Three Towers Game

Chapter 332 The Number One on the Heavenly Ladder Has Disappeared
Wen Xishu is not one to ask questions indiscriminately.

“Was your birth different from others?” Albert asked.

Wen Xishu shook his head, deciding that it wasn't appropriate to tell Albert that he was a time traveler yet.

He thought for a while and said:
"I just want to know what exactly happened back then."

Albert did not answer immediately, but asked directly:

"What did you see when you went to the Wen family's old house?"

Wen Xishu did not hide this fact:
"The Wen family's old residence... has some things that should only appear in college departments."

"To open the Tower of Ghosts Academy, you need magic resistance. You can do it if your magic resistance exceeds fifty."

"But do you know what? My magic resistance is now 120, but I still haven't fully unraveled the secret."

“But my brother… can’t have broken through to a higher level than me in the Tower of Ghosts? His magic resistance should be far lower than mine, otherwise he would have solved the secrets of the Tower of Ghosts Academy long ago.”

"But strangely enough, he was able to leave behind a mystery that I still cannot solve today."

Albert nodded; that made sense now. He smiled and said:
Do you think the gradual increase in difficulty of the Tower of Horrors corresponds to a gradual increase in levels?

Wen Xishu thought for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"No, for me, the most difficult challenge was one of the times I climbed to the forty-plus levels."

Albert said:

"Therefore, it's quite normal for Asahana to be able to accomplish some things at a lower level."

"He once said that all the answers lie in the Tower of Ghosts."

“We’ve discussed the Three Towers before, and your understanding of the Ghost Tower has gone through many stages. Now I’d like to ask you again, what do you think the Ghost Tower is?”

Wen Xishu said:
"It is an endless obsession."

Albert said:

"Then what about the power of the tower?"

Wen Xishu immediately said:
"It is something that can make obsessions tangible."

Albert asked again:

"So what does it mean that endless obsession appears where the power of the tower exists?"

Wen Xishu discovered that although the old principal did not climb the tower of ghosts, he solved problems as swiftly as a sharp sword.

Wen Xishu immediately understood.

It means... you can get everything.

At this moment, both Wen Xishu and Albert had a more accurate understanding of Wen Chaohua's words, "The Tower of Ghosts is everything."

"The arrival of the apocalypse has caused countless people to develop obsessions in the face of tragedy, and these obsessions have become a barrier for us, the living humans today."

"But correspondingly, it has become a treasure trove for our growth."

"The reason why the Tower of Deception arrived later than the Tower of Slaughter and the Tower of Desire is probably because... there is a powerful being, perhaps even one that transcends the constellations, that does not want the Tower of Deception to arrive."

"Because these obsessions, which are embodied in the power of the tower, may contain infinite possibilities."

"The Tower of Mystery is everything. Chaohua found the answer there, had an epiphany, or rather, had an unimaginable adventure."

"Perhaps you know what this adventure is, but since you haven't told me, I won't ask."

"As for your question, I cannot answer it. Unfortunately, there were no unusual phenomena at your birth or after you went to prison."

"At least for me, everything is normal."

Wen Xishu was still somewhat regretful. He had waited for the old principal for several days just to find out the truth about this matter.

But the former principal didn't know either.

This is enough to show that Gemini's cooperation with his older brother, or his scheme against his older brother, was very successful.

He sighed:
"It seems that it's still not enough."

Albert said:

"Yes, that's not enough. You still have to keep climbing the tower, and so do I."

Wen Xishu said:
"Okay, thank you, Principal. I'll go make preparations. I hope I can stay in the tower a little longer this time and make it back in time for the auction."

Albert said:

"Have you resolved your ultimate technique? Also, there seems to be... an unsettling aura about you?"

Wen Xishu was taken aback:
"I'm not sure if you're referring to the negative effects of the sequence on me... or this."

Wen Xishu pulled open his clothes, revealing his brand.

Lionheart brand.

Albert looked at the brand and became interested:
"If I'm not mistaken, this is something Leo left on you?"

Wen Xishu nodded:

"Yes, I met a Leo."

Albert said:

"Is he strong?"

