Chapter 182 – The Reunion
Greed breeds fools; at times, restraint is more important than desire.
Zhou Ning stepped forward and activated his Ripple, reducing Archibald's corpse completely to ash. He didn't know whether this would truly prevent the man from resurrecting, but he understood the importance of taking precautions.
Along the way, he picked up a strange, gelatinous item with peculiar markings that had fallen to the ground. This was a supernatural material dropped only by lord-level monsters. In the hands of a skilled alchemist or craftsman, it could be used to forge all sorts of supernatural equipment—or even mysterious artifacts.
Just like the Traveler's Ring made by Wendegoon, which he now wore.
At that moment, a bone-chilling wind swept through the hall, signaling that something new was unfolding. Zhou Ning paused, frowning slightly. He turned back to glance down the dark corridor and listened to the increasingly erratic sounds of the undead he had encountered on his way in. Deep within the temple, he could feel an icy and formidable power drawing closer. He adjusted the brim of his hat, bowed slightly in that direction, and offered a polite farewell.
No need to see me out.
Although six minutes still remained before his main account was forced offline, Zhou Ning didn't linger to see what changes might occur. He immediately chose to leave the temple, taking the two burdensome players along with him.
Navigating the winding corridors, Zhou Ning came across numerous groups of undead. He even passed the corpses of a student and a professor who had died along the way—the latter killed by a harpoon-like weapon, likely the work of that undead walrus creature.
Feeling the powerful force approaching ever closer, Zhou Ning held nothing back. He activated his "Unmatched Mowing Mode," cutting through everything in his path with fluid, unstoppable ease. He neither paused nor bothered collecting loot, charging straight through corridors lined with reliefs and murals, heading toward the temple's shadowy exit.
Up ahead, by the dark archway of the temple's exit, the harpoon-wielding walrus creature paced back and forth. The chill intensified behind him, pressing in. Zhou Ning's eyes narrowed. With a sudden burst of speed, he closed in like a ghost.
The two players behind him had been bracing for a hard-fought battle. Instead, they watched in stunned silence: the black trench coat fluttered slightly, and with one swift punch—an explosive damage number flashed onscreen. The savage-looking walrus creature's health bar plummeted in an instant and it crumpled to the ground.
[You have slain boss-level creature: Walrusman Ike. Damage contribution: 47%. You gained 59,000 experience points.]
One punch KO.
With the walrusman dispatched, the space ahead opened up, revealing the dim world outside and snow falling like goose feathers.
Ignoring the two dumbfounded players behind him, Zhou Ning grabbed them both, stepped forward, and activated the teleportation effect stored in the Traveler's Ring. Their forms shimmered and vanished—reappearing moments later in a clearing far from the temple.
At the same time, a frigid wind howled as a blurred female wraith shot from the temple gates, trailing swirling snow behind her. After a brief pause, she reluctantly withdrew back into the temple, the massive doors slamming shut with a final bang.
As the 15-minute countdown ended, the possession effect of the Epic Vampire quietly faded. Zhou Ning felt the overwhelming power drain from his body and let out a silent sigh.
Compared to the first time he had used the possession card, this experience had left a much stronger impression. That near-overwhelming strength had shaken even him—it was a level of raw power capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Hulk in a pure fistfight.
Still, recalling how he had acted during the battle, Zhou Ning couldn't help but fall silent. The vampire version of himself was just way too obsessed with putting on a show. It didn't match his usual low-key, reserved image at all.
As he silently grumbled to himself, Zhou Ning pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. It was nearing 1 p.m. He looked toward the towering building in the distance. The exploration just now had lasted nearly four hours—easily the most dangerous adventure he had ever experienced. If he hadn't used that possession card or had the Traveler's Ring, he doubted he would've made it out alive.
Nearby, the rest of the expedition team—still deliberating whether to retreat—spotted Zhou Ning. Rosie quickly waved and called out, "Over here!"
Zhou Ning steadied his emotions and walked over calmly. Right now, his image was that of a strongman who had just defeated a powerful foe—he had to maintain that presence. He watched as Leandro approached him and gave a respectful bow.
"You're the bravest person I've ever met. You were willing to sacrifice yourself for your companions and face a monster like that one-on-one."
"My brother's death wasn't your fault. Let's put it behind us. If anything, I owe you now."
No, you're misunderstanding… That wasn't me sacrificing anything. That was just the vampire template's built-in need to show off… Zhou Ning silently complained.
By now, even students and professors—including Cress—had begun expressing their admiration and surprise.
"I'm just glad you made it back alive. You saved all of us. I wanted to stay and fight by your side, but I was in no condition to help," Edwin said, stepping forward with a smile.
It was clear from his tone and expression that after everything that had happened, Edwin no longer saw Zhou Ning as just a student, but as a fellow powerhouse.
"You're too kind, Mr. Edwin," Zhou Ning replied with a smile. "Honestly, I only did what I had to do to survive. I wasn't confident I'd win, but I was lucky—I managed to kill Archibald."
"What?" Edwin was stunned. He had assumed Zhou Ning had merely escaped from Archibald, not defeated him.
After all, that was Sir Archibald, the Flame of Justice—one of the Four Heroes, a legendary figure.
To prove it, Zhou Ning retrieved Archibald's rune sword from his inventory and handed it to Edwin.
"Incredible," Edwin muttered. After asking a few more questions—especially regarding the potentially even greater dangers still lurking within the Temple of Death—he took a deep breath and looked Zhou Ning in the eye.
"Vick University will remember your contribution. You have my full friendship."
A system prompt appeared on Zhou Ning's panel:
[Vick University Affinity +5000]
[Vick University: Respect (3000/6000)]
[Temple of Earth Reputation +1000]
[Temple of Earth: Friendly (1000/1200)]
At the same time, the other two players received the same prompts, unlocking two new factions: Vick University and the Temple of Earth.
"This hidden quest was totally worth it! No doubt about it—sticking with the main character is the way to go!" the two players said tearfully.
Zhou Ning was pleasantly surprised as well. Reputation with Vick University was quite useful—this was, after all, the most prestigious institution in the Apocalypse World. Many of the rare alchemy recipes and tomes in its library could only be accessed by exchanging reputation or credits.
The Temple of Earth's reputation, on the other hand, was crucial for knights and meteorologists—not much use to him, but it could come in handy someday.
After returning to camp, the expedition team wasted no time. They packed up and made their way to the predetermined rendezvous point, where Rachel and the other half of the expedition team were already waiting.