There's no one else here, right

“Good. While the records are sealed, anyone who comes to look them up won’t know that your information has been sealed.”

After taking so much money, the Slime’s tone had become noticeably gentler, with even a hint of a feminine lilt.

“The reason we’ll give outsiders is: ‘This person’s records have not yet been entered into the system. Searches are unavailable.’ Heh heh heh.”

That was indeed much better than simply saying, “The records have been sealed.”

Think about it. If someone searched for the information on No. 1, the Hunter, and received the result “Records sealed at the subject’s request,” their first reaction would probably be, “The Hunter has been here.”

“Thank you.” Zhu Yan considered every possibility before continuing. “There’s one more thing. I need you to delete the record of my search this time… In other words, if anyone asks, I need you to answer, ‘No one has ever come here to search for information.’”

The Slime slapped and kneaded the sludge that made up its body.

“That isn’t just the record from this time, kid. That’s all your previous search records. Deleting one instance costs two thousand bone gold coins. So, do you want to delete only this one, or what?”

The Slime gave a mocking snort. “Oh? Such a cautious little Hunter. Since you’ve spent so much money, I can give you one tiny, tiny piece of information.”

Zhu Yan asked, “What is it?”

“The Nightmare Bookstore is just like the Lazybones Craft Shop. It has many… uh, in human terms, branches. We call them avatars.”

Zhu Yan didn’t understand what the point was at all.

“So?”

“I know you’re wary of certain players,” the Slime said.

A massive slit split open across its body, simulating a human smile.

But Zhu Yan could see a hint of malice in that smile—as though this horrifying creature was eagerly waiting to watch the fun.

“However, at present, whether they’re Hunters or players, the only physical location of the Nightmare Bookstore they can access is this one inside Xishan University. That’s one of the special benefits Paradise provides to its students.”

“That’s different from the Lazybones Craft Shop. The craft shop can refresh itself inside dungeons at any time.”

Zhu Yan stared at the Slime’s eyeballs, their surfaces covered in fresh films of blood, and weighed the meaning behind those two statements.

“You’re trying to tell me,” he said calmly, “that I’m worrying too much? Even if someone wanted to investigate me, getting into Xishan University would be difficult?”

“Bingo!” the Slime said.

“That’s a little late,” Zhu Yan replied. “Why didn’t you tell me that when I first asked you to seal my records?”

In an instant, the slit across the Slime’s body twitched.

On that shapeless sludge-face, a distinctly human look of embarrassment appeared.

“Oh,” Zhu Yan said with a shrug. “Because you wanted to squeeze more money out of me. Now that you think you’ve milked me for enough, you’ve started playing little tricks—”

“Mind-reading is prohibited!” the Slime shrieked.

Zhu Yan had no intention of listening to the Slime’s guidance.

This thing was nothing but pure malice.

He didn’t believe Qiu Lingfeng couldn’t find out that the Nightmare Bookstore was in Xishan University. Even less did he believe Qiu Lingfeng couldn’t find out that the Nightmare Bookstore could provide information.

As for getting inside, Qiu Lingfeng’s ability, “This Skin Suit Feels Great,” was incredibly useful.

That man had no conscience whatsoever. As long as he caught a student from Xishan University, he could simply drain them dry…

“I don’t mind letting you squeeze me for a little more.” Zhu Yan gave the Slime a malicious smile and held out his right hand.

“Just delete the records from this conversation. Go ahead. I promise it won’t interfere with your entertainment.”

The Slime ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of money.

“One more thing,” Zhu Yan said. “You can keep charging me. But you have to promise that if Qiu Lingfeng comes here later, you won’t tell him that my records were sealed, and you absolutely cannot sell that information to him.”

“You’re being much more cautious now,” the Slime said. “I can help you keep it hidden for two months, but you’ll have to make up for whatever losses I might suffer during those two months. I’ll need ten thousand bone gold coins. After all, what if he was planning to buy the information in the first place?”

Zhu Yan paid without the slightest hesitation. “Then I’ll trouble you. Treat the deletion of the search records the same way.”

The Slime had made a satisfying haul. “Two thousand. I’ll keep my mouth shut. That makes twelve thousand in total.”

Zhu Yan paid decisively, withdrew his hand, and lowered his head to continue reading Qiu Lingfeng’s file.

Below the long string of descriptions for the player’s abilities was another section detailing the BOSS’s abilities.

“[Wish Fulfillment] Lv. ?: What an interesting ability! Before [Madhouse Paradise] descended, players often made all kinds of promises and fulfilled them through unorthodox means, taking pleasure in the process.”

“After players became BOSSes, we decided to amplify this trait, forming this one-of-a-kind ability. The ability’s level changes flexibly. It will be the same level as the player it is facing.”

Zhu Yan understood. It worked just like his own [Rule Catalog]—extremely flexible.

“The prerequisite for using this ability is getting a player to make a wish to you. It can seize upon any loophole in a wish, causing the player’s desire to be fulfilled in an obsessive, distorted, and evil manner. You can gain strength from the players’ suffering!”

Huh?

That was pretty damn powerful too.

Zhu Yan took out his phone and photographed the ability descriptions. Then he continued reading until he reached the final note.

“Friendly reminder: [Vine Cage Girl] very much dislikes this player because he used the abilities [This Skin Suit Feels Great] and [Profit and Avoid Harm] on her.”

“However, neither of these abilities displayed their proper effects.”

Zhu Yan remembered it clearly. [Vine Cage Girl] had indeed been extremely unhappy at the time. She had even directly told Zhu Yan the player’s level and ability levels.

Perhaps [Profit and Avoid Harm] could directly affect an existence of Level 8, which was why [Vine Cage Girl] had described it as “Level Seven or Eight.”

But Qiu Lingfeng’s player level had only been Level 3 at the time.

After accepting the Hunter mission, he had completed another dungeon. He should be at least Level 4 by now, or perhaps Level 5.

In any case, he couldn’t be above Level 7.

Zhu Yan planned to use Jin Rongxu’s [Mind Reading] to test him when the time came.

He turned the page of the file he had finished reading and was just about to start looking at “Qiu Lingkai’s” when the Slime suddenly cried out.

“Quick!”

Zhu Yan froze.

The Slime, however, nimbly hopped down from the mushroom and waved its two bone spines, shoving Zhu Yan toward the depths of the Nightmare Bookstore.

“Someone’s coming! Take your files and get lost. Hide!”

The Slime’s enormous body turned its back to the glass candy doors, blocking Zhu Yan’s body completely from view.

Zhu Yan seized the opportunity to glance behind him. Sure enough, a blurred shadow had appeared behind the fluorescent-red glow.

“Goodbye,” he whispered.

Without hesitation, he activated [Invisibility] and drifted up to the ceiling in the form of [Mist].

There was no way Zhu Yan was leaving.

The open-beta dungeon had already begun.

At a time like this, what kind of ordinary person would come wandering into the Nightmare Bookstore in a deserted school?

In any case, he had plenty of time. Staying behind to observe for a while wouldn’t delay anything.

Slime was a little dazed.

Its two bone spines waved uncertainly in place. Even after the glass candy door had been pushed open, it didn’t immediately turn around to greet the customer.

“…That fast? Shouldn’t the teleportation array require a password? Is the password ‘goodbye’?”

“What do you mean, ‘goodbye’?” asked a refined voice from behind it.

Zhu Yan floated near the ceiling, watching as Slime abruptly turned its massive body around.

The newcomer was a somewhat thin, short student.

He sized up Slime, then cautiously glanced around.

“There’s no one else here, right… Teacher?”