Chapter 2462: Authorization Letter and Core of Eternal Slumber
Xu Huo could sense that power entering the underground cave, lingering without dissipating. Soon after, another gust of wind brushed across his face, seemingly pointing the way.
He turned to look at the tangled tree roots above the cave, drew his Black Blade, and slashed them apart.
With a rumbling crash, a pile of mud sprayed out like vomit, splattering across most of the cave floor, nearly burying even Xu Huo's defense barrier.
Once the commotion outside subsided, Xu Huo and the Painting Woman flipped up onto the nearby tree roots.
"So fragrant." The Painting Woman took a deep breath. "The mud soaked in those trees smells especially good."
Xu Huo had noticed that scent when he first came down. It was a type of hypnotic gas. Death wasn't a pleasant thing, but this gas could make the process more bearable.
Whether locals or players, the corpses showed few visible wounds. Dying so peacefully might be related to this gas.
"There's something under the mud!" The Painting Woman suddenly turned to him excitedly, mouthing the words, then leaped down. She dug her hands into the muck, fumbled for a moment, and pulled out two items.
In her left hand was a perfectly preserved Instance Authorization Letter. In her right hand was a green gemstone.
Xu Huo took both items, and a prompt appeared on his personal panel:
[Instance Authorization Letter: Authorization letter for the "Hidden Friend" instance. Destroying this authorization letter will directly cause the instance to collapse. Removing the authorization letter from the instance site will indefinitely halt the instance, stopping the issuance of instance tickets and rewards.]
[Core of Eternal Slumber: An S-grade special healing item naturally born within the instance. It possesses the superpower to give a dying person a chance at life. Simply placing it in the mouth will put anyone into a brief dormant state, where no pain can wake them until it is fully consumed. Note: This item is single-use.]
Instance authorization letters weren't rare. Xu Huo held the Core of Eternal Slumber up to the light. It looked like a gem but felt soft to the touch, more like compressed fibrous material.
Giving a dying person a chance at life—its effect was similar to a potent recovery potion. Based on the description, it was likely a peculiar item produced during the evolution of mutant plants, possibly a raw material for certain potions. Classified as S-grade, it was undoubtedly a rare and valuable item. As for its effect... it was certainly better than common potions in the game. If it could snatch back a life, it was an excellent healing medicine. If not, it could at least let someone die painlessly—hence the name "Core of Eternal Slumber."
A good item.
After storing the "Core of Eternal Slumber" in his item slot, Xu Huo turned his attention to the instance authorization letter.
"Hidden Friend" wouldn't have guided him to the authorization letter for no reason. The authorization letter's function was to keep the instance running. Without it, the instance would collapse and disappear. He had tested this before—the Skinner's instance had vanished that way.
But, "If the instance authorization letter is destroyed, the original instance might disappear. But 'Hidden Friend' existed before the instance. Could a new instance be born afterward?"
"This probably isn't the result you want."
There was no response in the air. The power that had turned into a breeze seemed to have vanished.
"How about this." Xu Huo paused before continuing. "I'll take the instance authorization letter away, keeping both you and the instance in a halted state. No tickets will be issued, and the instance site isn't sealed. This way, there won't be conditions for a new instance to form, and no one else can be trapped here."
However, whether a long-term halt would cause new changes was unpredictable. There were no relevant examples in the Under Dimension, and each instance's situation might differ. Absolute risk-free wasn't possible. The only advantage was that this wasn't a sealed instance with easily destructible structures, so it might not be easily destroyed or replaced.
After speaking, he deliberately paused for a while, but still, nothing stirred.
Xu Huo glanced at the paper beside him. The effect of the "Home Field Perspective" trait seemed to have passed, as no new text appeared.
"I'll choose." The Painting Woman snatched the instance authorization letter and started tearing at it.
Xu Huo was genuinely startled, but luckily, the Painting Woman didn't actually tear the letter. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief and took it back.
"Why not tear it?" The Painting Woman mouthed. "No one wants to stay in an instance."
"I already explained why," Xu Huo said. Without the instance, this place might rarely see players. Of course, it would also be safe and suitable for living.
Those ordinary people driven out of safe zones would at least have a place to stay.
"Will our silhouettes stay?" The Painting Woman asked again. "Will people who come here in the future see us?"
Xu Huo paused. "Probably not underground. Maybe on the surface."
He couldn't be sure if removing the authorization letter would cause those special image intersections to disappear.
"That would still be fun." The Painting Woman smiled, no longer so determined to tear the letter.
He let her return to his clothes, then casually dismantled the cave before pulling out his ticket.
On the moving train, he checked his gains from this instance.
The instance was rated S-grade. He obtained one A-grade item, three B-grade items, one luggage compartment upgrade, various tickets and potions, a Plant Enthusiast Badge, and a special gift from the instance.
[Nutrition Amber: A gelatinous substance produced by mutant plants buried thousands of meters underground. Rich in nutrients, it can keep soil highly fertile for a long time, promoting rapid plant growth.]
It paired perfectly with the mud he had dug up earlier.
As for the Plant Enthusiast Badge, he checked it. Unlike the Light Gentleman Medal, this was a bonus item. Similar badges existed for food enthusiasts, culinary enthusiasts, and so on. These badges could be used to join in-game interest groups. Some groups had wide reach, spanning many districts. Joining with a badge was like being an insider, providing a channel for player communication.
Xu Huo had mostly grown mushrooms before, never plants with spiritual power. He could learn from professionals.
"An acquaintance!" The Painting Woman suddenly shoved her communicator in front of him. Xu Huo looked up and saw Bubble Bean, still sporting the "Kilroy Was Here" wound, walking in from the front carriage door.
Their eyes met. Bubble Bean immediately turned to leave, but at the door, he abruptly stopped. Glancing at the carriage ahead, he gritted his teeth and came back, pretending not to see Xu Huo and the Painting Woman as he strode straight through the aisle toward the rear carriage.
The tactless Painting Woman sidled up to him. "What a coincidence!"