bdsm-fiction Chapter 112 Lu Yu's bird is gone!
Chapter 112 Lu Yu's bird is gone!
Chapter 112 Lu Yu's Bird is Gone! (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Guan Xiangping hesitated for a long time, then finally managed to utter a sentence:
"This guy... he's a real freak!"
Even he, a seasoned Beastmaster of Morning Star who had lived for decades, was completely stunned.
Because it's really too exaggerated.
While others were still cautiously fishing, Lu Yu was able to forcibly enter the river to catch fish, and even electrofish.
Those originally ferocious red dragons remained silent and ignored the sight.
His words were like a pebble thrown into a pond, instantly breaking the calm and bringing the others back to their senses.
"How did he manage that? Was the Crimson Serpent captivated by his charm?"
"One of them was almost electrocuted, but it didn't even make a move. This isn't submission, it's hypnosis."
"I feel like I've gone mad. All I saw the whole time was fishing, while others had already figured out the patterns of the entire first level of the secret realm."
"I used to think the differences between people couldn't be that big, but now I realize they're actually bigger than the differences between people and dogs..."
"Please don't insult dogs, thank you."
"Over 3,600 points, the second place didn't even get a fraction of that. This isn't just a crushing defeat, it's a complete thrashing."
"Are they all conquering the same secret realm? It feels like everyone else is playing on Nightmare difficulty, while only Lu Yu is playing on Easy mode."
"Family members, does anyone understand? I practically knelt down to watch the screen for the second half of the day."
"..."
Besides some Morningstar Beastmasters, there were also quite a few Chapter soldiers and some Alliance staff here.
Everyone thought Lu Yu was going to be eliminated due to bad luck, but they were proven wrong. He showed everyone that he wasn't satisfied with fishing and wanted to speedrun through the level.
They treated the secret realm like a game to conquer it.
A true top-tier online gamer in the real world.
With this kind of wisdom, even if one has nothing now, one will definitely become a top expert in the future.
Not to mention Lu Yu's two pet beasts now: one with spatial attributes and the other a wildly popular, absolutely violent ant-like pet beast.
Even if the third pet is just any random dog, it could easily sweep through the entire Commander tier. Moreover, with Lu Yu's current strength, he couldn't possibly choose randomly.
Given his current trajectory, clearing the secret realm shouldn't be too difficult. If he can acquire a dragon as his third pet, his overall strength will be among the top in the entire alliance.
At that time, perhaps only a few top families and geniuses with complete spiritual puzzles will be able to fight against it.
"What a prodigy!"
The veterans of the battle group looked at Lu Yu on the screen, their eyes almost red.
In just a few hours, they analyzed a complete set of rules for the secret realm and then put them to use.
This confidence and intelligence seem tailor-made for the border region.
It's important to know that among the monsters beyond the border, there are many terrifying beings with rule-based abilities. On the first encounter, there's a high probability of an 80% or higher chance of death.
Because the only way to learn the rules is through sheer luck and hard work.
However, if there were a commander with exceptional wisdom who could devise the rules, the casualty rate of the battle group could be greatly reduced.
Moreover, when this awareness is applied to the battlefield, it can be used to command battle groups to easily tear apart the monsters' battle lines, wipe out monster lairs, and thus obtain massive rewards.
This person must be brought into our own battle group.
Thinking of this, the veterans who had just been laughing and joking looked around warily; their friendship had been completely broken.
They are enemies now!
Ma Yan of the Meteor City Alliance listened to these discussions, let out a long sigh, and finally didn't know what to say, so he just said, "The younger generation is truly formidable."
"This young man's observational skills far exceed our expectations. The reason he didn't fish just now wasn't because he lacked strength or luck, but because he was observing the operational patterns of the first level of the secret realm. A truly capable person wouldn't blame the environment. On the contrary, it was us old fogies who misjudged him..."
Zhang Li shook her head with a wry smile, admitting that her previous assessment was somewhat ridiculous. Looking at Luo Zisong, who had a calm expression, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Old Luo is still the one who can keep his composure the most."
