RNP Chapter 220: S-Rank Cleared, But No Laugh to Be Found
Chapter 220: S-Rank Cleared, But No Laugh to Be Found
As Karen accompanied Lin Feng out of the heavy alloy gate of the core area, the cold, grand announcement of the strange tales resounded in the ears of every chosen one and in the strange tales livestream room:
[Announcement: Congratulations to Lin Feng of the Dragon Kingdom for uncovering the hidden truth at the bottom of the Abyss Prison and severing its root cause, achieving an S-rank completion rating.]
From this moment forward, you are free to move about within this abyssal prison, unrestricted by any rules, and will not be subject to any strange attacks.
The prison gates are open for you; you may leave without any trouble.
You may also choose to stay in this instance for a maximum of 24 hours.
The moment the announcement was made, Wasim and Anna, who were on duty, froze simultaneously, as if they had been struck directly by that cold voice.
"S-rank..." Vassim repeated in a low voice, a muscle twitching on his rugged face, an expression that was a mixture of shock and awe.
"Brother Lin Feng... he's a monster, no, a monster among monsters!"
Anna clicked her tongue softly, her tone containing both admiration and a hint of barely concealed regret:
"What a pity, this is a truly high-level match, we don't even have the right to be spectators."
..............................
Evelyn was sitting on the edge of her dormitory bed when the announcement suddenly stopped her.
Her red lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.
A flicker of "I knew it" crossed his eyes first, followed by a clear and undisguised admiration.
But beneath this admiration, a deeper sense of loss, like ink dripping into water, slowly spreads.
This time, she was no longer the "teammate" who explored alongside him and shared the risks.
From the moment he was drawn into the core conflict in prison, their trajectories were forcibly separated by a huge gap.
"In the end... I still lost the right to fight alongside him." She murmured to herself very softly, a hint of self-mockery appearing on her lips.
........................
Inside the Dragon Kingdom Strange Tales Strategy Team's command center, the previously tense atmosphere was instantly swept away by ecstasy.
The group members stood up and applauded, some pounding their fists on the table in excitement, others with tears in their eyes, all the worries and pressure of the past few days dissipating.
"S-rank! Another S-rank clear!"
"Our Dragon Kingdom is completely secure this time!"
Team leader Qin Weiguo slowly relaxed his clenched fist, revealing a long-lost smile on his face, but a trace of solemnity still lingered in his eyes.
He gazed at Lin Feng's figure on the screen and murmured softly, "Good lad, you didn't disappoint."
"However... how to manage the relationship with those two... ladies and bring them back safely is probably no less difficult and risky than dealing with Cyrus..."
........................
The ghost story announcement continues.
[Dragon Kingdom received the following reward:]
[1: A slight increase in the overall physical and mental health of the population]
[All citizens of the Dragon Kingdom receive a +2 bonus to their physical and mental attributes (minors receive an additional 20% bonus).]
[The overall immunity, endurance, and concentration of the population have significantly improved; the incidence of common chronic diseases has decreased by 30%; and symptoms of lethargy caused by staying up late and high stress have been greatly alleviated.]
【2: Land Purification】
All pollution (physical, chemical, biological, etc.) is purified in one go, restoring the soil, water, and air to their pre-industrial state of purity.
The live stream was instantly flooded with cheers and exclamations.
"Holy crap! Everyone gets a +2 to their stats! Minors get an extra boost! I'll never have to worry about losing hair from staying up all night again!"
"The land has been purified to the level of the pre-industrial era! Finally, we can breathe unpolluted air and drink pure groundwater. Lin Feng's merits are immeasurable!"
"There's finally hope for relief for the elderly person's chronic illness. This reward is so real, it's better than any empty honor!"
"This is the kind of reward you should get for an S-rank clear! It benefits everyone and directly boosts the nation's overall strength!"
........................
The announcement has been moved to a private channel.
[Lin Feng's personal reward:]
【1: Upgraded Portable Space】
The space volume has been expanded from 1 cubic meter to 8 cubic meters.
[2: Skill "Abyss Shadow" unlocked]
[Description: Active Skill. Merges into shadows or dark environments, entering an advanced stealth state, increasing movement speed by 50% and granting immunity to rule-based traps for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 1 hour.]
