Jason and Hailey walked over to girl, and Jason asked her: “So uh… What do you need help for?”

The girl blinked for a second and cried while replying: “Please mister! Help me and my friends, they’re stuck in some sort of a mini dungeon here! They said the monsters there were too high levelled to clear out… But if no one rescues them their going to die by hunger! Please mister help them!”

Hailey stroked the girl’s hair and asked her: “Did they say what level?”

She nodded and replied: “Around 230 to 250…”

Jason and Hailey exchanged stares, and they both knew that’s the level of the monsters in the 6th island’s higher level dungeon and the 7th island’s monsters outside of the dungeon. That’s weird… This kind of trap hasn’t existed before.”

Interrupting their thoughts the girl asked them: “What island are you guys on?”

Hailey replied: “Uhm… We’re just players from the 8th island…”

In someways, this was a lie because they could obviously go onto the 9th island with the main clearing group… But in another form, it was the truth as they never stepped foot onto the 9th island. The girl enthusiastically asked: “So are you a clearer?”

Deciding to tell her some part of the truth, Jason nodded at Hailey and said: “Nope… We decided to take a break from clearing the game, but we’re around level 280 so we can help you.”

The girl jumped happily and tears couldn’t stop flowing from her face. Whether they were tears of happiness for her friends being saved, or her tears of sadness for worrying about her friends, both Jason and Hailey couldn’t figure out, but decided it was for the best to not know.

After a while of seeing the young girl’s tears flowing out like a river, Jason asked the girl: “So what’s your name?

She replied: “My name is Raven, Raven Liu. Could I ask the same for both of you to introduce yours?”

Hailey and I nodded, as we both understood the need to hide our real names for the sake of our own sanity. I then introduced myself: “I’m Terry Wong and…”

Hailey continued on where I left off: “I’m called Miriam Tan- Wong.”

Raven nodded and asked us both: “Would you both please follow me?”

She walked towards the teleporter and said: “I think they’re at Heshi (Lake Town) …”

She shouted: “Teleport! Heshi!”

Hailey and Jason held hands and walked towards the teleporter, where they both simultaneously shouted: “Teleport! Heshi!”

A blue light encircled the three players as they teleported away from Qingshui Shi.”

Arriving at Heshi, it was a town constructed in the middle of the lake, with a bridge connecting to four sides of the map. Passing any of the bridges would lead you out of the safezone, and that was a tip easily given off by the NPC guards which were stationed there.

The town was like a typical old style Chinese city, full of ancient chinese buildings. But in the middle of the town, there was a huge tower, made of something like crystal, and was not Chinese architecture. This tower’s colour was as blue as the waters of the lake surrounding the city.

After looking around briefly, Jason and Hailey both looked Raven, looking at her to signal that they were ready to head out with her to save her friends.

The trio walked towards the exit of the town, and through the forest surrounding the lake. The forest contained trees that Jason hasn’t seen in a long long time before. Don’t these trees bring back old memories… Back then when Searing and his wife was still around… Guess those were the better and earlier days of this dreaded death simulation.

Snapping Jason out of his thoughts, Raven said: “We’re here… If you step here…”

Raven pointed to the ground just about a meter away. “Then you’ll fall down to the dungeon, and the ground will be remade into an immortal object within 5 minutes, with a invisible wall blocking your way out… I was only able to talk to my friends for 5 minutes… I don’t even know where they are…”

She started crying, when Hailey put her arms around Jerry. She said in a comforting tone: “Trust yourself… Be proud that you had the courage to come back here and ask for help.”

Raven nodded, and stopped her tears. She wiped the remaining tears off her face, and stepped towards the zone. The trap then instantaneously activated, and they could hear her scream as she fell down.

Jason and Hailey walked towards the hole, holding hands as Jason asked: “You ready?”

Hailey gave a nervous nod, obviously scared. They then both jumped down the dark passage.

Hailey screamed, as she was scared. She knew anyone would be, but she was still quite scared. However, warm arms encircled her and she looked up. It was Jason, and he said: “It’s fine if you’re scared, just tell me alright?”

Hailey nodded and put her head onto Jason’s torso. After Hailey stopped screaming for two seconds, Jason and her couldn’t hear the screams of their guide Raven. Falling for approximately 10 more seconds, they saw they were teleported into what appeared to be a… cave entrance.

The couple looked down after they felt something touching their footwear. It was stone, stone ground. They were in a cave entrance, with a door which probably led out of that safezone. The entrance was quite spacious, and there was several lootable plants here.

After seeing his surroundings Jason understood this was obviously designed by the developers to be a trap, with the players needing to go through the dungeon to return back safely.

The couple heard a shout from the back of the cave, where there were seven players on red health. It was a feminine voice, one they recognised: Raven’s. “Over here! Quickly, take out some potions!”

Jason shouted: “Take out 3 Ice potions, Inventory!” A bag of seven ice potions appeared in his hand, and he gave them to three red health players after reaching them.

