Chapter 39: A Trap Turned Paradise
Leona had barely finished speaking when Queen Fiona’s voice suddenly rang out.
"It is indeed improper for the Prime Minister to make wild assumptions. However, my people recently met with the Frost Monarch. According to him, he was the one who helped you slay Valerius Geryon, the Prince of Demons."
Fiona’s words were like a heavy stone dropped into a still pond, sending ripples through the entire hall.
High upon his throne, King Abraham looked at Leona with genuine interest. "Leona, is what the Queen says true?"
Leona’s expression darkened. She knew the truth was about to be dragged into the light. This was exactly what she and Liam had prepared for. If she denied it now, she would be guilty of deceiving the crown.
"Father, Mother... I did promise whoever helped me that I would keep their identity a secret. If Mother has evidence, she is welcome to present it."
Leona’s response wasn't a direct lie; instead, it made her seem like someone who valued her word above all else. Yet, her words sparked a sense of suspicion in the room. If the helper hadn't been the Frost Monarch, a simple denial would have sufficed. There was no need for such a long-winded explanation—unless she was hiding something.
Queen Fiona smiled thinly. "What a coincidence. My people have brought the Frost Monarch here. To find the truth, we need only bring him forward and settle this face-to-face. What do you think?"
At those words, Leona’s face fell. Although she had expected this, she had to play the part to the very end.
King Abraham arched an eyebrow. "Very well. Bring the Frost Monarch in. Let us settle this."
Corvus the Guide led Liam into the great hall. As Liam walked in, many of the gathered nobles leaned in for a better look. A million Infamy Points—such a thing hadn't been seen in the Astral Kingdom for years. In their eyes, anyone with a million Infamy Points was a villain of the highest order, and Liam was no exception.
"Frost Monarch, the Queen claims you were the one who killed Valerius Geryon. Is this true?" Abraham demanded.
Liam nodded calmly. "It was indeed I who killed Valerius Geryon."
The moment the words left his mouth, Leona snapped back, "Frost Monarch, you should think carefully before you speak. Do not come here and spout such nonsense!"
Abraham raised a hand, signaling Leona to be silent.
"Frost Monarch, if you claim to be the slayer of Valerius Geryon, then tell me—how exactly did you manage it?"
Liam pulled out the treasure Corvus had prepared for him in advance. "With this. It allowed me to bypass the formations and enter the Well of Shattered Stars."
Abraham’s gaze fixed on the artifact in Liam’s hand. Liam didn't hide its properties, allowing everyone in the hall to see its stats.
"Even so," the King continued, "do you truly have the damage output required to kill Valerius Geryon? At your current level—to put it bluntly—you shouldn't even be able to pierce his hide."
Liam remained perfectly confident. "And what if my attacks deal True Damage?"
Abraham’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Guards!"
A general clad in golden armor stepped forward immediately.
"Test your 'True Damage' on him," the King commanded.
Whiz!
Liam raised his bow and loosed an arrow in a single fluid motion.
-20,598!
A massive damage number erupted over the general.
Abraham looked genuinely surprised. Seeing this, Leona still pressed her objection. "Father, this only proves the Frost Monarch has the strength to kill Valerius Geryon. It doesn't prove he was the one who actually did it."
Her argument was logical and well-founded, making her defense seem airtight. However, Fiona’s next words turned Leona’s face pale.
"Your Majesty, if Leona’s partner wasn't the Frost Monarch, then who is this person? Why would she go to such lengths to hide their identity?"
King Abraham turned back to Leona. "Leona, things have come to this. To prove your innocence, you must produce the person who helped you slay Valerius Geryon."
Leona fell silent. After a long moment, she let out a heavy sigh. "Father, I gave that adventurer my word. I will not reveal his identity."
"If that is the case, I shall revoke your rewards for the slaying of Valerius Geryon. Do you have any objections?"
