Dear readers,
We wanted to update you on some changes happening behind the scenes. While we originally planned to keep our blog ad-free, we’re currently facing several challenges with Blogger’s limitations and maintenance issues. Unfortunately, support hasn’t been great either, making it difficult for us to continue in this environment.
To help fund our move to a new blog and domain, we’ve reluctantly decided to host ads on this current Blogger platform. We know ads can disrupt your reading experience, and we promise to keep them minimal. Your understanding during this transition is incredibly important to us.
If you can, please consider turning off your ad blocker. This small gesture would greatly help us generate the funds needed to make the move and return to an ad-free experience as soon as possible.
We genuinely appreciate your feedback and support. If there’s anything you’d like to share, please reach out! And don’t miss out on the exciting new novel launching tomorrow by the author of After Losing My Memory, My Archenemy.
Thank you for being part of our journey!
Only leave a curse from Nakano Asaka
"Fuck!"
【Player: Akiyama Natsuki, triggering mini-game <You Chase, I Escape (Upgraded Version)>, about to enter the side quest space...】
【Game Introduction: Do you remember the previous mini-game You Chase, I Escape? The upgraded version is Little Su's favorite! Be careful not to get caught, or something terrifying will happen! Countdown: Ten minutes...】
...
【The mini-game has finally been triggered】
【I understand the logic, but who is Little Su? I've never heard of that name!】
【I remember that in this side quest, it was the village chief who caught people, right??】
【What’s going on?】
...
In the dungeon, Gu Zhan slowly opened his eyes.
It seemed he was lying on a bed, and everything around him was familiar—it was the village chief’s house where they had always lived.
But it seemed a bit different.
The room contained a wooden bed, draped with curtains, and outside, candle flames flickered with an eerie red glow. The room was still, with no wind, and the candlelight swayed independently, casting shadows that danced unsettlingly, creating a chilling atmosphere.
The surroundings were extremely quiet, with only the distant ticking of a clock echoing.
That should be the countdown for the mini-game.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside, heavy and deliberate, accompanied by something else...
Sizzle, sizzle...
The sounds gradually approached the door.
Gu Zhan flipped over and sat up; the astrolabe watch on his right wrist was slightly warm.
He touched the watch's dial and looked towards the door.
A previous mini-game?
Wasn’t that from the last dungeon? Gu Zhan recalled that although he had been pulled into the game then, he hadn’t actually played because he had stamped the ghost and ended the game before it began.
He couldn’t see what was happening outside, but the viewers in the live stream could.
Someone was dragging a large axe, slowly walking down the hallway.
That person was wearing a doctor’s white coat, with black shoes smeared with dried blood, the massive rusted axe dragging along the wooden floor, leaving a long scratch.
The exquisite skin had already been torn apart by a vengeful ghost, half a human face dangling precariously from his body.
But it was still evident that he was smiling.
Smiling while searching for the one who trapped him in the astrolabe watch.
【How could it be him! Isn’t this the BOSS from the last dungeon?】
【No wonder the dungeon was closed; this BOSS escaped with a person.】
【That watch seems to be a dropped item from the last dungeon; it must have been stored in the inventory, but can a BOSS enter the inventory??】
【Is this a reward or a punishment? Laughing to death, one dungeon isn’t enough, and now we have to face the BOSS from the last dungeon too.】
The footsteps drew closer to the door; there was no other escape route here. After getting out of bed, Gu Zhan felt along the wall beside him, intending to use the watch's function to escape.
But the watch became increasingly hot without any sign of activating.
It couldn’t be used.
"Bang!"
The footsteps soon reached the door, accompanied by an incredibly loud banging sound that made the whole house shake.
【He’s coming!】
【The expression on the director's face is so twisted now!】
【He must hate this player to death.】
"Bang!" Another loud noise as the director swung the axe, the blood-stained axe splitting the door open!
At the same time, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice echoed near Gu Zhan's ear: "Sir Priest, the ceremony is about to begin; please prepare quickly."
