As always, a huge thanks to GreenKiTea for the kofis, enjoy the bonus chapters!

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Whoosh—

Another gust of wind swept in. Inside the circle, Lei Gong and Shuixi didn’t notice the EF5 lurking in the distance. Riding the wind, Lei Gong rushed forward to grab Hera.

Lei Gong seemed to signal Shuixi for help with a hand gesture.

Jian Xingyi was getting anxious. He shouted toward the outside, trying to get Shuixi to come back, but the distance was too great, and the wind was too loud.

Seeing this, Jian Xingyi had no choice but to grab the rope and go out.

It was too late for Shuixi and Lei Gong to make it back against the wind, but as soon as Jian Xingyi stepped out, the strong wind pushed him right toward Shuixi.

As soon as Shuixi noticed Jian Xingyi coming out, he furrowed his brow and was about to signal for him to come back when, in the next instant, Jian Xingyi crashed straight into his arms.

Shuixi was knocked back several steps by the impact. The wind was too strong, and just as Jian Xingyi was about to be blown away again, Shuixi reached out and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him back to safety.

Once he regained his footing, Jian Xingyi immediately unfurled the EF4 windproof tent.

Crack!

The tent opened right in the eye of the tornado, pulling both of them inside.

After Shuixi was forcibly pushed into the tent by Jian Xingyi, he wrapped his arms around his to shield him, looked warily around, and asked, “What’s going on?”

Jian Xingyi said, “There’s…”

Whoosh———

Before he could finish his sentence, the tent was suddenly… sent flying!

“Whoa! ” Jian Xingyi slammed headfirst into Shuixi’s chest, momentarily dazed, then quickly clung tightly to him as the two of them were tossed about inside the tent and blown skyward.

This time, Jian Xingyi and Shuixi didn’t need to say a word; Shuixi understood immediately.

An EF5 tornado had swept in, merging with the EF4, forming an even larger vortex.

They were caught halfway up because Shuixi was still tied to the rope. Just as they were about to be sucked into the vortex, Shuixi quickly pulled out a pocket knife and cut the rope. Otherwise, the rope would have tangled around them and strangled them, and if the car tried to retreat, it would have dragged them down.

Freed from the rope’s constraints, the two soared even higher.

Jian Xingyi felt a bit scared; they were far too high off the ground. Wouldn’t they fall to their deaths?

“Roar—”

But before Jian Xingyi could think any further, the two were sucked into the vortex of the fierce wind and began spinning at an endless, high speed. Breathing grew increasingly difficult, and their whole bodies were tossed about until they were dizzy and disoriented. Fortunately, there was no debris around to harm them. They were also protected by their tent. Although it was only rated for EF4, it significantly reduced the pressure on them now. Without it, they might have passed out in this powerful current.

Whoosh…

An EF4 is, after all, just an EF4. Under the powerful impact of an EF5, it finally burst. But Jian Xingyi had another one in his backpack, so he threw it out to block the blast.

That should be enough!

Jian Xingyi finally got a taste of the EF5’s power.

Unbelievable!!

Jian Xingyi felt as if his lungs were about to explode, and his head was buzzing from the shock.

For a split second, he thought his soul was being ripped out of his body, and he had turned into a piece of fruit in a blender.

The world had turned into a chaotic blur; he could only vaguely sense that someone was still beside him. It wasn’t quite as terrifying as it could have been.

Fortunately, the wind speed began to ease shortly after.

Shuixi closed his eyes and began to listen.

Just as the tornado was about to dissipate, Shuixi scooped up Jian Xingyi and leaped out of the tent toward the vortex’s center.

Jian Xingyi felt only a moment of weightlessness.

“……!”

As the tornado passed, their vision finally cleared. Just as they were about to hit the ground, Shuixi whipped out a rope and hooked it precisely onto the car to serve as a buffer, landing with Jian Xingyi in his arms.

Shuixi landed on his back; Jian Xingyi wasn’t injured, he was just… still a bit dazed.

Once he came to his senses, he looked at Shuixi, who was pinned beneath him, and quickly jumped up to check on him.

Shuixi had hit the ground hard, so he was still recovering. His back was injured, and his arm… the part Jian Xingyi had grabbed was bruised and purple.

Jian Xingyi: “……”

Jian Xingyi said guiltily, “I’m sorry…”

Shuixi shook his head and gently squeezed Jian Xingyi’s elbow. “It’s okay. Thank you.”

Jian Xingyi’s quick reflexes had indeed saved the day; he’d rushed out to drape a tent over him.

And…

Shuixi said helplessly, “You’re so bold. Didn’t I tell you not to come out?”

