Chapter 175: Going Home
"And Shen Yu, you little bastard!"
Menloa suddenly laughed.
"Looks like you already knew something from Sandy, huh?"
Shen Yu glanced at him.
"Maybe."
Menloa stared at him for a moment before bursting into relieved laughter.
"Good. Good, good!"
"I was worried for nothing."
The barrage exploded across the world.
Evil Spirit Nightwatcher — Kai Chen:
"I think I understand now."
"Those glowing orbs were Sandy and her father’s memories, right?"
"And that old man at the end..."
"He was the Twilight Train itself."
"After devouring everyone else’s memories, he gradually recovered his own."
"But precisely because he recovered his memories, he remembered the importance of those two seats."
"Those seats were where everything began for him."
"That’s why he protected them until the very end."
Another barrage immediately appeared.
"I’m done."
"This father-daughter pair spent the entire dungeon drowning in obsession, only for everything to end like this."
"666!"
"Menloa actually cleared it!"
"Looks like Dragon Kingdom wasn’t the only one who got lucky."
"Shen Yu really knows what he’s doing!"
Under the endless flood of comments, the system finally began calculating the rewards.
A cold mechanical voice echoed through Menloa’s mind.
[Bear Kingdom Participant Menloa has successfully completed the SS-Rank Dungeon: Memory Train.]
[Completion Evaluation: A-Rank.]
[Completion Reward: One random S-Rank item that can be carried into dungeons.]
[Additional Reward: 20 days of vacation.]
[Completion Comment:]
[Your ability is a double-edged sword.]
[Fortunately, you used it in the right place.]
[You did not possess many strategies throughout this dungeon.]
[However, you followed the right person.]
[A crown-wearing winner.]
[A perfect auxiliary player.]
Menloa’s mouth twitched.
"What kind of evaluation is that?"
He ignored the rest.
His eyes were already fixed on the enormous spinning wheel that had appeared before him.
"Come on!"
He rubbed his hands together.
"Give me something good!"
With a grin, he grabbed the wheel.
"Spin!"
CLANK!
The giant wheel began spinning.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
Then—
DONG!
The wheel suddenly stopped.
The pointer landed on a crimson panel.
Menloa’s eyes widened.
[S-Rank Dungeon: Flesh Mountain Manor.]
[Item Obtained: Secret Art — Blood Burning Technique.]
"Blood Burning Technique?"
Menloa’s breathing quickened.
The moment he read the description, his expression became serious.
[Blood Burning Technique:]
[By burning one’s own flesh and blood, the user can obtain a large amount of physical strength for a short period of time.]
[Price: Severe physical exhaustion after use. Recovery speed is extremely slow.]
[Note: There is no limit to the number of times this technique can be used.]
[However, excessive use will damage internal organs and may cause irreversible bodily harm.]
A wave of crimson mist suddenly spread from the spinning wheel.
It entered Menloa’s body through his nose and mouth.
"Huh?"
Menloa staggered backward.
His pupils contracted.
A strange incantation appeared inside his mind.
He didn’t need to read it.
He somehow understood it.
"This..."
"This is the ability of that strange version of me?"
His expression became complicated.
The memories from the future flashed through his mind.
The future Menloa.
The terrifying figure he had seen inside the dungeon.
Was that really his future?
Could he actually become like that?
Before he could think further—
Another system notification sounded.
[Beginning reward calculation for Dragon Kingdom Participant Shen Yu.]
Menloa immediately looked over.
The next announcement echoed throughout the world.
[Dragon Kingdom Participant Shen Yu has successfully completed the SS-Rank Dungeon: Memory Train.]
[Overall Completion Evaluation: S-Rank.]
[Reward Obtained: Title — Explorer of Memories.]
[SS-Rank Dungeon S-Rank Completion Reward:]
[Two Talent Upgrade Fragments.]
[Additional Reward: 20 days of vacation.]
[Explorer of Memories — Title Reward:]
[Permanent access to the Memory Train unlocked.]
Shen Yu’s eyes narrowed.
Permanent access?
Before he could examine the reward further, another notification appeared.
[Title-related skill unlocked.]
[SS-Rank Skill: Memory Alteration.]
Shen Yu’s eyebrows rose.
[Memory Alteration:]
[Allows the user to alter a portion of another person’s memories.]
[The extent of the alteration depends upon the target’s strength.]
Shen Yu fell silent.
Alter memories...
That ability was terrifying.
Even in the real world, it could potentially be overwhelmingly powerful.
And inside a horror dungeon—
Its usefulness was even greater.
If he encountered an important NPC...
Could he alter their memories?
Make them believe he was their father?
Their brother?
Their closest friend?
A person they trusted completely?
If used correctly, the possibilities were almost endless.
Unfortunately, before Shen Yu could study the skill further, another notification interrupted his thoughts.
[SS-Rank Dungeon: Memory Train has ended.]
[All surviving participants are being returned to their respective worlds.]
[Preparing for spatial transfer.]
[Buzz—]
The world around Shen Yu began trembling.
Menloa immediately turned toward him.
"Hey, Shen Yu!"
"What?"
"Remember our promise."
Menloa grinned.
"If we survive, we’re having a drink together."
He pulled out his phone.
"Exchange contact information."
Shen Yu chuckled.
"Sure."
They quickly exchanged their contact information.
"Mine is—"
BUZZZZ!
The space around them suddenly distorted.
Menloa’s voice became distant.
"Don’t forget!"
"I won’t!"
The crimson world twisted.
Light swallowed everything.
Inside the crimson spiral of distorted space, Shen Yu’s consciousness drifted through darkness.
Images flashed before his eyes.
The Twilight Train.
The old man.
Sandy.
E05.
E06.
The burning carriage.
The final station.
Then—
Everything disappeared.
Thud.
Shen Yu’s body landed heavily on a bed.
His vision slowly returned.
Warm orange light filled the room.
The familiar ceiling greeted him.
He was back.
The City Defense Department villa.
Shen Yu exhaled heavily.
"Phew..."
Every muscle in his body screamed.
He was exhausted.
Completely exhausted.
He didn’t even care about the blood covering his clothes.
He simply rolled onto the bed.
His D-Rank talent, Heartbeat, had accelerated his recovery throughout the dungeon.
But it wasn’t particularly powerful.
At most, it allowed him to recover faster than an ordinary person.
The burns covering his body had already begun forming thick scabs.
Still...
He was tired.
Really tired.
He didn’t want to analyze his rewards.
He didn’t want to talk to anyone.
He didn’t even want to think.
He just wanted to sleep.
Shen Yu closed his eyes.
"Five minutes."
"I’ll sleep for five minutes."
Knock.
Knock. Knock.
Shen Yu’s eyebrows twitched.
He ignored it.
Maybe whoever it was would leave.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Shen Yu!"
A familiar voice shouted from outside.
"Are you home?"
"Open the door!"
"Hurry!"
Shen Yu’s expression darkened.
He slowly opened his eyes.
His exhaustion instantly turned into irritation.
"Damn."
"Who is it?"
Hadn’t these people realized he’d only just returned?
Couldn’t they give him even ten minutes to rest?
The knocking continued.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Shen Yu’s patience finally snapped.
"Coming!"
He forced himself off the bed.
Whatever emergency was waiting outside...
It had better be worth interrupting his sleep.