Chapter 69
In this B-rank mall dungeon, players had to find the secret of the mall’s shopping coupons while following the rules set by the mall owner.
The mall was filled with traps and pitfalls, easy to fall into if one wasn’t careful.
Whenever a player broke a rule, the mall owner would appear, hunting down the “mice” who dared to disobey, devouring them one by one until none remained.
Before the mall dungeon merged with the real-world mall, two players had already been caught and devoured by the mall owner.
Dao-ge and his group had survived by using other players as shields.
But their joy was short-lived. The mall owner had followed them!
“Impossible! The dungeon merged with the real world. How can the core monster still follow? And the rules should have been rewritten…”
Dao-ge suddenly stopped, a thought striking him.
He forgot about confronting Shen Yan and Xing Nuo and grabbed his underling, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
“Do you remember the system notification about updated dungeon rules?!”
Returning to a familiar real-world setting and no longer sensing the core monster’s threat, the thugs had become careless, almost disregarding the dungeon’s rules.
But now, with the mall owner’s appearance, panic set in.
The underling nodded vigorously, his earlier arrogance gone, tears welling up in his eyes.
“There was a notification, but we thought the mall owner wasn’t here, so we didn’t pay attention.”
Without the threat of the mall owner, they hadn’t bothered with the rules.
But now…the mall owner had followed them?!
Dao-ge’s face turned grim, and he quickly checked the updated rules on his system panel:
[After a friendly negotiation between the mall owner and the CEO of Shen Group, “Jiale Mall” is now officially under the ownership of Shen Mall. Updated rules are as follows:
1) Due to unforeseen circumstances, the dungeon has merged with a real-world mall. Please treat all humans in the mall with respect and refrain from violence.
2)…
17) Do not harm human children. (Violation of this rule will result in permanent pursuit by all monsters in all Shen Group dungeons!)]
Seeing the new rules about being kind to humans and, strangely, not harming human children, Dao-ge’s heart sank.
We’re screwed!
How many people had they killed already?
Fortunately, they hadn’t harmed any children.
The underling, having quickly scanned the updated rules, his voice trembling, called out to Dao-ge.
“What do we do?! What if that mall monster comes for us?!”
Dao-ge’s face was grim, his heart sinking.
“I don’t know. Every man for himself.”
He pushed his underling forward.
As the underling screamed, the mall owner, its massive, grotesque body covered in tumor-like growths, appeared, its gaping maw swallowing the underling whole.
The sickening crunch of bones echoed through the mall as the terrified shoppers screamed.
The mall owner, dragging its massive body, quickly moved to pursue Dao-ge.
The screams of the terrified shoppers intensified.
Seeing the monstrous mall owner devour the thug, those who had never witnessed such a scene almost vomited.
Xing Nuo, his eyes covered by his brother’s hand, only heard the screams and cries of terror.
His long eyelashes fluttered against Shen Yan’s palm as he tried to guess what was happening.
“Big Brother, Mall Ownew came…chased bad men away?”
Shen Yan hummed, watching as the mall owner chased the fleeing players, and scoffed.
“Idiots.”
Did they think they could do whatever they wanted just because the dungeon had merged with the real world?
A dungeon was still a dungeon. No matter how realistic it seemed, the players’ priority was to follow the rules and survive.
Not to kill and terrorize ordinary people.
The moment Shen Yan realized something was wrong, he had contacted the dungeon manager and “amicably acquired” the mall.
He had also added a rule to protect Xing Nuo, but, for some reason, he hadn’t explicitly named him.
Watching the thugs flee in terror, the people in the mall felt a mixture of relief and fear.
What kind of monster was this mall owner?!
Would it come for them after finishing off the thugs?!
As the mall owner hunted down the rule-breaking players, the shoppers, regaining their senses, hid in shops, restrooms, and behind counters, trying to avoid being seen.
The play area where Xing Nuo and Shen Yan were wasn’t very big, an open-plan space with nowhere to hide.
And since Dao-ge had destroyed the only entrance, the people inside couldn’t escape, their gazes, some open, some furtive, fixed on Shen Yan—
the only one who had dared to confront Dao-ge.
A high school student, trembling slightly, approached Shen Yan and whispered:
“Sir, do you know what’s going on? Why is this happening?”
This was the question everyone wanted to ask.
What was wrong with this mall?
Or rather, had the outside world also become like this?
Had the apocalypse arrived, and would they now have to live in fear of monsters?
Shen Yan looked at the high school student, who was wearing the same uniform as Shen Baizhou, and frowned, glancing at his expensive watch.
“Shouldn’t you be in school at this time?”
His tone was certain.
The high school student, a truant himself, was stunned by the question.
Xing Nuo, his eyes still covered, shook his head vigorously, his voice sweet.
“Skipping school bad. Zaizai no skip school!”
Shen Yan, hearing this, looked at the proud little one and poked his tummy.
“Who pretended to be sick and skipped kindergarten this morning?”
Xing Nuo, deflated, shrank his neck and mumbled, unable to argue.
“Zaizai…Zaizai didn’t know…”
Shen Yan, not bothering to argue with him, turned to the high school student, who should have been in class.
“Go back to school after this is over.”
Having lived in the human world for so long, Shen Yan had also been influenced by human values. He instinctively felt that school was important.
Especially high school!
A crucial period in a person’s life!
And skipping school was a bad influence on children.
Thinking this, he turned to Xing Nuo and said sternly:
“Don’t learn from this big brother. Skipping school is bad for your future. Xing Nuo has to go to university someday. Be a good student and study hard.”
Xing Nuo and the high school student, chastised, lowered their heads.
The other people, listening to Shen Yan, felt their fear subside slightly.
It was as if they still had hope of leaving this mall, of going back to school, of seeing another day.
They huddled together, taking deep breaths, trying to stay calm and reassure each other.
Shen Yan, carrying Xing Nuo, walked to the hallway and saw the mall owner catch the last player, Dao-ge, and devour him in one gulp.
Dao-ge’s screams were cut short.
The other people, watching from the doorways, felt no sympathy.
He deserved it!
The mall owner, having devoured Dao-ge and his thugs, its tumors growing larger, some even oozing pus, its appearance grotesque,
was savoring its meal when it heard a cold voice from the fourth floor.
“Come up here. Let’s talk business.”
The mall owner, opening its eyes, saw the new owner, the CEO of Shen Group, and scurried upstairs.
There was a semi-outdoor dessert shop on the fourth floor, empty, since no one had chosen to hide there.
It was a convenient location for Shen Yan.
He sat down with Xing Nuo, placed some money on the counter, and ordered a dessert for the little one.
“Big Brother has to discuss some business with the mall owner. Xing Nuo, be a good boy and eat your dessert, okay?”
Xing Nuo nodded obediently, sitting on a small, light blue chair, swinging his little legs.
“Zaizai eat cake. No bother Big Brother!”
Shen Yan ruffled his hair, praised him, and then went behind a half-wall to talk to the mall owner.
He wanted to know one thing—
“Why did your dungeon invade the real world?”
The mall owner’s tumors pulsed as it tried to make itself smaller, hiding behind the half-wall, not wanting Xing Nuo to see its grotesque form.
“I…I don’t know. The time came?”
It couldn’t explain it. It was just as confused!
How had its perfectly normal dungeon suddenly merged with the real world and caught the attention of Shen Yan, that monster?!
What bad luck! Now it had to work for Shen Yan!