【???】
【Did I hear that right? Isn’t that the village chief’s voice!】
【Oh right, I remember now; after catching Masaki Taro, I would indeed be dragged to the ceremony site, but what’s up with this director!?】
【The side quest and main quest overlapped, right?】
【??? It can still be like this?】
Seizing the opportunity, Gu Zhan quickly replied, "I'm ready, but why can't the door open?"
"Can't open?"
"Ke ke ke..."
The village chief's confused voice rang out simultaneously with the sound of the axe-wielding person hacking at the door.
"Sir Priest?"
The village chief’s voice sounded again, and at the same time, the blood-stained axe crashed into the door panel, splintering wood and creating a gap.
The person outside leaned close to the gap to look inside, while Gu Zhan, through the narrow opening, recognized the axe-wielding person outside...
It was the director from the last dungeon.
However, compared to their first meeting, he was in much worse shape—his face was nearly destroyed, and his previous appearance was unrecognizable.
Gu Zhan didn't know if it was a moment of insanity or something, but he suddenly blurted out, "What a pity about the disfigurement."
Director: “…”
【...】
【He actually dared to provoke the BOSS!】
【He’s courting death, and yet I find it normal.】
After Gu Zhan said that, he noticed the director's eyes were particularly vacant.
Although he was looking at him, there was no emotional connection. Gu Zhan corrected his previous statement: “It’s not because of the disfigurement.”
It was because his gaze was different from before.
However, the director remained as volatile and irritable as before. Hearing Gu Zhan comment on his appearance only made him angrier, and he began to forcefully pry at the wooden handle of the axe.
The axe was embedded deeply in the door and couldn’t be pulled out easily.
At that moment, the village chief’s voice rang out again: “Strange, why can’t the door really open…”
A thought suddenly flashed in Gu Zhan's mind: this time, the side quest space seemed to overlap with the main quest space, and the director was an NPC in the mini-game.
Perhaps that was how mini-games worked—they could feature various BOSSs unrelated to the dungeon, Gu Zhan speculated, not yet familiar with the dungeons.
Since the two worlds overlapped, if he could hear the voices, would the people and events from the other world affect this side?
Gu Zhan said to the village chief, "The door won't open. Figure it out, or we'll all pay for delaying the ritual."
【He's so smooth now. Back when he was with Miyamoto Satoshi, he barely talked. I thought he wasn't good at speaking.】
【Not good at speaking? You clearly haven't seen him turning NPCs to his side.】
【Turning NPCs? Aren't the NPCs in this game all hostile to players? How can he turn them?】
【You're just exaggerating.】
【Who's exaggerating? Go search for the livestream replay yourself.】
【Is this a new way to trick people into paying money?】
To the village chief, the "ritual" was evidently very important. As soon as Gu Zhan mentioned it, the chief panicked and said, "What do we do? Why won't the door open?"
Through the widening cracks in the door, Gu Zhan could see the director from the previous dungeon slowly prying the door apart. The sight filled the livestream viewers with dread.
Meanwhile, Gu Zhan calmly instructed the village chief, "Go get someone to break down the door. Hurry!"
Reluctantly, the village chief left, while the director continued breaking the door down. As he pried apart the last pieces of wood, Gu Zhan swiftly grabbed a bedsheet and threw it over the director's head, blocking his view.
Using his martial arts skills, Gu Zhan quickly subdued the director. Despite some of his moves being slower due to lack of practice, the fight seemed even because the director appeared less intelligent than before. It was as though he had become a mindless machine, following basic rules without strategy.
Gu Zhan, seeing how mechanical the director had become, felt disappointed. It wasn't fun anymore. He preferred intelligent foes, and this version of the director had lost his cunning. "Let's end this quickly," he thought, eager to move on to the ritual.
Just as Gu Zhan grappled with the director, the sound of footsteps and voices came from outside. The men had arrived to help break down the door.
