C9 A Map Destroyer

Jing Zhe's slender sword flickered like lightning, severing the tentacles of the grotesque flesh monster before him. Xie Yu couldn't shake the feeling that Jing Zhe's strength was somewhat excessive.

Before diving into the game, Xie Yu had thoroughly researched the expected power levels for each rank, and Jing Zhe's prowess seemed off the charts.

Yet, Jing Zhe appeared to be just another regular player; nothing about him stood out. After a few quick glances, Xie Yu shifted his focus elsewhere.

Maybe this player was a martial arts master in the real world, making his in-game strength beyond that of a typical level 35 player quite reasonable.

"Hiss!"

The creature let out a roar, spewing unintelligible gibberish that neither Jing Zhe nor Xie Yu could comprehend. Not that it mattered—neither of them was particularly interested.

Jing Zhe's feet lightly touched the ground before he sprang up once more, his sword dancing through the air, now splattered with specks of dark red blood.

"Let's finish this quickly and head to Sun Square!" Xie Yu called out, standing back a bit with his hands cupped around his mouth.

At the sound of Xie Yu's voice, Jing Zhe's swordplay hesitated briefly, and a crack appeared in his usually icy demeanor.

"You sure don't mince words," Jing Zhe remarked from above, a hint of amusement in his voice. Xie Yu just shrugged. It would be foolish not to leverage such a powerful ally.

The monster shrieked. Annoyed, Jing Zhe's gaze hardened once more as he faced the puppet-like creature responsible for his brother's death. The thought of his brother, possibly watching over him, fueled his ferocity.

With a final agonized scream, the creature's four tentacles were sliced off, and its body was chopped into countless pieces. It exploded into a reluctant burst of white light and dissipated.

"It was just a puppet after all, albeit a more vicious-looking one," Jing Zhe mused, descending from a nearby boulder. He flicked the blood from his sword with a look of distaste, as if the blade had been sullied by something vile.

"Let's go find the hand that controls the puppet."

Jing Zhe wiped the grime from his sword and turned to Xie Yu, who stood at a distance from the battlefield. "Let's head to Sun Square," he suggested.

Xie Yu nodded, his smile crinkling his eyes. It was quite pleasant to have a pro like Jing Zhe lead the way, sparing him the effort.

Surveying their surroundings, they noted the absence of any NPCs other than the defeated golem. The crack in the sky hadn't sealed up with the golem's demise but seemed to widen even faster, as if awakened.

They sprinted towards Sun Square, encountering no more creatures along the way. Light filtered through the sky's fissures, revealing glimpses of stars.

Xie Yu and Jing Zhe momentarily halted, looking up. "If this mirrored world falls apart, we should find ourselves back in the normal world," they mused.

"Yet, we're still clueless about how to shatter this mirror entirely," Jing Zhe added.

With heads held high, they continued on, soon reaching the entrance to Sun Square.

The square was typical of any city, with expansive streets, low fences lining the paths, orderly benches, and further off, coffee shops along with fruit and snack stalls. But now, the square lay deserted, devoid of any signs of life.

It resembled a freshly constructed model. Xie Yu and Jing Zhe, one with a blade and the other with a sword in hand, stood vigilantly at the plaza's main entrance.

"Let's observe. This is my first real dungeon, and while it's not supposed to be too challenging, it's clearly not a walkover. Without the key to exit, we might be stuck," Xie Yu said, gesturing openly before stepping forward.

This was the heart of the dungeon; lingering on the outskirts would be futile.

Jing Zhe scanned the area and then followed Xie Yu's lead.

At the heart of Sun Square stood a large tree, just over three meters tall. It wasn't particularly high, but it was thriving, its crown supporting a square house.

The treehouse was a perfect cube, each side measuring two meters, perched atop the tree like a child's block. Xie Yu and Jing Zhe approached the treehouse, their eyes filled with bewilderment.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is a fantasy scenario, isn't it?" Xie Yu gestured towards the treehouse while addressing Jing Zhe.

Jing Zhe nodded in confirmation; the dungeon had indeed been imbued with magical elements from the outset.

"In that case, we're good to go," Xie Yu affirmed, arms crossed, nodding with conviction.

Brandishing his Ring Blade, Xie Yu approached the trees and began chopping without further ado.

"What are you doing?" Jing Zhe was taken aback by his actions. How did chopping down trees relate to the magical script?

Jing Zhe had initially pegged Xie Yu as a dark horse, a hidden master, especially since his Level 3 ranking placed him alongside her and her brother, which seemed quite improbable. But as their journey progressed, her certainty wavered.

This man was a conundrum—undeniably strong, with a sharp mind, yet not quite formidable, often retreating before a battle even began.

And now he was felling trees again. Surely there was something in that treehouse, but was it necessary to chop down the tree?

A sigh of resignation crossed Jing Zhe's face, but with Xie Yu already in action, she saw no point in merely standing by as a spectator.

*Swish! Swish! Swish!*

A flurry of sword light whizzed by, and Xie Yu watched as the notch he had been laboring over suddenly deepened. The modest trunk swayed, and the brown tree above trembled. Jing Zhe stepped closer and delivered a swift kick.

A glimpse of white pantyhose streaked past Xie Yu, and before he could catch the details, a "crack" resounded. The tree toppled backward, the treehouse above jostled, and then crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud.

"There, it's done. We don't know what dangers might lurk inside, and it's less convenient to check up there. Better to bring it down to our level," Xie Yu said, sheathing his blade and dusting off his hands with a couple of firm pats.

Jing Zhe found herself at a loss for words. Unfazed by combat, she couldn't help but feel that this approach was somewhat excessive.

"You truly are... a map destroyer," Jing Zhe said after a brief hesitation.

Xie Yu's lips curled into a smile as he responded, "If demolishing the map means I can clear the level faster, then I'll make sure to pick up an axe next time I'm out. I'll tear through it directly."