The game becomes reality: Black Myth invades the real world.

Chapter 58 The Invasion Occurs

Over the next few hours, Chen Fu began a battle of wits with the dirty butcher.

"Because you were wearing a yin-yang mask, the dirty butcher didn't recognize your true identity. You lingered in front of the dirty butcher's meat stall, and he asked you if you wanted to buy meat. You said you just wanted to look around."

"You lingered in front of the dirty butcher's meat stall again, and he asked you again if you wanted to buy any. You still said no. He got a little angry, slammed the yin-yang knife on the cutting board, and said, 'Are you sick?'"

"You ignored him and continued to linger in front of the meat stall. You saw the dirty butcher walking towards you, and you quickly turned around and fled the scene."

"Through the yin-yang mask, you noticed a faint green aura emanating from the butcher. You saw him clutching his stomach and running to the outhouse, with the yin-yang knife still on the chopping board. Did you want to take the knife?"

"You have obtained the Yin-Yang Blade."

So you couldn't beat them, so you called for backup and ran away, right? Hey, guess what? Your knife's gone!

After several hours of struggle, Chen Fu successfully obtained the Yin-Yang Knife from the filthy butcher.

Without hesitation, he immediately went to the bungalow and handed over the items.

"The citizen's wife, holding a knife, expressed her gratitude to you, then retrieved a map from inside the house and handed it to you."

"You have obtained the map to the secret passage of the City Lord's Mansion."

"Map of the secret passage in the City Lord's Mansion. This map records two locations: one at the Reincarnation Stage and the other in the Ghost Bride's boudoir within the City Lord's Mansion. You can use the map to reach the place you want."

"In the middle of the map, there is a secret room marked. This is the wedding place built by the Laughing and Crying Spirit at the order of the Ghost Bride. As the saying goes, a moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold, so the soundproofing of this room is extremely good. Even if you shout at the top of your lungs, no one can hear you. You may be able to obtain some important items inside."

One map, two locations, one secret room.

It didn't seem to match the information he had previously received, but Chen Fu always felt that since the secret chamber was built by the Laughing and Crying Spirit, there might be something hidden inside.

He decided to check out the secret room first. If he didn't find anything, he would hand the map to Zhou Jianbang and act according to Zhou's plan.

If you can find something in the secret room that proves the Laughing and Crying Spirit is problematic, then report it to the Ghost Bride, which will also delay the wedding date.

This plan did not conflict with Zhou Jianbang's idea; since they were going to go anyway, they might as well do it together.

Besides, he has already destroyed the Reincarnation Stage, so there is no obstacle to infiltrating it smoothly.

After making up his mind, Chen Fu looked up at the time. It was already noon, just in time for lunch.

He patted his empty stomach. He hadn't eaten anything in the morning, so he definitely needed to eat something at noon, otherwise he wouldn't have the energy to keep up with the game. He immediately got up and left the office to go to the Spirit Investigation Bureau's cafeteria for lunch.

As soon as he stepped outside, Chen Fu noticed something was wrong.

The surroundings seemed to be shrouded in a thin veil, making things somewhat hazy and unclear, and it was also very quiet.

Although the second-floor office hall of the Spirit Investigation Bureau is usually not very crowded, it has become noticeably more lively since Zhang Mingyuan came.

But now, not only is Zhang Mingyuan nowhere to be seen, but Li Xintong, who usually likes to sit under the air conditioner and play games, is also gone, not to mention the programmer who writes strategy guides on the computer every day.

What's going on...? Chen Fu was suspicious as he watched a figure walk in through the door.

"You've arrived."

Zhou Jianbang walked stiffly to Chen Fu's side, a kind smile on his face.

He reached out to pat Chen Fu on the shoulder, but Chen Fu dodged him.

"Captain Zhou, where are they?" Chen Fu asked subtly, gradually distancing himself from Zhou Jianbang.

He knew this person in charge very well. Normally, Zhou Jianbang always had a serious expression on his face. Even when he smiled, it seemed very abrupt. He would never be like this now.

Considering that Zhang Mingyuan was working on a job change instance before entering the office, the event of invading reality might have already broken out, and the person in front of him might not be Zhou Jianbang at all.

They're all waiting for you downstairs.

After Zhou Jianbang finished speaking, he tried to pat Chen Fu on the shoulder.

"Then let's go downstairs." Chen Fu dodged again and walked towards the door first.

There are some odd things going on, but there's still too little information. We can't conclude that Zhou Jianbang has a problem based on just one incident.

Chen Fu didn't want to cause any misunderstandings and hurt the person in charge who had always helped him.

"Okay." Seeing that the plan had failed, Zhou Jianbang followed behind with stiff steps, his eyes constantly fixed on Chen Fu's shoulders and head.

To get to the cafeteria from the second-floor office lobby of the Bureau of Spirits Investigation, one needs to go through the first floor, where there is both an elevator and an emergency staircase. Chen Fu specifically chose the staircase and walked down on his own.

