Welcome to Rule City

In the early morning, Mu Ai stared at the black tentacles that had mysteriously appeared on her wrist. She had heard of allergic reactions and rashes, but never of anyone sprouting extra appendages like these.

The tentacles were thinner than her pinky finger and about the same length, wrapping irregularly around her left wrist. They didn’t hurt or itch, and seemed to have a mind of their own, reaching out to touch her fingers.

“They don’t feel particularly strange,” Mu Ai observed calmly, not overly worried. She had suspected this Instance wouldn’t be straightforward, and here was the proof.

This was likely what Meng Hao had referred to as Mental Pollution, which wouldn’t be cleared even after leaving the Instance. It could only be removed by consuming Fortune Cookies or using other skills and items. If it increased too much, she might go insane upon exiting the Instance, and then be swallowed whole by Guize City.

Thinking of her stock of Fortune Cookies, Mu Ai felt reassured. Panic wouldn’t solve anything, and it was said that the more one panicked, the weaker their Mental Strength became, accelerating the rate of contamination.

After staring at the tentacles for a few more seconds, Mu Ai walked over to Chu Tiankuo’s shelter and rudely woke him up. “Wake up, Cthulhu has given us a treat.”

Chu Tiankuo sat up with a start, scrambling out of the shelter. “Where’s Cthulhu?”

Mu Ai helpfully pointed to his face. “If your beard isn’t moving, then it’s right under your nose.”

Chu Tiankuo had also grown three black tentacles, resembling a beard on his chin, like a male Draenei from World of Warcraft, or perhaps like leftover ink stains from eating squid pasta.

Yikes-if Chu Tiankuo didn’t have a handsome face, this look would be quite an eyesore.

Chu Tiankuo touched his tentacles and saw the ones on Mu Ai’s wrist, his expression changing dramatically, his face flushed and pale by turns as his thoughts raced.

Mu Ai snapped her fingers in front of him. “Focus, let’s analyze.”

“Our experiences with the shipwreck were similar, but I hadn’t heard about the Evil God until you told me,” Chu Tiankuo said, trying to resist the urge to touch the tentacles. “After we met, we’ve been together the whole time, and haven’t seen anything strange.”

“Did anything unusual happen during the first half of the night?” Mu Ai asked. “During my watch in the second half, nothing happened. These tentacles appeared suddenly after sunrise, as if in the blink of an eye.”

“No… wait!” Mu Ai’s words were like a clean cloth, wiping away the dust in Chu Tiankuo’s mind, revealing a chilling image. “Tentacle shadows! I saw tentacle shadows on the sea!”

Chu Tiankuo recounted the deliberately forgotten scene to Mu Ai. “While I was on watch, I felt dazed for a while, and when I looked at the sea again, I saw many tentacles dancing, casting dark shadows that were very clear in the moonlight.”

Mu Ai mused aloud, “Such an odd occurrence, and you didn’t think to mention it?”

Chu Tiankuo scratched his head. “Until you asked, I hadn’t remembered. Even now, I feel like seeing tentacles last night was perfectly normal, nothing to fuss about.”

Mu Ai summoned the Rulebook and glanced at her personal panel. “My Contamination Value was 0 before entering the Instance, now it’s 20.”

Chu Tiankuo quickly checked his own, his expression turning grim. “Mine was 15 before, now it’s 45.”

“I guess my Mental Strength is higher than yours, or maybe I didn’t look at the sea as long,” Mu Ai shrugged. “We don’t know the exact trigger, but we can’t stay here. Tonight, let’s avoid looking at the sea and see if that helps.”

With the Main Quest still undisclosed and the island’s rules unknown, Mu Ai mentally upgraded the Instance’s danger level, refusing to recognize it as anything less than B-level.

“What now?” Chu Tiankuo asked. “Should we head further inland?”

Mu Ai shook her head. “First, we need food and water. We don’t know how long we’ll be out here, or what’s inside. The supplies I brought should be for emergencies. Today, let’s find something to eat from the sea.”

Chu Tiankuo hesitated. “What if going into the sea increases our Contamination Value?”

Mu Ai bent down to pack her things, casting a regretful glance at the shelter they had painstakingly built, speaking calmly. “I swam to this island; if there were issues, they would have shown yesterday, not today. I’m betting daylight is safe. Are you in?”

Chu Tiankuo’s eyes showed a brief struggle before he nodded resolutely. “I’m in! Mental Pollution is better than starving. Let’s go, I’ll join you!”

They gathered their belongings and headed to the beach. Chu Tiankuo, being a strong swimmer, took charge of fishing, while Mu Ai collected coconuts for fresh water, each busy with their tasks, determined not to be the weak link.

Mu Ai had been good at climbing trees as a child, and now, with her enhanced physique, picking coconuts was a breeze.

