Chapter 120: Return, Reward Settlement

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Return, Reward Settlement

At her command, the two immediately sprang into action.

Sean Chandler, using his Werewolf strength, dragged over large amounts of wood, vines, and scrap metal plates.

Flora, meanwhile, nimbly brandished its vines, weaving them like a net to cleverly conceal and Disguise all the entrances, exits, and ventilation shafts.

Seraphina Sullivan wasn’t idle either, directing a few birds to stand guard at the various exits.

Soon, their temporary base deep within the sewers had been transformed into an incredibly concealed hideout. From the outside, it blended almost seamlessly with its surroundings, making it nearly impossible to spot.

Only after all this was done did Seraphina finally relax, pulling the RV out of her Space and parking it securely in the middle of the dry channel.

"Alright, let’s spend the last two days here in peace," Seraphina said, letting out a long sigh as she slipped back into the familiar RV.

Next up was remotely controlling her "air force" to complete the harvest!

...

After the difficulty spike, the Petrification Apocalypse had transformed into a true hell on earth.

A green sky hung over the city like an eternal curse, while countless members of The Silenti circled and shrieked tirelessly above the ruins as if they’d gone mad.

Dense rays of Petrification Light rained down intermittently like a torrential downpour, turning any exposed living creature—even moving shadows—into cold stone.

The surviving Players had no energy for a direct confrontation; all they could do was desperately hide and evade.

Simply surviving such indiscriminate, blanket attacks was already taking everything they had. A counterattack?

That was a luxurious fantasy.

Hiding in her safehouse in the sewers, Seraphina strictly executed her "Bombing Pigeon" plan.

Using her shared vision with the birds, she precisely located wave after wave of wandering Silenti flocks. Then, Seraphina dispatched pigeons carrying bombs to launch suicide attacks.

For the past two days, the sound of rumbling explosions had echoed intermittently from the surface.

Relying on this almost "cheat-like" method of remote harvesting, she had successfully collected a considerable number of Silenti corpses. Both her eyeball count and total collection number were steadily increasing.

However, this good fortune didn’t last.

When she tried to send out another Bombing Pigeon, she discovered an awkward problem.

She was completely out of explosives.

Seraphina felt a pang of regret. ’Ah, what a shame... I’m out of bombs.’

’If I still had bombs, I could have collected so many more.’

At that moment, Seraphina found herself genuinely missing someone.

Nicholas Jensen, the one with the Talent for turning toys into real objects.

’If I run into him again, I have to find a way to get him under my Control!’ Seraphina even began to plot in her head.

’I’ll use [Sweet Fragrance] to make him obediently produce all sorts of bombs for me! Hmm... maybe with a little leather whip, too? If he stops working, I’ll just give him a lash.’

Seraphina couldn’t help but laugh out loud as she pictured herself, little whip in hand, supervising Nicholas Jensen while he worked overtime making bombs.

Beside her, Sean Chandler glanced over silently. He said nothing, simply continuing to chew on the grayish-white, fire-roasted [Silenti Eyeball] in his hand—it didn’t have a pleasant texture, with a strange taste like a mix of stone and rot.

Seraphina had started making Sean Chandler eat these eyeballs.

The reason for this decision was that Flora, after devouring a large number of eyeballs, had suddenly comprehended a new Skill yesterday:

[Skill: Petrification Poison]

[Effect: Flora’s vine or thorn attacks will be imbued with a faint Petrification Poison. It can cause slow, rigid Petrification in a localized area of the target. The strength of the Effect is related to the target’s resistance and the amount of Energy Flora injects.]

[Note: The poison can be neutralized and cured by a special saliva secreted by Flora.]

Although the Skill Effect sounded a bit weak, it was undeniable proof that acquiring the "Petrification Factor" by consuming eyeballs and developing related Abilities was possible!

Seeing this clear hope, Seraphina immediately expanded her "test subjects" to include Sean Chandler.

’With his King of Fortune constitution and the potentially higher compatibility of his animal genes, maybe he’ll actually develop some powerful Petrification-type Skill?’

And so, for the past two days, Sean Chandler had a new task in addition to standing guard and helping out.

Eating eyeballs. ℴ

Though his face was expressionless, Seraphina felt he seemed to be having a much harder time chewing them than Flora did.

Ultimately, through a combination of nerve-wracking concealment and remote operations, Seraphina and Sean Chandler safely scraped by for the last two days.

When the seventh-day deadline finally arrived, the cold, familiar system prompts rang out like the music of the heavens in the minds of all surviving Players:

[DING! Survival time has reached seven days!]

[DING! Main quest: Survival has been completed!]

[DING! Calculating dungeon rewards...]

[DING! Gained 400 EXP!]

[DING! Survival Game - Petrification Apocalypse - Dungeon complete!]

However, just as Seraphina thought she was about to be teleported back, another prompt followed:

[DING! Worker Talent - Stealing Master Agreement - Ability activated!]

[It has been detected that you have awakened and used the Abilities of the ’Bird Breeder’ Profession in this dungeon. Please select one of the following two Abilities to keep permanently:]

[A. Bird Manipulation Technique]

[B. Bird’s Eye]

This sudden choice instantly put Seraphina in a difficult position, diluting much of her joy at being able to return.

’What should I do? I want both the [Bird Manipulation Technique] and [Bird’s Eye]!’

Seraphina was struggling internally.

’These two Skills are completely complementary! Without one, the other’s effectiveness would be drastically reduced!’

Without [Bird’s Eye], controlling the birds would be like losing her eyes, making precise reconnaissance and shared vision impossible.

And without the [Bird Manipulation Technique], [Bird’s Eye] would lose its strategic significance.

After a fierce internal struggle and deep deliberation, Seraphina finally gritted her teeth and made her choice. "I choose the [Bird Manipulation Technique]!"

She recalled the "Bombing Pigeon" plan she had implemented over the last two days.

The strategic value and kill radius of manipulating a large number of birds for suicide bombings were especially crucial in an environment lacking heavy firepower.

Powerful direct field Control and offensive capabilities seemed more practical in dungeons fraught with danger.

As for the shared vision of Bird’s Eye, Seraphina felt there would surely be other ways to achieve that kind of Ability.

[Choice confirmed! You have permanently mastered the Skill: Bird Manipulation Technique]

The second her choice was finalized, a series of task settlement prompts rang out:

[DING! Commencing collection task settlement... According to statistics, you have successfully collected a total of 12,345 Silenti corpses! Congratulations, Player, you have received a Golden Treasure Chest!]

[DING! Commencing rescue task settlement... Congratulations, Player, you have received a random treasure from ’Planet Silenti’—one Prince Moe!]

When Seraphina heard the reward for the collection task was a precious [Golden Treasure Chest], an excited smile instantly blossomed on her face. Her desperate "bombing" runs over the last two days had not been in vain!

But immediately after, when she heard the reward for the rescue mission was some [Prince Moe], the expression on her face instantly turned utterly strange and bewildered.

’P-Prince Moe? *One*? What kind of treasure is that?!’

However, before she could even process what this strange reward was all about, a powerful teleportation Power descended upon her.

Her and Sean Chandler’s figures instantly blurred, disappearing completely from this oppressive, apocalyptic world.

At the same time, in various corners of the city, the remaining Players who heard the return prompt were so overcome with emotion they wept with joy. Regardless of their gains, just being able to leave this dungeon-turned-hell alive was the greatest victory of all.