I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

Your unconventional approach has captivated millions with your work. By not being bound by rigid forms of expression, you've successfully won over the masses, and the world has come to remember you.

[Gained Silence Points: 7800]

Settlement complete

It's time for a real adventure! Let's venture into uncharted territories, uncover more secrets hidden in history, and let the world witness visual wonders!

Please complete the task to receive the reward.

Eleven days after the video was released, Lu Ban's interactive video finally reached 10 million views, meaning that 10 million people watched his video.

As for how many people actually watched it, and how many times they rewatched it, that's something Lu Ban couldn't possibly know.

Including his previous accumulation, Lu Ban now has 24636 Silent Points, which can be described as extremely generous.

"After the missions were given difficulty bonuses, the rewards have significantly exceeded those of career missions. However, overall, career missions are easier to complete."

He thought to himself as he left the police station.

The afternoon in Jiangcheng in September still had the lingering heat of summer. Jiangcheng University was conducting freshman military training, with many young men and women wearing camouflage uniforms and their faces reddened from the sun.

Many of these people have not yet adapted to university life and are still going back and forth between military training, dormitory, and canteen.

Some people, however, had already started having fun, taking advantage of the early end of military training to go to internet cafes.

The trash cans have been cleaned up, and the news has been kept under tight control. Apart from a few eyewitnesses, not many people know that a horrific murder once took place here.

"It's pretty good, at least I won't waste my single pull today."

Lu Ban casually ate something on the back street of Jiangcheng University for dinner, bought a watermelon, went home, tidied up a bit, and then sat down in front of the computer.

The computer screen has changed; it now displays three frames.

Among them, the leftmost frame is made of mahogany and is exquisitely crafted. The text on it forms the style of an ink wash landscape painting. Upon closer inspection, Lu Ban silently read out the system instructions.

[My final work]

Some say that a creator's greatest masterpiece only exists after his death.

In the decadent upper class of the ruined city, where extravagance and debauchery prevail, the pursuit of extraordinary works of art becomes a pastime for the wealthy when survival itself has become cheap.

A sculptor has tragically passed away, and you arrive in the ruined city to attend his lavish funeral.

[There are rumors that his last work was priceless, coveted even by the ruler of the ruined city.]

【"my darling!"】

"The ruined capital, the same old place."

Lu Ban immediately felt a sense of familiarity and warmth.

"This mission should be in the city, and based on the description, the mission objective might be to find the sculptor's last works before his death?"

He secretly speculated.

"Work that requires mental effort is perfect for me!"

Unfortunately, the ruined capital doesn't have the breakthrough materials that Lu Ban needs. If I choose this mission, I'll just be going in to farm points.

The abandoned capital is clearly not a safe place. The gangs with guns alone are dangerous. How can an ordinary law-abiding citizen like Lu Ban fight against them?

He looked at the second painting.

The portrait was painted on stone using natural minerals and plant dyes, and it is full of a primitive and wild feeling. The words depict a scene of human hunting, except that the six legs of the prey are particularly ferocious.

Lu Ban saw that the name of this mission was [Hunting Instinct].

Chapter 091 "Communication First, Life Second!"

Hunting Instinct

Human history is a history of hunting.

For the people of the wasteland, hunting represents food, energy, wealth, and extraordinary power.

Those hunters of the wilderness lie in wait for months, perhaps only for a single moment of slaughter.

[While part of the team, you keenly sense that besides the roaming monsters, there are even more dangerous beings lurking in this wasteland.]

Tonight, you too will join the hunt.

"The wasteland, and the mission involves wandering in the wild. According to the description, the [Saint's Remains] also walks on the earth, so there is a high probability that we will encounter the [Saint's Remains] in this mission."

After reading the mission instructions, Lu Ban rested his chin on his hand and analyzed the situation.

"But there are two problems. First, as an ordinary person, I don't have the means to fight against large monsters. The wild beasts in the wasteland are too dangerous for me."

"Furthermore, the enemies mentioned in the mission description are not just monsters, but may also include PvP between players. I love peace so much, this is not good, not good."

He decided to keep it as an option; if the third mission wasn't related to the island, he would choose this one and try his luck.

At worst, we can spend some Quiet Points to get some heavy weapons; it's an investment, and the future looks promising.

Lu Ban thought of Trist's pistol, that powerful weapon, it looked really cool, he wondered where Trist got it from.