As the door finally collapsed, Gu Zhan noticed a strange shift in his surroundings. Shadows turned into solid figures, and the director’s body began to fade. Realizing the two worlds were overlapping, Gu Zhan grabbed the director's wrist and pressed his Watch onto it, instantly pulling him into the watch's hidden space.
As the director vanished, Gu Zhan's watch cooled down, and a system message rang out:
"Congratulations! You have unlocked 30% of your epic item <Astral Watch>. Once fully unlocked, you will gain control of a special space within the watch. Be warned: there are dangerous elements in this space. Remove them to avoid threats to the space."
Gu Zhan frowned, realizing he would have to deal with the director later.
Meanwhile, outside the door, the group of villagers, the village chief, and Miyamoto Satoshi stared in confusion at Gu Zhan. He had inadvertently grabbed the chief in the process, leaving everyone frozen in place, unsure of what just happened.
After a pause, Miyamoto Satoshi broke the silence, saying, "What's wrong with you? Time is tight. Why don’t we talk as we go?"
Realizing they still had a ritual to attend to, Gu Zhan nodded and released the village chief. Everyone, including Gu Zhan, wore strange robes embroidered with intricate wave patterns—clearly marking their new "ritualist" roles in this eerie village.
And so, they headed off to the ritual site, tension thick in the air.
—
Gu Zhan and his companions were now facing a strange situation. After being taken to this eerie place resembling Haizu Village, it became clear that this wasn't the village they had known.
"Where is Masaki Taro?" someone asked.
Miyamoto Satoshi, sensing the growing tension, tried to calm everyone down. "Let's first talk about what we've encountered so far."
One by one, they shared their experiences. It seemed Masaki Taro had tricked them into finding the scales, but soon after, they were transported to this unknown place.
Gu Zhan omitted the details about the mini-game but explained that, just like the others, he had been summoned by the village chief to prepare for a mysterious ritual. Everyone seemed to have similar experiences, though the specifics of their rooms and tasks varied. For instance, Nakano Asaka had been placed in charge of cleaning, while Akiyama Natsuki discovered a room full of offerings.
Suddenly, the village chief’s voice broke through the silence from outside the door, announcing that the ritual was about to begin. Despite the uncertainty and their past experience of being treated as sacrifices, they were now considered "honored guests" in this new scenario.
As they left the room, they were led through mist-filled streets, where countless villagers, all dressed in white, stood silently. The eerie atmosphere was palpable, and the tension in the group was rising.
Upon arriving at the coastline, they saw the dark cave where the shrine was located. The village chief instructed them to place the offerings at the entrance of the cave, as only one person was allowed to enter for the ritual. The ominous black mist swirling at the cave entrance didn’t make things any easier.
Gu Zhan glanced at the others, realizing they were now deeply entangled in something far more dangerous than they had initially thought. The village, the villagers, the cave—they were all part of something beyond the normal rules of their world.
Everyone exchanged glances, understanding the village chief's meaning. Each person had a different task and had to enter the shrine one by one.
When Takagawa Ayaka realized her offering had already been brought by the villagers, she sighed in relief. She carried the basket to the entrance of the cave, placed the offerings down, and nothing happened. Relieved, she returned safely.
Nakano Asaka muttered, "This ritual... doesn't seem so bad after all."
Miyamoto Satoshi, with a slight smirk, remarked, "She just placed the offerings at the entrance. You, on the other hand, will have to go inside."
That made Nakano Asaka’s face pale again.
Gu Zhan advised, "When you're inside, pay attention to any differences."
Nakano Asaka didn’t quite understand at first, but when Gu Zhan mimicked the shape of a box, he got the hint. "Ah, the box... Got it."
When it was Nakano Asaka’s turn, the village chief instructed him to carefully clean the shrine, ensuring nothing impure remained, or else the god would take his anger out on Haizu Village. He entered the cave, and although everyone feared he might not return, after some time, Nakano Asaka emerged, though clearly shaken.
The village chief then urged Miyamoto Satoshi to begin reciting the ritual prayers, stating that the god must not be kept waiting. As Miyamoto passed Nakano Asaka, the latter nodded to indicate that the box had appeared in the shrine.