Leona’s heart ached. The leadership of the Stellar Mercantile—a position Seraphina and Tiana were clawing at each other to obtain—was slipping through her fingers.
"I have no objections, Father," she said, her voice firm and resonant. "As a Princess of the Astral Kingdom, if I cannot keep my word, how can I expect anyone to follow me?"
Her words were so powerful that several nobles in the hall began to look at her in a new light. Very few people would sacrifice the Stellar Mercantile just to keep a promise.
Of course, some still thought she was merely making excuses and that the Frost Monarch was definitely her accomplice. They viewed this entire display as a desperate attempt to escape blame. Others, however, realized that Queen Fiona was clearly setting a trap.
Regardless of their conclusions, a small faction of the court had begun to lean toward Princess Leona. This was exactly what Liam had intended with his plan. By playing along with the Queen’s scheme, he gained her trust while Leona gained political capital. Though she "lost" the Stellar Mercantile for now, she gained the respect of the ministers. As for the Mercantile—they could find another way to seize it later.
"Frost Monarch, do you have any evidence of a collaboration between you and the Princess?"
Liam shook his head. The current outcome was already perfect. "No. Leona only gave me a verbal promise. I haven't received any actual benefits from her."
Abraham’s sharp eyes bored into Liam. "Frost Monarch, you are a man of great evil. Are you not afraid that I will have you seized right here?"
"Your Majesty, I have never killed anyone within the Capital City. You may exile me, but that is all."
Abraham let out a cold laugh. "I am the King of the Astral Kingdom. Beyond exile, I can choose to imprison you for half a month. You adventurers seem to be in a desperate race to grow stronger. If I lock you away for fifteen days, it should severely hamper your progress, shouldn't it?"
Liam said nothing. He was waiting for Fiona to speak. He hadn't come here unprepared; he knew the Queen had to protect him, or he wouldn't hesitate to drag her down with him.
Queen Fiona clearly understood this. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Your Majesty, I was the one who brought him here. Look at his Infamy Points—they have already dropped by a hundred thousand. It shows he is actively trying to reform. Why not give him a chance to redeem himself?"
"Oh?" Abraham looked at his Queen. "And what kind of chance did you have in mind?"
"Open the dungeon, 'Traces of the Frost-Corpse,' for him. Let him enter. If he can clear it, his Infamy Points will surely drop significantly."
At Queen Fiona’s suggestion, the expressions of the nobles in the hall shifted. It was clear they were all familiar with the "Traces of the Frost-Corpse" dungeon.
Liam was equally surprised. After collecting the Corpse Miasma earlier, he had received a quest to clear the Frost Corpse dungeon. However, even with his memories of his past life, he hadn't known where the entrance was. Now he understood—the dungeon required King Abraham himself to open it. No wonder it had been a mystery before.
He also noted the subtle changes in the nobles' faces. Judging by their reactions, this dungeon was anything but simple.
"Frost Monarch, since the Queen has spoken for you, the choice is yours," Abraham said. "Fifteen days of imprisonment, or a chance to clear the Ruins of the Frost-Corpse."
Liam’s expression turned solemn. He didn't really have a choice. Fiona had set him up. There was definitely something wrong with this dungeon. It might even be one of those legendary "Soft-Lock" dungeons where you could only respawn inside the instance.
In his past life, some Secret Realms were incredibly twisted. If you died, you didn't respawn in the Capital; you respawned right where you died or at the start of the dungeon. In other words, the only way out was to win. He remembered a team of players who had been trapped in such a dungeon for an eternity. They only escaped after studying the mechanics to perfection and using a war of attrition.
Dungeons usually had a specific trait: as long as the instance wasn't cleared, the mobs wouldn't respawn. For example, if Liam cleared the first floor and moved to the second, the first floor would stay empty no matter how long he took. That team had used this to their advantage, ensuring they never suffered a total party wipe so they could keep throwing bodies at the boss until it died.
For most players, a dungeon like that was a nightmare. But for Liam? Wait, there’s a place this good?
