Chapter 35: Measuring the Psychological Shadow Cast Over Wu Ziyi

The dungeon plaza plunged into a deathly silence, as if the scene itself had frozen in time.

This lasted for several dozen seconds before a voice finally shattered the quiet.

"Holy shit! Am I seeing things?"

"The Hell-tier dungeon was actually cleared?"

"And it's a first-clear! How on earth did he do it?"

"Someone hit me! Ouch, damn it, you actually hit me?"

...

Because the announcement was triggered the moment the final boss died, Gu Chen and his team were still inside the dungeon. Everyone outside wore expressions of confusion, shock, and utter disbelief. Some rubbed their eyes frantically, questioning if they were seeing things or dreaming.

Yet, no one doubted the authenticity of the announcement. It was linked directly to the dungeon system; it was infallible. This meant that Gu Chen—a commoner Summoner—had successfully cleared a Hell-tier novice dungeon with four, or rather, three dead weights.

"It's all an illusion, you can't fool me!" a husky boy in a jersey roared aggressively.

"That's a Hell-tier dungeon! How did he manage it?"

"Didn't they say a commoner picking Summoner was a dead end? Were they lying to me?"

"Alright, who was it that said they’d livestream themselves doing a handstand while having diarrhea if Gu Chen cleared it? Come on, show us."

"The handstand diarrhea can wait. Someone good at math, help me calculate the surface area of Wu Ziyi’s psychological trauma right now."

"No need to calculate; his guts must be green with regret."

"Hahaha, what a complete fool, I’ve never seen anything like it!"

"He chose this himself, who can he blame?"

"Pfft... the path he chose, he has to walk it even if he has to crawl."

The discussions and mockery were uninhibited; these people were being cruel on purpose. While Gu Chen’s success was enviable, Wu Ziyi’s failure was far more entertaining. Specifically, watching someone rise high only to see them come crashing down was a spectacle people loved to dissect.

From the moment he fled the dungeon, the rewards for the Hell-tier level slipped through his fingers. An SSS-tier rating! A first-clear reward for a Hell-tier dungeon! Either one of these would be a massive opportunity for an average newly-classed individual. Yet, in his mediocrity, he had managed to miss out on both. It was hard to imagine the depth of his internal agony.

There was no doubt about it; Wu Ziyi truly regretted his decision. He stood there with a vacant gaze, his face etched with remorse and self-reproach.

From the moment he left the dungeon to the moment the announcement went live, only about fifteen minutes had passed. Yet, for him, the difference between those two moments was the gap between heaven and hell. The string of rewards and achievements on the announcement board stung his eyes.

Fifteen minutes! Just fifteen minutes! The rewards and glory that should have been his had vanished like smoke.

"What a disaster!"

*Slap!*

Overcome by rage and regret, Wu Ziyi struck himself hard across the face and left in bitterness, amidst the mocking stares of the crowd.

The crisp sound of that slap jolted Li Wenhui from his own stupor. That Gu Chen had cleared a Hell-tier dungeon seemed like a tall tale, yet the proof was written clearly in the announcement: 5 hours, 27 minutes, and 36 seconds. An SSS-tier rating! This result wasn't just impressive for Lin City; even across the entire Northern Territory, it was an explosive achievement.

"Can a commoner Summoner really be this strong?"

"An SSS-tier rating—this is a crushing, absolute victory."

"I see it now! We’ve been lied to all along; a commoner Summoner is actually the strongest!"

"Moron!"

"Well said, it’s obviously just Gu Chen who is strong!"

"So Gu Chen is the true master after all!"

...

In the plaza, public opinion of Gu Chen had undergone a cataclysmic shift. The harder they had trampled him before, the higher they hoisted him now. Li Wenhui, who had previously been worshipped by the crowd, was reduced to a background character no one cared about.

Li Wenhui’s face was bitter. While Wu Ziyi had become a laughingstock, he had only lost face. But he—he had lost money! Real, hard currency: five hundred thousand. Although he came from the Li family of Lin City, he was not the heir. Five hundred thousand was not pocket money for him; it was meant for upgrading his gear after leveling up. A set of Rare-tier Knight armor cost over a million; it wasn't some disposable trash, but a crucial trump card for getting into a prestigious academy. Now that he had lost half a million, if his father found out, he would surely be skinned alive.

If only he hadn’t made that bet with Gu Chen.

Deep, intense regret spread through his heart, but it was too late. The wager was conducted through a trading platform at his own suggestion; once the money entered the system, the bet became legally binding. Not even the head of the Li family could reverse it. Gu Chen didn't even need to say a word to him; a few taps on his phone would transfer the money into his account.

"Gu Chen, you’re going to be the death of me!"

Just as Li Wenhui was drowning in regret, Gu Chen and his team finally emerged from the dungeon. The moment they stepped out, they were greeted by reporters wielding microphones and cameras. After all, it was the class-advancement season, and major novice dungeons were prime locations for journalists. A genius professional emerging to break a dungeon record was the kind of news that stirred the blood of the youth.

"Student Gu Chen, I’m a reporter from the *Professional Evening News*. Could you share your feelings on being the first to clear the Hell-tier dungeon?"

"Student Gu Chen, this is *Lin City Satellite TV*. Why did you choose to become a Summoner?"

"Gu Chen, you’ve won your bet against Li Wenhui. How do you plan to handle the five-hundred-thousand-dollar prize?"

"Damn, is this your first day as a reporter? You’re asking a question like that?"

...

Over a dozen reporters and thousands of newly-classed students swarmed Gu Chen, giving him a visceral understanding of what it meant to be in the spotlight. The onlookers in the plaza were green with envy; this was a rare opportunity to show off—a rare chance to shine in front of everyone. If he just seized this surge of traffic, wouldn't wealth and success become as easy as eating and drinking?

A windfall of riches! The gears of fate were turning for Gu Chen.

However, Gu Chen had no desire to waste time with these reporters and pushed Lin Yuan toward them. It was Lin Yuan’s first time in such a situation, but he wasn't stage-frightened at all. He cleared his throat, grabbed the nearest microphone, and began delivering his "first-clear" speech, regardless of whether anyone wanted to listen. By taking this chance to show his face and piggyback on Gu Chen's fame, he would be a minor celebrity himself. With fame, making money would be effortless.

Gu Chen took this opportunity to slip away. Once the announcement went out, the bet was settled, and Li Wenhui’s five hundred thousand had already landed in his account. In his spatial storage, the Hell-tier treasure chest and the first-clear gift box glimmered.

Gu Chen’s heart raced with excitement.

Time to open them!