"Save the succubus tribe?"
Anakin almost immediately refused. They did indeed feel pity for the succubi, just as they felt compassion for international friends trapped in war and famine when they were on Earth.
But they were just ordinary people with ordinary mindsets. Everyone was currently too busy taking care of themselves, so it was impossible to risk their lives for a foreign race.
Players couldn't die, but most of them on Earth would complain even when drawing blood. The pain of death wasn't a joke.
But as she was cautiously forming her words, a system prompt suddenly appeared.
The animation of its appearance was a bit odd, not flowing smoothly and accompanied by glitch-like flickers.
[You have triggered a hidden quest: One Question.]
[Normal Achievement: Leave the Dream Edge without any deaths.]
[Perfect Achievement: Leave the Dream Edge without any deaths; assist in saving the dying Succubus tribe.]
[Quest Reward: Massive experience [Normal]; Permanent increase of luck attribute by 20% [Perfect]; The goodwill of a certain existence [Perfect].]
[Rejection/Failure Penalty: None]
[Do you accept the quest?]
Such a weird quest. Anakin's gaze stayed on the prompt.
Until now, the quests in "Tahe" seemed logical. Most of them were triggered by specific locations, items, or events. Some NPCs also issued quests, but their roles were clear—like shopkeepers asking for errands or Temple personnel commissioning monster kills. The logic was easy to understand.
However, this quest… was informal. It wasn't an event they experienced firsthand, nor was the situation very serious. After just a mention of the current situation by Nol, it eagerly popped up.
Especially the part about "the goodwill of a certain existence". It was really intriguing.
But Anakin hesitated only for a few seconds—a quest was still a quest. They should strive to leave alive, and there was experience to gain. Why not accept?
"Yes, yes, yes, those succubi are so pitiable." Rogue Solo spoke first, his tone exceptionally righteous. "Unity is strength. I will definitely help with all my might!"
So obvious. Anakin rubbed her temples hard.
"I will also help. Do you need anything from us?" she added with a straight face.
"Not for now. Rest well. If there's any update, we'll consult you two." Nol looked at the two Players suspiciously.
Both acted rationally, unlike passionate youths who disregarded life and death. Nol originally hoped the Players would believe him and not act recklessly. He never imagined they would volunteer to help.
And they even saw the two of them share a kiss, yet the Players never inquired about their relationship. Did he and Teest really look like "rare NPCs" to them?
Nol was baffled and decided to put this aside for now—he already had enough problems to deal with.
...
They got a very nice bedroom—or rather, Teest did.
Anakin and Solo had to settle for a deserted stone house in a remote location. Nol suspected that his proximity to the Succubus Palace was entirely due to the "succubus" Teest.
The room was equally magnificent.
It was spacious and clean, with a fluffy double bed in the center. Candles emitting sweet, fruity scents were lit by the bed. No matter how long they burned, the candle size didn't diminish.
A row of large white-framed domed windows opened on the bedroom wall, overlooking a mesmerizing forest and sky. The gauzy curtains swayed gently in the breeze.
Teest sat on the bed, bouncing a bit on the soft bedding.
"No wonder these creatures that thrive on dreams have such high standards for their 'dining plates'." Teest pressed the cloud-like mattress, happily lying down.
Nol, however, stood by the window, looking out into the boundless dream world.
The more beautiful it seemed here, the colder his heart felt. In this dreamy scene, there should have been a pair of lovers—at least, that was their woven fate, or so it should have been.
Nol pressed his palm against the crystal-like glass, silently gazing at this world. Except for the impending destruction, everything was perfect.
Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out, covering his eyes from behind. The despairing world vanished instantly, and all he saw was darkness.
"Stop looking. It's time for you to rest, my queen," Teest whispered. "Or would you prefer the title 'my beloved husband'? Act natural. Those succubi are definitely spying on us. I think you know."
Nol could indeed guess. He was just… a bit weary, too tired to fuss over it.
"I need a real hug now," Nol said, feeling the hands covering his eyes.
Teest chuckled. "How about a bonus tail wrap? I'm quite generous."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. But I sincerely ask you, don't touch the tail too much—the tip of a succubus's tail is very sensitive."
In bed, Nol hugged Teest tightly from behind, burying his face in his back. Teest's tail brushed against his arm, its tip softly resting on Nol's waist, like a hug.
The bedding of the succubi was truly top-notch. Despite his worries, Nol fell asleep quickly.
When he opened his eyes, the bedroom was slightly dimmer than before. At some point, Teest had turned to face him. Teest was in deep sleep, lips slightly parted. His long silver hair was spread across the pillow, tickling Nol's cheek.
In the dim light, Teest's presence seemed even more pronounced.
