Chapter 430: Is Professor Wu Doctor Wu?
The eight players on the opposite side were clearly not to be trifled with. Even if the Ghost Shadow player was among them, it wouldn't be easy to pick them out.
"Aren't you doing the instance mission?" Xu Huo asked Dr. Deng.
"The people I brought aren't here to do the instance." Dr. Deng emphasized, then pointed to the players beside him to introduce them. "These are Kong Cheng and Kong Hui, siblings. Both are B-rank players."
Dr. Deng's words successfully diverted everyone else's attention. B-rank players entering a D-rank instance?
Players had two opportunities each year to enter lower-rank instances, provided they didn't disrupt the instance or game rules, or they risked game penalties. But that didn't mean they couldn't kill people.
The players stepped back, putting distance between themselves and this group. The Kong siblings were B-rank players, and it was unlikely anyone else in their group was E-rank either.
"Don't worry, we didn't come in with tickets. We're not participating in the instance," said Kong Cheng, who wore a baseball cap.
"But once this instance starts, the outside should be sealed off. How did you get in?" Wu Xiaonan asked. "And can you enter the instance grounds without a ticket?"
"Strictly speaking, as long as the instance has enough ticket-holding players to meet the requirement, it will start. It doesn't matter how many other players are in the instance grounds," Kong Hui said, flicking her long braid that reached her knees. "But each instance might have its own rules. Anyway, we just came in like this."
"We won't interfere with your instance, but please don't interfere with Dr. Deng's work."
Wu Xiaonan smiled and stepped back.
Kong Cheng raised a hand, signaling his people to put away the items that were clearly visible.
"So we'll just keep to ourselves?" Ge Pan spoke up.
Kong Cheng made a "please" gesture, symbolically giving way.
"By the way, Dr. Deng, did you encounter any other players after you came in?" Xu Huo asked as they passed by.
Dr. Deng was about to answer, but Kong Hui cut in first. "No. The two floors above are safe."
"Thank you." Xu Huo was polite enough, but his eyes darkened slightly as he turned away.
Kong Hui's two statements were evasive. Different instances did have different rules, but after this instance started, ticket-holding players couldn't enter or leave. By that logic, they shouldn't be able to either. The most straightforward reason was that the instance had already been open for three days. Even if they had come in today, their evening rest should have been on the first floor, not underground.
So they had most likely entered before the instance began. They had also deliberately used another door to avoid the ticket-holding players, and they should know the laboratory was split in two.
Dr. Deng and these players were hired by the Bolen Clan. They had some knowledge of the laboratory, yet there was no strategy guide or more information about the Deep Blue Laboratory on Saiel Coast. Instead, ghost stories were rampant. This was clearly intentional.
The Bolen Clan didn't want other players entering the Deep Blue Laboratory, but they sent their own people in to explore. So the people following Dr. Deng might not all be non-instance players, as they claimed.
Everything that could be dismantled in the eastern half of the laboratory had been taken apart. The Bolen Clan might have come more than once.
They were here to find something.
Could Professor Wu, mentioned in the instance background, be the same Dr. Wu from the notes of Master Nisei in Decibel Town?
"Are we going up?" At the elevator door, Wan Yunrong took out her wind chime. It swayed as she spoke, but no sound could be heard.
"This chime can mask our voices," she said. "Kong Hui saying it's safe up there is probably a lie. If it were safe, why would they come down?"
"Not necessarily. Those two siblings are B-rank players. If even they think the player pretending to be a ghost is dangerous, shouldn't we have died in the instance long ago?" Ge Pan said.
"The ghost shadow was created by players outside the instance... that's just our speculation. It might not be the truth." Miao Yu crossed his arms. "Maybe there aren't any other players. It could be a special item born from this instance."
Miao Yu's guess was also within the group's earlier deductions, but that ghost shadow was too agile and seemed to want to provoke them into killing each other. Normally, items weren't that human-like, so they leaned more towards there being another participant in the instance.
Ge Pan gave Miao Yu a deep look. "An item is a bit of a stretch. This is a deserted island, but there must be an instance boss. Do a few more instances and you'll know that instance bosses exist in various forms. Some interact with players, some never show up. In some instances, you might finish from start to end without even knowing who or where the boss is."
Miao Yu didn't argue. Instead, he said, "Then let's go up."
Ge Pan was the first to step into the elevator and said to the others, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'm definitely going to catch that ghost shadow."
Mao Wei hesitated outside the door but then got on, followed by Gan Qing and Wan Yunrong.
Miao Yu and Wu Xiaonan didn't move. Xu Huo held back Chu Yuan, who was about to step forward. "If we really run into danger, we're both done for. Let's wait and see."
Meaning let the other players scout ahead first.
After Ge Pan and the others left, Wu Xiaonan glanced at them. "Two able-bodied men are less brave than a girl like Wan Yunrong."
"What's so great about brute force? We have both courage and strategy," Chu Yuan retorted. "If you're so capable, you go ahead."
"Of course I'm going." Wu Xiaonan chose another elevator on her own.
Miao Yu, on the other hand, seemed uninterested in catching the ghost to clear the instance. Instead, he went over to talk to Dr. Deng.
"Are we really not going?" Chu Yuan asked quietly.
"Who said we're not? Isn't it good to have someone else take the risks?" Xu Huo smiled and pointed to the third elevator.
On the other side, not a single person turned back because of his words, not even sparing him a glance.
Xu Huo chuckled and stepped into the elevator.
The elevator rose to the second basement level. After getting out, Chu Yuan first shone his light around. Like the floor below, it was completely different from the eastern half of the laboratory. This area looked more like an office. The walls were covered with certificates of honor and award photos, along with some bright but poorly painted oil paintings.
"These are all Professor Wu's paintings." Chu Yuan aimed his light at the corner of one oil painting and sighed. "So heaven is fair. If you're going to do scientific research, just stick to that. Why paint? If he painted well, how would mediocre people like me survive?"
Xu Huo was noncommittal. "You're pretty open-minded."
"I don't have many good qualities, but I'm broad-minded." Chu Yuan laughed and reached out to pat Xu Huo's shoulder again, but Xu Huo grabbed his arm and shoved him against the wall.
"What are you doing!" Chu Yuan exclaimed in shock. "Let's talk this out! Don't get hostile!"
Xu Huo took the light from his hand and shone it on the corridor floor. The originally beige floor was now covered with a bubbling black mud.
(Chapter End)