That was exactly what he was thinking. Since he could stack HP infinitely, the harder the dungeon, the better. It wasn't a death trap; it was a paradise for HP stacking. Furthermore, he already had a quest that required him to go there anyway. This was killing two birds with one stone.
"Very well, Your Majesty. I choose to enter the Traces of the Frost-Corpse."
Fiona looked visibly relieved. Abraham smiled and nodded.
"Excellent. Frost Monarch, I look forward to seeing you clear it."
Liam shifted his gaze to Corvus the Guide. Corvus understood the look immediately.
Ding! You have completed Corvus the Guide’s quest.
Rewards: +300 AP, Skill: Void Blink +1.
[Void Blink]
Rank: 1-Star
Effect: Teleport up to 5 meters in any direction. Can pass through obstacles.
Cost: None.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Mastery: 0/1,000.
Liam was stunned. He hadn't expected this. Not only could this skill bypass walls, but it also cost zero mana. If he could level up the Star-Rank, the utility would be peerless.
"Frost Monarch, I am about to open the gate to the Traces of the Frost-Corpse. Are you ready?"
Liam nodded. "I am."
Abraham waved his hands, chanting a complex series of runes. Moments later, a portal of shimmering light manifested in front of Liam. It really did require the King to open it. Liam stepped forward and entered the portal.
The dungeon didn't show a level requirement, but the difficulty options were the same as any other.
"Hell Difficulty."
True to his style, Liam selected the highest setting without hesitation.
Ding! System Warning: This is a special dungeon. Once you enter, you cannot leave until the dungeon is cleared.
Liam raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected the system to actually give him a warning.
"Enter."
He was already here; there was no turning back. He wanted to see just what made this place so special.
In the next instant, Liam found himself standing before a dilapidated, ruined village. The entire world was a frozen wasteland, buried under endless drifts of white snow. In the late stages of his previous life, Liam had entered "Small World" dungeons similar to this. From the outside, it looked like the normal world, but it was actually an isolated dimension.
Ding! You are affected by Extreme Cold. Movement Speed decreased by 5%. Attack Velocity decreased by 5%.
Liam brushed the debuff aside. He didn't care. He began walking toward the snow-covered village. The place was desolate. The monsters he expected to see were nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew open the window of a small hut. A woman inside slammed it shut, her face pale with terror. At that moment, a creature erupted from beneath the snow and lunged toward the center of the village.
Liam immediately drew his bow. He remembered protection quests from his past life—if the local NPCs were killed, it could result in a mission failure or a massive penalty to the final score. The moment the monster moved, his arrow was already in the air.
Whiz!
Spiral-Draw Archery!
The powerful impact slammed into the monster mid-air, knocking it into the snow. Only then did Liam see its stats.
[Frost-Wolf Lycan] (Black Iron)
Level: 50
HP: 9,000,000 / 9,000,000
Attack: 3,999
Skills: ???
Liam’s brow twitched. This dungeon really was going to be interesting. His arrow had clearly dealt over twenty thousand damage, yet the moment the Lycan touched the snow, its health bar instantly refilled to full.
"Is the snow acting like a fountain? As long as it’s touching the ground, it has infinite health regeneration?"
Liam finally realized why this dungeon was considered so difficult. The challenge wasn't the monsters themselves, but the environment's special properties.
But then, a slow smile spread across his face. Wasn't this exactly what he wanted? Lately, he’d been annoyed that monsters died too quickly, preventing him from stacking much HP. But this place... this place was practically tailor-made for him.
Infinite healing. Since he couldn't kill the monster, he could stack HP forever.
Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!
Liam’s arrows tore through the air in rapid succession. Since the Lycan wouldn't die on the snow, he was more than happy to play along. Every shot was a Spiral-Draw Archery, using the knockback to keep the beast at bay. The Frost-Wolf Lycan roared in frustration, unable to close the distance.
HP +3.
HP +3.
...