Just as Jiang Qiao had predicted, the players wouldn't give up on the rewards they had just received.
The players around the carriage shop didn't care about the curse of Flesh Resonance. They simply waved their hands and carried all the NPCs they had rescued back to the stronghold.
Deep Dream had successfully reduced Essien's HP to less than half on her 32nd challenge, winning the joust for a spouse.
The atmosphere around the carriage shop was as warm as a reunion between long-lost relatives.
Especially when Deep Dream defeated Essien, the cheers lasted for more than ten seconds …
"What do you think?" Hai Lan said, staring at Essien, who was being hugged by Deep Dream in the distance.
Essien's expression of disgust was about to overflow, but she didn't resist, allowing Deep Dream to rub her face.
As a neutral character at this stage, Essien could be touched by the players as they pleased. It was just that the feel of certain places was far from real life.
However, Deep Dream quickly realized that Miss Cat was still here. She put Essien down and announced solemnly, "From now on, you are the third master of the Blackwind Stronghold!"
"The enemy sent a snitch, but there must be a reason for it to be so open and aboveboard. Hai Lan, our enemy might know what kind of abilities you have," Jiang Qiao said.
Jiang Qiao could know everything about any NPC that the Knight of the Lion had appraised. This also made it possible for players to become a snitch, but it was very rare for an NPC to become a snitch.
Jiang Qiao allowed NPCs that betrayed the players to exist. It was also a part of the game experience, but friendly NPCs that would affect the players' experience would be completely banned by Jiang Qiao.
Whether or not Essien could become such an NPC in the future, Jiang Qiao still had to wait and see.
"Some people have reached that wall. Should we issue a quest … to divert everyone's attention?" Hai Lan asked, pointing at the wall in the distance.
Even the GM couldn't do anything about the wall, let alone the Players. They couldn't even think about entering the second layer of the ruins.
However, in the minds of the players, they were all exploring the same Instance Dungeon. Now that they had cleared the first and second Instance Dungeon, it was only natural for them to head to the third Instance Dungeon to take a look.
"There's no need to transfer. Don't worry, there are some doors in the game that can only be opened with a key … When the players touch the wall, a notification will pop up."
Jiang Qiao moved his fingertips and showed a window to Hai Lan.
"Holy Spirit!
You must defeat the challenges of all the masters on the island to qualify to enter.
Island Master Kills: 2/7. '
Wake up!
You haven't even finished the side quests on Brandt Island, and you want to go straight to the main quest?
Naive!
When this prompt appeared, the Players who were attempting to explore the Instance Dungeon realized … … that they needed to kill all the Island Master monsters on the island before they could enter.
This setting was common in most games … … Even though they were already at the doorstep of the final Boss, they still needed to kill those small Bosses before they could fight the final Boss.
Jiang Qiao started to count the number of NPCs that the Players had recruited. However, halfway through the count … Jiang Qiao noticed that Zhao Mingwei, who was at the temporary residence of the Leaping Nucleus, was about to start channeling to return to the city.
If it was a normal return to the city, it would have been fine. However, Zhao Mingwei's expression was a little strange.
"Hai Lan, it shouldn't be a problem to leave the counting to you, right?" Jiang Qiao said.
"It's not a problem, but what are you going to do?" Hai Lan asked, nibbling on half a watermelon.
"As a planner, I should be concerned about the Players' psychology."
Jiang Qiao agreed. He also instructed Queen Mey's Miss Cat to help keep an eye on the surroundings before he started channeling to return to the city.
On Brandt Island, Jiang Qiao's spawn point was set at the Leaping Nucleus' stronghold. This was the same as Zhao Mingwei's.
After Jiang Qiao finished channeling, he opened his eyes and found himself in the stronghold. Zhao Mingwei was not far away … However, Jiang Qiao didn't go up to greet him because it wasn't the right time.
"Master Xiao … I really don't know what to do this time." Lin Xi saw Zhao Mingwei coming over and scratched his head helplessly.
"Banned?" Zhao Mingwei asked directly.
"Banned?
Who dares to ban you? You've been in a good condition lately. The new players are starting to think that you are a big deal. "
Lin Xi paused for a while and then said, "But the higher-ups really don't like you … You are playing 'Holy Ghost' during the tournament. How do I put it … During the Summer Tournament and the Intercontinental Tournament, the higher-ups have decided to ban you from playing 'Holy Ghost'."
"I … understand." Zhao Mingwei said to Lin Xi after a moment of silence.
"Don't just know!
There are twenty-one days between the Summer Tournament and the Intercontinental Tournament. During these twenty-one days, if you get caught, the punishment will be very serious.
It's not as simple as a ban. The contract you signed with the club has a punishment for breaking the rules … I don't know what the punishment is. "
Lin Xi was really going crazy. Five hours ago, he thought Zhao Mingwei had gone offline to sleep. However, a newbie in his team said, "Master Xiao is playing 'Burning Town'. That's awesome. I can tank an NPC with one hand."
Lin Xi was shocked because the management of The Monarch Descends were all present at that time. They asked all kinds of questions.
The fact that Zhao Mingwei was playing other games during the tournament was quickly reported to the management of The Monarch Descends. It was fine if it was the first time, but this was the second time!
The Monarch Descends had to use a lot of PR to appease Zhao Mingwei's fans and haters.
However, if the fact that Zhao Mingwei was playing Holy Ghost during the Summer Tournament got out … there would be a bloodbath on Weibo and Tieba.
"Master Xiao, you are the one who built The Monarch Descends Battle Team's fame. Don't ruin your past glory and future because of this game."
Lin Xi knew that Zhao Mingwei was a stubborn person, so he said something more acceptable, "It's only twenty-one days!
I won't play Holy Ghost for twenty-one days. After the twenty-one days of the Intercontinental Tournament, we have two months off. You can play however you want! "
'Sorry … I'll die if I don't play for three days.' That was what Jiang Qiao thought. However, Zhao Mingwei thought differently.
"Twenty-one days … Isn't that long?" Zhao Mingwei asked.
"If you are worried about your equipment and level, it should be fine. Holy Ghost has already been through a major update. There is no way they will increase the level cap or release new equipment within a month!
So it should be fine! "
Lin Xi thought that Zhao Mingwei was afraid that he would fall behind the others if he did not go online for half a month.
"That is not what I am worried about …" Zhao Mingwei said.
"Then what is it?
You can't be worried about the ranking in the arena, can you?
Don't even think about it, Master Xiao!
If you get the first place in Holy Ghost, I bet your fans will explode the Monarch Descends! "Lin Xi sounded a little excited, but something familiar happened again.
"Master!" Ye Linna ran over from the side of the Leaping Nucleus Guild with a lot of worries.
"You are not worried that this NPC will be … lonely, are you?"
Lin Xi looked at Ye Linna. When he said lonely, he raised his hands and made single quotation marks.
Lin Xi wanted to remind Zhao Mingwei that an NPC was an NPC. Even if he came online in twenty-one days, he would still be the same after one year.
"Oh no, I heard someone knocking on the door. Someone is here to talk to you." Lin Xi was talking about the real world.
"Help me buy some time. Ye Linna has a hidden quest that I haven't finished yet." Zhao Mingwei said.
"… Fine."
Lin Xi took off his helmet, and his figure disappeared in front of Zhao Mingwei. Zhao Mingwei turned his gaze to Ye Linna, who was full of worries.