Since all these rules and superstitions are outdated, what's wrong with me indulging in some me

Cheng Da, quick-witted as ever, showed no remorse whatsoever. He put away the copper coins and muttered to himself:

"I'm really tempted right now..."

"roll!"

Meanwhile, on Zhang Zhuyu's side...

Zhang Zhuyu followed the female NPC to the right, when suddenly her vision blurred and a transparent light screen appeared in front of her.

Zhang Zhuyu paused in her steps.

"What's wrong? Weren't you going to the restroom? Hurry up and go!"

The female NPC in front of Zhang Zhuyu sensed her lingering. Without moving her body, she turned her head 180 degrees and came face to face with Zhang Zhuyu, which startled Zhang Zhuyu so much that her face turned pale.

"It's nothing, I just twisted my ankle."

Zhang Zhuyu quickly composed herself and gave a perfunctory reply.

The female NPC glanced suspiciously at Zhang Zhuyu's feet, let out a cold snort, turned her head 180 degrees, and continued walking forward.

"Hurry up, finish this quickly and get back. If I don't finish the test, you'll be sorry."

Zhang Zhuyu followed behind her without responding, but her gaze suddenly began to wander.

Just now, she received an urgent pop-up from the countermeasures team.

[Player Zhang Zhuyu, the correct location of the toilet is on the left side of the corridor. The countermeasures team suggests that you wait for the other two players inside the toilet, which will be relatively safe. Based on analysis, the NPC might lead you into a high-risk area, which is extremely dangerous, but may also contain some crucial information. You can decide for yourself; the countermeasures team respects every player's choice.]

Zhang Zhuyu's heart was pounding in her chest.

The countermeasures team's hints were cold and clear—to the left was a relatively safe toilet, and to the right was a "forbidden zone" with unknown risks, led by an NPC.

Her gaze fell on the stiff back of the female NPC in front of her, the dark blue veins clearly visible beneath the skin of her neck, which had twisted 180 degrees and then turned back. It was a trap, almost certain.

But the phrase "critical information" kept echoing in her mind. In this strange world of rules, information is often more important than safety. Hiding in the toilet might prolong her life, but missing the clues to cracking the core of the dungeon could ultimately lead to certain death.

Besides, Lu Changsheng and that chubby guy chose the left. If the left side is indeed completely correct, they might discover something. I might as well gamble on the right side. Moreover, I have a probability-based persuasion buff, which will greatly increase my chances of escape.

In just a few seconds, Zhang Zhuyu made her decision. She wasn't an impulsive person, but at this moment, a fierce determination welled up from the bottom of her heart. She slightly adjusted her breathing, making her face still look somewhat pale and flustered, but her steps no longer hesitated, and she followed closely behind.

"That's right, stop dawdling." The female NPC in front of her didn't turn her head, her voice dry.

They headed right, the corridor seeming to stretch on forever, and the restroom signs that should have appeared were nowhere to be seen. The heavy, earthy-yellow curtains on either side remained motionless, the air growing increasingly stuffy, carrying a faint musty smell, like a mixture of old books and dust.

Finally, the female NPC stopped in front of a dark brown wooden door. There were no markings on the door, only the house number had been deliberately scratched off, leaving only a blurry trace.

"We're here, let's go in."

The female NPC turned to the side, forcing an extremely stiff smile, her pupils appearing unusually deep in the dim light.

Zhang Zhuyu's fingers curled slightly as she pushed open the door.

The room inside was not a restroom, but a spacious yet eerily silent teachers' office.

There were no lights; the only source of light came from the very center of the room—where a large, dark red wooden table, resembling a shrine, stood. On the table was a statue about half a meter tall.

The statue is neither Buddhist nor Taoist; its shape is twisted and bizarre, resembling neither human nor inhuman, and its entire body is made of an ominous dark blue-green stone. It sits cross-legged, yet its six arms are outstretched at angles that defy human anatomy, with a closed eye carved into the palm of each hand. The statue's face is blurred, except for a mouth that curves downwards, as if silently drawing something in, which is depicted with exceptional clarity.

What's even more chilling is that there are seven or eight office chairs surrounding the shrine. In each chair sits a person dressed in a teacher's uniform.

They all hung their heads, motionless, as if asleep. But their skin was a withered, papery gray, clinging tightly to their bones, their eye sockets sunken. Wisps of extremely faint, almost imperceptible pale white mist were slowly drifting from their mouths, noses, and even the pores of their skin, as if drawn by invisible straws, flowing into the slightly open mouth of the evil god statue.

The dark blue surface of the statue seemed to shimmer with an oily sheen under the nourishment of the mist.

All the teachers here... their "vitality" is being continuously drained away!

"This is not a toilet."

She turned around and looked directly into the female NPC's increasingly deep eyes.

"bathroom?"

The female NPC's lips slowly twitched upwards, forming a chilling arc. "Of course I'll go. But before that—"

Her gaze turned venomous and sharp, fixed on Zhang Zhuyu's face: "Because of you, I had to leave the exam hall. I couldn't finish the test! It's all ruined! Since I'm finished, you won't have it easy either!"

Her voice suddenly rose, becoming hysterical:

"Why don't you stay here too, and dedicate your time, your energy, and your vibrant life to Him! Even if my grades are ruined, offering a high-quality sacrifice might... might still offer a chance for salvation!"

"dream!"

Zhang Zhuyu didn't linger and turned to leave.

"Too late!" The female NPC said with a strange smile, blocking the doorway. "Didn't you notice something was wrong?"

Zhang Zhuyu was startled and turned around abruptly, only to find that the pale white mist that had been swirling around the teachers had now wrapped around her. An invisible, icy aura instantly stuck to Zhang Zhuyu.

Zhang Zhuyu felt her whole body stiffen, as if even her blood was freezing. A strong sense of weakness welled up from the depths of her soul, and her vision blurred, as if something invisible was being forcibly drawn from her body and drifting towards the statue. At the same time, the statue's mouth seemed to open even wider, and a faint, greedy sucking sound could be heard.

Seeing this, the female NPC's face revealed a mixture of vengeful satisfaction and a hint of bewilderment. She stopped looking at Zhang Zhuyu, turned, and strode quickly towards the door, muttering, "The offering has been made; perhaps we can still make it in time..."

"you......"

Zhang Zhuyu's face hardened as she looked at the female NPC's back and decisively activated her newbie buff!

"Stay!"

[Ding! Player Zhang Zhuyu has activated a buff, increasing the success rate of persuading dungeon characters to 60%.]

You think you can trade my life for your path? Don't even think about it!

[Ding! Persuasion successful!]

Zhang Zhuyu's eyes were bloodshot, and her consciousness was beginning to waver. The newbie buff had a certain time interval, and she originally planned to use this buff to save her life, but she didn't expect to encounter a statue, so her buff could not be used on an inanimate object.

The female NPC paused, her steps faltering, and then she slowly turned around.

Zhang Zhuyu, drawing strength from who-knows-where, grabbed a utility knife that was casually placed on the table!

"Pfft!"