Chapter 124 Xia Feng's Three Small Goals
As for this god-level relic called the "Key of Misfortune," a god-level relic refers to the physical manifestation of residual power left behind after the death of certain gods. These relics are typically one-time consumables, but their effects are often extraordinary and exceedingly rare.
Though Xia Feng didn't know the exact function of the Key of Misfortune, a relic of the seven-eye tier had to be incredibly powerful.
The thought gave him pause. Wait—if the clearance rewards in this place were all seven-eye-tier, then the difficulty here must be downright monstrous, right?
As information about the disaster realm unfolded, terrified screams and deafening explosions erupted from behind, flames roaring into the sky.
Xia Feng glanced back and cursed under his breath. The five bald men were fleeing straight toward them, pursued relentlessly by the fourth-level brother and sister duo.
No time to hesitate. Xia Feng and Mu Qingtong spun around and bolted.
Honestly, even though both of them were level 2 and could theoretically team up against a single level 4, facing two level 4 opponents at once?
Running was the smarter choice.
No need to engage these two lunatics head-on.
Using stealth and the Qingtong masks, they hid inside a nearby house. From there, they watched as the scarred bald man was effortlessly beheaded by the Gothic Lolita, his face frozen in horror.
Xia Feng barely caught the details—four more bald heads materialized around the Gothic Lolita, leaving behind only five headless bodies gushing blood in the distance.
The five severed heads were casually tossed into a sack by the Gothic Lolita.
"Tsk tsk~ Full haul!"
Her lips twisted into a wild grin as she slung the sack over her slender shoulder and strode toward the TV man in the distance.
The TV man eyed the sack with disdain and sneered, "Can you move any slower? Getting dragged into this shitty disaster has already delayed us. Are we still hunting the Peach Organization or not?"
His tone was sharp, laced with irritation.
"Tch, I know." The Gothic Lolita, her heavy makeup dull under the dim light, rolled her eyes. "You talk too much."
"Looking for the Peach Organization?" Xia Feng, still hidden in the shadows, frowned. Being targeted by two fourth-level powerhouses couldn't mean anything good.
He needed to grow stronger—fast.
Right now, he had three immediate goals:
First, accompany Mu Qingtong to find He Jianzhu. He couldn't shake the feeling that Mu Qingtong's attitude toward her mother was… off. It made him inexplicably curious—what was the deal between this mother and daughter?
Mu Qingtong was already an enigma. What kind of person was her mother?
Second, reach level 3. Admittedly, this wasn't a pressing concern. Mu Qingtong would handle that for him.
The third goal was the most critical: complete the holy solution. Now that he knew about the three holy solutions, his priority was to track one down.
As he strategized, Xia Feng skimmed the disaster realm's rules:
[1. The "orphan" is under the protection of the God of the Sky. Harming the "orphan" is forbidden.]
[2. After dark, the outside world becomes unsafe. Seek shelter in a house with an "orphan." (Each house can accommodate a maximum of two outsiders.)]
[3. You must worship the God of the Sky before midnight each night. Failure to do so will incur divine wrath.]
The second rule explicitly warned that the outside world would turn hazardous after nightfall, instructing survivors to take refuge in houses with "orphans."
Xia Feng didn't know what horrors lurked outside after dark, but following the rules was the safest bet.
He and Mu Qingtong swiftly weaved through the rows of small, cramped houses.
The place resembled a small town more than an orphanage.
Yet as they moved, Xia Feng noticed countless children—some as young as ten, others in their teens—peering expressionlessly from the windows, their hollow gazes fixed on the spiritual masters outside.
One by one, the spiritual masters forced their way into houses with orphans. Xia Feng and Mu Qingtong avoided conflict, instead making their way to a courtyard house at the street's end, surrounded by jasmine bushes.
Through a second-floor window, Xia Feng glimpsed a little girl sitting at a desk, absorbed in drawing.
Knock knock knock—
Xia Feng knocked politely on the door after landing in the courtyard.
"I'm coming." A frail, aged voice answered. The door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman with gray hair and clouded eyes.
As she appeared, a notification flashed before Xia Feng:
[Orphan: Ye Ziqiu]
He hadn't expected the term "orphan" here to be so loosely defined—apparently, even adults over eighteen who'd lost their parents qualified.
"Hello, can we stay—"
Xia Feng barely got the words out before the old woman's expression darkened. She slammed the door shut with a loud bang!
"No! If you want to stay overnight, find another house! You're not welcome here!" Her voice was hoarse, dripping with hostility.
But then, the door swung open again.
"Mom! What's wrong with you? You're just going to let them die out there?" A man yanked the old woman aside, replacing her in the doorway with a forced smile.
"Spiritual Masters, please, come in, come in—" He was unkempt, his beard scraggly and hair sticking up like a bird's nest, but his clothes were clean, his eyes alert. Bowing slightly, he gestured inside warmly. "You two are outsiders, right? Have you eaten? We just slaughtered a chicken today—my mother's chicken soup is the best in the entire courtyard."