The footsteps behind him confirmed that Zhou Jianbang was following him. What should have been a one-minute walk had now taken five minutes and they were still going on.

It was like being trapped in a maze, unable to reach the first floor no matter what I did.

This further confirmed Chen Fu's suspicion that Zhang Mingyuan had encountered an invasion after completing the job change instance.

"Captain Zhou, when was the first time we met?"

Chen Fu suddenly turned around and asked, looking directly into Zhou Jianbang's eyes.

"It's right here, haven't you forgotten?"

Zhou Jianbang countered with a friendly smile.

Chen Fu nodded silently, took out the Yin-Yang mask from the small square, and put it on his face.

His first meeting with Zhou Jianbang was clearly at Blue Sky Amusement Park, so how did it turn into the Spirit Investigation Bureau?

This further confirms that the person in front of him is not the captain he knows.

After putting on the Yin-Yang mask, Chen Fu's perspective underwent a dramatic change.

Zhou Jianbang in front of them transformed into a humanoid creature composed entirely of black gas, with wisps of dust rising from its edges.

His features were indistinct, except for his eyes, which were bright red and swirling, captivating and full of malice.

When Chen Fu put on the Yin-Yang mask, Zhou Jianbang also realized that he had been exposed.

Without any attempt to argue, he suddenly reached out and tried to pat Chen Fu on the shoulder.

A wide frying pan blocked Zhou Jianbang's palm, but instead of making the expected impact sound, the palm exploded like smoke and continued to spread forward.

They seemed determined not to give up.

Chen Fu frowned suddenly and took out his Rain of Pear Blossoms Needle, aiming it at the front.

Like long, thin needles, they shot out and pierced right through the black gas in front of them.

At the same time, a deafening sound came from Chen Fu's mouth. The effect of the Vajra Buddhist chant made the smoke unable to move forward and instead drifted upward, gradually becoming transparent.

The humanoid figure let out a final, inhuman roar before disappearing as if torn apart.

What the hell? Why does he keep trying to pat my shoulder... Chen Fu didn't understand why, when suddenly he saw a hand reach out from the half-open door next to him.

"Thump!"

The frying pan made intimate contact with the palm of the hand, followed by a scream.

Why did you hit me?

Zhang Mingyuan jumped out, grimacing, and kept rubbing his reddened wrists, trying to relieve the pain.

Although Chen Fu was wearing a black and white mask, he still recognized the other person at a glance.

"Who knows if you're really telling the truth?" Chen Fu remained unmoved, pressing the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles against Zhang Mingyuan's face, and asked, "Where did we first meet?"

His recent encounter made him realize that these monsters, disguised as familiar people, did not possess the corresponding memories.

Cracking out their identity is very simple; just ask them a question, and the one who answers incorrectly is definitely a monster.

"In the elevator! I even asked you if you often suffer from insomnia and have many dreams."

Zhang Mingyuan answered quickly, and then saw Chen Fu put down the wooden box in his hand.

The two did indeed meet for the first time in the elevator of the Hilton Hotel, which proves that Zhang Mingyuan is real.

Chen Fu briefly explained what had just happened, saying that a monster disguised itself as Zhou Jianbang and tried to tap him on the shoulder, then asked, "This must be an effect of your job change, right?"

Zhang Mingyuan nodded, acknowledging the current situation. He explained that he had switched to being a member of the Quanzhen Sect, but due to the choices he made in the instance, certain things were happening in reality that targeted him and those around him.

This is exactly the same as Chen Fu's experience.

"Then why do these spawned monsters always try to pat me on the shoulder? Shouldn't they just attack directly?"

Chen Fu continued to ask, noting that this was somewhat different from what he had faced the previous night.

It was precisely because of this difference that Chen Fu did not risk activating the Vajra Arhat Body; who knew what the consequences would be if he were slapped?

"This is related to traditional Taoist knowledge. Taoism believes that there are three flames on a person's body, located on the shoulders and the top of the head. If you extinguish them, the person will die."

Zhang Mingyuan explained, feeling a mixture of relief and disappointment.

He had intended to help Chen Fu, but to his surprise, the boy not only dealt with the monster on his own, but also hit him with a frying pan.

It's hard to say whose fault it is in this situation. If Zhang Mingyuan speaks first, it will definitely arouse suspicion. If he reaches out, he will be beaten. He can only swallow the bitter pill.

"You'll die if you get hit three times."

Chen Fu thought to himself that it was fortunate he hadn't used his Vajra Arhat Body to fight head-on; if he had been hit, he would have been finished. Then, he asked about the current situation.

My attention was completely focused on the game, and I was in the office, so I had no idea what was going on outside. Zhang Mingyuan, as the main person who caused the intrusion, must have known very well.

