Chapter 15: Holy Maiden Jia Nai

In the blink of an eye, Professor Fuke on the stage, seeing that everyone had basically arrived, began his final address.

“When you enter the Artificial Secret Realm, you will receive an explanation of the secret realm. The problems within the secret realm need to be solved by you yourselves, just like life, there are many possible answers.”

“Everything depends on you.”

“What you are facing is a real, multi-branch replicated world.”

“Then, I hope you can all find the answer to ‘cooperation and wisdom’ in this examination…”

Fuke paused, finally speaking in a deep voice.

Fuke embedded a key made of mithril and special crystals into the “secret realm.”

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

The students below the stage all held their breath, quietly watching this scene.

The two magic instruments began to spray out dark, deep light.

With a twisting distortion, the “secret realm” sensed the light from the magic instruments and began to emit an illusory glow.

The huge mirror surface turned into a large gate.

This was the “Artificial Secret Realm” technology.

“Alright, now line up in order and enter the secret realm one by one.”

Fuke’s deep voice echoed in the venue, making everyone’s hearts tighten.

For them, this was not just an examination, but more like a unique adventure.

Fuke stood on the right side of the gate, cooperating with other staff from the academy to guide everyone into the Artificial Secret Realm one by one.

When Ailundun walked into the secret realm gate, a wave of dizziness that robbed him of his senses followed.

The dark field of vision seemed ready to swallow him.

In this moment of bewildering darkness, a flash of light points appeared, like the only light in the darkness, illuminating this boundless dark world.

The light points gradually gathered into lines of familiar characters, appearing before him like a constellation of stars.

[Welcome to the Artificial Secret Realm world. I will now provide you with an explanation]

[In the year 367, a tragic sacrificial event occurred in the Kingdom of Bei Long]

[Cultists kidnapped no fewer than a dozen civilians, including the Church’s Holy Maiden]

[The cunning of the cultists is beyond imagination. The Holy Maiden needs to protect all the ordinary people]

[The cultists will perform a sacrifice on you at midnight to gain the favor of the Mother Goddess]

[If you are the only “Holy Knight” present, your mission is to use “wisdom” to navigate this situation and protect everyone]

[Note: You can choose to cooperate with the Holy Maiden, or you can choose to act alone]

[Note: This is a true replicated world. Your actions will lead to different results]

[Note: The Holy Maiden has a heart that loves all people. You do not need to worry about her betrayal]

[Note: All weapons you bring in will be “confiscated” by the cultists, simulating a real scenario]

“…”

Ailundun slowly finished reading all the terms before continuing forward.

Gradually, a bright light appeared ahead in the darkness, wrapping and engulfing him.

The feeling of being wrapped made him feel warm.

With a sense of weightlessness, he felt as if he were falling from a great height, his body and mind seemingly plunging completely into a new world.

Soon.

Ailundun’s vision returned.

All the scenery appeared in his field of view in an instant.

But the first things he felt were his senses—a piercing chill and unbearable hunger washed over him.

Then, he saw the pitch-black surroundings all around him.

The iron windows and black railings at his side separated this place from others, like a completely sealed small space.

He… had arrived in a prison cell.

He continued to look around.

Not far away, only the adjacent cell had a slight glow from a lamp.

Just from these few simple movements, he realized his stomach was very uncomfortable right now, churning painfully as if he hadn’t eaten for days.

‘So hungry…’

Even so, he forcibly stabilized his thoughts.

His mind was exceptionally clear, surprisingly calm.

According to the instructions given by the secret realm explanation and the examination theme.

Clutching the Holy Maiden’s thigh—that should be the conventional, correct line of thinking and solution.

Especially since he currently had no weapons or means of self-defense on him.

Clearly, the only cell with light.

Could only be the cell where the Holy Maiden was.

He endured his physical discomfort, stood up, walked to the iron bars in front of the neighboring room, and looked at the girl inside.

Jia Nai’s eyes were lowered, her silver pupils contracted, the corners of her eyes seeming to have lost their light.

Her holy maiden attire was desecrated by dust at this moment.

She hugged her arms, curled up in the cell, her shoulders trembling slightly, her body somewhat stiff.

She didn’t even notice Ailundun, this familiar “neighbor,” visiting.

“Holy Maiden, Holy Maiden…”

Ailundun called out softly a few times, pulling Jia Nai back from her helpless thoughts.

She looked at Ailundun, forcing a smile from the corner of her mouth.

“Don’t be afraid. The Church, knowing we are missing, has already sent people to rescue us. We just need to hold on for a few more days…”

“We can’t hold on…”

Ailundun shook his head, his calm tone seeming to shatter a non-existent illusion.

“The Church doesn’t even know we’re missing. In a short time, just locking onto our location is troublesome. The cultists are holding the sacrifice tonight. We can’t wait for Church rescue.”

The corner of Jia Nai’s mouth trembled slightly, her curled-up body tightening even more.

She didn’t understand why Ailundun was suddenly saying these things.

These… things everyone understood.

It was just that no one had taken the initiative to break the illusion, immersed in false hope.

That had been an unspoken rule among them.

“Do you know where our weapons are hidden?”

“In the warehouse below the cells.”

Jia Nai lifted her head, meeting Ailundun’s gaze.

For some reason, the young man’s sunny smile affected her.

She felt comforted, like a beam of light in this dark prison cell.

Her body beneath the pure white holy maiden attire stopped trembling, replaced by an unexpected calm.

“Holy Maiden, do you have a way to retrieve our weapons?”

Ailundun smiled slightly.

“I have a method that can save all of us. My weapon plays a key role in this.”

Jia Nai was slightly taken aback.

She never expected that the first thing Ailundun would say was about saving all of them.

“If… if this would mean your sacrifice, I won’t help you. I am the Church’s Holy Maiden. I should bear the mission of saving everyone. I won’t let you sacrifice yourself in vain.”

Jia Nai’s eyes were complex, as if she had thought of something, and she shook her head with a resolute look.

Clearly, she had misunderstood.

She thought Ailundun wanted to use himself as bait, a means to buy time for the others to escape.

“No, Holy Maiden, you’ve misunderstood. I said I want to save all of us, which naturally includes myself.”

Ailundun pulled a face, unable to hold back a light laugh.

Jia Nai’s face flushed slightly red.

“Really?”

“That’s right. So, do you have a way to access the warehouse below? I suspect my weapon was also placed there.”

Ailundun stroked his chin, gazing into Jia Nai’s eyes.

“If that’s the case, I can use a locking magic one last time. You just need to tell me what your weapon looks like…”

Jia Nai’s silver eyes lit up again, like frost-covered rime.

For some reason, she felt a sense of trust towards the young man before her.