69 - Dungeon Growth Log

White Blade wore a black smiling mask, but underneath it, his face was clouded with a shadowy grimness. He clearly had extensive knowledge of the Black Rock Grotto, effortlessly navigating his way to the underground black market auction house. The stairs were covered with a blood-red carpet, and a door, painted an ominous crimson, stood wide open. At the entrance, two individuals in black robes and golden toad masks greeted guests with low bows and servile nods. Without sparing a glance at the masked attendants, White Blade swept inside, the hem of his robe trailing behind him. Upon entering, the scene widened into a grand hall, unlike the small, dimly-lit markets. This hall radiated opulence with people in various masks moving about, some engaging in familiar conversations. Seats below were already filled, and the ceiling hosted an array of luxurious, seven-colored glass lamps. Above were three or four layers of private booths for esteemed guests, featuring transparent glass windows that shimmered under the rotating lights. In one corner was a formation that provided direct transfer to the upper booths. White Blade headed straight for it. Nobody noticed a small paper figure drifting down lightly and adhering to the ground as White Blade stepped near the formation. The most dangerous place is often the safest. This paper figure was Xia Ge, who had used a paper pill bought with fifteen points to narrowly escape death through the cover of bronze doors and paper knives. Stuck to the ground, Xia Ge stared blankly at the vibrant glass lamps on the ceiling. She had thought of this, but had never been sure. When she first saw that jade pendant at the black market, she had thought the owner was just there to buy or sell too, but... Upon further reflection, it made perfect sense. Now, it was confirmed that the jade pendant was indeed a white charm for concealing one's aura. Even if his voice had changed, the pendant remained the same. White Blade, carrying a jade pendant just like Huo Bai’s? Could this pendant be mass-produced? Huo Bai… White Blade. One after another, truly a master of disguise. The system gently reminded her: "Host, the paper pill only lasts for half an hour. You might want to find a place to revert and put on clothes." Xia Ge: "..." Indeed, the paper pill was quite useful. It allowed one to stay within the "paper figure," control its actions, and use its adhesive properties to float around. Convenient as it was, its drawback was that it only temporarily housed the body, leaving behind clothes and other items… Plus, the paper was fragile and easily torn. And it only lasted half an hour. This was why Xia Ge hadn’t stuck to White Blade, or rather, Huo Bai to the upper booths—though eavesdropping on conversations might have been handy, if caught without a quick escape, she’d be a sitting duck. Special items like the Silver Ring allowed for combined storage, so Xia Ge had quickly thrown all unnecessary items into the ring, swallowed the pill, and transformed into the paper figure. In the split second as the door was kicked open, she hid among the paper knives, successfully blending in. Thankful for the system's gentle reminder, Xia Ge carefully flipped herself over on the ground, attempting to float up and find a safe hiding spot. A tiny paper figure could be seen quietly flipping over, seemingly ready to take flight, when suddenly, a large eye appeared before her! Startled, Xia Ge clung tightly to the ground, feigning death. “Huh? Is it the wind?” the eye’s owner murmured, hidden behind a mask, holding a broom. He pondered over the human-shaped paper figure that now lay flat on the ground, confused, “Where did this paper come from?” Xia Ge squinted and realized the figure was a cursed infant puppet wearing a toad mask and holding a broom. For the first time, Xia Ge felt a soul-deep shiver through her paper form. Hey, what are you planning to do? “You can’t stay here,” the puppet said, crouching down, its twisted fingers reaching for her. Xia Ge panicked. Contact with a cursed infant puppet was bad news—its touch led to a loss of fortune! Essentially, if touched, you’d get poor!! Desperately wanting to avoid the puppet’s touch, Xia Ge sprang up, pretending to be blown by the wind, spinning lightly through the air. While most things drifted lower, she deliberately floated higher. At a height of forty centimeters, the cursed infant puppet couldn’t reach her, despite angrily waving its broom and calling her names, “You dumb thing, stop running!” Just because you call me dumb doesn’t make me so! Catch me if you can, idiot. Feeling smug, Xia Ge floated up to one meter seventy and looked down at the frustrated puppet below. This was her original height! Who’s dumb now? However, her joy was short-lived. In an unexpected moment, everything turned black! A bandaged hand, dry and warm, gently grasped