Chapter 93: Mysterious Woman At this point, Xin was utterly astonished to witness Hilda’s transformation from a mere NPC to what seemed like an autonomous player. Her actions appeared to transcend scripted behavior, leaving Xin baffled by the unexpected turn of events. Xin pondered whether this shift could be attributed to a glitch in her interface, perhaps triggered by her consistent companionship with him, effectively liberating her from her previous constraints. While these musings were purely speculative on Xin’s part, he couldn’t deny the intrigue he felt. The idea that Hilda might have gained a newfound agency fascinated him, even if the exact reasons remained shrouded in mystery. "Who the hell are you?" a player demanded, eying Hilda with caution, her imposing hammer raising their suspicions. "Stay out of this, you ugly dwarf. This doesn’t concern you!" retorted one of the players, his words dripping with arrogance. Hilda’s stern gaze silenced the player, her response biting. "I suppose brutes like you have an aversion to appreciating true beauty. But then again, I didn’t hold out much hope to begin with." Confusion and incredulity rippled through the players, their collective expressions resembling those of people who had just heard something outrageous. "What’s she babbling about?" "She’s lost her mind!" "Enough of her nonsense. Let’s take her down!" Raising her colossal hammer, Hilda’s presence seemed to grow even more imposing, the weapon itself appearing to increase in size. As she swung the mighty hammer, the impact was nothing short of thunderous, a shockwave radiating outward as the colossal weapon met the attackers head-on. Hilda’s intervention had changed the dynamics of the confrontation entirely, leaving Xin with little choice but to become actively involved. In tandem with his numerous Golems charging forward, the once-motionless rocks had transformed into formidable creatures, rendering the players stunned and powerless. The Golems surged forward, their sheer force sending players flying, weapons dropping from their grasp as they succumbed to the overwhelming might of the Golems’ strikes. The battle had taken an unexpected turn. The players’ arrogant intentions now shattered against the combined strength of Hilda, and the Golems. Their immense strength and robust forms of the Golems formed an impenetrable shield around Midnight Duchess and Hilda, warding off the impending barrage of attacks from their assailants. With a graceful twist, Midnight Duchess regained her footing, her presence cloaked in an intensified shadowy aura that seemed to shift the very atmosphere around her. In a sudden twist of fate, the players who had poised themselves to deliver their fatal strikes found themselves vanquished, dissolving into particles that mingled with the moonlit glow. The forest’s breath seemed to be still, the only movement the swirling particles left in the wake of the players’ demise. Among the particles, a cascade of drops materialized on the forest floor. It was in this surreal moment that Xin arrived beside Hilda and Midnight Duchess. "Thank you," Midnight Duchess uttered, her gaze locked onto Lord Schrodinger’s name. The mask covering the lower half of her face concealed her expression, leaving only her blank eyes. "But I don’t need your help." "You’re mistaken. We were merely passing by," Xin responded, his tone casual. "Let’s continue, Hilda." Hilda spared a lingering glance at Midnight Duchess, her words a soft murmur meant for Xin’s ears. "She seems quite upset. I can’t fathom why." "People can be unpredictable, especially in such situations. Her pride may have been wounded by our interference," Xin explained without a care. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮 Their departure was halted as Midnight Duchess’s voice reached their ears once more. "Wait." Turning back, Xin and Hilda watched as Midnight Duchess spoke again, her words carrying a different tone. "I don’t enjoy being indebted to anyone. Feel free to claim the drops for yourselves." Before Xin could offer a response, Midnight Duchess melted into the shadows, vanishing from sight once again. Her departure left Xin and Hilda momentarily still, the drops from the fallen players remaining as a testament to their brief encounter. Exchanging a knowing glance, Xin and Hilda acknowledged the unexpected turn of events before Xin began to gather the drops left behind by the defeated players. "How generous of her to relinquish these," Hilda commented as she bent to retrieve various items scattered on the forest floor. "Although it seems none of these are particularly remarkable." Xin remained silent, his actions speaking louder than words. While the items might not be of the highest caliber, the principle of receiving something for free was enough to warrant his attention. While Xin and Hilda continued to collect the dropped loots, in the real world, a woman swiftly logged out of the game. Her fingers danced across her phone’s screen as she dialed a contact’s number. "Can you carry out an investigation for me?" she inquired as soon as the call connected. "Look into a player named Lord Schrodinger. He was in Desolate Forest just now." After concluding the call, she pondered Lord Schrodinger’s voice, a familiarity tickling at the edges of her memory. His distinct manner of speaking triggered a sense of recognition within her, although she and Xin hadn’t engaged in extensive conversations before. Even so, his voice had left an indelible mark on her memory. An odd sensation tugged at her instincts, urging her to probe further. It was a gut feeling she had learned to trust implicitly over the years. Turning her attention to her laptop, she scoured the news for any information related to Snow Angels, her sister Xiaxia’s guild. If she aimed to gather details about Xin, her sister’s insights were a valuable starting point. Something niggled at her analytical mind, however. Xin’s swift progression to near level forty in the span of less than a month raised eyebrows. It defied typical leveling patterns, even with assistance from a more experienced player. Such a feat generally demanded two months of relentless grinding, often with guided support. A frown furrowed her brow as she considered the Dwarven woman who accompanied Xin. Memories of their interaction were a blur, and she couldn’t recall discerning the woman’s level. Did she simply overlook it, or was it deliberately omitted? With a bite to her thumbnail, she fought the rising surge of curiosity and doubt. She needed to approach the situation methodically. Panic and conjecture wouldn’t yield the answers she sought.