"Are you... family?" Xia Feng cut in, frowning.
"Ah, yes! This is my mother. Oh—right, I almost forgot, there's also a little one at home." The man smacked his forehead and turned, shouting upstairs, "Xiao Wen! Come down, we've got guests!"
As he called out, a notification flickered before Xia Feng:
[Orphan: Wen Jing]
"My surname's Yun. Call me Old Yun or Uncle Yun." The scruffy man grinned. "And you two are...?"
They'd disguised their faces as ordinary folk—after all, when you're notorious, extra aliases never hurt. Xia Feng blurted out the first fake name that came to mind: "I'm Fang Pian."
Mu Qingtong shot him a sidelong glance. "Mei Hua."
"..." Uncle Yun blinked, then chuckled. "Hah! Great names! I'm guessing you're a couple? What a perfect match."
"Don't just stand outside, come in!" When neither moved, he waved them forward. "Relax, I know the rules. You need to stay in a house with orphans. I've got two here—very safe."
Safe? Xia Feng wasn't convinced. The old woman's hostility was a glaring red flag.
Still, they had to get inside first.
While their real goal was finding Mu Qingtong's mother, securing shelter was priority number one. Besides, Xia Feng suspected her mother might be tied to this evil realm somehow—maybe these locals could offer clues.
Stepping inside, warmth immediately enveloped them. The heating was cranked up, oddly cozy for a place like this. Where was the power even coming from in this isolated nightmare?
The living room led to a kitchen behind a sliding door, where the sizzle of simmering chicken soup drifted out. The old woman had been shoved in there by the middle-aged man; their muffled argument suggested he was berating her for her lack of mercy.
Xia Feng and Mu Qingtong exchanged glances before turning to the window. Outside, the world had plunged into total darkness. Jasmine vines clinging to the window withered instantly as night fell, and within moments, thick gray fog swallowed everything beyond the house.
"That's evil mist—lets the monsters move freely," Uncle Yun explained, emerging from the kitchen. "But don't worry. Stay inside, and you're safe. We've got plenty of water and electricity here. You'll live comfortably these next few days."
Mu Qingtong narrowed her eyes. "Where's the power coming from in a sealed place like this?"
"Young lady, you wouldn't know. Before the monsters came, this was a children's playground—loaded with power generators."
"Generators?" She pressed. "Solar?"
Uncle Yun laughed. "Too outdated! We use divine power now."
"..."
"The great Sky God is omnipotent! Devout worship and prayer each day grants us not just food, but everything we need to live."
"Praise be to Him." He clasped his hands, face solemn with piety.
Xia Feng's eye twitched. Was that the Amitabha pose?
Dropping his hands, the scruffy man frowned upstairs. "That kid... always dragging his feet."
As he spoke, he shouted upstairs again, "Xiao Wen! I told you to come down! Are you listening?"
Then, as if suddenly remembering something important, he turned back to warn them, "Honored guests, you must follow the three rules set by the God of the Sky. Break them, and even hiding in this house won't save you."
Xia Feng's expression remained neutral. So these natives knew all the Disaster Realm's rules by heart? That suggested the so-called God of the Sky was actually this Disaster Realm's Disaster Beast.
"The rules mention worshipping the God of the Sky before midnight. What exactly does that entail?" Xia Feng asked.
"Oh, that's simple." Uncle Yun flipped on the bathroom light, revealing a dark red shrine in the corner - conspicuously empty, with no statue.
"The God of the Sky is a true deity, formless beyond mortal comprehension," Uncle Yun explained solemnly. "Just kneel before the shrine once before midnight tonight, and you'll receive His protection."
"And if we don't?" Mu Qingtong's golden eyes narrowed to slits.
"Don't worship?" Uncle Yun froze, then fixed the black-clad woman with a grave stare. "The rules are clear. Those who spurn the gods incur divine wrath!"
He slammed a fist into his palm. "The monsters came because this orphanage broke divine taboos! The Sky God alone pleaded for mercy to spare our lives!" Spittle flew as his voice rose. "But His protection isn't unconditional - only true believers receive it!"
Xia Feng and Mu Qingtong exchanged glances. Neither bought this fanatical spiel.
After a long pause, Mu Qingtong observed coolly: "The rules state punishment for not worshipping... but nowhere guarantee safety for those who do. So even worshippers aren't necessarily protected, correct?"
"Blasphemy!"
Uncle Yun's face purpled with rage. "You dare question the Sky God?!" Veins bulged at his temples. "Without His protection, we'd all be dead - you outsiders first of all!"
"Uncle Yun, breathe." Mu Qingtong rapped the table calmly, her voice honey-smooth. "We mean no offense. Just seeking clarity."
The man's breathing slowed, though his scowl remained. "Mark my words," he hissed. "Spurn the gods, and divine retribution will strike. Don't say I didn't warn you."
(End of this chapter)