Chapter Six: The Secret of the Rabbit Princess (Please Vote, Please Support)

After exploring Fairy Tale Town, it was inevitable that the group would venture into the mist. However, if the mist continued to drain their vitality, they would need to reconsider their plans carefully.

Once they stepped into the wild, it would be a prolonged ordeal with no quick return. A seemingly small loss of vitality—just a point every ten minutes—was only under non-combat conditions and in a diluted version of the mist. The true mist was likely far more potent.

Even with Murong Xun’s enhanced gear, improved potions, and talent boosts, his health barely exceeded five hundred points. The others probably had no more than twice that amount at best—just over a thousand points.

“It seems the town by day and by night are entirely different. I think we need to explore it,” Ding Xiang proposed after a moment’s thought. He was not one to wait idly; even as a semi-support role, he harbored a desire to carry the team.

“Let’s check it out,” Ye Cang said bluntly, a spear appearing in his hand. To him, encountering something was better than nothing—at least they would know what they were up against.

Zhong Ye also made his stance clear, wielding his Eight-Sided Banner, ready for battle at any moment.

“Alright, let’s go then!” Murong Xun nodded as the Shadow of Slaughter appeared in his hand.

Since the special effects on their equipment were concealed, the three showed no outward signs of surprise.

“We’re all spear users, so little brother, you’ll have to watch our backs,” Ding Xiang smiled, subtly assuring the others he wasn’t useless and hoping they would lend a hand if he got into trouble.

After all, he was a zero-rank player. Despite being formidable within his rank, the gap between zero and first rank was vast. If possible, he was more than willing to assist others in need—not out of saintliness, but simply to help when able and forge goodwill.

He had once been on the receiving end of such kindness.

“Good!” Murong Xun acknowledged the goodwill.

“Let’s not split up. We don’t know what’s in the mist, so staying close to support each other is better.”

With that, the four stepped out of the dilapidated shack they had been sheltering in.

A thin veil of mist hung outside—light enough that they could still see their hands before them.

As they emerged, a chill ran down their spines—not from the air temperature, but a coldness that seemed to pierce straight into their bones.

No moon hung in the sky, and the town was shrouded in darkness, but that was no problem for the players.

Each wore a headlamp, illuminating the surroundings brightly. Though the light might attract unknown creatures lurking in the shadows, under the circumstances, they preferred such clarity over wandering aimlessly like headless flies.

Though they did not walk back to back, all four remained on the highest alert.

“Ah—” A sharp, piercing howl cut through the night, grating on the ears.

Yet the four remained unmoved, walking calmly down the street.

Unlike the daytime, when doors and windows were tightly shut, now the houses still kept their doors closed, but the interiors blazed with light.

What they did not see amid the mist were shadowy figures that flickered in and out of sight.

The strong beams from their headlamps had already drawn the attention of these presences.

From ahead came a melodious singing voice—beautiful and enchanting, compelling one to draw closer little by little.

“The song of the nightingale!” Ding Xiang snorted coldly.

“Who’s so cruel?” Zhong Ye and Ye Cang couldn’t help but speak up—they had heard of this spell.

It was a particularly cruel magic that transformed a living person into a nightingale. In the nighttime forest, the nightingale’s song irresistibly lured people closer, only for them to be transformed into new nightingales themselves. The original person would never return to normal, and their soul would be taken by the spellcaster.

Magic was often strange and unpredictable, but even among spells, the nightingale’s song was especially vicious.

It was less a spell than a curse.

“Don’t listen to the voice, and don’t get enchanted. Otherwise, you’ll walk right into it and become the next nightingale,” Ding Xiang warned, his words clearly aimed at Murong Xun, who was still unfamiliar with many things.

“Playing tricks!” Suddenly, Zhong Ye, walking at the edge of the group, snorted. He slammed his Eight-Sided Banner pole into the ground hard.

The eight banners fluttered without wind, pairing up to form a shockwave that surged toward a shadow not far off.

That shadow vanished silently.

Murong Xun was impressed. No wonder they were from the first-rank district—each had their specialties. Not to mention their personal attributes far surpassed his own.

