Chapter 505: Speculation, Meeting Crystal Lynn

Chapter 505: Chapter 505: Speculation, Meeting Crystal Lynn

Seraphina Sullivan recalled the frenzied vines from when she first entered the Trial Dungeon.

Those plants were clearly more than just abnormal.

They had truly become predators, grown aggressive, and could even sense the location of their prey.

If it was merely a mental influence, how could something like a plant, which lacks complex consciousness, undergo such a drastic change?

"Animals and plants are both affected..." Seraphina Sullivan muttered to herself. "It’s impossible that humans would be the exception."

She suddenly remembered something.

Although she had encountered danger since entering the dungeon, her mental state had remained stable.

No anger, no irritability, none of that impulse to kill.

Why?

She called up her Skills panel, her gaze falling upon one particular skill—

[Spirit Defense]

This was a Skill she had obtained from a Treasure Chest, capable of defending against spiritual attacks and influences.

Could it be...

’The reason I’m unaffected is because I have this Skill?’

Seraphina Sullivan’s eyes brightened.

’In that case, is the Demonization in this world essentially a form of spiritual contamination?’

Spirit Defense could resist it, and Medical Soothing could pacify it.

Then for those who didn’t have a Spirit Defense Ability—

Seraphina Sullivan’s expression grew grim.

The danger level of this world just rose even higher.

Ordinary people, or Players with insufficient spiritual resistance, would likely be corrupted by the Demonization if they stayed in this world too long. They would gradually lose their minds, become irritable and crazed, and finally—

become one of those Demonic Creatures.

"Master?" Flora noticed the change in her expression. "What’s wrong?"

Seraphina Sullivan shook her head and explained her theory.

Flora’s face paled as well. "Then... what about the Native People?"

"If they don’t have Special Abilities, or a strong enough spiritual will..." Seraphina Sullivan took a deep breath. "They’re either already dead or on the verge of Demonization."

The mission required her to save one hundred Native People.

But if the Native People themselves were starting to undergo Demonization, what did "saving" even mean?

Was it simply protecting them from being killed by Demonic Creatures?

Or did it also mean helping them fight the demonic corruption?

If it was the latter—

Seraphina Sullivan glanced at her Medical Soothing Skill and felt a little more at ease.

At least she had a way.

...

"Let’s go." Seraphina Sullivan stood up. "The mission requires us to survive for a month and save one hundred Native People. Hiding in one place obviously isn’t an option. We need to actively search for them."

Flora nodded and followed behind her.

The two of them walked out of the classroom and into the hallway.

With a thought, Seraphina Sullivan tried to summon pigeons to scout the area.

A flash of light, and several gray-and-white pigeons appeared.

The pigeons cooed, tilting their heads at Seraphina Sullivan, as if they hadn’t yet figured out what was going on.

The next second.

Several dark shapes suddenly shot out from the shadows at the end of the hall!

They were vines, moving with startling speed!

The pigeons didn’t even have time to flap their wings before they were entangled by the vines and dragged instantly into the darkness.

Then came a chewing sound that set one’s teeth on edge, followed by the pigeons’ shrill cries.

The cries stopped abruptly.

Seraphina Sullivan: "..."

Flora silently took a step back, staying close to her side.

"Well... I didn’t see that coming." The corner of Seraphina Sullivan’s mouth twitched.

The reconnaissance pigeon plan was over before it even began.

It seemed that in this world, any living thing out in the open would become a target.

She needed a more cautious approach.

"I guess I’ll have to do it myself," Seraphina Sullivan sighed, pulling out an item—

[Three Realms Compass].

Before entering the Trial Dungeon, she had deliberately placed a mark on Sean Chandler, Dexter Luther, Crystal Lynn, Matthew Dawson, and Paul Payne.

Now, it was time to put it to use.

She infused it with Energy. The needle on the Compass spun rapidly, then slowly came to a halt, displaying several points of light.

Seraphina Sullivan looked closer, her brow knitting slightly.

Sean Chandler’s point of light... was very far away, probably on the other side of the city.

Dexter Luther and Matthew Dawson weren’t close by either; they were scattered in different directions.

But—

Her gaze fell on one particular point of light.

Crystal Lynn.

That point of light was extremely close, so close that it was almost on top of her own.

"She’s right here?" Seraphina Sullivan looked up at Flora. "Crystal Lynn is very close. She might be just around here."

Flora’s eyes lit up. "Then let’s hurry and find her!"

Without hesitation, the two immediately followed the Compass’s directions, hurrying toward Crystal Lynn.

...

「At this moment.」

Crystal Lynn was sinking into deep despair.

She was bound tightly by thick vines, suspended in mid-air.

The vines constricted her body like snakes, crushing her chest. Each breath was an agonizing struggle.

Her face was already turning purple from lack of air.

Her consciousness began to fade.

’Am I... going to die...?’

She struggled to turn her eyes downward.

Beau, her White Jade Snake, was locked in a frantic battle with the plants in the classroom.

But the snake was no longer listening to her commands.

Its serpentine eyes glowed with an eerie red light, and its attacks were frenzied and chaotic. It seemed less like it was trying to save her and more like it was venting its own bloodlust.

Her other beast companion had run off somewhere, too.

Tears streamed silently down Crystal Lynn’s face.

She thought of Freya.

She thought of her little sister, still waiting for her back at the Shelter.

’If I die here, what will happen to Freya?’

’Who will take care of her?’

"I’m... sor...ry..."

Her consciousness grew hazier, and her vision started to go black.

Just as she was about to lose consciousness—

BANG!

Two figures appeared in the doorway.

Backlit, Crystal Lynn couldn’t make out their faces, but she recognized the familiar silhouette, the flowing long hair, the tall, straight posture.

"Seraphina..."

She used the last of her strength to utter a faint whisper.

Then, her world went completely black.

Seraphina Sullivan didn’t hesitate.

With a cold flash from the Magic Scissors in her hand, the vines coiled around Crystal Lynn snapped.

The severed vines still writhed on the floor like dying snakes. Seraphina Sullivan pinned them with her foot and delivered another cut, extinguishing their life for good.

As Crystal Lynn’s limp body slid downward, Seraphina Sullivan caught her and gently set her down in a corner against the Wall.

Meanwhile, Beau the White Jade Snake was still tangled up with several vines.

Its serpentine eyes glowed with an eerie red light, and its attacks were wild and haphazard. It was less of a battle and more of a mindless frenzy.

Several vines took the opportunity to coil around its body and began to tighten.

Seraphina Sullivan stepped forward, and with a swing of her scissors, the vines snapped.

Freed from the vines, Beau’s first instinct wasn’t to flee, but to turn and strike at Seraphina Sullivan.

Its Poisonous Fangs glinted ominously in its open maw.

"Beau, calm down!"

Crystal Lynn’s weak voice called out from the corner of the Wall.

But Beau could no longer hear her.

Seraphina Sullivan didn’t dodge. Instead, she reached out and gently placed her hand on Beau’s serpentine head.

Medical Soothing, activate.

A soft white light flowed from her palm, seeping into Beau’s body.

The snake’s reddened eyes trembled violently a few times, then the crimson slowly faded, returning them to their original amber color.

Beau’s movements froze.