The moment Lily Winters heard Ethan's name, she froze mid-step.
Her gaze shifted to the dungeon entrance, still pulsing with black energy. She had just cleared the basic version of this dungeon herself and knew its dangers well. To hear that Ethan had gone in on Nightmare mode… it was almost absurd.
She frowned, curiosity mingling with concern. "Why does the entrance look like this?"
The bearded master's expression remained guarded. He didn't want to leak details about the earlier sabotage. "There was… an accident. We're not sure exactly what happened."
Lily caught the vague tone and felt her opinion of him drop further. Her brows knit tighter. "And what do you expect me to do?"
Old Wang stepped in quickly. "If you can get inside, it means the dungeon is still functioning normally. All we'd need you to do is last five seconds—long enough to activate a City Return Scroll—and then leave immediately."
"Alright," Lily said without hesitation. She remembered she still owed Ethan a favor from before. That was reason enough.
Old Wang felt a small wave of relief, though his anxiety lingered. "Okay, but the monsters inside will be tougher now. Are you sure you don't want to prepare first?"
He turned to the bearded master. "Boss, do you have any defensive gear or life-saving props she can borrow?"
The reminder seemed to jolt the bearded man. This wasn't some low-level dungeon, and even if it wasn't a riot, staying inside too long could still be dangerous. Lily Winters was a valuable talent—one of his "future prospects"—and he couldn't risk her safety.
They both dug through their backpacks.
"I've got a prop that can block a few heavy hits," the bearded master offered.
"I've got a high-grade armor piece—good for absorbing damage a few times," Old Wang added.
"Perfect," the bearded man said. "She can take both. Double protection."
But when they looked up, Lily was already walking straight toward the blackened entrance.
"Wait! Student Lily Winters—take the props first!" Old Wang called.
"Yeah, don't rush," the bearded master echoed.
But Lily didn't slow down. She approached the portal, ready to step inside—only to stop abruptly, her expression tightening.
Both men hurried forward. "What's wrong?" Old Wang asked. "Don't worry, just take the gear first."
"I can't get in."
The words landed like a hammer blow.
If someone met the level requirements yet couldn't enter, there was only one explanation: the dungeon was in riot state.
That meant there were only two possible outcomes left—either Ethan killed every monster inside, or Ethan died and the surviving monsters burst out into the world. There was no middle ground.
Old Wang's stomach sank. Regret washed over him. If he had known this would happen, he never would have allowed the Grey Mist Secret Realm to be chosen as the assessment site for the No. 3 Middle School's upcoming test.
Thinking about the mysterious man in black who had appeared earlier, Old Wang realized his original plan—to rely on Ethan to keep the students safe—was now worthless. Worse, it might provoke retaliation from whoever was behind this sabotage.
For the first time, Old Wang looked… old.
He made up his mind—when he returned, he'd request to change the exam location. Better to offend a shadowy figure than gamble with the lives of the students.
The bearded master stood in silence, his thoughts on Ethan. Why would that cunning kid suddenly walk into the hardest dungeon below one-turn? It was out of character—unless… this was a trap, meant to kill him.
And that possibility fit perfectly with the kind of retaliation the "strangers" were known for.
Lily's voice trembled. "So… there's no way Ethan can clear this?"
Old Wang sighed. "I was there when he made the choice. He skipped the two easy tasks and picked the hardest one. Maybe… this is just fate."
The bearded master pulled out his communicator. His tone was flat, but his eyes betrayed his unease. "Notify the city defense department. We've got a dungeon riot. Prepare for a possible monster outbreak."
Lily didn't feel any relief from the idea that she was no longer obligated to repay Ethan's favor. Instead, she found herself walking slowly toward the professional bus stop, an empty bench waiting there. She sat down without a word.
Minutes later, the city defense team arrived—hundreds of professionals moving with practiced precision. They sealed off the area, forming three inner and three outer defensive lines around the dungeon entrance.
Seeing the preparations, both Old Wang and the bearded master drifted over to the bus stop and took seats beside Lily.
None of them spoke.
They didn't leave. They just… waited.
Maybe, Old Wang thought, there will be a miracle.
The air grew heavier as time passed. The soldiers kept their posts, their armor gleaming in the muted light, yet the silence made the tension worse.
Lily broke it quietly. "I heard Ethan likes to take the professional bus."
She remembered seeing him disappear that way once before—vanishing into the crowd as the bus pulled away.
The bearded master almost smiled at the thought. It fit Ethan's style—taking the free professional bus instead of paying for transport.
But that small spark of humor faded. Ethan might not be coming back at all.
Old Wang's hands tightened in his lap. He had spent years exploiting talented students to curry favor with higher-ups. And yet here was Ethan—overflowing with talent, yet frugal to the point of absurdity—who had still managed to trick Old Wang out of three million in the past.
Now, guilt gnawed at him.
The quiet dragged on until a sudden, sharp voice cut through the stillness.
"Attention, everyone! Prepare for battle!"
All eyes turned toward the dungeon entrance. The black energy churned violently, flaring outward like an explosion of shadows. Weapons were drawn, spells prepared.
The three on the bench exchanged grim looks. If the monsters were breaking out, it meant Ethan was gone.
But then—
"Stand down! Crisis resolved! All units, retreat in order!"
"…!?"
Shock replaced grief in an instant.
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