Chapter 144
After exiting the town mode, he appeared on a bridge.
It was a steel-frame wooden bridge, creaking with every step, sending chills down the spine. One end of the bridge extended into thick white fog, the other led back to the town he had just left.
Looking into the distance, he could see the dark moat encircling the town and the filthy main streets. Objects were constantly being thrown from the three-story brick buildings on either side—probably trash and excrement.
Just as he was about to look away, he noticed something unusual.
The thick layer of dried feces on the main street was visibly decreasing, gradually revealing the stone pavement beneath. The street itself had quietly become very clean; relatively clean water flowed in the side troughs, and the buildings appeared brighter, as if a layer of gray filter had been removed.
But the most dramatic change was in the moat.
The floating trash and corpses were gone, the viscous black water turned into clean river water. Aquatic plants and algae thrived, the riverbank turned green, and silver and gray small fish swam freely.
Women appeared along the river, washing old clothes while chatting and laughing.
On the inner side of the moat, women in various outfits walked along the paths, wearing pants, carrying briefcases, bustling about.
Suddenly, a commotion arose—people had gathered around a woman. He focused, zooming in on the scene and amplifying the sound.
It was Miss Naxi—but people called her Mayor Naxi.
Even though some in the crowd glared at her with hostility, the scene was heartening.
Anyone who regrets a raw gem being buried would feel honored watching it polished into brilliance.
[The task taker has collected all costume items and helped Naxi complete her transformation from Miss Naxi to Naxi the Witch. The remaining seven players have completed the “Witch Identification” challenge.]
[Game over. Non-official personnel, please leave within 36 minutes.]
The system broadcasted, followed by a pop-up:
[Congratulations to the task taker for completing the ‘Extreme Witch Makeover’ game challenge. Awarded 500 points, one wishing star, and the commemorative item ‘Blood Curse’.]
[Blood Curse: “Those who drink my blood shall die by my curse.” From the supreme witch. Single-use item. Can be used when the item owner suffers a lethal attack. Upon use, the curse transfers to the attacker; all who have had any contact with the attacker (visual, auditory, air, skin, or bodily fluids) will be infected, spreading to their contacts for 24 hours. After 24 hours, all infected experience the curse and the damage the item owner received.]
After the broadcast, several people appeared at the bridge’s end. The vast town again sank into thick fog.
They saw him on the bridge wearing a mask, expressions full of excitement. A girl stepped forward from the crowd, calling out, “Supporter!” and ran toward him.
Her enthusiasm was extraordinary; instinctively, he prepared to defend himself.
“Ah, Supporter!” She reached to shake his hand. Young East Asian features, dimples like a student fresh out of school, unbearably sweet.
Jiang Jitang initially stepped back, but seeing her non-C-Nationality East Asian face, he became curious about her intentions.
“Hello.” A young man’s awkward voice came from behind the mask.
The girl smiled wider. The instant her hand touched him, the prepared item activated—like a snake, it struck straight at Jiang Jitang’s face.
In a flash, a mystical formation appeared in his mind.
The black centipede-like curse seemed to encounter resistance from the world itself, recoiling back into the girl and embedding in her forehead. She was horrified, powerless to stop it; soon, her eyes lost all sparkle, her mind taken over by another force.
Bosses, tasks, secret bases—countless images flashed through her controlled mind.
A few others arrived just in time to see the girl suddenly stab him in the heart while pretending to be friendly.
His unmasked eyes widened in shock, staring at the heart’s precise location.
“Y-you…” Jiang Jitang opened his mouth, a faint sweet metallic scent in his throat.
The others were frozen in fear.
The brain is a mage’s most critical organ, containing countless secrets. Every mage’s first lesson is to protect it—from theft, control, or tampering.
Advanced mages even set layers of curses to punish anyone foolish enough to touch their mind.
As a legitimate mage with many secrets, Jiang Jitang had protected his brain with multiple layers and set up “retaliation” curses, including a final “mutual destruction” option.
If not, after dying at the hands of the Church, they could examine his brain, even sell it. His knowledge had real value.
In this world, he protected his mind instantly. Anyone attempting to view, control, harm, or steal from it would face tenfold or hundredfold retaliation.
Jiang Jitang didn’t choose to kill directly. Instead, he used the item’s effect to control the attacker and swiftly read her memories.
