Chapter 3: The Venom Village 2

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“What’s going on with Escape Tour? Isn’t this a forbidden dungeon? How is it open now...?”
“Yeah, and they forcibly threw us in... Did Escape Tour mess up the players...?”
Some murmured complaints arose.
After all, having just cleared a dungeon, they were relaxing in their game lobby rooms, only to be forcibly thrust into this world. Who wouldn’t grumble?
Other players thought the same but dared not voice it.
These were all Escape Tour players, resting in the game lobby when suddenly forced into a dungeon—a forbidden one at that.
As the name suggests, all exploration in this dungeon was taboo, with death triggers lurking everywhere. Few could clear it, and it was generally locked.
Such a dungeon was far beyond their level, and yet...
Players couldn’t help but wonder if Escape Tour was malfunctioning.
“Ahem, buddy, do you think Escape Tour actually wants us to clear this forbidden dungeon?”
“No way! The survival rate in these dungeons is so low. I think Escape Tour must have thrown us in by mistake!”
“Hey, why not ask the system?”
So one player queried silently, and Escape Tour’s cold voice echoed into everyone’s ears:
【No mistake. Please strive to clear the dungeon.】
【Time limit: seven days. Find out the truth about the Gu tribe’s breeding of poison and survive within seven days to clear the dungeon.】
They were basically being sent to their deaths.
The players were speechless.
This trash Escape Tour was really ruthless.
“...Hey... is that... God Chu?”
Someone looked forward and spotted a familiar but indistinct figure whose silhouette resembled Chu Mingxiu, the top player on the rookie leaderboard.
Other players followed his voice and indeed saw a man’s figure, disbelief shining in their eyes: “God Chu?!”
God Chu was here too?!
Seeing God Chu, the players were thrilled.
Having a top-tier player in the team eased their nerves about the forbidden dungeon somewhat.
After some back-and-forth discussion, they prepared to enter the Gu tribe.
The deployment point was at the foot of the mountain, outside the Gu tribe.
They had to identify its direction first and formed a group to find the entrance, stumbling along but eventually succeeding.
“Damn!” Players cursed at the steep mountain slope at the entrance.
The edge of the Gu tribe was rugged and difficult to traverse. They had brought vehicles but had to abandon them and climb on foot.
“This sun is brutal. I’m about to die of exhaustion!” someone grumbled.
The afternoon sun was scorching, nearly blinding. If they weren’t players with better physical stats than ordinary humans, there was no way they could climb before nightfall.
The mountain path harbored venomous creatures—snakes, spiders, scorpions. They encountered many along the way, sending chills down their spines.
One bite, and it would be game over!
Quickly, players exchanged points for an antidote.
After a long climb, the group finally reached the village entrance, where a modest mud house stood.
They finally breathed a sigh of relief.
One more step up that mountain, and they would curse the ancestors of Escape Tour!
Sweaty, they stood outside the door.
“Brother Chu, are you really going in now?” a tall player wiped sweat, looking at the man knocking on the door.
“Not reconsidering?”
Sincerely spoke softly.
God Chu was a big shot, worth befriending.
“No need.”
The man wore a loose black T-shirt and carried a simple black backpack. Even so, his physique was impressive—muscular arms with veins slightly bulging, exuding a cold allure.
His face was equally striking: cold and handsome, with narrow phoenix-like eyes slightly narrowed, concealing indifference beneath, radiating overwhelming presence.
His voice was calm and steady as he stood at the door like a perfect sculpture.
Nearby players watched each other warily.
Most were not novices; even in the same dungeon, few trusted their teammates.
No one knew if the teammate they trusted would stab them in the back next.
In Escape Tour, trust was worthless for survival.
“Is he really God Chu, top of the rookie leaderboard?”
One player with striking silver-gray hair glanced at the man.
His sharp features resembled a protagonist in a hot-blooded shonen manga, but his relaxed gaze suggested he was just out for a casual game, not struggling to survive a dungeon.
“Too bad you ran into me... Think the Gu tribe dungeon will claim another rookie number one?” he said with a slight smirk, looking at the player beside him.
That player stiffened, face pale.
“What… what do you want to do...”
He silently prayed that Liangye wouldn’t fight God Chu.
Not out of kindness, but because when gods clash, mortals suffer.
In the end, the others would bear the brunt.

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Liangye chuckled darkly. “What can I do?”
The other player’s lips trembled, face stiff.
“God, this dungeon is forbidden; we should cooperate...”
He immediately regretted saying it.
What if Liangye got triggered and killed him?
“Cooperate?”
Liangye burst out laughing, genuinely amused.
“Are you crazy? What does a forbidden dungeon have to do with me?”
Trying to cooperate with a lunatic who clears dungeons by killing everyone, Liangye wasn’t sure who was crazier.
“Y-yes...”
The player grumbled but dared not argue, relieved instead.
Liangye was the “Ghost,” an S-tier powerhouse like God Chu, a madman who cleared dungeons by slaughtering all. That he hadn’t gone on a rampage yet was already lucky.
Moreover, Liangye wasn’t a rookie leaderboard member this time; bound by dungeon rules, he was a big shot from a previous Escape Tour, free to act recklessly.
The others recognized Liangye and stiffened at his laughter.
“Damn... Liangye is here too...”
Someone cursed silently.
Damn, that madman came to the dungeon too?!
Players sweat nervously, fearing Liangye’s wrath. Although God Chu was strong and unafraid, they were terrified.
Liangye snorted coldly, a hint of arrogance in his thin lips, savoring their fear.
“God Chu, are you really going in now?”
The tall player couldn’t help but ask again.
