away without a second thought.

But after Zhu Ming made that suggestion, Wenren Tu remained silent.

If she wasn’t genuinely intent on staying at the Management Bureau, why would she keep reining herself in? She had more than enough capital to be far more brazen. She could have beaten those few men to the point of lifelong psychological trauma. But she didn’t.

Just as Wenren Tu understood Zhu Ming, Zhu Ming understood Wenren Tu. She knew her concerns and difficulties. She knew she had wanted to join the Anomaly Management Bureau for a long time. She also knew the reason behind her idleness and lack of ambition all these years.

Now that A-Tu had finally gathered the courage to do what she truly wanted, how could Zhu Ming genuinely advise her to give up?

Zhu Ming said, “This is what you wanted to do. I know. No one can force you.”

Wenren Tu said softly, “I finally persevered for so long. Aside from those few old bastards, my other colleagues are pretty decent. Going out to see weird and wonderful things is kind of fun too.”

Zhu Ming ruffled her hair. “What’s there to hesitate about? They already say you got in through the back door—why not hurry and use that advantage? It’s not worth giving up your career for a few pieces of trash. Worst case, you beat them up every time you see them. If it’s inconvenient for you, I’ll help. I’m free anyway. I’ll stake out your department daily. I refuse to believe that trash will dare act up again. Remember, what worthless people say is worthless. Only idiots believe idiots.”

Wenren Tu tried to dodge while shielding her head, unable to suppress a laugh. “Careful, or you’ll get arrested.”

Seeing her mood improve, Zhu Ming couldn’t help but smile too. “Think you’re the only one with back doors? I’ve got them too. Your Director is my Coach.”

“She’s my cousin-aunt.”

“Can you call her your godmother or godsister like I can?”

“…”

……

The National Day holiday arrived as expected. That night, Zhu Ming, Wenren Tu, and Yun Zouchuan sat on the sofa, waiting for midnight.

The dizziness came right on cue. After a moment of darkness, a blinding light suddenly appeared.

Zhu Ming squinted, looking around. Everywhere she turned, there was nothing but yellow sand. The sky was bright; she’d somehow jumped from her home directly into a desert.

The sun hung in the sky, the light still slightly hazy. Judging by the time, it must be early morning.

Ahead, a speck of green was visible. Looking out, it appeared to be an oasis, with a structure standing in its midst.

Zhu Ming wanted to see if her crowbar had luckily been brought in. Looking down, however, she saw something familiar yet strange—a longbow.

She froze on the spot, grabbing the longbow leaning against her leg and examining it with shocked eyes.

Last time she’d returned to the Zhu Family Old Residence, the blood sacrifice at the underground altar had caused an unprecedented phenomenon. She had fainted afterward, and when she woke, everything was calm again. Zhu Ming didn’t know what exactly had happened, but her intuition told her the longbow’s reaction was related to her supernatural ability. Subconsciously not wanting to tell the Zhu matriarch, she had concealed the incident.

But how could she ever imagine that it would actually follow her into a dungeon?

This was a joke, right? Surely she hadn’t accidentally formed a contract with it…

Zhu Ming felt this was more than a little ominous. This bow was named Zhuque—the Vermilion Bird Sparrow-Slayer. It was a hereditary heirloom of the Zhu family, a treasure that guarded the home. Ordinary people couldn’t easily use it, for its ferocity was extreme. Should its wielder waver even slightly, they would be backlashed by its murderous aura.

Even without using it, Zhu Ming had to extract its baleful energy once every three months to pacify it.

A weapon this vicious wouldn’t easily form a contract with anyone. It was said that in all recorded Zhu family history, no one had ever formed a contract with it.

The longbow Zhuque and another heirloom passed down in the Zhu family were both objects of great malice. Using them had always cost lives, without exception. Therefore, the Zhu family never deployed them unless facing a major catastrophe. It wasn’t until Zhu Ming was found and brought back seven years ago that the family accidentally discovered the longbow Zhuque could be pacified to a relatively stable state through Zhu Ming’s soothing. Only then could a user, with steadfast will and layers of protection, wield it without necessarily dying.

Zhuque’s status in the Zhu family was such that they’d rather sacrifice a person than let the bow be destroyed. Zhu Ming twirled the longbow in her hand. If Zhu Wanying knew I brought Zhuque into a dungeon, wouldn’t she just die of rage? …That might be kind of amusing, actually.

But was this the real Zhuque? It felt so much more docile than before. Although the baleful aura was the same, when holding it, she could clearly sense the malice wasn’t directed at her.

“How did I end up forming a contract with you? I don’t even know how to use a bow.” Zhu Ming sounded slightly disdainful, slinging the longbow over her shoulder. “You don’t even come with arrows.”

With no one else around, Zhu Ming pulled out the invitation letter. Opening it, she found the contents had changed. Besides the invitation, she also had two protective talismans, one gray and one white.

【You are cordially invited to our world: Knowledge Contest.

Task: Complete the examination

Tips: 1. Please strive for the highest score possible.

2. Please heed the examiner’s words.

3. This task will run for a total of five days.

4. Bear the consequences of failure yourself.

5. Please explore other rules on your own.

Note: After completing the task, tear up the invitation to leave this world.】

It seemed the first order of business was to find the examiner, and the oasis ahead was the most likely location for the exam.

Zhu Ming started walking. Trudging through sand was exhausting, and the sun grew increasingly intense. Half an hour later, when she stepped into the oasis, her mouth was parched and dry.