Ma Yan nodded in agreement. As expected, Luo Zisong, as the principal, knew the situation best. He hadn't said a word from the beginning, probably waiting to see the joke unfold and be proven wrong.
Guan Xiangping's face turned as red as a monkey's bottom, and he muttered, "You old rascal, your tricks are getting more and more sophisticated now, you're actually laughing at us."
"No, actually I just found out myself."
Luo Zisong forced a stiff smile, but no one believed him anymore.
However, he was not lying; in fact, he was completely bewildered. The reason he remained silent was simply because he had said too many harsh words before and was afraid of being proven wrong and losing face, so he dared not say more.
But he never expected that Lu Yu would directly undermine the foundation of the entire first level of the secret realm.
Is fishing a test for the trainees?
They've completely emptied your lake; whether you can fish in the future depends on their attitude.
From this moment on, Lu Yu's rules are the only rules!
Over 3,000 points, you're my god!
Luo Zisong was amazed. This score was probably something even the Lord of the Ruins couldn't have imagined, and it would be almost impossible for anyone to achieve it later.
Because there are only a few Dragon-faced Carp left, and the secret realm will likely be cleared on three levels today, and the fourth level will be cleared within the next month, allowing for a direct completion.
Thinking of this, Luo Zisong felt refreshed and the sky seemed bright and clear. Indeed, with Lu Yu, all you had to do was blindly trust him.
If it weren't for the fact that the secret realm hasn't been cleared yet and related information isn't allowed to be uploaded, Lu Yu would probably have retaliated again right after he left the trending topics.
It quickly became a regular on the trending topics list.
Inside the secret realm, a group of people stared at the score of over three thousand points, completely dumbfounded.
While they were still struggling to catch ten dragon-faced carp, others had already caught more than three thousand, pushing the dragon-faced carp in the entire lake to the brink of extinction.
Coupled with the previous electrofishing, even the dragon-faced carp dared not approach this area anymore.
If this continues, I estimate everyone will be eliminated.
Qi Wei and several other senior students were only a few steps away from passing, and seeing this scene, they couldn't help but smile wryly. They couldn't blame Lu Yu.
After all, he got this spot; others figured out the rules and used their own strength to fish. The competition for the secret realm is a dog-eat-dog world, and there's no reason for anyone to give way to anyone else.
Just as they were about to give up, suddenly a dozen or so dragon-faced carp, stunned by electricity, were thrown in front of them, and Lu Yu's voice rang out:
"Let's throw it to Diaotai to eat. That way, it'll be impressive to have seven people from our school advance. But I don't know what the second stage is, though the danger will definitely increase exponentially. If you can't handle it, don't force yourselves."
A dozen or so fish aren't very useful; they won't add many points. It's better to bring a few classmates into the second round, and maybe the God of Wealth Principal will give us another round of extra money.
Even if I don't, it doesn't matter. It's just a casual favor to help a classmate. I'll do it if I want to, as a way of repaying the school for the help they provided during my period of mental instability.
A person who is good at sharing is always more popular than someone who eats alone, provided, of course, that they don't end up being taken advantage of.
"Thanks!"
The remaining senior students experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, rising and falling with each passing moment. They had all thought they were going to be eliminated, but Lu Yu had been so generous as to help fill the remaining gaps. They thanked him repeatedly, saying that they could contact him directly if they ever needed anything after they were released.
Those who can enter the secret realm all come from relatively well-off families, and are involved in various industries. Even if they are not industry giants, they are still quite large, and you never know when they might come in handy.
The others were also filled with envy, as they were all carrying others into the secret realm. However, since they were not from the same school, they were too embarrassed to ask.
Qi Yun sighed as he watched this scene, and then distributed the extra nine strips to his companions.
If you're just a little short of first place, you can still compete, but if you're more than 3,000 points behind, it's completely hopeless. You might as well team up with a few more teammates to conquer the next level of the secret realm.
"Damn, I really hate that we're not from Oobuchi City High School!"
