Global Dungeon: I Can See the Status Bar

If I genuinely had any skill in wielding a sword and traversing the world, would I have languished in this exam-oriented education system for so many years?

Thinking of this, Gu Taixing sighed slightly in his heart, increasingly regretting his decision.

Oh heaven!

All-powerful Fate Immortal!

I, Gu Zi, have never asked you for anything in this lifetime.

Help me, please, let me take my two disappointing sons and daughters out of this godforsaken place!

When I get out, I will surely build a Golden Body in your honor!

Taking advantage of a few teammates supporting each other as they trudged along behind, he revengefully scrutinized the map and compass in his hand again and again, as if trying to discern the invisible flowers.

However, he seemed destined to be unable to complete the mission of safely leading the four novices out of here on his own.

When Gu Taixing raised his eyes and saw the mark he made on that big tree three days ago, as well as the familiar weathered bones beneath the tree, his suspended heart finally died.

Within seven days, they had already passed this place for the eighth time.

Whether walking blindly with eyes closed or using some method to connect forward, even if walking in four different directions, they would eventually return to this cursed place.

At that moment, he was completely defenseless, slumping under the marked tree, accompanied by a pile of dry bones.

About a minute later, four weary, mutually supported college students, trudging along, also arrived here.

Seeing Gu Taixing seemingly waiting for death, years of camaraderie required no words, and they understood each other’s thoughts.

Two helpless girls slumped down, heads bowed, holding each other, sobbing gently.

No water, no food, no road, no rescue.

They were undoubtedly at the end of their rope now.

One slim boy stepped forward, squatting down to support his unsteady body, pursed his cracked and peeling lips.

"Brother Gu..."

Before he finished speaking, Gu Taixing lifted his head, his eyes full of defeat.

"Money Chain, I have let you down..."

Hearing his friend’s hoarse voice, Qian Qian, known as Money Chain, hurriedly shook his head, his eyes reddening.

"Gu Zi, we have let you down..."

"It’s all our fault."

Another boy outright fell to his knees in front of Gu Taixing, furiously slapping his own cheeks twice.

"If we hadn’t ignored your advice and insisted on seeking some immortal fate, we wouldn’t have ended up like this... sigh..."

"Forget it... it’s already, meaningless."

Gu Taixing shook his head, squinting at the sun that cast warm sunlight, his face pale with unhealthy whiteness.

The carefully calculated sustenance managed barely a few days, their nutritional intake was inadequate.

Now, more than thirty hours without a bite of food, coupled with a severe psychological blow, once the heart’s spirit is deflated, even the iron man can’t stand it.

The mentally and physically exhausted Gu Taixing had already burned out, no longer bothered by trivial debates about who wronged whom.

"Anyway, we’re all going to die, tell me, why were you so intent on searching for this so-called immortal fate?"

Qian Qian and Yan Chao exchanged a glance, both revealing bitter smiles.

They wished that day they hadn’t gone back to the rural village, wished they hadn’t gone to play in the mountain cave at the back, wished they hadn’t discovered that sheepskin scroll that vanished into flowing light after being read.

Qian Qian sighed deeply and began to speak: "It’s like this..."

The already yellowish scroll was of unknown age, its inscriptions primitive and ancient, the early pictographic text of that civilization was almost indecipherable.

It was a map infused with Spiritual Power, not a Treasure Map, but a map recording the location of a temple.

The location in the map seemed to be a primitive temple originally used for worshipping Dao Fire True Monarch, leaving behind a powerful and mysterious treasure that bore the earliest beliefs of the ancient people of the East.

It was the place used for worshipping the Ancient Gods, not the newly appeared Immortal Gods of the present.

Honoring antiquity over modernity, this is almost a common trait of intelligent beings.

Qian Qian and Yan Chao were naturally no exception.

Although the map’s record was vague, that image surfacing almost directly from their souls, and that extreme reverence surely couldn’t be falsified.

If there’s a chance to achieve the untethered joy of a longevity-seeking Immortal, who would want to languish a lifetime in the bustling world?

Web novels often narrate how protagonists stumble across ancient maps and inheritances, subsequently soaring high to reach life’s peak.

Two college students naturally became extremely excited, believing their opportunity had arrived!

Who could prove they weren’t the legendary protagonists?

Who could deny there wasn’t a treasure in the temple used for worshipping the Ancient Immortals that could lead them on the Immortal Path?

These were legends of the almighty, eternal, and invincible Ancient Gods!

They created humanity and helped humanity ignite the Cultivation Fire, the Fire of Civilization!

Once they had thoughts of setting foot into those legendary domains, how could Qian Qian and Yan Chao hold back?

Thus they enlisted two friends who were also out traveling, quickly returned to school to find Gu Taixing who had returned from climbing, and after much persuasion, finally got him to agree to lead the way here in pursuit of the so-called immortal fate.

As it turned out, they were not the protagonists.

This immortal fate wasn’t something everyone could acquire.

As for now, it’s too late for anything.

Gu Taixing sighed deeply.

Curiosity killed the cat, the ancients truly are wise.

Not only can it kill the cat but it can also kill humans!

Were it not for my own curiosity and greed, how could I have ended up in such a situation?

In this desperate moment, Gu Taixing suddenly smelled a fragrance.

It was a sweet aroma of oils mixed with eggs and wheat, fried and baked, seemingly with a hint of spice and savory freshness.

Perhaps it’s just an illusion before dying...

Gu Taixing smirked self-deprecatingly, yet uncontrollably saliva began to flow in his mouth, his empty stomach continually rumbling and grumbling.

"Brother Gu, are we going to starve to death..." one tear-soaked girl sobbed, "I seem to... have hallucinated from hunger... I smelled the scent of stuffed pancake..."

"I... I smelled it too..."

"You all...?"

"I smelled it too, this aroma is enticing..."

Gu Taixing looked at the four teammates who were constantly swallowing saliva in surprise, amazed.

"You all... you all smelled it? I thought it was my hallucination from dehydration..."

The scene abruptly fell silent.

Five pairs of eyes stared blindly, faces full of confusion.

Suddenly, they all seemed to realize something, a ray of hope lit up their eyes.

People!

They encountered people!

Their bodies, exhausted to the extreme, found strength from nowhere, and they all stood up abruptly, dragging their heavy bodies, striving to walk towards the direction where the scent drifted.

It felt like wandering the streets on the brink of thirst and starvation, suddenly seeing a police station ahead!

Saved!

The power squeezed out from their bodies wasn’t abundant, their pace hardly faster than zombies.

But even so, they still pursued the fragrance, walking along paths traveled countless times, arriving in a flat clear space.

This place, is unfamiliar!

They had never reached here before!

In the central clearing, a massive black and gold golden-haired figure spewed fire from its mouth, using some peculiar black flame to burn a large, ancient Alchemy Furnace at least two meters tall.

Beside it, a muscular man clothed in a Daoist robe was folding his sleeves, skillfully kneading dough on a sturdy hardwood table.

"It seems that when people are on the brink of despair, yet see a glimmer of hope, the potential their bodies can erupt is immense."

The muscular Daoist looked over, revealing a wide grin.

Only then did they see clearly, the imposing Daoist before them bore a tiger-like body and wolf-like waist, handsome and valiant.

Rather than a Daoist, he more resembled a remarkable General, akin to the legendary Ancient War God.

"You all came quicker than I imagined, more than a humble Daoist could expect."