Dice In The Darkness: Cthulhu Calls

Chapter 266: Hybrier

Liu Xing arrived at Ling Ishikawa's side and noticed that Ling Ishikawa appeared much wearier than before. He had a scruffy beard, and his clothes showed signs of damage and stains.

Seeing this, Liu Xing understood that Ling Ishikawa must have suffered during his time in the alternate dimension. Fortunately, Ling Ishikawa didn't appear to be injured.

Looking at the dazed expression on Ling Ishikawa's face, Liu Xing couldn't help but ask, "Ling Ishikawa, are you okay?"

It was only then that Ling Ishikawa snapped back to reality, looking shocked as he said, "Oh, I mean... Ryusei, what are you doing here? Wait, how did I come back?"

Ling Ishikawa had initially intended to address Liu Xing as "Master," but upon seeing Lu Tianya by his side, he quickly corrected himself.

However, Liu Xing could deduce from Ling Ishikawa's words that he had returned from the alternate dimension without realizing it, which explained his surprise.

Speaking of the alternate dimension, Liu Xing was quite curious about where Ling Ishikawa had been during this time. So, he couldn't resist asking, "Ling Ishikawa, where have you been all this time? I thought you weren't coming back."

Ling Ishikawa managed a weak smile and said, "How should I put it? This is quite a long story. Initially, I was transported to a pitch-black space where I encountered a Ghoul, a Deep One, a Byakhee, and a Void Spirit. It wasn't easy for me to escape that place, and I ended up in a location that exists only in legends Hybrier."

Liu Xing raised an eyebrow, surprised that Yin En, using his new character card, had managed to survive in the company of four mythical creatures.

However, upon closer consideration, Liu Xing realized that this wasn't entirely unexpected. After all, Deep Ones and Byakhees were natural enemies due to their worship of opposing Great Old Ones, so they would prioritize fighting each other. Void Spirits, from the Cthulhu Mythos, were opportunistic by nature, and as long as one was cautious, they could fend off a Void Spirit's attacks. The Ghoul posed the most significant challenge, with formidable close combat abilities and natural armor, making it challenging for Yin En to harm it unarmed.

As for what happened afterward, Liu Xing couldn't have anticipated Yin En's arrival in Hybrier, the home of Ibon, the author of the "Book of Ibon." However, he didn't know the specific background of the Hybrier Yin En had reached.

As per KP Fangs' previous explanation, in this real Cthulhu Role-Playing Game Hall, every parallel world was built on the foundation of the Cthulhu Mythos but had variations in specific details. This meant that some famous anime and other cultural elements might be missing or different in this world.

Therefore, a place like Hybrier, rooted in legend, could vary significantly depending on the chosen background. For instance, in the traditional Greek mythology, Hybrier was a mythical kingdom located far north, possibly near the Ural Mountains, where the sun never set, and Greek gods resided. In this setting, it was entirely normal for Greek gods to exist, especially considering the events related to Taketori's ascension to godhood in the previous Dark Life arc.

Apart from Greek mythology, many famous Greek and Roman authors, like Pliny the Elder, Herodotus, Virgil, and Cicero, had described Hybrier in their works. According to their accounts, the people of Hybrier enjoyed a lifespan of a thousand years, lived in great happiness, experienced only one sunrise each year, and possessed vast amounts of gold guarded by Gryphons.

So, if Yin En's Hybrier was inspired by the worldview of these ancient authors, it would be a relatively peaceful place, unlike the more chaotic version seen in Greek mythology.

However, if Yin En's Hybrier drew from the Cthulhu Mythos version of Hybrier, Lu Tianya had some doubts. "Hybrier, are you referring to the Hybrier from Greek mythology? According to modern research, Hybrier is likely located near the Arctic Circle, as many records mention the existence of polar day and night."

Being an NPC, Lu Tianya's thoughts naturally deviated from those of players.

Ming Hanxing chimed in, "I don't think this is the time for casual conversation. We need to be cautious because this is the territory of the Deep Sea Gospel Society. Maybe we should head back first, and I can see that Ling Ishikawa needs some rest and recuperation."

Ming Hanxing's suggestion received unanimous support. After bidding farewell to the Red Eagle Security Company's security guards, Liu Xing and his group left the Old Teaching Building and headed to Liu Xing's home.

Initially, they had planned to leave Morimoto Academy in groups, each going their separate ways and maintaining contact through online video conferencing. Given the recent events and the fact that the Deep Sea Gospel Society had been outmaneuvered by Liu Xing's group, they expected the society to launch investigations. Therefore, staying together at this time would likely raise suspicion.

However, now Liu Xing's group had fewer concerns. The hidden camera had captured Liu Xing and Honekawa Suneo's conversation, and even though it only recorded video, the Deep Sea Gospel Society could employ experts to lip-read. Additionally, Lu Tianya mentioned that the society had a professional Taoist who had manipulated Higashi Meizi. If that Taoist were to communicate with Higashi Meizi again, she would undoubtedly reveal the recent events, making it inevitable for the society to discover Liu Xing's group.

So, they had little to fear now.

Back at Liu Xing's home, while Ling Ishikawa went to shower and change, the rest of the group settled down to discuss the day's events.

As a professional, Lu Tianya expressed some concern, "The situation is getting complicated. Higashi Meizi has been influenced by Taoist magic, and with my current abilities, I can't reverse it."

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