[3: Overall Improvement of Basic Attributes: Constitution +5, Spirit +5, Charisma +5]
Lin Feng felt a warm current instantly sweep over his entire body, making him feel light and agile. The fatigue he had experienced from the intense battle in the dungeon quickly dissipated, and his mental energy became even more refined.
He quietly sensed the upgraded personal space; its volume had greatly expanded, enough to hold more supplies.
The "Abyss Shadow" skill further enhances his ability to survive and launch surprise attacks.
However, this joy did not last long before the heaviness in my heart surged up again like a tide.
The 24-hour stay limit is like an invisible shackle.
This means that he must completely resolve the issue between Leng Meng and Vivian within just one day.
........................
Accompanied by Karen, Lin Feng quickly returned to dormitory 107.
The house was empty; Wasim was clearly still on duty outside.
He glanced under the bed instinctively, and a glaring crimson color suddenly caught his eye—a pair of red high heels.
However, at this moment, he had already broken free from the constraints of prison rules.
Lin Feng bent down to pick up the shoes, walked straight to the bathroom, and threw them into the trash can without hesitation.
Then, he turned on the tap, took out the makeup remover he hadn't had time to give away from his personal space, poured it into his palm, rubbed it, and carefully removed his makeup in front of the mirror on the washbasin.
After removing his makeup, Lin Feng returned to his dormitory and collapsed onto his bed, his mind racing as he considered countermeasures.
A moment later, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he finally decided to use his trump card.
"Infinite deduction, activated."
With a thought, he slowly closed his eyes, and his consciousness instantly sank into the gray space.
The flow of time around him was stretched and extended dramatically, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared in the infirmary.
Vivian was facing away from the door, her head down as she organized the medicine bottles in the medicine cabinet.
Hearing footsteps, she subconsciously turned around, and the moment she saw that it was Lin Feng, a gentle smile immediately appeared in her eyes.
"Feng? What brings you here at this hour?" She put down the medicine bottle in her hand and quickly came to greet her.
Lin Feng took her slightly cool hand and pulled her to sit down on the nearby examination chair. He then dragged over a chair and sat down opposite her. The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.
"Vivian, listen to me. Just now, we successfully killed Warden Cyrus Mohn, and I also got an S-rank completion rating."
"What?!" Vivian's eyes widened in shock, nearly jumping to her feet. "You...you killed the warden?!"
"Hmm." Lin Feng nodded, his tone tinged with coldness. "He's not a proper warden at all; he's a death row inmate."
"He made a pact with the witch to obtain this identity, in exchange for sacrificing at least one hundred souls to the witch every year."
"He is the biggest cancer in this prison!"
Vivian subconsciously bit her fingertips, her long eyelashes trembling violently. She was clearly overwhelmed by the massive amount of information and couldn't process it all at once.
Lin Feng reached out and gently grabbed her arm, his tone becoming more urgent:
"I have a 23-hour grace period before I must be forced to return to the tranquil quadrant once that time is up."
Vivian's smile faltered slightly, and a hint of disappointment flashed quickly in the depths of her lake-blue eyes.
"Hmm...that's good news." Her voice was a little hoarse. "Congratulations, Feng!"
Lin Feng took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and said, word by word:
"So, I came to find you because I want you to come with me—back to the Tranquil Quadrant."
"Go with...go with you?"
Vivian was clearly stunned. She subconsciously looked around the medical room where she had worked for so long.
"Feng, I... I'm so glad you're willing to take me with you, really."
"But this is my job, my responsibility."
"The prisoners and guards of Abyss Prison need a medical officer. I am the only one who knows the injuries and illnesses of many of them best."
"And...and I know absolutely nothing about the Tranquil Quadrant; everything there is completely foreign to me..."
Lin Feng knew that simply appealing to her emotions by saying "I want to be together" wouldn't be enough to shake her sense of responsibility for being rooted here and her fear of the unknown.
He leaned forward slightly, getting closer to her, with an undeniable certainty:
"It's not just because I want to be with you. Vivian, you...are pregnant!"