Gu Zhan frowned, puzzled. How had the box returned to the shrine? Was it the work of the evil god? But if the god had the power to retrieve it, why had it been bound here for so long?
Before Gu Zhan could think further, Miyamoto Satoshi entered the cave. Soon, the sound of him reciting the prayers echoed faintly over the crashing waves. After about ten minutes, the prayer ended, and Miyamoto returned, looking just as confused as Nakano Ayaka.
Without wasting any time, the village chief turned to Gu Zhan. "Next, please offer the village's sacrifice to the god."
Sacrifice? Gu Zhan knew that in Haizu Village, sacrifices usually meant human offerings. But looking around, there didn’t seem to be any human sacrifices prepared.
"Where’s the sacrifice?" Gu Zhan asked.
The village chief, still reverently bowing his head, replied, "Only you, the priest, can communicate with the god. The sacrifice and how to perform the ritual are things only you would know."
When Gu Zhan remained silent, the village chief and the other villagers began repeating the same phrase, "Priest, the time has come, please proceed to the shrine."
Their synchronized chanting was unsettling, like soulless zombies repeating their last action in life. Gu Zhan knew he had no choice but to comply.
As he approached the shrine, Miyamoto Satoshi gave him a warning look, shaking his head. It seemed there was nothing unusual inside, but the ominous atmosphere was suffocating.
The closer Gu Zhan got to the cave, the more he felt the overwhelming presence of the sea monster—the evil god Haizu Village worshiped. This force was much stronger than what he had encountered in the dream. The oppressive energy was so intense that it became difficult for him to breathe. The air around him grew thick with whispered voices, as if a dozen people were speaking to him at once.
Amidst the chaos, a distinct voice cut through the noise.
"Player's sanity value is rapidly decreasing. Please move away from the contamination source, or your sanity will reach zero in ten minutes."
Meanwhile, in the live stream, comments flooded in.
"It's over. This is definitely a bad ending."
"The moment he decided to deal with the evil god, his fate was sealed. No mortal can bargain with a god."
"The evil god must have deceived him in the dream, making itself appear more like a trapped beast rather than a true evil entity."
"How is that even possible? That dungeon was ridiculously easy."
"And they didn’t even notice the problem with Masaki Taro, so it’s no surprise they got this ending."
"Let’s leave, thank goodness I didn’t place any bets."
As soon as the audience saw the player reach the death ending, they started leaving one by one.
They were already used to seeing life and death, not caring about such things anymore.
Only the players who had followed Gu Zhan from the previous dungeon felt a bit unsatisfied.
"How did it suddenly end with a death? I didn’t think he truly believed in the evil god!"
"This sequence is different from when I played... why does this evil god feel like it's not playing by the rules?"
"And what’s with the director? Can the dungeon boss just show up wherever it wants?"
...
Of course, Yu YeZhou, who had been watching Gu Zhan from outside the screen, didn’t believe the death ending either.
The moment he saw Gu Zhan selected to enter the cave, Yu YeZhou sat upright, staring intensely at the screen, hoping Gu Zhan would find some clever way to escape before entering the cave.
But having played this dungeon himself, he knew that at this point, avoiding the cave was nearly impossible.
The villagers behind had already been corrupted by the evil god. With the dungeon giving the player no resources or tools, there was no way to defeat them. Gu Zhan was already at the mouth of the cave. If he said "no," the villagers would attack him all at once.
At that point, there would be no chance of survival.
Yu YeZhou frowned, watching the live stream intently, hoping for a last-minute miracle…
And a miracle… of sorts, appeared. Normally, when someone approached the cave, they’d go mad from the evil god’s aura.
But Gu Zhan seemed calm, walking into the cave smoothly and spotting the shrine.
On the shrine, that familiar wooden box was quietly sitting there.
Unlike the weathered wooden box they had seen before, this one was brand new and open.
Inside the box, lined with smooth silk, lay a scale.