“The Gu tribe dungeon hasn’t opened for a long time; what if...”
He wanted to say, what if all the dungeon bosses respawned and started slaughtering right away? After all, the village had just one house, clearly a key figure in the dungeon.
“You talk too much.”
God Chu’s cold reply silenced him.
The player stiffened, holding his tongue.
He dared not offend Chu Mingxiu, the top rookie player.
Though outwardly respectful, he inwardly grumbled.
Damn, what was so arrogant about him? He hated show-offs the most.
This was the dungeon that buried the former Escape Tour rookie number one, Ke Zhi.
Ke Zhi was a big shot with godlike skills who had survived countless dungeons, even an S-tier one, but perished in this special dungeon.
More ironic was that the Gu tribe was only a C-tier dungeon, not even close to S-tier.
All subsequent players who entered never came out again.
Too many had died, so Escape Tour classified it as forbidden.
Yet today, for some unknown reason, it suddenly opened and forcibly threw them in.
Forget it, he shook off the chaotic thoughts; no matter the dungeon, their goal was to clear it and survive.
...
The one knocking was an outsider.
Zhou Shan realized this.
The man was good-looking with deep, cold black eyes and ordinary clothes, yet exuded a noble, mysterious aura unlike the villagers.
Zhou Shan knew no such person belonged to the Gu tribe.
“Hello,” the man said.
“Who are you?”
Zhou Shan looked at him coldly.
“Sorry to bother you, I’m a tourist visiting the Gu tribe.”
The man apologized without expression.
“I just climbed up and don’t know the way; could you tell me where the village chief is?”
Chu Mingxiu asked deliberately, knowing Zhou Shan was called the Gu tribe village chief.
He wanted to see how Zhou Shan would react.
Dungeon NPCs couldn’t kill at the start, but those who denied or abandoned their identities could kill recklessly.
“Then tell me first...”
Zhou Shan eyed the players behind him coldly and sneered. “Are those behind you all tourists too?”
Chu Mingxiu answered, “I believe so.”
“You...”
The players bristled at the ambiguous answer.
What did “I believe so” mean?
That was blatantly suspicious!
But faced with NPCs, they dared not speak further for fear of raising doubts.
“Y-yeah...”
They swallowed their frustration and quickly acted friendly. “Brother Zhou, we’re tourists too, just like him! Please help us find a place to stay!”
Zhou Shan glanced at their anxious faces, amused. More snacks coming his way, delivered on a silver platter.
Yet... the man speaking to him made him wary.
He looked at Chu Mingxiu thoughtfully, voice darkening.
“A batch of tourists arrived this morning and settled here. We don’t have the time or energy to accommodate you.”
The village chief stared at them with malicious eyes, like watching insects struggling on the ground, sending chills down their spines.
This was definitely a dungeon boss!
“I won’t let you come for nothing. Here’s some travel money.”
Chu Mingxiu’s lips curled as he took out a stack of money from his black backpack and handed it to Zhou Shan.
“I’ll just wander around tomorrow. No need for anything fancy—just put me with the other tourists.”
“Are you sure?” Zhou Shan asked, voice strange.
Chu Mingxiu nodded.
“Fine.” Zhou Shan smiled meaningfully after a pause.
This man wasn’t afraid to die; how could Zhou Shan advise otherwise?
He took the money and cast a cryptic look at the man. “...As long as you’re willing to stay.”
“Village chief! What about us?”
Players gritted their teeth, exchanging points for cash. Points were precious, but you had to live to spend them.
Their mission was to uncover the truth about the Gu tribe’s poison breeding; they didn’t want to stray from the task. They had to establish a connection with the dungeon first.
Zhou Shan naturally wouldn’t refuse free money and snacks; a malicious voice drifted in:
“Heh, if you want... you can stay with them.”
Players shuddered but showed gratitude. “Thank you, village chief.”
“No thanks needed.”
Zhou Shan glanced at them coldly.
“Come in and sit first. Tonight I’ll take you to the tourists’ lodgings.”
“Tomorrow I’ll show you around the Gu tribe.”
Without waiting for their reaction, Zhou Shan entered.
Only Liangye, hidden in the shadows, looked on disinterested.
He cared nothing for NPC or player reactions.
He caught a faint, tantalizing fragrance drifting from the room.
It oddly stirred a heat within him.
His Adam’s apple moved slightly. Why did the village chief’s room smell so good?
Perfume?
A man wearing cologne—wasn’t that embarrassing?
And the scent was intoxicating, making the heart race, and worse, stirring the body.
This fragrance was something he wanted to keep...
“Zhouzhou.”
Zhou Shan eagerly wrapped his arms around the girl’s slender waist. The girl stiffened slightly, her mouth parting in confusion as she gazed at him.
His gaze made his mind go hot, arousing a wicked thought.
He could swear he never had such impulses before, yet now he was easily tempted...
“Brother was delayed outside... Are you angry?”
He stroked her soft, tender waist, barely gripping, as if he could snap her in two.
So fragile and pitiful.
His dark arms embraced her, gently lifting her hips, soft and slippery.
“...No...”
Zhou Zhou shifted uncomfortably, especially where his hand supported her, tingling with a strange itch.
She wasn’t used to playing the naive child role, especially with his hot palm burning her, making her deeply uneasy.
“Zhouzhou, ah, open your mouth...”
Zhou Shan showed no restraint, tightening his hold and smiling.
“Brother will feed you candy.”
In his palm was a hard candy at her lips, but he made no move to give it, only gesturing for her to take it.
Even worse, he gripped her arms firmly so she couldn’t reach the candy herself.
How was she supposed to eat it...I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.