Chapter 17: Exceeding Expectations

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Wen Xishu had no intention of altering his appearance. As an adrenaline junkie with a penchant for extreme sports, he had to admit that this body somehow suited him perfectly. While protecting Jennifer, he felt at ease. Although it wasn’t as exaggerated as in his previous life, it was still quite adequate. With some training, the limits would only rise higher. Choosing to keep his original face would also help him cooperate better with the people in the bunker. If he needed to conceal his identity, he could always wear a mask.

However, Wen Xishu’s biggest problem right now was that he needed fame. Only with sufficient renown could he survive. Many had to know what Wen Xishu had done, the great contributions he made, and what he brought back from the eerie tower. If he achieved a level four completion, everyone had to recognize it without any possibility of denial. In other words, he had to increase the social cost of having him killed.

Wen Xishu didn’t dwell on it for long. After a brief moment of thought, he said, “Codename: Wen Xishu. No need to adjust the body.”

“No problem, simple and convenient. Next is your reward for this mission. Whoa, this is quite a hefty reward!” The guide’s words faded away, and amidst the countless floating clocks and doors, a life-sized mirror suddenly appeared before Wen Xishu.

Since his crossing over, Wen Xishu had rarely looked into a mirror. Now, he gazed at his reflection…

Hmm, not bad—decently handsome. Calling himself the bunker’s Wu Yanzu wasn’t a stretch. But his hair was a little long. Once back in the bunker, he’d have to find a barbershop to trim it.

Of course, this was no ordinary mirror for tidying up one’s appearance; beyond his reflection, the mirror displayed other information.

[Codename: Wen Xishu.]

[Slaughter Tower Level: 1. Maximum Kill Value: 100.]

[Eerie Tower Level: 6. Magic Resistance: 12 points.]

[Desire Tower Level: 6. Luck: 12 points.]

[Three Tower Inventory: Four slots.]

[Sequence Slot Count: 1.]

Because he hadn’t entered the Slaughter Tower, Wen Xishu was still a novice there, level one.

As for Kill Value, Luck, and Magic Resistance, these appeared to be the core attributes of the three towers respectively.

Wen Xishu hadn’t expected that although he was only invited into the Desire Tower, he had already attained such a high level there.

“Your growth is terrifying. Honestly, this is the first time a newcomer has reached level six during their first exploration of the Eerie Tower,” the guide said with a sinister smile.

“And your completion rate… is exceptionally high.”

Wen Xishu’s interest piqued.

“Have I reached level four completion?”

The guide shook its head.

“Level four? Certainly not.”

After a slight pause, it continued:

“Level four completion is impressive, but it cannot completely change the mission’s fate. It can’t free them from the original shackles of slaughter.”

“But you did. You influenced the Eerie Tower, the Desire Tower, and the Slaughter Tower. Most crucially, you triggered a regional reset.”

“This means the fate of the regional targets in the Slaughter and Eerie Towers has been completely broken. They are now free. They have been freed from the eerie and slaughter shackles.”

Wen Xishu was puzzled. He hadn’t even entered the Slaughter Tower, so how could he have affected its world?

“So, what level completion have I actually reached?”

The guide was so excited that its other two heads opened their eyes, and all three spoke together:

“Climber, this is no easy feat.”

“No, this is an outstanding achievement!”

“Even if newcomers challenge this region in the future, any of their actions won’t override the changes you made. The rating coefficient will also be significantly reduced.”

“Because you reached Level Six Completion.”

Level Six Completion.

Wen Xishu was slightly taken aback.

Although Level Seven Completion existed, it only appeared in certain special layers.

For the Jack Eerie Building area on the 21st floor of the Eerie Tower, Level Six was the highest completion rating.

Judging from the guide’s words, he was the first to achieve a Level Six rating in this area.

Even if other climbers replicated his actions, their ratings would fall short due to the coefficient reduction, and they wouldn’t reach Level Six.

Naturally, they also wouldn’t be able to alter the fates of Jack and Jennifer.

This surprised Wen Xishu. It was as if he had anchored a constantly shifting story.

“Well done. You will receive an exceptionally generous supply reward.”

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“Many will rely on your supplies to survive. Of course, it’s not just supplies—also items and facilities.”

Wen Xishu, having a strong heart, suppressed his excitement and asked:

“As far as I know, the supplies gained from Level Six Completion can sustain everyone on a certain level of the bunker for a certain time?”

The guide nodded.

Wen Xishu suddenly recalled what Liu Jinsen had said—that the lowest residential level, where the bunker’s population was densest, was currently plagued by an epidemic.

He asked:

“Can I choose to convert survival rations and water supplies into medicine?”

All three of the guide’s heads stared at him:

“Unfortunately, you cannot. Medicine, food, and daily necessities are distributed randomly.”

“And medicine is the rarest. The chance of obtaining medicine as a reward is the lowest.”

That made sense.

Since the epidemic in the lowest layer hadn’t been resolved to date, it must be much harder to acquire medicine than food.

Wen Xishu wasn’t disheartened and continued listening.

“However, your case is special. As a Level Six Completion, you can additionally obtain a top-tier facility.”

“Once the facility is integrated into the bunker’s functional level, you can choose to consume some supplies to replace them with facility consumption items,” the guide said with a smile.

Wen Xishu understood the implication.

“So, I get to choose the type of facility?”

The guide replied:

“Yes, but there’s a maximum number of facilities allowed. If you choose one this time, you might have to pick a different one next time.”

“Of course, most Level Six facilities are still unoccupied.”

Wen Xishu recalled what Sha Ruijing had said—the essence of exploring the Three Towers was transporting the towers…

Now he truly understood that phrase.

If one explored the Three Towers enough times and reached Level Six rewards often enough…

The bunker would become an end-of-the-world shelter one could DIY.