Jian Xingyi sighed. “I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t just leave you out here alone, could I? The EF5 is coming. No matter how strong someone is… they’re still flesh and blood.”

Shuixi raised an eyebrow.

The fact that Jian Xingyi would want to protect him felt strange, because rarely did anyone think that “Shanhai” needed protecting.

Shuixi stood up and quickly applied medicine to his wounds, while the others in the car hurriedly got out to check on Lei Gong and Hera.

The two lay unconscious nearby; Hera, in particular… was bleeding from all seven orifices.

At the same time, the tornado dissipated, restoring calm to the surroundings, and the system’s voice rang out.

【Congratulations to all players in the instance for clearing 【Chaser】! Rewards obtained…】

【Congratulations to all players in the instance for triggering 【Twin Dragon Crisis】 and surviving 【EF5 Tornado】! Achievement 【Excellent Chaser】 unlocked. Rewards obtained…】

Since this was a multiplayer dungeon, the rewards were distributed as a list.

Surprisingly, where the EF5 Twin Dragons had passed—centered around the flag they had planted—white flowers began to sprout and spread outward right before everyone’s eyes.

Jian Xingyi: “!”

Jian Xingyi recognized these flowers!

Earlier, after he had encountered a mudslide on Peace Island and rescued Haihai, white, translucent crystal flowers—strange in shape yet beautiful—had bloomed in the aftermath of the disaster.

It is said that crystal flowers bloom on land scarred by war or natural disasters. The white blossoms seem to pay homage, yet they also appear to draw nourishment from death and fear, giving rise to a life that is pure yet eerie. However, these flowers bloom for only a brief moment before vanishing, lasting merely a fleeting instant.

But since these were newly bloomed flowers, untainted by pollution, their essence value was generally quite substantial.

While everyone else was still admiring this rare and fleeting sight, Jian Xingyi had already skillfully activated his ability.

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x7】

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x5】

【Harvest Successful, Absorbed 【Essence】 x8】

Jian Xingyi harvested over two hundred points of essence in a single go. Adding it all up… that’s a total of 669 points!

Yay…

After collecting the essence, Jian Xingyi turned to see that Shuixi had already used medicine to remove all the bruises from his arm.

Jian Xingyi’s ears turned slightly red.

Ah… why did he have to be so rough?

The two stood up, and everyone used medicine to revive Lei Gong and Hera. Lei Gong seemed to be fine, but Hera was still a bit dazed.

Medicines have stacking limits, and it seemed no one was willing to use the hospital’s precious herbs on Hera.

It just goes to show how unpopular she was.

Seeing Hera struggling to move, Lei Gong suppressed his urge to scold his and said through gritted teeth, “Go deliver the oil to Houyi and the others first, then… We’ll discuss this later!”

Lei Gong glanced at Jian Xingyi and said helplessly, “We’ve made a spectacle of ourselves. This time… I really am grateful.”

Lei Gong bowed to the two of them. “Thank goodness you were here; otherwise, things could have gone completely haywire.”

If Shuixi hadn’t been there, it would have merely been a failed mission. A major disaster might have been avoided, though it would have been a bit embarrassing.

But it’s still pretty embarrassing now, though.

Shuixi glanced around and said to Lei Gong, “You guys go back first. Xinghe and I will stay a little longer.”

Lei Gong didn’t seem puzzled. He seemed to know what Shuixi was up to, so he nodded and said, “Alright. Since we’ve cleared the dungeon now, you can log out whenever you want.”

With that, Lei Gong led everyone off to find Houyi.

Once everyone had left and the area was empty except for the two of them, Jian Xingyi looked at Shuixi curiously. “What’s going on?”

Shuixi raised an eyebrow. “Robbery. I’m leaving you here.”

Now that everyone else had left with their vehicles, Jian Xingyi could only rely on Shuixi’s motorcycle to leave the dungeon; otherwise, it would take forever to walk out. So it was indeed quite convenient for Shuixi to pull a prank.

Jian Xingyi couldn’t stop laughing and held out his hands in mock compliance. “What are you going to rob? Want to tie me up?”

Shuixi felt like teasing her. “Back when I was in the Prison Dungeon… there actually was an item like that.”

“Huh?”

The next moment, Shuixi actually pulled out a pair of… handcuffs.

Jian Xingyi: “?”

Seeing Jian Xingyi hold out both hands toward him, Shuixi deftly cuffed him.

Jian Xingyi: “!!”

Jian Xingyi was at a loss for words—he shook his wrists and realized he was actually handcuffed. “Unlock me!” he demanded.

“No way.” Shuixi pulled out a motorcycle and hoisted his onto it.

Jian Xingyi was dying of curiosity. “What’s going on? Is there something else here? Where are we going?”

