Chapter 22: Is Li Yao Too Petty? Nightmare Difficulty Clearance Announcement!

Yuwen Hao spoke in a very low voice.

However, since everyone nearby was a professional, they could still hear him if they chose to listen. Qin Yue and her group, standing a short distance away, heard the entire exchange.

Uncle Wu looked somewhat regretful. "No wonder Li Yao wanted to enter the Nightmare difficulty; he was seeking justice for himself."

The Qin family’s industry was concentrated in the equipment sector. As the most powerful guild in Jiangzhou, the Silver Wolf Guild had cleared countless dungeons, maintained the most frequent trade relations with the Qin family, and shared a very good private relationship. They had once considered arranging a marriage between Li Yao and Qin Yue to solidify their ties, but that idea was abandoned once Li Yao became infatuated with Jiang Ningyu.

Uncle Wu sighed. "Young Master Li was first targeted for his resources by Jiang Ningyu, and now he’s being pressured by Yuwen Hao. It’s inevitable that he would act impulsively. But fortunately, the Li family likely provided him with an escape scroll, so his life shouldn't be in danger. Honestly, it’s a bit childish. Just because he was robbed, he blindly rushes into a dungeon? Does he really think he can clear it to prove himself?"

One of Qin Yue's other followers chimed in, "You can't say it like that. He’s still just a kid, after all. Being robbed and feeling helpless, it’s understandable he’d do something extreme. It’s just bad luck for Li Yao—out of all classes, he had to pick Summoner. It’s a pity, really; it’s been so long since the Silver Wolf Guild produced someone with such talent."

Qin Yue heard their discussion clearly. She suddenly asked earnestly, "How long did it take us to clear the Difficult difficulty just now?"

"Miss, it was about two and a half hours," Uncle Wu replied.

"And have you seen Li Yao come out?"

Uncle Wu froze. Because his mistress was curious, they had specifically instructed the servants to alert them if Li Yao was teleported out so they wouldn't have to wait. However, Li Yao had yet to appear.

"What if..."

"No, there are no 'what ifs'," Uncle Wu quickly dispelled his own wild thoughts. Soloing a Nightmare difficulty dungeon was something he wouldn't even dare to imagine. Li Yao must have realized the monsters were unbeatable and, fearing the embarrassment of being teleported out, was simply hiding at the spawn point to kill time.

"Haha, Miss, you’re giving Young Master Li too much credit," the follower laughed. "If he could clear it... forget it, clearing it isn't realistic. If he can even kill a single monster, I’ll do a handstand..."

Suddenly, an announcement swept through like a bomb, appearing on every user's system interface.

【Congratulations to the professional team 'None' for clearing the Goblin Lair (Nightmare)!】
【Congratulations to the professional team 'None' for breaking the clear-time record for the Goblin Lair (Nightmare)!】
【Clear Time: 3 hours, 47 minutes, 21 seconds】
【Leader: Li Yao (Chess Player)】
【Members: None】
【Rewards: Professional level +1, First Clear Gift Pack (Goblin Lair - Nightmare), Title Reward: Abyss Loner (Unique)】

【The Goblin Lair, Purgatory difficulty, is now open. Professionals between levels 20 and 25 who have undergone the 'Perfect Second Transition' may enter to challenge it.】
【Note: Dungeon escape scrolls cannot be used in Purgatory difficulty.】
【Good luck!】

...

Silence. No one spoke. Some people opened and closed their interface repeatedly, trying to refresh it to confirm they hadn't misread it. It wasn't just those present; every professional who had ever run the Goblin Lair received this notification at the same time.

"Uh... did the system... glitch?" someone asked quietly, breaking the silence.

No one answered. The only response was the sound of gasping and swallowing. Then, cries of disbelief echoed one after another. How could the system glitch? It was the foundation of a professional's existence, the power of the Heavenly Dao itself—a power that hadn't shown a single error in countless years! Many people began to wonder if something was wrong with themselves.

"How is this possible?!"
"Li Yao cleared the Nightmare difficulty?"
"A Summoner, by himself? Alone? You have to be joking!"

If only one person had seen this message, they would have assumed they were mistaken. But since everyone present—even the entire city of Jiangzhou—saw it at the same time, they were forced to believe it.

"This Summoner class, which everyone looked down upon, really cleared a Nightmare dungeon?"
"I must be dreaming." Someone said this and slapped the person standing next to them.
"It feels so unreal."
"Is the talent really that strong?"
"The talent is strong, but not strong enough to let a Summoner solo a Nightmare. I suspect someone gave him an SSS-rank summon skill book."
"Do you think SSS-rank books are cabbage? I’ve never even heard of one, let alone someone just giving it away."
"Who knows? Maybe Li Yao is the son of the Dragon Kingdom’s leader?"

"None of that matters. I want to know, isn't Li Yao a Summoner? Didn't they say Summoners were the weakest? How could he clear a Nightmare difficulty?"
"Regardless, no one thought highly of Li Yao before this."

Upon hearing that Li Yao had cleared the Nightmare difficulty, perhaps the person most capable of accepting it was Qin Yue. She smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling as she looked at the follower who had previously vowed to do a handstand. "I recall someone saying that if Young Master Li could kill even one monster, they would do a handstand... wasn't that it? Come on, show us! I want to see!"

"Miss..."
"I said if he could kill *one* monster, I didn't say he could clear the Nightmare difficulty!"
"Oh, really!"

Just as Qin Yue was about to press the point, the follower quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, I actually feel sorry for someone."

Qin Yue’s interest was piqued. "Who? Yuwen Hao?"
"Yuwen Hao is fine. Even though Li Yao clearing the Nightmare difficulty makes his Master-level clear a joke and he paid a high price, he is the young master of the Yuwen family, after all. He doesn't need anyone's pity."
"Then who?"
"Jiang Ningyu!"
"Li Yao’s ex-girlfriend?"
"Exactly! Look at her face right now. Such a pretty girl, and now she looks like that."

Qin Yue covered her mouth, unable to hide her amusement. She had heard plenty about the situation between Jiang Ningyu and Li Yao. She didn't like the girl—not because of her beauty, but because she had accepted so many gifts from Li Yao despite not liking him.

The other followers couldn't help but laugh as well.
"Haha, I can't, let me laugh for a bit!"
"Nightmare-level Abyss! Forget about peers, how many people in the whole country can solo a Nightmare Abyss? She had a boyfriend who was completely devoted to her, and she just threw him away?"
"Pah! Why are you pitying her? She was the one who broke up with him the moment he changed into a Summoner. Who else is to blame?"
"Haha, Miss, look, she looks so strange right now."
"I see it too."
"She looks like a stray dog."
"Hey, don't talk behind people's backs," Qin Yue cautioned, though she was clearly enjoying it.

...

At that moment, Jiang Ningyu didn't know people were laughing at her. Even if she did, she wouldn't have the heart to care. Her pretty face had lost all its color, and even with Yuwen Hao cursing beside her, she couldn't hear a word.

Li Yao... cleared the Nightmare difficulty? How is that possible? He’s just a Summoner! Why... why did he choose the Summoner class to deceive me?

Jiang Ningyu was unwilling to accept it. She even cast aside the fact that she had sabotaged Li Yao in the dungeon. Li Yao’s figure grew larger and larger in her mind; she closed her eyes, and all she could see was him. A sense of regret washed over her like a tide.

"Li Yao... why did you do this to me?"