After gathering about ten coconuts, Mu Ai joined Chu Tiankuo at the beach, intending to learn some swimming basics. She couldn’t abandon the Side Quest now.

Chu Tiankuo agreed readily, knowing that having a teammate with escape skills was beneficial, especially in situations requiring a water escape.

Their friendship wasn’t deep enough for Chu Tiankuo to guarantee he’d save Mu Ai in a crisis, so it was better for her to learn. That way, he wouldn’t be tormented by his conscience.

The benefits of enhanced physical fitness became evident as Mu Ai’s lung capacity had greatly improved, allowing her to hold her breath for extended periods. Under Chu Tiankuo’s guidance, she mastered snorkeling within minutes.

Then, she began treasure hunting in the surrounding waters.

Seaweed? Got it!

Kelp? Got it!

Scallops? Got it!

Unknown items? Got them all!

…

[Side Quest: Look what I found in the sea (Completed)]

With the quest complete, Mu Ai shook off the water and walked ashore. Chu Tiankuo had also gathered a good haul, and together they piled their finds, confident they could make it through the day.

“Lighting a fire during the day should be fine,” Mu Ai said, scanning for suitable wood. Though she hadn’t done it before, she’d seen Bear Grylls do it, and everyone used their hands, so it should be similar. “We can’t store seafood for long; let’s eat our fill before moving on.”

Emmm, hopefully.

“I’ll handle it,” Chu Tiankuo said, pulling a windproof lighter from his pocket. “Don’t worry, I’m great at grilling.”

Mu Ai looked at him in surprise. “Where’d you get a lighter?”

Chu Tiankuo smirked. “Picked it up from the smoking area on the Cruise Ship. It was chaos with the ship sinking, and I happened to pass by.”

“Nice job!” Mu Ai gave him a thumbs-up. “I’ll gather some branches.”

Despite the challenges, by noon, Mu Ai and Chu Tiankuo had filled their stomachs with island food. They packed the coconuts into a crude net bag and headed deeper into Sunburn Island.

At this point, Mu Ai had completed all her Side Quests, but her Achievements remained stagnant, with no changes. The Mini Map’s Exploration Level steadily increased as they progressed, finally reaching 85% after about two hours.

In the cinema, the GIF images on the screen quietly switched, and the dark theater gradually emptied of people.

…

Mu Ai and Chu Tiankuo stood at a crossroads, with groups on both sides, each facing off with tense hostility.

“What now?” Chu Tiankuo nudged Mu Ai, whispering. “Should we try to leave?”

Mu Ai shook her head, holding his arm to stop him. “We can’t leave; we’ll likely have to choose a side.”

On the left were eleven people, looking disheveled but wearing normal clothes, holding makeshift weapons of branches and stones, warily watching the other side.

On the right were over thirty people, mostly young and strong, with more formidable weapons, clearly well-used rather than hastily assembled.

Compared to the jeans and shirts on the left, the attire on the right was much older, with no cotton or linen, only various styles of grass skirts.

Their faces were painted with white oil, and they wore decorations of shells or feathers, each with a solemn expression, seemingly waiting for something.

Mu Ai suspected they were waiting for her and Chu Tiankuo, as both groups turned to look at them simultaneously. Since hiding wasn’t an option and running was impossible, she decided to face them openly and see what they wanted.

“Hey! Come over here,” the leader of the Civilized People called, beckoning them. “Don’t let those savages drag you into their cave!”

“Hmph! At least we have caves!” the Indigenous People’s leader slammed his staff into the ground, addressing Mu Ai and Chu Tiankuo. “You’ve been cursed by the Dark Deity. Come to us, strangers, and worship our Deity to restore yourselves.”

The Civilized People leader retorted, “Only with us can you hope to return to the mainland. Their rules are so strict, you might be executed for any excuse! Where are Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhao who went with you? Where are they?”

The Indigenous leader snorted. “You had sixteen or seventeen people initially; now there are only a few left. Did they die, or are they cursed, becoming neither human nor ghost-I bet it’s the latter.”

Both sides exchanged heated words, nearly tearing each other’s reputations apart, before finally turning their attention to Mu Ai and Chu Tiankuo.

“Choose quickly, join us or them. It’s hard to survive alone on the island.”

Chu Tiankuo leaned close to Mu Ai, whispering, “You decide, I’ll follow your lead.”

Mu Ai nodded slightly, considering both sides before pointing to the Civilized People. “I choose this side.”

She intended to approach the Indigenous People eventually, but not now. In unfamiliar and dangerous places, people instinctively chose to stay with their kind.

Mu Ai herself didn’t mind, but since she was with Chu Tiankuo, she felt it necessary to choose a simpler start.