My Computer Leads to an Instance Dungeon

Fang Zhen surveyed the scene for a moment, sensing the awkward and tense atmosphere.

The soldiers didn’t necessarily want to fight, but they had to.

Ellick had a knack for controlling his subordinates. Besides, no one knew what trump cards he might still be holding. The soldiers, it seemed, didn’t dare betray him.

The stamina of Gwendolyn and the others was also an issue. After all, they didn’t possess the special physiques of the Aberrations.

After thinking this through, he turned to face the soldiers and took a few steps forward.

These few steps gave the soldiers quite a scare.

Most of these soldiers, who had not yet turned into Aberrations, were armed with spears. They pointed them at Fang Zhen but kept shuffling backward, though they didn’t retreat entirely.

Gwendolyn and the others tensed up, thinking Fang Zhen was about to start a fight.

But after a few steps, Fang Zhen unexpectedly stopped.

"Who’s in charge here?" he asked.

The soldiers looked at each other. Before long, their gazes fell on one man in their ranks.

This man was tall and well-built, clad head-to-toe in iron ring mail. Although his equipment was a bit worse than the Iron Armor Guard’s, it was still a full set.

The man’s scalp was probably tingling with fear, but resigned, he could only part the soldiers and step forward.

Karen and the others tightened their grip on their weapons, expecting Fang Zhen to raise his gun, blow the enemy leader’s head off, and start the battle at any moment.

Fang Zhen, however, did no such thing.

He looked at the officer among the soldiers and said, "You see the current situation. Even the Earl’s Guard was no match for us."

"If you come at us, you’ll just be throwing your lives away."

The officer wore a helpless expression. "I don’t want to die either, but I have no choice. We make our living as soldiers. The Count’s power is unfathomable. If we betray him, we’ll die all the same, and our families will be implicated."

Fang Zhen studied the officer for a moment. "Are you one of the Ellick People?"

The officer nodded.

"Then you should know that Ellick constantly demands ’contributions.’ Twenty people were taken this time alone. For the next ’contribution,’ if the number increases again, how can you guarantee that your own children, younger relatives, and kin won’t be chosen?"

"And even if you can avoid the ’contribution,’ how can you guarantee that your soldiers’ wives and children won’t be taken?"

"The Aberrations are inhumane. You should know that better than anyone."

The officer fell silent, and an uproar broke out among the surrounding soldiers.

Fang Zhen’s questions were realistic and unavoidable. It was obvious that after he’d asked them, the soldiers’ morale had dropped by at least twenty or thirty percent.

"Then what can I do?"

"Like the Earl’s Guard, the Count secretly has at least one more unit hidden away. Besides, he has other forces. If I dare to resist the Count, we’ll be slaughtered like cattle, and another group will be brought in to replace us."

the officer said with utter helplessness.

The moment Fang Zhen heard that, he knew he had a chance.

The officer was already, wittingly or unwittingly, starting to reveal Ellick’s secrets.

"Hmm, betrayal is a bit difficult for you, I’ll admit. But your swords can swing a little wide," Fang Zhen said. "And besides, you can all be poisoned."

"Huh? Poisoned?" The officer didn’t get it. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Give me the poison." Fang Zhen waved to those behind him.

Seeing him wave, the people behind him naturally looked toward Jorent.

Jorent looked just as baffled and mumbled, "I don’t have any wide-area poisons that can be released in an open field..."

"Gwendolyn, just give me one of the ones you usually carry," Fang Zhen said.

Gwendolyn was also baffled, wondering when she had started carrying poison around.

Karen, however, was quick-witted. Her eyes lit up as she was the first to realize what Fang Zhen meant.

"The poison is here!" Karen announced loudly. As she spoke, she took out a bottle of ’Alchemy Ointment’—the light green paste used for treating wounds—and handed it to Fang Zhen.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes and with a perfectly straight face, Fang Zhen pointed to the Alchemy Ointment in his hand and said, "This is a bottle of poison called Sorrowful Butter Clear Wind. Once opened, anyone who smells it will become weak and limp all over, lose their ability to fight, be unable to resist, and fall unconscious."

"Of course, we of the Whig Society are righteous and kind; we would never attack those who have lost the will to fight. My enemies, naturally, all tried their best, but alas, the Alchemy Potion Sorrowful Butter Clear Wind is just too powerful. I’m afraid you’ve all been poisoned and are unable to act. You’ll be lucky to escape with your lives."

"Now, I’m going to release the poison."

As he spoke, he opened the bottle of ’Alchemy Healing Medicine’ in his hand.

Many of the soldiers were still baffled. They wondered why he would announce the poison’s name and effects in public, only to release it right in front of them.

But there were some quick-witted ones among the soldiers.

A few clever ones had already figured out what was going on.

"Sir, I think I’ve been poisoned! I’m a little dizzy, my limbs feel weak... I don’t think I can stand." Next to the officer, a sharp-witted confidant swayed back and forth, then dropped his weapon. He then grabbed the officer’s armor, giving it a secret, meaningful tug.

Seeing his confidant’s hint, the officer instantly understood.

Though the officer didn’t say it aloud, ’Holy shit? You can do that?’ was written all over his face.

"Sir, I think I’m poisoned too."

"Ah, my limbs feel weak."

"What a potent poison!"

"I’m done for!"

The smarter soldiers in the ranks caught on one after another and began to cry out.

At this point, even the slower ones understood what was happening.

More and more soldiers cried out that they were poisoned and dropped their weapons.

Seeing this, the officer was momentarily speechless.

But as the shouting grew louder, the officer understood: morale had collapsed, their will was broken, and the soldiers no longer wanted to fight.

They were all Ellick People to begin with, so popular sentiment was already somewhat inclined toward the Whig Society.

They were ordinary people, not brainwashed monsters, and now their lives were on the line. Who would really be willing to fight to the death?

It was just a job.

The officer had given up.

Although it was an obvious charade, it was an out, and at least they wouldn’t suffer an immediate loss.

Resigned, the officer followed the crowd, swayed a few times, and then threw the Longsword in his hand to the ground.

"Such potent Sorrowful Butter Clear Wind! The Whig Society’s Alchemy Poison truly lives up to its reputation! I’m done for."

The officer closed his eyes and shamelessly fell backward.

Gwendolyn and the others watched the scene unfold, staring at Fang Zhen, utterly dumbfounded.

’You can do that?’