Parallel World: Dungeons Galore

Chapter 2: So This is How it’s Done

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

[Main task: Solve the chemistry questions of your group and get through class without trouble. (Compulsory)]

The two girls eyed the test paper lying on Chen’an’s desk–88 marks.

“You’re amazing, Chen’an,” Gao Tianjie said admiringly. “That test was a killer. Mr Cao said that the highest score in our class was only 91 marks. You were just one multiple-choice question short.”

Jiang Min echoed her sentiments. Lu Gang was the only one who spared Chen’an’s score no more than a glance, before slotting his phone in the middle of his textbook.

Chemistry was so foreign to Lu Gang that it might as well have been taught in a different language. He had better things to do than waste time on the subject–like indulge in a novel to take his mind off the sting of his test results.

As the two girls fawned over him, Chen’an’s heart swelled with pride. Only after graduation had he realized how purehearted the girls in school had been–especially Jiang Min and Gao Tianjie, who were hardworking and devoted to their learning. They were so starry-eyed, he couldn’t suppress a smile as memories of chemistry class washed over him.

“Which questions don’t you understand? I can help you with them.”

Perking up with delight, Jiang Min, who was seated in front of Chen’an, pointed to a question with a red cross on her paper.

[Model Worker Jiang Min has marked a position in your line of sight. Do not let your eyes stray from the marked position. Otherwise, damage will be incurred.]

Before he could take in what the prompt meant, Jiang Min leaned forward, and Chen’an’s eyes found that they didn’t care about the question she had pointed out–only a certain amply-sized part of her body. His gaze instinctively flickered in her direction.

[Warning! Your eyes strayed from the position marked by Model Worker Jiang Min. This will cause damage lasting 3 seconds. Current Lifeblood: -2]

The notification informing him of his damage flashed thrice, and Chen’an hissed under his breath. Who knew Jiang Min could be quite so… lethal?

Fortunately, he wasn’t some juvenile teenager. He had already found a technician he was fond of after graduating and working alongside a few good friends. He had merely… responded to her as any hero trying to rescue a damsel would. He was thankful it had only been a glance; after three seconds, his Lifeblood stopped decreasing.

Oblivious, Jiang Min continued to describe her confusion to Chen’an.

“… the question suggested that the answer was a non-combustible gas, since magnesium burns in it after drying. So why is oxygen incorrect?”

As she spoke, Chen’an’s chemistry knowledge came flooding back to him, as if he had attempted this question just yesterday; a series of clear steps and smooth, logical thinking.

“You have to unpack the question like this…”

Jiang Min leaned in even closer to hear his explanation, until she was practically pressing against the desk.

It was a grievous pity that it was only mid-March, and chilly. Jiang Min could have been stretched out on the table in front of him, and he wouldn’t have caught a glimpse of cleavage. Not that it really mattered, because without thinking, his gaze darted to her again.

[Warning! Your eyes strayed from the position Model Worker Jiang Min marked out. This will cause damage lasting 3 seconds. Current Lifeblood: -2]

The same notification displayed itself three times, and Chen’an cursed himself violently for falling into Jiang Min’s trap again. He was growing numb–he had wasted twelve drops of Lifeblood in just two glances. Only forty-eight drops of Lifeblood were left to him. If he failed to control himself, a few more looks her way would be enough to kill him.

No–this was merely a beginner’s dungeon. He refused to die here. It would be too humiliating.

Gritting his teeth, Chen’an kept his gaze locked on the paper and hastily finished explaining the question to Jiang Min. When he was done, the position the system had marked on the paper disappeared, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

God. Such an arduous trial. He could have died.

“Ah, I see. Thanks, Chen’an. If not for you, I’d still be stuck.” Jiang Min smiled and turned back to her table.

[Through your cleverness, you resolved the challenge posed by Model Worker Jiang Min.]

That was it? Surprise flared up in Chen’an.

‘Resolving the challenge’ was all well and good, but why didn’t Jiang Min lose any Lifeblood? How else was he supposed to deplete her health enough to kill her?

A prompt by the beginner’s guide manifested before him:

[If you want to cause damage to monsters, you must take the initiative to attack. The variety and degree of damage are determined by your choice of method.]

[Friendly reminder: It is recommended that you exercise caution in your use of violence and mental attacks.]

The words didn’t sit right with Chen’an. How was he supposed to clear the dungeon without violence? As for mental attacks, though…

He looked at Jiang Min, who was taking notes with her back to him. If he just tackled and pinned her to the ground, would she be killed on the spot?

The only problem was that Chen’an didn’t know if this was just a simulation of reality, or if it was actually, well, real. And somehow the idea of appearing in the headlines tomorrow wasn’t the most appealing. He could just imagine the bold print: Shocking! You won’t believe what this high-school boy did to his female classmate after going feral in class…

Suddenly the caution the system had advised made a lot more sense.

If he couldn’t use physical violence… a mental attack would have to do.

While he was deep in thought, Gao Tianjie placed her paper on his desk. “Can you help me with this question too, Chen’an? I can’t figure it out.”

[Model Worker Gao Tianjie has marked a position in your line of sight. Do not let your eyes stray from the marked position. Otherwise, damage will be incurred.]

Essentially, it was the same trap–only, the threat Gao Tianjie posed was significantly lesser than Jiang Min. Chen’an guided her through the question without the temptation of so much as a glance, and everything went smoothly.

[Through your cleverness, you resolved the challenge posed by Model Worker Gao Tianjie.]

Still, Chen’an was itching; he couldn’t just sit still anymore. He had to actively try and attack Gao Tianjie. A sudden spark of inspiration hit him.

“Tianjie,” he said with a smile, “I’m a little hungry. Mind sharing some of your snacks with me after class?”

“What? I mean… Sure. Okay.”

[You shamelessly stole Model Worker Gao Tianjie’s snacks, upsetting her. Her current Lifeblood: -21]

A gleam entered Chen’an’s eyes. Looks like he had succeeded.