[Welcome to the Witch's Temple. Please accept the Witch's trial.]
[Take the treasure—or perish.]
Still awestruck by the temple's grandeur, Meng Hao was shaken from his reverie by the system's cold decree.
Two choices—no middle ground. Claim the treasure or die within these hallowed halls.
Fortunately, he was no longer the helpless rookie he once was. Clad in gear, ranked as a Tier-One Warrior, and possessing an immune constitution impervious to poison, Meng Hao had little to fear.
The Witch was long gone. Even if she had left behind tricks or traps, they might prove powerless against him.
"Let's begin."
MP5 submachine gun in hand, Meng Hao stood poised and resolute, ready to unleash hell upon whatever dared pose a threat.
Creak…
The grand temple doors parted on their own, revealing a path of polished stone leading into its mysterious depths.
Heightened vigilance surged through Meng Hao's veins. Weapon raised, he stepped forward with cautious determination.
Boom!
A thunderous crash echoed behind him—the entrance had sealed shut.
He turned sharply, cold sweat beading on his brow.
The massive doors were forged of some unknown, impenetrable material. With his current strength, there was no chance of breaking through.
"Seems like there's no way out unless I pass this so-called trial."
He glanced upward. The windows were over five meters high—far beyond reach.
Ahead spiraled a staircase leading to the temple's upper level.
Perhaps the exit lay above.
The floor beneath his feet was paved with green stone, smooth and glowing with an eerie sheen. Massive columns soared skyward, carved with intricate, arcane runes whose meanings were lost to time.
A strange emptiness pervaded the space, stirring an inexplicable sense of sorrow.
Summoning his courage, Meng Hao began to ascend the stairs—
—but halted abruptly.
Treasure chest.
[Black Iron Chest +1]
Behind one of the colossal pillars, a Black Iron Chest lay hidden.
"Well, well."
If there was one, there might be more.
He combed the hall with sharp eyes, weaving between columns.
[Black Iron Chest +1]
Delight sparked in his chest. Each chest eased the weight of his worry.
"No risk, no reward," he mused. "If I'm risking my life for this temple, I might as well leave with something."
After a thorough search, he uncovered another chest beneath the staircase.
[Black Iron Chest +1]
The temple's first floor had been thoroughly plundered.
"How many levels does this place have?"
Tilting his head, he traced the spiraling staircase upwards.
Only one more level.
"Must be the Witch's chamber."
Storing the chests away, he began the climb.
The steps shimmered in milky white—flawless jade, smoothed into a perfect spiral.
Each step could fetch a fortune in the outside world.
He tapped one experimentally—clear, bell-like resonance echoed through the stairwell.
"Good grief. If I dismantled these stairs, I'd be rich."
Still, he knew better. In this world, even priceless jade was just a building material.
He ascended swiftly.
At the summit, a curtain of pearl beads shimmered like moonlight—each bead the size of a thumb, luminous and pure.
Any one of them would auction for a king's ransom back on Earth.
But his gaze passed over the pearls and settled on the silhouette beyond.
A young maiden sat beneath a latticed window, gently brushing her silken hair with a horn comb.
From the back alone, she was stunning—hair cascading like a waterfall, waist slender and delicate, hands as pale as snow and soft as mist.
Gulp.
Dry-mouthed, Meng Hao swallowed hard.
The girl turned slowly and smiled, radiance blooming with that single glance.
"Come in."
Her voice rang clear and melodic, stirring a strange longing within him.
His heart raced.
That face… that figure… she was perfection incarnate.
Lifting the beaded curtain, Meng Hao entered, gun still cradled in his arms—alert and grounded.
Noticing his composed gaze, the girl chuckled and rose from her vanity.
"Little brother, where have you come from? And where are you going?"
She stepped closer with each word, voice like a breeze through spring leaves.
"I come from Tang Dynasty's Eastern Lands… journeying west in search of sacred scrolls…"
"Oh my, such a funny little brother," she giggled.
Her white dress clung to her like moonlight on water. Her skin glowed with youthful radiance, and every motion brimmed with charm.
As she glided forward, her gown snagged on a chair.
Rip!
The dress tore and slipped from her shoulders, revealing flawless skin in a sudden burst of ethereal beauty.
Time froze.
She had worn nothing beneath.
"Oh no…"
Flustered, the girl crossed her arms over her chest, cheeks aflame with shame.
A thousand flames surged within Meng Hao.
She hid, but the sight only fanned the fire.
Suddenly, she lifted her gaze, her voice soft and pleading.
"Help me… won't you?"
Deep breath.
"Of course… right away."
Before the words had left his lips, Meng Hao raised his MP5 and pulled the trigger.
A blaze of bullets roared from the muzzle, pouring fire upon the stunning vision before him.
"You old witch—did you really think you could fool me!?"