Chapter 109: The Treasure of Statepool City
Luxian’s expression remained icy.
She walked over, grabbed the trembling officials by their collars, and dragged them away from Shen Yu.
Only after being pulled dozens of meters away did the leading official finally recover from his terror.
He pointed at Shen Yu with trembling fingers.
"Y-You..."
"You dared use a supernatural ability against me?!"
Ho Yong stepped forward without hesitation.
"Our mission was to eliminate the Combined Burial Village dungeon."
"It has disappeared."
"The mission is complete."
"So what’s the problem?"
"As for Mo Han..."
"He died."
"What does that have to do with the participants from Statepool City?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"Don’t tell me..."
"You actually believe our people murdered your precious prophet?"
The official’s lips trembled.
"You..."
"You lower-ranking people..."
"If you don’t leave..."
"I’ll..."
Before he could finish—
Shen Yu’s amused voice drifted over from the distance.
"If you don’t leave..."
"I can always invite your beloved Mo Han to visit you in your bedroom tonight."
Silence.
The official froze.
His face instantly turned ghostly white.
"R-Run!"
Without another word, he scrambled to his feet and fled.
The other officials followed behind him in complete panic.
In only seconds...
Every single one of them had disappeared from sight.
Luxian clicked her tongue.
"What a bunch of cowards."
"They spend every day giving speeches."
"But when something actually happens..."
"They’re the first ones to run."
Ho Yong sighed helplessly.
"They’re still our leaders..."
Luxian shook her head.
"It doesn’t matter."
"Once Shen Yu’s abilities are reported to Jingnan Headquarters..."
"They’ll understand his value."
"This won’t hurt him."
Instead—
She smiled faintly.
"He deliberately showed me that illusion."
"He wanted witnesses."
"He wanted people to understand..."
"His value is no less than anyone else’s."
Ho Yong slowly nodded.
"I understand."
"I’ll report everything exactly as it happened."
Two and a half hours later...
The official news from Statepool City was updated.
Breaking News
The Combined Burial Village S-Rank Dungeon has been completely eliminated.
Participants Mo Han and Tai Shan were confirmed dead during the operation.
The dungeon was successfully cleared under the leadership of Shen Yu, with Lucian providing support.
The announcement immediately exploded across the internet.
Comments flooded in by the hundreds of thousands.
North Province Resident: Wait... Shen Yu cleared another S-Rank dungeon?
GhostHunter88: How did he even do it?
CornerKingFanClub: Don’t tell me he conquered another female ghost...
DefinitelyNotAI: Someone count how many ghost goddesses Shen Yu has befriended already.
DungeonAddict: Two S-Rank dungeons in a row. This guy is terrifying.
FutureSurvivor: Shen Yu is becoming the strongest newcomer in the country.
Huajiao Mountain Cremation Palace
Ding—
The elevator doors slowly opened.
Shen Yu stepped inside alone.
After pressing the control panel...
His brows rose slightly.
Two new buttons had appeared.
Floor 7
Floor 8
"So..."
"So clearing another S-Rank dungeon unlocked more permissions."
Curious, he pressed 7.
The elevator doors slid open.
Rows upon rows of memorial displays stretched before him.
Photographs.
Records.
Black gravestones.
Each belonged to a former dungeon participant.
Han Yun
Statepool City.
Entered dungeons 13 times.
Ultimately perished inside an SS-Rank Dungeon.
Leon
Statepool City.
Entered dungeons 9 times.
Ultimately perished inside an SS-Rank Dungeon.
Shen Yu slowly walked past every memorial.
The farther he went...
The heavier his heart became.
Every person displayed here had survived at least eight dungeons.
Every one of them had once been considered a genius.
Yet...
Without exception...
They all fell before SS-Rank dungeons.
Shen Yu quietly exhaled.
"So..."
"The gap between S-Rank and SS-Rank..."
"Really is that enormous."
He remained silent for a moment before stepping back into the elevator.
This time...
He selected Floor 8.
The eighth floor looked completely different.
Metal cabinets lined every wall.
Each cabinet was sealed tightly and marked with a number.
Shen Yu walked closer.
Inside every cabinet rested bizarre objects recovered from dungeons.
His attention was immediately drawn to one of them.
A strange syringe.
Inside it...
Fresh crimson blood pulsed as though it were alive.
Beside the display was a short description.
No. 001
Recovered from B-Rank Dungeon: Insane Asylum
Disposable Recovery Agent
A masterpiece created by a mad doctor.
Immediately accelerates cellular regeneration after injection.
Allows rapid recovery from severe physical injuries.
Exchange Price: 100 Points
"So that’s how it works..."
"No wonder they said I’d understand after surviving more dungeons."
"It turns out..."
"The lower floors are an exchange vault."
Shen Yu placed a finger on the screen.
A holographic interface instantly appeared.
Current Points: 200
Exchange Disposable Recovery Agent?
YES / NO
"Two hundred..."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"So clearing one S-Rank dungeon gives roughly one hundred points."
"Dungeons below S-Rank probably reward even less."
His eyes returned to the syringe.
"One hundred points for a single injection..."
"That’s not cheap."
"But..."
"If it can save a life..."
"It might actually be worth every point."
Shen Yu continued walking deeper into the mysterious eighth floor.