Though he had experienced two worlds and improved his strength, there remained a significant gap between him and these veterans.

First-rank players, regardless of the number of dungeons they had run, had undergone crucial trials—the promotion trials, class transfer quests, and talent awakening missions. These were pivotal transformations for anyone.

As for the number of dungeons completed, that was uncertain.

Some advanced slowly and, fearing death, avoided promotion to higher levels and greater dangers, choosing to survive by suppressing their growth and remaining zero-rank, yet they might have completed more dungeons than some first-rank players. Others, like Murong Xun, advanced swiftly and might have reached first rank after only a few dungeon runs.

A person’s true strength was measured by attributes, skill levels, equipment, bloodline, and items—not merely the number of dungeons or experience.

After dispatching an unknown entity, they pressed on. During this, Ding Xiang and Ye Cang frequently engaged, fending off many creatures attempting to approach.

“A veritable dance of demons!” Ye Cang frowned.

“Feels like two worlds,” Ding Xiang remarked, stopping to look at the others.

“So it’s not just me?” Zhong Ye asked, surprised.

“It feels like two worlds—what the town looks like by day, and then this entirely different scene at night.”

“You mean it’s two different worlds?” Zhong Ye asked.

“Not exactly. It’s more like two worlds. Or perhaps the mist at night causes some kind of transformation,” Ding Xiang speculated, lacking evidence to say more.

“Who’s there?” Murong Xun suddenly spoke, vanishing from where he stood and reappearing about ten meters behind.

But the white figure was faster.

Just as Murong Xun charged forward, the white shape flashed and disappeared into the mist.

“Damn, it’s that rabbit again. Is it stalking us?” All three saw the white figure was a one-eared rabbit.

The creature’s speed was incredible. Despite Murong Xun’s dazzling quickness, he couldn’t catch it.

“Probably trapped here too, unable to leave, so it’s just following us to see what’s going on,” Ding Xiang said wryly.

“Damn it, if I ever catch it, I’m stewing it for sure,” Zhong Ye grumbled irritably.

Murong Xun remained silent, pondering the quests just triggered.

“Help from the Rabbit Kingdom Princess!”

“The Rabbit Kingdom Princess’s Wish!”

Two side quests appeared, both related to that creature. It was the first time Murong Xun had encountered such a situation.

[Side Quest: The Rabbit Kingdom Princess’s Request]

[Objective: The Rabbit Kingdom Princess, being hunted by the Red Heart Castle, urgently needs a warrior’s aid to escape her predicament.]

[Reward: The Rabbit Princess’s Gratitude!]

[Side Quest: The Rabbit Kingdom Princess’s Wish]

[Objective: The one-eared rabbit is a secret only the princess’s lover can unravel. Help the Rabbit Kingdom Princess find her lover and uncover the secret.]

[Reward: Space Button!]

Seeing these two quests, Murong Xun felt a pang of pain. If his memory served, the Red Heart Castle was home to the Red Queen.

With her army of playing cards and, most importantly, a dragon under her command, how could he possibly face her?

The second quest was even more troublesome. Where on earth was he supposed to find someone to fall in love with the Rabbit Princess?

“What’s wrong?” Ding Xiang noticed the change in his expression, trying to find a clue.

After some thought, Murong Xun shared the quests with the others. He might not be able to complete them alone, so honest cooperation was best.

More importantly, the main quest was paramount.

Without completing the main quest, no amount of side quests mattered.

There was no need to create friction with the others over a task whose reward was uncertain.

The three reacted similarly to the quests.

The first was manageable; their strength defied fear of the Red Queen. Even if they couldn’t defeat her dragon, they could at least escape with the Rabbit Princess.

But the second task was truly vexing.

Where could they find the Rabbit Princess’s lover? Even trying to play matchmaker was impossible.

“How about you, Chef? You sacrifice yourself?” Ye Cang joked.

“You’re so handsome; maybe she’d like your type!”

Murong Xun smiled wryly, taking the teasing in good humor.

He wasn’t so petty as to forbid a little joke.