Though complex in description, it took only two or three seconds—he understood why she attacked and a good idea appeared in his mind.
He smiled warmly, pretending to respond to an enthusiastic fan, while using the controlled girl to strike—targeting the heart—knowing he would not die.
Everyone witnessed the event.
“Ah! Supporter!” They realized, pulling the girl away and restraining her. Another player threw an item, manifesting three golden Western swords hovering, locking the girl in place, preventing early exit.
Others helped check on the gravely injured Jiang Jitang.
“Damn it! It’s a high-level item with bloodthirst and intense heat! The blood is rapidly losing… the heart… so hot! Is there an item to stop it?!”
“It’s okay, I…” Jiang Jitang panted, “I’m a healer. I can heal.”
The dual effect, hitting the heart, was deadly. Even Parsons would have been helpless. But Jiang Jitang’s powerful healing magic could sustain life.
He treated his wound while looking at the struggling girl: “Everyone, I don’t know why she attacked. Can you help ask?”
The supporter was well-known among players, always appearing in dire situations to offer hope and heal injuries. Seeing him ambushed, players were furious: “We’ll handle this.”
Jiang Jitang weakly nodded, sweat on his forehead, face pale. Even the coldest couldn’t ignore this.
The players’ “asking” wasn’t normal questioning. They used an item, forcing the girl to reveal secrets word by word, contorting her face.
“I am… Alice, code name Lily, Federation East Asian descent, Eagle…”, the girl began. She realized speaking would mean certain death. A fierce thought flashed—she bit an item from her mouth, turning it into a blade, severing her controlled arms, escaping the instance.
Everyone looked at the severed arms, then at Jiang Jitang.
“East Asia.” He muttered, eyes dark, but calmed after a few seconds. “Sorry for losing control just now. And thank you.”
“No, thank you, Supporter. Without you, we’d have been trapped here.”
“Yes, thank you, Supporter. You’re even younger than I imagined.”
No one mentioned the attack, though some vaguely knew of Xia and East Asia’s blood feud. For ordinary players, these international conflicts were not for them to meddle in.
One Federation player recalled the word “Eagle”—the famous Federation team “Eagle’s Nest,” rumored to have official connections. Did Federation officials intervene? Perhaps a refusal led to a direct attempt on the Supporter.
If they knew, they’d consider it unfair—they intended control, not public assassination. But this madman supporter confirmed the attack himself.
The attack left no margin for error—struck the heart directly, embedding unremovable bloodthirst and heat effects. Even a healer would struggle.
Jiang Jitang understood the number of factions involved. Each wanted to control him as a weapon against Xia.
Now, let them witness the weapon’s power.
He wondered how many “beautiful flowers” the seed of evil he used earlier would bloom.
Rightful retaliation was justified. East Asia once started war over a “missing soldier.” Now he’d been truly attacked—hundredfold vengeance was reasonable.
Players didn’t know the details, only seeing the Supporter badly hurt. They comforted the ambushed Supporter, leaving the instance with the uneasy thought: “Supporter won’t give up entirely, right?”
Back in reality, Jiang Jitang put the matter aside, closing his eyes and entering a sweet sleep. Yet on the Cube World forum, players couldn’t contain themselves—they reported the “Supporter attacked” incident.
If one person reported it, few might believe it; multiple verified accounts made it credible.
A ripple effect erupted—the forum exploded.
“Who did it?!” They demanded. How could anyone dare attack the Supporter?
Xia officials, like everyone else, learned of it afterward. Mr. Tao was anxious to contact Jiang Jitang, but internal security wasn’t perfect—someone might locate the Supporter via the call—so he restrained himself.
Another reason: Jiang Jitang hadn’t responded, showing he wasn’t overly concerned. Being a powerful healer, it was likely fine.
To confuse the situation, Mr. Tao called the “suspected Supporter” in the capital. Being secret communication, no one knew the contents—likely event details and reassurance.
Knowing the Supporter’s identity, Mr. Tao took no action; those in hiding noticed nothing.
The Xia official, tagged by countless people, remained silent. The Magic Cube forum buzzed, hoping the Supporter would at least confirm he was safe—but he hadn’t.
He slept soundly, already restored in dreams, sweeping away batches of little Karami with a forbidden spell—blissfully satisfied.