He had a feeling...
The real treasures hidden beneath Statepool City had only just begun to reveal themselves.
Shen Yu hesitated for a moment before purchasing the item.
After all, his injuries would heal naturally with time, especially with the enhancement granted by his D-rank talent. There was no need to waste precious points now.
A Disposable Recovery Agent...
Still, if he ever found himself entering a high-difficulty dungeon, having one prepared in advance would undoubtedly prove invaluable.
His gaze shifted beyond the first metal display.
Shen Yu slowly examined the remaining shelves.
The number of supernatural artifacts stored by the Statepool City Defense Department wasn’t large. Only eighteen compartments on the wall were occupied.
Yet every single item represented the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of countless dungeon explorers over the years.
No. 007
B-Rank Dungeon: Evil Spirit Doll
Recovered Item: Substitute Doll
A doll tainted by eerie energy.
Once activated, it transformed into an exact copy of its user, inheriting all of the user’s current negative conditions while simultaneously drawing the attention of supernatural entities.
The duplicate would then begin an unpredictable escape.
Note: The Substitute Doll automatically returns to its owner after the dungeon ends.
Exchange Cost: 500 Points
"That’s... incredible."
Shen Yu’s eyes lit up.
Inside the display case rested a doll roughly the size of a Barbie doll.
Unfortunately...
Five hundred points.
The price alone was enough to make him sigh.
He could only admire it before moving on.
Naturally, treasures like these weren’t exclusive to the Statepool City Defense Department.
Every artifact recovered from dungeons was registered as national strategic property.
The only legitimate way to obtain one was by earning enough contribution points through surviving dungeons.
No shortcuts existed.
No. 008
S-Rank Dungeon: Mountain Temple Evil Sacrifice
Recovered Item: Death Divine Incense
A stick of incense once offered to an evil deity.
It had been stained with the blood of that god, granting it terrifying suppressive power against supernatural beings.
Once lit...
No ghost or evil spirit could approach the holder.
However, the stronger the surrounding supernatural entity, the faster the incense would burn.
After each dungeon concluded, the incense would restore itself to its original state.
Exchange Cost: 1,000 Points
"Damn..."
"This really is Statepool City’s greatest treasure."
Shen Yu couldn’t help feeling amazed.
As his eyes swept across the remaining supernatural artifacts, the final display case completely stunned him.
The exchange price was astronomical.
At least ten successful S-Rank dungeon completions would be required before anyone could afford it.
But...
Its effect was nearly flawless.
Worth every single point.
"What a shame..."
"For now, I can only look."
Shaking his head with a bitter smile, Shen Yu reluctantly left the eighth floor.
He returned briefly to the seventh floor, silently reading the files of the dungeon participants who had sacrificed their lives over the years.
Only after a long while did he finally leave the Defense Department and head home.
Creak...
The villa door slowly opened.
The instant Shen Yu stepped inside, he caught the faint scent of perfume lingering in the air.
He frowned.
Someone was here.
Before he could react—
Pop.
The lights in the living room flickered on one after another.
Immediately afterward—
A row of crimson candles on the dining table ignited by themselves.
The warm candlelight illuminated the room.
A bottle of red wine rested atop an elegant crimson tablecloth.
Sitting calmly across from it...
Was Luxian.
Her long wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders.
Bright red lipstick curved into a teasing smile.
She had changed into a brand-new outfit.
Beneath a flowing crimson dress, delicate fishnet stockings wrapped around her long legs.
Leaning lazily against the chair, she looked at Shen Yu with amusement dancing in her eyes.
"You’re back."
Shen Yu frowned.
"Luxian."
"What are you doing in my house?"
"I remember telling you."
"Unless it’s an emergency..."
"No one is allowed inside."
It wasn’t that he disliked visitors.
The real problem was...
If Yang Jin happened to appear...
Things would become unimaginably troublesome.
Luxian rolled her eyes.
"What are you so nervous about?"
"Afraid I’ll catch you hiding another ghost girlfriend?"
She chuckled.
"Relax."
"I’ve heard men have strange hobbies."
"It’s perfectly normal."
She casually crossed her legs again, the movement elegant and effortless.
Then she smiled mischievously.
"So..."
"My people managed to recover everything from your computer."
Shen Yu sat opposite her, expressionless.
"So you really investigated me."
Luxian shrugged unapologetically.
"Of course."
"You’re about to become one of us."
"We have to conduct a complete background investigation."
"One of you?"
Shen Yu raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"The National Team."
Luxian’s smile gradually became serious.
"In Combined Burial Village..."
"You deliberately revealed one of your abilities."
"Mirror Flower, Water Moon."
"And according to the dungeon settlement..."
"You also obtained another skill."
"Perfect Timeline."
She looked directly into Shen Yu’s eyes.
"A time-related ability."
"That means..."
"Besides the illusion skill you demonstrated earlier..."
"You possess at least one additional high-level ability."
She paused before continuing.
"Shen Yu..."
"Someone with two powerful skills..."
"Combined with your dungeon performance..."
"You’re already comparable to an S-Rank talent user."
She smiled faintly.
"Just before you arrived..."
"Your information was officially submitted."
"You’ve already entered the candidate list..."
"For the National Team."