"These three symbols represent three different types of enemies.
The human head has high defense and normal attack, but you shouldnât fight it for too long.
The dual swords are very strong in both speed and attack, a very dangerous enemy.
The large scythe represents an opponent from the World of the Dead, possessing some special abilities that are difficult to deal with."
"I see... Thank you so much. Your selflessness leaves a deep impression on me."
Wang Zhifan listened to the person and, although he wasnât sure if the other was lying, he immediately expressed his thanks, then turned and scanned the three passageways, lost in thought.
A middle-aged armored man beside him noticed his hesitation and promptly offered a suggestion:
"Young friend, reaching this level of the tower proves you have exceptional strength, but each of the three enemies ahead is very dangerous, much more so than those on previous levels. Choosing to fight them alone is unwise. If you donât mind, Iâd like to invite you to join us in entering the passage and fighting together. Having one more person is beneficial for both sides."
"Which passage are you planning to take?"
Hearing this, Wang Zhifan looked at him and asked, without stating whether he agreed or refused.
"We havenât fully decided yet, but itâs likely the human head passage."
The middle-aged armored man immediately responded.
"The enemy in the human head passage tests our attack capability more, and we have confidence in that. If you join us, our confidence will be even greater, and we can all pass smoothly."
He quickly explained the reason.
"Sounds like a good choice..."
Wang Zhifan nodded, seemingly tempted by the cooperation, then inquired about the more detailed plans:
"When do you plan to start? If itâs soon enough, I am willing to join."
"Just one more day of rest."
The middle-aged armored man immediately raised a finger, indicating their action would begin soon.
"Weâve exerted ourselves quite a bit in the battles on the lower levels, but with just one more dayâs rest, weâll recover. Then we can break through the passage together, step into the treasure room, share in the joy of success, and end this unforgettable adventure..."
It seemed this man had already assumed Wang Zhifan would agree to the partnership and even outlined the subsequent steps.
Unbeknownst to him, Wang Zhifan was displeased by the mention of waiting a day. He had no intention of delaying, and immediately changed his stance to refusal.
"Sorry! A dayâs too long; I canât wait that long. I have to go ahead."
With that, he turned and looked towards the leftmost passage, stepping quickly into it.
"Friend! Donât be rash! Only with adequate preparation can you succeed! Rushing in is likely to cost you your life!"
The man behind, seeing Wang Zhifanâs sudden change of heart, quickly took a couple of steps to persuade him, but Wang Zhifan paid him no mind, his figure already swallowed by the darkness of the left passage.
"Heâs actually going in alone? What an arrogant fool! I bet heâll die in the passage soon!"
Another man walked up from the campfire, commenting on Wang Zhifanâs behavior.
This man seemed under thirty, tall and thin, dressed in hooded robes, his pale complexion indicating his less-than-perfect state. The middle-aged armored man turned to him and immediately urged him to go back and rest.
"Adams, you should rest well. Negotiating with others isnât your duty. If your magic power isnât fully restored, we wonât get past this stage."
"I know."
The hooded mage replied immediately, his expression somewhat exasperated.
"But that guy is just too arrogant. I want to witness his failure with my own eyes. This would greatly please me and benefit my magic power restoration."
After speaking, the mage turned his gaze to the passage Wang Zhifan had entered. He saw the human head emblem above the entrance suddenly emit a bloody red light, indicating the battle inside had begun. During this period, the passage would be closed, leaving the other two passages as the only options for the others to advance.
"Haha... Although the monster in the human head passage doesnât have the attack power of the other two, if it isnât dealt with quickly, it will become the most terrifying of all three passages. Alone and unable to pass quickly, I predict heâll be dead within half a sun time."
With the fight inside confirmed to have started, the hooded mage Adams confidently projected a near-term death for Wang Zhifan.
"Lasting half a sun time is strong enough. Youâve got to remember all the past records were left by team adventurers. The difference between going solo and as a team is massive, and the pressure is on a completely different level."
Another companion approached to inspect the now blood-glowing human head symbol. This was a petite female Assassin, her expression as cold as the daggers at her waist.
"Once we clear the passage tomorrow, I need his weapon. I hope you wonât fight me for it."
She brought up the issue of distributing the deceasedâs belongings, signifying that Wang Zhifan was assumed dead meat.
"Iâve observed quietly. His weapon looks unusual, but it must be of fine quality. However, if you want it, youâll lose your priority selection once weâre in the vault. Only what others donât want will be given to you."
The middle-aged armored man emphasized the teamâs rules after his companion spoke, also noting his judgment on the previous manâs decision. Despite the madness, his weapon was likely of good quality, so choosing it might not be a loss.
But before he could finish, the hooded mage Adams suddenly exclaimed in surprise:
"Look! The bloodlight on the head is gone!"
The middle-aged armor man and the petite female Assassin promptly looked up at the emblem above the passage, noticing that the bloodlit symbol had returned to its original state, signaling the battleâs end! This conclusion arrived far quicker than theyâd anticipated!
"Hahaha! I was wrong! I didnât expect him to die so quickly! Less than one percent of a sun time! This is the funniest thing since I entered the tower!"
The hooded mage burst into laughter, tears glistening at his eyes as the unexpected outcome moved him to laughter.
The other two, while not as exaggerated in their laughter, showed similar hints of disdain or contempt in their expressions, baffled by Wang Zhifanâs rash fate.
However, what they didnât know was that the truth was entirely contrary to their assumptions.
Wang Zhifan wasnât dead; he had swiftly defeated his opponent, causing the symbolâs bloodlight to quickly vanish since the battle ends upon the enemyâs defeat.
But with their mindset, they couldnât possibly imagine such an outcome, naturally dismissing that possibility.
Going back to when Wang Zhifan entered the human head passage, he initially didnât surge forward. Instead, he used his Dream Me Avatar to scout ahead, only to suddenly feel himself in a new space before the avatar could detect any foes.
Here, there was no solid ground up, down, left, or right, leaving him floating as if weightless. In this somewhat dim space, the most striking sight was a mountain-sized black stone head statue.
The statueâs appearance alone imparted a heavy feeling, but it reacted swiftly, its eyes emitting two beams of purple curse light the instant Wang Zhifan appeared, which he nimbly dodged by moving his body.
Yet, in the next second, the stone headâs attack upgraded from shooting two beams to four, making Wang Zhifan realize its pattern was indeed one of growing strength the longer itâs dragged out.