The Mad Monk, while deep in sleep, looked completely "harmless". Even from such close proximity, Nol couldn't find a single flaw in his appearance.
For a rare moment, Nol let his mind wander, staring at the face so close to him, as if glued to Teest. The other's skin was warm and soft, and Nol's hands, which were wrapped around Teest's waist, involuntarily tightened. Despite Teest's eyes being closed, Nol felt a strange sense of… enchantment.
The moment he realized it, a chill ran down Nol's spine.
Something's wrong.
Everything was too relaxed. The atmosphere was too intimate, as if someone was deliberately manipulating it. Nol glanced out of the window and then looked down at his own bare body with a wry smile.
This was a dream.
The details of the forest outside the window were slightly different from what he remembered before going to sleep. Also, before they went to bed, both he and Teest had undoubtedly been fully dressed. He was so dazed that he didn't even notice this.
Luckily, as a Lich with a higher mental resistance and a Player with even stronger mental defenses, Nol was only confused for less than thirty seconds.
"Don't you like me?"
A familiar voice whispered in his ear.
"The real world is too heavy. You need comfort, stronger than just 'a kiss'." The illusion spoke in Teest's voice. "Why don't you look at me?"
"I don't like men." Nol released the illusion.
"You're lying, Mr. Mage." The illusion wearing Teest's face smiled mischievously, just like the real Teest. The succubus tail playfully circled around Nol's lower back.
Nol buried half of his face in the pillow, laying almost calmly.
He knew what was going on. To retain the characteristics of the succubi while passing the game's regulations, their magic had been thoroughly revised, and Nol remembered all the details.
The succubi manipulated dreams, making the target dream of the person they were most interested in. They then guided the target to complete the illusion, making them lost in a vivid dream…
Once this passionate dream ended, the succubi could harvest the corresponding life force.
However, out of consideration for privacy and courtesy, the succubus casting the spell didn't watch the whole process.
"I regret that I don't have the energy to indulge in those kind of fantasies," Nol whispered, even though he knew the succubi couldn't hear him. He looked beyond the illusion.
Of course, Nol also knew why his subconscious accused him of "lying".
The entity speaking to him wasn't the "illusion of Teest", but a projection of his own subconscious. One couldn't lie to oneself.
"I admit that the succubi might not have chosen the wrong person… At this moment, in this world, I do need him the most."
Nol finally reached out and touched the top of Teest's head. He had never done this to the real Teest, suspecting the Mad Monk wouldn't like it. Just as he imagined, Teest's hair was soft and warm under his touch.
The illusion smiled, lying silently, allowing Nol to caress it.
The room was quiet, with only the faint sounds of their breathing. Nol stroked Teest's hair repeatedly, the hair sliding through his fingers like warm water. The sound of the hair rubbing against his skin was soft, like the rustling of silk.
Thinking that the real Teest was beside him, Nol surprisingly felt a bit calmer.
Reality was indeed heavy, and Teest might not sincerely help. But… having someone "by your side" and being "all alone" indeed were different.
When the scent of hair clung to his hands, Nol closed his eyes and hugged the illusion once more.
He was thankful for the little tricks of the succubi. Judging by the outcome, he indeed felt much more relaxed.
The poor succubi. They were destined not to extract life force from him—how could one possibly extract life force from a purely undead being?
Perhaps the heavens sensed the grudge of the succubi. When Nol really opened his eyes, he realized something was amiss.
Teest lay opposite him; his usually smooth hair was now a mess. The look he gave Nol was complex, with a hint of accusation in his eyes.
Nol subconsciously raised his hand and sniffed it. As expected, he smelled the faint scent of Teest's hair on his palm.
Nol: "..."
Nol: "…Last night… I…"
"You woke me up by pulling my hair last night," Teest said with a hint of melancholy. "Did you have a strange dream? Were you shearing sheep?"
Nol averted his gaze.
Teest sized him up and hummed meaningfully. "Alright, no jokes. It's easy to guess. Those starving succubi must have wanted to get something out of you, the 'human'. I won't ask whom you dreamt of, but… you have a thing for hair? It's quite a unique fetish. Fortunately, it wasn't too noticeable."
Suppressing a myriad of thoughts, Nol pondered for a few seconds and then just nodded heavily.
The succubi had no food, so naturally, there was no breakfast. Only a morning court assembly.
Both Teest and Nol were given chairs. The two Players were still not allowed into the court and had to wait in the hall outside.
The boundary between day and night was unclear here. Even the definition of "morning" was determined by the state of the hourglass beside the throne.
The beautiful throne remained empty, with no sign of the queen named "Wilimina". Nol looked at the vacant throne, resisting the urge to sigh.