Wen Xishu said:
"I didn't see him make a move, but he must be extremely powerful."

There are characters in this world who can be misjudged, like a certain Grand Master or a certain Thunder Hand...

However, if the style of the painting is as dazzling as that of Leo, then without a doubt, it is a powerful figure that is absolutely impossible to misjudge.

Albert laughed:

"He didn't make things difficult for you? It seems he knows nothing. He's unaware of your relationships with the other zodiac signs."

Wen Xishu shook his head:
"No, you're really wrong. He might be pretending not to know what's going on."

“At first, Leon rummaged through all the astrology-related items in my hand, then casually returned them to me.”

"Maybe my lie deceived him, or maybe he simply didn't care."

"He gives me a very pure feeling. He's even somewhat similar to you."

Albert said:

"I'm really curious. I hope that on the day I face him, I can get this body back to its peak condition."

"Okay, that's enough for now. I'm sorry I didn't give you an answer."

Wen Xishu shook his head:
“I always learn something from talking to you. I should go to the Ghost Tower too; I’ve been so bored these past few days.”

Albert's hearty laughter rang out.

……

……

The Three Towers Academy remains bustling with activity.

At this moment, everyone in the bunker was in a state of excitement, a high-spirited and upward-looking excitement.

Because Wen Xishu had climbed the tower more than once and brought back "faction" level rewards.

Wen Xishu climbs the tower very frequently, and everyone has already accepted that the leader of the Xishu Cult is immortal, so he will definitely not have any problems climbing the Ghost Tower.

Therefore, people living in the bunker now look forward to a new version update every day.

Looking back over the past few months since Wenxi Tree rose to prominence, the bunker has been updated many times.

With hospitals, libraries, and even the sea, people in the bunker could somehow gain a few extra years of life.

The game has now undergone a major upgrade and is now in a version with abundant resources.

Everyone is wondering what else Wen Xishu will bring back.

But soon, the exhilaration brought about by this extreme personality cult will also plunge everyone into fear.

"What's going on with the leaderboard...? Where did the number one spot go?"

"Don't talk nonsense, let me take a look... Damn, the number one spot is really gone."

"Where is the name of Cult Leader Wen?!"

Why has Dean Wen disappeared from the rankings?

"Could it be that Dean Wen... has passed away?"

I don't know which old Beijing native was the one who, decades later in the bunker, could still speak the words "passed away" in a thick Beijing accent, with a sob in his voice.

The topic of bunkers quickly became a hot topic.

Just a few hours after Wen Xishu and Albert finished their conversation and left the bunker...

If bunkers were trending, then right now they would probably be trending like this:

A legend has fallen.

Hours later, countless people were staring at the leaderboard, overwhelmed with grief.

The option to "disappear from the Heavenly Ladder Ranking" is available from the guide after reaching the 90th floor.

Aside from that, there's only one possibility for disappearing from the leaderboard.

The target is dead.

The leaderboard is actually a kind of facility, represented by a huge stone tablet that automatically updates the rankings.

The Strange Tower Stele used to be a chaotic symbol, but it wasn't activated because too few people were climbing it.

Things are different now. The stone tablets on all three towers have been updated, and the rankings of the Ghost Tower, especially the rankings of the middle and lower levels, have always been very competitive.

This thing is very useful. If you're on the list, you'll be hired by the bunker security department, and your family will also enjoy benefits.

Resources have become abundant, but the poor are still poor because resources are not distributed equally.

So if you want everyone to enjoy a good life, you still have to climb the tower.

Previously, no one was willing to climb the Ghost Tower, partly because the Ghost Tower did not have a leaderboard.

Even if you crawl it, all you'll see on your login screen is a cold, impersonal number that won't do you any good.

Because it is not a ranking.

But things are different now. The climbing policy is good, there are incentive policies, and there is also a ranking effect.

Everyone checks the list from time to time.

The person at the top of the list is the source of the entire bunker's current dynamism, the bunker's youngest legend—Wen Xishu.

He almost did what Albert did, taking a commanding lead over second place.

But now, that name has disappeared from the list. The number one spot has changed hands.

When Wen Xiange looked at the list, he felt like the sky had fallen.