Ying Ping was so envious he almost ground his teeth to powder. Fu Feng, standing to the side, suddenly said, "It's not like there's no chance?"
Ying Ping was a little confused: "What are you talking about? Even if you were resurrected using Edo Tensei, there wouldn't be enough time to change schools!"
"You still don't understand what he means..."
Fu Feng shook his head, then walked over to Lu Yu amidst the puzzled gazes of the crowd and asked:
"Can I buy a few dragon-faced carp?"
"sure!"
Lu Yu smiled slightly. He had deliberately left more than a hundred dragon-faced carp in the net, just to wait for a smart person to come and inquire, so he could earn some extra money.
After all, there's not much difference between 3,600 and 3,700, so it's better to use it to exchange for money. Besides, the Dragon's Secret Realm has four levels, so even if a few more people enter the second level, it won't make a difference. They can also help explore the way and avoid some unknown dangers.
So Lu Yu readily agreed and didn't ask for an exorbitant price, selling them directly for 10,000 each.
Fu Feng and Ying Ping were each four short of the required number of strips, so they spent 40,000 yuan to buy them.
When Fu Feng paid, he almost burst into tears. That fortune teller was too accurate. Ever since he got involved with Lu Yu, the man from Chiyuemeng, he had been losing money and was almost penniless.
Huh, where did the fortune teller go?
While Fu Feng was looking for a fortune teller, the others also learned that they could buy spots for a fee, and the price wasn't too expensive, so they all started to rush to buy them. Even Qi Yun represented the team and bought fifteen spots.
As he paid, he gave Lu Yu a deep look, as if trying to find any trace of inhumanity on his face.
Lu Yu almost thought his charm was about to win over both men and women, and subconsciously distanced himself.
Soon, most people bought a spot. Those without cash noted down their account details and planned to transfer the money later. The remaining people didn't buy a spot because they felt they weren't financially capable and decided to give up.
After deducting the fifteen dragon-faced carp given to Dayuan City High School, the remaining dragon-faced carp earned Lu Yu a total of 970,000.
That's close to one million, which is considered quite high even among gold-tier mission rewards.
Lu Yu made a fortune simply by using electric fishing and net fishing in slow motion, reaping profits while also gaining a good reputation.
Such a performance earned the approval of the four Morning Star Beast Tamers watching from the outside. As expected of someone with a distinguished family background, impeccable character, and strong earning power.
Luo Zisong was even more pleasantly surprised, never expecting that Lu Yu could help all seven students from the school advance, which made him look very good.
I don't even know how to thank you enough...
Why not... if Lu Yu can reach the third level, give him the Morning Star material he won!
"Even with over 3,000 points, Lu Yu didn't directly receive the inheritance. Are the requirements for ancient beast tamers really that strict?"
Finally, after five hours, those who did not meet the requirements were teleported out. However, the twenty-one qualified contestants, except for Lu Yu, had inscriptions shining beneath their fishing platforms. These inscriptions merged with the red mist, transforming into portals that allowed people to pass through.
As for Lu Yu...
That's the Heavenly Gate!
Standing tall and imposing, it completely obscures the lake when viewed from the front, and this is only the limit of the secret realm, not Lu Yu's limit.
Everyone's lips twitched, and they could only console themselves that it was just a door, and all doors were just for walking through, so there was no difference in size.
They're small, but very cute!
So one by one they went through the door, no longer wanting to watch Lu Yu show off.
Upon entering the gate, one enters the second level of the secret realm, where a desolate wasteland stretches before one's eyes. It is barren and lifeless, devoid of even weeds, with only withered, lifeless trees standing tall.
Behind them was a gray portal, clearly a gateway to the next level. Compared to the first level, which still posed a threat from the Crimson Serpent, this level seemed much safer. One wonders what the trial would be.
Click!
Suddenly, the portal behind them began to compress, transforming into a small, crimson bird covered in dragon scales, which flapped its wings and flew in front of them.
"What is this!?"