Zhang Mingyuan explained the situation in detail. After the intrusion occurred, he also encountered a monster disguised as Zhou Jianbang, as well as Li Xintong and the programmer. To avoid further trouble, he chose to come to the stairwell. However, as soon as he entered, he encountered a maze-like illusion, making it impossible to leave.

Chen Fu calmed down and began to analyze. Having experienced the invasion, he knew that only by defeating the final monster could they leave.

It's like running a dungeon; you can't leave until you kill the boss, but the question is, where are the monsters?

Chen Fu planned to continue down to see if he could reach the first floor.

Zhang Mingyuan added that if an intrusion were to occur, the situation on the first floor would likely be far more brutal than imagined.

Most of the players in the Spirit Investigation Bureau work on the second floor, while the first floor is mostly occupied by clerical staff who are not very vigilant. If you run into them, you are likely to encounter something unpleasant.

Chen Fu shares the same view.

Knowing that an intrusion might occur, Zhou Jianbang would definitely instruct everyone to take countermeasures. In addition, with standard equipment, they would not be easily defeated in the face of danger.

But they are just ordinary people and cannot be compared with players. When they come into contact with monsters disguised as familiar faces, they may lower their guard.

However, guessing from here won't lead to any conclusions; we'll find out everything once we reach the first floor.

Zhang Mingyuan stopped talking and had Chen Fu lead the way to the first floor.

The two walked for another ten minutes, but they still couldn't reach the first floor. They kept going around in circles on the stairs, and the ghost wall was more serious than they had imagined.

"This can't go on. What changes will happen after you change jobs? Will it solve the current situation?"

Chen Fu stopped, leaned against the wall, and looked at the half-open door.

"After changing jobs, the game only enhanced my ability to predict the future. I just used my skill, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to discover that someone could be hiding behind the door in the stairwell."

Zhang Mingyuan shrugged. The injury on his wrist no longer hurt; apart from some redness, it didn't have much of an impact.

"Could the key to breaking this deadlock be hidden behind the door?"

Chen Fu muttered to himself, "I'm using my Eye of Stealing Time."

He saw that three breaths later, the two were still standing in the stairwell, but a ray of light flashed behind the door next to them. Then his gaze returned, and he could no longer see anything unusual.

"Sigh, three breaths is still too short, it can't compare to my stamina at all..." Chen Fu shook his head and told Zhang Mingyuan what he had seen, asking him to see it again through the ability to predict the future.

Zhang Mingyuan was quite surprised by the skills Chen Fu was able to use, but he didn't ask too many questions. He immediately expended his energy again to watch what might happen in the future.

A minute later, he exclaimed excitedly, "You're right! To break free from this illusion, you have to leave through a ventilation duct behind the door!"

Ventilation ducts?

Chen Fu was stunned. He didn't remember such a thing existing in the stairwell. Could it be that after Zhang Mingyuan changed jobs, the intrusion event altered reality?

Wow, this is even more different from his experience. It seems that every profession faces different situations.

Although it was strange, at least he had a direction. Chen Fu didn't say much, pushed open the half-closed door, and went in first.

Suddenly, everything went dark. There was no connection to the floors or rooms I had imagined; it was just a corner without windows.

On the ceiling, there was a square exhaust fan, which was the ventilation duct that Zhang Mingyuan had seen.

Chen Fu raised his hand and knocked the exhaust fan down with a frying pan, then leaped up and grabbed the edge.

His enhanced physical fitness allowed him to easily perform pull-ups, while constantly looking for leverage points, and he quickly climbed in.

Then, Chen Fu turned around and helped Zhang Mingyuan climb up as well. Looking at the straight pipe ahead, he moved his body little by little.

About twenty minutes later, the two arrived at the finish line.

This is a downhill slope, and at the bottom there is the same exhaust fan as the entrance.

Chen Fu intended to descend slowly to avoid danger, but Zhang Mingyuan behind him crashed into him because he didn't see the situation ahead clearly.

This caused Chen Fu's body to slip forward, and he slid down like he was on a slide.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Mingyuan realized he had caused trouble and immediately slid down as well.

The two men then knocked open the exhaust fan at the end of the ventilation duct, which crashed to the ground floor of the lobby with a thud, stacking on top of each other.

"We're in a bit of an ambiguous situation right now, so we mustn't let anyone see us."

Zhang Mingyuan spoke with a slightly embarrassed expression. Due to the fall, he was currently pressing down on Chen Fu's back, the two of them pressed tightly together, in a position that was extremely similar to a certain kind of sexual position.

"If you had seen things more clearly just now, we wouldn't be in this situation."

Chen Fu replied irritably, then turned his head away, his body suddenly stiffening.

Zhang Mingyuan looked puzzled and followed Chen Fu's gaze.

In the service hall on the first floor, there were many people standing there, including programmers Zhou Jianbang and Li Xintong, as well as other clerical staff.

They were either carrying various firearms or holding melee weapons, staring expressionlessly and motionless at the two people who suddenly fell from the ceiling exhaust fan and landed on top of each other.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

……