Chapter 152: Group Trip
Mu Lantu thought it over and bought a bulletproof vest.
He and Xu Huazhang should currently be far ahead in terms of gold coins, and on this point, he was confident. Not many people could afford expensive items, so he didn’t need to worry too much about other props hurting him—the biggest threat was still a pistol.
Xu Huazhang had bought a silenced pistol. If anyone dared shoot at Baby, he would turn them into a sieve.
Then, he added some of Mu Lantu’s favorite snacks. Under his influence, Mu Lantu had also developed a liking for lollipops. He bought nine—nine was his favorite number.
“Let’s buy two gas masks as well,” Mu Lantu suggested, remembering the last dungeon and feeling cautious.
Gas masks weren’t expensive. Xu Huazhang bought four sets. “Should we get a team card?”
Mu Lantu shook his head. “No need. We’ve always teamed up anyway. I’m worried that using a team card might backfire.”
In the three dungeons so far, players could end up on the same side, but that might not always be the case. If he and Xu Huazhang entered a dungeon as a team but were placed on opposing sides, what then?
So they decided against buying a team card.
Xu Huazhang kept browsing in the supermarket.
Leave of Absence Slip: Can forcibly exit a dungeon in progress. Penalty: –2 credits, –200 gold coins. Price: 666 gold coins.
If he and Baby were ever put on opposing sides, they could use the slip to leave.
666 coins deducted, and a Leave Slip appeared in Xu Huazhang’s game inventory.
Mu Lantu’s watch vibrated, popping up a system message:
“Zhao Yuanzhou invites you to team up. Do you accept? [Yes] [No]”
Mu Lantu clicked No.
“What is it?” Xu Huazhang asked.
Mu Lantu told him honestly.
Xu Huazhang commented, “Foolish and rich.”
Team cards weren’t cheap, and each one only allowed a single invitation. Prices varied depending on how many people could be invited at once—the more people, the higher the price. The cheapest version allowed just one person and cost 344 gold coins.
If the invite was declined, the card was wasted. Where did Zhao Yuanzhou get the confidence to think Mu Lantu would accept? If that wasn’t foolish and rich, what was?
Whatever Zhao Yuanzhou was thinking, Xu Huazhang had no intention of letting Mu Lantu waste time on him. He smoothly changed the subject: “Baby, one minute till class. Give me your hand.”
Mu Lantu obediently held out his hand.
Several classmates in Class Two, who wanted to team up but couldn’t afford team cards, secretly held hands under their desks. Even boys with boys—awkward or not.
They had learned this from Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang, believing it gave them a higher chance of entering the same dungeon. Otherwise, why did those two always end up together without ever using a team card?
Mu Lantu had also pondered this. “Huazhang, why do you think that is? Just because we hold hands?” He doubted it. If it were that simple, team cards wouldn’t be priced so high.
Xu Huazhang gazed intently at his thoughtful lover. Warmth flowed in his dark eyes, and he said with mock seriousness: “Because of love.”
Mu Lantu half-smiled, half-exasperated: Hey, hey, do you think Infinite University is a lovestruck fool like you?
Ding-ling-ling—
The death knell rang!
Mission: Take tour bus with license plate 444 safely to the scenic spot Huofu Mountain. Take a photo at the mountain gate. Refuse the mission ? sent back to Infinite University (no punishment, no reward). If no choice within 30 seconds ? auto-accept.
Reward for success: 2 credits, 200 gold coins (base)
Punishment for failure: Death
[Accept] [Refuse]
2 credits? 200 gold coins?
This was the first time Infinite University offered 2 credits and 200 coins for a course.
Mu Lantu was glad he had the habit of carefully reading every detail—otherwise he would’ve missed it.
Amid the crowd, he and Xu Huazhang spotted each other at almost the same time and walked quickly toward each other.
The frost on Xu Huazhang’s handsome face melted away as he laced fingers with Mu Lantu.
“Baby, did you notice? It’s double.”
“I saw it. I was just about to tell you.”
A bob-cut girl pulled along a bun-haired girl, greeting them softly: “Classmate Mu, Classmate Xu, hello. We’re from Class Two too. I’m Fang Menglei, she’s Cheng Wenwen.”
“Hello.”
Mu Lantu replied briefly, eyeing the tour bus.