He knelt down abruptly, his face deathly pale. This founder of the Xishu Cult, a true leader of a pyramid scheme, was in even more pain than when he faced the darkest moment of his life.

Meanwhile, the Three Towers College was in an uproar.

Because the students received the news quickly, many of them even started running out to watch the show.

Dean Wen's sacrifice was a tremendous event for them.

Jiang Xue, a student from the former Desire Tower Academy, now the Ghost Tower Academy, stared blankly at the number one student at the very top, her eyes gradually losing their luster.

"How could this be... Dean Wen is such a brilliant and exceptionally talented individual!"

Jiang Xue couldn't believe it.

Not long ago, the bunker was upgraded. Although she didn't know what asking her heart meant, it was still a good thing.

But now... how could things have gone so drastically in just a few days?
Xiao Jin, Nisen, and Yue Yun arrived at the stone tablet of the Heavenly Ladder Ranking as soon as they received the news.

All three were equally grieving.

"There... there might be a miracle, right? Brother Wen can't possibly die like this!! Right!"

A familiar voice appeared.

That's Zheng Zai.

Zheng was also worried, but he had full confidence in Wen Xishu. Brother Wen was a big shot who could say that his combat power was 530,000 when he played duo with him.

How could someone like that possibly die?

"It's a malfunction! I don't believe Brother Wen is dead! I don't believe Dean Wen is dead! In a few days! No, even a few hours later, he will definitely bring a miracle!"

"Don't cry! He'll be fine. Your crying will make him look like he's in trouble! No crying allowed!"

Zheng suddenly seemed angry, and he began to shout at the terrified crowd.

Seeing this, A-Miao suddenly decided to be with Zheng.

In any case, we should give people confidence now.

"Yes, Dean Wen is alright! Everything in the Tower of Ghosts is so strange, how could anything be wrong with him?"

"Don't worry, everyone. Dean Wen is always at the forefront of the latest developments. He may have already obtained certain permissions from the guide."

"Principal Albert, the Five Elders aren't even on the leaderboard!"

Ah Miao's arrival made Wen Xiange realize the problem. Yes, disappearance does not mean death.

Others may be, but is Wen Yushu anyone else? This is the leader of the Yushu Cult.

Wen Xiange immediately perked up:
"Let us congratulate Leader Wen on achieving a new milestone!"

When the head of a pyramid scheme gets involved, the effect is something that Ah Miao and Zheng Zai can't compare to.

If Wen Xishu is the cult leader, a god high above, then Wen Xiange is the god's spokesperson in the bunker.

He might have more influence than Wen Xishu, the cult leader.

With that roar, he truly resolved the massive negative emotional crisis in the bunker.

Of course, if Wen Xishu cannot return... then the storm that is about to come will only be more intense.

……

……

Rest area of ​​the Ghost Tower.

In the hours leading up to the news of "the fall of a legend" and "the death of the dean,"...

Wen Xishu had no idea what was going to happen next.

As always, he occupied the central position in the Ghost Tower rest area.

As always, let's begin interpreting the mission.

This mission is called "Children of the Dust Land".

A child has wandered into the Land of Dust. It is a forbidden land; no one who enters has ever returned alive. Vent into the Land of Dust, or leave it.

Note that this is a survival mission; you will be teleported into the Dustlands at the start. Leaving the Dustlands is considered the lowest possible outcome. However, even the lowest possible outcome will be quite difficult. Several constellations are present in this area; please make choices that align with your inner feelings.

If you can find the child and bring him out... it will be of great benefit to you.

Gone.

The task's annotations were actually longer than its description.

Wen Xishu thought for a moment. The mission content was really very limited; all he knew was that he had to go to the forbidden area.

"Whether you go deep into the Dust Land or leave the Dust Land, it counts as completing the game."

"But clearly, going deep into the dust and bringing back that child is the right thing to do. But it will definitely be difficult, after all, I don't have the three phases."

Yes, Wen Xishu did not have the power of the Three Phases this time.

He threw out a new number that was considered unlucky and had very few options.

414.

This number is considered very unlucky by the people of Longxia.

He has three options.

