MTLNOVEL Chapter 428: Another "World
"She wasn't angry!"
"Probably didn't notice us digging up the corpse!"
"Thank goodness! Without that, we'd be toast!"
Several players who automatically switched their communication to the chat system typed in the team channel.
They breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at each other and quickly set their sights on Boxed Lunch.
Boxed Lunch was silent for a moment, then looked at Hu Lu.
Receiving a signal from their captain's eyes, Hu Lu swallowed.
He took a deep breath, stepped forward, first imitating the NPC's action of drawing a symbol of the Life Scepter across his chest, then respectfully said,
"Lord Ling, we followed a Goblin here, um... We've been exploring the forest for ruins these past few days."
"So that's how it is."
Ling nodded lightly.
Seeing that Divine Favored Zero accepted his explanation, Hu Lu breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, he thought for a moment, and with seven parts anticipation and three parts apprehension, he asked,
"Lord Ling, what are you doing here?"
"Me?"
Upon hearing Hu Lu's question, Divine Favored Zero replied devoutly,
"I am here under an oracle from the Mother Goddess to find the last fragment of the Life Scepter."
*Searching for a fragment of the Life Scepter?*
The players perked up.
*Ling was on a mission!*
*And when an NPC has a mission and talks to players about it, it often only means one thing—*
*This mission is most likely meant for the players!*
*They were afraid they might really trigger a hidden mission!*
*In an instant, a few experienced players figured it out.*
Their eyes lit up, and even their breathing became heavier.
*A mission involving the Goddess's oracle and requiring the personal appearance of a Divine Favored—if it really was a hidden mission, it was bound to be a big catch!*
"So... have you completed your mission? Do you need our help?"
Hu Lu respectfully asked again.
"Good job!"
"Hu Lu, well done!"
The other players typed in the chat channel to praise him.
*Raising questions and opening topics might very likely trigger hidden stories!*
But upon hearing Hu Lu's words, Divine Favored Zero slightly shook her head,
"Not yet... I've encountered a difficulty."
After speaking, Divine Favored Zero gently turned and looked in a certain direction inside the temple.
Following her gaze, the players saw a peculiar and surprising scene.
Not far away in midair was a person-high fissure that appeared to tear through the void.
Dense fog surrounded the fissure, obscuring the view inside.
*What is this?*
Several players were very curious.
"What is this?"
Hu Lu asked on behalf of the group.
"This is a half-plane space channel,"
Divine Favored Zero said softly.
*Half-plane?*
*Space channel?*
The players' minds were stirred.
*They were familiar with the term half-plane; it was mentioned in the game background.*
*The universe within the game was comprised of countless planes, and the Segis World was one of them. Each plane also had many large and small half-planes attached to it.*
*In other words, a half-plane was a semi-independent enclosed space attached to the main world.*
"Isn't this just... a new map?"
"Very likely! If it is, then we've definitely triggered a hidden mission!"
"Hu Lu! Keep asking! Keep asking!"
The players excitedly discussed in the chat channel.
Hu Lu was also quite experienced.
He nodded and continued to ask respectfully,
"Lord Ling, does the difficulty you're facing have anything to do with this half-plane channel?"
"That's right."
Ling lightly nodded.
Then, she sighed softly and said,
"According to the oracle of the Mother Goddess, the last fragment of the Life Scepter is in this space. However, the energy level of this half-plane is restricted to silver-tier. My power is too strong to enter it and retrieve the fragment..."
*Planes have levels too?*
*The energy level is of a silver-tier half-plane?*
*Wait! Does that mean only those with silver power can enter this plane?*
Learning this from Divine Favored Zero, the players were all shocked.
*For a moment, they simultaneously understood everything,*
"Damn! Isn't this a definite hidden mission?!"
"It must be! We're all silver-tier. Divine Favored Zero can't enter, but we can!"
"Quick, quick! Hu Lu, accept the mission!"
In the team chat channel, the players excitedly typed.
Hu Lu also realized this.
He suppressed the excitement in his heart and eagerly asked,
"Then... Lord Ling, what about us?"