Just as everyone was shocked and confused, and some were even preparing to attack, Qi Yun spoke:
"This is a blood mist guide bird formed from the secret realm; it can lead you to the portal to the next level."
"Directions?"
The group looked at each other in bewilderment. Unless they were blind or had a terrible sense of direction, they should be able to see that the entrance to the next level of the secret realm was right across from them, right?
However, they weren't stupid; they guessed that there might be some kind of unknown, mysterious trap inside.
Qi Yun didn't explain further. He simply picked up a handful of stones and threw them forcefully. After tumbling several times, the stones landed beside a dead tree.
Just as they were wondering, suddenly...
Click!
These withered trees suddenly split open, transforming into a gaping maw of fangs that instantly shredded the rocks into dust, and even the pebbles in the air could not escape their pursuit.
This scene sent chills down everyone's spines; these withered trees... were actually some kind of monster in disguise!
"This is a special kind of monster called the Bloodthirsty Dragon Tree. It is mentioned sporadically in some ancient documents. It was a life form that used to live on this land, but it is unknown why it became extinct."
Although not quite sub-dragons, they are still beings with a bloodline concentration close to one-tenth that of dragons. Each one possesses the strength to command a high-ranking being. With the spiritual energy supplied by the ruins, these beings, already long-lived, can endure long years through a state of suspended animation. However, their craving for flesh and blood reaches a frenzied level...
Qi Yun, speaking of the intelligence brought back by the explorers, solemnly warned, "This test is about survival skills. Guided by the guide birds, follow the safe path through this withered forest. Of course, if you like plant-type dragon beasts, you can tame one on the spot..."
Qi Yun, unusually, told a joke to try and lighten the mood, but the atmosphere only became colder.
Everyone who looked at the densely packed, hundreds-of-tree-like dead trees felt a chill run down their spines.
"What if we go to the wrong place?" someone asked.
The others all had the same answer in mind:
Feast!
"Good question!" Qi Yun nodded, then said, "In this test, the guide bird isn't absolutely accurate; it can only provide a general direction. The more dragon-faced carp you catch, the more accurate it becomes. So, those who catch fewer need to make their own judgments. If they go the wrong way, well, that's..."
"You won't die instantly!"
Qi Yun let out a deep breath, almost making a bunch of people faint, but in order to learn more information, they gritted their teeth and endured it.
Qi Yun nodded and continued, "According to the information I have, ten dragon-faced carp can condense a shield that can withstand a fatal attack, or they can choose to teleport directly out of the secret realm."
Qi Wei suddenly said, "It's like a resurrection coin in a game."
"I see……"
It was simple and clear, making the specific meaning clear to everyone. They looked at each other strangely, wondering why Qi Yun had taken so long to explain such a small thing.
Are all researchers this verbose?
"That's roughly the idea..." Qi Yun continued without any embarrassment, "So, I suggest that those who lack strength should stop here, or try to subdue a Bloodthirsty Dragon Tree..."
Although the words were blunt, few of those who made it this far were easily offended. Most of them had considered backing out, not out of cowardice, but as a result of weighing the pros and cons.
A single resurrection coin is definitely not enough to get through such a long, barren forest. If you get seriously injured or even lose your pet along the way, it would be a huge loss.
Reaching the second level was already considered lucky; as for subduing the Bloodthirsty Dragon Tree and commanding high-level creatures, they weren't tired of living yet.
"It seems this is the only way we can go!"
"But seeing this kind of plant-based dragon beast is quite an eye-opener."
"There are creatures almost like wyverns on the second level. I wonder what their core inheritance is. I'm really curious!"
"What a pity, the Dragon's Secret Realm is indeed not something ordinary people can explore..."
"..."
Many people were discussing amongst themselves and preparing to leave, but Qi Yun spoke again:
"But it's not like there's no way!"
"..."
Gan!
Can't you just finish what you're saying all at once? You always have to gasp for breath, going up and down like that. You're giving me a heart attack.
