Detour

Cheng Shuili didn't care what he was thinking; she gave a quick command and continued rushing toward the agreed-upon location.

Seeing the guy looking reluctant to follow, Cheng Shuili gave him a calm reminder: "You should take a good look at that contract."

Master of Slacking, despite his unwillingness, followed Cheng Shuili anyway.

If that clause was really in the contract and he let her walk away now, he would never be able to find her again!

Barely keeping up behind her, Master of Slacking finally had a chance to review the contract.

He opened the panel, and the very first line made his eyes bulge with fury.

What did it mean by "monitor the group chat messages of Fengyun Tianxia at all times and report to the client immediately"?

And this one: "Everything that happens in the dungeon must be kept strictly confidential."

Master of Slacking scanned the terms, his face turning paler with every line.

"No way... this, this is practically an unequal treaty!"

He couldn't help but wail, "Why do I have to report the group chat dynamics in real-time? And be your twenty-four-seven sentry? How is this any different from selling myself into slavery!"

Cheng Shuili didn't even turn her head, her voice drifting back lazily: "The difference is that you're still breathing to read the contract instead of becoming supplies lying in my vehicle. As a reminder, Article 3, Section 2: unilateral public expression of dissatisfaction with the contract terms is considered passive performance and will result in a deduction of compensation points."

Master of Slacking fell silent instantly, covering his mouth and hurriedly scrolling down to the penalty clauses.

The more he read, the more cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Mixed with the icy acid rain, it made his entire body tremble.

This woman was a devil!

The dense clauses in the contract blocked almost every loophole he could think of. The cost of breach was so high it made his heart convulse. Not to mention the system's own punishments, this person actually demanded compensation in supplies and game coins!

How could he possibly afford that?

He stole a glance at the figure ahead, moving easily through the ruins. The last shred of luck in his heart was completely crushed, leaving only a cold sense of powerlessness and a strong, rising curiosity.

"Um... boss,"

He trotted to catch up, his tone involuntarily filled with awe as he asked cautiously, "Who... who exactly are you? I've heard of most of the top ten heavyweights, but your style... I just can't match it to anyone."

Anyone who could easily crush him and pull out a contract like this couldn't possibly be a nobody.

He had thought it was Hao Hao, but Hao Hao was famously kind-hearted; how could they have such a calculating mind?

Could it be that the rumored kindness was actually 'nuclear-level' kindness?

Cheng Shuili didn't stop, but she turned her face slightly, giving him a look that was half-smile, half-mockery: "Didn't you just sign the confidentiality clause? Do you need me to help you review the consequences of a breach again?"

Master of Slacking felt a chill down his neck and shook his head like a rattle: "No, no! Didn't forget! Absolutely didn't forget! I was just... just asking! Boss, pretend I said nothing!"

He exerted too much force and nearly stepped into a puddle corroded by acid, stumbling clumsily to regain his balance, looking utterly pathetic.

Cheng Shuili withdrew her gaze and continued on her way.

The two moved one after the other, walking in silence through the increasingly urgent sound of the acid rain.

Only Master of Slacking's panel lit up from time to time, as he seemed to be diligently monitoring the group chat messages.

"Um... boss," after a while, he couldn't help but lower his voice to report the situation, "The group says they're going to rendezvous at the shipping container on the edge."

"Mm." Cheng Shuili responded, her pace remaining steady and unhurried.

She couldn't spare any attention for those people right now; having him monitor the group chat was just so she could stay informed.

Master of Slacking observed her reaction, his heart remaining unsettled.

The sound of the acid rain hitting the debris grew more intense, and the gray-yellow rain curtain nearly obscured the view ahead.

Relying on the map in her memory and her exceptional sense of direction, Cheng Shuili moved quickly through the maze of rusted steel.

Master of Slacking, trailing behind, seemed to be struggling, forced to keep up with her speed while distracted by the group chat that filled him with dread.

"Boss... they seem to have already rendezvoused."

Already rendezvoused? That was a bit too fast, wasn't it?

"Keep watching." She tossed out a command and accelerated again.

The two passed through an area of collapsed scaffolding, their feet occasionally stepping on brittle metal, emitting teeth-gritting snapping sounds.

Just as they were paying extra attention to their footing, a disturbing, viscous slithering sound mixed with the rain reached them!

Cheng Shuili immediately raised her hand to signal a stop, her body pressing tightly against a massive, rust-scarred pipe.

Master of Slacking scrambled to shrink his body, not daring to let out a breath.

Cheng Shuili carefully poked her head out to look.

Ahead, in a relatively open storage yard, three creatures resembling mud moved about!

The monsters were about half a person's height, their entire bodies showing a grayish, decayed fleshiness from being soaked in acid rain for a long time. Their surfaces were covered in slime and constantly bulging, contracting vesicles. They had no clear eyes or facial features, only several tentacle-like limbs waving and lashing out.

Cheng Shuili stared at one for a moment before deciding to use Insight.

【Insight Successful】

【Name: Acid-Corrosion Lurker】

【Origin: They were once living creatures in this industrial zone, unable to escape the initial acid rain disaster. Their flesh and blood merged with corrosive sludge, leaked chemical waste, and rusted metal debris. Under the year-after-year pouring of acid rain, they underwent horrific mutations. They did not die, but 'survived' in another, more desperate form, becoming a part of this corrupted land, instinctively attacking anything that has not been corroded.】

【Weakness: Their core is a piece of metal fragment inside their body that has not been completely corroded, which is their only, albeit painful, connection to the past. Attacking this core can cause massive damage. Intense physical impact can temporarily disperse their mud-like form.】

Cheng Shuili sent the Insight results directly into the small group chat. If she could encounter them, others could too.

With this, they would definitely have a bit more confidence.

Back to the present, Cheng Shuili certainly had no problem fighting, but the issue was that it was currently raining acid.

If anything happened to her raincoat, even she would be in trouble.

After a moment of thought, Cheng Shuili decided to bypass these monsters.

This dungeon wasn't based on points where you had to kill monsters to clear it.

The first requirement of this dungeon was survival!

Staying alive was what mattered most.

Cheng Shuili withdrew her gaze and lowered her voice to the dead weight behind her: "Detour. Keep the noise down."

Master of Slacking looked as if he had been granted amnesty, nodding frantically, wishing he could crawl on all fours to reduce his presence.