At that moment, all the previously unconnected pieces of information in Gu Zhan's mind suddenly fell into place.
That’s it, they had misunderstood from the beginning.
The wooden box was just a symbol of the villagers' reverence for the scale. They simply wanted to keep it safe in a special place. It had nothing to do with any sealing ritual.
The scale wasn’t sealed in the shrine at all.
"Congratulations, player, for uncovering the truth of the dungeon: <The Village Enshrouded by the Evil God>."
"Main Quest Update: <Escape from Haizu Village>: There are no living people here, and nothing worth staying for. The so-called mission was a scam from the start. The evil god’s minions have been deceiving people with all sorts of reasons to lure them here… Run before you become a sacrifice to the evil god!"
Gu Zhan: "..."
What is this game system talking about?
Revealing this information now, does it even matter anymore?!
There's no way to escape now.
Gu Zhan looked up, facing the shrine they had ignored for so long… and the statue inside it.
Both sides suffer
Gu Zhan and the others had entered and exited the shrine multiple times, but it seemed that no one had ever paid attention to the statue.
Upon closer inspection, the statue was also shrouded in a thick black mist.
Gu Zhan stepped forward and waved away the mist.
The object beneath revealed its true form.
It was a mass similar to the black mist, like a living creature. Although it was placed on the shrine, it continued to writhe and pulsate rhythmically. Tiny purple lightning bolts occasionally flickered within the mist. As Gu Zhan stared at a specific spot, it began to transform, gradually taking on the shape of the giant beast from his dream.
A voice in his head urged him, Follow Him… Follow Him and leave this painful world…
Gu Zhan unconsciously reached out his hand, but just as he was about to touch the black mist, his wrist suddenly burned, bringing him back to his senses.
Gu Zhan pulled his hand back, tightly clutching the watch on his right wrist.
“...”
He seemed to hear familiar footsteps again.
[Player has triggered a side quest… Player is in the middle of a main quest and cannot trigger a side quest… Player has triggered a side quest…]
The system seemed to be glitching, repeating contradictory messages intermittently.
As it stuttered, Gu Zhan's watch grew hotter, as if it was about to burn him, but the buckle of the watch strap was locked and couldn’t be undone.
[??? What’s going on? Am I hearing things?]
[There really are footsteps! Gu Zhan is standing still, he must have heard the system notification.]
[Why is the director so persistent? Even at this point, he still wants to pull someone into a side quest?]
[That’s impossible, right? The game’s practically over, the evil god will appear soon.]
The black mist from the shrine gradually spread, seemingly about to engulf Gu Zhan entirely… As it closed in, Gu Zhan felt his vision darkening, and the sounds around him became muffled, as if he was hearing them through a glass barrier.
He was about to be swallowed.
If he were swallowed here, his life would probably end.
For the first time, Gu Zhan truly felt the approach of death, but his emotions weren’t fear or regret.
There was even a hint of anticipation.
What does death feel like?
It really makes one curious.
But clearly, it wasn’t yet time for death, after all. Compared to death, being alive offers more opportunities to experience new sensations.
For example, right now, being surrounded by an evil god and chosen as a sacrifice wasn’t something easily encountered.
It seemed that both the director and the evil god had chosen him as their sacrifice. Who would win if these two bosses fought?
Gu Zhan looked up and responded to the system: "I accept the side quest."
Dear Readers,
We wanted to take a moment to update you on our progress with the translations. Currently, we are at Chapter 43, but there was a small error where the translator accidentally combined Chapters 34, 35, and 36. We sincerely apologize for this oversight, as our translator didn’t receive the official raw materials. We are working to fix this by this weekend, and we appreciate your understanding!
Additionally, for ARC 2, our translator is working with Japanese names, and there may be some inconsistencies due to the challenge of getting them right. If you notice any name mix-ups, please let us know, and we’ll address them as soon as we can. Currently, we have no dedicated editor, just our volunteer translators who are doing their best.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we navigate these challenges together. Your feedback is invaluable to us!
Comments