Flooded Island, Desperate Survival

Jonathan and the other two gradually climbed up, their faces etched with lingering shock.

From beneath a nearby stone pillar, a figure emerged through a light portal. Observing their disheveled state, the person smiled and muttered something before departing.

Eric watched as the portal vanished shortly after the three appeared, signaling the round's conclusion. The player left behind in the cab was surely lost.

"Girl, the elevator never stopped—it just kept plummeting. I thought I was done for. Terrifying," Jonathan said, pausing with wide eyes as the game's message flashed in his mind.

Eric straightened her clothes, preparing to leave. Immersed in astonishment from the in-game information, Jonathan hurriedly called out, "Hey, don't go yet!" Quick to follow, he turned to the others, "Come on, catch up! This is a survival game. As newbies, we need advice from veterans. That girl's obviously an experienced player!"

The two others snapped to attention and hurried after him.

Jonathan was the first to catch up, his mouth agape but words eluding him; the strange ordeal had left him momentarily bewildered.

Eric glanced sideways. "Follow me and familiarize yourselves with the locations of the ordinary dungeon's entrances and exits."

"What's your name, girl? I'm Jonathan."

"Could you tell us more about this game? How long have you been here?" the woman inquired.

The other man looked at Eric with expectant eyes.

"I just arrived too. Points are crucial. At night, everywhere but the inn is perilous..." Eric relayed some of her knowledge. Upon arrival, she'd benefited from Charles and Austin's help—though incidental, those tidbits were invaluable to a newcomer like her. She was willing to aid other recruits within her means.

"Listen, observe, and stay cautious. Above all, don't let anyone cheat you out of your points." As she spoke, the ordinary dungeon's exit came into view.

By the time Jonathan and his companions surveyed the quest hall and regained focus, Eric had vanished.

"Jonathan, she's gone!"

"Such a good person. Shame she never told us her name."

Noticing unfriendly gazes fixed upon them, Jonathan immediately felt like prey on a butcher's block. Cutting off conversation, he urged, "Let's move on!"

Elsewhere, Eric re-entered the ordinary dungeon's gate, resting within for an hour. After consuming two pieces of chocolate and a sip of water, she ventured back into the dungeon.

The fourth ordinary dungeon presented a volcanic eruption scene. As soon as she landed, a terrifying explosion erupted; the ground trembled. Instinctively, she crouched and looked upward, pupils dilated.

"The volcano's erupting!" someone screamed hoarsely.

"What the hell kind of place is this?!"

Volcanic ash and fiery lava spewed forth, plunging the sky into dimness within moments. The mountain shuddered violently, molten lava surged rapidly, and the air grew scorching hot. Eric took off at a sprint.

"Run!"

They bolted through the mountainside. Some panicked, tumbling down the slopes; others cried out in terror. Eric dared not glance back, focusing solely on propelling herself forward.

Run! Run fast! Having seen similar scenes in films, she knew that being overtaken by lava would leave nothing but bone fragments.

Fortunate to have rested well the previous night and been well-fed, she felt energized and alert. After finishing the previous dungeon and replenishing herself, her stamina remained robust.

Unfortunately, she could find no path downhill, weaving between bushes and shrubs, dodging rocks and pits.

Her sole objective: escape the mountain, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the lava.

The ground continued to quake. The rumble of landslides filled the air, petrifying her. Forcing herself to ignore the sounds and fears, Eric concentrated solely on the ground beneath her feet.

Suddenly, she slammed on the brakes—a dead end lay ahead. Before her stretched a grassy slope dotted with low shrubs.

"For it!" Eric braced herself, tucked her head, and leapt down, tumbling relentlessly.

Fortunately, she tumbled down smoothly, avoiding collision with any large rocks. The occasional brush against small shrubs merely impeded her progress slightly, delivering pains well within bearable limits.

When the tumbling finally ceased, Eric, dizzy and disoriented, struggled to rise. After two faltering steps and a stumble that sent her to the ground, she steadied herself, then took off running. It took about ten meters before she regained her rhythm and accelerated.

At last, the landscape suddenly opened before her eyes—she had broken free! About two hundred meters ahead lay a pier, upon which a ferry awaited. Sensing the portal was nearby, Eric pressed on relentlessly.