“If I choose this facility… will it be marked as ‘owned by Wen Xishu’?”

The guide shrugged, all three heads bobbing simultaneously:

“Exactly. Everyone entering this facility will know it was brought here by you—or rather, by a climber codenamed Wen Xishu.”

“But I must warn you, ‘owned by you’ doesn’t mean for your exclusive use. As far as I know, humans in the bunker have their own governing authorities.”

There was no need to spell it out. Wen Xishu understood.

If he brought a facility, even though it bore his ownership mark, the bunker’s Security Bureau or Administrative Bureau might commandeer it.

With luck, these agencies might compensate him with bunker currency for a forced purchase.

Without luck, they might just take his reward for free and then have him disappear.

Hence, he absolutely had to accumulate fame.

Although he couldn’t assume the Security and Administrative Bureaus were his enemies—

The atrocities of the Wen family and the misdeeds of Wen Chaohua were problems Wen Xishu now had to resolve.

“In the description given by a friend of mine, a Level Six facility can bring about a transformative change to human civilization in the bunker.”

“I want to know—does that include hospitals?”

Although foot massage parlors were nice, to survive, he’d have to compromise and pick a hospital first.

The guide nodded:

“Of course, hospitals are among the Level Six facilities. You can think of them as hospitals beyond current human technology. A maximum of two Level Six hospitals exist.”

“Currently, among the Level Six buildings humans have in the bunker, there are no hospitals. You can choose to build one.”

“Correspondingly, if you’re willing to consume fifty percent of your supplies, the hospital will come with initial stocks of medicines and medical resources.”

Wen Xishu frowned:

“From your earlier description, the bunker currently has more than one Level Six building.”

“And to achieve Level Six Completion, one must trigger major changes in all three towers, breaking their shackles?”

“Are there many people in the bunker who have reached such an achievement?”

The guide shook its heads:

“Certainly not many, but there are indeed some Level Six facilities. You misunderstood a bit. Level Six Completion doesn’t necessarily require drastic changes in all three towers or breaking the shackles of slaughter and eerie.”

“Even without breaking the shackles, Level Six Completion can be achieved, but breaking the shackles always starts at Level Six.”

Wen Xishu understood.

The guide’s meaning was that what he accomplished was actually harder than the original Level Six Completion requirements.

Perhaps due to level restrictions or other reasons, he was still some distance from Level Seven but had already surpassed Level Six’s criteria.

Also, even exploring just one tower could theoretically lead to Level Six.

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The guide seemed to know what Wen Xishu was thinking and added:

“Moreover, just because one person can’t do something doesn’t mean a group can’t. Human history has had golden ages.”

“But these matters fall outside our scope as guides. You can explore the bunker and find out for yourself.”

Wen Xishu asked again:

“Are there Level Seven facilities?”

The guide said:

“There are. As I said, when humans unite, it’s terrifying—especially with some horrifying entities still in the bunker.”

“Among the known Level Seven facilities in the bunker, the most famous is the Three Towers Academy.”

“With the Three Towers Academy, the progress of exploring the towers has greatly accelerated. Among them are also prodigious newcomers.”

“Your first exploration was very successful, but they are also formidable. Don’t get too complacent.”

Wen Xishu understood.

It seemed humanity’s research on the Three Towers was much deeper than he had imagined.

People’s stereotypes about things were often shallow, like how he thought the Desire Tower was just a Tower of Shivers and the Slaughter Tower just a Tower of Fighting.

Only through true contact did one realize that ruling by fear was actually very low-level—but many still acted that way.

Among a few, there must be those with profound understanding and insight into the Three Towers.

Perhaps no one else could influence all three towers simultaneously like he did.

Yet, overall, humans exploring the three towers had triggered special rewards during their expeditions.

And even ignoring the overall group, there were many powerful individuals.

Also, Wen Xishu hadn’t expected the Three Towers Academy to be a Level Seven facility.

It included both the Slaughter Tower Academy and the Desire Tower Academy; it was clearly no ordinary school.

The academy might have some special functions.

However, the guide didn’t reveal details about this, and Wen Xishu would have to find out after returning to the bunker.

His curiosity about this world deepened.

“I choose the hospital.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure.”

“As you wish. But there are some final arrangements you must make.”

Wen Xishu quickly understood.

The mirror before him no longer reflected his image but showed a three-dimensional structure of the bunker.

Currently, the bunker had sixteen levels.

Eight functional levels and eight residential levels. Functional levels were even-numbered, residences odd-numbered.

The higher a person’s authority, status, and wealth, the higher their residential level.

Human society in the bunker was a straightforward pyramid structure.

Many Level Five and Four facilities had recreational functions but were placed on higher functional levels.

People on the lower levels only had access to Level One to Three facilities, usually providing only basic functions.

This resulted in massive disparities in medical and living resources compared to the upper levels.

However, the bunker allowed for upward mobility, and the method was simple—exploring the Three Towers.

Proving oneself in the Three Towers seemed fair to Wen Xishu.

Although a transmigrant, he did not view himself as a god.

Often, he could even empathize with the bunker’s rulers.

Nonetheless, this time, he chose to place the Level Six facility—the hospital—on the second level, a functional level serving the lower-class residents.

After completing all this, the guide said:

“I’m already looking forward to seeing how people will view you when you return to the bunker.”

“Your situation doesn’t look good now, but big changes are about to come.”

“After all, every Level Six facility directly changes the lives of bunker inhabitants.”

The black-headed skull smiled its usual sinister smile.

But Wen Xishu was not afraid of this grin; he was eager to see what would happen upon his return.

The guide continued:

“Finally, your personal, unstealable reward comes as a gift from Eerie Jack.”

“This is an extraordinary treasure.”