Of course, Ye Ci did not expect the NPC to stop. It would not immediately switch its target and go after her just because she told it so like in soap operas.

And she was right. The aggro was all on Ol’ Six. The NPC was not stupid. It continued focusing its attention on Ol’ Six. Ignoring her own pain, Ye Ci immediately cast Pet Healing on her Dragon.

Healers who tend to overheal were the most feared in a dungeon. Ye Ci’s healing skill on Ol’ Six was able to attract the aggro of the NPC towards herself. It promptly abandoned its attacks on Ol’ Six and turned to face Ye Ci, sending her flying with a swipe of its hand.

Damn it! Don’t bully me like this just because your level is higher! Even if you’re a BOSS, you shouldn’t look down on players like this, alright? Ye Ci felt like her bones were breaking apart. F*ck you Fate! Can’t you place the pain values a little lower? The impact once again took away a huge chunk of Ye Ci’s HP, bringing her very close to death.

And the NPC was already upon Ye Ci before she could heal herself back up. She raised her hand and shouted at the black smoke right before she was about to die to its claws, “Stay back or I’ll smash this thing into pieces!”

The NPC immediately stopped and stood silently ten yards away from Ye Ci. Smoke was billowing from the NPC. It was apparent that the NPC had lost its calm. Ye Ci dared not to move her eyes away from the NPC. She stared at the puff of smoke and began to gulp down bottles of Health Potion. Damn it! This BOSS is impossible! I’ve finished a few thousand gold worth of potions here!

“Of all the races that walk these lands, I’ve always hated your Elves the most.” the puff of smoke stared at the Heart of Darkness in Ye Ci’s hands.

And to avoid any more damage on Ol’ Six, Ye Ci set her pet’s combat to be Passive, and the Dragon returned to her while eyeing the puff of smoke. “I did not wish to offend you.” said Ye Ci, “I’ve merely wanted to have a look at the Heart of Darkness.”

“Oh really?” the black smoke snorted, “Then return it to me at once!” it extended an arm towards Ye Ci and motioned her to return the Heart of Darkness.

Ye Ci shook her head, “I might’ve returned it to you if you didn’t attack me just now. But after that fiasco? I don’t think I trust you anymore. This thing seems to be very important to you. How am I able to guarantee my safety if I return to you right now?”

“Lies!” the black smoke retracted its arm and sneered at Ye Ci, “You Elves are the most pretentious and hypocritical lot! If I did not stop you just now, you would’ve stolen my Heart of Darkness like the last one!”

“I’m just here by coincidence. I do not know the Elf you’re talking about.” replied Ye Ci carefully.

“A coincidence?” the black smoke paused, and appeared to have realised something, “Why are you not harmed by the hellfire!?”

Hellfire? Ye Ci glanced at the harmless flames in the room. Is this a BUG? Then again, the NPC wouldn’t have asked me something like that if it was. So…. Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the black smoke, “So that’s how it is.”

ChapterMid();

The black smoke let out a laugh before asking, “Just how much sin are you carrying, Elf?”

Ye Ci immediately related the question to her status as a red name. The hellfire was unable to harm her due to her high Sin values.

Who the hell designed this? Doesn’t it mean that a player with low Sin value will be burned alive? Aren’t they blatantly looking down on good people?

The smoke continued when Ye Ci was silent, “Ahh.. You’re here because of your thirst for Darkness.”

Hey hey hey! I haven’t even said anything yet! Can you not answer your own question? Ye Ci frowned at the NPC. Isn’t this NPC a little full of himself? But she decided to talk to the BOSS to gain more information about Dau’er.

According to the NPC, an Elf had stumbled into the hole by sheer coincidence. He almost died to the hellfire, but was still able to make away with a Heart of Darkness. The NPC could regenerate the Heart of Darkness, but it was a very costly ordeal. This was why the black smoke was very attached to the Heart of Darkness. It would have killed Ye Ci if not out of the fear that she would smash the heart.

And after a long conversation with the NPC, Ye Ci had finally lost her interest when she could not gain any information about the Elven King Dau’er. She knew that the smoke would not dare to harm her, but she was also certain that the NPC would never let her leave alive if she returned the heart. This was a stalemate.

But the two were able to eventually reach an agreement. The black smoke would allow Ye Ci to leave, and she would return the Heart of Darkness to the NPC once she was a safe distance away. The NPC would hunt her down if she went back on her words.

And if the black smoke was the one who broke the agreement, Ye Ci would place the Heart of Darkness in her inventory, rendering the item inaccessible to the NPC forever.

While the smoke was doubtful of Ye Ci’s honesty, it was the only way out of this situation. And this was how Ye Ci was escorted to safety by a BOSS that was at least fifty levels above her. When she was finally back at the Black Widow’s hall, Ye Ci returned the Heart of Darkness despite her reluctance.

The black smoke was satisfied with the turn of events, “You kept your word, Elf. Perhaps your race is not as shameful as I thought.” nodded the NPC, “As a reward for your honesty, allow me to tell you a little secret.”

“A secret?” Ye Ci had never been interested in a player’s secret, but when it came from an NPC… “What sort of secret?”

“You have already gained the right to enter the Shrine of Darkness. If you can get to the shrine… You will be able to gain special strength.” the black smoke disappeared with a laugh after placing the Heart of Darkness into its chest.

The Shrine of Darkness? Thought Ye Ci. It was a place that had never been discovered by players in her last life. It was simply a myth that existed only in books. So that place exists?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a chime in her private message channel. It was Bai Mo, “What? Are you still sad about the Orange shield?”

“Oh forget about it! My heart is already brittle as it is. Come to the fort quickly.” Bai Mo grimaced.

The “fort” that Bai Mo meant was Upwards Ho!’s fort in the Lesser Demon Sanctum.

“What happened?”

“The first piece of Mithril has been mined up.”