The oasis boasted lush vegetation. Not only were there grass-green lawns, but also towering groves of trees. Through gaps in the leaves, Zhu Ming saw a magnificent structure built in an ancient Greek style.

Thick stone pillars supported the building’s perimeter, the exterior carved with grand reliefs. Looking past the main entrance, she could see murals that were simple yet deeply profound.

It was a temple. Yet the deity statue was not inside, but outside.

On the open ground right in front of the temple stood a tall, square, tapering stone pedestal, taller than a person. Atop it stood an even more towering, majestic goddess statue with six arms. She held or cradled a sword, a shield, a ruler, a moon, a book, and a harp.

Zhu Ming said nothing, silently observing her surroundings.

Among the surrounding trees and undergrowth, there were people hiding. Most, like herself, chose to remain concealed and observe the changes first.

However, some didn’t care about that. A few people walked directly over to the vicinity of the goddess statue to talk; they were all participants.

Ten-odd minutes later, a black crow wearing a small bowler hat and a monocle cawed as it landed at the goddess statue’s feet. “Candidates are assembled! Please proceed quickly to beneath the deity statue to gather!”

All the participants then emerged and gathered one by one. Zhu Ming spotted Wenren Tu, carrying a long blade and wearing her bracer, and Yun Zouchuan, empty-handed. She also saw three other familiar faces: Yin Yu, Tu Wei, and Xiao Xue.

…Sure enough, Yin Yu appeared again.

For some reason, upon seeing Yin Yu, Zhu Ming felt a distinct sense of “just as I thought.”

Yin Yu saw her too and turned her head to smile at her. This time, beneath Yin Yu’s camel-colored trench coat, she wore a gentle grayish-white long qipao, perfectly showcasing her graceful, lovely figure.

Zhu Ming returned a cold laugh. Dressed so beautifully—was she here to risk her life or to go sightseeing? But no matter. The more encumbered Yin Yu was, the more advantageous it was for herself.

With so many people around and the dungeon’s situation still unclear, Zhu Ming suppressed the urge to act—for now. She asked seriously, “Are you really not considering meeting me in reality? Are you that afraid of me?”

Yin Yu: “Yes.”

Zhu Ming: “…”

Wenren Tu stepped forward. “Yin Yu, are you trying to anger our Mingming to death because you can’t beat her?”

Yin Yu: “How did you guess?”

Wenren Tu rolled up her sleeves. “If you’ve got the guts, duel me one-on-one!”

Yin Yu wagged a finger. “Only if you can catch me.”

Wenren Tu: “…”

The crow flapped its wings. “Caw! Caw! Quiet down, everyone! Quiet down!”

Zhu Ming pulled Wenren Tu back, her stance very clear. “The dungeon lasts five days. We have plenty of time.”

Dungeon triggers were so random. Yin Yu was scheming so hard to stick close to her; she wouldn’t do nothing. Zhu Ming refused to believe she couldn’t catch Yin Yu’s fox tail eventually.

Zhu Ming, Wenren Tu, and Yun Zouchuan stood together, distancing themselves from Yin Yu. The two women poked curiously at the bow on Zhu Ming’s shoulder. “Where did this come from?”

Zhu Ming shook her head. “We’ll talk later.” It wasn’t convenient with so many eyes and ears around.

There were a total of 16 participants and one crow. When the crowd quieted, the crow, somehow managing it, removed its little bowler hat with its wing and bowed to everyone:

“Hello, everyone. I am your examiner, Crowcrow. Please favor me with your guidance over the next five days. Now, I shall announce the first item. Please divide yourselves into four groups of four within ten minutes!”

They’d never imagined this dungeon would require participants to split into teams to complete it. Was it an internal competition among participants? If they had to fight each other, that would be quite bad.

Needless to say, Zhu Ming, Wenren Tu, and Yun Zouchuan were naturally one group. They were just one person short.

Xiao Xue came over to greet them. “I spotted you earlier and hoped I could team up with you again this time. Too bad you’ve already got three, and I have friends I know on my side.”

“This is…?” Wenren Tu asked curiously.

“Xiao Xue. We met two dungeons ago,” Zhu Ming explained. “This is my friend, A-Tu.”

Xiao Xue nodded. “Hopefully, this time is still mainly cooperative. But if there’s competition, I won’t hold back.”

Zhu Ming grinned. “What a coincidence. We were thinking the same.”

Like Zhu Ming and her group—three people who’d entered the dungeon together—there was another trio. Those were three tall, burly men who were clearly triplets. After looking around, they picked a scrawny, bespectacled man who’d entered solo.

“Join our group. Look at these muscles, this build, these abilities. More than enough to protect you, guaranteed.”

The glasses-wearing man was a bit over 1.7 meters tall, looking like a small chick next to them. He stepped back nervously and asked, “Why me?”

The eldest triplet said, “You wear glasses, so you look the smartest. Since this is a Knowledge Contest, having a smart person join is more advantageous.” Among the men, the one with glasses looked the most intelligent. As for the girls, they probably wouldn’t want to team up with the three of them anyway.

The glasses-wearing man thought for a moment and said, “Fine. I accept.”

With one group settled, the remaining people also quickly divided into groups. Yin Yu, Tu Wei teamed up with one man and one woman. Xiao Xue and her friend formed a group with two other men. Finally, there was one girl left alone, with no choice but to join Zhu Ming’s group.

Compared to teammates who already knew each other, she would have preferred teaming up with other solo individuals in the same boat. After all, if an established clique ganged up on a single person, it would be difficult to guarantee she could handle it.