It was about 70% new but had been polished spotless. The glass gleamed so brightly it could be used as a mirror. The body was sky-blue with wisps of cloud-white, like blue skies and white clouds. The bright colors were meant to lift spirits, but the tourists standing before it wore stiff expressions.
Mu Lantu grew wary. None of these tourists seemed to be locals. Was that good or bad?
Someone confirmed the license plate. “This is the bus.”
Mu Lantu checked himself—444, correct. He and Xu Huazhang circled the bus before rejoining the crowd.
Besides Fang Menglei and Cheng Wenwen, Xu Huazhang noticed three other boys from their class. For some reason, they neither approached nor grouped up.
He didn’t care.
He removed his backpack to check: the usual travel essentials—phone, wallet, bus tickets, tissues, water bottle, cold medicine.
Mu Lantu’s pack was the same.
This time, though, the address on their ID cards was Infinite University, and the names were their real names.
That set off alarms for both of them—they would have to take this dungeon even more seriously.
A middle-aged man in a red baseball cap strode over, left hand holding a bag, right hand a megaphone. “Tourists heading to Huofu Mountain, gather here. We’re leaving soon!”
The tourists shuffled over reluctantly.
The man’s face bore a warm, neighborly smile.
“Students, let me introduce myself. I’m your tour guide, Hu Shun. You can call me Guide Hu, or Uncle Hu. If any of your companions aren’t here—maybe shopping, maybe in the restroom—call them right away. Ten minutes max, then we leave. Otherwise we won’t reach Huofu Mountain before dark. Okay, board the bus.”
Mu Lantu checked his watch. Ten minutes till eight.
The bus door creaked open.
No one dared be first. They stared at it as if monsters lurked inside. The silent driver’s blank face looked less than human.
Hu Shun just stood there smiling, unfazed.
Just as Mu Lantu lifted his foot, a boy in black darted past him, shoving ahead.
The metal trim on the boy’s sleeve scraped Mu Lantu’s arm, leaving it stinging.
The boy glanced back, lip curling in a mocking sneer.
Mu Lantu realized—he had done it on purpose!
Hu Shun handed the boy a red cap and small flag from his bag. “Wish you a pleasant trip!”
The boy snatched them rudely and bounded onto the bus.
Xu Huazhang lifted Mu Lantu’s arm—red and raw, stabbing at his eyes.
“I’m fine,” Mu Lantu said, but mentally marked the boy down firmly.
Others still hesitated. Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang approached, and Hu Shun gave them the same cap and flag.
“Wish you both a pleasant trip!”
“Thank you.”
They put on the caps and held the flags. Fang Menglei and Cheng Wenwen copied them.
Inside, Mu Lantu saw the boy sprawled in the middle, leg stretched arrogantly into the aisle.
He ignored it for now, scanning the bus.
It was spotless. The air freshener smelled of oranges. Behind the driver’s seat hung a rack of bagged snacks. White seat covers lined the rows. Navy curtains hung neatly on hooks.
Besides the driver’s seat and a foldable chair at the front, each row had four seats—two left, two right—with an aisle between. Eleven rows in total.
Forty-six seats.
A few colorful scraps of paper littered the floor, two with shoeprints.
Xu Huazhang picked them up, balled them, and tossed them into the empty trash bin.
As they landed, a faint glow flickered. A pair of sunglasses appeared.
[Item discovered!]
[Guide’s Old Sunglasses: Permanent item. Can pierce all illusions when worn. Duration: 30s. Cooldown: 30min.]
Xu Huazhang smiled faintly, casual and confident.
The bus had been too clean; the litter stood out, so he had picked it up. Sure enough—reward.
He slipped the sunglasses into his game inventory before pulling his hand away from the bin.
Mu Lantu hadn’t seen what he found, but Xu Huazhang casually blocked Fang Menglei and Cheng Wenwen’s view.
Hand in hand, they went straight to the back row.
Unless absolutely necessary, neither of them would leave their backs exposed.
As they passed the boy who boarded first, Xu Huazhang shot him a deep look.
The boy had already pulled his leg back, now bobbing it carelessly as he hummed.
Mu Lantu and Xu Huazhang took the two seats on the right side of the last row. Fang Menglei and Cheng Wenwen sat beside them on the left.
“Classmate Mu, Classmate Xu, if it’s convenient, please look out for us. If not, that’s fine too,” Fang Menglei said frankly. She knew full well—even if they gave her advice, she might not trust it. That’s how screwed up this world was.