"You?"
Divine Favored Zero's expression twitched slightly.
"That's right! We are also the Goddess's most faithful believers. Since you can't enter, we are willing to go in on your behalf to search for the Life Scepter's fragment!"
Hu Lu said flatteringly.
"Haha! Hu Lu! You're truly clever!"
The other players typed in the chat channel.
After Hu Lu finished speaking, Divine Favored Zero turned and scrutinized the group,
"You are willing to assist me?"
"Yes! Yes!"
The group nodded like chicks pecking at rice.
*This was the best chance to win favor and get in good with a top-level NPC, besides the Goddess herself, and it might also trigger a hidden mission!*
Then, the players saw Divine Favored Zero smile.
Her mouth formed a curved smile, and the originally aloof aura was instantly replaced with the warmth of a spring breeze.
"Thank you, brave Chosen Ones,"
Ling nodded lightly, her once cold voice taking on a touch of gentleness,
"In that case, please go in for me."
After she spoke, she waved her hand lightly, and a stream of green light floated from her fingers into the bodies of the five players.
"I've set up a remote communication spell for you. Once you enter the half-plane, I can see what you see and communicate with you."
"Let us together, for the Mother Goddess, retrieve the last fragment of the Life Scepter!"
Ling spoke with fervor.
Along with her words, a new system message appeared in the view of the five players, accompanied by the familiar system voice,
[Ding—]
[Divine Favored Zero's favorability towards you increased by 20 points, and your relationship reached friendly]
[Ding—]
[You have triggered the hidden mission: The Last Divine Artifact Fragment]
[Mission Description: Divine Favored Zero is searching for the last fragment of the Life Scepter. To assist her, you decide to enter the half-plane where the fragment is located...]
[Mission Objective: Find the last fragment of the Life Scepter and give it to Divine Favored Zero]
[Mission Time Limit: No limit]
[Mission Team Size: 5-person team]
[Mission Level: 41]
[Personal Mission Reward: 100,000 experience points, 10,000 contribution points, 50 revival coins]
[Team Mission Reward: Partner Contract Right ×1 (This is a mysterious contract, rumored to be related to a dragon)]
Seeing the system message appear, several players were overjoyed,
"Holy crap! The hidden mission truly came!"
"Hahaha! And 20 favor points increase! This is profitable!"
"The hidden mission rewards are really generous!"
"Wait... team mission reward? Partner contract? Related to a dragon?"
"Hiss... another unseen reward! Could it be a contract with a dragon?"
"If it really is, then we've hit the jackpot!"
Seeing the task's rewards, the players took a sharp breath, thrilled.
"Brave Chosen Ones, this half-plane channel is not stable. To prevent any accidents, please set off as soon as possible. Once the mission is completed, the generous Mother Goddess will surely grant you a rich reward,"
Divine Favored Zero continued.
Hearing her words, the players' expressions became even more expectant.
They nodded, then, led by Boxed Lunch, headed toward the spatial fissure.
The five players lined up in a row, approaching the tear one by one, then leaped in.
In the blink of an eye, their figures disappeared into the channel.
...
Sticky, sluggish.
Upon entering the white mist-filled space channel, the players felt as if they were immersed in glue.
However, this sensation came quickly and left just as fast.
They felt as though they had crossed an invisible barrier, and the surrounding white haze suddenly blossomed into a brighter light, prompting them to instinctively close their eyes.
Their consciousness slightly dazed, a dizzying sensation overwhelmed them, and after a few seconds, it returned to normal.
The blinding light vanished, and they opened their eyes.
Below them appeared an emerald-green forest.
Before the players could rejoice, a strong feeling of weightlessness suddenly surged over them.
With a "plop, plop" sound, the five fell from mid-air and plunged into a shimmering lake...
Vaguely, the players heard a clear call from the shore,
"Oh no, someone fell into the water!"
It was in Elvish.
————
I recommend a book, "This Man Was Supposed To Be Strong but Is Forced to Marry," a humorously non-conventional feminist cultivation novel by Two-Dimensional Potato. There's a link in the epilogue.