Collecting his thoughts, Lu Ban looked at the third painting.

The painting has no frame; it looks like it's painted on a wooden board. It depicts layers of waves in a unique style, along with monsters and ships lurking within them. It's not exactly beautiful, but it also has a certain charm.

[One Hundred Poets, One Poem]

The triennial poetry festival is a major cultural event on He Island.

People from different islands and regions will gather on Song Island to engage in artistic exchange.

However, this year's poetry festival is somewhat different.

The giant doll suspended in mid-air, the suffocating pale gray fog, the vanished artist—all speak of the eeriness.

"Communication first, life second!"

"Pale gray mist, could it be the sigh of the [Uncertain Mist]?"

Lu Ban analyzed the text.

"The Poetry Festival, as the name suggests, is a grand gathering where everyone drinks, composes poems, and exchanges ideas, right? But it seems there's something wrong with this festival. The mission objective might be to investigate the cause and perhaps survive until the festival ends."

He had already made plans before, and now he was just confirming them further.

"These missions all seem to be related to art or something like that?"

Lu Ban realized this too late.

If hunting can be considered an art of killing, then indeed, all three missions are about artists.

"No need to rush to make a choice, let's do a single pull first."

He glanced at the countdown; he had ten days to make a choice.

"In other words, if time flows slowly enough in another world, I can spend several days there and still be able to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival when I come back?"

Lu Ban's mouth watered as he thought of the snow skin salted egg yolk mooncake.

As usual, he took off his clothes and went to the restroom.

"By the way, come along too. If anything happens to me, remember to give me first aid."

Before closing the bathroom door, Lu Ban said to his air friend.

He opened the system panel and redeemed [The Madman's Knowledge].

This time, the appearance of "The Madman's Knowledge" is different from the previous ones.

Although the previous ones were oddly shaped, they were still bones, or calcium carbonate, or something similar to calcium carbonate. But this time, what appeared in Lu Ban's palm was a lump of jelly-like stuff.

From this pale green, translucent jelly, one can vaguely discern the shape of a head that does not belong to a human, like a marine creature with a cartilaginous body, or somewhat like a jellyfish.

"I hope it's from Hejima."

With a soft thud, Lu Ban crushed the head.

The pale green gel instantly turned into water, flowing into Lu Ban's body through his nostrils, mouth, and ears.

His eyes rolled back, and his whole body began to convulse violently.

From beneath Lu Ban's skin, green branches twitched and struggled, trying to break through the skin's protective barrier. At his throat, a wound resembling shark gills opened and closed repeatedly, drawing oxygen from the air.

Lu Ban felt that his limbs no longer belonged to him. His bones softened as if they had been thrown into highly corrosive acid. In his mind, he was like butter in an oven, limp, melting, and losing his human form.

Meanwhile, countless murmurs, accompanied by the sound of the waves, washed over Lu Ban's mind again and again.

"...No problem, we have no problem at all. The shrine has already confirmed that the poetry festival will proceed as scheduled..."

"...Please rest assured, we are a professional team and will not allow any of you to encounter any danger..."

"...The pollution that has spread near Song Island has been brought under control, so please don't worry..."

"...I see it, I see it, my light of life, my fire of desire, my soul, my sins, please forgive me..."

"...That mist was poisonous, not a deadly poison, but a poison that drives people mad. They've all gone mad, they've all gone mad..."

"...We have reason to believe that his departure was merely a coincidence; ensuring the convening of the poetry festival is now the top priority..."

*Pfft*

On Lu Ban's arm, the restless vines pierced his skin and grew wildly. He was soon covered by the ivy-like branches and fell to the bathroom floor, motionless, his breathing stopped.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes passed, and Lu Ban still didn't make a move.

Lu Ban looked timidly at the ground in the mirror and glanced at the drain.

The hair slowly spread out from the drain, but it couldn't touch Lu Ban's body.

The shadows at the doorway grew thicker, and even the bathroom door made a crackling sound.

Lu Ban was still not breathing, and his heart was not beating, as if he were already dead.

Suddenly, his chest caved in unnaturally, the pressure stimulating his lungs and causing his previously dysfunctional organs to start functioning again.

"what--"

Lu Ban's rolled-back eyes suddenly revealed their pupils, and he took a deep breath.

"I almost died. So this [Madman's Knowledge] doesn't reset the damage every time it's used?"

He felt it was a real rip-off.