Shuixi deliberately kept his in the dark, saying nothing as he started the engine.

The motorcycle sped across the open wilderness, kicking up a trail of dust. Thunderstorms and flashes of lightning occasionally erupted around them, and not far off, a roaring tornado could be heard.

Jian Xingyi sat handcuffed on the motorcycle. As they headed to an increasingly remote and distant location, with the storm clouds growing denser all around—ready to spawn a tornado at any moment—she couldn’t help but feel… It really felt like he was being kidnapped, about to be killed, and his body dumped.

But he also began to feel a sense of anticipation.

What… was up ahead?

Jian Xingyi looked up. “Can’t you tell me? Not even a little bit?”

Shuixi pretended not to hear him.

Jian Xingyi squirmed. “Brother Shuixi, just tell me a tiny bit.”

“……Don’t move. You’ll fall off.”

Jian Xingyi pouted. How could he possibly fall off? He was squeezed so tight he could barely breathe!

Sigh.

I’m so impatient.

Since Shuixi had been adventuring with him for a while, he must know exactly what Jian Xingyi was after—nothing more than some fantastic farmland or bizarrely shaped plants.

So the “surprise” Shuixi was giving him had to be one of those.

This made Jian Xingyi incredibly excited.

“Boom—”

Another clap of thunder rang out nearby, and the sky and earth turned dark.

Shuixi pointed to the nearby hills and said, “We’re heading for the highest peak of those hills, but on the way there, obstacles will block us from all sides.”

Heavy rain, gale-force winds, and lightning—all of these would hinder players from reaching their destination.

Jian Xingyi understood. “I get it. After all, this is the Windchaser dungeon. The Windchasers…”

The two spoke in unison: “To do what one knows cannot be done.”

Crash—

Shuixi executed an extreme low-speed turn, dodging a bolt of lightning.

The lightning struck a crater where they had been standing.

Just as Jian Xingyi was breathing a sigh of relief, a torrential downpour began, soaking him from head to toe.

“……”

Oh man.

Jian Xingyi looked up at Shuixi; he was a mess too, with water dripping from his hair and eyelashes.

Thud…

“Hold on tight.”

Shuixi slammed the throttle, and the motorcycle surged up the slope, a bolt of lightning striking just behind them.

If not for Shuixi’s extreme maneuvering, both of them would have been struck by lightning.

“……!”

Jian Xingyi felt the force pushing him backward, and then, with a “boom,” the motorcycle hit the ground, bringing them to the very top of the slope.

In that very instant, the rain stopped, and the wind died down.

Although the sun didn’t appear—after all, this game had no sun—at least the terrifying, wrathful atmosphere of the heavens had finally subsided.

Jian Xingyi was stunned.

He looked down the slope and saw the basin filled with a dense carpet of dandelions, swaying gently in the breeze.

There were so many flowers in the basin that Jian Xingyi felt as if he jumped in, he would be swallowed up by the sea of flowers.

This was the first time he had seen so many dandelions since arriving at Flag-Raising Mountain!

Or rather, this was the first time he had ever seen a sea of flowers in the game!

The basin was lush and green, with tender grass covering the entire hillside. Above it lay soft, fluffy white balls that swayed gently; clustered together, they resembled tufts of cotton or a light snowfall.

“Wow…”

Shuixi said, “If I remember correctly, this is an Easter egg in the dungeon. It’s the graves of the Spirits… especially the Wind Chasers. But it’s not easy to see. First, you need to meet the prerequisites for clearing the dungeon, and then every player can only see it once in their lifetime. Since you’ve seen it this time and received the ‘Scatter’ reward, you won’t be able to see it again.”

“And it depends on luck, too. It’s possible we’ll go through all this trouble just to find nothing.”

This place is known as the End of Flag-Raising Mountain, the resting place of the Heroic Spirits.

That’s why Shuixi didn’t want to tell Jian Xingyi beforehand—to spare him the disappointment.

Shuixi couldn’t see it either at that moment; all he saw was a barren basin. But judging by Jian Xingyi’s reaction, he must have seen it.

That’s good.

Jian Xingyi was so happy he didn’t know what to say.

Beautiful, so beautiful…!

Just seeing this sight was enough to make him happy, but these flowers weren’t just for decoration.

The player operating the game was so moved that he was about to cry.

Blowing on the dandelions didn’t just give rewards—there were dense clusters of glowing dots underneath, all essence!

And…

Jian Xingyi opened the redemption voucher—could you actually buy land here??

Talk about having your horizons broadened, everyone…!

Jian Xingyi was overjoyed.

Just then, he noticed another dandelion at the center of the cluster… one that looked different from the rest?

Huh?