The first one signifies good things coming in pairs. It's determined by two even numbers.

But the second one is "willing to try four things".

Only after all the options, such as "neither fish nor fowl," "the evil of four," and "a hodgepodge," have been thrown out, will the option "Four One Four" be thrown out, and the option "Dare to try four" be unlocked.

The benefits of daring to try four things are threefold.

The first point is that you will have fourteen chances to die in this challenge. If you die no more than fourteen times, and your final completion rating is above level four, you will be resurrected and receive a generous reward. However, each death will bring a curse related to the level.

Note: If the completion level is below level four, the death saving throw will be invalidated and the death will be considered a real death (even if the person has never died). Alternatively, if the death saving throw exceeds fourteen times, the death will also be considered a real death.

The second effect is that when the "Dare to Try" option appears, your chances of dying will increase relatively.

The third effect is that even if you don't choose to try four, but simply roll that number, you will still get a random option related to four.

The option Wen Xishu received was precisely the least useful of the four options, at least for his current challenge.

The fourth evil.

Therefore, Wen Xishu has the following options this time:

The fourth evil, dare to try it, good things come in pairs.

Daring to try something new is undoubtedly a completely new option, and this option carries great risk.

It's one of the few options that comes with negative consequences. It feels like a gamble.

If you choose him, death will not bring death, but only some kind of curse.

You can die fourteen times. As long as the number of deaths is fourteen or less, and the completion rate is greater than level four...

Then death would be exempted, otherwise... even if you never died after choosing it.

Most importantly, this point actually increases the chance of death.

It certainly takes courage to choose this, no wonder it's called "brave" to try four things.

But Wen Xishu never gave a rating lower than level four.

So for him, not choosing this option would be utterly outrageous. Without high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar, even dying a few more times wouldn't be so bad.

Although the fourth evil is meaningless, what if there are NPC teammates? With that in mind, Wen Xishu also chose the fourth evil.

Looking at the mission again, and considering the unlucky points this time... Wen Xishu had a feeling that he was about to enter Silent Hill.

Dustland sounds like a gray, gloomy place, and it does seem to have that kind of vibe.

He was actually looking forward to this kind of trip.

Compared to the multiplayer battles of the previous level, he preferred pure distortion and the bizarre.

After all, twisted and bizarre things only want to kill him, not deceive him.

However, what Wen Xishu didn't know was that the bunker was about to be mourned for him.

……

……

[Chapter 1, Part 1: The Hanged Man]

What came into Wen Xishu's view was a narrow, secluded alley that was perpetually shrouded in twilight.

And the title hint of Chapter One, The Hanged Man.

He had a feeling that he had suddenly started a challenge.

I wondered if this place was related to Scorpio again?
But soon, he discovered the effect of the Scorpio dagger – that was it.

It will display the chapter name, break down the entire mission into levels, and show the level progress.

This is a very helpful tip for players who have achieved all the achievements.

The land of dust—this place truly was filled with dust. On either side stood dilapidated brick buildings, towering into the gray mist and teetering on the verge of collapse. The ground was damp and cold, dotted with small puddles.

At the end of the alley stood a crooked clock tower without a bell.

But at that moment, the bell rang.

Before Wen Xishu could react, he suddenly saw a terrifying figure appear in the reflection of the puddle.

A dust-like humanoid figure, hanging upside down and made of withered skin tightly wrapped around bones, suddenly appeared in Wen Xishu's face.

There wasn't just one; many more hanged men followed, surging in like a tide of bats that had discovered flesh and blood.

Their necks are suspended from roof beams, streetlights, or any high place by a rough rope made of dust and thorns.

Their bodies resemble dried specimens, covered with a uniform layer of fine ash.

Wen Xishu felt an immense gravity suddenly strike him, the terrifying force instantly bending his knees.

He immediately realized that these upside-down men possessed a kind of domain around their bodies, and that the gravity coefficient would change once one got close.

Wen Xishu immediately retreated, not daring to explore the clock tower or approach the upside-down men.

He cursed inwardly:
"Damn it, increasing the chance of death... is this how it's increased? No puzzles at the start, straight to the boss battle?"

(End of this chapter)