Chapter 120
No one knew what the mad Island Guardian had done, but after a night of heavy rain, not a single person remained on the island—neither men nor women. The rain washed the blood from the island, leaving no corpses to be found.
When outsiders first entered the tall building, the walls were grimy, exuding a damp, foul stench. The building was empty, except for a worn chair quietly sitting in a room with only a single ventilation opening, facing the sea, back to them.
Those who had sheltered on Xia Island during the storm had survived. They left behind the legend of the Sansheng Island Guardian and then departed from this place of sorrow. After that, there were no further records of Sansheng Island.
Another decade passed, and a wave of northern refugees moved here. They were settled on Sansheng Island, and only then did the island see human habitation again.
Now, history was being revisited by the Cube World, and the Island Guardian reappeared before the world.
It had happened more than two hundred years ago. Few survivors remained, and even county records contained only these myth-like accounts. Therefore, even experienced high-level players were uncertain what they would encounter in this horror zone.
The monsters could be the insane Island Guardian, or perhaps the even crazier islanders themselves.
Without entering, they would never know the bizarre conditions awaiting them.
By now, the two had reached the east side of the island. This area was originally a small island, not far from the dock.
On the prominent square rock of the tall building ruins stood several people—other scavenger team members who had arrived early.
Below the rock, where waves constantly lapped and only revealed themselves at low tide, was the entrance to the horror zone. Fortunately, it was hidden enough that the islanders didn’t realize there was danger at their doorstep.
“Deputy Minister Jiang?” Old Zhang looked in surprise at Jiang Jitang approaching. “You’re… the acting supervisor?”
“Jiang Jitang, Jin City healer, and East District acting supervisor. Officially called ‘East District General Manager of the Human Civilization Diversity Research Center.’ Just call me ‘Manager Jiang,’” Jiang Jitang said with a smile.
Besides Old Zhang, three other men were on the rock, all around thirty years old.
Heard that scavenger teams in other districts had female members, unlike their East District—stronger in men, weaker in women.
“Hello, Manager Jiang. I’m Wu Gou from Liu City,” said one thin man with glasses, extending his hand.
Wu Gou was a recently returned intelligence officer, fluent in Southeast Asian languages. His face and demeanor were ordinary, easily overlooked, even remembered poorly.
Jiang Jitang shook his hand: “Pleased to meet you.”
“Jin City’s special-effect food is famous nationwide—even foreigners know. Thank you, Manager Jiang.”
After Wu Gou spoke, the expressions of the other two shifted slightly.
The title “Jin City healer” was well-known, but the beneficiaries were far fewer than those enjoying special-effect food. In dungeons, seeing someone crazily eating bread and then charging the boss was always a C-Nation player.
Everyone knew C-Nation’s young players were curious and fearless, and special-effect food amplified their audacity.
“Wei He, from Mudong City,” said a tall, masculine man, sharp-eyed, from a war-torn peacekeeping unit.
“Shi Xiuming, from Lande City,” said a bearded, muscular man, standing like a steel tower—a border guard soldier.
The temporary team shared camaraderie. Concerned about offending Jiang Jitang, who had influence behind him, they subtly reminded each other.
“Don’t be nervous. I’m here just to assist. If you need healing or food supplies, I can provide them,” Jiang Jitang said kindly.
They relaxed slightly. The original five-man plan didn’t account for an untested acting supervisor. If Jiang Jitang got into trouble here, they would have difficulty explaining it later.
“Thanks for your offer, Manager Jiang. We’ve already adjusted before coming,” Wei He replied with a smile.
“Good. The tide has receded; the dungeon entrance will be fully exposed in at most five minutes,” Jiang Jitang checked the time. In reality, there was no five-minute limit—it was unclear how long they’d take to finish. “Shall we enter?”
“Eh?” Old Zhang hesitated. “Aren’t you just assisting from outside?”
“Yes,” Jiang Jitang nodded. “Inside the dungeon, I’ll assist. Don’t worry—I’ll follow orders.”
“Maybe you wait outside?” Old Zhang suggested gently.
While grateful for the leader’s willingness to enter the field, an extra person meant extra uncertainty. The healer’s strategy focused on self-preservation, differing from their style. If something went wrong… it would be awkward.
Others shared the concern; confident in themselves but uncertain about a non-combat healer.
After a dungeon manifests in reality, dangers intensify, and the conditions inside were unknown. If it required sequential elimination, they couldn’t rescue anyone.
“I know your concerns. Don’t worry, I won’t hold anyone back. Let me try first—how can you judge me otherwise? We’ll work together again later; you need to understand me,” Jiang Jitang declined the suggestion. They had no choice but to enter as six.
As the tide fully receded, the dungeon entrance revealed itself. They climbed down the rocks, stepping on wet sand, staring at the blackened rock surface gradually exposed.