She was the first to reach the pier and board the ferry. Her lungs felt like broken bellows, every breath fractured and ragged, yet she dared not stop. The lava was rapidly descending to the mountain's base. Scattered figures still raced amidst the hills, the swiftest barely reaching the foot of the mountain.

"Portal... portal..." Eric swallowed hard, gasping as she searched the ferry. In the cabin, she found the portal and exhaled in relief, though she hesitated to step through immediately.

Two minutes later, another player sprinted to the pier. Seeing Eric standing aboard, their eyes lit up as they jumped aboard.

"Hey, beautiful! Can you helm the boat? We need to leave this place fast—this island is doomed!"

Eric shook her head.

The newcomer's face fell, growing restless. "What now? I can't swim! And where exactly are we?!"

Eric offered no explanation. Once the mission was complete, the game would provide information.

A few minutes later, the last two survivors arrived at the pier. By then, molten lava had cascaded down the mountain, chasing toward the dock. The sulfurous stench filled the air; black volcanic ash blanketed the sky. Covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve, Eric said, "This is the exit. Follow me."

Facing the portal near the warehouse, the newcomers' reactions varied. Eric offered no explanation and stepped through first. The mechanical voice resounded instantly: [Player Eric cleared Ordinary Dungeon: Volcanic Eruption, earning 4 points.]

The three looked at one another, astonishment etched deeply.

"G-Gone?"

"It really vanished!" One reached to touch the portal, but it dissolved into thin air.

The woman glanced back; lava already engulfed the entire island and was advancing toward the ferry. She murmured, "I'm dead anyway—nothing left to fear." With that, she stepped into the portal.

Eric waited for the woman, then the other two players. As usual, she guided them out, sharing what knowledge she could. This time, she did not turn back but headed straight to the inn for a single room and rest. The half-hour sprint had nearly drained her spirit; exhaustion overwhelmed her. She lacked the strength to attempt another dungeon. Should her luck falter with another physically taxing endurance trial, she feared she would succumb.

Having accomplished two missions that morning, Eric was too fatigued even to eat; after sipping a little water, she collapsed into sleep.

Awakening at noon, she bathed and redressed the wounds on her hands. Staring at her swollen, carrot-colored fingers, she sighed deeply. A dull ache lingered in her lower back; she massaged it with medicinal balm, wincing in pain.

To bolster her spirits, Eric prepared instant noodles for lunch, adding a braised egg and tiger-skin chicken feet, supplemented by a box of pre-cut beef from the deli. After a hearty meal, she resumed exercising. During rest breaks, she sipped water and gazed through the window. The third day here already felt like an eternity. Recalling Austin—who claimed fourteen years in this realm—Eric admired his fortitude. Were she in his place, she might have long since succumbed to madness. When Austin initially spoke, he first confessed his fear of ghosts and avoidance of paranormal dungeons, but later admitted to having ventured into them several times. The novices listened intently, though Eric perceived the contradictions and wisely kept her doubts silent. Reflecting now, she considered that Daniel either lied or suffered from some mental affliction.

Shaking off distant thoughts, Eric returned her focus.

Checking her account, what had been eleven points earlier now dwindled to nine after booking the single room.

"A heavy burden lies ahead." The arduous road to resurrection stretched before her, demanding patience and perseverance.

In the afternoon, Eric continued her training. The room felt oppressively silent, so she rummaged through the supermarket and procured an alarm clock, setting it to chime every half hour with a cheerful children's song. Thus, every thirty minutes the clock would sing, adding a touch of levity to her day.

By half past five, Eric began preparing dinner, immersing her consciousness into the supermarket aisles as she carefully selected her meal. She chose a self-heating curry chicken rice, unpacked a packet of pickled mustard, accompanied by leftover deli beef from lunch, and topped it off with a bottle of soda—an utterly satisfying feast.

Night fell soon after, marking her third evening here. Eric had grown markedly calmer. After dining, she leaned against the headboard and "watched" over the supermarket, inventorying her supplies before drifting contentedly to sleep.

The following morning, after checking out, Eric headed to the quest hall to undertake more missions.