Qi Yun ignored the dangerous looks from the group of people who wanted to beat him up and continued, "Those who can reach the second level all have at least one... one resurrection coin. If we unite and each person uses one, it's equivalent to having twenty-one chances to offset the damage. As long as the distribution is stable, it's more than enough to get through the second level."
The others, upon hearing this, also thought the plan was feasible, but they still had one question:
"You mean you should lead this?"
"Is there anyone else besides me?" Qi Yun said calmly, as two summoning arrays appeared behind him.
A giant snail carrying a steel house appeared, along with a small, materialized whirlwind.
"This is the Iron House Snail, the evolved form of the House Snail. It has a much larger space than the House Snail. With a little squeezing and a few more standing on the roof, it can accommodate twenty-one people. As for the slow speed, my Wind Spirit can use the [Tailwind] skill to speed it up, which is much faster than walking."
Qi Yun spoke eloquently, saying that although the plan to farm more Dragon-faced Carp had failed, Lu Yu's actions of selling Dragon-faced Carp and helping more than 20 people pass the first round of tests gave him another hope.
If everyone pools their efforts, we can easily get through this level.
He wasn't afraid of being rejected, because they had no other choice.
The others were also tempted upon hearing this, as it was currently the best option. Furthermore, Qi Yun's status as an alliance researcher and his strength made him a credible leader, and they weren't worried that he might betray them halfway through.
However, some troublemakers still raised questions about its significance:
"Then why not ask Lu Yu? He's worth over three hundred resurrection coins. Even if these dragon trees fight to the death, they can't break through. Wouldn't it be better to just pay him to help us get through?"
Qi Yun remained calm and did not refute, because he felt that Lu Yu could not possibly add too many opponents to his team, but those who had experienced Lu Yu selling fish did not think so.
"Yes, this method is more expensive, but it's safer..."
"My family is rich, I don't mind spending money to see the third floor."
"His bird must be much bigger than mine!" a buzz-cut guy muttered to himself. Suddenly, the scene fell silent as everyone around him stared at him with strange looks. A girl blushed and couldn't help but spit out a curse.
The buzz-cut boy blushed as red as a monkey's bottom and quickly explained, "What are you guys thinking! I was talking about the guide bird!"
"That's what we were thinking too!"
Everyone answered in unison, then looked at Lu Yu standing in the corner. However, to their surprise, there was no giant guide bird they had imagined by Lu Yu's side, or even an ordinary guide bird.
So... where did Lu Yu's guide bird go?
The group was stunned. Qi Yun, seeing this, suddenly narrowed his eyes and quickly asked:
"What's going on?"
Lu Yu was also puzzled, spreading his hands speechlessly, "I don't know either. The portal just closed directly, and it didn't even condense a guide bird for me..."
"How could this happen..." Qi Yun, who had been in complete control, was now completely bewildered and couldn't understand what had happened.
Could it be that Lu Yu caught too many fish on the first floor, causing a bug in the ruins?
Qi Yun couldn't understand it, but she still extended the invitation:
"In that case, why don't you join us?"
The third level and beyond is an unexplored unknown territory, and the level of danger is also unknown, so a powerful companion is even more necessary.
Lu Yu fits the bill perfectly in terms of both wisdom and ability.
"Forget it, your Iron House Snail can barely fit 21 people. I don't have any resurrection coins, so I won't take up your spots. Besides, my guide bird might not be gone; it might just be that the relic is delayed."
Lu Yu shook his head and declined the invitation.
Although the lack of a guide bird was a bit of a bummer, Lu Yu wasn't worried. He could simply use a mouse to disguise himself, like a husky sneaking into a wolf pack, and sneak through, which would be even safer.
Moreover... he could always hear a faint calling, as if his guide bird wasn't gone, but was looking for him, which meant...
The bird that was guiding me got lost itself?
What a hellish joke!
"good!"
Qi Yun didn't dwell on it, after all, if Lu Yu could discover the pattern in the first layer, he might be able to discover the pattern in the second layer as well.
