Boom!
Xue Jinlong burst into the principal's office.
"Principal Hong, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you!"
Principal Hong, a half-bald old man, slowly took out a pair of reading glasses from his jacket pocket and put them on.
"Jinlong, don't panic when something happens. Stay calm to solve the problem."
"Principal, do you remember those genius students I mentioned to you before?"
"Of course, one of them even has a Hidden Class, named Qiao Yu." Principal Hong leisurely sipped his tea.
"All five of them haven't returned from the Novice Trial!"
"What?!!!"
Principal Hong slammed the table and stood up abruptly, spraying tea all over Xue Jinlong.
He leaped over the desk, grabbed Xue Jinlong by the collar, and shook him urgently.
"What happened? Explain quickly, hurry up! Speak up!"
Xue Jinlong felt like his brain was being shaken into a smoothie by Principal Hong. His face flushed red as he patted Principal Hong's hand.
Realizing he had lost his composure, Principal Hong quickly let go.
But you couldn't really blame Principal Hong. Ever since scientists successfully constructed the Inner World within the Metaverse, society had undergone tremendous changes.
Any outstanding talent in the Inner World would be fiercely contested by prestigious universities.
As long as Qiao Yu and the others returned from the Novice Trial, they were guaranteed a spot in a top university, if not the prestigious Jingdu Huaxing.
The disappearance of these five top students in the Novice Trial was a bolt from the blue for Principal Hong.
As Xue Jinlong recounted the events, Principal Hong's expression kept changing, sometimes worried, sometimes surprised, and sometimes applauding.
"Are you saying that not only did they lead the completion of the Novice Trial with a difficulty level of Grade S, but they also rescued the previous fifty students?"
Principal Hong's old eyes sparkled with brilliance.
"Yes! Principal, what should we do now?"
"If I'm not mistaken, they must have triggered a Hidden Quest."
Principal Hong's face turned grim. With his vast experience, he immediately guessed Qiao Yu and the others' predicament.
"What? Principal, you must save Qiao Yu and the others! They're newcomers; how could they possibly complete a Hidden Quest?" Xue Jinlong became anxious.
Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
Principal Hong shook his head helplessly.
"This is beyond my capabilities. Apart from the core designer of the Inner World, no one knows how to trigger or enter a Hidden Dungeon. Perhaps this is a stroke of fortune for them."
"All we can do now is pray for their safe return."
"But one thing I can assure you, if they come back, with such achievements, they can choose any university in the country! Even university professors will be fighting over them!"
After saying this, Principal Hong turned to Xue Jinlong and asked,
"By the way, weren't you always carrying an incense burner? Bring it over, let's pray for their protection together!"
"Uh... I thought the incense burner wasn't effective, so I kicked it over," Xue Jinlong replied.
Principal Hong: ......
While Principal Hong and Xue Jinlong were discussing, Qiao Yu and the others, who were in the Hidden Dungeon, faced their first night.
"Be careful. I've observed that all the black stones have disappeared, which means there won't be any safe zones tonight."
Zuo You spoke calmly, like a natural-born commander.
"According to the formation we discussed during the day, I'll be at the front, Qiao Yu on my side, Ma Fei covering the rear, with Xiangdi and Ziyue in the middle."
The four nodded and positioned themselves according to Zuo You's instructions, ready for battle at any moment.
They stood in formation in the dark for a long time, but not even a mouse appeared, let alone a Nightmare.
"What's going on? Could this Hidden Dungeon be without danger?" Zhao Ziyue asked.
"I don't know. Everyone, stay alert. It can't be that simple!"
Zuo You continued to keep a vigilant watch on their surroundings.
"Can you... can you help me?"
A delicate voice called out, and a ragged girl peeked out from the ruins of Nightmare Village.
Her skin was fair and tender, emitting a soft glow. Her face was delicate, with almond-shaped eyes that held a gentle mistiness, like a pool of autumn water.
The girl's figure was exquisite, with bare, white legs and dainty feet stepping on the sand, evoking a sense of pity.
The sudden appearance of this girl was like a blend of Zuo You's youthful aura and Zhao Ziyue's voluptuous charm.
The contrasting qualities made the girl irresistibly alluring to men.
Qiao Yu and the other three men were entranced, their eyes fixed on her. Who wouldn't be captivated by such a contrasting girl?
"Little sister, I'm Ma Fei, a sword cultivator. Is there something troubling you?"
Ma Fei flashed what he thought was a charming smile. To be honest, Ma Fei wasn't bad-looking, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes.
But standing next to Qiao Yu, he seemed quite ordinary.
"Little sister, let me help you."
Qiao Yu rolled up his sleeves and approached.
"Really, big brother? Thank you."
The girl smiled, revealing two cute little fangs.
"Qiao Yu!"
Ma Fei was instantly displeased,
"I was the one who greeted this little sister first! Don't you understand the concept of first come, first served?"
Qiao Yu ignored Ma Fei and walked up to the girl, smiling as he asked,
"Little sister, do you know the saying, 'To hear the Way in the morning, one can die content by evening'?"
"No, I don't."
The girl shook her head adorably, blinking her large, expressive eyes.
"Let me teach you today. If you hear I'm coming in the morning, you'll have to die tonight!"
Qiao Yu suddenly punched the girl in the abdomen, creating a deep dent.
Zuo You and Zhao Ziyue instantly covered their own stomachs, feeling a pain they could empathize with.
Even though they had guessed it was a Nightmare in disguise, it was still shocking to see Qiao Yu strike such a cute girl.
The two exchanged a glance, instantly understanding each other's thoughts.
Qiao Yu was not to be messed with; he would hit even a cute, pink girl!
With Qiao Yu's punch, the once pitiful and delicate girl transformed into a grotesque Nightmare beast!
Ma Fei's mouth dropped open in surprise.
Among the five, he was the only one who hadn't seen a Nightmare transform to deceive humans.
"Could it be that keeping a Nightmare around means having many different wives?"
A bold thought inexplicably crossed Ma Fei's mind.
A bright red "-50" appeared above the Nightmare's head, and its corpse transformed into a Soul Core.
[Player Qiao Yu has defeated a Nightmare through melee combat, earning 3 free Attribute Points and +10 experience.]
Qiao Yu was unaware that Zuo You and Zhao Ziyue had already sentenced him to death, or of Ma Fei's peculiar thoughts.
Hearing the familiar notification, he nodded in satisfaction. This was more like it—keep adding to Strength!
As Qiao Yu reached into the Soul Core, his face lit up with joy!
He had found a piece of equipment inside the Soul Core! As expected of a Hidden Dungeon, the drop rate was indeed high!