Bai Ci shook her head, suppressing her strange thoughts. She typed “mythological systems” into the forum's search bar and clicked search. Soon, a series of related posts appeared.
Among them, a post titled “Inference: The Connection Between Anomalous Infection Instances and Real-World Mythological Systems” had a high view count and many comments, making it seem quite credible. Bai Ci clicked on it and read it carefully.
The original poster was a player from the Explorers faction who specialized in researching the background settings of Anomalous Infection instances. The post detailed the background stories of several instances explored by the poster and other Explorers, drawing horizontal comparisons with elements from various real-world mythological systems.
Ultimately, they reached a conclusion: instances in Anomalous Infection would not feature real-world mythological systems. Neither gods nor demons from real mythologies would appear, nor would the settings of real mythologies be copied wholesale.
However, the background settings of some instances might borrow certain elements from real mythologies, leading to the appearance of similar entities—such as eerie, demon-like creatures or unique, god-like NPCs. Yet, the settings and abilities of these entities had no direct connection to real mythologies; they merely shared similar appearances or certain characteristics.
The post listed several examples to further support this conclusion.
For instance, a certain deep-sea instance featured a mutated entity resembling a giant octopus. Its appearance was close to Cthulhu from mythology, but its mechanics and background were completely unrelated.
As another example, a certain ancient temple instance featured a burning anomaly similar to “karma fire,” but it did not originate from Buddhism or any real-world religious system.
Bai Ci quickly browsed through the post, and the doubts in her mind were finally resolved.
This meant that if she encountered eerie elements with a sense of déjà vu in the future, she could use real mythologies as a reference, but she shouldn't blindly apply them. She needed to focus more on the clues within the instance itself.
Having resolved her doubts, Bai Ci did not linger any longer. She prepared to close the forum and resume her plan to exercise.
Although her class did not require her to actively engage in combat, improving her physical fitness would still allow her to protect herself at critical moments, ensuring she wouldn't drag other players down.
If other players obtained higher evaluations, it would indirectly improve her own evaluation as well.
But just as she was about to click the close button, a popular post on the forum's homepage caught her attention.
The title of the post was extremely eye-catching, even carrying a hint of gnashing teeth, and it featured the name of someone she knew in a sense. Bai Ci clicked on it.
【General Discussion Area】 - 【Interactions & Exchanges】
【Exposing】 Zhao Yu, you psychopath! I hope you get eaten by the BOSS in your next instance!
ID: Wish I Knew Better
【Zhao Yu, you are a complete psychopath! I just finished the Withered Wood Post Office instance and almost died in there, and it was all because of you!
Do you have nothing better to do? If you're that bored, go push a millstone. Instead of doing the instance properly, you just had to smash the statue, kill NPCs, and finally commit suicide to leave a stupid surprise, throwing the entire instance into complete chaos!
If it weren't for the wealthy NPC lady in the instance being so supportive and generous, buying us enough weapons and bombs, we would have been eaten by that freakish monster Isabella.
A piece of trash like you deserved to die. In your next instance, I hope the BOSS tears you straight to pieces!】
This was the first time Bai Ci had seen a post like this. It went on for several long paragraphs, every line bursting with uncontrollable rage. It was clear the poster was furious, though his vocabulary was rather limited, repeating the same blunt accusations over and over.
Of the players who had been screwed over by Zhao Yu in the Withered Wood Post Office instance, the only ones Bai Ci knew were Lin Wan and Chen Mo. Judging by the poster's tone, it was highly likely the latter.
As for the nickname “Wish I Knew Better,” she had seen him around in various posts. He was a highly active netizen, and his memorable “The OP is a massive idiot” reply prefix had already left a deep impression on her.
Mapping this impression onto a specific person she actually knew brought Bai Ci a mix of surprise and amusement, along with a slight sense of awkwardness.
Speaking of which, what Chen Mo “wished he knew better” about was probably ever getting to know Zhao Yu and teaming up with him in the first place, right?
Regardless of what Bai Ci thought, it didn't affect how lively the post was. There were already over a hundred comments below.
【Floor 2: Terrible at Gaming】: Hahaha, sister (or brother), calm down. That guy Zhao Yu has always been like that. He's a repeat offender of the Malicious Outlaws faction, specializing in causing destruction in instances. I got screwed over by him last time too.
【Floor 3: Just a Freeloader】: Wait? There was a wealthy NPC lady in the Withered Wood Post Office instance? Where? I was dirt poor the entire time I was in that instance. I had to pool money just to buy a gun, and I almost failed to beat the BOSS in the end. How come I didn't run into such a good thing?
【Floor 4: OP's Reply】: The OP is a massive idiot. You didn't meet her? No way. It's Hugo's fiancée, the wealthy young lady named Lora. If not for her, we wouldn't have cleared the instance at all. Are you blind?
【Floor 5: Don't Hit Me, I'm Feeding】: Hahaha, Brother Wish-I-Knew posting a thread! It's rare to see such a spectacle. He really must have been driven mad with anger.
【Floor 6: Stardew Valley is My Home】: Hugo had a fiancée? I talked to Hugo several times in the instance, and he never mentioned it to me. Is it because I didn't raise my favorability with him, so he didn't bring it up?
【Floor 7: Family Has Fallen】: That's not right. I was so poor in the instance that I couldn't afford rent. I shamelessly took turns staying at Hugo's, Old Tom's, and Mrs. Ella's places. I stayed for almost a week, hanging around them every day to mooch lunch, and I never once heard the name Lora.
【Floor 8: I Chose This Name Just to Test the Forum's Nickname Length Limit】: That's actually terrifying when you think about it. Could that Lora not be a real NPC at all, but a player in disguise? After all, NPCs in instances have fixed storylines. How could some people meet her while others didn't?
【Floor 9: Strawberry Hard Candy】: Has the floor above read too many web novels? Or are you from the Conspiracy Theorists faction? The NPC mechanics in Anomalous Infection are highly intelligent. In some instances, special NPCs can even realize they are NPCs—now that's terrifying. This fiancée NPC is nothing compared to that.
【Floor 10: We Are Candy Sweet and Sad】: i d0nT tHiNk iTs p0sSiBlE eItHeR. aNd i hEaRd nPcS gOsSiPiNg tHaT hUgO's fAmIlY uSeD tO bE nObLeS wItH a mArRiAgE cOnTrAcT, bUt sAdLy tHe fAmIlY fElL aPaRt sO tHe mArRiAgE iS pRoBaBlY oFf.
【Floor 11: OP's Reply】: The OP is a massive idiot. ??? Speak English.
【Floor 12: Loving Me is Not Your Fault】: Translator here. What the scene kid on Floor 10 meant is: they also think it's unlikely. They heard NPCs gossip that Hugo's family used to be nobility and had a marriage contract, but unfortunately, the family fell on hard times, so the marriage contract probably fell through.
【Floor 13: Nine Folds of Silk】: It's not a matter of favorability. That Lora is probably an associated NPC.
Rate on N.U.