"Last night, I felt violated."
Teest was the first to speak among all the succubi, his tone solemn and sad. "I know you all are hungry, but how could you not even greet before preying on my lover?"
The room went silent.
"… Allow me to explain, Mr. Teest."
The male succubus named Adonis—or Doni for short*—stood up. He wandered up to Teest and Nol and bowed with difficulty.
*Adonis (阿多尼斯). Doni (多尼). Generally, nicknames are given when the names of the characters (especially westernized) are too long.
Teest looked at him with a hurt expression, while Nol tried to mimic an offended look.
"We all know it was rude… Just like other groups, we wouldn't touch a comrade's lover. We are truly sorry, but the children are too hungry."
Nol's "offended look" almost faltered. "What?"
"You might not know," Doni said, looking down. "The longer the lifespan of an immortal species, the harder it is to reproduce and the more precious the offspring. Since… Since we've been trapped here, no children have been born for many years. Children need a lot of life force to grow… We forcibly put the few remaining children to sleep, but they still need life force to sustain basic consumption."
Speaking of this, he lowered his head even more. "If we told you outright, it would be like kidnapping the two of you to help. We thought just once—just once—and they could last a few more months. Maybe you wouldn't notice, and we'd find another way by then…"
Dumbstruck, Nol gripped Teest's hand and feigned ignorance. "I heard that succubi occasionally go out to hunt, and there are humans in your dungeons. Why not choose more prey?"
Doni seemed uneasy. He glanced at Teest, then quickly looked away. The other succubi remained silent, with only a few sighs echoing in the large space.
"I'm curious too." Teest took the opportunity to question, clear and loud.
"…Because we can't," Doni answered bitterly after a moment. "When the Great Queen Hyacinth was alive, we could hunt normally. But afterward… many of our kin who ventured to the Dream Edge realm never returned. At first, two or three out of ten would disappear. Then that number rose to five or six. In the past twenty years, not one who went out 'hunting' has returned."
"Hyacinth died over 150 years ago," Nol said, trying to remain calm. "After 150 years, you should know the reason. Who is your enemy? Where are they?"
Perhaps sensing a hint of malice in his tone, Doni finally looked at Nol.
He let out a raspy, unpleasant laugh, then slowly shook his head.
"We only know the enemy is the Eternal Church," he said slowly. "As for what methods they used… we don't know. Really, we don't. Every succubus who encountered them disappeared. Not one has returned with any clues in over 150 years."
Nol silently gripped the armrest of his chair.
"The humans in the dungeons are invaders from the Eternal Church. If it wasn't for them, we would have starved to death decades ago," Doni continued. "You might think we're incompetent, but apart from the tribes in the Shiva Realm, succubi from other countries were nearly wiped out. Even living this pitifully, we've lasted the longest…"
[Perhaps the invaders from the Eternal Church are being used as "food",] Teest thought. [If the extermination continues, the species will become extinct, so why not just domesticate them and weaken their spirit—that's probably what the people from the Eternal Church are thinking.]
[Then they dream more than the succubi,] Nol responded coldly.
[Haha!] Teest laughed unreservedly in his mind. [I'm growing fonder of your sense of humor, Mr. Lich.]
"I won't provide life force for those children." Nol hissed at the succubus Doni. "If you want to save them, go find your own food."
Doni looked at Nol with an expected "sure enough" expression, his dim eyes showing no anger. "We were at fault first. We understand…"
"But I don't." Nol's voice softened. He stood up and walked to Doni. "If it were my children I wanted to save, I would do anything for them. Dignity, honor, I'd throw them all away—if your manners prevent you from questioning me or rebuking me, then why don't you plead with me?"
The queen was nowhere to be found, the children were dying, and their race was on the verge of extinction. The succubi lived methodically while slowly starving to death, calmly choosing the next heir, as if the world were still normal.
Was he crazy, or were they?
Doni lifted his dry eyes, looking at Nol with a gaze as lifeless as a true corpse. He said nothing.
Instead, Teest raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking at Nol's straight back.
"Say it." Nol stared deep into his eyes. "Say you want to survive."
Doni stretched his mouth into an indecipherable smile on his mummified face.
"As I said before, I'm in charge of Lord Teest in the heir selection." He politely changed the topic, took a few steps back, and bowed respectfully to Teest. "The contents of the heir selection have been decided."
"Whoever successfully brings back the maddened queen will be the next heir."
The author has something to say:
Teest: (Sound asleep, suddenly grabbed in the middle of the night, and had his hair wildly tousled)
Teest: (Deep in thought)
Teest: …Buddy, you have a weird way of XP interaction.