Seeing this, the others gave up the idea of clinging to Lu Yu's coattails. They didn't have the confidence to wait idly like Lu Yu, so they might as well stick together for warmth.
So all twenty people squeezed into the Iron House Snail. A few of them, who had pets with extra speed or support abilities, stood on the top of the house and obeyed Qi Yun's commands.
"Set off!"
Qi Yun gave the order, and the Iron House Snails, buffed by the Wind Sprite and many other pets, set off in a grand procession at great speed. Guided by the Guide Bird, they quickly approached the Dead Forest.
At first, everything was calm, but as the guide bird went deeper, the red light on its body became weaker and weaker, and the direction of navigation began to become blurry. When it had progressed to one-tenth of the way, it encountered the first thing.
Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!
The navigation went wrong, and they stepped directly into the Bloodthirsty Dragon Tree's perception zone. Its roots roared like iron whips, causing everyone to hold their breath. Faced with a life-or-death crisis, they couldn't help but panic.
Qi Yun calmly commanded, "Wang Han, use your resurrection coin!"
During the conversation just now, he had memorized everyone's names.
As soon as he finished speaking, a red light shot out from the Iron House Snail's house, blocking the Bloodthirsty Dragon Tree's attack, and the latter did not continue to attack.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and felt more respect for Qi Yun. The road ahead was not easy, but they proceeded in an orderly manner.
Furthermore, he used up some of the resurrection coins of hesitant and timid individuals in the early stages to prevent his commands from being ineffective when the situation became dire in the mid-to-late game.
Although there were many unexpected events in the process, under Qi Yun's calm command, they quickly crossed one-third of the dead forest. The rest of the people were completely convinced, and the team was initially formed.
"This guy has a really good grasp of people's hearts!"
Lu Yu looked at the Iron House Snail charging around and couldn't help but marvel. At this moment, he still hadn't set off, not because he wasn't in a hurry, but because the calling sound was getting closer and closer.
But he still didn't see his bird.
Where is this guy?
"Soon!"
On the other side, Qi Yun, having used up eighteen resurrection coins, had already covered nine-tenths of the journey, and victory was within reach.
However, he did not let his guard down. Instead, he proceeded with even greater caution. Sure enough, he was attacked by nine bloodthirsty dragon trees at the end. After paying the price of two resurrection coins, he successfully passed through and arrived at the gate of the next level of the secret realm.
He hadn't even used the resurrection coin he had!
"It's a success!"
A group of people cheered. They hadn't expected that they could get through the second level unscathed thanks to the team's efforts, especially since they had contributed their own efforts. They couldn't help but feel proud of it.
Qi Yun's abilities amazed them even more.
Some people subconsciously looked back and found that Lu Yu was still standing in the same place. They wondered if he was not going to make it, or if he was preparing to repeat his feat in the first round of trials.
However, the second layer is significantly more stringent than the first, making it difficult to find any patterns.
Even legendary investigators can't always be successful, right?
Many people were secretly relieved that Lu Yu hadn't come along. If this formidable enemy had been eliminated on this level, it would have been a good thing.
"Aren't you leaving yet?"
Qi Yun also turned his head and looked at Lu Yu in the distance. He noticed that the latter had a strange expression and slowly raised his head.
"Why are you looking at the sky?"
Qi Yun looked up at the sky in confusion, but what he saw made his pupils shrink and his mouth open wide. However, it was as if an invisible hand was gripping his throat, and he couldn't make a sound.
Many people followed suit and glanced at it, then uniformly fell into a daze.
The young man with the buzz cut peeked out curiously, then was completely dumbfounded, and said in a trembling voice:
"Lu...Lu Yu's bird...is too big!"
This is a 7,000-word chapter. I'm a bit stuck on the word count. I'll see how it goes in the next chapter. I won't drag it out. The secret realm story is about to reach its climax. Thanks to Hunting Attire and 20190818072224752 for the 100 Qidian Coins reward, and thanks to God's Determination for the 500 Qidian Coins reward.
(End of this chapter)