The Shelter Game: Me, Starting with a Tenfold Drop Rate

Outside the Smith family mansion in the suburbs of Starling City, Irving, Vicky, and members of the Angel Guild frowned as they stared at the estate. The expressions on their faces were grim, for they had discovered that the Smith family mansion was entirely different from what they remembered.

The entire structure had undergone a drastic transformation, and even more strangely, the security personnel from Ocean Group stationed outside the mansion had no idea when this change had occurred.

At that moment, Benjamin was engaged in a conversation with the security personnel. After a while, he ran directly to Vicky and Irving.

"I've spoken with the security staff here," he said. "They've been on duty the whole time, but they genuinely don't know why there's been such a significant change at the mansion. They could be lying, but I doubt that's the case. It's likely that they've been affected by some sort of force. If this is the work of the Night Blades, then these security personnel wouldn't be able to detect it.

If it's not the Night Blades, it could very well be caused by the powers of chaos."

Benjamin laid out all the possibilities. This indicated that he himself was just as lost.

After listening to Benjamin, Vicky nodded. "What should we do now? The mansion has changed drastically; shouldn't we be more cautious?" It was evident that she was seeking Irving's advice.

Irving didn't respond immediately. He simply stared at the grand entrance of the Smith family mansion. After a moment, he spoke slowly.

Chapter Find:

"Since we're already here, we should definitely enter the building. How can we find the chaos artifact if we don't go inside the Smith family mansion?"

Once he finished speaking, Irving turned his gaze toward Aron. Aron nodded and brought the old box imbued with chaotic energy to the front of the mansion.

The moment the worn box was placed at the mansion's entrance, it suddenly began to shake violently, emitting a brilliant purple light.

Upon seeing the purple glow, Irving realized that the old box contained an even more powerful chaotic energy.

"Perhaps our previous assumptions were wrong! The chaos artifact might have been inside the box all along!"

Irving's revelation astonished everyone. Aron quickly responded, "If that's the case, shouldn't we just open the box right here at the mansion's entrance? It seems like a better choice not to enter the Smith family mansion after all."

Anna quickly chimed in, "I agree with Aron. If we enter the Smith family mansion, we will definitely be affected by the chaotic forces still present inside. If we can open the box at the entrance, we won't have to take such a huge risk."

It was evident that the members of the Angel Guild were reluctant to step inside the Smith family mansion. The reason was clear: they felt the mansion was far too dangerous. Two members of the Angel Guild had been there before, while Nick, who had never visited, looked slightly puzzled.

Irving nodded. "Then let's proceed with your plan."

After saying this, Irving took a step back. He had a nagging feeling that if Aron attempted to open the old box, it could lead to unexpected consequences.

Irving's actions puzzled Vicky and Benjamin. In a hushed voice, Vicky asked Irving, "Do you think this is going to endanger us? If you really believe that, why not warn them?"

Irving smiled and replied, "Even if I wanted to warn them, they wouldn't believe me. They're just as eager to avoid entering the Smith family mansion. In fact, I'm quite keen to go inside because I believe there's a significant reason for the mansion's drastic changes."

While Irving discussed this with Vicky, Benjamin quietly observed the actions of the Angel Guild members. They pulled out the powerful weapons and tools they had brought with them, hoping to use these to open the old box.

However, after trying for a while, they eventually gave up. Although they managed to create a small gap in the box's opening, when they peered inside, all they could see was an endless darkness. All their attempts to fully open the old box had failed.

Aron returned to Irving and Vicky with a look of resignation. "We weren't able to open the old box! Perhaps, like you said, we have no choice but to enter the Smith family mansion."

Irving nodded. "Does anyone else have any other ideas? If not, let's hurry inside. Wasting time here will only make our situation worse."

With that, Irving took the lead and stepped into the Smith family mansion.

The moment he stepped into the Smith family mansion, Irving felt the powerful chaotic energy that resided within.

"When we were here last time, the chaotic energy wasn't this strong. Something significant must have changed in the Smith family mansion during this time. We need to find out what caused this change."

As Irving moved forward, he remained vigilant, observing his surroundings. Although he was eager to explore the mansion, he was acutely aware of the risks involved.

The others followed closely behind him, moving cautiously. Their anxiety was greater than Irving's. Members of the Angel Guild continuously used their tools to scan for signs of chaotic energy in the area.

Vicky, as a member of the Smith family, felt the influence of the chaotic energy the moment she entered the mansion. Suddenly, she heard the voice of her ancestor.

"Why have you returned here? Didn't I tell you not to come back?"

The ancestral spirit of the Smith family was clearly displeased by Vicky's presence. Previously, the ancestor had warned her that returning would lead to great danger.

Vicky hurriedly replied, "We came here to investigate the whereabouts of the chaos artifact. If we can't find it, the Night Blades will pose a significant threat to us."

As soon as she spoke, everyone turned their attention to her. Although Vicky knew she was responding to her ancestor, the others only saw her seemingly talking to herself, as they couldn't hear the voice of the Smith family ancestor.

Irving quickly approached Vicky. "What are you talking about? Who are you answering?"

Vicky turned to look at Irving. "I'm answering my ancestor. He warned me to leave quickly. He said I would encounter tremendous danger here!"

Upon hearing Vicky's response, Irving's expression grew serious. "I think your ancestor is right; you should leave here as soon as possible! You can wait for us at the entrance of the Smith family mansion!"

With that, Irving directed his gaze toward Benjamin.

Benjamin immediately understood Irving's intention, so he pulled Vicky and attempted to leave the Smith family mansion. However, Irving and Benjamin's movements were still a bit slow. Just as Benjamin was guiding Vicky toward the exit, the large door of the Smith family mansion slammed shut.

Suddenly, a green flame flickered deep within the mansion, emanating a powerful chaotic energy. With the appearance of this green fire, it seemed that a multitude of monsters emerged within the Smith family mansion, all in a state of invisibility. Although the group couldn't see these monsters, they could certainly feel their presence.

The members of the Angel Guild quickly prepared for battle. Aron, Anna, and Nick each turned to face different directions, positioning themselves back to back for defense. Irving also sprang into action, moving to stand beside Vicky and Benjamin.

"Just focus on keeping yourself safe! I'll ensure Vicky's protection personally!" Irving said coldly to Benjamin.

Benjamin nodded and then increased the distance between himself, Irving, and Vicky. He understood that only Irving could adequately protect Vicky, so he chose to stay nearby but not too close, maximizing his own effectiveness.

After a moment of vigilance, the group gradually relaxed. They suddenly noticed that the monsters that had appeared in the Smith family mansion didn't seem intent on attacking them right away.

Irving addressed the group, "There's no need to panic! Although chaotic monsters have emerged, they may not be stronger than us. We have a significant number of people here. If we work together, we can handle any monsters that appear. Since we've come this far, we should push deeper into the mansion.

Who knows, the chaotic artifact we've been searching for might be hidden in the depths of the Smith family mansion. If we find even one chaotic artifact, we can ensure that the Night Blades' Shadow Celestial won't be able to swiftly increase their power."

Irving's words helped everyone regain their composure. He then led Vicky to the front, with the members of the Angel Guild following closely behind them. Benjamin took a position on the side to provide cover for the others.

Irving's calm response prevented the group from falling into immediate danger. However, this didn't guarantee that their plan would succeed, as the Smith family mansion also concealed a far more terrifying presence—one that had been deliberately set to target Irving by the Shadow Celestial.

After all, the ancestors of the Smith family were merely constructs of the Shadow Celestial, who certainly had the capability to set such traps.