Jason said: “Here, take this. You’ll be a lot better after you do. It’s a 8th island potion, it should regenerate your health.”

Jason gave it to each individual within the group. Totalling 3 players, 1 female and 2 males.

After they helped the group, a male with a relatively tan yellow skin, brown hair and barely shorter than I was which was relatively taller than the rest introduced himself: “I’m Jeremiah, Jeremiah Tang… But you can call me Jerry.” I’m the eldest here, and also the leader of our party. I’m almost 15 if it’s anything relevant. In any case, thanks for saving us. Rest of you, don’t be shy introduce yourselves.”

The female and male nodded, the male with black spiky hair, his height being a head lower than Jason’s, took the initiative.: “My names Brian Yu… I’m 13 as well… Comon sis, introduce yourself…”

The brunette, loli sister looked at him and then introduced herself: “I’m 12… And my names… Marie Yu…”

Jason then introduced both himself and Hailey: “My names Jason, and this is Hailey. I’m 17, and she’s 16. We’re both ex-clearers from the 8th Island.”

Talk quickly got around between the 3 players before Raven finally spoke in a louder voice and coughed: “So uh, do you guys know the way out yet?”

Noticing she wasn't talking to Jason and Hailey, but to himself, Jerry responded: “We barely got out of the first corridor alive… It’s going to take a lot more to survive.”

Jason then spoke up: “Before we go, can we ask to have all the food ingredients which the mobs drop?”

Strange request, but it’s not like we any… Jerry honestly answered Jason: “Yeah no problem, we don’t need any.”

Jason nodded and said: “Right then, could you invite Hailey and I into your party, so you can gain the party experience you’ll get?”

Jerry replied gratefully: “You’d do that? Invite player Jason and player Hailey to party. Thanks a lot!”

Hailey said while she and Jason accepted the party invites: “It’s fine really, we can both benefit from this so I don’t see reasons to not party.”

Jason, changing the subject to the dungeon said: “So are we going in now?”

Jerry nodded, as he opened the dungeon door. The dungeon was a cave, like any other traditional cave in the real world. It’d be what you expect when you read those books with cave adventures, a cave with some moss on the top, some grass here and there, some bats which wouldn’t harm you, etc.

They continued walking through the cave complex when the six players saw the first monster named: [Gatekeeper Cave Goblin].

As soon as they saw the large green Goblin in armor, the AI in the simulation had automatically instructed the goblin to attack. Jason and Hailey both drew out their weapons and told the group to stay back. Jason only took out Lions Edge, which was the katana with the highest stats in his inventory, as he didn’t want to reveal himself as the only duel wielder in the whole simulation.

Hailey unsheathed her Striking Light rapier, and nodded at Jason, who understood what she meant. He took out his Lion’s Edge and simply ran towards the Gatekeeper, who was too slow for him. Compared to a boss’s attacks, yours are nothing!

The gatekeeper attempted to hack him away with his two axes, using a axe skill for monsters, Chop. However, thanks to his incredibly high reaction speed, instinct and experience, Jason easily dodged the attack. He then slashed the Gatekeeper once, who disappeared into dust after his HP bar reached 0, which was on the contrary, immediately.

The party cheered, with hope that they could live another day thanks to the two higher level players helping them. However, after moving into the next room, after a turn in the corridor, the four players which had cheered lost hope.

Jason said: “Hailey and I can handle this, just stay back and don’t aggro the monsters.” The four nervous players nodded.

Jason smiled at Hailey, both knowing that their new party is in for a heck of a surprise if they think the duo can’t win.

The duo went towards the cave room’s entrance, where there had to be at least 20 goblins which were at least level 260 waiting to greet them. Their name tags all read: [Royal Goblin Guard].

Raven was scared, if the duo lost… The AI would surely lead the goblins to them, and because of how far in they were in the dungeon already they wouldn’t survive. Yet she couldn’t help notice the mischievous smile the duo gave off, as if they knew there was no chance of them losing. She’d only wished she was as strong as them, able to smile in the face of danger…

Noticing the thoughts of doubt for their newfound party members from the girl next to him, Jerry patted her back and said: “It’ll be alright, I know they can win. But if they don’t, I’m just sayin’ if… You all run back to the safe point, and hope that you can clear the gatekeeper for food again and again till the clearers finish this dreaded simulation.”

Jerry unsheathed his greatsword from his back, ready to confront the Goblins, and to protect his party.

Raven understood him, like the duo over there, Jerry is ready to protect us… Like that time before… When I was about to be killed… He saved me. But is it only that he saves everyone… Or did he intentionally save me… The way he’s been treating me… I can’t help but notice something’s different to the way he treats others. Yet… He treats the others the same as well…

The four other party members in the distance in the corridor watched, as the battle was about to unfold. With feelings of non existent sweat coming down their entire body, they watched with fear that their newfound friends would lose.

The duo both unsheathed their weapons once more, and went in a fighting stance ready to fend off all 25 of the Goblins there.

Thus, the fight between the two strongest players and 25 goblins was about to begin…