her. For the first time, Xia Ge encountered such a situation, too shocked to react. So dark… She could faintly hear the cursed infant puppet groveling, “Oh dear guest, please put down that scrap paper. I’ll take you to a seat…” Scrap paper? Watch your tongue! Xia Ge wanted to struggle but feared drawing attention, so she stayed still. “No need,” a low, husky voice replied, sounding like it had been through hardships, “It’s mine.” Hearing this, the cursed puppet bowed repeatedly, “Yes, yes, it’s yours, dear guest!” Just a piece of scrap after all. The second rule of customer service: what the customer says goes. Xia Ge: "..." Hey… “And,” continued the figure, taking two steps forward, emitting a chilling aura, making the puppet retreat instinctively, “It’s not scrap paper.” “…Yes.” The puppet, startled, took another step back, muttering, “Well… you take care then…” It then scurried away. In the stranger's hand, Xia Ge, though anxious about her predicament, felt curious and oddly comforted by the statement. It felt like… this person meant no harm…? No need to worry so much? But then she chided herself. She was literally in someone’s grip! No harm didn’t mean good intentions! She should be planning her escape! After a few steps, the grip on her relaxed. Light from the colorful glass lamps on the ceiling seeped in. Xia Ge cautiously peeked from the bandaged hand, seemingly allowed to do so. Once her head was out, she tensed. …Did this person know she was more than just paper? An intense curiosity to see her captor’s face arose, but turning her paper body was too risky. Resisting, she focused on escaping instead. Who was this person? Smooth, steady steps carried her for a while. Then she heard a tearing sound and felt herself being wrapped in layers of red silk. Xia Ge: "???" Hey? Who are you? What’s your plan? After being securely wrapped and gently placed in a new location, likely an elegant booth, Xia Ge heard footsteps receding and the door closing. From outside, a welcoming voice of a guard puppet echoed, “Ah, esteemed guest…” Just left like that? Who is this? Xia Ge: "…" With the figure gone, Xia Ge wasted no time wriggling out of the red silk, a tough task despite the silk being loosely wrapped. Careful not to tear herself, she finally emerged. She then recognized the silk as a long, soft strip, looked around, and confirmed it was indeed one of the elegant booths she had seen below, furnished with a small table, a splendid divan, and a screen. Luxurious, matching the grandeur of the black market outside. She had been placed before a glass window, allowing her a view below, bathed in the dazzling light of the seven-colored glass lamps. Xia Ge held onto the red silk, feeling a bit bewildered. So, who was that person just now? And why did they bring her here? Looking at the red silk in her "hands," which needed both of her delicate paper hands to lift, she decided to let it go. No matter what, the best course of action was to escape while she could. With that thought, Xia Ge floated off the platform and drifted through the air, aiming for the door's crack to slip out. But as soon as she touched the edge, an invisible, soft barrier bounced her back. Xia Ge: "…Huh?" Unwilling to accept it, Xia Ge tried several more times, but each attempt ended the same way. The barrier was soft yet resilient, and her fragile paper form couldn’t push through. As she fussed around, half an hour began to slip away. Xia Ge was frustrated, “What’s going on here?” The system tentatively explained, "The principle behind the paper pill borrows some techniques from the Yimei transfiguration, except it replaces the spirit with the physical body. Your current state is akin to a Yimei, and this formation is likely set to block entities like Yimei. Once you revert to your original form, you should be able to pass." Xia Ge: "..." So there’s such a twist?! “That person must be mad…” Unwilling to give up, Xia Ge turned back, only to be startled. The red silk that had been wrapped around her and left on the platform, now seemed to be floating down gently, one end rising cautiously while the other remained coiled around the table leg, resembling a shy, peeking red snake. To her astonishment, Xia Ge felt an emotion... could it be bashfulness?! Bashful, my foot?! Wait, no—how did it get down here?! Is it alive?! *Author’s Note:* *Cloaked Figure: "Hmm, caught by surprise."* = = *Lu Yi Shen tossed a landmine at 00:40:47 on 2018-07-03* *Gu Gui tossed a landmine at 10:37:46 on 2018-07-03* *You Li You Xian tossed a landmine at 12:37:55 on 2018-07-03* *Thank you, angels, for the landmines! Love you all!* = = *Reader "Mingtian’s Destination" watered the nutrient solution +10 at 19:55:22 on 2018-07-03* *false +1 at 18:59:45 on 2018-07-03* *Reader "vcvy" watered the nutrient solution +20 at 15:16:07 on 2018-07-03* *Thank you, little angels, for the nutrient solution =3=* = =