"You ask why I entered this dungeon? It's a long story. I'm on pretty good terms with Matsushita..."

"If it's a long story, then make it short."

Ye Shenghua: "..."

After purifying Ye Shenghua and the other two, the four of them briefly discussed. They unanimously agreed that the only way to return to reality was to conquer the dungeon. Thus, they formed a party and continued advancing towards [Frost Castle].

"Speaking of which, Lu Lin, you've grown yet again. I had suspected before whether you were... after all, last time you... weren't very skilled..."

Ye Shenghua's gaze kept darting towards Lu Lin's chest. Lu Lin knew that her current extremely high Charm stat had some influence, so she couldn't really lash out.

She didn't know how other girls dealt with such looks, but at least for Lu Lin, it felt very embarrassing.

‘Most importantly, it seemed like this guy was about to say something very dangerous. Could it be that experience last time made him notice something off about me?’

"Ahem." Feeling as if something was being held over her, Lu Lin's face flushed red. "Don't change the subject!"

Then Lu Lin gathered a mass of magic in her hand and flung it outside the Frostsigh Path corridor, causing a violent explosion.

Boom!

[Killed Log Spirit 'Corroded by Black Mist' lv25. EXP gained: 865]

[Black Mist Shard absorbed. Current Black Mist Possession skill progress: 125/1000]

After purifying the three and devouring the Black Mist from their bodies, Lu Lin's skill proficiency had directly increased by a whole 100 points. The high concentration of Black Mist also restored Lu Lin's Magic Points to more than half.

Her maximum Magic Points had also increased to over ten thousand.

A perfect example of killing a chicken to warn the monkeys. Ye Shenghua immediately stopped his line of thought and obediently answered Lu Lin's questions.

"I received a commission Matsushita posted at the Adventurer's Association." Ye Shenghua spoke slowly. "You know I'm short on money. This guy's pay was extremely high, and besides, I already knew him."

Lu Lin had previously recounted her own experience coming to Frostsigh Path and had also mentioned Matsushita, though she had concealed many key details.

Ye Shenghua continued, "I originally was a contract worker as a game tester for the company, and was in the company's 'Login Pool' playing the game at the time. After receiving Matsushita's message, I used the Frozen Remains dungeon coordinates he uploaded to the Adventurer's Guide and, along with these two companions who also saw the bounty commission, found and entered the dungeon in-game."

The priest and wizard nodded. The three of them were actually temporary party members.

"Who knew, the moment the three of us entered, we were directly teleported straight into a castle with a heavy medieval flavor."

Ye Shenghua's gaze pointed ahead: Frost Castle.

Lu Lin speculated that their entry might have coincidentally overlapped with the company's operation in the dungeon, causing a teleportation mishap.

‘Truly unlucky.’

"Afterwards, a fellow shrouded entirely in Black Mist discovered us. He did something to us, and then I knew nothing more. After being woken up by you, it felt just like waking from a sleep."

Ye Shenghua gestured to the other two to see if they had anything to add, but both also shook their heads.

"Hah, the three of you sure picked a fine time to fall asleep. And luckily, you ran into me."

"What do you mean?" Ye Shenghua was a bit confused.

"Switch over to the news headlines yourselves. See what's happened in the world while you were asleep."

The three of them simultaneously shifted their gaze to the news, their expressions moving from initial confusion to shock, and finally leaving only lingering fear. "Death in the game equals death in reality?"

"The game becomes reality, Black Mist invades the city?"

"What does it mean 'The Euro Federation is currently under a zombie siege'?"

"Damn!"

Only then did the three realize they had just walked through the gates of hell. Fine sweat beaded on Ye Shenghua's forehead. "A great favor needs no thanks. Lu Lin, since you've saved my life, should you ever need help in the future, I am at your command at any time."

[Received a friend request. Requested by: Ye Shenghua]

Lu Lin had no reason to refuse. More friends mean more paths.

As for the other two, Lu Lin also accepted their friend invitations.

"But this is trouble now." Ye Shenghua's expression turned a bit grim. "The company, the Adventurer's Association, the Hunter's Guild—they've all actually become official organizations within the game. And the company as it stands now seems completely on the back foot. I've heard from old friends long ago that the company's game technology has unclear origins, not entirely their own invention. I once thought borrowing alien tech was just fantasy, but now it seems, in all likelihood, it's true. No," he hesitated a moment, "it can only be true."

He continued, "Which means I can't enjoy company benefits anymore."

He could see that in his own system, the contractual agreement signed with the company had been torn apart by an intangible giant hand, leaving behind only the one signed with the Adventurer's Association.

"This is terrible. How am I supposed to earn money now?" The topic took a turn. Who would have thought Ye Shenghua cared most about this? Just like the old Lu Lin, he had eyes only for making money.

"Not necessarily." Lu Lin, however, held the opposite opinion. "In the current situation, how much purchasing power does our real-world currency even still have?"

With a single sentence, Lu Lin woke Ye Shenghua up. "You're right."

Frost Castle grew larger and larger in their eyes. As they drew closer, the blizzard gradually subsided, as if some power in the castle could control the wind and snow.

‘My kin. Well, now the master's kin.’

Ice Heart interjected coldly, identifying the identity of the one within the castle.

‘Something in the castle seems to be blocking my Magic Perception. Ice Heart, can you probe its strength?’ Lu Lin was slightly wary. She recalled that Frost Giant Wolf.

‘Master, do not worry. Last time was merely an accident. This time's opponent will not be that strong.’

‘Not that strong, meaning not weak either.’

Lu Lin noticed that aside from Ye Shenghua, the legs of the two remaining adventurers were trembling.

"Knowing you'll die if you lose, how are you not afraid?" Lu Lin bluntly asked Ye Shenghua. "You're very weak, you know. After leaving the Black Mist Possession state, you're only level 12. The monsters along this corridor could all kill you."

"Little girl." Hearing Lu Lin's words, Ye Shenghua clapped his hands, then laughed to himself. "Hahaha."

"What are you laughing at?"

"Laugh at what? I'm laughing that a little thing like you can put life and death out of mind, and still has the presence of mind to worry about me. Let me tell you, little girl. The human body before modern weaponry is weak. But did the soldiers on the battlefield, facing the enemy's bullets and firepower, even robot armies that know no fear, let that fear consume them?

Yes," Ye Shenghua answered his own question. "They felt fear. But the strength and duty behind them would overcome that fear. Death is nothing to fear." Ye Shenghua thought that if he could have a smoke right now, it would be perfect. "Death is a cool summer night, offering infinite peaceful slumber."

"A meme from decades ago." Lu Lin chuckled. "Uncle, are you trying to lighten the mood? That's way too old-fashioned."

"Really?" Ye Shenghua scratched his head. "I thought it was still pretty popular."

Lu Lin noticed that the two adventurers also let out a laugh.

Beyond the frozen path, the four silhouettes were gradually obscured by the wind and snow, disappearing before the castle gate.