Calamity Messenger-Chapter 52 - 40: Shelter (Part 2)

"Unlike other Secret Realms, anyone entering the Mansu Forest Land will be transported to their own trial ground, making it impossible to form groups. However, trials are not necessarily conducted individually. If enough people enter at the same time, they often form four-member teams to undergo trials together."

"In our Scholarly Clan circle, the most important gain from the Mansu Forest Land is not the reward chest after score settlement, but selecting talents—anyone who scores high in the Mansu Forest Land indicates they have exceedingly resilient mental strength and huge potential; every family will prioritize resources for training them. Generally speaking, those who can last three hours in the Mansu Forest Land are deemed talented enough to be on the Hidden Dragon Ranking."

"The Court also hopes to use this method to select pillars of talent and will even reward corresponding contribution points based on each family’s score in the Mansu Forest Land."

"In the past, I probably wouldn’t have participated in the Mansu Forest Land since I’m the sole heir of the Qian Family, and I don’t need to prove my potential. But ever since...the situation of the Qian Family deteriorated, contribution points have been declining year by year. If this continues, we might fall out of the prominent families. I have to seize every opportunity to improve contribution points to retain the Qian Family’s prestigious status."

At this point, Qian Gongyu stole a glance at ’Jiang Shi,’ bit her lip gently, and her fingers kept intertwining as if she were struggling internally.

"Sister Jiang Shi, you should go to the Shang Family now and avoid punishment." She lowered her head and slowly said, "The reason I pulled you in is that I feel certain you can achieve a high score in Mansu Forest Land, which would earn the Qian Family considerable contribution points."

"If I hadn’t deliberately used you, you wouldn’t have offended the Luo Family, nor would you have been punished...it’s my fault."

The carriage fell into prolonged silence, with only the rustling of various birds and insects in the jungle outside speaking. After a while, Qian Gongyu saw ’Jiang Shi’ stand up, her head burying even lower, wishing she could hide her face in her chest.

Woosh, woosh, woosh...

Rhythmic swooshing sounds echoed in the carriage, and Qian Gongyu lifted her head to see ’Jiang Shi’ practicing punches in the open space.

"What...what are you doing?"

"Didn’t you say it’s dangerous outside? So I’m honing my boxing skills here."

"Aren’t you going to seek shelter with the Shang Family? Don’t worry about me, I can’t protect you any way—"

"I’m not worried about you, but I won’t seek shelter with the Shang Family either."

"But without the Shang Family’s protection, how will you escape punishment? It’s Luo Weijin’s people who administer the whipping, they won’t let you off!"

"It’s simple, I won’t give them the chance to punish me."

Qian Gongyu stared blankly at ’Jiang Shi’ practicing boxing as if no one were around, unsure of what to say. Without giving the chance for punishment, meaning staying in the Mansu Forest Land for six hours—she didn’t know if anyone ever achieved this record before.

Even Shang Xinlei and Jie Yuan Shao wouldn’t dare to boast such a claim.

Arrogance? Ignorance? Overconfidence?

She wanted to reiterate the dangers of the Mansu Forest Land, wanting ’Jiang Shi’ to know how ludicrous her thoughts were. But whether it was because she couldn’t bear to push away the rare gem she unexpectedly found, or ’Jiang Shi’s confidence surpassing any aristocratic heir’s was too dazzling, she ultimately said nothing but changed into a set of suit suitable for active cultivation activities.

"You want to practice boxing, I’ll spar with you then. Don’t underestimate me, I’ve transitioned to a messenger through boxing!"

"Your punches are quite ordinary, seems you haven’t practiced much before, I can teach you if I have time."

"That was my mistake just now, let’s do it again..."

"Your progress is quick, seems I need to take it seriously..."

"You were just lucky earlier, now I’m going all out!"

"Ow, ow, ow—"

Upon returning to the carriage, Qian Gongyu was already exhausted, dirtied from head to toe, clearly having been knocked down more than once.

"Jiang Shi Jiang Shi, I sparred with you in boxing just now, now join me for a bath!"

"Okay."

"Once we finish bathing, let’s not practice again or we’ll sweat, hurry up to bed, we have to enter Mansu Forest Land early tomorrow morning. Come, sleep together, my bed can squeeze in a bit more."

"Okay."

"It’s my first time sleeping with someone my age. Hey, Jiang Shi, what do you usually do?"

"Training."

"I tell you, the chicken in my hometown is especially delicious, you absolutely have to come and taste it."

"Okay."

"Shang Xinlei’s set of clothes looks great, I want to make one when I get back, how about I order one for you too? What’s your favorite color?"

"Miss, sleep."

"Oh."

Yan Qing put down the game console, glancing at the notes on Mansu Forest Land on the table.

No more than four-member random team dungeon, lasts for three days, each stay for up to twelve hours, content involving illusions and mental pressure, scoring based on how long one persists to achieve more points...

This dungeon feels...boring.

Players don’t physically enter the dungeon, the dungeon uses illusions to pressure game characters, what’s it got to do with players? After all, this is the annual limited-time dungeon from ’Messenger,’ and the gameplay is just this?

One still has to enter the dungeon to know the mechanics.

...

...

Early the next morning, under a clear sky, Forbidden Army soldiers had already assembled and guarded the entrance of Mansu Forest Land, having finished breakfast, Scholarly Clan youths gathered in groups on the grass, chatting casually till Shang Xinlei and Jie Yuan Shao appeared, then they quickly crowded around them, forming a social circle with the two at the center.