“Let’s go.” Wei He zipped his jacket and stepped onto the rock. His tall figure disappeared inside.
Wei He was followed by the unassuming Wu Gou, then Old Zhang and Shi Xiuming, seemingly familiar and chatting as they walked—perhaps former comrades.
“I’ll go last,” forensic doctor Song Hechuan stepped back, smiling shyly.
Not out of fear, but leaving the safest position for Jiang Jitang. Among wolves, this is the wolf cub’s spot.
Although Jiang Jitang was entering a dungeon for the first time, he didn’t act arrogantly. After thanking Song Hechuan, he followed in.
Even before fully transitioning into the dungeon world, the dark power locked onto him, leaving a mark. Jiang Jitang sensed the anomaly but didn’t remove it.
His feet touched the ground. Thick fog parted, revealing waist-high wild grass and a vast sky.
They were still on the island, but there were no lingering seagulls or fishing boats—the tide pushed the outside world far away.
You have entered the ‘Island Guardian’ dungeon. Resolve the ‘Island Guardian’s Grievance’ before sunrise.
Upon entering the horror zone, they received the dungeon task.
This was the Sansheng Island from two hundred years ago. Inside the dungeon, it was evening; by sunrise—just a few hours—they needed to complete the task.
The task was clear: the Guardian held resentment, and they were to resolve it. Perhaps the legend was true: the Guardian had suffered atrocities at the hands of the entire island and sought revenge.
Resolve the Guardian’s grievance… do they use appeasement or violent elimination?
Looking toward the sea breeze, past the sparse, stunted trees, a rock peeked out, topped by a stone building.
The building’s walls were sealed on all sides, leaving only a small ventilation opening at the top, now glowing bright yellow in the dim evening light.
From the vent came a shadowed gaze, damp and ominous. Jiang Jitang felt wet all over under its scrutiny.
Was that the Island Guardian?
Meanwhile, the others began scouting, trained to spot any trace of anomaly. Yet the darkening sky limited their vision.
Jiang Jitang wasn’t sure what to look for. If it were him, he would head straight to the stone building and confront the owner of that gaze.
If the demands were simple, such as punishing guilty villagers, he could comply.
If the demands were high, requiring heartfelt repentance from the villagers, then he could handle the Guardian.
After a while, Old Zhang and the others returned with intelligence. They gathered to exchange findings.
“The other end of this path has a small village, low stone houses clustered at the foot of a hill—human activity. No modern items exist, and no technological game items work.
“The dungeon’s timeline may coincide with the pre-genocide event.
“If we don’t resolve the grievance before sunrise tomorrow, the boss may slaughter everyone on the island—including us—after sunrise.” Shi Xiuming had scouted near the village.
Wei He pointed to the ground:
“It rained, but lightly. Footprints indicate at least ten different men passed this way since. Measured sizes confirm males.
“But according to Guardian rules, no one may meet the Guardian privately; the previous Guardian must provide food and clothing and remove waste.
“Either the old Guardian was absent these past days, or already dead. I lean toward the latter—allowing them to enter the building without restriction. ‘No previous Guardian, so I must go myself’ is a valid excuse. How the previous Guardian died is a clue.” Wu Gou judged, receiving accurate information.
With a trusted team, they could fully enjoy dungeon exploration without worrying about false information.
“So those ten men went to harm the Guardian?” Old Zhang frowned. “Can footprints tell if they went together or separately?”
“Three pairs appeared together; the rest in batches. All on the same day.” Wei He sighed. Anyone with a moral compass would sigh in pity.
“I also found something else, in the ancestral hall…”
The five of them compiled information quickly. A small, focused team could complete the dungeon efficiently, without wasting time on internal conflict.
Jiang Jitang stayed quiet, roughly understanding the situation but unsure how it related to clearing the dungeon.
“What’s the next objective?” he asked.
The others only now noticed him—when quiet, he seemed nonexistent.
“To first understand the grudge between the Guardian and villagers. Legends may be deceptive; the dungeon has its own script.”
Jiang Jitang nodded, then asked another question: “Why did you all immediately seek the truth? Wouldn’t the fastest solution be ‘defeat the Guardian’? Once the one who raised the problem is dealt with, the problem is solved.”
“…” Silence.
“The boss cannot be killed outside the story—it’s the dungeon core. Players must follow the process; violent completion has proven impossible,” Wu Gou said, eyes uncertain.
“Oh,” Jiang Jitang nodded calmly. “Not conventional killing. The boss’s obsession is with the island and its people. If the people die, the boss would cease to exist, right? So why not just eliminate the people?”
“…” Silence again.
Jiang Jitang: Jin City healer, special-effect food supplier, East District acting supervisor, suspected dangerous figure.
